NHL BLOGNOTES [Feb-06]: Panther Potential
Panther Potential (posted 2.21.06)
by David Burstyn
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The Florida Panthers sport a rather young roster and have many players that are on the cusp of NHL stardom. Jay Bouwmeester, Nathan Horton and Rostislav Olesz are just a few players the Florida organization is building around. Mckeen's was on hand to catch the Panthers in action prior to the Olympic break and file these reports.
Jay Bouwmeester (Fla), D
He has been on the accelerated program as far as defenseman is concerned and has already represented Canada at international tournaments .. while most defenders of his age are just starting to see regular shifts Bouwmeester has already assumed the top defenseman role on the team .. his strengths rely primarily on his skating which is flawless .. he moves so effortlessly for a man of his size .. he moves so fast in all directions which allows him to slow down the game to his pace .. shows remarkable poise with the puck as he has no pressure points, makes plays look simple with his safe cautious approach .. rushes the play when he sees an open seem in the defence which makes him unpredictable as he does not do it often giving forwards something to constantly think about .. isn't overly physical but does not get beaten one-on-one by bigger or highly skilled players as an example he was not intimidated by Buffalo's Gaustad physical play or awed by Afinogenov slick stick handling.
Gregory Campbell (Fla), C
Provides the third line with a capable player with a decent skill set .. is a strong skater with a nice stride who attacks the net with ferocity .. used primarily as an energy/utility guy .. takes and initiates hits very well .. strong balance allows him to absorb hits .. his offensive game still needs to mature as his offensive positioning still needs work .. has developed into a steady player who is able to play in a limited role with potential to work his way up.
Lukas Krajicek (Fla), D
Is an offensive minded defenseman .. he will sacrifice positioning at the sake of an offensive opportunity .. he has a good hard shot and is able to make plays with the puck .. his foot work could still use a little work as he was beaten to the outside a few times throughout the contest resulting in a goal .. asserted himself physically by throwing a few hits and trying to rid players of the crease .. his play is reminiscent of Ozolinsh as his offensive abilities are too good to ignore despite his defensive short comings.
Nathan Horton (Fla), RW
Plays a physical up-tempo game .. is a decent skater who is very hard to knock off the puck due to his exceptional balance and strength .. put on considerable weight in the off season as he benefited largely due to Gary Roberts presence on the team .. able to get to the slot and fire pucks home with quick release .. players look for him as the go-to-guy and he does not hesitate to shoot .. hits and is nasty along the boards as he has a pit bull approach .. made many strong moves coming around the net often getting valuable time and space to score .. made many nice moves in tight quarters displaying his stick handling abilities.
Rostislav Olesz (Fla), C
Has been hampered by an injury in recent weeks .. offensive production coming along slowly as he is slowly getting used to North America lifestyle and the NHL .. has a rock solid build .. not overly tall but extremely thick .. will involve himself in the physical side of the game .. is trusted more for his defensive play rather than his offence as he was on the ice killing a 5-3 PK .. his skating is superb as he has quick acceleration and covers a lot of the ice in a few short strides .. his offensive game is coming along slowly, he needs to shoot more and drive to the net .. Olesz confidence will come as Coach Martin speaks very highly of him .. has the potential to be a break through player as early as next season as his offensive skills which are rather raw will most certainly develop making him a potential 1st line player as his play away from the puck will get him much ice time.
Anaheim Line Combinations (posted 2.21.06)
Ducks' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Teemu Selanne (26-28-54), Andy McDonald (19-34-53), Scott Niedermayer (9-33-42)
Brad Boyes .. Patrice Bergeron .. Glen Murray
Josh Langfeld .. Wayne Primeau .. P.J. Axelsson
Tom Fitzgerald .. Travis Green .. Pat Leahy
Dan Lacouture .. .. Eric Nickulas
Milan Jurcina .. Brad Stuart
Nick Boynton .. Hal Gill
David Tanabe .. Brian Leetch
.. Andrew Alberts
Atlanta Line Combinations (posted 2.21.06)
Thrashers' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Ilya Kovalchuk (37-35-72), Marc Savard (24-48-72), Marian Hossa (28-37-65)
Ilya Kovalchuk .. Marc Savard .. Scott Mellanby
Vyacheslav Kozlov .. Patrik Stefan .. Marian Hossa
Peter Bondra .. Jim Slater .. Ronald Petrovicky
Rico Fata .. Serge Aubin .. Brad Larsen
Andy Sutton .. Niclas Havelid
Garnet Exelby .. Greg de Vries
Jaroslav Modry .. Shane Hnidy
Boston Line Combinations (posted 2.20.06)
Bruins' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Patrice Bergeron (19-31-50), Brad Boyes (16-28-44), Marco Sturm (20-20-40)
Brad Boyes .. Patrice Bergeron .. Glen Murray
Josh Langfeld .. Wayne Primeau .. P.J. Axelsson
Tom Fitzgerald .. Travis Green .. Pat Leahy
Dan Lacouture .. .. Eric Nickulas
Milan Jurcina .. Brad Stuart
Nick Boynton .. Hal Gill
David Tanabe .. Brian Leetch
.. Andrew Alberts
Buffalo Line Combinations (posted 2.20.06)
Sabres' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Ales Kotalik (21-23-44), Maxim Afinogenov (14-28-42), Chris Drury (17-25-42)
Taylor Pyatt .. Chris Drury .. Mike Grier
Ales Kotalik .. Jiri Novotny .. Jean-Pierre Dumont
Thomas Vanek .. Derek Roy .. Maxim Afinogenov
Andrew Peters .. Paul Gaustad .. Jason Pominville
Henrik Tallinder .. Toni Lydman
Brian Campbell .. Teppo Numminen
Jay McKee .. Rory Fitzpatrick
Calgary Line Combinations (posted 2.20.06)
Flames' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Jarome Iginla (25-19-44), Daymond Langkow (18-19-37), Dion Phaneuf (14-23-37)
Mike Leclerc .. Daymond Langkow .. Jarome Iginla
Kristian Huselius .. Marcus Nilson .. Darren McCarty
Tony Amonte .. Matthew Lombardi .. Chuck Kobasew
Chris Simon .. Stephane Yelle .. Shean Donovan
Robyn Regehr .. Jordan Leopold
Andrew Ference .. Rhett Warrener
Richie Regehr .. Dion Phaneuf
Carolina Line Combinations (posted 2.19.06)
Hurricanes' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Eric Staal (36-39-75), Erik Cole (26-28-54), Cory Stillman (15-39-54)
Matt Cullen .. Rod Brind'Amour .. Justin Williams
Erik Cole .. Eric Staal .. Cory Stillman
Ray Whitney .. Doug Weight .. Craig Adams
.. Kevyn Adams .. Chad Larose
Niclas Wallin .. Bret Hedican
Aaron Ward .. Frantisek Kaberle
Oleg Tverdovsky .. Glen Wesley
Anton Babchuk ..
