Get Well Soon...

Our thoughts and prayers at TheHockeySpot go out to coach John Van Boxmeer and his family. Van Boxmeer, 55, suffered a heart attack last week, but is not expected to miss any time coaching Swiss club Bern. A former NHL player and coach, Van Boxmeer crossed the Atlantic two years ago to coach in Switzerland after a stint as an assistant coach to Andy Murray in Los Angeles.

Van Boxmeer's team is scheduled to face off against the NHL's New York Rangers on September 30th as part of the Victoria Cup tournament.

Get well soon coach.

Musings on the First Round...

Whew! It's been a hectic two weeks on and off the ice, and with most of my time being spent catching up on recordings of several games from the first round there hasn't been much time to post. So in order to cap off the first round of the playoffs, some ramblings on the progress of this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs:

• Every Stanley Cup Championship team faces some form of adversity at some point during their run to the Cup. For the San Jose Sharks, that adversity came in the form of themselves. After blowing a 3-2 series lead, the Sharks showed what they were made of in Game 7, taking control of the game following a 2-1 deficit at the hands of the Calgary Flames. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this team is finally living up to their potential.

• Speaking of the Sharks, thank the heavens, Jeremy Roenick is back. After two years that can be described as disastrous at best in L.A. and Phoenix, JR has finally returned to the form that commanded respect from his teammates and opponents throughout his career. Not only did he notch four points in Game 7, but displayed the admirable leadership qualities he was once known to possess. He may be a bit long in the tooth and not the same first-line center he once was, but we can now finally say that Roenick will retire as the player everyone knew he could be.
  

• For anyone who began thinking "Carey Price Who?" after the Habs nearly blew a 3-1 series lead, jump off that bandwagon and hop on the "Price=Roy" ride. Trust me, this ride is much warmer (and not just because the Montreal Riot Parade lit the wheels on fire).

• Speaking of bandwagons, don't tell me Ovechkin should have shot the puck. This is one of the few times I strongly disagree with Barry Melrose; had Fedorov placed his stick on the ice, it is more likely that we would be talking about how brilliant the fake slap shot turned game winning pass was. The play was a smart read on Ovechkin's part, unfortunately for him Fedorov just simply did not read the play the same way.

• It's becoming apparent that reaching the Finals truly does affect a team's play the next season. Case in point: both the Ducks and Sens were shells of themselves in their first round exits.

• With all the talk during the Rangers-Devils series about Sean Avery's antics, one point that hasn't been voiced loud and clear is why not one single New Jersey player attempted to make a run at either Henrik Lundqvist, Jaromir Jagr, Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, nor Brendan Shanahan. Last I checked, Martin Brodeur has been the star of the Devils for over a decade; on top of that, he is the their number one goaltender. Regardless of the fact that it is the playoffs a message needed to be sent loud and clear, but the Devils seemed to choose to roll over and die instead.

• Marty Turco may have been a huge piece in beating the Ducks in six, but he's still not in the clear when it comes to being called a playoff flop. The only way he will get that monkey off his back is by getting the Stars to the Conference Finals and, at the very least, having a highly competitive series.

• And finally, if you didn't watch the Avs-Wild Quarterfinals series, you missed out big time. From the second the puck was dropped in Game 1 it was obvious to everyone watching that these two teams were playing for one thing: the Stanley Cup.
  

In the Time of Cheetoh's and Bean Bags...

Anybody else spill something on themselves after watching Alexander Ovechkin do exactly what Alexander Ovechkin does? If you have no idea what I'm referring to, then what in the name of Mark Messier were you doing last night?!



I'm beginning to think that Rod Stewart's "Some Guys Have All the Luck" was nothing more than a premonition of Ovechkin that Mr. Stewart had one night, sleeping on his mass of fluffy 80's hair. Of course, you know what we say, you have to be good to be lucky.

Anyhow, today's lineup of games are not nearly as attractive as yesterday's. Your Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner Game O' the Day for Saturday is Game 2 between the Anaheim Ducks and the Dallas Stars. After a lack of discipline brought the Ducks to their knees in Game 1, expect a much more up-tempo and exciting Game 2 today at 10:00 EST. The Ducks superstars will be exactly that tonight and Marty Turco will begin to show whether or not he can be the overall difference maker over a seven game series.

Game O' the Day

Oh, boy! Today's game o' the day is a toughie. For anyone with a DVR, my advice is to set recordings for all four games, grab a bag of puffy Cheetoh's, a bean bag, and your favorite pair of holy underwear and then close all the blinds, because it's gonna be an ugly scene.

For everyone else, it's time to watch history in the making: Alexander Ovechkin will be making his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut. Anyone that has seen Ovechkin play for even one shift during the regular season has to be anticipating the excitement the winger will bring in a post-season game. On top of that, the Washington Caps will show whether or not they can continue the roll they have been on over the past month-and-a-half.

The other two safe picks for the night are the Devils/Rangers and Wild/Avs Game 2's. The only downfall of these two games is that it's highly unlikely they will match the excitement and passion that were brought on during the first games of these series.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Like every hard working hockey fan out there, it's hard to decide which game to choose out of the several that are available throughout the hockey season. For that very reason, The Hockey Spot would like to introduce our daily "Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner Game O' the Day*".

Today's Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner Game O' the Day is Game 2 between the San Jose Sharks and the Calgary Flames. After last night, it's pretty well established that these teams won't be sending each other thank you cards at the conclusion of this series, so expect some serious bruising and hard fought, hard nosed hockey.

(*"Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner is an unofficial trademark of John Buccigross and the ESPN John Buccigross weekly online segment at ESPN.com. Any transmission or rebroadcast of "Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner" will be copped as a literary rip off and all users shall be heckled for said plagiarisms. We here at The Hockey Spot hereby give you permission to begin the heckling.)

Predictions Galore!

As I've said before, I hate predictions in hockey. Especially when it comes time to compare one's own predictions against the results.

This season, I did pretty well for my mid-season playoff predictions going 13 for 16.

Predictions Right On or Close to the Money: Pittsburgh, Ottawa, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston, New York Rangers, Washington, Detroit, San Jose, Anaheim, Calgary, Minnesota, and Colorado.

Predictions Totally Blown: Carolina, Vancouver, St. Louis.

Boy was I wrong about the three teams I missed out on though: Dallas, Montreal, and Nashville. In fact, it seems that other than San Jose, these are three of the most talked about teams going into the playoffs. So, once again I say, I hate predictions.

And with that positive note, here are my 2008 Stanley Cup Playoff First Round Predictions:

Western Conference

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (8) Nashville Predators
Prediction: Detroit 4-2
Why: Just like every other hockey pundit, I'm going to continue to underestimate the Predators. With the experience and sheer power of the Red Wings, the Predators are going to have a huge task ahead of them to survive a seven game series that includes four games in Detroit. The key to this series will be the first two games. If Detroit goes to Nashville up 2-0, the chances of the Preds coming back would be slim, to put it generously.

(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Calgary Flames
Prediction: San Jose 4-2
Why: This is the first round series to watch. During the past few weeks it has appeared that the Sharks have finally matched the hype surrounding them for years, going 19-1-2 in their final twenty-two games.The trade deadline addition of Brian Campbell added an offensive threat from the blue line, but also brought a greater sense of patience and confidence in the Sharks defensive play. The worry for the Sharks is the problem that cost them their 2nd round series against the Red Wings last season: their ability to maintain a lead. The Flames are a team that have become known for coming back from behind during games, and any team with a lead and Mikka Kipprusoff in goal is a serious threat. Expect a hard fought, tough series.

(3) Minnesota Wild vs. (6) Colorado Avalanche
Prediction: Colorado 4-1
Why: The Wild are a team that will not go down without a fight, and given the possibility that they could field an on-ice roster that includes Chris Simon, Derek Boogard, and Todd Fedoruk, the opposing team is likely to come out battered and bruised. The edge in the series goes to the Avalanche due to their top two lines and their new found defensive depth as a result of the deadline acquisitions of D-men Adam Foote and Ruslan Salei. Consider the fact that Jordan Leopold is likely to be a healthy scratch as the Avs 7th defenseman, and you will have a hint as to how deep their blue line is.

