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hf101

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Blog Entries posted by hf101

  1. hf101
    In this shortened season there will be increased pressure for all teams to earn enough points to have the right to play for Lord Stanley’s Cup. Every game will be important and that means, of course, great hockey for us fans. It also means there could be more games going into overtime as opposed to a full 82 game season. Often a 5 minute overtime is not enough to determine which team earns the extra point. Thus, maybe more than ever before, NHL fans will be on the edge of their seats in anticipation of the chance for their team to earn an extra point via the shootout.
    We can expect a tight race to make the playoffs for each conference. Maybe even the kind of suspense that occurred when the Flyers made the postseason on the last day of the playoffs against the Rangers in 2010. The difference between the chance to challenge for Lord Stanley’s Cup and golf season might just be the one point earned in a shootout.
    The league has averaged 13.2% of all games played ending in a shootout since it’s inception in 2005. There has been a high of 14.96% in 2009-10 and a low of 11.79% in the 2005-6. This year so far the number of games ending in a shootout is 22 out of 168 games which is basically the league average at 13.1%. Will this continue par for the course, or as points become that much more difficult to get will teams play for the 3 point game?
    Interestingly though, the Western Conference has a philosophy regarding gaining the charity point different from the Eastern Conference. The West has a conservative point assurance over keeping their foes from gaining anything in the standings. Out of the 22 shootouts this season thus far, 17 of them have been played in the West compared to only 5 in the Eastern Conference. Anaheim, San Jose, Chicago, Vancouver, and Nashville have all played at least 3 shootouts this season while only Boston in the East has played 2.
    Is there really a different strategy in the West over the East? Is it a coaching strategy with an emphasis on playing low scoring tight defensive battles? Or is there more parity among the teams in the West compared to the East?
    Last night’s high scoring 5-5 tie defied the low scoring defensive strategy which was settled by an entertaining shootout as the Ducks changed the Blue’s momentum mid shootout for a 6-5 victory. For those of you who might have missed it here is the video as it was a trial of talented youth versus experienced NHL athletes. Both teams really had a shot at winning the extra point and gave it their best efforts.

    Die hard hockey fans are pretty much split on whether this practice is a welcome entertaining addition to their beloved sport, or a mere gimmick and a travesty in which to decide hockey games. But hey, that doesn’t really matter. A discussion of whether or not to modify or eliminate the shoot out did not happen in the CBA discussions. In addition, no changes were made to change the scoring system for a 3 point win earned in regulation. Both the NHL and NHLPA want games to end in a timely manner whether it be for television or a plane to catch. They also like the climatic excitement it brings for the fans at the game as they stand on their feet cheering their favorite players exhibiting their individual talent. With today’s athletes becoming more and more skillful and the game becoming more and more competitive, I think we will see more entertaining shootouts like the one played by the Ducks and the Blues.
    Although the numbers seem to be status quo for the number of shootouts played thus far this year with those of the past I think that more teams in the East will adopt the West’s philosophy and play to earn the extra point in OT or the shootout.
    So hold tightly onto your beer and popcorn folks, shootouts are here to stay and we could be entertained by more of them for the remainder of this short season.
  2. hf101
    Today we have parity on this forum as every member's Tokens were set to 100.
    So what does this mean moving forward for all of our members? It means that we crowned our 2012-2013 Token CHAMP and we are starting all over again. Each and every summer we plan to reset the Tokens in order to give every member, old and new, a chance to earn the most Tokens in a given year.
    So let me first Congratulate our Champs!
    Our 2011-2012 Winners are:
    1. Idahophilly with 9501 tokens
    2. Irishjim with 9395 tokens
    3. OzFlyer with 7500 tokens
    4. VanFlyer with 6827 tokens
    5. Flyerrod with 6743 tokens
    Maybe some of you are thinking how did they earn these tokens? And others maybe are thinking why do we bother? Let me start with the second question first. Digityman and I decided to use Tokens as another means of Building a Community within this Forum that began Nov 1st 2011. All members from every team's fan base can post and play equally and as often as they like. The Tokens really have no value other than bragging rights for currently there are no real prizes......but maybe in time that could change.
    We plan to build a permanent "HF Hall of Fame" page viewable in the "HF Games" drop down window to showcase our winners. Not only will the Forum Token winners be published but also the Pickem, Playoff Fantasy, and MVP Challenge winners and any other games we play for Tokens will also see their names in the "HF Hall of Fame".
    So if anyone is asking...........How do I earn Tokens? There are a number of different ways. Participating in everything will likely give you the greatest chance of becoming the next HF Token Champ.
    1. We earn Tokens.......Posting in the Forums
    Currently the members with the Most Posts throughout the Forums are: flyercanuck, doom88, Podein25, Jackstraw, and radoran. The number of posts a member has will not be reset every year as a means of recognizing the continued dedication and posting seniority. With effort others next year can make the top 5. But in essence we thank everyone for their contributions of their knowledge and hockey wit.
    .
