Thursday's Links

[Yahoo! Puck Daddy] As a part of Greg Wyshynski's best and worst of this decade, he unveils the top 10 upsets in hockey during the past 10 years! Hard to argue with this list, but one upset he failed to mention was Switzerland's 2-0 win over Canada in the Olympics in 2006. Check it out!

[SI.com] Seven stealth impact people... Michael Farber has an interesting over at SI, sharing his list of seven people who make their teams better (and they are not all players).

[TSN] Forbes names Toronto most valuable team... This is always an interesting list revealed every year. Philadelphia is the only non-Original Six team in the top seven...

[SI.com] Allan Muir takes a look at next year's top draft prospects... great article!

[SB Nation] Are the Jackets really going to leave Columbus??... 'Fire the Cannon' has a good in-depth view at the Blue Jackets' situation in Columbus. I really hope they don't move... I've been to that arena and it's beautiful and great for hockey. The fans need to start showing up, though!

[ESPN.com] Pierre LeBrun takes a look at player safety, and suggests the league needs to have safer helmets.

[PredsOnTheGlass] Buddy over at POTG has a good preview for tonight's Preds/Blues game. My prediction?? 3-2 Predators in overtime...

[The Hockey Writers] Ben at THW has a great piece on this year's Hall of Fame class... solid read!

[AOL FanHouse] A couple days ago, Bruce Ciskie & Christopher Botta analyzed the Hurricanes' losing streak, and what they can do to turn it around. The streak is now at 13 after last night.

Morning Skate: November 12

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Sabres 3, Oilers 1
Kings 5, Hurricanes 2
Devils 3, Ducks 1
Capitals 5, Islanders 4 (SO)
Red Wings 9, Blue Jackets 1
Blackhawks 3, Avalanche 2 (SO)
Predictions record: 6-0

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Niklas Kronwall, DET (2 Goals, 1 Assists)
Kronwall helped lead the Wings to a huge win with 3 points.
2. Ryan Miller, BUF (28 Saves, 1 GA)
Edmonton couldn’t find a way to beat Miller in the 3rd, as he came up large when it counted.
3. Alexander Semin, WSH (2 Goals, SO Goal)
Semin's pair of goals (plus a shootout tally) helped the Caps solve the Islanders.
Dud of the Night:
Columbus Blue Jackets… Giving up nine goals in a game is horrific to say the least. But to have it happen on home-ice against a division foe is even worse! Steve Mason gave up eight goals in the loss as his sophomore slump continues. It’s safe to say Ken Hitchcock’s 1,000th game was, well, a disappointment.
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Senators @ Flyers, 7:00 ET
Thrashers @ Rangers, 7:00
Panthers @ Bruins, 7:00
Devils @ Penguins, 7:30
Canucks @ Red Wings, 7:30
Wild @ Lightning, 7:30
Predators @ Blues, 8:00
Canadiens @ Coyotes, 9:00
Stars @ Sharks, 10:30

Games of the Night:
Ottawa Senators @ Philadelphia Flyers
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Senators (8-5-2) … Flyers (9-4-1)
Last Ten: Senators (5-3-2) … Flyers (6-3-1)
Away/Home: Senators (3-2-0) … Flyers (6-2-1)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
OTT- Milan Michalek
The Sens will need Michalek’s speed & skill to pull out a win.
PHI- Ray Emery
Who else would it be!? How will he play against former ‘mates??

Projected Goaltenders:
OTT- Pascal Leclaire (09/10 stats: 6-4-1, 2.71 GAA)
PHI- Ray Emery (09/10 stats: 9-3-1, 2.27 GAA)

Injury Report:
OTT- Anton Volchenkov (elbow, out)
PHI- Danny Briere (quad, out), Simon Gagne (hernia, out), James van Riemsdyk (finger, probable), Ryan Parent (groin, doubtful), O-K Tollefsen (concussion, out)

Game Thoughts:
This very well may be the headline game tonight as Emery goes toe-to-toe with the team he internally destroyed a couple years ago. I have a feeling he’s going to put together a stellar effort. Ottawa won 3 of 4 from Philly last year, but is a tricky team to figure out this season. I like Philly by two…
Prediction: Flyers 4, Senators 2
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New Jersey Devils @ Pittsburgh Penguins
7:30 ET… TV: NHL Net. (US), Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Devils (12-4-0) … Penguins (12-6-0)
Last Ten: Devils (9-1-0) … Penguins (5-5-0)
Away/Home: Devils (8-0-0) … Penguins (5-3-0)
Season Series: 1-0 Devils

Players to watch:
NJ- Zach Parise
Parise is on a tear right now, and had 2 points the last time these two met.
PIT- Sidney Crosby
He’s gone 5 straight games without a point… will that streak stop here??