(4) Anaheim Ducks vs. (5) Dallas Stars
Prediction: Anaheim 4-2
Why: Due to their experience at every position, the Ducks have got to be the favorite to win the Cup yet again. As long as every man on their roster plays to his ability and manages to stay relatively healthy, the Ducks will remain the team to beat. The wild card in this series, as it has been with every series involving the Stars over the past few years, will be Marty Turco. Despite his phenomenal play in last year's playoffs, the Stars still managed to lose in the first round to Vancouver. It would seem that the Stars ticket to winning this series will be Turco stopping every Anaheim opportunity, every game.

Eastern Conference

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (8) Boston Bruins
Prediction: Montreal 4-1
Why: Simply put, Carey Price is a man possessed. Add the fact that Montreal beat Boston in every meeting during the regular season, and you have a series that looks like a no-brainer. If Boston wins this series, it could be the biggest upset of the playoffs; don't count on it though. The Kings, Thrashers, and Blues have a better chance of landing Steve Stamkos in the NHL Draft than the Bruins do of beating the Habs.

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (7) Ottawa Senators
Prediction: Pittsburgh 4-0
Why: Can anyone remember watching a team fall from grace in such a tragic and unnecessary way as the Sens have this year? By Christmas the Senators were the team to beat. By St. Patrick's Day they were the team everyone in the Eastern Conference was hoping to play in the first round. Obviously Bryan Murray's comments about the Pens throwing their final regular season game to the Flyers in order to get matched up with his Sens was nothing more than a desperate attempt from a desperate coach/GM to sway the focus away from his team's erratic play. The Sens only hope will be for their players to get hungry and desperate, and now.

(3) Washington Capitals vs. (6) Philadelphia Flyers
Prediction: Philadelphia 4-3
Why: This prediction can't necessarily be deemed an upset considering Philadelphia (95) finished with more regular season points than Washington (94). Looking ahead, it would be phenomenal to see a Capitals vs. Penguins Eastern Conference Final, but it's much more likely that the Caps will burn out after their unlikely regular season finish. Also, Martin Biron will finally have the opportunity to show his stuff in the playoffs, and it's likely he may surprise a few people.

(4) New Jersey Devils vs. (5) New York Rangers
Prediction: New York 4-2
Why: Though the Devils are one of the most experienced playoff teams in the Eastern Conference, it seems as though it is finally the Rangers time to be a serious threat in the playoffs. The off-season signings of playoff heroes Chris Drury and Scott Gomez are the factors which seem to put the Rangers over the top. The Devils certainly won't be push overs, but it just simply seems to be the Rangers time.

The Pre-Playoffs, Pre-Draft Draft Special

After a brief hiatus due to some training, I'm back in time for the playoffs.

Before coverage of the real action begins though, a stake to the heart of Kings, Thrashers, Blues, and Islanders fans:


That's right, Bill Daly, the NHL's Deputy Commissioner, claims the Tampa Bay Lightning's thunder bolt logo as the best in the NHL.

But really, the Tampa Bay Lightning won the rights to the first-overall pick in the 2008 draft. All indications are that the club will select Steve Stamkos, as team rep Dave Andreychuk made it clear that the team has anticipated receiving the pick for the past few weeks with the intention of choosing Stamkos.

Did anyone else watching the Versus telecast have a deep desire to play poker with Andreychuk as soon as possible? One would think someone from the Lightning organization would have informed Mr. Andreychuk that in the event a freak accident occurs or say young Mr. Stamkos decides he has a calling to become the next voice actor for Papa Smurf in the upcoming Smurfs re-make, he should stay tight lipped over who the organization intends to choose.

Unless, of course, Stamkos is just that good. And according to everyone in the world of scouting, he is.

Campbell Officially Arrives in San Jose

Holy massive chicken nuggets!



Thanks to James Mirtle for pointing this one out.

Trade Deadline...Finally...Part 6

Following the trade deadline on Tuesday, the most polled about issue on hockey related web sites was "Who was the biggest winner at the trade deadline?" Though last night's five point introduction by Stars' center Brad Richards would currently shoot Dallas to the top of that pole, many have made an argument for the most active team at the deadline: the Washington Capitals.

After the first month of the season, many in the hockey world believed the Caps would most definitely be sellers as opposed to buys during the trade deadline. However, the hiring of long-time minor league head coach Bruce Boudreau has not only given the Caps a surge in their play to push for the playoffs, but a new identity. Throughout much of his coaching career Boudreau has been characterized as too unpolished to become a successful National Hockey League coach, a reputation which, intentionally or not, Boudreau has responded to by coaching his teams fight for every inch with successful results.

The same underdog attitude that Boudreau has carried with him has begun to translate into success in the NHL through the Washington Capitals. With one of the biggest young superstars in the league, the Capitals have the opportunity to become the rag-tag feel good story of this hockey season, much the same way their coach could.

And after Tuesday's trade deadline, that "feel good" story is looking more and more realistic.

The first trade of the day for the Caps came with the acquisition of soon to be unrestricted free agent goaltender Cristobal Huet from the Montreal Canadiens for a second round pick in 2009. One of the most shocking deals of the day, most in the hockey world believed that the Habs would hang onto Huet for the playoff push and another few years until Carey Price was deemed ready to take over the number one spot. Apparently Habs GM Bob Gainey felt the 20-year-old Price was up for the task, a decision which was likely helped by the shaky play of Huet over the past few weeks.

To add more to the shock of the trade is the fact that the Capitals have a goaltender that has manned the crease for the franchise steadily over the past eleven years in Olaf Kolzig. Though Kolzig played it cool in an interview on Versus after the Caps 4-1 win over Minnesota the night after the trade deadline, Kolzig's agent Art Breeze has begun to stir up a hornet's nest.

The need for a change in goal that Caps GM George McPhee has obviously expressed has been the result of Kolzig's lack of consistency this season. Beyond that, Kolzig is 38 and could be showing signs of the end of his career. Though Huet could prove to be nothing more than a rental player, McPhee must have traded for the French goaltender with the intention of signing him to a contract extension. At 32, Huet could be entering the prime of his career and it has yet to be seen what he is or is not capable of over a full season (he has never played more than 42 games in one season). If the Caps do make the playoffs this season due to any form of stellar play from Huet, expect him to be asking for a hefty salary considering his upcoming contract will be the biggest contract opportunity of his career.

The Caps followed up the Huet deal with another stunner. For days rumors had Sergei Fedorov waiting for the go-ahead to hop on a plane to Detroit to rejoin the Red Wings; instead Fedorov joined an extensive cast of fellow Russians in exchange for the Caps 2007 second-round pick, defenseman Ted Ruth.

Having lost center Michael Nylander to season-ending shoulder surgery the Caps were in need of a second line center, but in the process of fulfilling that need they also added several years of playoff experience. Though the 38 year-old Fedorov is nowhere near the same player he was when he was competing with Wayne Gretzky for the scoring lead fourteen years ago, Fedorov is still a great skater with phenomenal hands. Beyond that, Fedorov can also serve as a mentor on and off the ice for a young comrade that just so happens to be one of the league's brightest young stars in Alex Ovechkin.

Though no one realistically believes Fedorov will put up the same numbers he did earlier in his career, playing with Ovechkin could provide a significant bump from the 28 points in 50 games he put up while playing in Columbus this season.

After the splashes GM McPhee made with these two deals, it would seem that he firmly believed that the Caps would be in the playoffs when he made his final significant trade by dealing Matt Pettinger to the Vancouver Canucks for agitator Matt Cooke. Cooke, a player right up coach Boudreau's alley, will provide the Caps with the grit and nasty play necessary to throw teams off their game plan in the playoffs. Plainly and simply, Matt Cooke was acquired for the playoffs.

Due to the way in which each of these trades addressed specific needs for the Caps, it would appear that the team that could gain further notoriety as the latest "feel good" story were the overall winners at the trade deadline. Now that the GM has done his job, it is up to the coach and his players to prove whether or not they truly are improved or just made for a good story for part of the regular season.

Maybe First Isn't The Best

Apparently getting off to a great start in the hockey season isn't the best way to start your year out. The Ottawa Senators fired head coach John Paddock and assistant coach Ron Low following a 4-0 thumping at the hands of the Boston Bruins. This all comes in the midst of a trying period for the Sens in which they have struggled after starting 16-3. That just teaches all NHL coaches to take the "Mike Keenan New Philosophy on Coaching", start out struggling early so that everyone believes your team is excelling even in the midst of mediocrity.