    Members earn:
    2 Tokens - to Start a topic
    1 Token - for Each Reply you receive
    1 Token - for Every Reply to another topic
    Becoming a Supporting Member will DOUBLE your Token earnings on all posting throughout the Forums. A Supporting Member means you wish to donate $10.00 per year which helps keep this site free from all advertisements and supports software upgrades. See the information here if you are interested.
    2. We earn Tokens.........Playing Pickem
    Pickem is a free betting opportunity to test your skill at choosing the winning team for each and every NHL regular season and playoff game throughout the year. Members bet their hard earned tokens to win more tokens. The tokens here can add up quickly. For example,
    Last season OzFlyer was the biggest winner with 6,299 Tokens won from 677bets.
    3. We earn Tokens........Playing Playoff Fantasy
    Playoff Fantasy is a chance to draft a playoff fantasy team onsite. It is a game of survival in which your 6 member teams players are eliminated as their respective teams are eliminated during the playoffs. The NHL players earn points for assists, goals and goalie wins. The winner of each playoff league received 500 tokens. Last years winners were Navyhockey and Irishjim.
    4. We earn Tokens........Playing the MVP Challenge (now playing)
    The MVP Challenge token earnings will apply to the 2012-13 Token totals. The first round upon which we are choosing the MVP from every NHL team earns 5 Tokens per Vote and Post up to a max of 50 per challenge. We are increasing the amount of Tokens to 10 per Vote and Post up to a max of 100 for the Bracket Rounds which will be starting soon. The MVP Challenge is the best way to earn tokens during the summer.
    5. We earn Tokens.........Guessing the destination of the top 12-15 most likely players to be traded before the trade deadline and 2012 draft.
    This is something new for next season and I do not even have a name for this activity yet. Members will earn tokens for guessing the correct destination of a list of selected players most likely to be traded.
    I think I've covered everything if anyone has any questions please comment below.
    We encourage all members to participate in the challenge to earn next years title as "HF Token CHAMP"
    Post, Post, Post.....Play Games..... and Earn Tokens!
  3. hf101
    Well sorry folks, I didn't accept either of the last two trade offers by habsguy26. Thus, there is nothing to vote in this installment of Trade Wars. So as we come to a close here I am taking his last two team matchups and making counter offers. We have a day left to come to agreement on two last trades so let me be brief.
    Habs First offer:
    The Montreal Canadiens offer:
    Andrei Kostitsyn, Chris Campoli, Mike Blunden and a 2013 2nd round pick
    to The Phoenix Coyotes for:
    Rostislav Klesla and Gilbert Brule
    I dislike this deal mainly because Klesla is a significant part of the Coyote defense. He is signed for the next two years and he is the perfect defensive type d-man necessary to help bring on board a few of the quality defensive prospects awaiting a chance to play. I also am not fond of Campoli and with his consistent defensive liabilities and I just don't see him fitting into Tippets's system. Kostitsyn although talented is also inconsistent. Maybe he could fit on the coyote roster, but at this time since Plekanec is willing to lift his NTC the Coyotes would prefer to make the following offer:
    Counter offer 1:
    The Phoenix Coyotes offer:
    Boyd Gordon, Gilbert Brule, Michael Stone and a first round pick in the 2012 draft
    to the Montreal Canadiens for::
    Thomas Plekanec
    Thomas Plekanec can really help the Coyotes up the middle with his two way play going into the playoffs, and I would really like to see a deal to bring Plekanec to Phoenix . The Coyotes are willing to trade Boyd Gordon who also is a quality defensive forward, Brule, a former #1 pick of the Blue Jackets who plays a gritty game, and a big talented young defenseman in Stone who has a solid defensive all around game. Michael Stone is projected to be a top 4 defenseman. He currently has been called up for the injured Klesla and I think this is a deal that can help the Canadiens prepare for next season.
    Habs Second offer:
    The Boston Bruins offer:
    Greg Campbell and a 2012 2nd round pick
    to The San Jose Sharks for:
    Doug Murray
    All I really need to say with this deal is NO. Murray is a necessary component of the Sharks defense whom cannot be traded going into the playoffs. I'm finding it difficult to offer a trade that helps both of these franchises moving forward. At the moment I believe the Bruins could use another forward thus the Sharks are able to part with Winchester a versatile 3-4 line forward for a draft pick in the 2012 draft.
    Counter offer 2:
    The San Jose Sharks offer:
    Brad Winchester
    To the Boston Bruins for
    a third round pick in the 2012 draft
    Are these the last two trade offers? We are getting very close. Remember habsguy26 and my self will present a final blog with both of our summaries of all the dealings we made over the last few weeks. And it will be up to our readers to decide the winner. Also don't forget to vote in the previous blog by habsguy26 for the accepted trades between the Devils / Stars and the Islanders / Blues.
  4. hf101
    Welcome all again, this is hf101 with the eighth installment of the Trade Wars. We are coming near the end of our Blog Wars as the real trade deadline approaches. In real life some interesting trades have transpired with the Philadelphia Flyers in their desperate attempt to add defensive defencemen to their blue line in an attempt to make amends for previous acquisitions and bolster their team for the playoffs. So in just a few days the Flyers have acquired two unrestricted free agents in Grossman and Kubina and have traded away a second round pick, a third round pick, a fourth round pick a conditional second round pick and a prospect. OH MY.