Chicago Line Combinations (posted 2.19.06)
Blackhawks' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Tyler Arnason (13-27-40), Kyle Calder (13-26-39), Mark Bell (19-16-35)
Rene Bourque .. Mark Bell .. Kyle Calder
Matthew Barnaby .. Tyler Arnason .. Radim Vrbata
Mikael Holmqvist .. Patrick Sharp .. Martin Lapointe
Andy Hilbert .. Jim Dowd .. Curtis Brown
Duncan Keith .. Jim Vandermeer
Jassen Cullimore .. Brent Seabrook
Todd Simpson .. James Wisniewski
Colorado Line Combinations (posted 2.18.06)
Avalanche' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Alex Tanguay (24-42-66), Joe Sakic (21-35-56), Marek Svatos (32-18-50)
Antti Laaksonen .. Joe Sakic .. Milan Hejduk
Brad May .. Brett McLean .. Ian Laperriere
Andrew Brunette .. Brad Richardson .. Marek Svatos
Bob Boughner .. Cody McCormick .. Dan Hinote
Rob Blake .. John-Michael Liles
Karlis Skrastins .. Brett Clark
Patrice Brisebois .. Kurt Sauer
Columbus Line Combinations (posted 2.18.06)
Blue Jackets' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: David Vyborny (16-28-44), Nikolai Zherdev (19-20-39), Bryan Berard (12-20-32)
Rick Nash .. Sergei Fedorov .. Nikolai Zherdev
Jaroslav Balastik .. Jan Hrdina .. David Vyborny
Jason Chimera .. Manny Malhotra .. Trevor Letowski
Jody Shelley .. Ben Simon .. Joakin Lindstrom
Duvie Westcott .. Radoslav Suchy
Rostislav Klesla .. Adam Foote
Ron Hainsey .. Luke Richardson
Dallas Line Combinations (posted 2.18.06)
Stars' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Jason Arnott (21-34-55), Mike Modano (19-34-53), Brenden Morrow (18-32-50)
Jussi Jokinen .. Mike Modano .. Jere Lehtinen
Brenden Morrow .. Jason Arnott .. Bill Guerin
Niklas Hagman .. Niko Kapanen .. Stu Barnes
Mathias Tjarnqvist .. Steve Ott .. Nathan Perrott
Philippe Boucher .. Sergei Zubov
Trevor Daley .. Jon Klemm
Stephane Robidas .. Janne Niinimaa
Detroit Line Combinations (posted 2.17.06)
Red Wings' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Pavel Datsyuk (21-45-66), Henrik Zetterberg (26-35-61), Nicklas Lidstrom (11-42-53)
Brendan Shanahan .. Pavel Datsyuk .. Kris Draper
Jason Williams .. Robert Lang .. Steve Yzerman
Johan Franzen .. Henrik Zetterberg .. Mikael Samuelsson
Kirk Maltby .. Dan Cleary .. Tomas Holmstrom
Nicklas Lidstrom .. Andreas Lilja
Brett Lebda .. Mathieu Schneider
Jason Woolley .. Chris Chelios
Edmonton Line Combinations (posted 2.17.06)
Oilers' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Shawn Horcoff (16-42-58), Ales Hemsky (15-41-56), Jarret Stoll (16-38-54)
Ryan Smyth .. Shawn Horcoff .. Ales Hemsky
Raffi Torres .. Jarret Stoll .. Brad Winchester
Fernando Pisani .. Kyle Brodziak .. Radek Dvorak
Jean-Francois Jacques .. Todd Harvey .. Georges Laraque
Chris Pronger .. Jaroslav Spacek
Mathieu Roy .. Steve Staios
Matt Greene .. Marc-Andre Bergeron
Florida Line Combinations (posted 2.16.06)
Panthers' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Olli Jokinen (25-34-59), Nathan Horton (21-16-37), Joe Nieuwendyk (15-16-31)
Rostislav Olesz .. Olli Jokinen .. Jozef Stumpel
Martin Gelinas .. Joe Nieuwendyk .. Nathan Horton
Juraj Kolnik .. Chris Gratton .. Jon Sim
Gregory Campbell .. Mikhail Yakubov .. Serge Payer
Jay Bouwmeester .. Sean Hill
Joel Kwiatkowski .. Mike Van Ryn
Steve Montador .. Lukas Krajicek
Los Angeles Line Combinations (posted 2.16.06)
Kings' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Pavol Demitra (22-35-57), Lubomir Visnovsky (14-42-56), Craig Conroy (19-36-55)
Alexander Frolov .. Craig Conroy .. Pavol Demitra
Dustin Brown .. Mike Cammalleri .. Derek Armstrong
Luc Robitaille .. Eric Belanger .. Tom Kostopoulos
Sean Avery .. Jeremy Roenick .. George Parros
Lubomir Visnovsky .. Joe Corvo
Aaron Miller .. Tim Gleason
Nathan Dempsey .. Mattias Norstrom
Sabre Power (posted 2.15.06)
by David Burstyn
Lindy Ruff is making a strong case for the Jack Adams Trophy this season. Ruff's team the Buffalo Sabres have been plagued by injuries this season at every position yet he continues to win on the ice. Mckeen's takes a look at a few of the Sabres that have stepped up their game in recent weeks.
Thomas Vanek (Buf), LW
After being called out by teammates and the coach, Vanek has elevated his game and is starting to score more frequently .. boasts an enormous skill set .. continues to make strong passes and his shot is on the money .. is a finisher in every sense of the word .. made a strong move to the outside taking advantage of a slower defenseman and beating Luongo on a wrap around .. while he boasts rich offensive talent it is his work ethic that has come into question .. on occasion he still takes a few shifts off and at times looks invisible as he lacks the intensity he should display .. needs to move his feet more and become more involved .. the Olympic break should help Vanek regain his focus and make him a valuable cog in the Sabres playoff drive.
Jiri Novotny (Buf), C
Has played a half a dozen games with the big club and has not looked out of place on the third line and has already gained the trust of Coach Ruff as he played in the final minutes of a close contest .. is a strong skater who is not against throwing a check .. he attacks the net hard and scored his first NHL goal as a result .. still gets a bit manhandled along the boards .. he has a complimentary defensive game however his offensive skills have yet to be developed on an NHL level, but he does not appear to have high end skill that will garner time on the 2nd or top line and will most likely be sent down once injured players return to the line up.
Derek Roy (Buf), C
He approaches the game and every shift like it could be his last .. strong skater is often relied upon to get the puck deep into the offensive zone from within his zone .. oozing with creativity as his vision of the ice is great .. made many sensational passes throughout the contest .. logged considerable minutes .. his defensive game is well tuned and he is able to rush down forwards because he can recover so well so it is not uncommon to see him as the first forward in .. always wants to make a positive impression but tries to do too much on occasion.
Brian Campbell (Buf), D
In today's NHL a defender like Campbell excels .. his offensive game is strong enough to offset his weak defensive play as indicated by his team worst -13 .. his play 5 on 5 is lack lustre to say the least and his decision making in defensive situations still needs work .. when to pinch, containing and controlling the puck at the line or when to hang back are still things Campbell is working on as he has a tendency to push for offence too much .. when he has the puck he is very dangerous however and he is capable of going through defenseman who are caught flat footed and easily moves around forwards as he boasts rather impressive stick handling skills.
Jason Pominville (Buf), RW
No other Sabre has taken as much advantage from his opportunity than he has witnessed by his production of just a shade under a point a game and he's been the hottest Sabre in recent weeks .. is displaying confidence with the puck that he didn't when initially called up .. takes his time to make plays and does not just throw puck away .. actually tries to incorporate a physical dimension to his game as he dumped the puck in deep, beat the defender and threw a hit in the process .. very small and could still stand to put on a little weight but must be careful not at the expense of his speed which is one of his more attractive skills .. his speed lets him steal pucks and charge the offence the other way with a quick transition game .. boasts a good hard shot and has been used on the point in PP situations as a result of it.
