Goal Line Report
Entries with the tag: NHL
Showing Salary Cap Smarts
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/20/09 at 12:26 PM ET
Comments (0)
From Reid Jackson at PeteProse.com:
Burning up the hockey news wire the last few days have been reports that the Chicago Blackhawks are close to inking their “Big 3″ – forwards Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and defenseman Duncan Keith, to long-term contracts that will keep them in Chicago for the foreseeable future.
Similarly, a Boston Globe report says the Boston Bruins are close to signing their star forward (and impending unrestricted free agent) Marc Savard to a 7 year deal that will keep the Ontario native in Boston through the end of his career.
For hockey fans in Beantown and the Windy City, this is good news. Chicago has seen a resurgence in the last two seasons, and Kane, Toews and Keith have been the single biggest reasons behind the Blackhawks return to prominence. The former duo are two of the NHL’s brightest young stars, and Keith has developed into one of the NHL’s premier blueliners. Locking these three tremendous talents up long-term is an excellent move by Chicago GM Stan Bowman; he’s identified his core, and intends to build around that core for the future, cap ramifications be damned.
The same story rings true in Boston, where Savard has emerged as a perennial NHL All-Star, finishing near the top of the scoring race every season he’s donned the Black and Gold, and playing a key role in the Bruins’ rise to the top of the Eastern Conference (this season notwithstanding, as Savard has played in just 7 games due to a broken foot).
Of course, these impending signings haven’t been met with universal applause, as there are some who feel both franchises are hedging their bets on a small number of players, something to avoid in a cap world, or so they say.
Click here for more.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: NHL, Salary+Cap,
A Full Moon over the NHL?
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/20/09 at 09:54 AM ET
Comments (0)
From friend of the blog Jim Cerny at Rink Rap:
I am not sure if it’s a black cloud or a full moon, but there’s something wreaking havoc on the National Hockey League so far this season.
As discussed here before, the amount of injuries to star players is off the charts. Plus there have been a string of strange incidents that add to the question: what the heck is going on here?
Two more stories from today fit right in with what has been par-for-the-course over the first quarter of the NHL season.
First, the Los Angeles Kings placed winger Ryan Smyth on Injured Reserve this morning. So down goes another star player---and another one who was off to a very strong start this year. Smyth joins the likes of Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jonathan Toews, Cam Ward, Brian Gionta, Simon Gagne, Sergei Gonchar, Roberto Luongo, Marc Savard, Joe Pavelski, and seemingly half of the entire Detroit Red Wings roster as star players forced to the sidelines for an extended period of time.
Click here for more.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Jim+Cerny, NHL, Rink+Rap,
Up for Debate
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/15/09 at 10:16 AM ET
Comments (1)
From Greg Wyshynski at Puck Daddy:
As we continue our rankings of the best in the last decade, it’s time to look back at the best single-season performances from players in the 2000s.
We’re going for the total stats picture, and not just one facet (goals, for example). Looking back at the last 10 years, there have been some awesome performances, but only a few that cracked the NHL record book in a significant way.
Some criteria to keep in mind: This is a regular-season list. History matters, as far as records and awards. So does context, when considering where that particular season falls in with a players’ career. The differences between the NHL before and after the lockout should be kept in mind in a grain-of-salt way, although they’re not a primary consideration here. Oh, and if your favorite forward isn’t here, it’s because we tried to make room for defensemen and goalies.
Jaromir Jagr’s 2005-06 season is on this list at No. 10, when he posted 54 goals and 123 points.He had the Art Ross Trophy lead until the last game of the season when San Jose Sharks’ forward Joe Thornton took over and won the scoring crown.
Click here for more.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: NHL, Puck+Daddy,
Taboo
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/03/09 at 10:21 AM ET
Comments (2)
From Justin Bourne of USA Today:
The lack of a homosexual presence in hockey must mean one of two things: either homosexual men don’t play the game or they don’t feel comfortable admitting it — in which case I, and my brethren, were offending some teammates with our close-mindedness, and furthering what must have been unsettled feelings of fear and general exclusion.
