NHL BLOGNOTES [Apr-06]: Playoff Line Combos
Ottawa Line Combinations (posted 4.24.06)
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Chris Kelly .. Jason Spezza .. Dany Heatley
Patrick Eaves .. Bryan Smolinski .. Daniel Alfredsson
Martin Havlat .. Mike Fisher .. Peter Schaefer
Chris Neil .. Antoine Vermette .. Vaclav Varada
Zdeno Chara .. Chris Phillips
Andrej Meszaros .. Anton Volchenkov
Brian Pothier .. Christoph Schubert
** Redden did not play in game 2 due to personal reasons and was replaced by Christoph Schubert who was paired with Pothier and Volchenkov was paired with Meszaros.
PP1 – Havlat, Spezza, Heatley, Alfredsson, Meszaros
PP2 – Schaefer, Fisher, Smolinski, Chara, Pothier
Tampa Line Combinations (posted 4.24.06)
Fredrik Modin .. Brad Richards .. Martin St. Louis
Ruslan Fedotenko .. Vincent Lecavalier .. Vaclav Prospal
Dmitri Afanasenkov .. Tim Taylor .. Ryan Craig
Chris Dingman .. Martin Cibak .. Evgeny Artyukhin
Paul Ranger .. Dan Boyle
Darryl Sydor .. Pavel Kubina
Nolan Pratt .. Cory Sarich
PP1 – Modin, Richards, St. Louis, Boyle, Ranger
PP2 – Fedotenko, Lecavalier, Prospal, Sydor, Kubina
**Lecavalier also sees duty on the first unit when Richards plays the point
Colorado Line Combinations (posted 4.23.06)
Rookie Wojtek Wolski had quite the playoff debut picking up a goal and two assists helping the Avalanche take Game 1 in their series against Dallas.
Andrew Brunette .. Joe Sakic .. Milan Hejduk
Wojtek Wolski .. Jim Dowd .. Alex Tanguay
Antti Laaksonen .. Brett Mclean .. Dan Hinote
Pierre Turgeon .. Brad Richardson .. Ian Laperriere
Rob Blake .. John-Michael Liles
Karlis Skrastins .. Brett Clark
Patrice Brisebois .. Kurt Sauer
PP1 – Brunette, Sakic, Hejduk, Blake, Liles
PP2 – Wolski, Turgeon, Tanguay, Brisebois, Clark
Dallas Line Combinations (posted 4.23.06)
Despite putting up monster numbers during the regular season over the years, goaltender Marty Turco is still searching for his breakthrough playoff performance.
Jussi Jokinen .. Mike Modano .. Jere Lehtinen
Brenden Morrow .. Jason Arnott .. Stu Barnes
Niklas Hagman .. Niko Kapanen .. Antti Miettinen
Jeremy Stevenson .. Steve Ott .. Bill Guerin
Sergei Zubov .. Willie Mitchell
Philippe Boucher .. Stephane Robidas
Jon Klemm .. Trevor Daley
PP1 – Jokinen, Arnott, Lehtinen, Zubov, Modano
PP2 – Morrow, Modano, Miettinen, Boucher, Robidas
(Kapanen) (Zubov)
Philadelphia Line Combinations (posted 4.23.06)
Simon Gagne .. Peter Forsberg .. Mike Knuble
Brian Savage .. Petr Nedved .. Mike Richards
Niko Dimitrakos .. Jeff Carter .. R.J. Umberger
Donald Brashear .. Michal Handzus .. Sami Kapanen
Joni Pitkanen .. Mike Rathje
Eric Desjardins .. Denis Gauthier
Freddy Meyer .. Derian Hatcher
Buffalo Line Combinations (posted 4.23.06)
Jochen Hecht .. Daniel Briere .. Jean-Pierre Dumont
Ales Kotalik .. Tim Connolly .. Maxim Afinogenov
Derek Roy .. Chris Drury .. Mike Grier
Thomas Vanek .. Paul Gaustad .. Jason Pominville
Toni Lydman .. Henrik Tallinder
Teppo Numminen .. Dimitri Kalinin
Jay McKee .. Brian Campbell
NY Rangers Line Combinations (posted 4.23.06)
Martin Straka .. Michael Nylander .. Jaromir Jagr
Marcel Hossa .. Steve Rucchin .. Petr Sykora
Ryan Hollweg .. Blair Betts .. Jason Ward
Jed Ortmeyer .. Dominic Moore .. Petr Prucha
Marek Malik .. Michal Rozsival
Sandis Ozolinsh .. Tom Poti
Fedor Tyutin .. Darius Kasparaitis
New Jersey Line Combinations (posted 4.23.06)
Zach Parise .. Scott Gomez .. Brian Gionta
Patrik Elias .. Sergei Brylin .. Jamie Langenbrunner
Jay Pandolfo .. John Madden .. Grant Marshall
Jason Wiemer .. Erik Rasmussen .. Cam Janssen
Brad Lukowich .. Brian Rafalski
Colin White .. Paul Martin
Richard Matvichuk .. Ken Klee
Carolina Line Combinations (posted 4.23.06)
Cory Stillman .. Eric Staal .. Matt Cullen
Chad Larose .. Rod Brind'Amour .. Justin Williams
Josef Vasicek .. Doug Weight .. Mark Recchi
.. Kevyn Adams .. Craig Adams
Aaron Ward .. Frantisek Kaberle
Mike Commodore .. Bret Hedican
Glen Wesley .. Niclas Wallin
Oleg Tverdovsky ..
Montreal Line Combinations (posted 4.23.06)
Chris Higgins .. Saku Koivu .. Michael Ryder
Jan Bulis .. Mike Ribeiro .. Alexei Kovalev
Alexander Perezhogin .. Tomas Plekanec .. Richard Zednik
Garth Murray .. Radek Bonk .. Niklas Sundstrom
Sheldon Souray .. Craig Rivet
Andrei Markov .. Mike Komisarek
Francis Bouillon .. Mathieu Dandenault
Anaheim Line Combinations (posted 4.22.06)
Chris Kunitz .. Andy McDonald .. Teemu Selanne
Jonathan Hedstrom .. Samuel Pahlsson .. Joffrey Lupul
Jeff Friesen .. Todd Marchant .. Rob Niedermayer
Todd Fedoruk .. Ryan Getzlaf .. Corey Perry
Scott Niedermayer .. Francois Beauchemin
Ruslan Salei .. Sean O'Donnell
Vitaly Vishnevski .. Joe Dipenta
Calgary Line Combinations (posted 4.22.06)
Kristian Huselius .. Daymond Langkow .. Jarome Iginla
Jamie Lundmark .. Matthew Lombardi .. Tony Amonte
Chuck Kobasew .. Stephane Yelle .. Shean Donovan
Chris Simon .. Byron Ritchie .. Darren McCarty
Robyn Regehr .. Jordan Leopold
Roman Hamrlik .. Dion Phaneuf
Rhett Warrener .. Andrew Ference
Nashville Line Combinations (posted 4.22.06)
Paul Kariya .. David Legwand .. Martin Erat
Scott Hartnell .. Greg Johnson .. Adam Hall
Steve Sullivan .. Mike Sillinger .. Scott Walker
Jerred Smithson .. Scott Nichol .. Jordin Tootoo
Brendan Witt .. Kimmo Timonen
Danny Markov .. Mark Eaton
Dan Hamhuis .. Shea Weber
San Jose Line Combinations (posted 4.22.06)
Nils Ekman .. Joe Thornton .. Jonathan Cheechoo
Milan Michalek .. Patrick Marleau .. Steve Bernier
Ville Nieminen .. Alyn McCauley .. Scott Thornton
Mark Smith .. Marcel Goc .. Pat Rissmiller
Christian Ehrhoff .. Tom Preissing
Scott Hannan .. Josh Gorges
Matthew Carle .. Kyle McLaren
Edmonton Line Combinations (posted 4.22.06)
Ryan Smyth .. Shawn Horcoff .. Radek Dvorak
Sergei Samsonov .. Jarret Stoll .. Ales Hemsky
Raffi Torres .. Michael Peca .. Fernando Pisani
Todd Harvey .. Rem Murray .. Georges Laraque
Chris Pronger .. Jason Smith
Steve Staios .. Jaroslav Spacek
Dick Tarnstrom .. Marc-Andre Bergeron
Detroit Line Combinations (posted 4.22.06)
Tomas Holmstrom .. Henrik Zetterberg .. Mikael Samuelsson
Robert Lang .. Steve Yzerman .. Jason Williams
Brendan Shanahan .. Kris Draper .. Mark Mowers
Kirk Maltby .. Dan Cleary .. Johan Franzen
Nicklas Lidstrom .. Andreas Lilja
Mathieu Schneider .. Chris Chelios
Brett Lebda .. Niklas Kronwall
Playoff Preview (posted 4.19.06)
by Gus Katsaros
Playoff pool decisions are often based on selecting a set of teams with potential to go deep in the playoffs. Potential first round exits are often overlooked for stability. A decent strategy historically, however in the new NHL, this might be a miscalculation. The trick is to tweak the strategy.
Offense, not as limited as in previous years, makes stacking a roster with players from an estimated finals, or conference finals appearance, rewarding only if they keep scoring. Loading a roster with Flames may ensure a finals appearance for your players, but is it worth it if they are winning 1-0 and 2-1 games?