Minnesota Line Combinations (posted 2.15.06)
Wild' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Brian Rolston (24-37-61), Pierre-Marc Bouchard (12-32-44), Marian Gaborik (24-19-43)
Brian Rolston .. Todd White .. Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Alex Henry .. Wes Walz .. Marian Gaborik
Pascal Dupuis .. Marc Chouinard .. Derek Boogaard
Stephane Veilleux .. Mikko Koivu .. Brent Burns
Willie Mitchell .. Filip Kuba
Andrei Zyuzin .. Daniel Tjarnqvist
Nick Schultz .. Kurtis Foster
Montreal Line Combinations (posted 2.15.06)
Canadiens' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Saku Koivu (14-25-39), Alexei Kovalev (14-25-39), Michael Ryder (23-13-36)
Chris Higgins .. Saku Koivu .. Michael Ryder
Alexander Perezhogin .. Mike Ribeiro .. Alexei Kovalev
Richard Zednik .. Tomas Plekanec .. Jan Bulis
Steve Begin .. Radek Bonk .. Aaron Downey
Sheldon Souray .. Craig Rivet
Andrei Markov .. Mike Komisarek
Mathieu Dandenault .. Francis Bouillon
Nashville Line Combinations (posted 2.15.06)
Predators' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Paul Kariya (19-39-58), Steve Sullivan (26-24-50), Yanic Perreault (20-28-48)
Scott Hartnell .. Yanic Perreault .. Steve Sullivan
Paul Kariya .. Mike Sillinger .. Scottie Upshall
Martin Erat .. Greg Johnson .. Adam Hall
Darcy Hordichuk .. Scott Nichol .. Jerred Smithson
Marek Zidlicky .. Kimmo Timonen
Dan Hamhuis .. Shea Weber
Danny Markov .. Mark Eaton
New Jersey Line Combinations (posted 2.15.06)
Devils' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Brian Gionta (33-23-56), Scott Gomez (20-34-54), Jamie Langenbrunner (13-27-40)
Patrik Elias .. Scott Gomez .. Brian Gionta
Jay Pandolfo .. John Madden .. Jamie Langenbrunner
Zach Parise .. Sergei Brylin .. Grant Marshall
Jason Ryznar .. Viktor Kozlov .. Cam Janssen
Colin White .. Paul Martin
Richard Matvichuk .. Brian Rafalski
David Hale .. Tommy Albelin
New York Islanders Line Combinations (posted 2.14.06)
Islanders' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Alexei Yashin (18-29-47), Miroslav Satan (24-20-44), Mike York (11-32-43)
Miroslav Satan .. Mike York .. Trent Hunter
Jason Blake .. Shawn Bates .. Mark Parrish
Oleg Kvasha .. Alexei Yashin .. Robert Nilsson
Mattias Weinhandl .. Wyatt Smith .. Arron Asham
John Erskine .. Brent Sopel
Joel Bouchard .. Brad Lukowich
Chris Campoli .. Radek Martinek
New York Rangers Line Combinations (posted 2.14.06)
Rangers' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Jaromir Jagr (40-48-88), Martin Straka (12-48-60), Michael Nylander (14-39-53)
Martin Straka .. Michael Nylander .. Jaromir Jagr
Martin Rucinsky .. Steve Rucchin .. Petr Sykora
Marcel Hossa .. Jason Ward .. Jed Ortmeyer
Ryan Hollweg .. Dominic Moore .. Colton Orr
Marek Malik .. Michal Rozsival
Fedor Tyutin .. Darius Kasparaitis
Tom Poti .. Jason Strudwick
Ottawa Line Combinations (posted 2.14.06)
Senators' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Daniel Alfredsson (34-39-73), Dany Heatley (34-37-71), Jason Spezza (14-45-59)
Dany Heatley .. Jason Spezza .. Patrick Eaves
Peter Schaefer .. Mike Fisher .. Daniel Alfredsson
Vaclav Varada .. Bryan Smolinski .. Chris Neil
Antoine Vermette .. Chris Kelly .. Christoph Schubert
Chris Phillips .. Zdeno Chara
Wade Redden .. Andrej Meszaros
Brian Pothier .. Anton Volchenkov
Philadelphia Line Combinations (posted 2.14.06)
Flyers' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Simon Gagne (37-26-63), Peter Forsberg (15-47-62), Mike Knuble (25-22-47)
Simon Gagne .. Jeff Carter .. Mike Knuble
Ryan Ready .. Mike Richards .. Turner Stevenson
Michal Handzus .. R.J. Umberger .. Sami Kapanen
Donald Brashear .. Pat Kavanagh .. Brian Savage
Joni Pitkanen .. Eric Desjardins
Freddy Meyer .. Derian Hatcher
Randy Jones .. Alexandre Picard
Phoenix Line Combinations (posted 2.14.06)
Coyotes' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Ladislav Nagy (15-41-56), Shane Doan (17-24-41), Mike Comrie (19-19-38)
Mike Comrie .. Steve Reinprecht .. Shane Doan
Boyd Devereaux .. Dave Scatchard .. Mike Johnson
Oleg Saprykin .. Geoff Sanderson .. Fredrik Sjostrom
Tyson Nash .. Mike Ricci .. Jamie Lundmark
Keith Ballard .. Dennis Seidenberg
Zbynek Michalek .. Denis Gauthier
Sean O'Donnell .. Matthew Spiller
Pittsburgh Line Combinations (posted 2.13.06)
Penguins' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Sidney Crosby (28-37-65), Mark Recchi (21-32-53), Zigmund Palffy (11-31-42)
Colby Armstrong .. Sidney Crosby .. Mark Recchi
John LeClair .. Ryan Malone .. Eric Boguniecki
Tomas Surovy .. Erik Christensen .. Konstantin Koltsov
Andre Roy .. .. Jani Rita
Rob Scuderi .. Josef Melichar
Ryan Whitney .. Brooks Orpik
Sergei Gonchar .. Ric Jackman
Eric Cairns ..
St. Louis Line Combinations (posted 2.13.06)
Blues' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Scott Young (10-27-37), Petr Cajanek (7-29-36), Dean McAmmond (15-12-27)
Keith Tkachuk .. Petr Cajanek .. Vladimir Orszagh
Scott Young .. Dean McAmmond .. Lee Stempniak
Mike Glumac .. Jay McClement .. Dallas Drake
Trent Whitfield .. Ryan Johnson .. Mark Rycroft
Dennis Wideman .. Barret Jackman
Eric Weinrich .. Matt Walker
Christian Backman .. Kevin Dallman
San Jose Line Combinations (posted 2.13.06)
Sharks' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Joe Thornton (21-60-81), Patrick Marleau (25-39-64), Jonathan Cheechoo (34-22-56)
Nils Ekman .. Joe Thornton .. Jonathan Cheechoo
Steve Bernier .. Patrick Marleau .. Milan Michalek
Scott Thornton .. Mark Smith .. Niko Dimitrakos
Grant Stevenson .. Alyn McCauley .. Marcel Goc
Tom Preissing .. Christian Ehrhoff
Josh Gorges .. Scott Hannan
Kyle McLaren .. Rob Davison
Tampa Line Combinations (posted 2.13.06)
Lightning' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Vaclav Prospal (21-39-60), Brad Richards (18-42-60), Vincent Lecavalier (24-25-49)
Ruslan Fedotenko .. Brad Richards .. Fredrik Modin
Vincent Lecavalier .. Vaclav Prospal .. Martin St. Louis
Ryan Craig .. Tim Taylor .. Evgeny Artyukhin
Dmitri Afanasenkov .. Martin Cibak .. Rob DiMaio
Darryl Sydor .. Pavel Kubina
Paul Ranger .. Dan Boyle
Nolan Pratt .. Cory Sarich
Toronto Line Combinations (posted 2.13.06)
Leafs' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Bryan McCabe (17-35-52), Jason Allison (10-38-48), Tomas Kaberle (6-39-45)
Alexei Ponikarovsky .. Mats Sundin .. Alexander Steen
Darcy Tucker .. Jason Allison .. Nik Antropov
Chad Kilger .. Kyle Wellwood .. Jeff O'Neill
Matt Stajan .. Clark Wilm .. Tie Domi
Bryan McCabe .. Jay Harrison
Andy Wozniewski .. Tomas Kaberle
Aki Berg .. Staffan Kronwall
Vancouver Line Combinations (posted 2.13.06)
Canucks' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Markus Naslund (26-34-60), Henrik Sedin (14-43-57), Todd Bertuzzi (20-33-53)
Markus Naslund .. Alexandre Burrows .. Jarkko Ruutu
Daniel Sedin .. Henrik Sedin .. Anson Carter
Matt Cooke .. Ryan Kesler .. Todd Bertuzzi
Trevor Linden .. Brendan Morrison .. Richard Park
Mattias Ohlund .. Kevin Bieksa
Bryan Allen .. Tomas Mojzis
Steve McCarthy .. Sami Salo
Washington Line Combinations (posted 2.13.06)
Capitals' leading scorers going in to the Olympic break: Alex Ovechkin (36-33-69), Dainius Zubrus (13-17-30), Matt Pettinger (12-15-27)
Alexander Ovechkin .. Dainius Zubrus .. Brian Willsie
Matt Pettinger .. Brooks Laich .. Jeff Friesen
Boyd Kane .. Brian Sutherby .. Ben Clymer
Doug Doull .. Jeff Halpern .. Boyd Gordon
Brendan Witt .. Nolan Yonkman
Jamie Heward .. Shaone Morrisonn
Bryan Muir .. Mike Green
Young Guns Report (posted 2.9.06)
by David Burstyn
Ryan Kesler (Van), C
A speedy, gritty player .. dishes out lots of hits and is employed as an energy player .. did show some offensive tools as he was able to create chances for himself .. healthy stride which helps him join plays and break them up the other way .. boasts a good shot which he isn't shy about using .. frequently plays on the checking line, however is capable of being utilized in a much more offensive role .. should assume more responsibility and be able to play full-time alongside better talent as early as next season which should help pad his stats .. a player to watch out for.