Projected Goaltenders:
NJ- Martin Brodeur (Last night vs. ANA: 31 Saves, 1 GA)
PIT- Marc-Andre Fleury (09/10 stats: 10-5-0, 2.49 GAA)

Injury Report:
NJ- Johnny Oduya (lower body, out), Paul Martin (arm, out), Jay Pandolfo (shoulder, out), Dean McAmmond (illness, doubtful)
PIT- Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Max Talbot (shoulder, out), Sergei Gonchar (wrist, out), Tyler Kennedy (groin, questionable), Brooks Orpik (hip, questionable)

Game Thoughts:
The Devils are the hottest team in the East right now with six straight wins, and won last night against Anaheim. Pittsburgh has gone 7-plus periods without scoring, so you figure they’re due! You also know the Devils are going to lose on the road at some point. I think it ends tonight, as the Pens eek out a ‘W’.
Prediction: Penguins 2, Devils 1 (SO)
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Vancouver Canucks @ Detroit Red Wings
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Canucks (10-9-0) … Red Wings (8-5-3)
Last Ten: Canucks (6-4-0) … Red Wings (5-2-3)
Away/Home: Canucks (3-7-0) … Red Wings (5-1-1)
Season Series: 1-0 Red Wings

Players to watch:
VAN- Mikael Samuelsson
Samuelsson returns to Detroit with 8 goals and 14 points this season.
DET- Pavel Datsyuk
He had a 2-point effort last night in Columbus, and had 3 points in Vancouver a few weeks ago.

Projected Goaltenders:
VAN- Roberto Luongo (09/10 stats: 6-6-0, 2.80 GAA)
DET- Chris Osgood (09/10 stats: 6-3-2, 2.77 GAA)

Injury Report:
VAN- Daniel Sedin (foot, doubtful), Pavol Demitra (shoulder, out), Michael Grabner (ankle, out), Jannik Hansen (hand, out), Alexandre Bolduc (shoulder, out)
DET- Johan Franzen (knee, out), Valterri Filppula (wrist, out), Jason Williams (leg, out), Andreas Lilja (head, out)

Game Thoughts:
Both clubs come into this one receiving the opposite end of blowouts. Detroit took Columbus behind the woodshed, while Vancouver left St. Louis dazed and confused on Tuesday. The Canucks are also looking a bit of payback from last month’s close loss to the Wings. Nine goals is a lot, and to score a few more the next night may be too tall of a task. I like the Canucks in a mild upset.
Prediction: Canucks 3, Red Wings 2

The rest of tonight’s predictions:
Rangers over Thrashers
Bruins over Panthers
Lightning over Wild
Predators over Blues
Coyotes over Canadiens
Sharks over Stars

You can follow the Red Light District on Twitter @RLDhockey!

Sid needs Geno more than Geno needs Sid

I’ve never been a big NBA fan, and don’t have any plans to change that anytime soon. But I followed it just enough a few years back to understand what Shaq and Kobe equally meant to the Los Angeles Lakers. Whenever Kobe was hurt, Shaq could carry the team. When Shaq wasn’t in the lineup, the team struggled even with Kobe. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin may be headed in that same direction.

When Malkin went down a couple weeks ago with his shoulder injury, I didn’t think it would hurt the Penguins too much since Crosby could presumably carry the load. He’s done anything but as the Pens are 2-4 without ‘Geno, and have not scored in the last 7-plus periods. This team does have other injuries… like Sergei Gonchar and Tyler Kennedy among others. But it’s become apparent over these last few games that Sid needs Geno more than the other way around.

When Crosby suffered a high-ankle sprain in the 2007/08 season, Malkin impressively stepped up in the following 21 games. He racked up 36 points in that span, and vaulted himself to the top of the Hart Trophy race (along with Ovechkin). The Pens didn’t even have Fleury in net (they had the elite goaltending duo of Ty Conklin and Dany Sabourin at that time). With ‘Geno carrying the load, the Pens went 11-6-4 and they kept pace with the rest of the league.

Malkin has only been out for six games… but Crosby has just two points, and has gone five straight games without a point (the longest drought in his career). The offense is virtually inept, causing Dan Bylsma to shake up the line combinations, and came up empty last night in Boston. The power play is 0-for-23 without #71…

Luckily for the Pens, Malkin will be returning within the next week or so, limiting the damage that could be done to this team in the standings. It has become very evident that Malkin is more valuable to the Pens than Crosby… yes, I said it.

(sorry for the NBA reference)

Team USA prediction

Today is Veteran’s Day in the U.S., and before I start, I would like to say thank you to all of the current and former troops out there. They really don’t get enough credit for they do/did; hey make our lives a million times easier on a daily basis. Thank you!

Here was my first prediction on what Team USA could look like from the summer.

Now that we’re over a month into the season, we take another look at the team’s outlook for Vancouver. January 1st is going to be here before we know it, and that’s when GM Brian Burke will announce his roster. Without further ado, here is who I would include on Team USA this February…

Forwards (12)
Patrick Kane
Zach Parise
Paul Stastny
Bobby Ryan
Dustin Brown
Scott Gomez
Phil Kessel
Ryan Kesler
Kyle Okposo
Ryan Malone
Joe Pavelski
Dustin Byfuglien

With the line combos looking like this…
Parise/Stastny/Kane
Ryan/Kesler/Brown
Okposo/Gomez/Kessel
Malone/Pavelski/Byfuglien

Defensemen (6)
Brian Rafalski
Erik Johnson
Ryan Suter
Brooks Orpik
Tom Gilbert
Mike Komisarek

Goalies (2)
Ryan Miller
Tim Thomas

Spares (3)
G Craig Anderson
D Ryan Whitney
F David Backes

Notable Omissions:
C. Drury, D. Booth, M. Modano, J. van Riemsdyk, T. Oshie, J. Langenbrunner, R. Scuderi, J. Johnson, J. Quick

Olympics Outlook:
Canada, Russia, Sweden, and Finland are all better than that team you see above, and there’s nothing the U.S. can do about it. This team has a lot of potential now and in the future, and it won’t be a surprise they come really close to getting a medal. Medal or not, one thing is for sure… these guys will compete very hard and won’t back down.