In deep drafts, selecting players from underdogs higher in the draft, where a sleeper pick would most likely arise makes sense. If scoring remains at the same tempo, first round teams stretching out a series, could snag some big points yet lose the series.
Instead of narrowing the playoffs into a few specific favorites, make the assessment based on potential of the individual players. A riskier strategy, involving an outcome of rapid accumulation of points, and riding the wave through to the finals.
Powerplays should be rampant but controlled. There will be more in relation to history, with the same impact. Teams this season, lived and died by the powerplay.
Ask three questions, prior to drafting:
1 – Does he get powerplay time?
2 – Is he getting quality ice time with a regular shift?
3 – Is there another player with more potential at this point in the draft?
Always pick the best player available. Good luck in your draft.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Detroit (58-16-8)
One of two teams (Dallas) to record double digit wins in a month twice in the season (11). If the kids didn't overwhelm, the veterans did. The Jiri Fischer incident sparked a moment of dread, which the team used as a rally call. Shades of Vladimir Konstantinov. Yzerman handed him the Cup, and may want a repeat for Fischer. The captain has emanated leadership down the stretch, until sidelined with a lower body injury. Veterans Brendan Shanahan, Mathieu Schneider and Nicklas Lidstrom fed off youthful exuberance of Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Jason Williams, while youth learned from leadership of veterans. Datsyuk may miss the first game or two of the playoffs.
Injuries: Yzerman (lower body, day-to-day), Datsyuk (groin, day-to-day), Robert Lang (upper body, day-to-day),
Key Players: Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Brendan Shanahan, Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Mathieu Schneider
Sleepers: Jason Williams, Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby
Dallas (53-23-6)
Cup contenders require great goaltending, and a one-two punch at center. Third in the league with 41 wins, Marty Turco provides quality goaltending. Modano and Joe Nieuwendyk worked the 'one-two' center when the Stars hoisted the Cup in 1999. This season, Jason Arnott slid into that spot, responding with 31 goals (five game-winners). Bill Guerin came back from a broken orbital bone (missed 11 games) to record (6, 1-3-4) including a goal and assist in the last game of the season. Zubov had 39 powerplay points this season.
Injuries: None
Key Players: Mike Modano, Jason Arnott, Jussi Jokinen, Brendan Morrow, Sergei Zubov
Sleepers: Bill Guerin, Jere Lehtinen
Calgary (46-25-11)
Offense from the Flames is focused around Iginla, making obvious choices of linemates Daymond Langkow and Kristian Huselius. Tony Amonte, (after 31 games without a goal, scored two to end the season), with linemates Jamie Lundmark (11, 4-6-10 with Flames)/Matthew Lombardi have been great down the stretch. Dion Phaneuf has 16 powerplay goals this season. Flames losing road record (16-18-7) is a concern. They've won once in the last 13 visits to The Pond in Anaheim. Iginla (81, 34-31-65) hasn't made the noise he did heading into the playoffs in '03/04. Miikka Kiprusoff (74 42-20-11, 10 SO) has been outstanding which makes Calgary favorites in the West. The 'next goal' is important in the playoffs. Kiprusoff can keep out the next goal. With a sputtering offense, will they be able to score the next goal?
Injuries: Marcus Nilson (knee, indefinite)
Key Players: Jarome Iginla, Daymond Langkow, Roman Hamrlik, Dion Phaneuf
Sleepers: Tony Amonte, Kristian Huselius, Jamie Lundmark, Matthew Lombardi
Nashville (49-25-8)
Second franchise appearance in post-season. Won't have goalie Tomas Vokoun, but Chris Mason has been a viable replacement. The Predators have seven players with 10+ powerplay goals on the year. Mike Sillinger scored two points (1-1-2) in the first eight games with Nashville, but has 19 in the last 21 (21 8-11-19). Scott Hartnell has eight game winners for the Predators. Paul Kariya scored a hat trick to end the season with 31 goals. Nashville has thrived on offense, with possible picks across the board. They will be hard pressed to beat a determined San Jose team.
Injuries: Tomas Vokoun (indefinite), Marek Zidlicky (may miss first few games), Steve Sullivan - sore groin (day-to-day).
Key Players: Steve Sullivan, Paul Kariya, Scott Walker, Marek Zidlicky, Mike Sillinger
Sleepers: Scott Hartnell, Yanic Perreault, Adam Hall
Anaheim (43-27-12)
One can't throw a dart across the Ducks roster without hitting a contributing player. A rejuvenated Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermeyer are prime reasons for the Ducks success. Andy McDonald has almost tripled previous career season highs, while Joffrey Lupul, Chris Kunitz, Cory Perry and Ryan Getzlaf provide young, fresh legs, and Jeff Friesen and Rob Niedermeyer provide vital post-season experience. Francois Beauchemin, a throw-in in the Fedorov deal, has six points in the last eight games (8 1-5-6), while scoring 22 in the last 35 (35 5-17-22). Jean-Sebastien Giguere is 7-0 in playoff overtime.
Injuries: None
Key Players: Teemu Selanne, Andy McDonald, Scott Niedermayer,
Sleepers: Ryan Getzlaf, Chris Kunitz, Corey Perry, Francois Beauchemin, Jeff Friesen, Rob Niedermeyer
Colorado (43-30-9)
Have looked mediocre down the stretch, going 3-4-1 for April. Joe Sakic can elevate his game, as his 11 points in overtime in 37 playoff games can attest. Advancing further than one round will be up to the play of deadline acquisition Jose Theodore. Alex Tanguay has four points (3 3-1-4) since returning from a knee injury. In his absence, Andrew Brunette stepped it up. Milan Hejduk has battled through early season injuries and will be relied upon to alleviate pressure from Sakic/Tanguay.
Injuries: Marek Svatos (indefinite), Steve Konowalchuk (wrist, indefinite), Brad May (groin, day-to-day), Ossi Vaananen (ankle, indefinite)
Key Players: Joe Sakic, Rob Blake, Alex Tanguay, Milan Hejduk
Sleepers: Andrew Brunette, Pierre Turgeon, Patrice Brisebois
San Jose (44-27-11)
All aboard the Cheechoo train. Conductor Joe Thornton is leading with all indications that it could be a wild ride. Came back from an early season deficit and looking like a force in the playoffs. Questions arise about goaltending (Nabokov/Toskala) and lapses on the way to the playoff berth. To ensure a successful run, the lesser lights will have to be better than just passengers. Nils Ekman (5 4-3-7), Steve Bernier (39 14-13-27), Alyn McCauley and Ville Nieminen will have to support stars, Thornton and Cheechoo.
Injuries: none
Key Players: Joe Thornton, Jonathan Cheechoo, Patrick Marleau
Sleepers: Tom Preissing, Nils Ekman, Alyn McCauley, Steve Bernier, Ville Nieminen
Edmonton (41-28-13)
Samson believed losing his hair would drain him of his strength. Losing Samsonov to the Oilers would have the same effect. Samsonov (19 5-11-16) is the player to consider first from the Oilers. Hasn't scored in six games (6 0-1-1) but this sleeper is streaky. He is a player to consider a little earlier in the draft. A productive Samsonov can be a solid point-per-game producer. Should the Oilers upset the Wings, he is the pick of your pool.
Injuries: none
Key Players: Ryan Smyth, Shawn Horcoff, Sergei Samsonov, Ales Hemsky, Chris Pronger
Sleepers: Raffi Torres, Jarrett Stoll, Jaroslav Spacek
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Ottawa (52-21-9)
Runaway contenders in the East went through adversity, hit by late season injuries. Besides Hasek, the roster has rounded out into the one at season's onset, when they were winning games. They have the right mix of speedy forwards, capable of playing defense and a defense able to produce offense. Even with Hasek remaining a playoff mystery, Ray Emery has proved he is dependable. Dany Heatley became the first fifty-goal scorer in Senators history. Mike Fisher, underrated in the NHL, provides the third line with a potent scoring element, showing Ottawa's depth. Fisher is the insurance goal King of the NHL.
Injuries: Dominik Hasek (indefinite), Chris Phillips (knee, late April)
Key Players: Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, Wade Redden, Zdeno Chara
Sleepers: Andrej Meszaros, Tyler Arnason, Martin Havlat, Mike Fisher, Peter Schaefer
Carolina (52-22-8)
Rely heavily on the powerplay. Powerplay production makes good picks out of Staal, Weight, Stillman, Whitney. Even Cullen and Brind'Amour are good bets. Mark Recchi elevated his game since going seven games without a point. Carolina has a weakness at even strength and will have to better. They can't rely on a referee's interpretation of a penalty, or focus on drawing penalties. Hurricanes are the biggest upset waiting to happen in the East, buyer beware. They are only as good as their record since February (15-10-4). The first half, filled with powerplays, has skewed results. They may beat Montreal in the first round (maybe), but will be hard pressed to advance further.