Steve McCarthy (Van), D
Former Chicago first-rounder isn't exactly blossoming into a top-four NHL defender .. employed mainly in limited duty on the third pairing .. a decent skater who won't sacrifice positioning in search of offense having been instructed to hang back and take care of his own end first .. works well along the boards at times, able to outmuscle opponents and clear the zone .. not overly big by NHL standards, however is stocky and well-balanced which enables him to throw his weight around and make a physical contribution.
Scott Hartnell (Nsh), LW
On pace to produce his best statistical year to date .. a key contributor in the Preds' attack as he provides valuable support-line scoring .. a strong offensive-minded player .. boasts a hard, blistering shot which at times lacks accuracy .. goalies struggle to hold onto his shots as they constantly sting .. shows decent vision with solid touch passes and effective play in the neutral zone .. creates opportunities for his teammates as he's not afraid to assert himself physically ..a tall, upright skater is deceptive as he appears to not be skating all that fast .. wins many loose-puck battles, however is inconsistent when it comes to backchecking duties .. must play at full intensity on every shift to be ultimately effective at this level.
Dan Hamhuis (Nsh), D
Maturing into a standout defenseman .. lacks the size to physically control a game, however does showcase impressive strength as he is able to knock opponents off their feet and, most importantly, off the puck .. relies heavily on his positioning and toughness in front of the net to negate scoring chances for the opposition .. very adept at winning possession and launching an attack the other way .. quarterbacks an effective power play displaying good poise and patience with the puck .. his mobility is decent and allows to recover quickly against most opponents, however he can get caught flatfooted at times.
Scottie Upshall (Nsh), LW
Still struggling to find his game and will need to work on his confidence level in the NHL .. boasts great speed and is an above-average stickhandler .. able to beat defenders one-on-one to the outside .. likes to fire the puck at every turn, though his shot hasn't looked all that special against this level .. needs to learn to be more selective with his shots as he often gives the goalie a clear look .. still seems a bit intimidated in the NHL as he isn't getting to the dirtier areas of the ice, which has been one of his core strengths at the lower levels.
Vernon Fiddler (Nsh), C
A big strong player who is proving that he can adapt to any style and fit in easily on any line .. his work ethic is contagious as he competes every shift .. relatively small by NHL standards, but has tremendous upper-body strength which, coupled with his excellent skating style, makes him an offensive weapon .. superb first step that helps him create ample turnovers in the offensive zone .. being a newcomer, established NHLers are not yet used to his quickness .. plays a solid two way game and sees powerplay time .. boasts a decent shot with a fast release .. must play with the right linemates to take full advantage of his maturing offensive skillset.
Vezina Watch (posted 2.8.06)
With the Olympic break less than a week away, there is plenty of movement in our bi-weekly rankings of the top 10 goalie performances to date.
1. Dominik Hasek – (27-8-4) 2.02 GAA, .928 Sv%
Continues to lead all goalies with the best goals against average and save percentage. Also ranks second in shutouts with five and sits third in wins. Hard to argue with those numbers as Hasek will look to turn the golden double this year trying to capture the Olympic Gold Medal with the Czech Republic and the Stanley Cup with the Senators.
2. Henrik Lundqvist – (23-7-6) 2.12 GAA, .926 Sv%
Hard to imagine where the Rangers would be without Lundqvist's performance. The rookie keeper continues to rise in the rankings and now sits second in save percentage and third in goals against average and is 5-1-1 with a 1.83 GAA and a .934 Sv% in his last seven games. Will look to continue his hot play as Sweden's number one stopper.
3. Manny Fernandez – (23-8-3) 2.16 GAA, .925 Sv%
Has taken over the starting duties for the Wild and is one of the hottest goalies in the league having gone 8-1-1 in his last 10 games. Currently ranks third in save percentage and fourth in goals against average.
4. Miikka Kiprusoff – (28-14-1) 2.25 GAA, .914 Sv%
Has slowed down a bit having gone 2-2-2 in his last six games but continues to lead all goalies with six shutouts and ranks second in wins and game appearances. Relied upon so heavily by the Flames, it's a shame he won't be available for Finland at the Olympics.
5. Marty Turco – (29-13-3) 2.49 GAA, .898 Sv%
After a mini slump in early January, Turco is the main man in Dallas again leading the Stars with a 7-0-1 record in his last eight games and currently leads all goaltenders in wins and will represent Canada as the number three stopper in Turin.
6. Ryan Miller – (19-7-0) 2.18 GAA, .925 Sv%
Miller has gone 12-3-0 since returning from injury in early December and ranks fifth in goals against average and third in save percentage. The rookie standout has been so good that he has not allowed more two goals in 11 of his past 15 games and not more than three in 14 out of his last 15. Was also just named to the Team USA taxi squad.
7. Martin Brodeur – (27-17-4) 2.55 GAA, .909 Sv%
Is 9-3-1 with a 1.73 gaa and a .940 Sv% in his last bakers dozen. After a slow start the Devils and Team Canada could not be happier with Marty's play and he has climbed up the win column to rank third, and the shutout column to rank second with five thus far.
8. Manny Legace – (22-6-2) 2.02 GAA, .918 Sv%
Legace has worked himself back into the rankings having gone 9-2-2 since missing 15 straight games with a knee injury. Currently tied with Hasek with the best goals against average and ranks sixth in save percentage.
9. Tomas Vokoun – (27-12-5) 2.59 GAA, .919 Sv%
Although he has struggled a tad lately, know one can doubt how much he has meant to Nashville's success this year. Vokoun ranks third in wins and fifth in save percentage and will team with Hasek for the Czech Republic to form the best 1-2 goaltending punch heading into Turin.
10. Martin Gerber – (27-8-2) 2.69 GAA, .909 Sv%
Gerber is 9-1-0 in his last 10 starts and ranks third in wins and currently leads the league in being underrated and under appreciated. Has been platooning the starting duties with Cam Ward lately but will look to work his magic for Switzerland during the Olympic Games.
