Kukla's Korner

Top Five Norris Trophy Candidates

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/08/12 at 11:23 AM ET | Comments (0)

from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

The Norris Trophy race clearly appears to be a two-man affair and, quite honestly, either player at this point is fully deserving. Let’s take a look at our Norris candidates:

5. Dan Girardi, New York Rangers
Leads all NHLers in ice time per game and helps spearhead the stingiest defensive record in the Eastern Conference. He’s much deserving of Norris consideration.

4. Alexander Edler, Vancouver Canucks
Second in the league among points by defenseman as of Wednesday morning with 37 (7-30), I chuckled when a player turned to me during All-Star Weekend in Ottawa and remarked he had no idea how good this Edler dude was until seeing him in person. Um, yeah.

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KHL Still No Serious Threat to NHL.

Blog: Puckin' Around With Spector By Lyle Richardson

02/08/12 at 11:10 AM ET | Comments (0)

When the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) was founded in 2008, more than a few observers suggested it had the resources to not only retain the best Russian talent, but could also prove a viable rival to the National Hockey League for the world’s best players.

One reason for that belief was the presence of wealthy Russian investors, many of whom earned their fortunes via the country’s lucrative petroleum industry, making it possible for KHL teams to offer up competitive salaries to top free agent players.

Russian professional athletes also don’t to pay income tax on their salaries in their home country, which was also seen as another potential enticement.

It was also believed the KHL, born in part out of frustration over the NHL’s unwillingness to properly compensate Russian teams when their best young players were signed by NHL teams, would stand a better chance of retaining that young talent than the old Russian Super League.

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Filed in: | Puckin' Around With Spector | Permalink
  Tags: Jagr, KHL, NHL, Putin, Radulov,

Blue Jackets Extend Prospal

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/08/12 at 10:13 AM ET | Comments (3)

via Scott Howson tweet,

I am pleased to announce that we have signed Vinny Prospal to a 1 year contract extension.

Filed in: NHL Teams, Columbus Blue Jackets | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: Vinny+Prospal,

If Crosby Needs To Retire

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/08/12 at 10:07 AM ET | Comments (1)

from Rick Westhead of the Toronto Star,

NHL players still receive their paychecks if they’re forced out of the lineup with injuries sustained during games or practices. But off-ice insurance policies provide a financial cushion for players in case they are injured away from the rink.

Some teams have threatened to scuttle contracts if players get hurt during certain activities, such as mountain climbing or water skiing. Crosby’s around-the-clock policy covers him against any career-ending injuries.

Pat Brisson, Crosby’s agent, confirmed the Penguins captain has insurance coverage, but he declined to confirm the value of his policy. A source familiar with the matter confirmed the policy is worth about $20 million.

Crosby, who is making $9 million this season and $7.5 million next year, would only be able to cash in the policy if he retires permanently from the NHL.

It’s possible that he could retire and collect from his insurance company and later return to hockey. Crosby would first need to repay his insurance payout.

If Crosby collects a massive insurance payout, it could have a ripple effect across all pro sports leagues. Several insurance industry executives say it would dwarf any other NHL-related payout.

read on

Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: Sidney+Crosby,

Morning Line

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/08/12 at 09:42 AM ET | Comments (0)

“We’re past the point where we have to start getting a win.  It seems like any little mistake is costing us right now.

‘‘That’s kind of the way it goes when you’re on a losing streak. You’re not getting the bounces. You look at [Kyle Quincey’s] empty-net goal. They throw it off the boards, it ricochets off the penalty box and then it goes in the net.”

Duncan Keith, of the Chicago Blackhawks after losing their 6th straight last night.  More from Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times.

added 9:51am,

There are some issues going on in Chicago. Some chemistry issues. Stay tuned.

-Adrian Dater of All Things Avs.

Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: Duncan+Keith,

Jets score more than once, win game (!)

Blog: Benny and the Jets By BMS

02/08/12 at 09:22 AM ET | Comments (0)

Finally back in their own barn, the Winnipeg Jets broke the Toronto Maple Leafs’ five-game winning streak with a hard-fought 2-1 win in a game that had many a momentum shift. At times the Leafs rolled into the Jets’ zone with ease, blowing past pinching/flat-footed defenders, while at other times the Jets handled Toronto’s finest with ease.

Phil Kessel started the scoring off by grabbing a nicely banked pass from Joffray Lupul, skating across the Jets’ defensive zone and blasting a wrister past Ondrej Pavelec for his 30th goal of the year. I don’t get a chance to watch Kessel all that much, but man did he look good out there.