Morning Skate: November 11

Happy Veteran's Day! Thank you to all the current and former soldiers out there...


The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Bruins 3, Penguins 0
Wild 5, Maple Leafs 2
Flames 1, Canadiens 0
Senators 4, Oilers 3 (SO)
Blues 6, Canucks 1
Sharks 4, Predators 3
Predictions record: 3-3

My 3 stars from last night:
1. David Perron, STL (3 Goals)
Perron tricked the Canucks in the Blues’ 6-1 redemption win.
2. Miikka Kiprusoff, CGY (25 Saves, Shutout)
‘Kipper’ had to hold onto a one-goal most of the way, and withstood any pressure the Habs threw at him.
3. Tim Thomas, BOS (27 Saves, Shutout)
Thomas picked up his 2nd shutout of the year in a win against Pittsburgh.
Dud of the Night:
Dan Ellis… Why Ellis started two straight as the ‘backup’, I don’t have a clue. He played well for 54 minutes, but let in two softies that delivered the Preds a crushing loss. The game-winner came with just under a minute left, and it was a shot that all goalies on this planet should be able to stop. It happens to all net-minders, but c’mon, Dan…
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Oilers @ Sabres, 7:00 ET
Kings @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Ducks @ Devils, 7:00
Islanders @ Capitals, 7:00
Red Wings @ Blue Jackets, 7:00
Avalanche @ Blackhawks, 8:30

Games of the Night:
Detroit Red Wings @ Columbus Blue Jackets
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Red Wings (7-5-3) … Blue Jackets (9-5-2)
Last Ten: Red Wings (5-2-3) … Blue Jackets (4-4-2)
Away/Home: Red Wings (2-4-2) … Blue Jackets (4-1-2)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
DET- Nicklas Lidstrom
Mr. Norris hasn’t been great offensively this season, but has two straight games with a helper.
CBJ- Derick Brassard
He has been streaky this year, with two separate four-game point streaks.

Projected Goaltenders:
DET- Chris Osgood (09/10 stats: 6-3-2, 2.77 GAA)
CBJ- Steve Mason (09/10 stats: 7-4-2, 3.27 GAA)

Injury Report:
DET- Johan Franzen (knee, out), Valterri Filppula (wrist, out), Jason Williams (leg, out), Patrick Eaves (foot, probable), Brett Lebda (illness, questionable), Brad May (eye, questionable), Andreas Lilja (head, out)
CBJ- Kristian Huselius (upper body, out), Kris Russell (illness, questionable), Fredrik Modin (knee, out), Andrew Murray (shoulder, out), Michael Blunden (upper body, questionable)

Game Thoughts:
Heading into a playoff rematch from a year ago, the Jackets have been playing pretty well over the last couple weeks, while Detroit is coming off a 5-1 beat-down courtesy of the Leafs. Will the Wings respond with a win?? It’s a good bet. Columbus will be looking to separate itself a bit from Detroit in the standings, but Babcock won’t let it happen.
Prediction: Red Wings 4, Blue Jackets 2
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Colorado Avalanche @ Chicago Blackhawks
8:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Avalanche (12-4-2) … Blackhawks (9-5-2)
Last Ten: Avalanche (6-3-1) … Blackhawks (6-4-0)
Away/Home: Avalanche (6-3-2) … Blackhawks (7-2-1)
Season Series: 1-0-1 Blackhawks

Players to watch:
COL- Kyle Quincey
Quincey is a bit of an x-factor, as the Avs will need him to play a strong two-way game.
CHI- Jonathan Toews
Toews returned to action on Monday and scored a big 3rd period goal.

Projected Goaltenders:
COL- Craig Anderson (09/10 stats: 11-4-2, 2.32 GAA)
CHI- Cristobal Huet (09/10 stats: 6-4-1, 2.24 GAA)

Injury Report:
CHI- Dave Bolland (back, out), Marian Hossa (shoulder, out), Adam Burish (knee, out)
COL- John-Michael Liles (shoulder, questionable), Milan Hejduk (back, questionable), T.J. Galiardi (ankle, out), Darcy Tucker (concussion, questionable), Ruslan Salei (back, out), Tom Preissing (ankle, questionable)

Game Thoughts:
Last Friday, the Avs and ‘Hawks went toe-to-toe in an eight-round shootout affair, with Joe Sacco’s club coming out on top. I think Chicago will have a bit of revenge on their minds. They had a really win against the Kings on Monday, and Colorado may be hitting a bit of a wall. I really like the Blackhawks here…
Prediction: Blackhawks 3, Avalanche 1

The rest of tonight’s predictions:
Sabres over Oilers
Kings over Hurricanes
Devils over Ducks
Capitals over Islanders

You can follow the Red Light District on Twitter @RLDhockey!