Phoenix Line Combinations (posted 2.8.06)
Geoff Sanderson scored his 16th of the season, but we wouldn't bet on the Coyotes making the playoffs.
Oleg Saprykin .. Steve Reinprecht .. Shane Doan
Mike Comrie .. Dave Scatchard .. Mike Johnson
Pavel Brendl .. Geoff Sanderson .. Fredrik Sjostrom
Tyson Nash .. Mike Ricci .. Steve Gainey
Paul Mara .. Zbynek Michalek
Keith Ballard .. Dennis Seidenberg
Sean O'Donnell .. Matthew Spiller
Florida Line Combinations (posted 2.8.06)
Jon Sim had a hat trick and added an assist for what had to be a career night. Don't go jumping the gun and trying to pick him up as we don't expect him to be much of a fantasy threat.
Martin Gelinas .. Joe Nieuwendyk .. Nathan Horton
Rostislav Olesz .. Olli Jokinen .. Jozef Stumpel
Juraj Kolnik .. Chris Gratton .. Jon Sim
Gregory Campbell .. Mikhail Yakubov .. Serge Payer
Jay Bouwmeester .. Sean Hill
Joel Kwiatkowski .. Mike Van Ryn
Steve Montador .. Lukas Krajicek
Anaheim Line Combinations (posted 2.7.06)
Scott Niedermayer scored his ninth of the season in a shootout loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
Chris Kunitz .. Andy McDonald .. Teemu Selanne
Rob Niedermayer .. Samuel Pahlsson .. Jonathan Hedstrom
Dustin Penner .. Todd Marchant .. Joffrey Lupul
Todd Fedoruk .. Ryan Getzlaf .. Corey Perry
Scott Niedermayer .. Francois Beauchemin
Ruslan Salei .. Keith Carney
Vitaly Vishnevski .. Joe Dipenta
Tampa Bay Line Combinations (posted 2.7.06)
Vincent Lecavalier returned after missing Saturday's game and scored his 22nd goal of the season.
Ruslan Fedotenko .. Brad Richards .. Vincent Lecavalier
Fredrik Modin .. Vaclav Prospal .. Martin St. Louis
Rob DiMaio .. Tim Taylor .. Evgeny Artyukhin
Ryan Craig .. Martin Cibak .. Norman Milley
Darryl Sydor .. Pavel Kubina
Paul Ranger .. Dan Boyle
Nolan Pratt .. Cory Sarich
Vancouver Line Combinations (posted 2.7.06)
Todd Bertuzzi had one of his best games of late adding a goal and an assist versus the red-hot Blue Jackets.
Markus Naslund .. Brendan Morrison .. Todd Bertuzzi
Daniel Sedin .. Henrik Sedin .. Anson Carter
Tyler Bouck .. Josh Green .. Trevor Linden
Jarkko Ruutu .. Ryan Kesler .. Alexandre Burrows
Mattias Ohlund .. Kevin Bieksa
Bryan Allen .. Tomas Mojzis
Steve McCarthy .. Sami Salo
Weekend Warriors (posted 2.6.06)
by Cory Kornelsen
As we gaze into our "Cris to bal" we see a new hero emerging in Montreal highlighting a list of impressive performances over the weekend that was.
Call it a saw-off on all accounts as Atlanta and Florida split their home and home series this weekend. Chris Gratton was the hero in game one picking up three points in the Panthers win and five points in total over the two games. Marc Savard returned the favor in game two picking up three points of his own in the Thrashers win and totaled five points in both games to match the performance of Gratton.
Manny Legace held the hot hand for the Detroit Red Wings as he turned away all 28 shots he faced for his fourth shutout of the year in the Wings 3-0 victory over the Avalanche. Legace is now tied with Dominik Hasek leading all goalies with a 2.02 goals against average.
The Nashville Predators hit the trifecta this weekend in their 6-0 victory over Chicago. Scott Hartnell had 4 points (3-1-4), Yanic Perrault continued his great play with 4 points of his own (1-3-4) and Tomas Vokoun picked up his second shutout of the year stopping all 40 shots he faced and now sits second in wins for goaltenders earning his 27th of the season.
Rookie goaltender Ryan Miller continued his spectacular play with another brilliant performance for the Buffalo Sabres. Miller stopped 28 of 29 shots and then two more in the shootout to lead the (yes we are for real) Sabres over the Ottawa Senators 2-1.
Miroslav Satan was having a devil of a time for the Islanders as he picked up the hat-trick and the eventual game winner in the shootout in the Isles 5-4 win over the Penguins as they desperately try to remain in playoff contention.
John Grahame picked up his fifth shutout of the season stopping 29 shots in Tampa's 5-0 win over the Capitals. In his last five games Grahame has picked up three shutouts and has allowed only three goals as he looks to gain the confidence of coach Tortorella.
Daniel Sedin continued his hot play for the Canucks picking up points on all Vancouver's goals in a tough weekend split on the road in Calgary and Edmonton. Sedin picked up three assists in their 3-1 win over Calgary and picked up the lone goal in their 3-1 loss to Edmonton.
Wes Walz was the hero for the Minnesota Wild scoring two goals and adding two assists for his best offensive performance of the season as the Wild try to keep pace in the Western Conference with their 6-4 victory over the Coyotes.
After sitting out his last four games for challenging Coach Carlyle during a loss to the Oilers, Anaheim's Jean-Sebastien Giguere regained his composure and responded in style turning away all 35 shots he faced in the Ducks 2-0 win over the Sharks for his second shutout of the year.
And Finally… With the fans and media coming down hard on Jose Theodore and the Habs, a ray of light arrived just in time as backup goaltender Cristobal Huet kept hope alive in Montreal with back to back shutouts over the weekend. Huet stopped 35 shots in the Habs 2-0 victory over the Bruins and then, helped by teammate Michael Ryder's hat-trick; Huet turned away all 25 shots he faced in Montreal's 5-0 victory over the Flyers.
Boston Line Combinations (posted 2.6.06)
Marco Sturm sat out Sunday's game with an upper-body injury he got the day before versus Montreal.
Brad Boyes .. Patrice Bergeron .. Glen Murray
Sergei Samsonov .. Wayne Primeau .. P.J. Axelsson
Josh Langfeld .. Travis Green .. Eric Nickulas
Dan Lacouture .. Tom Fitzgerald .. Pat Leahy
Milan Jurcina .. Brad Stuart
Nick Boynton .. Hal Gill
David Tanabe .. Andrew Alberts
Fantasy news and notes (posted 2.5.06)
by Derrick LeBlanc
Kim Johnsson is still suffering from concussion symtoms .. expected back
after Olympic break.
Eric Dejardins is hoping to return before the Olympic break to play in one or two games. (Desjardins would be a good pick up for your fantasy team down the stretch
as he was probably dropped in many leagues in favor of a healthier altenative. He should help in +/- and assists)
Another player that should be picked up is Freddy Meyer. With all the injuries to the Flyer rearguards Meyer is getting alot of ice time and plays on the first PP unit.
Petr Nedved left this game (02/04) after aggrevating an earlier goin injury. Chris Therien left this game (02/04) with an undisclosed injury.
NYR forward Petr Prucha left the game after being hit by Turner Stevenson
along the boards in the second period. He had to be helped off to the dressing room, while favoring his right knee.
Philadelphia Line Combinations (posted 2.5.06)
Knuble scored two goals to give him 25 for the season.
Simon Gagne .. Mike Richards .. Mike Knuble
Michal Handzus .. Petr Nedved .. Sami Kapanen
R.J. Umberger .. Jeff Carter .. Brian Savage
Donald Brashear .. Pat Kavanagh .. Turner Stevenson
Joni Pitkanen .. Mike Rathje
Freddy Meyer .. Derian Hatcher
Randy Jones .. Chris Therien
NY Rangers Line Combinations (posted 2.5.06)
As reported by Derrick LeBlanc, Prucha left the game in the second period and never returned.