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Filed in: Winnipeg Jets | Benny and the Jets | Permalink
  Tags: Florida+Panthers, Ottawa+Senators, Toronto+Maple+Leafs, Washington+Capitals,

GDT - Game #55:  Red Wings host Oilers (7:30)

Blog: Abel to Yzerman By Jeff OKWingnut

02/08/12 at 07:43 AM ET | Comments (7)

There’s no place like home for DET (35-17-2).  The Wings look to reach 18 consecutive home wins tonight, it is the league’s longest home win streak in nearly 36 years. The Wings sparkling 20-2-1 home record is due in large part to their blistering home scoring, they are averaging a whopping 3.83 goals per game at JLA, as opposed to only 2.52 goals per game on the road. And the good news is that DET finish their schedule with 18 of their remaining 28 games at the Joe, and tonights tilt with the Oil (21-27-5) starts a 6 game home stand for the club.

The Wings will be looking for a little payback against the Oil after dropping last Saturdays game, 4-5, at EDM in the shootout.  Tonights tilt shouldn’t be too much trouble as the Oil are a league worst 6-19-2 on the road.  However, the Oil’s 22.0% PP (2) against the Wings gawd-awful 80.0% PK (25) will likely keep things closer than they should be.

LGRW

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Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
 

Red Wings-Oilers set-up, Winter Classic and trade talk, and overnight report…report

Blog: The Malik Report By George Malik

02/08/12 at 06:09 AM ET | Comments (6)

After the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents engages in a little power play to determine the parameters of what will become the hardest 110,000-seat “rink’s” tickets to land in sports history (see: season-ticket holders, sponsors and bigwigs receiving the right to buy dozens of tickets before the general public gets the opportunity to land what will probably be $100-plus-on-average bleacher seats), the Detroit Red Wings will attempt to break a two-game losing streak and avenge Saturday night’s 5-4 shootout loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

With their lead over the Canucks, Predators and Blues trimmed to one, two and two points, respectively via a 4-3 Canucks shootout win over said Predators, the Red Wings will attempt to keep the good home-ice times rolling against Edmonton as the teams tangle at Joe Louis Arena tonight (7:30 PM EST, FSD/TSN/97.1 FM, with Stoney and Wojo reunited and on-site at the Joe prior to the game).

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Filed in: | The Malik Report | Permalink
 

Malkin, Luongo dazzle during Tuesday’s action

Blog: KK Hockey By George Malik

02/08/12 at 03:22 AM ET | Comments (0)

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Pittsburgh penguins 3-2 in a shootout on Tuesday, but Evgeni Malkin did his best to keep the Penguins in the special teams competition via a spectacular spin-o-rama goal…

And Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo make and equally spectacular save during his team’s 4-3 shootout win over the Nashville Predators, this time during regulation time:

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St. James: Red Wings’ Jimmy Howard might return ‘early,’ Cleary may have knee issues addressed

Blog: The Malik Report By George Malik

02/08/12 at 03:15 AM ET | Comments (2)

Here’s a middle-of-the-night update worth sharing: According to the Detroit Free Press’s Helene St. James, Red Wings GM Ken Holland stated on Tuesday evening that Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard—who the press continues to incorrectly report as either having a broken pinky or as being out for 4-6 weeks—could start practicing with the team after he visits a hand specialist today, but the team might lose Danny Cleary’s services when he sees an orthopedist to address the buildup of fluid in his left knee, depending on the treatment he receives:

Goalie Jimmy Howard will visit a hand specialist today, general manager Ken Holland said. Howard suffered a small fracture to his right index finger Thursday at Vancouver when he was hit by a puck, but the injury never was considered serious, and Holland didn’t rule out Howard returning by Friday (vs. Ducks) or Sunday (vs. Flyers).

“If the doctor tells him today he can practice, and he can get his equipment worked out, we think he’ll be ready to play very soon,” Holland said.

For Howard, it’s all about pain tolerance: he can’t re-injure his index finger, which yes, will take 4-6 weeks to heal, but as soon as he can deal with the “thud” of pucks hitting his goal stick and the vibrations and reverberations involved when he shoots pucks, and as soon as he gets a few practices in, he will be able to play (which means that the Wings don’t necessarily have to panic on the trade front).

And Danny Cleary? Well, St. James reports that if his left knee’s drained and he gets an OK from his doctor, he could play tonight against Edmonton, but he could also miss a week if he needs cortisone and/or Synvisc injections to battle arthritis. As Cleary’s also had to deal with some particularly gruesome groin injuries, he needs to have that knee drained as quickly as possible lest it starts to pull upon his groin muscles:

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Filed in: | The Malik Report | Permalink
 

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