Top 5 things the NHL needs to change

Starting today, the NHL’s GM Meetings will take place in Toronto. Amongst the things on their agenda to discuss, the trapezoid and head-shots will be hot topics. If I were to have a say in these meetings, here are five things that I would request to be changed…

1. Make suspensions more consistent
I realize there’s no good or perfect way to do this… but the league must find a way to set more of a precedent for suspensions. Mike Richards didn’t face any discipline for his hit on David Booth, but Curtis Glencross was suspended three games for a similar hit on Chris Drury. The only difference between the two was that Drury wasn’t near the puck, and Booth had just passed the puck. And if you think this was controversial, just think back to last spring’s playoffs where an incident came up almost every night. Colin Campbell and the rest of the league have to be more consistent with the suspensions that they do and don’t hand out.

2. Do something with the instigator
Referees were supposed to enforce the instigator rule more often this season, but that has failed to happen yet. What is my response?? Either take it out of the game for good, or truly enforce it more. Players can’t lay a big, clean hit anymore without someone responding by throwing off their gloves and whalin’ away. Those incidents deserve an instigator penalty. It is a silly penalty if it’s not going to be used properly.

3. Deny the ‘Ken Holland Contract’
That’s my name for it… you probably have something more clever or creative. Whatever it may be, the NHL needs to stop letting teams sign players to 10-12 year deals that dance around the salary cap. Wings GM Ken Holland started this new off-season ‘epidemic’ (for lack of a better word) by inking Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen to long-term deals that will see them earn around $1 million in the final years in the contract to bring down the cap hit. Chicago GM Dale Tallon followed it up by signing Marian Hossa to an outrageous 12-year deal. Danny Briere and Vincent Lecavalier have similar contracts. If you ask me, it’s a cheap way of doing business. You can’t even offer these kinds of contracts on a damn video game!

4. Erase the trapezoid
It doesn’t sound like this will happen this year because people around the league feel that the trapezoid has increased chances in the offensive zone. I feel differently, though. I’ve never been a fan of it since its existence, and it cuts down the skill-set of goalies like Marty Turco, Martin Brodeur, and Rick DiPietro, who have a great ability to play the puck outside of the crease. It also might be able to cut-down injuries to defensemen who play the puck. Hopefully the GM’s come closer to eliminating one of the new rules the league embarked during the lockout.

5. Grandfather-in visors
I’ve always believed the league should implement this ever since the Bryan Berard incident. For obvious safety reasons, visors should be grandfathered-in. Every rookie that comes into the NHL should wear one; current players who opt not to have one shouldn’t be forced to. It won’t entirely keep high sticks from entering the player’s eye area, but it will help the cause. Visors definitely help to keep the puck away from a players face, and there have been examples of it lately. Also, Andrew Ladd caught the toe-end of a skate to the eye area a few days, and luckily it wasn’t the blade that hit him. Because of it, Ladd now wears a visor… which may have eliminated this from happening in the first place. This is something I feel very strong of, and the league needs to implement it before we see another Berard-type injury.

Morning Skate: November 10

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Blackhawks 4, Kings 1
Predictions record: 1-0

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Troy Brouwer, CHI (1 Goal, 2 Assists)
Brouwer was a big factor in Chicago’s win over LA, and scored a nice deflection goal in the 3rd.
2. Duncan Keith, CHI (2 Assists)
Keith continues to have a career year (offensively) with a 2-point outing.
3. Jonathan Toews, CHI (1 Goal)
Captain Toews returned and scored a power play goal.
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Penguins @ Bruins, 7:00 ET
Wild @ Maple Leafs, 7:00
Flames @ Canadiens, 7:30
Oilers @ Senators, 7:30
Canucks @ Blues, 8:00
Predators @ Sharks, 10:30

Games of the Night:
Pittsburgh Penguins @ Boston Bruins
7:00 ET… TV: VERSUS, TSN

Records:
Overall: Penguins (12-5-0) … Bruins (7-7-2)
Last Ten: Penguins (6-4-0) … Bruins (4-4-2)
Away/Home: Penguins (7-2-0) … Bruins (5-4-1)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
PIT- Sidney Crosby
Crosby has no points in the last 4 games… he needs to change that tonight.
BOS- Marco Sturm
The goal-starved B’s need Sturm to start scoring more goals.

Projected Goaltenders:
PIT- Marc-Andre Fleury (09/10 stats: 10-4-0, 2.52 GAA)
BOS- Tim Thomas (09/10 stats: 4-6-1, 2.44 GAA)

Injury Report:
PIT- Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Max Talbot, and Ben Lovejoy (shoulder, out), Sergei Gonchar (wrist, out), Tyler Kennedy (groin, doubtful)
BOS- David Krejci and Michael Ryder (illness, questionable), Marc Savard (foot, out), Milan Lucic (finger, out)

Game Thoughts:
These two could have met in last year’s conference finals, but Scott Walker had other ideas. The Pens are really hurting going into Boston, who just got off the schnide with a win over Buffalo. In any other scenario, I’d say Pittsburgh would bounce back and win. Not with the injuries they have. Boston in a tight one…
Prediction: Bruins 3, Penguins 2
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Calgary Flames @ Montreal Canadiens
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Flames (10-4-1) … Canadiens (8-9-0)
Last Ten: Flames (6-3-1) … Canadiens (6-4-0)
Away/Home: Flames (4-1-1) … Canadiens (5-4-0)
Season Series: 1-0 Flames

Players to watch:
CGY- Jarome Iginla
November has been kind to ‘Iggy’ thus far... 4 goals in 3 games.
MTL- Scott Gomez
Not that it’s a surprise, but Gomez has not scored in the last 8 games.

