Archive for the ‘Hockey Trade Rumours’ Category
Congratulations, Columbus Blue Jackets!
It’s been a long time coming for the Columbus Blue Jackets, but for the first time in franchise history, they’re heading to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Jackets, who entered the National Hockey League in 2000, were the last active NHL franchise without a playoff appearance, a dubious distinction they’re undoubtedly happy to put behind them.
Kudos to general manager Scott Howson for his fine work in only two short years in the job in turning this club into a playoff contender, and to head coach Ken Hitchcock for his?efforts in improving the club’s on-ice performance.
Former (and oft-maligned) general manager Doug MacLean also deserves a hat tip for laying the foundation with his draft picks, notably Rick Nash, Steve Mason, Rostislav Klesla, and Derrick Brassard, as well as hiring Hitchcock.
And of course credit the roster for their hard work and improvement this season, which include the aforementioned players but also additions such as R.J. Umberger, Antoine Vermette, Mike Commodore, Fedor Tyutin, Kristian Huselius and Jason Williams,
It remains to be seen how far the Jackets go in the upcoming post-season, and their potential first round opponents (either Calgary or Vancouver) will provide stiff opposition, but no matter, they’re finally in the playoffs, and that’s something they can build on both on and off the ice.
Enjoy the ride, Jackets fans, however long or short it may be.
Singinâ?? the Bluesâ?¦Praises.
One wouldâ??ve been hard-pressed last fall to find many pundits or bloggers who wouldâ??ve picked the St. Louis Blues to make the playoffs.
Only the most die-hard of Blues fans gave them a chance, and those were in a distinct minority.
Their chances grew even darker when promising young blueliner Erik Johnson suffered a season-ending knee injury during a pre-season golf tournament and when veterans Paul Kariya and Andy McDonald went down to early season injuries.
By mid-season the injury-ravaged Blues were near the basement of the Western Conference and there were dark mutterings head coach Andy Murray might lose his job by seasonâ??s end.
Fast forward to April 2009 and the Blues surprised the NHL world by clinching a playoff berth during the final week of the regular season.
Since bottoming out in the Conference back on February 12th the Blues went on?a remarkable 20-6-3 streak, not only making the playoffs but are one of the teams â?? the Anaheim Ducks being the other â?? that the top seeded clubs like? the San Jose Sharks, Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks couldn’t have been looking forward to meeting in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Lucky Canucks, they drew the Blues once the latter clinched sixth overall in the West. Sure, Vancouver has more depth in talent and seemingly more experience, but the Blues could have more emotion going for them from their stretch run heroics, which could translate into post-season upset if the Canucks aren’t careful.
So what spurred the Blues, a club all but left for dead two months ago, into a playoff contender?
Murray’s coaching was one reason as?he was?able to get the best out of a battered lineup forced to rely on youngsters to fill the gaps.
Murray has faced considerable criticism since taking over as Blues head coach in December 2006, much of it unjustified. The Blues have been rebuilding since the lockout and injuries to key players both this season and last had hampered the clubâ??s improvement.
Fortunately for the Blues Murray has had the support of the?front office which is now are being rewarded for their faith in him.
Those injuries this season were a blessing in disguise as it gave an opportunity for several of the youngsters the Blues had drafted and developed to show what they could do at the NHL level.
David Perron, David Backes and rookies Patrik Berglund and TJ Oshie made significant strides in their development this season, giving Blues fans a look at a group of young talent that could form the core of a successful roster in the coming years.
Several veteran players also rose to the challenge, providing the skills and leadership which helped the Blues defy the odds.
Under-rated scoring star Brad Boyes had a career season in points with 71, Keith Tkachuk justified managementâ??s decision not to move?him at the deadline to provide timely scoring and leadership, and McDonaldâ??s return from a knee injury provided the Blues with a much-needed offensive boost.
Oft-injured blueliner Jay McKee had his healthiest season in years, whilst another injury-prone blueliner Carlo Colaiacovo had his best season to date after being acquired in an early season trade with Toronto.
The biggest factor in the Blues improvement over the past two months was the play of goaltender Chris Mason.
After taking over the starting job from a struggling Manny Legace in late- January Mason rattled off an incredible 22-8-6 record, providing the Blues with not just the kind of goaltending that wins games but also the kind that could make them a difficult opponent in the upcoming playoffs.