    Now to continue with our blog series. I have decided to accept three trades from the offers habsguy26 has offered to me in the last blog.
    The accepted trades are as follows:
    First Offer Accepted
    The Carolina Hurricanes offer:
    Tuomo Ruutu and Bryan Allen
    To the Colorado Avalanche for
    Joey Hishon, Cameron Gaunce and Tyson Barrie
    This is a good trade for Colorado, they are acquiring two NHLers that will help the Avalanche secure a playoff spot with a quality 2-way forward in Ruutu, and in the 6’5” 226lb physical defensive defenseman, Allen who still has better than average speed and mobility. Although both players are UFA’s the Avalanche are comforable in their capspace to offer reasonable deals to retain their services next season. The Avalanche are trading away three prospects, all of which have drawbacks diminishing their potential for becoming NHL players. Joey Hishon was a first round pick in 2010. His small frame of 5’10 / 170lb has been a concern even though he has the skills to become to become a top 6 forward. Cameron Gaunce has the most upside imo, Has a big, strong body and likes to hit opponents. Can play sound defense and has shown the ability to put up a few points, however he is prone to take undisciplined penalties. Tyson Barrie Lacks ideal size for the blue-line position at the NHL level, although he has some offensive ability and a good point shot.
    Second Offer Accepted
    The Ottawa Senators offer:
    Filip Kuba
    To the Anaheim Ducks for:
    Jason Blake
    Although I’m not quite understanding why the Senators would trade away a top pair d-man at this time, however he can only help the Ducks as they try to make a bid for the final playoffs spot. Kuba is a big savvy defenseman with decent overall skills. Thus I will accept this deal as the playoffs approach. Both players involved in this trade are FA come July. The Ducks will make every effort to sign Kuba prior to the deadline. Currently the Ducks are on a winning streak and have a legitimate chance of catching the struggling 4-5 teams ahead of them. The departure of Jason Blake can be addressed by calling up Kyle Palmieri. Palmieri is an exciting speedy young forward who plays both center and wing and will provide the Ducks with some energy.
    Third Offer Accepted
    The Washington Capitals offer:
    Jeff Schultz, Mike Knuble, Braden Holtby, and a 2012 1st round pick (Colorado)
    To the Edmonton Oilers for
    Ales Hemsky, Magnus Paargarvi-Svensson and Cam Barker
    To be honest I am very perplexed by this trade offer as to why the Capitals would trade away their potential number one goaltending starter in Braden Holtby, a young quality defensman in Schultz, and a number one pick in the 2012 draft for an injury prone inconsistent defenseman, an injury prone, defensively poor, but talented Alex Hemsky, who btw will be a FA this July. Thus I cannot and will not resist this deal. The Oilers do trade away a young talented but inconsistent forward in Magnus Paargarvi-Svensson, but the upside to this deal moving forward to next season and the depth the Oilers posses at the forward position can easily replace Paargarvi on the roster.
    As I look forward to next season. Holtby will find himself in a spot to play with the Oilers next season. He has played remarkably well in call-ups over the last two seasons with the Capitals. Schultz s a defenseman with good size and reach and is capable of playing a ton of minutes in all game situations while keeping things simple in the defensive zone. He will fit in well and get tons of minutes in the defensive core.
    Of the trades habsguy26 proposed I have decided to decline the following offer:
    Declined Offer
    The New Jersey Devils offer:
    Vladimir Zharkov and a 2012 4th round pick
    to The Dallas Stars for
    Sheldon Souray
    Now that Dallas traded away Grossman to the Flyers, they can’t afford to lose another NHL defenseman off the roster without sacrificing their chanced for a playoff bid, especially Souray who has a massive shot from the point. Thus I have a different deal to offer later in the blog.
    I have also proposed counter offers for the following two trades offers proposed by habsguy26
    The Original offer by hf101 was declined in the previous blog by habsguy and he proposed the following counter offer.
    1. Habsguy's Offer
    Boston Bruins offer:
    Jamie Arniel and a 2012 3rd round pick
    to The Phoenix Coyotes for
    Ray Whitney and a conditional 2012 2nd round pick (if Phoenix makes the playoffs)
    However I did not like the offer proposed. Why would Phoenix give an extra pick away if they make the playoffs? They are selling one of their top forwards who is having a great year as he is on pace for 74 points. If the Bruins want Whitney to help their offensive struggles now that Horton is out, they are the buyers.
    Thus I will make a new Counter Offer:
    The Phoenix Coyotes offer:
    Ray Whitney
    To the Boston Bruins for
    Jared Knight
    The Bruins are looking to repeat this year as Stanley Cup Champs, they are struggling as of late and are in need of an offensive forward now that Horton is on the IR. But it will cost them their second round pick from 2010, Jared Knight. The Coyotes are looking to receive in trade a forward who has a reasonable chance of making the team next season. Knight who is having an excellent season this year with the London Knights, however he still needs to fill out his 5’11 185lb frame.