Projected Goaltenders:
CGY- Miikka Kiprusoff (09/10 stats: 9-3-1, 2.68 GAA)
MTL- Jaroslav Halak (09/10 stats: 5-2-0, 2.85 GAA)

Injury Report:
CGY- None
MTL- Andrei Markov (ankle, out), Hal Gill (foot, out), Matt D’Agostini (concussion, out), Ryan O’Byrne (knee, out), Georges Laraque (back, out)

Game Thoughts:
This is a very tough game to pick. Calgary has been good recently, but they have lost in their last four visits to the Bell Centre. The Habs have been successful with Halak in net, and he’s expected to start tonight. Go with Montreal in overtime…
Prediction: Canadiens 4, Flames 3 (OT)

The rest of tonight’s predictions:
Maple Leafs over Wild
Senators over Oilers
Canucks over Blues
Sharks over Predators

You can follow the Red Light District on Twitter @RLDhockey!

Tuesday Morning Videos

The best videos of the week!

Time to give Lou his due...

Thanks to Chris from The Program for this!!!

Pre-game ceremonies are always fun....

What better way to start our partnership with Crash The Crease then talk about Lou Lamoriello. In 22 years with New Jersey (21 as a GM), all Lou has done is won 3 Stanley Cups and put the Devils on the map as a perennial contender every year. Even when it seems like they are done...New Jersey seems to find a way and that all starts with Lou.

Now the reality is Lou has not done everything right as General Manger of the Devils. No one is perfect. Everyone knows about the slightly less than average marketing department, YankeeNets, and oh the lack of a Plan B when Scott Niedermayer left town. However as a builder, Lou Lamoriello rates as one of the best ever when you come right down to it.

Do not discount the Devils scouting department as Lou built it from pretty much scratch in the late 1980's. David Conte has been Lou's right hand man as long as anyone can remember. Yet he stays loyal to Lou and New Jersey...even when offers do come in. Think of all the guys drafted in the Jersey system....in the Lamoriello era. Just some of the notables.....Brodeur, Niedermayer (Scott), Dowd, and so many others along with Zajac, Parise, and why not throw in guys like Bergfors and Greene as well.

Also do not forget that Lou made some shrewd deals in his day. The Scott Stevens case still may have singlehandedly been the GM's best move. As everyone knows, the St. Louis Blues tried to sign Brendan Shanahan anyway they could. There was one problem...they tried just a bit too early. The price the Blues had to pay was Stevens, several draft picks and money that seemed to keep coming up until the last couple years. If a team's fortunes ever got improved from one single move...it was this one.

Lou also brought in guys like Nieuwendyk, Richer, Claude Lemieux twice and so many others. Sure not all of his moves worked out but Lamoriello had a strange and curious way of getting things done. His moves at the deadline would not often be the most spectacular but they would generate some results. Amazing how sometimes less is more.

He even ran Team USA for a time and brought the program back some respectability. Now it is in the hands of Brian Burke (some cringe there) but Lamoriello laid down an excellent foundation for the program to prosper. If only they could ever find a goaltender like Mike Richter, they would be golden. Will it be Ryan Miller? Anything is possible but this USA team owes a lot to Lou Lamoriello.

Lamoriello even fought back against the NHL salary cap. Just when it seemed like the Devils were up against it...he fired off a trade that had NHL people screaming in anger especially when they were approved. Alex Koroyluk anyone??? It is not the first time that Lou ticked off the hockey establishment but also a reason why he earned this induction into the Hockey Hall Of Fame as a builder. He built up Providence College, the New Jersey Devils, and Team USA. Though I could never imagine him as a Commissioner of the league. He is the type of leader I would go to war with. Honest and never pulls any punches...that is Lou Lams in a nutshell.

Congratulations Lou Lamoriello on your induction tonight...you truly deserve your due!!