The Blues two-month march to the 2009 NHL post-season was no fluke, but rather a combination of strong goaltending and coaching, veteran leadership and experience and rising young talent coming together to overcome injuries and early season inconsistency.
Even if the Blues fail to advance far in this yearâ??s playoffs theyâ??ve served notice to their fans and to the league that theyâ??re back on the right track.
2009 Stanley Cup Conference QF Schedule
From the NHL PR dept.
2009 EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER-FINALS
SERIES A ? ? ? ?TIME (ET) ? ? ? ? #1 BOSTON vs. #8 MONTREAL ? ? ? ?NETWORK
Thursday, April 16 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ?Montreal at Boston ? ? ? ?CBC, RDS
Saturday, April 18 ? ? ? ?8 p.m. ? ? ? ? Montreal at Boston ? ? ? ?VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Monday, April 20 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ? Boston at Montreal ? ? ? ?CBC, RDS
Wednesday, April 22 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ?Boston at Montreal ? ? ? ?CBC, RDS
*Saturday, April 25 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ?Montreal at Boston ? ? ? ?CBC, RDS
*Monday, April 27 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?Boston at Montreal ? ? ? ?CBC, RDS
*Wednesday, April 29 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?Montreal at Boston ? ? ? ?CBC, RDS
SERIES B ? ? ? ?TIME (ET) ? ? ? ?#2 WASHINGTON vs. #7 NY RANGERS ? ? ? ?NETWORK
Wednesday, April 15 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ?NY Rangers at Washington ? ? ? ?TSN
Saturday, April 18 ? ? ? ?1 p.m. ? ? ? ?NY Rangers at Washington ? ? ? ?NBC, TSN
Monday, April 20 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ?Washington at NY Rangers ? ? ? ?VERSUS, TSN
Wednesday, April 22 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ?Washington at NY Rangers ? ? ? ?VERSUS, TSN
*Friday, April 24 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ?NY Rangers at Washington ? ? ? ? VERSUS, TSN, RDS
*Sunday, April 26 ? ? ? ?2 p.m. ? ? ? ?Washington at NY Rangers ? ? ? ?NBC, TSN, RDS
*Tuesday, April 28 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?NY Rangers at Washington ? ? ? ? VERSUS, TSN, RDS
SERIES C ? ? ? ?TIME (ET) ? ? ? ?#3 NEW JERSEY vs. #6 CAROLINA ? ? ? ?NETWORK
Wednesday, April 15 ? ? ? ?7:30 p.m. ? ? ? ?Carolina at New Jersey ? ? ? ?TSN, RIS
Friday, April 17 ? ? ? ?7:30 p.m. ? ? ? ?Carolina at New Jersey ? ? ? ?TSN, RIS
Sunday, April 19 ? ? ? ?7:30 p.m. ? ? ? ?New Jersey at Carolina ? ? ? ?TSN, RIS
Tuesday, April 21 ? ? ? ?7:30 p.m. ? ? ? ?New Jersey at Carolina ? ? ? ?TSN, RIS
*Thursday, April 23 ? ? ? ?7:30 p.m. ? ? ? ?Carolina at New Jersey ? ? ? ?TSN, RIS
*Sunday, April 26 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?New Jersey at Carolina ? ? ? ?TSN, VERSUS
*Tuesday, April 28 ? ? ? ?7:30 p.m. ? ? ? ?Carolina at New Jersey ? ? ? ?TSN
SERIES D ? ? ? ? TIME (ET) ? ? ? ?#4 PITTSBURGH vs. PHILADELPHIA ? ? ? ?NETWORK
Wednesday, April 15 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ? Philadelphia at Pittsburgh ? ? ? ?VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Friday, April 17 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ? Philadelphia at Pittsburgh ? ? ? ?VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Sunday, April 19 ? ? ? ?3 p.m. ? ? ? ? Pittsburgh at Philadelphia ? ? ? ?NBC, CBC, RDS
Tuesday, April 21 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ?Pittsburgh at Philadelphia ? ? ? ?VERSUS, CBC, RDS
*Thursday, April 23 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ?Philadelphia at Pittsburgh ? ? ? ?VERSUS, CBC, RDS
*Saturday, April 25 ? ? ? ?3 p.m. ? ? ? ? Pittsburgh at Philadelphia ? ? ? ?NBC, CBC
*Monday, April 27 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?Philadelphia at Pittsburgh ? ? ? ?VERSUS, CBC ? ? ? ?