Trade Deadline...Finally...Part 5

The day we've all been waiting for has finally come and gone. Some expected deals finally came to pass, most didn't happen at all, and one just surprised the heck out of everyone. For a list of every trade at the deadline head over to TSN.com or TheFourthPeriod.com, otherwise keep reading for an analysis of the biggest deals of the day.

Pittsburgh Penguins acquire F Marian Hossa and F Pascal Dupuis from Atlanta Thrashers for F Colby Armstrong, F Erik Christensen, F Angelo Esposito, and a 2008 1st Round Pick

Despite the fact that this deal involves a player that everyone knew was on the move, this is the most jaw dropping deal to occur during the deadline. It had been reported for a few weeks that the Pens had an interest in acquiring Hossa, but as TSN Insider Darren Dreger reported last night the Penguins did not make a significant offer to Atlanta GM Don Waddell until two to three hours before the official deadline.

The shocking aspect of this deal is the players that Pittsburgh gave up in order to acquire two possible rental players. Both Esposito and Armstrong were former 1st Round Picks, and Christensen has developed into a physical centerman that has moved between the second and third line for much of the season. Though Hossa's abilities outweigh those of the other three, the Pens have put a serious dent in their roster if Hossa decides to sign elsewhere over the summer.

Pens ownership and GM Ray Shero are likely taking Hossa's word that his decision on where to sign this summer will be based upon which team has the brightest future to win as opposed to the deepest pocket book because the Pens will not have much to offer Hossa financially. Consider that both Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal are nearing the end of their entry-level contracts and will be looking for hefty contracts, there may not be enough money to satisfy Hossa's contract expectations.

With such a risk, this deal absolutely means one thing: the Penguins believe they can win the Cup now.

As for Atlanta, they still have not solidified a number one centerman and they have just lost a huge part of their offense. However, the Thrashers have become a much deeper team from this deal as Armstrong and Christensen will make them tougher physically. If Angelo Esposito matches up to the hype that surrounded him when he was sixteen-years-old, this deal could prove to be either tremendously lopsided or extraordinarily even in three to five years. Either way, both teams are taking a significant risk.

Dallas Stars acquire F Brad Richards and G Johan Holmqvist from the Tampa Bay Lightning for G Mike Smith, F Jeff Halpern, F Jussi Jokinen, and a 2008 Fourth Round Draft Pick

Yet another player expected to be on the move, Brad Richards admitted to the press that he was relieved to be given a fresh start in a new city. In return for the former Conn Smythe Trophy winner, the Lightning obtained a goaltender that they believe is ready to become a number one goaltender as well as some spare parts.

As reported earlier this week, the Stars obtained Richards to help in this year's playoff push and to become the team's number one center as Mike Modano steps into the twilight of his career. This will be Richards chance to prove his critics wrong as many have stated that he and his $7.8 million are overrated.

It is a bit of wonder that Tampa Bay went after Smith when other proven goaltenders were available (Dwayne Roloson, Ray Emery/Martin Gerber), especially since speculation throughout the season placed Marty Turco heading to Tampa for Martin St. Louis while Dallas would make Smith their new number one. Apparently us pundits had the right teams, but the wrong players.

Many around the league believe that Smith can handle himself well as the main backstop in Tampa, and it looks like he'll have his chance over the next fifteen games to prove them right.

Trade Deadline Madness...Hopefully Part 4

The next series of possible players on the move during this year's trade deadline was going to focus on Tampa Bay's Dan Boyle and Vaclav Prospal, but the Lightning saw to it that those players were dealt with quickly. As of a few hours ago, Dan Boyle was signed to a six-year, $40 million contract extension and Prospal was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for young defenseman Alexandre Picard and a conditional 2nd or 3rd round pick. Both moves are great for the Lightning, as Picard has a great deal of potential, Prospal was highly unlikely to re-sign during the summer, and Boyle has been solid both offensively and defensively on the blue line.

That being said, we're right around the corner from all hockey madness breaking out and there are still plenty of players to go around.

6. John-Michael Liles, Colorado Avalanche

Since the lockout, the Avalanche have seemingly been a vehicle leaking oil all over the pavement with no way to clog the broken, leaky line. Casualties of the situation have been Adam Foote, Rob Blake, and Peter Forsberg to name a few and, as of tomorrow, you can add John-Michael Liles to that list. Unlike the other three players though, the Avs don't seem interested in retaining Liles' service when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Over the past few years, Liles has proven to be an undersized, but highly mobile puck moving defenseman. Such a player is in high demand on quite a few teams, so the Avs shouldn't have any problem trading Liles by tomorrow while obtaining quality players and/or picks in the process.

Possible destinations for Liles range from the Rangers, Hurricanes, Canadiens, Sharks, and Canucks. All five of these teams are in the market for a player of Liles quality, and all five have the assets to offer that would interest the Avalanche. The least likely team of the five to acquire Liles is the Hurricanes due to their acquisition of offensively minded defenseman Joe Corvo last week.

Any of the other four would be a fine fit for Liles and, possibly due to the fact that Liles is American, the Rangers just seem to be the perfect match.

Prediction: Liles to the Rangers for Marek Malik and Nigel Dawes.

7. Brad Stuart, Ladislav Nagy, Any Los Angeles Kings Veterans

With the exception of Rob Blake, every veteran on the Kings is up for grabs for the right price. Though rumors are still in circulation about Blake waiving his no-trade clause, it has already been made quite clear by Blake that he wants to retire in L.A. Of course, last year I was adamant that former Kings' captain Mattias Norstrom would not be traded so there is always the chance that I'm mistaken, but the rumors of Blake being willing to waive his no-trade clause to go back to Colorado strike me as nothing more than talk.

In the case of veterans Brad Stuart, Ladislav Nagy, Tom Preissing, Kyle Calder, and Brian Willsie, there is no controversy involving no-trade clauses.

Given Stuart's recent play, it's likely the Kings would attempt to sign him to an extension. However, there may not be time enough to get Stuart signed and, unless Kings' GM Dean Lombardi is extremely trusting of the player which he drafted while in San Jose, Stuart could be moved to any number of teams. The teams looking to enlist Stuart's services are likely to overlook Stuart's failure as a rental player with Calgary last season due to the fact that Stuart was injured during much of his time with the Flames. Said interested teams will include San Jose, New Jersey, Montreal, Dallas, and Vancouver. In any of these situations, it's likely Lombardi would be seeking picks and prospects.

As for Nagy, Lombardi may have much more trouble moving him than any of his other veterans. For a month, Nagy has been on the shelf with an unspecified neck injury, a fact which could cause most teams to turn away from any deals for the forward. Nagy signed a one-year deal with the Kings this past summer, so don't count on Lombardi allowing Nagy to walk without anything in return, even a low draft pick.

Brian Willsie is the next likely player to be moved as he has struggled to find his place on the Kings since his arrival last season. Willsie could be an excellent pick up for a playoff team looking to add scoring depth on their third or fourth lines and, once again, Lombardi could easily acquire a draft pick for the veteran.

The two wild card veterans for the Kings are Preissing and Calder. Considering the contracts that each of these players signed with the Kings during the off-season, it would appear that the team planned to have each of them in their current and long-term plans. Unfortunately, neither player seems to fit into the teams plans of building around a solid core of young talent. Preissing, a defensive stalwart in San Jose and Ottawa, has appeared to be more of an accessory for coach Marc Crawford than the dependable defenseman that he was brought on board to be.

In Calder's case, a three-year deal and hard nosed play in front of the net and in the corners seemed to have placed Calder in the good graces of the Kings. Lack of production and a need for draft picks have put Calder on the long list of players that the Kings are willing to part with. Though it's unlikely that either Calder or Preissing will be dealt due to their hefty contracts, Lombardi has made it clear that he is ready and willing to listen to offers for all of his veterans.

Predictions: Stuart signs a contract extension, Nagy is dealt to New Jersey for a fourth round pick, Willsie is dealt to Washington for a fifth round pick, Preissing and Calder remain Kings.

The Captain Goes Down With The Ship

As discussed earlier, Mats Sundin could have been a great asset for any team to acquire during the last two months of the playoff push. I stress "could have" because such a situation has become purely hypothetical. As of Sunday morning, Sundin informed the Leafs that he has no interest in waiving his no-trade clause.

Most interesting are the comments Sundin released in a statement regarding his reasons:

"I have always believed I would finish my career as a Toronto Maple Leaf so the actual request was still a very difficult one for me to contemplate."