    2. Habsguy's Offer
    The Montreal Canadiens offer:
    Andrei Kostitsyn, Hal Gill, Yannick Weber and a 2012 2nd round pick
    To the San Jose Sharks for
    Jamie McGinn and Marc-Edouard Vlasic
    Since Gill is now a Nashville Predator this deal is cancelled and I will make a new offer for Kostitsyn.
    Thus I will make a new Counter Offer:
    The San Jose Sharks offer:
    Brandon Mashinter and a third round pick
    To the Montreal Canadiens for
    Andrei Kostitsyn
    After the Canadiens traded away Gill is appears as if the Canadiens have become sellers as we approach the trade deadline. There has been some recent news that the Canadiens are looking to trade Andrei Kositisyn. Kosititsyn is a disgruntled top 6 winger who struggles with inconsistency and will be a free agent this summer.. A change of location and a new coach may spark the forward into a streak where he can help provide some scoring for the Sharks as they approach the playoffs. Thus the Sharks are offering Brandon Mashinter and a third round pick in the 2012 draft. The 6’4” Mashinter is a physical player that can intimidate opponents, while possesing some offensive upside. The last two seasons in the AHL Mashinter has put up over 30 points.
    We currently have eleven trade offers accepted and two counter offers on the table. To complete the makings of the required fifteen trades I have proposed the final two offers as follows.
    First Trade Offer:
    The Dallas Stars offer:
    Radek Dvorak and Brett Richie
    To the New Jersey Devils for:
    Dainius Zubrus
    The Stars are looking to bolster their team down the middle due to the injured Morrow. I believe Zubrus would be a nice fit for the Stars adding some size and forward versatility in a player who can play on the PP and PK. The Devils will be looking to shed some salary as well next season thus trading Zubrus now will aid in that process. With Zajac returning to the lineup the Devils can afford to move Zubrus. The Devils in return will acquire the very speedy playmaking Radek Dvorak who has terrific penalty killing skills and is an offensive threat when shorthanded. They will also receive the Stars 2011 second round pick Brett Ritchie. Ritchie is a big winger that moves well and has very good offensive instincts. Can use his body effectively when he has the puck on his stick. Has a good shot that can sneak up on goaltenders.
    Second Trade Offer:
    The St Louis Blues offer:
    Kris Russel and Jori Lehtera
    To the New York Islanders for:
    Milan Jurcina
    As the Blues move to gearing up their team for the playoffs they will to upgrade their team with a good sized defensive defenseman. They have found that in Milan Jurcina. Although sometimes inconsistent, 6’4” 253lb defenseman has a wicked shot from the point. The Blues have a surplus of mobile offensive defensemen and offer Kris Russel to the Islanders. Russell is a talented offensive mobile defensman who is slightly undersized but is gritty and has a lot of confidence with the puck. The Islanders will also acquire Jori Lehtera who was the Blues third round pick in 2008 and is ready to make the jump to the NHL as he is currently under contract in a two year entry level deal. The 24yr old Lehtera put up 69 pts in 57 games last season in Finland and is currently playing in the KHL.
    Well that completes the eighth blog in the series. In summary there are eleven complete trades with four offers on the table. We are on target to complete the required 15 trades by the trade deadline. Once all15 trades are complete we will each write one final blog expressing how we view we did summarizing our deals. Then we will allow our readers to make one final vote on the winner of HockeyForums' 2012 edition of Trade Wars.
    Again we appreciate your comments and make sure you VOTE.
  5. hf101
    Hello all, this is hf101 with the fourth installment of the Trade Wars. As you see above we now have 4 of the 15 accepted trades. Please vote as to whether the East or West GM won the accepted trade.
    The accepted trades are as follows.
    The Vancouver Canucks trade
    Robert Luongo
    To the Florida Panthers for
    Clemmenson, Rasmus Bengtsson, Nick Bjugstad and Florida's first round pick in 2012
    The Buffalo Sabres trade:
    Paul Gaustad, Patrick Kaleta, Andrej Sekera and a 2012 2nd round pick
    to the Chicago Blackhawks for
    Brandon Pirri, Kyle Beach, Nick Leddy and Andrew Shaw
    The Philadelphia Flyers trade
    James Van Riemsdyke, Jody Shelley, Marc-Andre Bourdon and a 2012 2rd round draft pick
    To the Los Angeles Kings for:
    Jack Johnson, Trent Hunter and Thomas Hickey
    To add a few comments about the accepted trades. Habs agreed to changing the draft pick in the Flyers - Kings trade from a third round pick to a second round pick when we agreed that the only value Shelley has is his locker room presence.
    The Vancouver - Florida trade was explained in the previous blog.
    I really like the deal habs offered the Blackhawks from Buffalo. This is truely a WIN WIN WIN trade. Even though the Hawks just made a trade for Morrison, I could not resist the opportunity to set this team up as the favorite for another Stanley Cup in June. There is still time to dump Morrison to another team needing some depth at center prior to the trade deadline. Gaustad will fit in perfectly as a 2-3 aggressive defensive center. Paul Kaleta will also toughen this team as a fourth line player especially since Carcillo is out for the year. Although we lose a great young defensemen in Leddy, I feel Andrej Sekera will fit in smoothly.