For us as a culture, that means another two things. That either we need scientists doing research on professional hockey players ASAP, because apparently there’s a link between our sport and sexuality. Or, much more realistically, we need to alter the culture of hockey, because homosexuals are being forced to play entire careers masquerading as people they’re not.
As many times as I used these slurs, I heard it back tenfold. As well as I fit in behind the doors of a dressing room, I had pursuits that made me seem different. I kept a journal while I played. I’m into piano music and reading. In the hockey world, that’s your basic formula for eliciting more comments about sexual orientation than acting in “Rent.” It’s always the first shot fired.
Hockey culture is something I’ve known and loved, but I’m not oblivious to the disconnect between how players and coaches act behind that dressing room door and how society expects them to act in public. Since we have to change something about how we act and what we say when we leave the team room, we’re probably acting improperly in the first place. And during my playing days, I was aware that was the case.
Click here for more.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Justin+Bourne, NHL,
Check it Out: Great E-Magazine NHL Preview
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/10/09 at 01:58 PM ET
Comments (3)
Good afternoon New York Ranger fans. As you know by now, I’ve been linking to PuckCentral.net because of his great posts on both the New York Rangers and the NHL in general.
Yesterday, PuckCentral.net linked to a great E-zine NHL Preview by Corey Wilkins, which I would suggest reading as it is extremely in-depth, well written and timely.
Click here for more.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: NHL,
Thoughts on The No-Trade Clause
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/09/09 at 12:04 PM ET
Comments (0)
From Jay Feaster at The Hockey News:
Article 11.8 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NHL and NHLPA permits “individually negotiated limitations on player movement,” better known as no trade/no movement clauses.
The first time I agreed to such a provision was the summer of 2005 following the lockout. Martin St-Louis and Dan Boyle re-signed with the Lightning and I capitulated on no trade clauses. Brad Richards received my first no movement clause a year later.
While I had sound reasons for agreeing to those provisions at the time, I also had a nagging discomfort I was violating my bedrock management principle: Organizations have success only when all involved stick to their own tasks and do not overreach.
I believe success is possible when owners own, managers manage, coaches coach and players play. Overreach in any area – such as when owners solicit the input of players about signings or who the player would like to play with, or when players decide they know more than the coach and don’t need to play his system – and you create an environment in which success may not be impossible, but will be inherently more difficult.
The no trade/no movement clauses are perfect examples of overreaching. While GMs may have great reasons for agreeing to them at the time, in short order they find their hands tied and options limited.
Click here for more. Pretty interesting perspective from a former NHL GM!
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: NHL,
A Satire on Potential Candidates for NHLPA Executive Director Job Opening
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/09/09 at 10:13 AM ET
Comments (0)
From Mark Spector at Sportsnet.ca:
Kelly was a good man, the right man for the job, and the result of a extensive search only two years ago that actually made the NHLPA look like a pragmatic, intelligently run organization. But Eric Lindros, Ian Penny, union hard-ass Buzz Hargrove and their cohorts made short work of that impression.
The players are back to looking like they have no clue.
Most interesting candidates
Personally, we’re stumping for the Bonnie Lindros as Executive Director campaign. She could run the NHLPA the way she ran the Flyers back when Eric was in town.
Or, how about The Most Interesting Man In The World?
“I don’t always negotiate escrow percentages, but when I do…”
Click here for more. Again folks, this is not meant to be taken seriously but is instead, a look at how ridiculous things have gotten for the NHL and NHLPA.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: NHL, NHLPA,
Not a Lack of Feel Bad Stories in Hockey
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/08/09 at 11:12 PM ET
Comments (0)
With recent hockey talk surrounding the issues of the Phoenix Coyotes and the NHLPA, Stu Hackel of The New York Times Slapshot blog dug into all of them today on his blog:
Always nice to have these feel-good stories around…because hockey certainly doesn’t lack for the feel-bad ones.