Injuries: Ray Whitney (lower body, day-to-day)
Key Players: Eric Staal, Cory Stillman, Mark Recchi, Doug Weight, Ray Whitney
Sleepers: Justin Williams, Rod Brind'Amour, Matt Cullen
NY Rangers (44-26-12)
Steve Rucchin (72 13-23-36) scored 17 points (4-13) in his last 22 games, but missed the last six due to a lower body injury. Deadline acquisition Sandis Ozolinsh scored 14 of his 20 points (3-11) in 19 games as a Ranger. New York with a revived Jagr can't be underestimated. They are built for the speed of the NHL, with a mobile defense and great goaltending from young Henrik Lundqvist. The status of Rucinsky is still uncertain, expected back late April.
Injuries: Steve Rucchin, (foot day-to-day), Martin Rucinsky (finger, late April)
Key Players: Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka, Michael Nylander, Petr Prucha
Sleepers: Sandis Ozolinsh, Peter Sykora, Steve Rucchin
Buffalo (51-24-6)
Two players that may get overlooked due to their injuries over the season are Daniel Briere, and Tim Connolly. Jochen Hecht should be available in the playoffs, but is still experiencing pain from a knee injury. It's a toss up between the Flyers and Sabres, with Ryan Miller, being the deciding factor.
Injuries: Jochen Hecht, knee (day-to-day)
Key Players: Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, Maxim Afinogenov, Ales Kotalik, Thomas Vanek
Sleepers: Teppo Numminen, Jason Pominville, Derek Roy
Philadelphia (45-26-11)
Did Primeau disturb a fragile Flyer team, with a possible comeback? Making a statement that they need a hero or was he attracting attention onto himself, deflecting it from the team entering the playoffs? The Flyers have legitimate concerns with injuries. Eric Desjardins, Peter Forsberg and Robert Esche have all been injured this season. Forsberg should be ready opening day of the playoffs, the magic threshold that heals injuries. It's hard to overlook his scoring potential, but if you are to take a Flyer, look first to Simon Gagne (71 46-32-78). Nikos Dimitrakos has nine points in 18 games with the Flyers, with six of those have come in the last 7 games (7 2-4-6).
Injuries: Kim Johnsson (concussion, indefinite)
Key Players: Simon Gagne, Peter Forsberg, Joni Pitkanen, Mike Knuble
Sleepers: Sami Kapanen, Michal Handzus, Jeff Carter, R.J. Umberger
New Jersey (46-27-9)
Fought off a shaky start, to close off the season winning 11 straight games. A scary first round opponent, their recent play is not indicative of their record. The opposition scored more than two goals in a game only three times against Martin Brodeur on the streak. Jamie Langenbrunner may have given a glimpse into the playoffs, scoring the game-winner against Montreal. Gionta ended the season with an astounding 15 game point streak (15 13-14-27). Also producing in half that stretch were Patrik Elias (7 6-9-15) and Scott Gomez (7 6-9-15).
Injuries: Colin White (ankle, day-to-day)
Key Players: Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta, Patrik Elias, Brian Rafalski
Sleepers: Jamie Langenbrunner, Erik Rasmussen, Victor Kozlov
Montreal (42-31-9)
Can there be another goaltending controversy, after Theodore? If Huet starts bad, would he be replaced with Aebischer? Montreal has been streaky this season. If they streak in the wrong direction, and goaltending falters, they will be first round fodder. Jan Bulis, inserted on a line with Ribeiro and Kovalev, responded with four points (1-3-4) in the last three games. Kovalev and Saku Koivu provide the offense supported by Michael Ryder, who is the only player to score double-digit powerplay goals with 18. Montreal is decent bet to upset the Hurricanes.
Injuries: Steve Begin (knee, indefinite)
Key Players: Saku Koivu, Alex Kovalev, Michael Ryder, Sheldon Souray
Sleepers: Jan Bulis, Mike Ribeiro, Andrei Markov
Tampa Bay (43-33-6)
Champions limped into the post season after a horrible start to the season and various periods of abysmal play. Ended the season with a 4-4-1 record in April. The Lightning will have a tough time with the Senators. Goaltending is dubious with neither Burke nor Grahame snagging the starter position. Brad Richards was red hot after the Olympics, while Lecavalier and St. Louis have picked up their play lately. They will be in tough to win one round against the class of the East.
Injuries: Vaclav Prospal (upper body, day-to-day)
Key Players: Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, Vaclav Prospal, Dan Boyle
Sleepers: Fredrik Modin, Ruslan Fedotenko
Weekend Warriors (posted 4.11.06)
by Cory Kornelsen
With all the dust settled in the Western Conference, the focus has shifted back to the East where Tampa Bay, Montreal and Atlanta are battling for the seventh and eighth playoff spots. Leaf Nation has been put to rest and players continue to chase career milestones as we look back at another weekend that was.
The Carolina Hurricanes picked up three points during a home and home against Tampa Bay and now have a one point lead on Ottawa for top spot in the East. Cory Stillman led the way with four points, Matt Cullen had three points including the shootout winner in game one and congrats to Eric Staal who also chipped in with three points to hit the 100 point mark for the first time in his young career.
The Tampa Bay Lightning also picked up a valuable three points during the weekend bill versus the Hurricanes and continues to have the upper hand for the last playoff spot in the East. Martin St. Louis was the hero with four points including the overtime winner in game two, to hit the 30-goal mark for the third time in his career putting the final dagger into the heart of Leaf Nation by eliminating Toronto.
You can scratch Joe Thornton and Jonathan Cheechoo off Jaromir Jagr's Christmas list. With one game remaining, Thornton now sits two points ahead of Jagr in the race for the Art Ross Trophy and Cheechoo sits two goals ahead of Jagr for the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy. The Sharks beat the Mighty Ducks 6-3 to power their way to fifth spot in the West. Cheechoo led the way with three goals and two assists, and fellow line mates Joe Thornton (three points) and Nils Ekman (four points) continue to dominate.
With wins over Montreal and Toronto the Buffalo Sabres set a franchise record for most wins in one season with 51. Chris Drury had three goals and an assist to lead the way offensively while rookie Ryan Miller turned away 74 of 76 shots including a 31 save shutout performance against the Leafs.
The New Jersey Devils still have a shot at the Atlantic division title thanks to a convincing 5-1 victory over Philadelphia. Defenseman Brad Lukowich had a monster game collecting three assists and was a +4 on the afternoon.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have been playing fairly well going 6-3-1 in their last ten games. They split a weekend series against the Hawks with David Vyborny picking up five points to set a career record for points in a season with 62. Rick Nash also picked up goals 30 and 31 to break the 30-goal mark for the second time and would have been on pace for fifty if not for an early season knee injury.
Curtis Joseph finished a fine season with the Coyotes stopping all 40 shots he faced in a 3-0 win over the Blues. It was the fourth shutout of the season for Joseph who also ended the year with a 32-21-3 record and a .902 Sv% proving the now unrestricted free agent can still get the job done between the pipes.
And Finally... Congrats to Nashville goalie Chris Mason who was credited with a goal when Phoenix forward Geoff Sanderson accidentally shot the puck into his own net from the other end of the ice on a delayed penalty. Mason also turned away 23 of 24 shots in the 5-1 victory and is now 5-0-0 with a 0.79 GAA and a .967 Sv% since starter Tomas Vokoun's season ending injury. Mason's next goal will be to guide the Predators to their first playoff series win when they battle the San Jose Sharks.