    Now to go through through the other 7-10 trades proposed by habs.
    First offer: NO DEAL
    The Winnipeg Jets offer:
    Eric Fehr, Tim Stapleton, and a 2012 4th round pick
    To the Colorado Avalanche for
    Shane O'Brien and Chuck Kobasew
    This was an interesting and fair offer and I thought about it for a long time. But the more I looked at it I thought that Colorado would have probably wanted to improve its team defensively rather than adding with forwards. I think something else can be worked out to the advantages of both teams in the future.
    Second Offer: Buffalo - Chicago was Accepted
    Third Offer: NO DEAL
    The Boston Bruins offer:
    Benoit Pouliot, Zach Hamill, Steve Kampfer, Jordan Caron and a 2012 1st round pick
    To the Columbus Blue Jackets for
    Jeff Carter
    Although there are some nice prospects in this deal, the Blue Jackets can’t wait a few more seasons before they get on a winning tract. In order to sell tickets Nash needs a center that he can play with now! The Blue Jackets have made a different trade offer to the Washington Capitals.
    Fourth Offer: NO DEAL
    The Pittsburgh Penguins offer:
    Tyler Kennedy, Eric Tangradi, Craig Adams and a 2012 2nd round pick
    To the Dallas Stars for
    Brenden Morrow
    The Stars are another team that desperately needs to make the playoffs from a financial aspect. At this time I’m not that ecstatic about trading away the captain of this team when they are currently in the mix of teams in playoff contention.
    Fifth Offer: NO DEAL
    The Montreal Canadiens offer:
    Scott Gomez,, Andrei Kostitsyn, Yannick Webber, Hal Gill, Jarred Tinordi and a 2013 1st round pick
    To the Anaheim Ducks for
    Ryan Getzlaf, George Parros and J.F Jacques
    Again there is no reason to dismantle the Ducks of their key players. Getzlaf isn’t available for trade.
    Ok, so I'm not big on trading away core players of my Western teams.......so let me continue with the next 6-10 trades I'm offering to habsguy26.
    First Offer:
    The Nashville Predators offer:
    Ryan Suter + Chet Pickard
    To the Pittsburgh Penguins for
    Paul Martin + Tyler Kennedy
    Suter would make a very nice match with Letang as the top D-Pair. Financially this fairs well for both teams. Martin provides a stable and financially feasible 5M for the next 3 years while Pittsburgh sheds 7M to make space to sign Suter to a long term deal. In addition Tyler Kennedy could help sustain a playoff position for Nashville with a forward who can play in the top 6. What makes this trade ideal is that both teams remain strong for the playoffs. In addition Pittsburgh is in need of goaltender prospects while Nashville has an abundance.
    Second Offer:
    The Edmonton Oilers offer:
    Sam Gagner and Andy Sutton and Ben Eager and a third round pick in the 2012 draft
    To the Montreal Canadiens for
    Scott Gomez and Nathan Beaulieu
    So this is the trade for some players who could benefit from a change. Edmonton is one of those teams that really needs an experienced second / third line center. Gomez who hasn’t scored a goal in 49 games, but still has decent passing and skating skills would desirable in Edmonton for his veteran experience. Nathan Beaulieu is a talented young defensive prospect with good all around skills who still needs to grow physically to fit into the regular lineup in the NHL. Andy Sutton and Ben Eager would provide some toughness that has been vacant on the Canadiens roster for some time while Sam Gagner is a young nhl center and left winger with excellent shooting and passing skills He could easily provide some much needed offense on Montreal’s second line and on the power play.
    :
    Third Offer
    The San Jose Sharks offer:
    Matt Neito and the Sharks third round pick in the 2012 draft
    To the Carolina Hurricanes for
    Tuomo Ruutu
    The Sharks are in need of some depth at forward and Ruutu would make a nice fit on the second or third line. He plays with both skill and confidence in all aspects of the game.
    Matt Nieto is a dynamic winger with an excellent offensive skill set and explosive speed that is really something to marvel at. He has great acceleration and a first gear that has gotten the attention of many in the scouting community. Nieto’s game-breaking speed allows him to create as well as open up space, and in turn, create offensive opportunities. Nieto is currently in his second season at Boston University and could find himself on the Canes starting roster this spring.
    Fourth Offer:
    The Columbus Blue Jackets offer:
    Jeff Carter
    To the Washington Capitals for
    Brooks Laich, Jeff Schultz the acquired first round pick of the Colorado Avalanche.
    Carter, a tad disgruntled in Columbus, with the Jackets seeming far more disgruntled, appears to be on his way out of Ohio, despite the tremendous costs that brought him there. It has been a tough season for the Blue Jackets and while they sit in the basement of the NHL standings, they are evidently becoming more and more anxious for some positive results. Flyers paid to acquire him (Voracuk, a former 8th overall pick, the Jackets 1st rounder (Sean Couturier) and a 3rd rounder(TJ Tynan) in 2011), anyone who is looking to acquire the 7 year vet with 181 career goals will surely have to pay a steep price. Fitting him under the Caps current cap wouldn't be a problem as they sit with $5.7 million in available cap space, including plenty of space to fit him in in the future.