And best of all:

"I cannot leave my teammates and join another NHL Club at this time. I have never believed in the concept of a rental player. It is my belief that winning the Stanley Cup is the greatest thing you can achieve in hockey but for me, in order to appreciate it you have to have been part of the entire journey and that means October through June."

What really boggles the mind is that, after these statements, most of the talk regarding this decision focuses on Sundin being portrayed as selfish. In a world where loyalty is hard to come by in any form, Sundin should be commended for his actions and statements.

Is it selfish that Sundin wants to win a Stanley Cup that actually has significant meanings? Maybe. Is it selfish that he won't provide the prospects to his team that would be garnered in a trade because he doesn't want to uproot his family for a short time? Sure.

And could anyone with any true moral fiber and depth look at this situation and blame Sundin for making such a decision? Hasn't Sundin earned just as much right, if not more than a player such as Scott Niedermayer to make a personal decision that could adversely affect his team?

Granted, the Leafs are in a tough situation. According to TSN Insider Bob Mckenzie, the Leafs asked Pavel Kubina, Darcy Tucker, Bryan McCabe, and Tomas Kaberle to waive their no-trade clauses, and all offered the same negative response. Most Leafs fans were hoping for a complete overhaul of the team and the beginning of a rebuilding phase for the franchise, both of which look bleak at best now.

None of that is Sundin's fault. After fourteen years with the same franchise, Sundin has earned the right to decide his future with said team. And any Leafs fan that would call their captain's desire to retire as a Leaf selfish should take a long look in the mirror, because that my friend is the pot calling the kettle black.

Trade Deadline Madness...Hopefully Part 3

We are T-minus thirty-nine hours to the trade deadline and though very little has actually happened on the trade front thus far, talk surrounding potential deals is creating a great amount of excitement. The buyers and sellers are slowly being fleshed out, making this season's trade deadline one of the most interesting in recent memory. Though situations that involve rental players do not typically work out, the moves that occur during this season's trade deadline could greatly influence the outcome of this year's playoffs. Especially if the next two players are moved to playoff teams.

4. Brad Richards, Tampa Bay Lightning

At 27 year-old, Brad Richards could prove to be the highest impact player to move during this year's trade deadline. Though Richards comes with a hefty price tag ($7.8 million per year for the next three years), he also comes with one thing that many of the players moving at this year's deadline lack. Playoff experience.

Richards played an integral part in the Lightning's 2004 Stanley Cup run, a part which earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP. Know of any other playoff MVP's that will likely be moving to another team in the next week?

Throughout much of the season speculation has surrounded the possibility of Richards leaving the Lightning via trade due to his hefty contract restricting the team's ability to improve. With the heavy contracts of Richards and mega-stars Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, the Lightning have had difficulty in finding secondary scoring and have not been able to put money towards a proven goaltender. Moving Richards would likely allow for the possibility of adding one of these elements to a team that expects much more of itself than missing the playoffs.

According to TSN.ca, the Lightning approached Richards to ask for a list of teams that he would approve being traded to, much more than a formality considering Richards' no-trade clause. There has been no confirmation of the teams on Richards' list, but the teams that are being reported as most active in pursuing the center are Columbus, Dallas, and Vancouver. All three teams are in desperate need of centers (Columbus and Vancouver a first line center, Dallas a second who can potentially become their first), but are these teams willing and able to give up the asking price for a player such as Richards?

As stated earlier, the Lightning are looking for secondary scoring as well as a proven goaltender. At the moment, Dallas does not seem to have either of these elements to give up unless they have decided that backup goaltender Mike Smith is ready to take the reins from former All-Star Marty Turco. Though Lightning GM Jay Feaster would likely make the deal for Turco in a heart beat considering his team's goaltending woes since the departure of Nikolai Khabibulin, the Stars would likely be less than enthusiastic about giving up one of the top five goaltenders in the league.

Vancouver could part ways with a troupe of players such as Ryan Kesler, Matt Cooke, Alex Burrows, or long time Canuck blue-liner Mattias Ohlund, but such a move involving any combination of these players and draft picks would be very unlike Vancouver GM Dave Nonis. A student of former Vancouver and current Anaheim GM Brian Burke, Nonis does subscribe to the philosophy of giving up the farm for one player. The only way Nonis would make such a deal would be if he truly felt that a core combination of Richards, Roberto Luongo, Kevin Bieksa, and the Sedin twins would be one that would bring a Stanley Cup to Vancouver. Though such a core does sound promising, it takes role players such as Kesler, Cooke, and Burrows to win a Stanley Cup. However, a player such as Brad Richards only comes along once in a great while, making for quite the situation.

In the case of the Columbus Blue Jackets, if this team is on Brad Richards list, look for them to provide the heaviest pursuit. The team may not have much to give up in the way of the elements that Tampa is looking for, but the Blue Jackets will likely throw everything else they have at the Lightning in an attempt to acquire Richards. Columbus GM Scott Howson has got to be literally salivating at the thought of having Richards centering a line with any combination of Nikolai Zherdev, Rick Nash, or Frederik Modin. However, one of those three players may be part of the asking price in a deal for Richards, and the Jackets would likely have no problems with sending Modin right back to the Lightning in a package deal. Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets a deal for Richards would likely help them much more than anything they could send in return, therefore such a deal is a long shot.

Prediction: The only team of these three on Richards' list is Vancouver, but he ends up being dealt with Johan Holmqvist to Ottawa for Antoine Vermette and Ray Emery or Martin Gerber.

5. Dwayne Roloson, Edmonton Oilers

Deadline talk of Roloson has only begun to pick up over the past week or so due to comments made by Roloson about moving his children out of town due to school yard teasing and his desire to be playing, whether in Edmonton or elsewhere. Roloson was once a participant in a deadline deal, the one that sent him to Edmonton in the first place. In fact, the year Roloson was dealt to the Oilers was the same year the Oilers reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. If not for a blown out knee very early in the Finals, the Oilers could have ridden Roloson's superb play to a Cup victory.

Unfortunately for Roloson, his days as a hero in Edmonton have long passed; on the bright side, Roloson may yet receive a second chance. There is one team still searching for solid goaltending in the NHL, and this team may be making a move before the deadline that could open up room for Roloson's $3.5 million salary. Assuming my Richards for Emery/Gerber prediction doest not come to fruition, look no further than the Tampa Bay Lightning.

As stated above, the Lightning will likely shed Brad Richards' $7.8 million salary in order to possibly make room for a proven number one goaltender. The Lightning find themselves in a situation where they need someone to take the reigns between the pipes for the next two to three years until highly touted prospect Kari Ramo is ready to take over. Roloson could slide perfectly into this situation and the Oilers would likely be more than happy to shed the salary cap space for next season.

Considering every other team in the league appears to be fairly content with their current goaltending (fairly being used lightly), the only outs for Roloson appear to be Tampa or an off-season buy-out.

Prediction: Unless they pick up Gerber/Emery, Rollie the Goalie to Tampa Bay for third or fourth round pick.

Trade Deadline Madness...Hopefully Part 2

Looks like we're inching ever closer to the trade deadline excitement, as the Los Angeles Kings began to stockpiling even more draft picks by trading Jaroslav Modry to the Philadelphia Flyers. That being said, lets take a look at more of the top players that could be moved in the next week.

2. Mats Sundin, Toronto Maple Leafs

Realistically, there isn't much to talk about when it comes to Mats Sundin. At this point, only one person controls what happens in this situation and that person is Sundin. Being the leader of the no-trade clause squad, Sundin must give Leafs' interim-GM Cliff Fletcher the go ahead to make any deal to any team and up till now Sundin has not expressed any interest in pursuing his first Stanley Cup with any other team besides the Leafs.

One thing that we can all be sure of is that if Sundin decides to waive his no-trade clause, every team that even has a sniff of the playoffs will attempt to pick him up. Granted, a team such as the Anaheim Ducks do not typically go after rental players, but would Brian Burke be able to pass up the opportunity of placing Mats Sundin between Teemu Selanne and Chris Kunitz? Such a prospect could make Burke reconsider his stance on the issue.

3. Brian Campbell, Buffalo Sabres

Campbell's situation is extremely similar to that of Marian Hossa's: Campbell is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer while his current team is knee deep in the fight to obtain a playoff spot. The major difference in Campbell's situation compared to Hossa's is that Campbell has the edge over his team in the contract negotiations due to the team's recent loss of its two biggest stars. Last summer, the Sabres lost co-captains Danny Briere and Chris Drury to free-agency; most of all, the Sabres lost the two stars for nothing.