Florida Line Combinations (posted 4.17.06)
Gary Roberts .. Jozef Stumpel .. Olli Jokinen
Martin Gelinas .. Joe Nieuwendyk .. Nathan Horton
Juraj Kolnik .. Chris Gratton .. Jon Sim
Gregory Campbell .. Mikhail Yakubov .. Serge Payer
Jay Bouwmeester .. Sean Hill
Lukas Krajicek .. Mike Van Ryn
Steve Montador .. Alexei Semenov
Columbus Line Combinations (posted 4.17.06)
Rick Nash .. Sergei Fedorov .. David Vyborny
Jason Chimera .. Manny Malhotra .. Trevor Letowski
Jaroslav Balastik .. Jan Hrdina .. Mark Hartigan
Alexandre Picard .. Dan Fritsche .. Jody Shelley
Ron Hainsey .. Adam Foote
Duvie Westcott .. Radoslav Suchy
Aaron Johnson .. Jamie Pushor
Los Angeles Line Combinations (posted 4.17.06)
Luc Robitaille .. Craig Conroy .. Pavol Demitra
Alexander Frolov .. Mike Cammalleri .. Mark Parrish
Tom Kostopoulos .. Eric Belanger .. Dustin Brown
Jeff Cowan .. Jeremy Roenick .. George Parros
Lubomir Visnovsky .. Mattias Norstrom
Nathan Dempsey .. Joe Corvo
Mike Weaver .. Tim Gleason
Colorado Line Combinations (posted 4.16.06)
Andrew Brunette .. Joe Sakic .. Milan Hejduk
Alex Tanguay .. Brett McLean .. Ian Laperriere
Antti Laaksonen .. Jim Dowd .. Dan Hinote
Pierre Turgeon .. Brad Richardson .. Cody McCormick
Rob Blake .. John-Michael Liles
Karlis Skrastins .. Brett Clark
Patrice Brisebois .. Kurt Sauer
Minnesota Line Combinations (posted 4.16.06)
Mattias Weinhandl .. Mikko Koivu .. Marian Gaborik
Brian Rolston .. Marc Chouinard .. Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Pascal Dupuis .. Wes Walz .. Stephane Veilleux
Alex Henry .. Erik Westrum .. Kyle Wanvig
Martin Skoula .. Brent Burns
Nick Schultz .. Kurtis Foster
Erik Reitz .. Daniel Tjarnqvist
Dallas Line Combinations (posted 4.16.06)
Jussi Jokinen .. Mike Modano .. Jere Lehtinen
Brenden Morrow .. Jason Arnott .. Stu Barnes
Jaroslav Svoboda .. Steve Ott .. Bill Guerin
Niklas Hagman .. Niko Kapanen .. Antti Miettinen
Sergei Zubov .. Willie Mitchell
Stephane Robidas .. Philippe Boucher
Jon Klemm .. Trevor Daley
Ottawa Line Combinations (posted 4.16.06)
Dany Heatley .. Jason Spezza .. Daniel Alfredsson
Peter Schaefer .. Bryan Smolinski .. Martin Havlat
Patrick Eaves .. Mike Fisher .. Chris Neil
Antoine Vermette .. Chris Kelly .. Vaclav Varada
Anton Volchenkov .. Zdeno Chara
Wade Redden .. Andrej Meszaros
Christoph Schubert .. Brian Pothier
Buffalo Line Combinations (posted 4.13.06)
Jean-Pierre Dumont .. Daniel Briere .. Jason Pominville
Ales Kotalik .. Tim Connolly .. Maxim Afinogenov
Derek Roy .. Chris Drury .. Mike Grier
Taylor Pyatt .. Paul Gaustad .. Thomas Vanek
Jay McKee .. Brian Campbell
Teppo Numminen .. Dimitri Kalinin
Toni Lydman .. Henrik Tallinder
Montreal Line Combinations (posted 4.13.06)
Chris Higgins .. Saku Koivu .. Michael Ryder
Jan Bulis .. Mike Ribeiro .. Alexei Kovalev
Alexander Perezhogin .. Tomas Plekanec .. Richard Zednik
Niklas Sundstrom .. Radek Bonk .. Aaron Downey
Sheldon Souray .. Craig Rivet
Andrei Markov .. Mike Komisarek
Mark Streit .. Mathieu Dandenault
Fantasy Insider (posted 4.12.06)
by Gus Katsaros
The Good, The Bad, The End…
Jose Theodore (Col): Should get in the last few games before the playoffs, which means that Peter Budaj will likely be on the bench so you may want to reserve him, or look for other alternatives.
Martin Havlat (Ott): Was to return Tuesday against the Boston Bruins, but didn't receive clearance to play until Saturday against the Maple Leafs. Wade Redden returned after attending to family matters, as did Zdeno Chara Tuesday, in the 4-3 overtime win against the Bruins. Chara scored two goals, including a beauty, for the game-winner in overtime. Chris Philips is scheduled to return early next week. Indications on the volatile Dominik Hasek are that he will be ready on the weekend. It will be interesting to see how Ottawa adapts to having the team structure altered with the return of their key players.
Jay Bouwmeester (Fla): Scored another goal against the Leafs and has been a rock all season. Assisting on the goal was Joe Nieuwendyk (6-5-11) acting as a late season force, with the Panthers on a run for a playoff spot. Nieuwendyk scored a hat trick (3-1-4) against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday night. With the second goal, he climbed ahead of Johnny Bucyk (556), breaking the top 20 in goals scored for his career. Next in the crosshairs is Guy Lafleur (560). Nieuwendyk also proves that in the NHL it is not always about youth, and that a wily veteran can still have an impact. Those that could not keep up this season retired, (see Luc Robitaille) and then there is Nieuwendyk, still plugging away at high octane, at 40 years old.
Mats Sundin (Tor): Scored a season-high four goals, six points (4-2-6) against the Panthers, coinciding with an Atlanta slaughter of the Lightning, keeping the playoff dream alive. It's amazing what an increase in ice time and desperation can produce. He doesn't have the same impact he used to, but he is still an effective player, showing that with a nine game point streak (10-8-18). Injuries to Eric Lindros and Jason Allison, allowed the Leafs to get some youngsters in the lineup, and look at the results. Matt Stajan (8 3-3-6) since being a healthy scratch against Montreal has responded with a strong effort. Alex Steen has been fairly consistent in that same stretch, which bodes well for the Leafs in terms of youth. Sneaking a few peeks on the Buds defense, Jay Harrison has impressed, and if Ian White continues playing well – good enough to merit ice time, in overtime, with the Leafs killing a penalty – he could become next season's Andrej Meszaros.
Andrej Meszaros (Ott): What kind of impact will he have in the playoffs? He has shown that he could log minutes and play in important situations for the Senators. In an offhand way, that is the best form of insurance, should Chara or Redden go down with an injury. Perhaps the best thing that could have happened for the Ottawa Senators was giving time to Wade Redden to attend to family matters. This gave them the opportunity to use Meszaros in different situations, with tons of ice time to evaluate his performance. He did not disappoint. During Redden's absence, Meszaros averaged 26 min per game, including a whopping 37 minutes against the Sabres on April 5th and almost 30 minutes against the Rangers, containing an ornery Jagr.
New Jersey has clinched a playoff spot with a 4-3 overtime win over the Hurricanes Tuesday night. The Devils have strung together eight wins, heating up down the stretch, to secure their ninth consecutive playoff berth. The win was Martin Brodeur's 40th this season, making it five seasons with at least 40 wins, the only netminder in the NHL to do so. There's something about NJ playing well, with effective backstopping from Brodeur. They have been playing playoff hockey for the last two months, and historically are always a tough draw for any first round opponent. Beware the Devil.
Vancouver plays San Jose back-to-back Wednesday and Thursday, in what should determine the Canucks playoff fate. They dropped a 4-2 decision – one the Canucks did not deserve to lose – Monday against the Ducks. The Sharks recorded the first fifty-goal scorer in franchise history when Jonathan Cheechoo scored fifty and fifty-one, 44 seconds apart, against the Coyotes. It was the first win against the Desert Dogs this season (1-6-1). The Sharks lead the Canucks by four points, holding the sixth spot in the conference. Vancouver needs to sweep the series for a berth, although San Jose has four games left. This match-up is key, and a sweep by the Sharks, can ruin the Canucks. Unless…
Edmonton is a wild card. Should the Oilers lose their two remaining games – both at home – against the Ducks and closing off with the Avalanche, and the Canucks steal two points, they can clinch the final spot.
With Nashville losing Tomas Vokoun is huge. Replacing him with Chris Mason (20 9-5-1 2.64 GAA) should not add pressure to the forwards to step up the offense. Losing their number one goalie is a big blow to the Predators but they have been getting steady production from Paul Kariya (79 28-50-78), Steve Sullivan (69 31-37-68), and with the return of Yanic Perreault (69 21-34-55) and the acquisition of Mike Sillinger (76 29-31-60) the Predators will look to continue the noise from this season into the post season.
Luc Robitaille (LA): Robitaille announced his retirement at the end of a turbulent King's season. Lucky Luc became a staple on many of my pool rosters, over the years. Barring any late season scoring, he will retire with 1394 points in 1428 NHL games (668-726-1394) and 19th overall in scoring. Thanks for the memories Luc.
That does for the 2005-06 season. Make sure you return to McKeen's for next week's playoff preview. We will look at players entering the post-season on a hot/cold streak, as well as some notable players that should make an impact to their individual teams. The playoffs are as unpredictable as ever, this season. For the inside edge, stay tuned…
NY Rangers Line Combinations (posted 4.12.06)
Petr Prucha .. Michael Nylander .. Jaromir Jagr
Martin Straka .. Jarkko Immonen .. Petr Sykora
Jed Ortmeyer .. Blair Betts .. Jason Ward
Ryan Hollweg .. Dominic Moore .. Colton Orr
Sandis Ozolinsh .. Michal Rozsival
Fedor Tyutin .. Jason Strudwick
Thomas Pock .. David Liffiton
Carolina Line Combinations (posted 4.12.06)
Cory Stillman .. Eric Staal .. Matt Cullen
Josef Vasicek .. Rod Brind'Amour .. Justin Williams
Chad Larose .. Doug Weight .. Mark Recchi
.. Kevyn Adams .. Craig Adams
Aaron Ward .. Frantisek Kaberle
Mike Commodore .. Bret Hedican
Oleg Tverdovsky .. Niclas Wallin
.. Glen Wesley
New Jersey Line Combinations (posted 4.12.06)
Zach Parise .. Scott Gomez .. Brian Gionta
Patrik Elias .. Sergei Brylin .. Jamie Langenbrunner
Jay Pandolfo .. John Madden .. Grant Marshall
Jason Wiemer .. Erik Rasmussen .. Viktor Kozlov
Colin White .. Paul Martin
Brad Lukowich .. Brian Rafalski
David Hale .. Ken Klee
Atlanta Line Combinations (posted 4.12.06)
Vyacheslav Kozlov .. Marc Savard .. Marian Hossa
Ilya Kovalchuk .. Patrik Stefan .. Peter Bondra
Jim Slater .. Bobby Holik .. Scott Mellanby
Brad Larsen .. Derek MacKenzie .. Serge Aubin
Andy Sutton .. Niclas Havelid
Jaroslav Modry .. Greg de Vries
Garnet Exelby .. Steve McCarthy
Weekend Warriors (posted 4.11.06)
by Cory Kornelsen
With just over a week remaining in the regular season only three points separate sixth to ninth place in the Western Conference. Many players have also hit and continue to chase career bests as we look back at the weekend that was.