    Fifth Offer:
    The Minnesota Wild offer:
    Marek Zidlicky and Tyler Cuma
    To the New York Islanders for
    Brian Rolston and Brock Nelson
    Well we all know the Wild need to trade away Zidlicky and as fast as possible. Zidlicky is still a good player, he just didn’t fit to Yeo’s system. Zidlicky needs to play on a team that focuses on a speedy offence which makes the Islanders a very nice trading partner. He still can be an offensive threat and has a wealth of top-level experience. Zidlikcy is a decent passer and packs a heavy shot from the point.Basically this trade is Zidlicky for the aging winger Brian Rolson who had some of his best playing days with the Wild. Nelson is from the small town of Warroad Minnesota and is currently attending the Univ of ND. Nelson has the potential for being a power forward someday and could fit in nicely with the Wild’s plans. At the same time the Islanders would recieve Tyler Cuma who is another of the strong defensive prospects in the Wild system.
    Okay everyone that is it for the fourth installment of TRADE WARS, thanks for reading, looking forward to your comments and please vote above for the accepted trades.
  6. hf101
    Welcome all, this is hf101 with the sixth installment of the Trade Wars. Thus far Habsguy26 and I have agreed on 5 of the 15 required trades between the Eastern and Western conference teams. As mentioned in the first blog, our goal is to complete this by the official trade deadline so we have our work cut out for us. Help us along by commenting on any of the proposed trades and please vote on any of the accepted trades.
    Let me begin with the trade that is accepted from Habsguy26's last offers.
    First offer: Accept
    The Toronto Maple Leafs offer:
    Clarke MacArthur, Tyler Bozak and a 2012 1st round pick
    to The Columbus Blue Jackets for
    Jeff Carter
    I’m not ecstatic about this deal, but I accept it as a deal that will help Columbus in obtaining a decent all around skilled center for Nash. This will be Carter's third team in less than one year, it is time for him to play to his expectations. He should be happy now that he can now cruise the city with his buddy, Lupul. Columbus will be receiving a good 2-way center in Tyler Bozak. He should excel playing with Nash and his game should become more consistent. Bozak currently has 7 points in his last 5 games playing between Lupul and Kessel. MacArthur can also be an inconsistent player but has quality speed and solid instincts and can fit nicely on the second or third line for Columbus. And as Habs said, the 2012 first round pick will be between 10-20 in a deep draft. Hopefully this trade will achieve some consistency under the new head coach Richards.
    In my previous blog I made an offer to Habsguy26 involving trading from the Edmonton Oilers Sam Gagner, Andy Sutton, Ben Eager and a third round pick in the 2012 draft to the Montreal Canadiens for Scott Gomez and Nathan Beaulieu he decided he didn't want to trade Beaulieu and offered me the following trade offer:
    Montreal Canadiens offer:
    Scott Gomez, Andrei Kostitsyn, Raphael Diaz, and Jarred Tinordi
    To The Edmonton Oilers for
    Sam Gagner, Ben Eager, and Magnus Paargarvi-Svensson
    At this time I choose not to trade Gagner. Thus the above counter offer is declined
    The other trades Habsguy26 proposed were as follows:
    Second Offer: Decline
    The Winnipeg Jets offer:
    Blake Wheeler
    to The Detroit Red Wings for
    Justin Abdelkater, Landon Ferraro and a 2012 3rd round pick
    As Wingnut commented Justin Abdelkader is a home-grown kid which has been Detroit's M.O. for years and he's been able to balance the right mix of skill and grit to make him an excellent winger on the third or fourth line, and he also always excels in the playoffs. Thus Detroit does not have an interest in this deal.
    Instead I would like to offer a counter offer.
    Counter Offer:
    The Detroit Red Wings offer:
    Petr Mrazek, Landon Ferraro and a 2012 3rd round pick
    to Winnipeg Jets for
    Johnny Oduya and Chris Mason
    Chris Mason will make a nice backup goaltender for Detroit as they prepare for the playoffs, and Odula is a quality mobile defensive defenseman who wlll provide some depth to the blueline. The Jets receive a nice goal tender prospect who was signed to a three year entry level contract. They would also receive goaltending prospect Petr Mrazek who has been touted as an athletic competitor who does not give up on shots. Landon Ferraro as mentioned before in Habsguy26's last blog is projected to be a second line sniper.
    Third Offer: Declined
    The Boston Bruins offer
    Zach Hamill and Steve Kampfer
    to The Phoenix Coyotes for
    Ray Whitney
    Steve Kampher lacks the ideal size for the blueline position in the NHL. Although he has decent puck moving skills he has little else to offer. Hamill is somewhat undersized as well but does have decent playmaking abilities. The Coyotes feel neither of these two players would be ready to make an impact for their team in the very near future and thus I decline this offer but would like to make a counter offer.