Sabres GM Darcy Regier is sure to not make the same mistake thrice, therefore within the next week Campbell will either have the contract he's asking for (reported to be in the $6 to $7 million neighborhood) or he will find himself with a new address.

Teams that are likely to be showing the greatest interest over the next week should be the Rangers, Devils, Bruins, Canadiens, and Sharks. All five teams are in need of help on their blueline (three of the five due to the teams losing one of their top two D-men last summer) and one way or the other these teams will need to improve their defense if they hope to endure the playoffs.

The team most likely to end up with Campbell is the New York Rangers. Currently, the Rangers have a number of young, up-and-coming players that would fit neatly into the Sabres lineup for years to come. Most of all, the Rangers are the team that are only a few missing pieces away from being serious Stanley Cup contenders and one of those pieces is a defensively responsible, puck moving defenseman: enter Brian Campbell.

The next most likely team to acquire Campbell is the San Jose Sharks. Also in need of a puck moving defenseman, the Sharks reportedly were the reason for the Ottawa Senators asking Wade Redden to waive his no-trade clause last week. The offer on the table supposedly involved the Sharks' young, talented defenseman Matt Carle and likely a combination of draft picks and another ready to go young player. If San Jose was willing to make such an offer to Ottawa, the same deal will likely be on the table for Brian Campbell as long as the Sharks are confident that they can sign Campbell to a contract extension.

In the cases of the other three teams (Montreal, New Jersey, and Boston), a deal is not likely to be made unless they are somehow confident that they can sign Campbell to a contract extension. Any way that this situation goes, Campbell will greatly help any team that acquires him.

Trade Deadline Madness...Hopefully

Now that the Sens and 'Canes have finally kicked the tires on this season's trade deadline, it's time to take a look around the league and examine who could be changing their zip-code and who could be looking to enlist their services. Throughout the next two weeks, we'll examine the possible deals and situations that have been created by the February 26th trade dealine.

1. Marian Hossa, Atlanta Thrashers

Unless Thrashers GM Don Waddell can negotiate a deal that Hossa is willing to accept in two-and-a-half weeks, Hossa will likely end up being the best and most productive trade deadline rent-a-player in NHL history. Atlanta's particular situation is uniquely tricky in comparison with most teams that would be considered sellers due to the fact that the Thrashers will be pushing for a playoff spot all the way to the bitter end of the regular season. In fact, Atlanta could very well end up as the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture considering they are fighting with every Southeast Division team for the division lead. Atlanta could choose to take their chances if they do not re-sign Hossa before February 26th, keeping him around for the playoff push with hopes of successfully negotiating with him during the summer.

Moving Hossa simply makes more sense if negotiations fail before the deadline though. In the case that the Thrashers do make the playoffs with Hossa in their lineup, it would surprise many if the Thrashers make it out of the first round of the playoffs. The team would benefit much more from receiving quality players that would add more depth up front and on the Thrashers' blueline over the next 3-5 years.

Thus far, the teams that seem to have a legitimate shot at landing Hossa are Detroit, Anaheim, and San Jose. Though I don't personally put much stock in reports that San Jose is actively looking to move Patrick Marleau largely due to his contract, the Sharks could attempt to move their captain for Hossa, who would theoretically be a perfect fit in San Jose. The ink just dried on Marleau's signature to a contract extension and the Thrashers would finally receive the first line center they have been starved for ever since they entered the league. Throw in a defensive prospect and, on paper, you have a deal that makes sense. The possibility of Marleau continuing the slide he is currently on could squash this deal before it is even discussed by the men that matter though.

In Anaheim, GM Brian Burke is a huge fan of players that display the typical characteristics of the "Canadian style" of play. Burke also tends to shy away from any player that he isn't guaranteed to have under contract beyond the current season, unless he can do so without subtracting from his hockey club. And believe you me, any team acquiring Hossa will have to, in some for or fashion, subtract from their hockey club. Though it's likely that every team has inquired about the availability of Anaheim's first-round pick for this year's draft, obtained from the Edmonton Oilers as compensation for Dustin Penner, the Ducks would not be willing to part with the pick unless they can acquire a player that would help them now and for the long term. Beyond the first round pick, the Ducks have a plethora of young talent at their disposal, many of which could be had at the right price under the right conditions. However,unless Burke has a guarantee that he can sign Hossa to a new deal, he will likely look elsewhere or stand pat at the trade deadline.

The Detroit Red Wings may be the team that has the best chance of landing Hossa as a rental player. By way of a great scouting staff, the Wings have managed to maintain a consistent amount of depth within their club without having high draft picks over the past decade. Players such as Jiri Hudler would likely flourish on another team's second line, yet Hudler has spent most of the season on Detroit's fourth line or in the press box. Any deal involving the Red Wings will likely involve Hudler, and in the case of the Thrashers dealing Hossa names such as Brett Lebda or Derek Meech may be thrown into the mix. The probability that Atlanta would get a better deal for Hossa is highly likely though, so the Red Wings may have to make up the ante if they truly want to add Hossa for a Cup run.

Any way the Hossa opera finishes, the saga definitely won't take on the resemblance of the Ryan Smyth deal of last year, with one team ending up with nothing by summer's end and another team receiving less than the player is worth.

Eastern Conference Mid-Season Playoff Predictions

With the Western Conference mid-season playoff predictions out of the way, it's time to head to colder pastures. Here are my Eastern Conference mid-season playoff predictions:

The "We Barely Qualify As Predictions" Predictions

Ottawa Senators, 30-15-4, 64 pts

Despite losing each member of the league's best line at various times throughout the past month, the Ottawa Senators will have no trouble locking up a playoff birth. In fact, the Senators seem to be the unanimous choice to repeat as Eastern Conference Champs. The much more difficult prediction is who will be backstopping the Sens to the post-season.

New Jersey Devils, 28-18-3, 59 pts

Come on, it's Jersey. No matter who the Devils have in their lineup they still seem to get the job done. Combatting slow starts and the loss of star players with a solid system and adept coaching, the Devils will yet again look to spoil some aspiring teams playoff hopes.

Pittsburgh Penguins, 27-18-4, 58 pts

Unlike the past three Penguins teams, the Pens will actually have no problem making the playoffs, even without Sidney Crosby for an extended period of time. Immediately after it was reported that Crosby would miss up to two months with a high ankle sprain, polls hit the internet asking whether or not the Pens would be in the playoffs; enter Evgeni Malkin. No more than two games after the loss of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin tightened the straps on his day pack and began carrying the Penguins uphill; a fact which the entire league has taken notice to. Considering Crosby should be back well before the end of the regular season, the Pens will not be so concerned with if they'll be playing in late April, but who.

The "I Didn't Need to Call Miss Cleo to Get These Picks" Picks

Carolina Hurricanes, 24-24-4, 52 pts

Despite their recent losing slide over the past ten games and injuries to several key players, the Hurricanes are a team that could do some serious damage in the playoffs. Only a year removed from their first Stanley Cup, the Hurricanes have all the right ingredients for another Cup run, if only they could maintain the same focus that helped them reach their place of prominence almost two years ago.

Philadelphia Flyers, 27-16-5, 59 pts

Speaking of the '06 Hurricanes, this year's Flyers have a vague resemblance of the team that won the Cup two years ago. Mike Richards has played very similar to a less in-shape Rod Brind'Amour, Derian Hatcher comes across as a less likable and slightly crazier version of Mike Commodore, and Antero Niiittymaki could very well take over the number one goaltending reins from Martin Biron should he falter in the first round of the playoffs. If there were an award for most improved team in the NHL, the Broad Street Bullies would win it hands down. In just one year the Flyers have gone from the laughing stock of the league to a serious contender. In fact, the only thing keeping this team out of the top three in these predictions is that Sens, Devils, and Pens were all in the playoffs last year while the Flyers were not.