Justin Williams scored four goals in Carolina's two games including a hat-trick effort in the 4-3 win against the Capitals. It marked the first time in Williams's career that he hit the 30 goal plateau in one season. With a win and a loss over the weekend, Carolina kept pace with Ottawa for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Sidney Crosby picked up four points in a 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers. Pittsburgh was shut out by Tampa Bay the following night but Crosby, who has 16 points in his last nine games and 91 on the season, has an outside shot at 100 with five games remaining.
The Buffalo Sabres who have struggled lately went one and one with a loss to Philly and a victory over the Sens. One bright spot for the Sabres was the play of Tim Connolly who collected three goals and an assist in the two games to continue his career best campaign and looks to be a future point per game player.
The Minnesota Wild who are out of playoff contention will look to play the role of spoiler in the final week. Marian Gaborik picked up four points including a hat-trick against Jose Theodore and the Colorado Avalanche spoiling the goaltenders debut. Gaborik who now has a career best 37 goals on the year, would have been on pace for 50 if not for some injury problems to start the season.
The New Jersey Devils picked up two big wins against Montreal and the NY Rangers and look to have solidified sixth spot in the East. Martin Brodeur was spectacular in the wins turning away 64 of 68 shots. Scott Gomez had three goals and an assist to break the 30-goal barrier for the first time in his career and Brian Gionta had two goals and an assist to continue his breakout year. The pair was giving the opposition fits all weekend combining for a +8 rating.
Besides Mike Milbury no longer playing the part of GM, the NY Islanders haven't had much to cheer about this year. Fantasy wise however, the Isles beat the Capitals 5-0 thanks to four point efforts from Alexei Yashin and Jason Blake. Rookie Robert Nilsson who is playing on the number one pp unit collected three points and Rick DiPietro picked up his first shutout of the year stopping all 20 shots he faced.
In St. Louis rookie keeper Jason Bacashihua was 25 seconds away from his first career shutout in a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Bacashihua was awesome in the victory turning away 36 of 37 shots. He was also great a night earlier in a loss to the Avalanche stopping 33 of 36.
And Finally… Congrats to Jaromir Jagr who picked up goal number 53 in a victory over the Boston Bruins breaking Adam Graves record of 52 by a New York Ranger. Jagr had four points in two games over the weekend and continues to lead the NHL in scoring with 119 points, six ahead of Joe Thornton with five games to play.
Washington Line Combinations (posted 4.11.06)
Alexander Ovechkin .. Dainius Zubrus .. Chris Clark
Matt Pettinger .. Jeff Halpern .. Brian Willsie
Matt Bradley .. Brooks Laich .. Ben Clymer
Rico Fata .. .. Eric Fehr
Ivan Majesky .. Shaone Morrisonn
Jamie Heward .. Bryan Muir
Steve Eminger .. Nolan Yonkman
.. Mathieu Biron
Picking at Pitkanen (posted 4.10.06)
The Flyers are the envy of the league as they are an organization blessed with sensational young prospects at every position and a solid nucleus of seasoned veterans up front. They constantly move forward as owner Ed Snider is not afraid to spend money and GM Bob Clarke continues one step closer in architecting a Stanley Cup winner. McKeen's takes a look at some of the young players who have joined the Flyers this season as well as sophomore Joni Pitkanen.
Jeff Carter (Phi), C, W
An extremely skilled player who possesses a long graceful stride with explosive leg speed and strength, looks seemingly effortless in his ability to cover the ice .. long reach makes him effective in all areas of the ice as he is able to shift his big frame rather easily in either direction making strong plays on either the fore hand or back hand .. getting bigger and stronger, a bout with mono stunted his physical development in the off season but his shoulders are very broad and he should be able to add at least another 25 pounds to his frame in the next season or two .. not overly physical but he absorbs hits well and will work the puck in the corners in an attempt to make plays .. defensively he comes back and effectively reads broken plays and aggressively attacks the puck carrier in an effort to clear the zone .. his shot could use a little more work as far as power is concerned .. Carter has not even begun to reveal what he is capable of; he has managed to pick up his game after a slow start and seems much more comfortable in the league which is good for the Flyers but bad news for the other 29.
Mike Richards (Phi), C
Few players in the league play with more heart and dedication than Richards .. his ability to excel in all aspects of the game has endeared him to his teammates and especially the coaching staff .. he has been in over five fights this season and is not afraid to mix it up in an attempt to rally the troops .. a competent face off man .. skating may be a drawback, he does however exhibit good short straight away bursts of speed .. his ability to adapt to game situations and try new things shows he is a quick study of the game .. extremely smart, his hockey sense and keen anticipation skills make him a complete player and mature beyond his years .. constantly stole pucks throughout contest by pick pocketing defenders who were slow leaving the zone .. strong along the half boards and maintains good positioning in the cycle game as he is able to fend off players and make accurate centering feeds in front of the goal, set up a Gagne goal as a result of his hard work .. defensively he always comes back, picking up a man in the process .. strong work ethic, he exudes leadership abilities to compliment a generous skill set .. Richards has a very bright future in the Flyer organization, the NHL and possibly Hockey Canada.
R.J. Umberger (Phi), C, W
A former first round pick of the Vancouver Canucks, he was unable to come to contract terms and was subsequently traded to the Rangers who released him allowing him to sign with the Flyers as a free agent in the off season .. seven teams expressed an interest in him however his choice was the Flyers and it appears to be a good one .. a consistent performer he is still fine tuning his overall game however his big thick frame coupled with skating skills makes him a very interesting prospect .. he is very agile and has quick feet for a big player .. when he gets moving he is very hard to knock off stride or off the puck .. he is most effective when he is barrelling down the wing driving towards the net, sheltering the puck in the process .. he constantly goes to the net for rebounds and tip-ins and due to the new NHL rules is usually able to stand in front uncontested .. decent hands but lacks the finishing abilities to make him a top line scorer .. should be a strong presence in the playoffs and be able to provide the Flyer organization with forward depth for many years to come.
Joni Pitkanen (Phi), D
The award for most improved player on this talented roster would almost certainly have to go to Pitkanen .. despite the fact that he missed over 20 games due to injury earlier in the season he continues to produce at nearly a point per game rate .. his mobility and speed are top notch as he is able to skate freely from behind his own net into the opposing team's offensive zone .. is able to make a strong first pass as he hits streaking players in the neutral zone with accurate passes to spear head an attack .. he is aggressive with the puck and takes many offensive chances but is usually successful in his attempts, launching himself into the attack acting as a 4th forward .. he shows remarkable patience with the puck as he set up Knuble with a perfect pass through traffic in front of the goal .. his vision is superb as he throws off forwards while looking one way and passing another .. a permanent fixture on the PP as his cool, calm approach to handling the puck usually results in quality scoring chances .. at times however he is guilty of holding onto the puck too long but it is rare that he makes a mistake with it and always recovers position should he cough it up .. defensively he is prone to a few errors as he at times miss reads plays and gives too much ice to oncoming forwards .. a natural offensive minded defenseman who has flourished with increased minutes due to a Kim Johnson injury .. should continue to improve as he is still maturing physically and mentally and will be in the upper echelon of NHL defenseman in terms of scoring for a long time.
Branko Radivojevic (Phi), RW
In his fourth NHL season and second with the Flyers .. a big hulking winger who is clever with the puck .. he has good speed and is a mainstay on the PK because of it .. work ethic is debateable at times as his lack of defensive zone coverage is troubling at times .. has good size but does not lean on guys like he should to create scoring chances .. a streaky scorer who is inconsistent and scores in bunches and than disappears for long periods of time.
Ryan Potulny (Phi), C
Made his NHL debut against the Sabres .. centred the fourth line with Savage and Brashear .. looked tentative as he did not want to take offensive chances at the risk of getting caught up ice .. small player who will need to become more built and physically fit to handle the rigours of the NHL especially the cycle .. was knocked off the puck on many occasions down low .. was constantly moving in the offensive zone however was unable to create many chances .. his skating is unique as he gives off the impression that he is moving fast however he is not making any ground, similar to Wile E. Coyote to when he is running but is in the same spot.
St. Louis Line Combinations (posted 4.10.06)
Keith Tkachuk .. Dean McAmmond .. Lee Stempniak
Scott Young .. Jay McClement .. Jamal Mayers
Mike Glumac .. Trent Whitfield .. Timofei Shishkanov
Jeff Hoggan .. Ryan Johnson .. Mark Rycroft
Christian Backman .. Matt Walker
Steve Poapst .. Kevin Dallman
Dennis Wideman .. Jeff Woywitka
It's Miller Time (posted 4.9.06)
With the Sabres marred in a little slump just before the playoffs many key contributors have seemed to have lost their confidence, among them Ryan Miller, Thomas Vanek and Dmitri Kalanin. McKeen's takes a look at these players along with a few bright spots on the current Sabres roster.