    Counter Offer:
    The Phoenix Coyotes offer
    Ray Whitney and a second round pick
    To the Boston Bruins for
    Jordan Caron
    The Bruins would gain a savy veteran scoring winger who is on pace for 74 pts this season. The 39 year old Whitney has put up 8 points in his last 5 games. But adding this quality scoring winger will come at a steep price for the Bruins in one of their top prospects Jordan Caron who is a big, heavy power forward with poise and a defensive maturity beyond his years who is often compared to Mike Knuble.
    Fourth Offer: Decline
    The New Jersey Devils offer:
    Zach Parise, Johan Hedberg and a 2012 7th round pick
    To the Minnesota Wild for:
    Josh Harding, Marek Zidlicky, Jarred Spurgeon, and Cal Clutterbuck
    As I mentioned before a western team does not want to make an offer for Parise when he has every intention to test free agency this summer. The teams of interest will bid for his services without having to give up valuable assets or make an an offer after the season.
    Fifth Offer: Decline
    The Tampa Bay Lightning offer:
    Ryan Malone, Mathieu Garon and Carter Ashton
    To the St.Louis Blues for
    Jaroslav Halak and T.J Oshie
    If both teams were not playoff contenders this season I would make a minor adjustment and accept the deal. However the Blues are looking to be buyers to strengthen their team for a cup run. Trading away two key members of that team seems very unlikely. Halak may be a goaltender in the off season, but for now I would like him to stay with the Blues.
    In summary I accepted one of the trades and made two counter offers. Now I will continue with the five new trades I am proposing.
    First offer:
    The Colorado Avalanche offer:
    Kevin Porter
    To the New York Islanders for
    Milan Jurcina plus a conditional fifth round pick in the 2012 round draft if Jurcina doesn't sign with the Avalanche.
    As the Avalanche prepare for the playoffs they are willing to sacrifice one of their young forwards to gain some defensive depth. Milan Jurcina has the ability to play an all around game. He takes up a lot of space in the defensive zone however is not known for his skating skills. Kevin Porter is versatile depth forward who can play all three forward positions who could play on the second or third line with the Lightening. He has great instincts and was a Hobey Baker award winner at the Univ of Michigan.
    Second Offer:
    The Dallas Stars offer:
    Thomas Vincour
    To the Carolina Hurricanes for
    Tuomu Ruutu
    Vincour is a sizeable, powerful forward with good hockey sense. He has good instincts at both ends of the ice and has the makings of a responsible player. He is projected to be a top 6 forward and could do well playing for the Hurricanes next season. Ruutu on the otherhand will add some offensive grit to the Stars right now on both the PP and PK as they prepare for the playoffs
    Third Offer:
    The San Jose Sharks offer:
    Jamie McGinn and a Fourth Round pick in the 2012 draft
    To the Montreal Candiens for
    Travis Moen
    McGinn can play a sound defensive game and also displays some scoring upside. He works very hard when on the ice and is also quite versatile up front. In the last 5 games McGinn has scored 5 points. Travis Moen will be a welcomed Shark once again. Moen will provide the sharks with some depth at center as a physical checking forward to propel this team far into the playoffs.
    Fourth Offer:
    The Anaheim Duck offer:
    Saku Koivu plus a third round conditional pick if the Capitals do not play in the conference finals.
    To the Washington Capitals for
    Jeffery Schultz
    Saku Koivu will provide the much needed depth at center for the Capitals. He makes things happen on the ice and tends to make his teammates better. He has plenty of leadership qualities and is good on face-offs. Still a quality playmaker, Koivu would like nothing better than to be given an opportunity to play for a team capable of winning the Stanley Cup. The Capitals have an excess of defensemen and often Schultz has been utilized as the seventh defenseman. Eventually Green and Poti will return and Schultz will see limited play. Schultz is a defenseman with good size and reach and is capable of playing a ton of minutes in all game situations. Usually keeps things simple in the defensive zone. I see this as a trade that is good for both teams.
    Fifth Offer:
    The Minnesota Wild offer:
    Josh Harding
    To the Tampa Bay Lightening for
    Teddy Purcell and Carter Aston
    I think this deal is quite obvious. Tampa receives a quality goaltender who could be the starter in Tampa for years to come. While the Wild obtain a forward who has decent offensive ability and can play either wing as they make an run to make the playoffs, and they will also acquire a top prospect who has good size and has a nose for the net.
    Okay everyone so there it is. Habsguy26 has a total of seven offers to ponder over. Help us out and leave a comment and don't forget to vote!
  7. hf101
    The first order of business is to discuss the trades proprosed to me by Habsguy26. As the GM for the Western Conference I chose to accept only one of the proposed offers and then I proposed 5 new trades for the GM of the East. You as viewers are asked to give your opinions of our trades and trade proposals that you like, dislike or what maybe you would chose to do differently. One other rule we agreed upon was that if there was a player with an injury today he would still considered fair tradebait if it were likely that he would be healthy in two months.