Jim Kelley of SportsIllustrated.com surveyed the N.H.L.’s big picture late last week and — between the Phoenix bankruptcy creature and all its related tentacles to N.H.L.P.A.’s beheading of Executive Director Paul Kelly — he wrote, “The league seems constantly engaged in a series of epic, insane battles.” And Kelley added to that series one that has not gotten nearly the same amount of attention — Steven Walkom’s resignation as the league’s director of officiating (a position that was filled on Tuesday by the hiring of Terry Gregson). It’s the most overlooked story of the summer.
Click here for more.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: NHL, NHLPA, Phoenix+Coyotes,
A Twitter-esque NHL Preview
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/08/09 at 11:00 PM ET
Comments (0)
Scotty Wazz, a good friend of the blog and host of the Face-Off Hockey Show, is a pretty creative dude and decided to do an NHL Preview in a Twitter-like fashion:
You can read any season preview out there for the in-depth analysis and what each team could do, how they’ll do it, and what they need to do in order to get there-- but as you know and as I’ve stated-- I’m lazy and a hack. So, what better way to do that than to use the newest new media craze and apply it to season previews. That’s right, I’ll sum up each teams season preview in 140 characters or less in these Twitter previews. Thanks to the help of TweetDeck, I’ll make sure it’s just right, team name excluded. And if you so please, you can follow me on the Twitter by clicking here.
ANAHEIM DUCKS: Hiller and Giguere will need to be their best with Pronger gone. Getzlaf, Ryan and Perry will get assistance from Koivu up-front
ATLANTA THRASHERS: Everyone will need to be in top-form if they want to keep Kovalchuk beyond this year. I’m looking at you Kari Lehtonen.
BOSTON BRUINS: If Thomas and Chara and keep on top of their award winning best, odds are the Bruins will be playing in June with or without Kessel
BUFFALO SABRES: Vanek was a big time player and, along with Miller, will have to keep on top of their games in order to get into the second season.
Click here for more from the great Scotty Wazz.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: NHL,
The Wave of the Future
by Patrick Hoffman on 08/23/09 at 07:11 PM ET
Comments (0)
From Sam McCaig of The Hockey News:
1. Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay, 19
OK, maybe the Bolts’ jolt of a center was mistakenly overlooked in the Yearbook list. Hey, it happens. Sorry, Steven. Just go out and play a full season this year like the way you played in the second half of 2008-09 and you’ll never be overlooked again. Promise.2. Bryan Little, Atlanta, 21
After six goals in an abbreviated 48-game rookie season in ‘07-08, Little scored the quietest 31 goals in the league as an NHL sophomore last season. Translation: Don’t give up on Atlanta, even if they ultimately lose Ilya Kovalchuk to the trade deadline or unrestricted free agency.3. Luke Schenn, Toronto, 19
A hard-rock, stay-at-home defenseman – and who knows, he might even add a little offense once he becomes more comfortable in the NHL. He was solid from Day 1 and is a pillar around which the Maple Leafs will build.
Click here for more.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: NHL,
Hockey Belongs in the Winter Olympics
by Patrick Hoffman on 08/19/09 at 12:02 PM ET
Comments (9)
From Mick Kern at XM NHL Home Ice:
Still, the sport of hockey belongs in the Winter Olympics, because, well, because it’s a winter sport, despite the effort of the NHL to push the Stanley Cup Final into July.
So when Toronto Maple Leafs’ GM and all-around blustery guy Brian Burke mentions that he’d like to see hockey moved to the Summer Olympics, it makes me take off my weathered Kansas City Royals cap and scratch my head.
Why?
The men’s gold medal game is arguably the centrepoint of the entire two-week sporting orgy. At the very least, it is the winter equivalent of the men’s marathon; it’s the big bang that ends the Games. To rip it from its rightful place, and plunk it down in the midst of the Summer Games would be almost as stupid as signing Colton Orr to a contract.