Ryan Miller (Buf), G
When Miller is on there simply is no beating him .. his vast frame drops to the butterfly and covers the majority of the net .. he needs to make good saves early in the contest to build his confidence .. if he lets in an early goal it can really rattle him and affect his performance .. he is a great skater and moves very well across the crease .. recently he has had a tendency of going down too early allowing many shooters to aim high on him because beating him down low is simply not an option .. is fairly comfortable in his crease but has been flopping around more than he is used too, leaving himself out of position and looking awkward in the process .. handles the puck ok .. will really need to be more consistent if the Sabres are to go deep in the playoffs.
Thomas Vanek (Buf), LW
Would the real Thomas Vanek please stand up .. he displays all the traits to be effective at the NHL level as his natural goal scoring ability can not be taught .. work ethic has been a glaring weakness in his game while he tries hard to get back he still seems lost without the puck .. his feet are not as fast as his hands .. skating has held him back but he is smart enough to know when he can beat a defender to the outside or try his wide array of moves to beat him one-on-one .. defenders have keyed in on this so Vanek will have to make modifications to his game .. Vanek could be a game breaker or a dud on any given night it is up to him and his dedication level as to what type of performer he chooses to be.
Dmitri Kalanin (Buf), D
The Sabres were hoping that Kalanin would pick up his game, so they did not trade for a defender at the NHL trading dead line .. it has been a poor season for Kalanin who could still salvage it with a strong playoff .. after last season's double digit goal campaign (10), Kalanin has managed only 1 .. he shows hesitation with the puck at times and over handles it on other shifts .. he is perhaps too confident with the puck as he is able to deke around players, however he leaves himself and the position of his team mates in jeopardy as they are unsure where to position themselves .. decision making in that regard has been suspect .. Coach Ruff has been very patient with him despite his mistakes.
Derek Roy (Buf), C
Rumoured to be involved in a trade with Washington at the dead line, the Sabres wisely held onto him .. he is a potential team leader in points as his offensive skill set and hockey sense make him a threat to score every shift .. he continues to get better and does everything right .. is maturing into a solid contributor who teams have to focus on .. sets up shop at the side of the goal where he can survey his options making a nice pass in front and is also a threat to step in and score over the shoulder of an unsuspecting goalie who drops down to early .. his defensive play has been stellar as he reads plays faster than before and gets his stick involved to break up plays.
Chris Drury (Buf), C
He is a sneaky player who disguises his actions very well and quietly has posted a career high in goals this season .. he is not flashy and one truly has to watch him to appreciate how effective he truly is in all three zones .. while his plus/minus is a concern, his play on the PK continues to shine as he works in conjunction with Grier to form one of the best units in the league .. his face-off skills are up amongst the best in the NHL which really helps the Sabres control the play especially in the latter stages of the game .. his playoff experience with the Avalanche should help this Sabre team understand what it takes to win.
Ales Kotalik (Buf), RW
Has been one of the more consistent, injury free Sabres all season .. his agility and skating skills really stand out .. he is having a breakthrough year as Coach Ruff has used him at the point on the PP enabling him to unleash his bullet of a shot .. his release and shot could be one of the best in the league .. his shot is deadly accurate .. he protects the puck well along the boards buying him time to utilize his vision which is also a plus in his game .. first playoff experience should really test his overall game and willingness to succeed.
Maxim Afinogenov (Buf), RW
Very hard not to notice him as he was buzzing around all night .. his speed and tremendous first step are head and shoulders above most of his NHL peers .. he was really able to break down and attack the Flyer's defence as they are big but not overly mobile .. however his lack of strength prohibited him from cutting to the net, he did keep them honest all contest though with his great outside speed and shiftiness .. boasts a quick release but has a tendency to shoot from every angle and being a tad selfish .. explosive speed in the neutral zone should create ample scoring opportunities in the playoffs if rules are being upheld.
Chicago Line Combinations (posted 4.9.06)
Mikael Holmqvist .. Mark Bell .. Radim Vrbata
Kyle Calder .. Patrick Sharp .. Martin Lapointe
Rene Bourque .. Curtis Brown .. Matthew Barnaby
Milan Bartovic .. Mark Cullen .. Brandon Bochenski
Duncan Keith .. Brent Seabrook
Jim Vandermeer .. Dustin Byfuglien
Michal Barinka .. James Wisniewski
Edmonton Line Combinations (posted 4.9.06)
Ryan Smyth .. Shawn Horcoff .. Ales Hemsky
Sergei Samsonov .. Jarret Stoll .. Raffi Torres
Ethan Moreau .. Michael Peca .. Radek Dvorak
Fernando Pisani .. Marc-Antoine Pouliot .. Georges Laraque
Chris Pronger .. Jaroslav Spacek
Steve Staios .. Marc-Andre Bergeron
Jason Smith .. Dick Tarnstrom
San Jose Line Combinations (posted 4.7.06)
Nils Ekman .. Joe Thornton .. Jonathan Cheechoo
Milan Michalek .. Patrick Marleau .. Steve Bernier
Ville Nieminen .. Alyn McCauley .. Scott Thornton
Mark Smith .. Marcel Goc .. Pat Rissmiller
Christian Ehrhoff .. Tom Preissing
Scott Hannan .. Josh Gorges
Matthew Carle .. Kyle McLaren
NY Islanders Line Combinations (posted 4.7.06)
Miroslav Satan .. Mike York .. Trent Hunter
Jason Blake .. Alexei Yashin .. Robert Nilsson
Sean Bergenheim .. Wyatt Smith .. Shawn Bates
Steve Regier .. Jeremy Colliton .. Jeff Tambellini
Chris Campoli .. Radek Martinek
Allan Rourke .. Bruno Gervais
John Erskine .. Denis Grebeshkov
Tampa Line Combinations (posted 4.7.06)
Fredrik Modin .. Brad Richards .. Martin St. Louis
Ruslan Fedotenko .. Vincent Lecavalier .. Vaclav Prospal
Dmitri Afanasenkov .. Tim Taylor .. Ryan Craig
Chris Dingman .. Martin Cibak .. Evgeny Artyukhin
Paul Ranger .. Dan Boyle
Darryl Sydor .. Pavel Kubina
Nolan Pratt .. Cory Sarich
Phoenix Line Combinations (posted 4.6.06)
Fredrik Sjostrom .. Steve Reinprecht .. Shane Doan
Bill Thomas .. Mike Comrie .. Mike Johnson
Oleg Saprykin .. Geoff Sanderson .. Boyd Devereaux
Josh Gratton .. Mike Ricci .. Tyson Nash
Keith Ballard .. Derek Morris
Dennis Seidenberg .. Paul Mara
Jamie Rivers .. Zbynek Michalek
Fantasy Insider (posted 4.5.06)
by Gus Katsaros
Brad Richards (TB) – Smoking hot, he's riding a nine game point streak (2-15-17). Former Olympian is shaking off the dust of a murky season and playing like the Conn Smythe Trophy winner. If the Lightning are to have any success in the playoffs, Richards will have to be front and center. Look for his streak to solidify a playoff spot for the reigning Stanley Cup Champs and a hope of a prolonged run in hopes of a repeat.
Saku Koivu (Mtl) – Finally scored a goal against the Washington Capitals, snapping a 23 game steak, reaching back to January 28. He also scored in the 5-3 win over the Bruins – adding another helper, his tenth in ten games (10-2-10-12). Montreal has now won seven games in a row, looking to secure a playoff spot. Don't let the goal-less streak fool you. Koivu has been involved in every game, but had an unlucky streak and was a victim of some bad bounces. His value to the Montreal Canadiens is immeasurable. Montreal will ride the hot goaltending of Cristobal Huet and Koivu's reborn scoring touch into the post-season.
Brendan Shanahan (Det) – Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg may be the future, but Brendan Shanahan is setting his mark on the present. He's been held pointless in only two of Detroit's past ten games, contributing ten points (5-5-10) in that span. Alongside Steve Yzerman – 12 points (5-7-12) riding a nine game points streak – the old guard is hijacking the young Red Wings team into the playoffs. Detroit has been flying without a regulation loss since the end of January, 27 games ago. Reflected in that streak are the 23 games that Shanahan has not recorded a minus rating (+19).
The responsibility riding on Shanahan is immense. He is a role model for the youth, as well as his responsibilities with the NHLPA. He could easily have caved this season, citing age and responsibility as factors, instead, with the playoffs in sight, he is getting better, as the saying goes, 'with age.'
The Wings play a home and home (isn't that a rarity in the new NHL?) with the Blue Jackets then the Oilers at home, before going on a two game road trip. While Shanahan has played in every game this season, be weary of the Wings resting him or Yzerman who has played 57 games.
Ilya Kovalchuk (Atl): Making a bid for 50 goals, he is sitting at 48. He has 11 goals (11-7-18) in the past 15 games. Atlanta is eight points behind Tampa Bay, for a playoff spot. They meet Thursday in Tampa, the second game in two nights for the Thrashers. They play Florida Wednesday.