2009 WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER-FINALS
SERIES E ? ? ? ?TIME (ET) ? ? ? ?#1 SAN JOSE vs. #8 ANAHEIM ? ? ? ?NETWORK
Thursday, April 16 ? ? ? ?10:30 p.m. ? ? ? ? Anaheim at San Jose ? ? ? ?VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Sunday, April 19 ? ? ? ?10 p.m. ? ? ? ?Anaheim at San Jose ? ? ? ?VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Tuesday, April 21 ? ? ? ?10:30 p.m. ? ? ? ?San Jose at Anaheim ? ? ? ?VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Thursday, April 23 ? ? ? ?10:30 p.m. ? ? ? ?San Jose at Anaheim ? ? ? ? VERSUS, CBC, RDS
*Saturday, April 25 ? ? ? ?10 p.m. ? ? ? ?Anaheim at San Jose ? ? ? ?VERSUS, CBC, RDS
*Monday, April 27 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?San Jose at Anaheim ? ? ? ? VERSUS, CBC, RDS
*Wednesday, April 29 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?Anaheim at San Jose ? ? ? ?VERSUS, CBC, RDS
SERIES F ? ? ? ?TIME (ET) ? ? ? ?#2 DETROIT vs. #7 COLUMBUS ? ? ? ?NETWORK
Thursday, April 16 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ?Columbus at Detroit ? ? ? ?VERSUS, TSN
Saturday, April 18 ? ? ? ?6 p.m. ? ? ? ? Columbus at Detroit ? ? ? ?TSN
Tuesday, April 21 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ? Detroit at Columbus ? ? ? ?TSN
Thursday, April 23 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ? Detroit at Columbus ? ? ? ?TSN
*Saturday, April 25 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ? Columbus at Detroit ? ? ? ?VERSUS, TSN
*Monday, April 27 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?Detroit at Columbus ? ? ? ?TSN
*Wednesday, April 29 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?Columbus at Detroit ? ? ? ?VERSUS, TSN
SERIES G ? ? ? ? TIME (ET) ? ? ? ?#3 VANCOUVER vs. #6 ST. LOUIS ? ? ? ?NETWORK
Wednesday, April 15 ? ? ? ?10 p.m. ? ? ? ?St. Louis at Vancouver ? ? ? ?CBC, VERSUS, RDS
Friday, April 17 ? ? ? ?10 p.m. ? ? ? ? St. Louis at Vancouver ? ? ? ?CBC, VERSUS, RDS
Sunday, April 19 ? ? ? ?7 p.m. ? ? ? ?Vancouver at St. Louis ? ? ? ?CBC, VERSUS
Tuesday, April 21 ? ? ? ?8 p.m. ? ? ? ?Vancouver at St. Louis ? ? ? ?CBC, VERSUS
*Friday, April 24 ? ? ? ?10 p.m. ? ? ? ?St. Louis at Vancouver ? ? ? ?CBC, VERSUS, RDS
*Sunday, April 26 ? ? ? ?8 p.m. ? ? ? ?Vancouver at St. Louis ? ? ? ?CBC, VERSUS, RDS
*Tuesday, April 28 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?St. Louis at Vancouver ? ? ? ?CBC, VERSUS, RDS
SERIES H ? ? ? ?TIME (ET) ? ? ? ?#4 CHICAGO vs. #5 CALGARY ? ? ? ?NETWORK
Thursday, April 16 ? ? ? ?8:30 p.m. ? ? ? ?Calgary at Chicago ? ? ? ?TSN, VERSUS
Saturday, April 18 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?Calgary at Chicago ? ? ? ?TSN
Monday, April 20 ? ? ? ?9:30 p.m. ? ? ? ? Chicago at Calgary ? ? ? ?TSN, VERSUS
Wednesday, April 22 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?Chicago at Calgary ? ? ? ?TSN, VERSUS
*Saturday, April 25 ? ? ? ?10 p.m. ? ? ? ?Calgary at Chicago ? ? ? ?TSN, RIS
*Monday, April 27 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?Chicago at Calgary ? ? ? ?TSN
*Wednesday, April 29 ? ? ? ?TBD ? ? ? ?Calgary at Chicago ? ? ? ?TSN
Catching up On Some Recent NHL News
I was recently out of town attending to some personal matters so this is my first opportunity to address some recent notable NHL news.