    So let me begin:
    First Trade offer: Accepted
    New York Rangers offer
    Wojtek Wolski, Artem Anisimov, Dan Girardi and a conditional 2012 1st round pick
    (if the Rangers make it to the Eastern Conference Finals)
    To the Calgary Flames for
    Jarome Iginla.
    I accepted this trade because I felt Dan Girardi would be a mainstay for the Flames defense. The Flames would be acquiring a #1 defenseman. I like Anisimov for his size and skating ability and feel that he could eventually be that #1 center that the Flames need. Wolski is likely just a added winger for the time being. But the trade was made for the above two reasons and the fact that I am a Flyers' fan and I love the ideal that this trade would likely destroy the Rangers for the rest for the rest of the season.
    -----------------------------------------
    Second Trade offer: Declined
    Washington Capitals offer
    Michal Neuvrith, Joel Ward, Karl Alzner and Cody Eakin
    To the Anaheim Ducks for
    Bobby Ryan and a 2012 2nd round pick.
    I am not a fan of this trade. The ducks lose one of their premier star forwards for pieces that they do not really need.for a player like Ryan. I also do not believe the Ducks have any intention of trading Bobby Ryan.
    --------------------------------------------
    Third Trade offer: Declined
    New Jersey Devils offer
    Zach Parise and Mark Fayne
    To the Los Angeles Kings for
    Jonathon Bernier, Andrei Loktionov, Slava Voynov and Dustin Penner.
    I declined this trade is because I believe we will have a tough time signing Parise to a long term contract. Parise is looking to join a team where he is the go-to guy. I believe Parise will sign with the Minnesota Wild as a free agent this summer. I also think that the Devils want to keep Parise to help their desperate need to make the playoffs for financial reasons.
    --------------------------------------
    Fourth Trade offer: Declined
    Pittsburgh Peguins offer
    Tyler Kennedy
    To the Minnesota Wild for
    Greg Zanon and a 2013 1st round pick.
    I declined this trade because I believe the Wild have greater needs than Tyler Kennedy and I addressed those needs in my trade proposal from the Wild to the Lightning.
    -----------------------------------------
    Fifth Trade offer: Declined
    Tampa Bay Lightning offer
    Ryan Malone, Mathieu Garon and their 2012 and 2013 1st round picks
    To the Vancouver Canucks for
    Roberto Luongo and Alexander Burrows.
    Lastly this trade is declined also because I feel Luongo would be a better fit for the Panthers.
    My counter trades are as follows:
    Trade Proposal 1:
    The LA Kings offer
    Jack Johnson. and Trent Hunter
    To the Philadelphia Flyers for
    James Van Reimsdyke and Marc-Andre Bourdon
    Trade Proposal 2:
    Vancouver Canucks offer
    Luongo
    To the Florida Panthers for
    Clemmenson, Kulikov and a first round pick in 2012
    Trade Proposal 3:
    Edmonton Oilers offer
    Sam Gagner Alex Hemsky
    To the Toronto Maple Leafs for
    Cody Franson and M Grabovski and Jake Gardiner
    Trade Proposal 4:
    Minnesota Wild offer
    Niklas Backstrom and Greg Zanon
    To the Tampa Bay Lightning for
    Vinny Lecavalier
    Trade Proposal 5:
    The St Louis Blues offer
    Ian Cole
    To the Carolina Hurricanes for
    Tim Gleason
  8. hf101
    The Flyers have a tough task at hand over the next four weeks if they want to stay in the playoff race through out the month of December. We have 13 games ahead of us until the Classic showdown against the Rangers. Of those thirteen games only three, the Penguins, Lightening, and Bruins will be home games. In addition over the month of December all of the teams we play against except for maybe the Avalanche are currently playoff contenders. The Flyers will need to play each game, each period and each shift in survival mode in order to win without their captain.
    Pronger has shown to have a significant effect on the team's ability to win games. Not only does he play a lot of minutes but the stats show that his play on the ice gives this team a better chance to win every night. Over the last two seasons the Flyers have a record of 41-18-7 when Pronger plays, without him they are 23-19-8. This shows that the team has only been able to win about 55% of their games when Pronger doesn't play.
    Pronger's presence on the ice affects all aspects of the game. The opposition has shown to score an average of 3.06 goals per game without Pronger compared to only 2.64 goals per game when he plays. In addition, the Flyers power play percentage drops from 19.9% to 12.3% when he is not present. While the quality of our power play decreases the opposition's power play percentage increases from an average of 15.9% to 19.6%. The numbers state the obvious and that is this team has a much more difficult time winning games without their leader on and off the ice.
    So can the Flyers survive this task ahead of them and stay in the playoff race? Last year's Eastern conference 9th place team the Hurricanes did not make the playoffs winning only 49% of their games, while the 6-8 place teams made it winning just 52% of the games. The parity of the league seems even tighter this season as both 9th and 10th place teams are winning 50% of their games and that there are 5 teams just 2 points out of 8th place.
    If the Flyers can win 55% of their games over the next month the stats show that it may be enough to keep them in a playoff race, but that seems much too close for comfort.
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