Martin Straka .. Michael Nylander .. Jaromir Jagr
Martin Rucinsky .. Steve Rucchin .. Petr Sykora
Marcel Hossa .. Jason Ward .. Petr Prucha
Colton Orr .. Dominic Moore .. Jed Ortmeyer
Marek Malik .. Michal Rozsival
Fedor Tyutin .. Darius Kasparaitis
Tom Poti .. Jason Strudwick
Montreal Line Combinations (posted 2.5.06)
Hopefully, for the good of everyone involved, Jose Theodore is moved as there is no doubt that the fans have lost faith in him and one has to wonder if his teammates have as well?
Chris Higgins .. Saku Koivu .. Michael Ryder
Richard Zednik .. Tomas Plekanec .. Jan Bulis
Alexander Perezhogin .. Mike Ribeiro .. Alexei Kovalev
Steve Begin .. Radek Bonk ..
Sheldon Souray .. Craig Rivet
Mathieu Dandenault .. Francis Bouillon
Mike Komisarek .. Jean-Philippe Cote
Andrei Markov ..
Los Angeles Line Combinations (posted 2.5.06)
Craig Conroy leads the Kings in scoring with 53 points (18-35-53).
Jeremy Roenick .. Craig Conroy .. Pavol Demitra
Sean Avery .. Eric Belanger .. Dustin Brown
Luc Robitaille .. Derek Armstrong .. Mike Cammalleri
Alexander Frolov .. Jeff Giuliano .. George Parros
Lubomir Visnovsky .. Joe Corvo
Aaron Miller .. Tim Gleason
Nathan Dempsey .. Mattias Norstrom
Pittsburgh Line Combinations (posted 2.5.06)
Sidney Crosby returned after being off with the flu and scored his 26th goal of the season.
Tomas Surovy .. Sidney Crosby .. Michel Ouellet
Konstantin Koltsov .. Mark Recchi .. Colby Armstrong
John LeClair .. Ryan Malone .. Eric Boguniecki
Guillaume Lefebvre .. Shane Endicott .. Jani Rita
Rob Scuderi .. Ryan Whitney
Sergei Gonchar .. Josef Melichar
Ric Jackman .. Brooks Orpik
Weekend Primer - Hot and Cold and the latest news and notes (posted 2.4.06)
Players to keep an eye on as ten teams play twice heading into a very busy NHL weekend.
TORONTO
- Injured players starting to make their way back into the lineup trying to help the struggling Leafs.
HOT
C-Mats Sundin - 8 pts last 5 games
C-Jason Allison - 5pts last 3 games
COLD
G - Ed Belfour (2-7-1) 3.50
News and Notes - Bryan McCabe is back in the lineup but Eric Lindros (wrist) is still day to day
WASHINGTON
- Ovechkin's injury not that serious as Cap fans hold there collective breath
HOT
F-Brian Willsie -9 pts last 8 games
F-Matt Pettinger - 7 pts last 6 games
News and Notes - Star rookie Alex Ovechkin is probable for the weekend while defenseman Steve Eminger (ankle) and forward Danius Zubrus (arm) are doubtful but day to day
BOSTON
- Bruins continue to climb up the standings into playoff contention going 7-1-2 in their last 10 games.
HOT
F-Marco Sturm - 10 pts last 9 games
C-Patrice Bergeron - 9 pts last 5 games
F-Brad Boyes - 13 pts last 8 games
G- Tim Thomas - (7-1-2) 1.87 GAA, .940 Sv% last 10 games
News and Notes - Forward Glen Murray is back in the lineup after missing his last 10 with a groin injury and d-man Brian Leetch (groin) remains questionable this weekend
CAROLINA
- Latest rash of injuries still hasn't slowed down the number one team in the NHL having gone 9-1 in their last 10 games
HOT
F-Justin Williams - 11 pts last 7 games
F-Ray Whitney 7pts last 5 games
F-Erik Cole - 16 pts last 11 games
D-Bret Hedican - 5 pts last 5 games
C-Eric Staal - 17 pts last 11 games
D-Frantisek Kaberle - 5 pts last 5 games
C-Rod Brind'Amour - 7 pts last 4 games
News and Notes - Center Doug Weight will play his first game with Carolina and is likely to quarterback the power play and play on a line with Ray Whitney. Center Cory Stillman (torso) and d-man Oleg Tverdovsky (upper body) remain doubtful for the weekend.
NEW JERSEY
- The Devils will retire Scott Stevens jersey number 4 on Friday and will also look to continue there great play of late despite the low productivity of the number one line.
HOT
G-Martin Brodeur - (8-2-1) 1.77 GAA, .941Sv% last 11 games
COLD
F-Brian Gionta - 1pt last 7 games
C-Scott Gomez - 3 pts last 7 games
D-Brian Rafalski - 2 pts last 9 games
ATLANTA
- Ilya Kovalchuk remains in the doghouse and will play on the third line heading into an important back to back weekend series against the Panthers.
HOT
F-Marian Hossa 16 pts last 12 games
COLD
F-Ilya Kovalchuk - 1 goal last 7 games
C-Marc Savard - 3 pts last 8 games
G-Kari Lehtonen - (0-3-0) 4.36 GAA, .862 Sv%
FLORIDA
- After a horrendous start, Florida finds themselves only 7 points out of the final playoff spot heading into a big weekend series against division rivals- Atlanta.
HOT
C-Olli Jokinen - 7 pts last 4 games
C-Joe Nieuwendyk - 11 pts last 9 games
C-Jozef Stumpel - 9 pts last 8 games
D-Jay Bouwmeester - 7 pts last 7 games
VANCOUVER
- Up and down Canucks will face a tough test this weekend with games in Calgary and Edmonton.
HOT
F-Daniel Sedin - 8 pts last 7 games
C-Henrik Sedin - 14 pts last 9 games
News and Notes - Center Markus Naslund continues to be bothered with a hip injury but intends to play. His status and ice time however should be closely watched.
PHILADELPHIA
- Players continue to check in and out with injury causing the Flyers to struggle
HOT
F-Mike Knuble - 11 pts last 11 games
COLD
C-Michal Handzus - 1 goal last 23 games
C-Jeff Carter - 2 pts last 14 games
News and Notes - Center Peter Forsberg (groin) and d-man Kim Johnsson (head) are listed as day to day but remain doubtful for the weekend and d-man Joni Pitkanen has appeared in 3 straight games after missing the past 24 of 25 with a stomach and groin injury.
MONTREAL
- After a terrific start to the season, all is not well in Montreal as fans want answers and changes as they continue to slip out of the playoff picture.
HOT
C-Tomas Plekanec - 6 pts last 6 games
D-Craig Rivet - 11 pts last 12 games
COLD
F-Alex Kovalev - 2 pts last 7 games
G-Jose Theodore - (1-3-0) 8.41 GAA, .714 Sv%
F-Michael Ryder - 0 pts last 5 games
C-Mike Ribeiro - 1 pt last 7 games
News and Notes - Defenseman Andrei Markov (shoulder) is skating again but remains doubtful for the weekend and Center Radek Bonk has been a healthy scratch the last two games. Goalie Cristobal Huet, who has played well, will be the likely starter for Montreal's home game on Saturday against Boston
Carolina Line Combinations (posted 2.4.06)
Doug Weight made his debut for the Canes playing on the third line, but played nearly 22 minutes overall thanks to special teams and some extra shifts on other lines.
Kevyn Adams .. Rod Brind'Amour .. Justin Williams
Erik Cole .. Eric Staal .. Craig Adams
Ray Whitney .. Doug Weight .. Chad Larose
Andrew Ladd .. .. Niklas Nordgren
Niclas Wallin .. Bret Hedican
Aaron Ward .. Frantisek Kaberle
Anton Babchuk .. Glen Wesley
Mike Commodore ..