Boston Bruins, 26-19-5, 57 pts

The Bruins have been one of the bigger surprises in the league this season, all while missing one of their top three players, Patrice Bergeron, for a majority of the season. A great deal of credit should be given to general manager Peter Chiarelli for being patient over the past year with free agent acquisitions Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard as well as goaltender Tim Thomas. Though the same patience was not extended to his coaching staff last year, the sophomore GM did not panic when Savard and Chara had slow starts as Bruins, nor did he pull the trigger on a deal to get Thomas out of town. Granted, Chiarelli did deal for Manny Fernandez over the summer as an insurance policy, but said deal only seemed to fuel Thomas' determination to prove he is a worthy number one goaltender. Credit should also be given to coach Claude Julien for successfully picking up the pieces of a team that seemed to be last for much of last season.

The "Sneaking in by the Skin of Our Teeth" Picks

New York Rangers, 24-22-6, 54 pts

A month ago this pick would not have been a stretch, but over the past month the Rangers have not done many favors for themselves. Henrik Lundqvist's ability to win a stretch of games all on his own is likely what will save the Rangers season, but the Rangers will need to obtain either an offensive minded defenseman or an experienced veteran defensive defenseman. Rumors out of New York have Marek Malik with his bags packed and a plane ticket waiting for a destination, and a package deal that includes goaltending prospect Al Montoya could fetch the Rangers a high profile defenseman, pending any cap issues.

Washington Capitals, 23-22-5, 51 pts

The Capitals story is much the reverse to that of the Rangers. A little over one month ago, the Capitals were changing coaches and sitting in the depths of the NHL cellar. One month later, the Capitals are tearing through the Eastern Conference and leap frogging teams in the Southeast Division standings. Much of the recent success in Washington has been attributed to the team's inspired play under the tutelage of veteran minor league coach Bruce Boudreau. If the Caps coast into the playoffs, should Boudreau be considered for the Jack Adams Trophy for coach of the year?

The "Exclusions That Could Very Well Make Me Look Foolish" Picks

Montreal Canadiens, 26-15-8, 60 pts

Had it not been for the hot start to the Ottawa Senators' season, the Habs would be currently leading the Northeast Division. Yet somehow, they will find a way to severely drop in the standings over the next three months. This may be the year we finally see Alexei Kovalev have a complete meltdown (in Montreal, you just get this feeling that he's a ticking time bomb) or that we find out that Cristobal Huet is not the goaltender he has pretended to be over the past two season. In all likelihood, neither of these situations will become reality, with Kovalev having the best finish to a season in his career and Huet showing he's worth every penny of his $2.75 million per year contract, but such situations would only cause this prediction to be false. Therefore, in the words of Mythbuster Adam Savage, "I reject your reality and substitute my own!"

Atlanta Thrashers, 23-25-4, 50 pts

The Thrashers are the NHL's least talked about most dysfunctional club. Consider the facts: Atlanta has lacked a true head coach for most of the season; Kari Lehtonen, the franchise goaltender all Thrasher fans have been waiting on for three years, has spent nearly as much time in the press box healing from injury as he has playing between the pipes; the team's second star player, Marian Hossa, will likely be the best trade deadline rental player the league has ever seen, all for another team; and the Thrashers blueline is the worst in the entire NHL, with a league worst 175 goals against. Though this team will continue to have a promising future, GM Don Waddell has a busy summer ahead of him.

New York Islanders, 24-21-6, 54 pts

As long as Ted Nolan doesn't read this, it's safe to say the Islanders will be dead in the water come April. Thus far, the loss of several players to free agency hasn't seemed to affect the Isles much, but this is about the time of year that the changes to their roster will begin to show. Though Rick DiPietro has really begun to come into his own this season, the Islanders just do not have enough depth in their roster to get into the top eight in the Eastern Conference.

Florida Panthers, 22-24-5, 49 pts

The Panthers are ripe for a good playoff series, having seen the quiet development of Olli Jokinen and Jay Bouwmeester as quality leaders and hockey players. However, the Panthers continue to suffer from slow starts and will likely come close to a playoff berth, only to be eliminated from contention with less than five games left to go in the season. This will be truly unfortunate, mostly due to the great play of goaltender Tomas Vokoun during his first year in Florida.

The "We'll Get Our High Draft Choices and Be Better Next Year" Picks

Buffalo Sabres, 22-21-6, 50 pts

It always hurts to see a team go from prominence to obscurity. During the off-season everyone in the league seemed to be trying to spare GM Darcy Regier's feelings by not saying what was plain and obvious to the rest of the world. Had the Sabres not lost Chris Drury and/or Daniel Briere to free agency it is highly likely the Sabres would be somewhere in the top eight in the Eastern Conference. Most of all, there is not a chance that the Sabres would have suffered from a ten game losing streak. Though Briere and Drury have never been known as vocal leaders in the locker room, both players showed time again during their time in Buffalo that their pride alone would not allow them to lose ten games in a row. It's not very often a team finds a combination such as the one that Drury and Briere provided for the Sabres, and one can only hope that the team finds a way to rebound in the coming seasons.

Tampa Bay Lightning, 20-26-5, 45 pts

Such a talented team should not be so low in the standings and, unfortunately, two very good hockey men may lose their jobs as a result. The two men I'm referring to are Lightning GM Jay Feaster and coach John Tortorella, and unless this team experiences a miracle they will be the most talented team not in the playoffs. The rumor mill has been speculating on a straight swap with the Dallas Stars, Martin St. Louis for Marty Turco, but Dallas has vehemently denied the gossip. Although the Stars denial does not mean much, the deal doesn't make much sense for Tampa. The team does desperately need a true number one goaltender, but St. Louis would be far to steep a price to pay. It's more likely the Lightning will look to move Brad Richards and his huge contract to a playoff contender (can we say three team trade involving Richards, Mats Sundin and Andrew Raycroft of Toronto, and insert name here of insert playoff contending team here?).

Toronto Maple Leafs, 20-24-8, 48 pts

A week ago, it was stated in this blog that the Toronto Maple Leafs would be experiencing a great deal of change very soon. To no one's surprise, the Leafs fired their general manager and hired their old GM to handle those duties and tidy up the mess for someone else until this summer. That being said, the Leafs will be the team to watch during the month of February. Not due to any miracles they may pull out from the depths of their players' character, but to see how many different players will be in their lineup throughout the month. As we get closer to the trade deadline, the Leafs will be huge sellers with very few players being unavailable to other teams. In other words, the Leafs will be last season's Philadelphia Flyers, only the Leafs will likely fetch several draft picks rather than prospects that are ready to contribute to their lineup immediately.

All-Star Overhaul

Yes, it's that time of year again when the hockey world comes together to gripe and complain about the boredom that is induced by the NHL All-Star Game. The NHL finally seems to be listening, as the Skills Competition has been changed to a format that may finally satisfy most fans. However, the All-Star Game will likely be yet another over-hyped pickup game.

It seems that every year more suggestions to make the All-Star Game better are popping up, some more extreme than others. One such gimmick would be to take the approach of Major League Baseball and allow the conference that wins the All-Star Game to host the Stanley Cup Finals. The winner hosts the finals approach was adopted by MLB officials in order to force the players into making the All-Star Game an enjoyable, watchable event. Many, including Western Conference All-Star head coach Mike Babcock, believe this approach is a bad idea for the NHL. "I wouldn't want to see that," Babcock said to NHL.com, "It isn't fair to the team that worked all season to have the best record."

Other approaches incorporate the NHL's past. For example, instead of an All-Star Game featuring the best players from each conference playing against one another, why not have the top twenty All-Stars in the league play the Stanley Cup Champions? Similar to the approach used during part of the 1960's, this approach would allow players that are known for their competitiveness and never-quit play to participate in the All-Star Game. Imagine this year's All-Star Game with George Parros, Brad May, and Todd Marchant lining up against Martin St. Louis, Vinny Lecavalier, and Pavel Datsyuk. The Stanley Cup Champs could be given the privilege of hosting the game as well as the extra revenue that would be generated. The league itself would likely shoot down such a scenario due to the fact that each team would not be guaranteed representation nor a chance to petition hosting the game.

Another scenario that has been suggested is to combine the All-Star Game and the Winter Classic, making an outdoor game an annual event for the NHL. After the success of this year's game between Buffalo and Pittsburgh despite the moments during the game that felt much more like an early Saturday morning pickup game. The feelings of nostalgia brought upon by the similarities between shinny on a pond and the Winter Classic could be exactly what the All-Star Game is yearning for.

For the hockey historians, why not have the All-Star teams chosen by the game's two greatest living coaches, Scotty Bowman and Al Arbour.