Click here for more.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: 2010+Winter+Olympics, NHL,
Bad Boys of Hockey
by Patrick Hoffman on 08/17/09 at 04:09 PM ET
Comments (0)
From MSG.com:
Bad Boys of Hockey: Theo Fleury (1 of 25)
At just 5-foot-6, Fleury wasn’t afraid to tangle with the biggest tough guys on the ice, while battles with substance abuse plagued him off it.
Click here for descriptions and photos of MSG’s look at the bad boys of hockey.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: NHL,
Mid-Summer Power Rankings from MaxHockey.com
by Patrick Hoffman on 08/16/09 at 05:07 PM ET
Comments (7)
From Zachary Weinstock at MaxHockey.com:
Taking into consideration all of the offseason moves to date; here are the mid-summer Maxhockey.com Power Rankings. Many surprises are present including the St. Louis Blues rise to #5 and the Tampa Bay Lightning at #7.
Click here for more. Zachary has the Blueshirts at 15th, which would at least put us the team the playoffs.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: New+York+Rangers, NHL,
What A Difference a Year Makes
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/16/09 at 09:15 AM ET
Comments (0)
It’s amazing how much things change over the course of a year in the National Hockey League. A perfect example of this would be the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens, who will meet tonight for Game one of the first round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
About a year ago, these teams met in the first round of the playoffs but compared to this season, the roles were reversed as the Bruins now have the No. 1 seed while the Habs have the No. 8 seed. That’s not the only difference:
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Alex+Kovalev, Bob+Gainey, Boston+Bruins, Carey+Price, Guy+Carbonneau, Montreal+Canadiens, NHL, Phil+Kessel, Tim+Thomas,
A Promising Career on Shattenkirk’s Plate
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/24/09 at 09:25 PM ET
Comments (0)
It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to interview an NHL prospect who played for Team USA in the World Juniors and is one of the top college hockey players for the Boston University Terriers.
I was lucky to have the opportunity to do an e-mail interview with Kevin Shattenkirk, a 19-year-old defenseman who was selected 14th overall by the Colorado Avalanche. Shattenkirk is one of the club’s top prospects who skates extremely well and knows how to move the puck.
Hopefully, the Avalanche will get to see Shattenkirk up close in the near future. Enjoy:
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Beanpot, Boston+University+Terriers, Colorado+Avalanche, John+Michael+Liles, Jordan+Leopold, Kevin+Shattenkirk, NHL, Team+USA,
It had to be said
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/26/09 at 09:45 PM ET
Comments (8)
We all know what happened regarding the NHL’s suspensions of a few Detroit Red Wings’ skaters due to skipping out on the All-Star game.
However, Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo’s Puck Daddy Blog wrote a great blog on why marketing our sport and the National Hockey League is more important than having a few Wings’ players suspended for a game.
Check it out here!
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Detroit+Red+Wings+Greg+Wyshynski, NHL, Puck+Daddy, Yahoo,
An Interview with an NHL Employee
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/07/08 at 04:30 PM ET
Comments (2)
Instead of talking about how the New York Rangers were able to beat a tough Pittsburgh Penguins team on Wednesday and lose to a team that was struggling to score goals on Thursday night (Montreal Canadiens), I am going to share an interview I did with Michael DiLorenzo, the NHL’s Director of Corporate Communications.
Mr. DiLorenzo was kind enough to take time out of his very busy schedule to talk to us about how he got into the sport, his role with the NHL, a look at the league’s marketing/promotion efforts, as well as his Stanley Cup Finals predictions.
Don’t worry, I’ll be back to discussing all things Rangers hockey soon but figured I’d give you guys something to enjoy before tonight’s game against the Calgary Flames.
Let’s hear your comments!
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Bobby+Brooke, Boston+Bruins, Brad+Parl, Calgary+Flames, Detroit+Red+Wings, Michael+DiLorenzo, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, NHL, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