Power Rankings #6

1. San Jose Sharks (12-4-2), LW: 2
With their blowout victory over the Penguins, San Jose solidified itself as the team to beat in the NHL… yeah, that’s right.
2. Philadelphia Flyers (9-4-1), LW: 6
The Flyers had a big week, including a decisive win in Buffalo. Rookie James van Riemsdyk has been stellar thus far, with 14 points in 12 games.
3. New Jersey Devils (11-4-0), LW: 8
Martin Brodeur & company continue to amaze with an 8-0 record away from home. They have a big slate coming up, including games against the Pens and Caps.
4. Calgary Flames (10-4-1), LW: 12
Brent Sutter’s crew showed their resiliency on the road, and handled the Rangers. They make a northeastern swing this week.
5. Washington Capitals (10-3-4), LW: 5
The Caps proved they can take care of the Panthers, but can they survive another few weeks without ‘The Great Eight’??
6. Colorado Avalanche (12-4-2), LW: 3
Are there signs that the Avs could fall back to earth?? Craig Anderson hasn’t played too well this month, and they’ve gotten in an early hole in the last two home games.
7. Los Angeles Kings (10-5-2), LW: 13
Despite a tough loss to Nashville, Terry Murray’s gang proved they belong with the big boys with vital victories over Phoenix and Pittsburgh.
8. Pittsburgh Penguins (12-5-0), LW: 1
Is this just a bump in the road, or are these recent losses warning signs that Sid can’t do it all by himself?? Note: the Pens have been outscored 9-0 in the last four periods.
9. Vancouver Canucks (10-8-0), LW: 11
Daniel Sedin and Roberto Luongo are on the mend, and will likely return sometime this week. They’ll join a team that is surprisingly on a roll without them.
10. Phoenix Coyotes (10-7-0), LW: 4
The ‘Yotes failed their exam this week against four different conference foes. Their next three are at home… can they rebound??
11. Chicago Blackhawks (8-5-2), LW: 7
Chicago unimpressively lost back-to-back games out west. This team has struggled offensively without Toews in the lineup, and they need to turn that around quickly.
12. Buffalo Sabres (9-4-1), LW: 9
The Sabres have lost three of their last four games, but four of the next five are at home. Thomas Vanek has just one goal in the last seven games.
13. Columbus Blue Jackets (9-5-2), LW: 15
Ken Hitchcock & company took three stellar teams (PIT, WSH, SJ) to overtime over the last week, but they can’t continue to play to their competition (CAR, ATL).
14. New York Rangers (10-7-1), LW: 10
The previously hot Blueshirts are starting to sputter, and have lost two key centers in Drury and Dubinsky.
15. Detroit Red Wings (7-5-3), LW: 14
Detroit has to fix their inconsistencies between the pipes as they head into the meat of their schedule.
16. Nashville Predators (7-7-1), LW: 17
They are rotating injuries as Arnott and Tootoo returned when Weber and Dumont went down. Still, they’ve won four of five and are about to approach their big home slate to end the month.
17. Dallas Stars (7-4-6), LW: 16
This is a very hard team to figure out on a nightly basis. I like the potential this team has, but they must be more consistent.
18. Anaheim Ducks (6-7-2), LW: 25
Was October simply an off-month for the Ducks?? They were impressive against Nashville and Phoenix, and pushed Pittsburgh to the limit.
19. Tampa Bay Lightning (6-4-5), LW: 22
Lots of people doubted this team after their 6-2 loss in Philly. But they played well thereafter, and Antero Niittymaki has emerged as their starter in goal.
20. Edmonton Oilers (8-8-1), LW: 19
Pat Quinn’s club would have plummeted here, but a solid win in Colorado saved them as they showed signs of life offensively.
21. Ottawa Senators (7-5-2), LW: 20
I still think the Sens are a playoff-caliber team… but what worries me is that they have blown some late leads at home already.
22. Boston Bruins (7-7-2), LW: 21
Boston’s offense is terrible right now, but Saturday’s 4-2 win over the Sabres could be a starting point to turn things around.
23. New York Islanders (6-6-5), LW: 24
This Islanders team is competitive in almost every game, and has been dominant at home recently.
24. Atlanta Thrashers (7-6-1), LW: 23
Since an impressive 4-1 start, Atlanta is 3-6-1and Ondrej Pavelec is becoming erratic in net.
25. Montreal Canadiens (8-9-0), LW: 18
Will Jaroslav Halak’s agent’s tweet cause a disruption within the organization?? We’ll see. It’s important to note that just one of their eight wins have come in regulation.
26. Minnesota Wild (6-10-0), LW: 26
I was expecting Martin Havlat to thrive up north, but he has just one goal and a -12 rating so far.
27. Toronto Maple Leafs (3-7-5), LW: 29
Ron Wilson’s bunch is starting to get it. The ‘Monster’ has been huge in net, and the addition of Phil Kessel seems to have sparked them.
28. St. Louis Blues (5-6-4), LW: 28
The only two only teams they’ve beaten in the last nine are Minnesota and Carolina. This team simply can’t finish right now.
29. Florida Panthers (5-9-1), LW: 27
I stand by my word that Florida is one of the worst teams in the league, and this weekend proved they don’t have enough to stay with the big boys.
30. Carolina Hurricanes (2-11-3), LW: 30
This season is quickly getting away from the ‘Canes with Ward and Staal now out of the lineup. 12 losses in a row may cause GM Jim Rutherford to start exploring trade options.

The Week Ahead

Top 5 games I’m looking forward to:
1. Devils @ Penguins (Thursday)
2. Sharks @ Blackhawks (Sunday)
3. Flames @ Sabres (Friday)
4. Capitals @ Devils (Saturday)
5. Kings @ Blackhawks (Monday)

Matchup of the Weak:
Wild @ Hurricanes (Sunday)… It’s a matinee affair in Raleigh as the worst in each conference battle it out!