Toronto Line Combinations (posted 2.4.06)
Ken Klee (leg) left the game in the first period and didn't return and it is doubtful whether he will be ready for Saturday's game versus New Jersey.
Darcy Tucker .. Mats Sundin .. Alexander Steen
Alexei Ponikarovsky .. Jason Allison .. Nik Antropov
Chad Kilger .. Kyle Wellwood .. Tie Domi
Matt Stajan .. Clark Wilm .. Jeff O'Neill
Bryan McCabe .. Tomas Kaberle
Jay Harrison .. Staffan Kronwall
Ken Klee .. Andy Wozniewski
Colorado Line Combinations (posted 2.3.06)
Milan Hejduk (neck) and Ossi Vaananen (ankle) both left the game in the first period and other than Hejduk's brief shift in the third, neither returned to the game.
Antti Laaksonen .. Joe Sakic .. Milan Hejduk
Alex Tanguay .. Brett McLean .. Ian Laperriere
Andrew Brunette .. Brad Richardson .. Marek Svatos
Brad May .. Cody McCormick .. Dan Hinote
Rob Blake .. John-Michael Liles
Karlis Skrastins .. Brett Clark
Patrice Brisebois .. Ossi Vaananen
Nashville Line Combinations (posted 2.3.06)
Mike Sillinger's debut with the Preds was a successful one as he scored a goal (23rd of the season) and the team won.
Steve Sullivan .. Mike Sillinger .. Scott Walker
Paul Kariya .. Yanic Perreault .. Martin Erat
Scott Hartnell .. Greg Johnson .. Adam Hall
Darcy Hordichuk .. Jerred Smithson .. Jeremy Stevenson
Danny Markov .. Mark Eaton
Dan Hamhuis .. Kimmo Timonen
Jamie Allison .. Ryan Suter
San Jose Line Combinations (posted 2.2.06)
Is there a player getting less PUB than Jonathan Cheechoo? His hat trick versus the Ducks gives him 31 goals this season!
Nils Ekman .. Joe Thornton .. Jonathan Cheechoo
Niko Dimitrakos .. Patrick Marleau .. Milan Michalek
Grant Stevenson .. Alyn McCauley .. Marcel Goc
Scott Thornton .. Mark Smith .. Steve Bernier
Josh Gorges .. Scott Hannan
Kyle McLaren .. Rob Davison
Tom Preissing .. Doug Murray
Detroit Line Combinations (posted 2.2.06)
Henrik Zetterberg's had the winner, 24th of the season, late in the third period to defeat the Blues.
Brendan Shanahan .. Pavel Datsyuk .. Kris Draper
Jason Williams .. Robert Lang .. Steve Yzerman
Henrik Zetterberg .. Johan Franzen .. Mikael Samuelsson
Kirk Maltby .. Dan Cleary .. Tomas Holmstrom
Nicklas Lidstrom .. Andreas Lilja
Mathieu Schneider .. Chris Chelios
Niklas Kronwall .. Jason Woolley
St. Louis Line Combinations (posted 2.2.06)
Keith Tkachuk returned and scored his ninth goal of the year in losing to the Red Wings 3-2.
Keith Tkachuk .. Petr Cajanek .. Vladimir Orszagh
Mike Glumac .. Dean McAmmond .. Dallas Drake
Scott Young .. Jay McClement .. Lee Stempniak
Mark Rycroft .. Ryan Johnson .. Mike Zigomanis
Dennis Wideman .. Barret Jackman
Eric Weinrich .. Matt Walker
Christian Backman .. Steve Poapst
Columbus Line Combinations (posted 2.2.06)
Nikolai Zherdev scored his 16th goal of the season in helping to defeat the Flames last night.
Rick Nash .. Sergei Fedorov .. Nikolai Zherdev
Jaroslav Balastik .. Jan Hrdina .. David Vyborny
Jason Chimera .. Manny Malhotra .. Trevor Letowski
Jody Shelley .. Ben Simon .. Steven Goertzen
Duvie Westcott .. Adam Foote
Rostislav Klesla .. Radoslav Suchy
Ron Hainsey .. Luke Richardson
New Jersey Line Combinations (posted 2.2.06)
Sergei Brylin added a goal and an assist in a 5-3 win over the Senators on Wednesday.
Patrik Elias .. Scott Gomez .. Brian Gionta
Zach Parise .. Sergei Brylin .. Grant Marshall
Jay Pandolfo .. John Madden .. Jamie Langenbrunner
Erik Rasmussen .. Viktor Kozlov .. Cam Janssen
Richard Matvichuk .. Brian Rafalski
David Hale .. Tommy Albelin
Colin White .. Paul Martin
Ottawa Line Combinations (posted 2.2.06)
Dany Heatley added his 32nd of the season in a losing cause on Wednesday.
Dany Heatley .. Jason Spezza .. Peter Schaefer
Mike Fisher .. Bryan Smolinski .. Daniel Alfredsson
Vaclav Varada .. Chris Kelly .. Chris Neil
Patrick Eaves .. Antoine Vermette .. Brian McGrattan
Chris Phillips .. Zdeno Chara
Wade Redden .. Anton Volchenkov
Andrej Meszaros .. Christoph Schubert
Calgary Line Combinations (posted 2.2.06)
The Flames acquired Brian Boucher and Mike Leclerc for Steven Reinprecht and Philippe Sauve.
Tony Amonte .. Matthew Lombardi .. Jarome Iginla
Kristian Huselius .. Daymond Langkow .. Chuck Kobasew
Darren McCarty .. Stephane Yelle .. Marcus Nilson
Chris Simon .. Jason Wiemer .. Shean Donovan
Robyn Regehr .. Jordan Leopold
Andrew Ference .. Rhett Warrener
Mark Giordano .. Dion Phaneuf
Calder Candidates (posted 2.1.06)
With another month in the books in the year of the rookie, we take another look at the 10 best so far.
1. Alexander Ovechkin – (34-31-65)
We are running out of adjectives to describe his amazing performance. With 21 points in the month of January he continues to lead all rookies in goals, points, shots on goal and unbelievable goals. Ovechkin can be summed up best however by saying he is also a candidate for the Art Ross, Maurice Rocket Richard, and Hart Trophies.
2. Sidney Crosby – (25-35-60)
Despite the constant abuse, the loss of Mario and Palffy, and the downward spiral of the Penguins, Crosby did his best to keep pace with Ovechkin collecting 18 points in January to sit second in rookie scoring and continues to lead all rookies in assists and in overcoming adversity.
3. Dion Phaneuf – (12-21-33)
Coach Daryl Sutter continues to say that Phaneuf has been Calgary's best player all year and who can argue. Phaneuf has been one of the leagues 10 best defensemen thus far, is on pace for 20 goals and has a decent shot at Brian Leetch's record of 23 goals by a rookie defenseman.
4. Henrik Lundqvist – (21-7-6) 2.12 GAA, .926 Sv%
Continues to put up amazing numbers and next to Jaromir Jagr, Lundqvist is the biggest reason for the Rangers turn around this year. Presently sits second in save percentage and fourth in goals against average to be in contention for the Vezina as well.
5. Marek Svatos – (30-15-45)
The Avalanche rookie scored 10 goals in January and continues to lead the NHL with eight game winning goals. Svatos continues to dazzle with his great goal scoring instincts and sits second in rookie goals and third in rookie points.
6. Ryan Miller – (16-7-0) .2.26 GAA, .922 Sv%
Despite missing 18 games this year with a thumb injury, Miller has been incredible for the Sabres and one of the leagues best goalies having gone 10-3 with a 1.83 GAA and a .934 Sv% since his return in late December.