Instead of changing the way in which the All-Star Game is played, he NHL could go to the extreme and award an extra point in the standings for every player represented on the winning team.

Any way it goes, it's likely that every attempt to make the NHL All-Star Game more enjoyable will only cause more uproar. Whichever way the league chooses to go, it's obvious that a change is needed.

Ovechkin's Contract Bad for NHL, But Not the Way You May Think It Is

The recent signing of Washington Capitals’ mega-star Alexander Ovechkin to a 13-year, $124 million contract extension last week has been a hot topic among hockey analysts, both on television and around the water cooler. The first issue that seems to be raised when discussing Ovechkin’s new contract has been that the NHL is hopping in the DeLorean with Doc Emmett and returning to the financial mess created by the pre-lockout NHL economics.

Though it’s not surprising many fans and analysts would jump to such a conclusion (the entrance of multi-million dollar per year contracts between 1995 and 2004 was one of the many direct causes of the loss of the 2004-05 season) the dollar amount of Ovechkin’s contract is not what should be the most concerning: rather, where Ovechkin will be playing out his thirteen years of the contract is of a much greater concern. With the NHL attempting to grow its popularity, one would have to wonder if having the NHL’s second largest star playing in the U.S. capital well throughout his prime serves such a purpose.

Consider the NHL of fifteen years ago when hockey reached what many believe to be the height of the sport’s popularity. In June of 1994:

• The New York Rangers were fresh off a Game 7 victory, captained by Mark Messier, to win the Stanley Cup for the first time in 42 years.
  
• The Los Angeles Kings, led by Wayne Gretzky, were a year removed from reaching the Stanley Cup Finals and filled much of the Great Western Forum with well known celebs.
• The Chicago Blackhawks and a charismatic Jeremy Roenick were considered to be most analysts pre-season pick for Stanley Cup finalists, having been only two years removed from their last trip to the finals.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs experienced a resurgence as Canada’s gem after two straight Conference Finals appearances in ’93 and ’94 due to the unrelenting play of Doug Gilmour, among many others.
• And last, but certainly not least of all, Sports Illustrated ran the headline “Why the NHL’s Hot and the NBA’s Not”. At this same time, ice and roller hockey rinks began popping up in areas that have and will never be known for their cool climate, and Fox had recently signed a national television deal to capitalize on the booming growth of the sport.

And then the phrase all die-hard hockey fans have come to know and dread more than “neutral zone trap” popped into our lives: “lockout”. With the lockout came an immediate fall in hockey’s popularity, one which the sport has yet to recover from. Though many NHL officials are paid handsomely to convince the world otherwise, the NHL and hockey are nowhere close to the boom that occurred in the early ’90s and, some would argue, never will be.

The status of the sport’s popularity is likely to continue until the NHL of today mimics the NHL of yester-decade, with strong teams and popular stars inhabiting the NHL’s highest profile cities namely New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Toronto. With Ovechkin’s entry level deal set to expire at the end of the 2007-08 season, there is no doubt that had Washington been unsuccessful at re-signing him there would have been thirty NHL general managers waiting on Ovechkin’s doorstep come July 1^st. Huddled in this group of what would appear to be very aggressive Jehovah’s witnesses would be Glen Sather, Dale Tallon, Dean Lombardi, and whoever will be manning GM duties in Toronto this summer; with every one of those GM’s offering the single player cap maximum to Ovechkin.

The combination of Ovechkin with any of the top stars in New York, Chicago, L.A. or Toronto would be the thing of legend. As ESPN.com columnist John Buccigross suggested, “Put Anze Kopitar with Ovechkin and any upright mammal” and you have an all new first line for the L.A. Kings. Perhaps Ovechkin could play wing opposite Patrick Kane while Jonathan Toews centers the line for the next fifteen years in Chicago. In another hypothetical scenario, Jaromir Jagr lives up to his offhand comment to the media two years ago, deciding to retire after this season only to be replaced by Ovechkin on the top line in New York. Any hypothetical discussion of Toronto would be pointless, considering the team in Toronto today will be very different from the team in Toronto this summer.

Granted, none of the scenarios listed above guarantee any of the Rangers, Blackhawks, Kings, or Maple Leafs a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals let alone a playoff birth. However, Ovechkin’s presence in any city does guarantee one element: star power. Gretzky had it. Messier had it. And today, Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby have it. Combine that sort of star power with a team that gains success in a major city and there is no chance that the NHL won’t thrive in that town.

Unfortunately, the only GM appearing on Alexander Ovechkin’s doorstep this summer will be George McPhee, likely to pick him up to meet with Mike Comrie, Marian Hossa, or some other unrestricted free agent in the hopes of drawing him to Washington. And thus, one of the NHL’s biggest stars will have great success, probably a Cup championship or two, while playing in Washington, D.C. Unless John Buccigross or Darren Pang find themselves playing U.S. President sometime in the next decade, and we waive the “no foreigners” clause in the Oval Office for Panger, the NHL will continue to find itself treading water in its attempt to grow hockey.

Stay tuned for my Eastern Conference playoff and non-playoff team predictions later this week.

I'm Baaack!

After a one year unintentional hiatus, it’s time to give the blog another go.

Thus far, this NHL season has provided a mixed bag of surprises; from the possible and still unconfirmed emergence of the Leafs’ Nik Antropov to the looming decision on the horizon for Teemu Selanne about whether to bag skate or bag his own kid’s school lunch. Alas, these are the signs that we are at the half way marker of the 2007-08 hockey season.

Everyone knows what that means: it’s time for us all to complain about the All-Star Game and to attempt to predict how the playoffs will look in mid-April. I’ll save the former for the All-Star break, and tonight begin the arduous task of determining who will and who won’t be playing past April 6th, starting with the Western Conference.

Now just to clear the air, I personally hate predictions regarding hockey. Most often, anytime a hockey analyst or hockey fan Joe Schmoe makes a successful prediction that is based on the long term rather than a game-by-game basis, there’s about as much luck thrown into the equation as weekend stay at the Venetian. So don’t be surprised if a trip to Vegas is in my future when these predictions are successfully reviewed (wishful thinking) just before the playoffs.

The No Brainers:

Detroit Red Wings, 33-9-4, 70 pts

An explanation isn’t anywhere in the ballpark of necessary. It’s very likely that if Wings GM Ken Holland begged Steve Yzerman to return from retirement only to take over between the pipes for Dominik Hasek and Chris Osgood, this team would still make the playoffs. Not only have Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg emerged as the most talented duo this side of Crosby and Malkin, but the Wings seem to found a way to replace the grit and blue collar workmanship that has been lacking from this team since the departure of Darren McCarty; namely, scoring the other team into submission. There is still one strategy teams have yet to try to stop the Wings though: plug those holes in Pavel Datsyuk stick shaft with pieces leaded cork (yes, I know that hasn’t been invented…YET!)

San Jose Shark, 25-12-7, 57 pts

Sometimes I wonder if I am the only breathing individual on Earth that did not believe the Sharks would be where they currently are in the standings. Granted, they likely have the best passer/center/large forward in the NHL and a goaltender that can steal one game after another without showing much worse for wear; but has anyone else noticed that this team appears to be a ticking time bomb? For the past half decade, the hockey world has waited for the Sharks to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, only to be shown a complete lack of the heart and determination that is necessary to do so. Throughout the entire season, every columnist, analyst, and hockey fan has pointed out that the Sharks have been pulled through wins by Nabakov and Thornton, and though the team will have no problems making the playoffs at this point, I wish them luck beating a talent laden team such as Detroit or Anaheim in a seven game series.

Anaheim Ducks, 24-17-6, 54 pts

Doesn’t it seem as though anyone paying attention to the Ducks is still waiting for the season to “really begin”. The rough start that introduced the defending Cup champs to the 2007-08 season still seems to be lingering despite the return of former captain and Conn Smythe winner Scott Niedermayer and the addition of Doug “I don’t care if I only have one good shoulder, I’m lifting this damn Cup” Weight. The team has definitely improved since the simultaneous addition of the two veterans, but just as Niedermayer is attempting to regain his Norris Trophy form in a mid-season return, so too are the Ducks attempting to regain the dominance which they became accustomed to much of last season. Barring the “big one” hitting the West Coast, the Ducks will be attempting to defend their title in the spring.