Two teams to watch:
1. Boston Bruins
The B’s finally got off the schnide on Saturday with a 4-goal ‘outburst’ against Buffalo. They face Pittsburgh twice this week, with a ‘trap’ game vs. Florida mixed in. Can they get some momentum going??
2. Detroit Red Wings
How will Mike Babcock’s team follow up their 5-1 drubbing in Toronto?? They have a key divisional game against Columbus, followed by tough home dates vs. Vancouver and Anaheim. It’s time for Osgood and Howard to step up.

National TV schedule (U.S.):
Tonight
Kings @ Blackhawks… VERSUS
Tuesday
Penguins @ Bruins… VERSUS
Wednesday
Islanders @ Capitals… NHL Network
Thursday
Devils @ Penguins… NHL Network
Saturday
Flames @ Maple Leafs… NHL Network

Morning Skate: November 9

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Thrashers 3, Blues 2 (SO)
Oilers 5, Avalanche 3
Predictions record: 1-1

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Ryan Potulny, EDM (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
Potulny scored his first goal as an Oiler, and it stood as the eventual game-winner.
2. Tom Gilbert, EDM (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
Gilbert netted his first goal of the season in a key two-point effort.
3. Marty Reasoner, ATL (2 Assists)
His pair of assists helped the Thrashers come back and beat St. Louis.
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Kings @ Blackhawks, 8:00 ET

Game of the Night:
Los Angeles Kings (10-5-2) @ Chicago Blackhawks (8-5-2)
8:00 ET… TV: VERSUS, TSN2

Players to watch:
LA- Drew Doughty
The second-year stud is among the league leaders in points from defensemen.
CHI- Patrick Sharp
Sharp has been a thorn in LA’s side historically, but in a bit of a cold spell (2 pts in last 7 gms).

Projected Goaltenders:
LA- Jonathan Quick (09/10 stats: 10-4-2, 2.61 GAA)
CHI- Cristobal Huet (09/10 stats: 5-4-1, 2.37 GAA)

Injury Report:
LA- Alec Martinez (ankle, out)
CHI- Jonathan Toews (concussion, doubtful), Dave Bolland (back, doubtful), Marian Hossa (shoulder, out), Adam Burish (knee, out),

Game Thoughts:
On the night where the new Hall of Fame inductees are officially enshrined in Toronto, the ‘Hawks and Kings will battle it out in a key matchup out West. Both are coming off of frustrating losses over the weekend. Chicago is at home, where they dominated Terry Murray and company a year ago. I like the ‘Hawks in a close one.
Prediction: Blackhawks 4, Kings 2

Where would Peter Forsberg fit best??

The ‘Foppa’ is officially on the mend, and could be returning to the NHL sooner rather than later! His foot appears to be healthy enough to make a return, and might make a decision after playing in the Karjala Cup, which is currently taking place in Finland.

He has been injury prone since the lockout, but has been a very productive player while on the ice. In 136 games since the work stoppage, Forsberg racked up 144 points. He joined the Avalanche late in the 07/08 season, and helped them make the playoffs and advance to the 2nd round.

If Forsberg decides to come back to North America to play in the best league in the world, which teams would target the future Hall of Famer?? Where would he fit best?? Here is a list of teams that have reportedly expressed interest:
Chicago
Colorado
Dallas
Montreal
NY Rangers
Vancouver
Washington

Those are just seven teams to start, as I’m sure there are 15-20 with real interest in bringing in the ‘Foppa’. It’s clear he’d sign with a team that has a chance to win the Cup this season. Looking at that list, three teams stand out as legit landing spots for Forsberg.

NY Rangers
Yesterday’s happenings would have a lot to do with Glen Sather’s potential interest in Forsberg. Centers Brandon Dubinsky and Chris Drury are each expected to be out for a long period of time. That leaves a gaping whole down the middle for the Blueshirts. Forsberg would be a great addition to the Rangers, if he can feel comfortable in John Tortorella’s system.

Vancouver
The Canucks already have some Swedes that he can jell with… the twins and Samuelsson. This would be a similar move to Mike Gillis’ decision last December to bring in Mats Sundin. But I think Forsberg would be much more effective than Sundin was in Vancouver. He’d work wonders for their power play next to the Sedins, and would slide in as the #2 pivot.

Washington
GM George McPhee recently put Michael Nylander on waivers, a move that’s been a long time coming. Although I don’t think it would have a direct effect on Forsberg possibly going to DC, it opens the door for the possibility. Can you imagine a power play with Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin, Forsberg, and Green?? As John Buccigross would put it… ‘Holy Schnike’! The Caps’ only weakness on offense is their depth at center. Forsberg would fit the bill.

Where would he fit the best?? Washington
Forsberg would be going into a good situation with a team that has Stanley Cup aspirations. The Caps have the cap room to add him, and he would add on to an already potent offense.

The injury bug keeps biting...