7. Petr Prucha – (25-7-32)
Is probably 160 pounds soaking wet but absolutely fearless when going to the net. Another surprise performer in New York this year and sits third in rookie goals and continues to have one of the leagues best shooting percentages – 27.2%
8. Brad Boyes – (14-22-36)
Has really picked up his play with 13 points in January and 11 points in his last seven games to help turn around the Bruins season. Currently sits fourth in rookie scoring playing on the Bruins number one line with Patrice Bergeron and Marco Sturm.
9. Andrej Meszaros – (4-17-21)
Is starting to display his offensive side making this calm and composed rookie defenseman all that more special as he continues to lead all NHL defensemen with an incredible +32 rating.
10. Jussi Jokinen – (11-21-32)
Currently ranks eighth in rookie scoring and has turned out to be quite the steal as a sixth round selection in the 2001 draft. His biggest impact has come in the shootout leading the NHL in "extra" goals having gone a perfect 8 for 8 with many being of the spectacular variety.
Buffalo Line Combinations (posted 2.1.06)
Last night in a win over the Thrashers, J.P. Dumont scored his first goal since returning from injury.
Thomas Vanek .. Chris Drury .. Mike Grier
Jason Pominville .. Jochen Hecht .. Ales Kotalik
Maxim Afinogenov .. Derek Roy .. Jean-Pierre Dumont
Taylor Pyatt .. Paul Gaustad .. Andrew Peters
Jay McKee .. Dimitri Kalinin
Brian Campbell .. Teppo Numminen
Henrik Tallinder .. Toni Lydman
Vancouver Line Combinations (posted 2.1.06)
The Canucks start life without Jovo as he'll be out at least six weeks, but probably longer!
Jarkko Ruutu .. Brendan Morrison .. Todd Bertuzzi
Daniel Sedin .. Henrik Sedin .. Anson Carter
Tyler Bouck .. Josh Green .. Trevor Linden
Markus Naslund .. Ryan Kesler .. Alexandre Burrows
Mattias Ohlund .. Kevin Bieksa
Nolan Baumgartner .. Sami Salo
Bryan Allen .. Steve McCarthy
St. Louis Line Combinations (posted 1.31.06)
The Blues traded Doug Weight to the Carolina Hurricanes for a few players and some picks none of which will help them much this season.
Scott Young .. Dean McAmmond .. Dallas Drake
Lee Stempniak .. Petr Cajanek .. Vladimir Orszagh
Mike Glumac .. Jay McClement .. Jamal Mayers
Mark Rycroft .. Ryan Johnson .. Timofei Shishkanov
Dennis Wideman .. Barret Jackman
Christian Backman .. Kevin Dallman
Eric Weinrich .. Steve Poapst
Weekend Warriors (posted 1.30.06)
A relatively light schedule this weekend in the NHL, but as always there were some fairly impressive performances as we take a look at the weekend that was.
Roberto Luongo continues to keep things very interesting in Florida. He collected his third shutout and 20th victory of the season turning away all 40 shots he faced in the Panthers 1-0 win over Martin Brodeur and the Devils and are now only 4 points out of a playoff spot. After the win however Luongo officially rejected the Panthers contract offer of $30 million over five years when not more than 24 hours earlier New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur signed a six year $31.2 million dollar offer to remain with the Devils.
The Columbus Blue Jackets continue to be one of the leagues hottest teams picking up two more wins over Minnesota and Nashville over the weekend. David Vyborny led the way with two goals and two assists to continue his hot ways with seven points in his last three games.
Despite constant trade rumors surrounding Washington goaltender Olaf Kolzig, it doesn't appear he is going anywhere anytime soon and with good reason. The Caps keeper stopped 34 of 35 shots in an impressive 2-1 victory over Tampa Bay and continues to stress his wish to remain with the young club.
Marty Turco of the Dallas Stars stopped 27 of 28 shots including seven in overtime and remains undefeated in shootouts (6-0) with there 2-1 over Detroit. Turco can also thank his rookie teammate Jussi Jokinen who had one assist in the victory but more importantly his league leading 8th shootout goal with another highlight reel move to remain a perfect eight for eight on shootouts.
Fredrick Modin picked up the hat-trick and veteran goalie Sean Burke stopped all 38 shots he faced to earn his first shutout of the season in Tampa's impressive 6-0 victory over the Flyers to continue their climb up the Eastern Conference standings.
Phoenix picked up a valuable three points over the weekend to remain in playoff contention thanks to keeper Curtis Joseph who turned away 61 of 66 shots in the two games. Rookie defenseman Keith Ballard also chipped in with three points in the Coyotes 6-2 win over the Sharks to remain second in scoring for rookie defensemen with 28 points trailing only Dion Phaneuf of Calgary with 33.
Congrats to Anaheim rookie Corey Perry who had his best game offensively so far in the NHL with two goals, one assist and four shots on goal in the Ducks 6-2 victory over the Kings in a very chippy affair.
In a battle of teams who have been on the decline, the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime thanks to Saku Koivu's three points including the game winner in overtime. Koivu, who will be an unrestricted free agent at seasons end continues to be a hot topic of debate in Montreal with the team struggling.
And finally… Congrats to the Czech Republic …err, I mean New York Rangers who defeated the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins 7-1 on Saturday. Czech born players however did combine for 14 points on the seven goals led by three point performances from Martin Rucinsky and Jaromir Jagr who continues to lead the NHL in scoring with 75 points.
Edmonton Line Combinations (posted 1.30.06)
Pronger scored with 0.3 seconds left to get the Oilers to OT and Radek Dvorak won it in the shoot-out.
Ryan Smyth .. Shawn Horcoff .. Ales Hemsky
Ethan Moreau .. Jarret Stoll .. Fernando Pisani
Raffi Torres .. Marty Reasoner .. Georges Laraque
Todd Harvey .. .. Radek Dvorak
Chris Pronger .. Marc-Andre Bergeron
Dick Tarnstrom .. Jaroslav Spacek
Jason Smith .. Steve Staios
Matt Greene ..
Chicago Line Combinations (posted 1.30.06)
According to AP, Adrian Aucoin left the game in the first period with a shoulder injury and didn't return.
Andy Hilbert .. Mark Bell .. Martin Lapointe
Kyle Calder .. Tyler Arnason .. Radim Vrbata
Rene Bourque .. Curtis Brown .. Pavel Vorobiev
Patrick Sharp .. Jim Dowd .. Matthew Barnaby
Duncan Keith .. Jim Vandermeer
Jassen Cullimore .. Adrian Aucoin
Danny Richmond .. Brent Seabrook
Washington Line Combinations (posted 1.30.06)
Dainius Zubrus' 12 goal of the season lifted the Capitals to a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.
Alexander Ovechkin .. Dainius Zubrus .. Chris Clark
Matt Pettinger .. Jeff Halpern .. Brian Willsie
Jeff Friesen .. Brooks Laich .. Colin Forbes
Ben Clymer .. Brian Sutherby .. Matt Bradley
Brendan Witt .. Jamie Heward
Ivan Majesky .. Shaone Morrisonn
Bryan Muir .. Mathieu Biron
Colorado Line Combinations (posted 1.30.06)
Marek Svatos scored his 30th and 31st goals of the year to help Colorado salvage a point in an eventual shoot-out loss to the Canucks on Saturday.
Antti Laaksonen .. Joe Sakic .. Milan Hejduk
Alex Tanguay .. Brett McLean .. Ian Laperriere
Andrew Brunette .. Brad Richardson .. Marek Svatos
Bob Boughner .. Dan Hinote .. Brad May
Rob Blake .. John-Michael Liles
Karlis Skrastins .. Brett Clark
Patrice Brisebois .. Ossi Vaananen