Anaheim – Teemu Selanne is scorching hot – added two more goals and kicked in two assists in the 6-2 win over LA – with 22 points, (9-13) in 10 games, may set off brownouts on the West Coast, from all the goal lights appearing behind opposition goalies. The secret in the rise of Anaheim is not only a hot Selanne. It's a solid team-wide effort. Scott Niedermayer (74-12-48-60) is being hyped as a Hart candidate. Andy McDonald (15-10-8-18) is one goal away of joining the 30-goal club. Samuel Pahlsson has scored two goals in each of the last two games and five goals in three games (3-5-0-5). Ryan Getzlaf has points in seven of eight games (8-4-9-13) and is contributing offense despite averaging 13 minutes ice-time per game.
An 8-2 record in their last 10 pushed the Ducks over 90 points, the marker to which a playoff spot is gauged. Like the 6-2 win last night against the Kings – Ducks were down 2-1 at a point – many of their recent wins came while trailing, with a wild one against Dallas, coming back goal-for-goal to win in a shootout and hand the Stars their first shootout loss this season. Right now, it looks like any player off the Ducks roster can produce at any given moment. Stick to the big guns at this crucial stage of the season, but note the peripheral players. There is always a surprise in the playoffs.
Steven Reinprecht (Phx) – Offensive Player of the Week was held scoreless against the Edmonton Oilers, but then, the whole team slept through that one. Next up for the Coyotes are the Flames in his first visit back to Calgary since being traded 21 games ago. Seven points in three games prior to Edmonton, secured the weekly honor. Offensive success over nine games (7-7-14) runs parallel to the Coyotes seven wins in ten games. Watch the game against his former teammates. His name is on the blackboard in the Calgary room. Only this time, it's in the opposition column.
Kristian Huselius (Cgy) – Seems to have solidified his spot with Jarome Iginla and Daymond Langkow, making them an effective trio heading into the playoffs. If he keeps his spot, he is a decent pick in a playoff pool.
Injuries
Jeremy Roenick (LA): Defied medicine and came back to rejoin his team in need of wins, in Calgary. They lost. They lost the next one in Edmonton, making it an 0-2 trip through Alberta.
Ottawa: Daniel Alfredsson didn't play against the Thrashers. No decision has been made on Zdeno Chara. Hasek won't return until the playoffs. Martin Havlat didn't get clearance to return, with a strength issue holding him back. Tyler Arnason may not play against the Sabres due to a possible concussion. He was helped off the ice after being hit by Thrashers Grant Exelby. Arnason will be a game-day decision against Buffalo on Wednesday.
Recent returnees
Yanic Perreault (Nsh) – Has three assists in four games (4-0-3-3) since returning on Mar 28 against Phoenix. He missed 11 games with a strained knee. Nashville plays Chicago twice in three games. Perreault has (6-6-4-10) and is a +5 against the Blackhawks this season. They play Wednesday in Chicago and meet again Saturday, in Nashville. Sandwiched between those games, the Predators are on the road in St Louis.
Pavol Demitra (LA) – Returned from a concussion – missed eight games – to score the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win over the Canucks, while playing almost 20 minutes. Good news for a struggling LA team that needs some scoring help. This should also boost up the stats of Alexander Frolov and Craig Conroy. Frolov and Demitra assisted on a goal by Conroy against the Ducks in the 6-2 loss Tuesday night.
Jochen Hecht (Buf) – Returned from a knee injury against the Leafs and was hurt once again, on a questionable hit by Leafs Darcy Tucker. He is listed as out for two weeks, which is about playoff time. The Sabres were 1-7-0-1 without him in the lineup, including a six game losing skid where Buffalo crashed.
Anaheim Line Combinations (posted 4.5.06)
Chris Kunitz .. Andy McDonald .. Teemu Selanne
Jonathan Hedstrom .. Todd Marchant .. Joffrey Lupul
Jeff Friesen .. Samuel Pahlsson .. Rob Niedermayer
Todd Fedoruk .. Ryan Getzlaf .. Corey Perry
Scott Niedermayer .. Francois Beauchemin
Ruslan Salei .. Sean O'Donnell
Vitaly Vishnevski .. Joe Dipenta
Philadelphia Line Combinations (posted 4.5.06)
Simon Gagne .. Peter Forsberg .. Mike Knuble
Brian Savage .. Michal Handzus .. Sami Kapanen
R.J. Umberger .. Jeff Carter .. Niko Dimitrakos
Donald Brashear .. Mike Richards .. Branko Radivojevic
Eric Desjardins .. Denis Gauthier
Joni Pitkanen .. Mike Rathje
Freddy Meyer .. Derian Hatcher
Montreal Line Combinations (posted 4.5.06)
Chris Higgins .. Saku Koivu .. Michael Ryder
Garth Murray .. Mike Ribeiro .. Alexei Kovalev
Jan Bulis .. Tomas Plekanec .. Alexander Perezhogin
Steve Begin .. Radek Bonk .. Aaron Downey
Sheldon Souray .. Craig Rivet
Mark Streit .. Mathieu Dandenault
Andrei Markov .. Mike Komisarek
Boston Line Combinations (posted 4.5.06)
Marco Sturm .. Patrice Bergeron .. Brad Boyes
Shawn McEachern .. Marty Reasoner .. Glen Murray
Brad Isbister .. Wayne Primeau .. Travis Green
Pat Leahy .. Yan Stastny .. Andrew Alberts
Mark Stuart .. Brad Stuart
Brian Leetch .. David Tanabe
Milan Jurcina .. Hal
Weekend Warriors (posted 4.4.06)
by Cory Kornelsen
The goaltenders stole the spotlight, and many non playoff teams were playing the role of spoiler in another intense pressure-packed weekend that was.
Martin Brodeur broke out of his mini-slump, turning away 57 of 60 shots in wins against the Flyers and Penguins. Brian Gionta also chipped in with a goal and three assists to continue his career year. The Devils now find themselves in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
What a magical story Cristobal Huet has been in Montreal. Huet stopped all 32 shots he faced against the Bruins to record his 7th shutout in just over two months of action. The Habs now sit in seventh spot in the East and continue to ride the magic of Cristobal into the playoffs.
Jean-Sebastien Aubin picked up his first shutout of the year in a 7-0 slaughter of the Buffalo Sabres. Aubin is now a perfect 3-0 for Toronto as they desperately scramble to keep Leaf Nation's playoff hopes alive.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are playing some decent hockey down the stretch drive by picking up another three points over the weekend with a win over the Islanders and an OT loss to the Devils which they should have won. Sebastien Caron stopped all 29 shots for his first shutout of the year against the Islanders and rookie Sidney Crosby had two goals and three assists to pick up his 85th point of the year.
The Anaheim Mighty Ducks won both their weekend games against Dallas and Vancouver and now have the upper hand for one of the final playoff spots in the West. Teemu Selanne led the way with two goals and two assists and is enjoying his best year since 1999-00. Rookie d-man Francois Beauchemin also continues to impress collecting four points and a +4 rating during the weekend games.
For once the Washington Capitals did not really on a player named Alexander to steal a win. Goalkeeper Brent Johnson was absolutely brilliant in blanking the Ottawa Senators. Johnson stopped all 46 shots he faced to shut out the leagues top ranked offense.
The Phoenix Coyotes won't make the playoffs but will certainly play the role of spoiler as they gave the San Jose Sharks all they could handle over the last few days. Steven Reinprecht had the hat trick in an overtime win over the Sharks and now has 14 points in his last eight games.
The Los Angeles Kings are desperately trying to remain in playoff contention. Goalie Mathieu Garon helped the cause and was the difference in picking up his 30th win and third shutout of the season stopping 27 shots in their 1-0 win over Dallas.
The Calgary Flames are on the verge of capturing the tough Northwest division. They picked up two valuable wins over Colorado and Edmonton thanks to some timely saves by goaltender by Miikka Kiprusoff who stopped 48 of 52 shots. Daymond Langkow and Jarome Iginla were also giving the opposition fits combining for six points and a +5 rating.
And Finally… Congrats to Steve Yzerman for picking up career goal 691 to move ahead of Mario Lemieux for eighth place on the all-time list. Yzerman also picked up two more assists as the Wings picked up three points on the weekend and look to have a firm hold on the Presidents Trophy. Yzerman who has always been world class both on and off the ice now has 11 points in his last seven games and continues to impress down the stretch in what may be his last run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Los Angeles Line Combinations (posted 4.4.06)
Demitra returned to score the only goal in LA's big win over the Canucks.
Alexander Frolov .. Craig Conroy .. Pavol Demitra
Mike Cammalleri .. Eric Belanger .. Mark Parrish
Sean Avery .. Jeremy Roenick .. Dustin Brown
Jeff Cowan .. Jeff Giuliano .. Tom Kostopoulos
Lubomir Visnovsky .. Mattias Norstrom
Brent Sopel .. Joe Corvo
Mike Weaver .. Tim Gleason
Pittsburgh Line Combinations (posted 4.4.06)
Andy Hilbert .. Sidney Crosby .. Colby Armstrong
John LeClair .. Ryan Malone .. Konstantin Koltsov
Tomas Surovy .. Jani Rita .. Eric Boguniecki
Andre Roy .. Shane Endicott .. Michel Ouellet
Rob Scuderi .. Sergei Gonchar
Ryan Whitney .. Brooks Orpik
Eric Cairns .. Josef Melichar
Buffalo Line Combinations (posted 4.3.06)
Briere is suspended.