Before I begin, some of you have asked when Iâ??ll be making my opening round playoff predictions. Those have already been done in my recent Foxsports.com articles earlier in the week.
The most notable news was the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild firing their general managers and the Edmonton Oilers firing their head coach.
-After enduring the worst season since their move to Denver from Quebec City in 1995 the Avalanche decided their team needed a change in the front office and fired Francois Giguere as their general manager.
His replacement on an interim basis is former GM and current team president Pierre Lacroix, who it must be remembered groomed Giguere to be his successor.
Plenty has been written about the bad moves Giguere made, particularly in paying out big salaries to veterans like Ryan Smyth and Scott Hannan and in landing the spent force that was Darcy Tucker, handcuffing himself cap-wise so that he was unable to land a quality goaltending this season.
Giguere certainly deserves the blame but he also likely discussed these moves with his higher-ups prior to making them, so Lacroix mightâ??ve given his blessing to such moves.
Whoever they bring in as new general manager will determine just which direction the Avalanche will go in for the future. Theyâ??ll either commit to a serious rebuilding programme, which of course will likely mean at least another couple of seasons of missing the playoffs, or theyâ??ll look for someone who can patch up this lineup quickly in hopes of getting back to the post-season.
If youâ??re an Avalanche fan, pray that theyâ??re serious about a significant overhaul with the eye on becoming a Cup contender again or get used to your club being a marginal playoff contender.
Iâ??ve heard speculation that Lacroix could hire his son, former NHL player Eric Lacroix, as the new general manager, but I think this wouldnâ??t be a good idea as thatâ??ll give rise to charges of nepotism on the elder Lacroixâ??s part.
Former Tampa Bay Lightning GM Jay Feaster has expressed interest in the job. He didnâ??t have the best draft record with the Bolts but his trade and free agent record was pretty, and he does have a Stanley Cup championship on his resume.
-As for the Wild, not only did head coach Jacques Lemaire recently step down which was expected but they lowered the boom on long-time GM Doug Risebrough.
This signals what could well be a significant shift in direction for a Wild team that has been renowned for their tight-checking defensive hockey.
The Wild had appeared to be making progress over the previous two seasons but suffered a setback due in part to a lack of offensive depth, which came to the fore when star forward Marian Gaborik missed most of the season to injury.
There was some speculation Wild owner Craig Leipold, former owner of the Nashville Predators, might try to woo Predators GM David Poile to Minnesota but Poile claims he has no plans of moving.
As Poile built his Predators largely around defense he probably wouldnâ??t be the right guy to follow up Risebrough if the Wild are looking at going in a different direction.
The Wild reportedly sought permission from Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke to speak to Dave Nonis, former Vancouver Canucks general manager, but Burke rejected it.
Too bad for the Wild as Nonis had a decent record in his short tenure as Canucks general manager and in my opinion was unfairly made the scapegoat for the Canucks missing the playoffs last season.
-The Oilers dropped the axe on head coach Craig MacTavish soon after this season ended, the third straight time theyâ??ve missed the post-season since advancing to the 2006 Stanley Cup final.
It remains to be seen who theyâ??ll hire to replace MacTavish (Pat Quinn and Marc Crawford have been suggested) but management is expected to take their time in finding the right bench boss.
Many in the Edmonton media have cited that the Oilers players deserve most of the blame for this seasonâ??s failure and to a degree theyâ??re right, but ultimately itâ??s up to the coach to get a playing as a cohesive unit, and in that regard â??MacTâ?? failed to achieve this.
Yes, the Oilers are a smallish team. Yes, most of the promising youngsters didnâ??t play well this season. Yes, some of the veterans failed to step up and lead.
If the problem is as MacTavish claimed with the â??cultureâ?? then the blame lies with him. Itâ??s the coach who sets the culture and has to get the players to buy into it. If the players donâ??t, itâ??s the coach who is to blame.
But when you put a natural playmaker like Ales Hemsky into a checking line role, Iâ??m sorry, but thatâ??s just not smart coaching.
MacTavish is a respected hockey man, and yes, he coached the Oilers to the 2006 Cup Final, but somethingâ??s askew when the guy who coached the team that beat those Oilers in that Final lost his job long before MacTavish did.
It was apparent before the new year that “MacT” had lost the room. It wasn’t too late then, or even in January or February to replace him but the front office stayed faithful to him up to the bitter end.
That loyalty is admirable but it may have ultimately cost the Oilers a playoff berth.