The Very Likely

Calgary Flames, 22-16-8, 52 pts

If memory serves, I do believe this is the first Mike Keenan coached team that has focused more on the play of the players than on the tirades of the coach. Despite Keenan’s new found Zen-like nature (can anyone say oxymoron), the Flames have continued where they left off last season, displaying moments of brilliance, heart, and soul as well as an equal number of moments of disarray and sloppy play. If ever the Flames permanently take on the character of their captain, Jarome Iginla, much in the way they did during their trip to the Finals in 2004, they will be a team to reckon with. Until then, the Flames will have to settle with a guaranteed playoff spot due to the return to form of Mikka Kiprusoff. As long as Kiprusoff plays to his ability, the Flames will contend in the playoffs; it’s what they do once the regular season is over that is the issue.

Vancouver Canucks, 25-16-4, 54 pts

There is one reason and one reason only that the Vancouver Canucks are a near lock for the playoffs, and you’ll only need one guess to figure out what that reason is: Roberto Luongo. With the exception of the Sedin twins and the very quiet resurgence of Markus Naslund, there has not been much to the Canucks beyond Roberto Luongo this season. On paper this team has one of the top defensive corps in the NHL, but in reality the Canucks have been without one or more of their top three defenseman every game this season. As long as Luongo does not share the fate of the team’s top defensemen, the Canucks should increase Canada’s chances of seeing a Canadian team in the Finals for a fourth straight season.

Minnesota Wild, 26-17-2, 54 pts

Though Marian Gaborik was the first player in twelve years to score five goals in one game in the NHL, the Wild are still one of the most boring teams to watch in the NHL for goal enthusiasts. Unless you are in the minority of freaks that enjoy dissecting defense systems in hockey (I believe I’m the VP of this select club; I lost the majority vote to Jacques Lemaire for president), the Wild are not a team that will come to town and inspire many fans to run to the box office for tickets. That same style of play that turns fans away is also the same style of play that will keep the Wild in the hunt for a playoff spot. Every year since Minnesota’s inaugural season, the Wild have continued to play the same style of defensive hockey with one exception: each year the team has become more dangerous offensively. First was the addition of Brian Rolston, then the maturity of forwards such as Pierre-Marc Bouchard and, later, Mikko Koivu, followed by the addition of Pavol Demitra, and finally a consistent, healthy season from Marian Gaborik (knock on wood). With all of these pieces coming together, the Minnesota Wild could quietly sneak their way into the playoffs as a quiet contender.

The Teams I May Regret Taking a Chance On

Colorado Avalanche, 24-18-3, 51 pts

Due to the injuries to both Ryan Smyth and Joe Sakic, the Avalanche are going to have to fight for every inch if they hope to sneak into the playoffs. The fact that no one knows which Jose Theodore will appear at crunch time and that there will be five or six teams breathing down the backs of the Avs for one of the final two playoff spots in the coming weeks, and you have a recipe for a seriously botched prediction.

St. Louis Blues, 22-15-6, 50 pts

As long as Manny Legace can keep his legs healthy and Andy Murray doesn't enter a coma, the Blues will claw their way into the playoffs by way of one of the seventh or eighth seed. Talk to any team that has had to face the Blues this season, and I guarantee that a form of this phrase will come up in the conversation: "The Blues are a hard team to beat." The difficulty in playing the Blues does not come from an over abundance of talent (despite having players on the roster by the name of Tkachuk, Kariya, and McDonald), but from their knowledge of their opponents and their never quit style of play. Much of this should be credited to coach Murray, whose nightly prep sheets provided to the door steps of players' hotel rooms and constant one on one player-coach meetings have crossed over from neurotic to brilliant. At least, that's what will be said so long as the Blues continue to make games difficult for every last opponent.

The Omissions I Could Live to Regret

Dallas Stars, 25-17-5, 55 pts

If it weren't for the Dallas Stars, I would felly wholly comfortable choosing the Avs and Blues to make the playoffs. The Stars are a team that seems to be clutching for their former days of glory, attempting to keep from falling into the depths of building through the draft with high draft picks resulting from consecutive terrible regular seasons. The firing of GM Doug Armstrong earlier this season seemed to be a desperate move to keep the Stars from falling from grace much the way of the Nashville Predators (minus an ownership change, plus one Stanley Cup championship). The Stars have every bit within themselves that it will take to make the playoffs, their only problem is finding where that bit lies within them and actually using it. Various times this season the Stars have blown solid leads and failed to establish their presence during games, two characteristics that will assure a team a vacation come April 7th.

Columbus Blue Jackets, 21-18-6, 48 pts

The Blue Jackets have made great strides toward becoming a playoff team, with the impressive all-around play and maturity of Rick Nash, Nikolai Zherdev finally finding his game, and the Jackets finding a way to finally play as a team. Combine these three factors with a nasty defense corps that is living up to its potential, and you have a team that is going to fight tooth and nail up to the 82nd game of the regular season. Columbus fans have Ken Hitchcock to thank for the style of play they have been waiting nearly a decade for, however, this team still seems to have another season to go before reaching the playoffs for the first time in its history. Though they will fight to the bitter end of the regular season, there are just too many other teams that have a better chance of grabbing the seventh and eight playoff seeds.

The Close, But No Cigar Finishers

Phoenix Coyotes, 23-20-1, 47 pts

At this point in the season, it's impressive that the Coyotes are not only above .500, but are pushing for a playoff spot. The team has made vast improvements in areas that were lacking from last year's team, most particularly in goal. The pick up off waivers of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov from the Anaheim Ducks over a month ago has brought legitimacy to the Coyotes on a game-by-game basis, a quality that has been lacking in Phoenix since the departure of Sean Burke years ago. Despite their newfound commanded respect, the Coyotes still have a great deal of growth to experience from just above the goal line and out. The Coyotes are a very young and inexperienced team, and though they will continue to impress the league for the rest of this season the playoffs will seem to be a distant dream just after the trade deadline on February 26th.

Nashville Predators, 21-19-4, 46 pts

I can't begin to imagine how frustrating it has to be for coach Barry Trotz to go from the roster the Predators had last season to their current roster. Several of the core players from last season's roster are now playing pivotal roles on other teams, most importantly goaltender Tomas Vokoun, now with the Florida Panthers. Though several pre-season predictions had the Predators contending for one of the top playoff spots, this team has failed to meet expectations. An early season lapse in play by newly anointed #1 goaltender Chris Mason hindered the Preds from gaining the same early jump start the team enjoyed last season. Mason has turned his season around for the most part, but the losses of experienced veterans such as Paul Kariya, Kimmo Timonen, and Scott Hartnell to off-season trades and free agency, as well as Steve Sullivan to season-ending injury, will prove to be the difference when the Preds are pushing for the final playoff spot in the final fifteen games of the season.

The Snowball's Chance in...

Chicago Blackhawks, 20-21-4, 44 pts

At this point in the season, the playoffs are looking bleak for the Blackhawks, but not impossible. Give them a month. By the trade deadline it is very likely that the Blackhawks will be sellers, not buyers. This team has an immeasurable amount of talent, and once coach Denis Savard can harness that talent and get this team to compete on a consistent basis, the Blackhawks will be one of the league's most feared teams.

Edmonton Oilers, 21-21-4, 46 pts

The Oilers are a perfect example of how quickly a team can fall apart as the result of one very bad trade. The sting of losing Chris Pronger will not wear off for years to come, and Oilers fans will be reminded of this when April comes and goes without the Oilers anywhere near the playoffs. After a season many Oiler faithful will pray to forget, the question will become who will GM Kevin Lowe attempt to obtain via free agency this off-season and how much money will he be allowed to use to improve this team quickly.

Los Angeles Kings, 17-27-2, 36 pts

Likely to be the most disappointing team this season, the Kings are the only team that is as close to being eliminated from playoff contention without actually being mathematically eliminated. Many hockey analysts have attributed inconsistent goaltending to the Kings woes, but with the exception of a fourteen game stint that involved a rib injury to #1 goaltender Jason Labarbera and his subsequent in-game rehab time, the only reason the Kings have been able to compete in most of their games has been due to the play of Labarbera. With the return to form of captain Rob Blake following off-season hip surgery and the emergence of such young players as Dustin Brown and Patrick O'Sullivan, the Kings could realistically make a final, half-season long push for the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Kings, a series of ten game winning streaks are only likely if Red Wings GM Ken Holland is willing to make an even swap, his 20 man roster for the Kings 20 man roster.