Ales Kotalik .. Tim Connolly .. Jean-Pierre Dumont
Taylor Pyatt .. Chris Drury .. Mike Grier
Thomas Vanek .. Derek Roy .. Maxim Afinogenov
Paul Gaustad .. Jiri Novotny .. Jason Pominville
Jay McKee .. Toni Lydman
Brian Campbell .. Rory Fitzpatrick
Henrik Tallinder .. Dimitri Kalinin
Toronto Line Combinations (posted 4.3.06)
Jason Allison out for the season.
Alexei Ponikarovsky .. Mats Sundin .. Nik Antropov
Chad Kilger .. Kyle Wellwood .. Darcy Tucker
Alexander Steen .. Matt Stajan .. Jeff O'Neill
Tie Domi .. Clark Wilm .. Ben Ondrus
Bryan McCabe .. Tomas Kaberle
Luke Richardson .. Ian White
Aki Berg .. Wade Belak
Edmonton Line Combinations (posted 4.3.06)
Ryan Smyth .. Shawn Horcoff .. Ales Hemsky
Sergei Samsonov .. Jarret Stoll .. Raffi Torres
Ethan Moreau .. Michael Peca .. Radek Dvorak
Fernando Pisani .. Marc-Antoine Pouliot .. Georges Laraque
Chris Pronger .. Jaroslav Spacek
Steve Staios .. Marc-Andre Bergeron
Jason Smith .. Dick Tarnstrom
Vancouver Line Combinations (posted 4.3.06)
Markus Naslund .. Brendan Morrison .. Richard Park
Daniel Sedin .. Henrik Sedin .. Anson Carter
Alexandre Burrows .. Ryan Kesler .. Todd Bertuzzi
Josh Green .. Trevor Linden .. Jarkko Ruutu
Mattias Ohlund .. Nolan Baumgartner
Bryan Allen .. Eric Weinrich
Keith Carney .. Sean Brown
Calgary Line Combinations (posted 4.3.06)
Kristian Huselius .. Daymond Langkow .. Jarome Iginla
Marcus Nilson .. Stephane Yelle .. Shean Donovan
Tony Amonte .. Matthew Lombardi .. Chuck Kobasew
Chris Simon .. Jamie Lundmark .. Byron Ritchie
Dion Phaneuf .. Roman Hamrlik
Robyn Regehr .. Jordan Leopold
Andrew Ference .. Bryan Marchment
Norris Watch (posted 4.1.06)
by Cory Kornelsen
With the increase in offensive production and most of the attention focused on some very high profile rookies, the defensive fraternity has taken a bit of a back seat this season. No doubt the new rules and players like Ovechkin and Crosby have made this season one of the most exciting in years, but lost in all the translation has been some great performances from the d-men, who along with the goaltenders have probably had the most adjusting to do. Here's a list of the top performers this year.
1. Nicklas Lidstrom (14-59-73) +13
Currently leading all defensemen in assists, points and minutes played per game. Can control the play and pace of the game on both sides of the rink, is used in every situation and always seems to be in perfect position. With three Norris trophies already in his possession, this could be his best year yet with career numbers in points and assists.
2. Scott Niedermayer (12-45-57) +7
After a slow start by his standards, the defending Norris Trophy winner has come on strong and has been awesome for Anaheim. He is clearly the best defenseman in transition with his mobility, vision and passing skills and like Lidstrom, he is on pace to have a career year numbers wise.
3. Zdeno Chara (14-27-41) +17
The Senators certainly have a deep "d", but when it comes down to playing against the oppositions best players, Chara is the man. No other defender is more imposing or physically dominating. He leads all defenders in hits, has some offensive bite, and his "tough assignments" are made to look quite easy on most nights.
4. Sergei Zubov (12-52-64) +19
Zubov is quietly having a great year in Dallas and ranks second in assists, and third in scoring by defensemen. Although he is not overly physical, he certainly makes up for it with his hockey sense and tremendous skill. Clearly still one of the best pp quarterbacks in the game today.
5. Mathieu Schneider (21-35-56) +32
Schneider has already surpassed career numbers scoring wise and currently ranks first in goals for d-men. His mobility is much underrated, he plays tough and has solidified Detroit's defense with a +32 rating. A tremendous 1-2 punch with Lidstrom.
6. Chris Pronger (11-40-51) +2
Took some time to adjust to the Northwest division, but has really picked up his play and is once again dominating at both ends of the ice. Currently ranks third in minutes per game and is always heavily counted on to shut down the oppositions best players.
7. Lubomir Visnovsky (17-48-65) +11
Is enjoying the best year of his career and sits second in points and third in goals for defensemen. What he lacks in size he quickly makes up for with his mobility. He is one of the best pp quarterback's and although L.A is fading, his numbers can't go unnoticed.
8. Wade Redden (10-39-49) +35
He would certainly be higher on the list if not for some injury problems, but he is still on track for career numbers point wise. He is one of the smartest, and best two-way defenders in the game today and currently ranks third in overall plus/minus.
9. Dion Phaneuf (17-27-44) +2
Based on his play this year, it looks like this rookie phenom will be topping this list for years to come. Phanuef now has his timing down and at 20 years old is physically dominating the game. Currently ranks third in hits by defensemen and is on pace for 20 goals thanks to his booming, accurate shot from the point.
10. Bryan McCabe (19-44-63) -6
Like Redden, injuries have slowed McCabe down. His offensive numbers however are still very impressive and he is down right scary on the pp, ranking second in goals and fourth in points for d-men. But unlike, Redden, McCabe must improve upon his defensive play and decision making.
Buffalo: Putting their best skate forward: (posted 4.1.06)
by David Burstyn
Is it any wonder that the Sabres are among the upper echelon of the league? They boast an outstanding goalie, a formidable defence and probably the deepest group of forwards in the whole league. When Danny Briere returned to the line up after missing 32 games with an abdominal injury it was an immediate shot in the arm. The captain had been everything for this organization when he's been in the lineup as he is the poster child of what the new NHL is leaning towards; a small, fast skating forward with quick hands, who is capable of scoring high light reel goals. We take a look at Briere as well as some other unsung heroes of the Sabres who deserve equal credit for the fantastic season they are having.
Danny Briere (Buf), C
Is very creative and has a soft touch around the goal .. constantly moving effectively in the neutral zone to be hit with a pass so he can fully utilize his first step quickness and break into the offensive zone unhindered by defenders .. draws many penalties as opposition is forced to haul him down .. dangerous on the PP as he has a great shot and sees the ice extremely well constantly beating teams with picture perfect passes .. what separates Briere from other small players is that he is willing to stay in the danger areas for a second longer and is usually rewarded as his hands are so fast that he can tap in a goal or settle a loose a puck and slide it home .. should be a key contributor to the Sabres post season success as his lead by example attitude is a good reflection of the team's work ethic and success.
Jochen Hecht (Buf), LW
Is a very smart player who shows his patience by constantly surveying his options before he distributes the puck .. will not leave any vapour trails with his speed, but it is at an NHL calibre level .. he anticipates plays very well and does not rush into plays rather electing to hang back going unnoticed and setting everything up from the top of the point .. very calculated almost like a chess player in which he can see a few moves ahead .. he is not afraid to get his nose dirty and plays an effective cycle game .. wont rely on his shot as much as he does his savvy play making skills.
Mike Grier (Buf), RW
Is an honest hard working winger who is played primarily in penalty-killing situations .. while his skating is a tad suspect, especially his first few steps, he can create good speed once he gets moving .. very aggressive on the fore check as his big body usually forces turnovers .. he is the top point man while defending in his defensive zone and recovers nicely while using an active stick to rid the puck out of the zone .. he can break up plays and takes the time to see if he can develop a scoring play thus making him a threat in short handed situations .. he has a good offensive skill set and can chip in with the occasional goal as he crashes the net often and goes to the slot to bang away rebounds on initial shots .. not a scrapper by any means he will use his big, thick body to punish forwards with body checks but rarely drops the gloves.
Jay McKee (Buf), D
Has remained Buffalo's most unsung hero in his ability to provide stability in a defensive role on the back end .. leads the team in blocked shots and will always sacrifice his body in one form or another for the success of the team .. he does not really have the puck skills to log the puck up although he is not completely uncomfortable handling the puck .. he is a decent skater with good mobility, but no explosive quickness .. he makes smart and reliable plays to clear the puck out of his zone .. is strong along the boards and while he has height he does not punish forwards as much as his size would suggest.
Tim Connolly (Buf), C
After missing 12 games with a knee injury Connolly returned to the line up and immediately produced .. adds such depth to an already talented roster up front .. he is not afraid to stick handle and try new things although at times he tends to over play the puck .. much more diligent in his defensive assignments however has recently been the victim of some poor penalty calls but overall he has made adjustments to his game as not to draw unnecessary penalties .. has developed outstanding chemistry with Pominville and Kotalik .. always looking to set up Kotalik and has been very successful in registering assists on Kotalik's goals due to his hard shot and timely release .. needs to shoot more as he has cannon of a shot with a wicked release .. would also like to see Connolly try and force players to take him down by driving to the net as opposed to setting up shop always to the outside .. hits but does not absorb hits well .. certainly one of the come back players of the year as his renewed work ethic coupled with his raw skill set make him dangerous for years to come.