It is really unbelievable all of the injuries we’ve seen thus far this season. Saturday’s action did not help the cause, as numerous players went down…

Cam Ward
Ward left last night’s game in Columbus during the 1st period after being accidentally clipped by Rick Nash’s skate… take a look:

It’s 12 losses in a row and counting for the Hurricanes, and now they’ll be without their franchise goaltender for an undisclosed length of time. Ward and Eric Staal are the two catalysts for the ‘Canes, and both are out with injuries. Does Paul Maurice stick with Michael Leighton, or will GM Jim Rutherford make a deal to bring in a goalie?? I’d do the latter…

Rangers’ Dubinsky and Drury
John Tortorella’s club was dealt a pair of big blows down the middle in Calgary last night. Brandon Dubinsky blocked a shot off his hand/wrist, and it appears to be broken (according to HNIC’s After Hours). Chris Drury took a controversial open-ice hit from Curtis Glencross, resulting in a concussion. Both centers are out indefinitely, which will really put the rest of the team to the test. Henrik Lundqvist has already missed the last couple games to ‘rest’, but I believe there’s more to it. New York has started really well this season, but will have to persevere these next few weeks.

Jason Williams
Detroit’s injury list continues to get longer as Williams broke his fibula in a collision behind the net. It’s a nasty injury… if you can stand it, take a look:

This doesn’t help the Wings’ offensive inconsistencies. Johan Franzen and Valterri Filppula are already shelved for a while, and Patrick Eaves is day-to-day. Williams had started the season well, but went five games without a point before this injury…

Kris Letang
Pittsburgh’s blue-line took another hit as Letang took a hard fall in San Jose last night. I hate speculating injuries, but it definitely looked like a shoulder injury. It could be some sort of separation or deep bruise, but again, it’s just speculation. The Pens are already missing Gonchar on the back end, and Malkin and Kennedy up front. Pittsburgh is quickly going downhill, and they can’t afford to lose Letang for any length of time.

More injuries will probably be revealed on Monday (as always). When will the injury bug stop biting?? Im afraid this is going to go on all year long.

Morning Skate: November 8

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Predators 3, Kings 1
Devils 3, Senators 2
Bruins 4, Sabres 2
Islanders 6, Thrashers 3
Blue Jackets 3, Hurricanes 2
Capitals 7, Panthers 4
Lightning 3, Canadiens 1
Maple Leafs 5, Red Wings 1
Flyers 2, Blues 1 (SO)
Wild 3, Stars 2
Ducks 4, Coyotes 3
Flames 3, Rangers 1
Sharks 5, Penguins 0
Predictions record: 8-5

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Mike Knuble, WSH (2 Goals, 2 Assists)
Knuble’s offensive explosion led the Caps to a second straight win over Florida.
2. Evgeni Nabokov, SJ (27 Saves, Shutout)
‘Nabby’ picked up the only shutout of the night, and made a lot of key saves.
3. Antero Niittymaki, TB (36 Saves, 1 GA)
He has stepped up as the Bolts’ starter in net, and had a huge performance in Montreal. He steered away all 15 shots that came his way in the 3rd.
Dud of the Night:
Pittsburgh Penguins… The Pens’ 3rd period woes from Thursday carried over as they were blown out of the water by the Sharks. In a duel of the league’s best, the Sharks were clearly the better team even though Pittsburgh missed Malkin & Gonchar.

Saturday Fantasy Roundup:
Ryan’s Picks:
F- A. Kopitar (1 A, -1, 1 PPP)
F- A. Semin (4 PIM)
D- T. Kaberle (nada)
G- M. Kiprusoff (32 Saves, 1 GA)
Michael’s Picks:
F- R. Nash (1 G, -1)
F- P. Marleau (nada)
D- D. Phaneuf (nada)
G- E. Nabokov (27 Saves, Shutout)
Chris’ Picks:
F- P. Datsyuk (nada)
F- T. Zajac (nada)
D- M. Streit (1 A, +1, 1 PPP)
G- R. Emery (30 Saves, 1 GA)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Blues @ Thrashers, 5:00 ET
Oilers @ Avalanche, 8:00

Games of the Night:
Edmonton Oilers (7-8-1) @ Colorado Avalanche (12-3-2)
8:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Players to watch:
EDM- Sam Gagner
The youngster has fared well against Colorado, and needs to step up as the #1 pivot tonight.
COL- Wojtek Wolski
He’s gone four games without a goal, and scored twice against Edmonton two weeks ago.

Projected Goaltenders:
EDM- Nikolai Khabibulin (09/10 stats: 6-7-1, 3.19 GAA)
COL- Craig Anderson (09/10 stats: 11-3-2, 2.15 GAA)

Injury Report:
EDM- Ales Hemsky (shoulder, questionable), Shawn Horcoff (shoulder, out), Sheldon Souray (concussion, out), Ladislav Smid (illness, doubtful), J-F Jacques (back, doubtful), Marc Pouliot (sports hernia, out), Ryan Stone (knee, out)
COL- John-Michael Liles (shoulder, doubtful), T.J. Galiardi (ankle, out), Darcy Tucker (concussion, out), Tom Preissing (knee, questionable), Ruslan Salei (back, out)

Game Thoughts:
The Oilers simply have not been good on the road this season, while Colorado is a perfect 6-0 at home. Will the tides turn for both clubs?? Not tonight. I think the Avs will continue their hot streak to begin the year. Pat Quinn & company have too many key injuries pull one out tonight.
Prediction: Avalanche 3, Oilers 1

The rest of tonight’s predictions:
Thrashers over Blues