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habsguy26

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  1. habsguy26
    Hey guys, this is an idea for a series I literally just thought of... I'll be going through all of the 2014 olympic hockey teams and projecting their rosters... remember, this is permitting on whether the NHL decides to go there or not... but if Bettman wants to grow the game like he says he does, he will send Sid and Ovie to Sochi. But anyways, episode 1 begins with Team Russia. Enjoy, and leave a vote and a comment telling me how you like the series! At the end of the series, I'm going to put in my brackets and reveal who I think will win the gold, silver and bronze medals. Thanks for your time!
    Head Coach -


    Vyacheslav Bykov



    First Line: LW: Alexander Ovechkin C: Evgeni Malkin RW: Alexander Radulov



    Second Line: LW: Ilya Kovalchuk C: Pavel Datsyuk RW: Alexander Semin



    Third Line: LW: Nikita Filitov C: Mikhail Grigorenko RW: Nail Yakupov



    Fourth Line: LW: Nikolai Kulemin C: Evgeny Kuznetsov RW: Artem Anisimov



    Extra Forwards: Alexander Frolov, Maxim Afinogenov



    First Defence pairing: LD: Dmitry Kulikov RD: Andrei Markov



    Second Defence pairing: LD: Denis Kulyash RD: Fedor Tyutin

    Third Defence pairing: LD:

    Anton Volchenkov
    RD:

    Denis Grebishkov

    Extra Defenceman:


    Alexei Emelin

    Starting Goalie:


    Semeyon Varlamov

    Back-up Goalie:


    Ilya Bryzgalov



    Third string Goalie: Sergei Bobrovsky

    * HEY guys, sorry for the lines and stuff not matching up..... don't know how to fix it! *



    There was a lot of close calls here. But this is what I think the team will look like. The Habs and the Flyers are well represented here with two players a piece, and as well as the 2012 entry draft with Nail Yakupov and Grigorenko making my team. Obviously the Russians have a high powered offence and hard hitting defenders like Volchenkov and Emelin. Their powerplay would be lethal, with Markov dishing the puck to Ovechkin, Kovalchuck, Malkin and Kulyash (the guy who has a 110 MPH slap shot). Ultimately I think it will be Varlamov getting the call over Bryz, mostly because Varlamov is proven to be clutch, and as most of you know, Bryz really isn't... So tell me what you guys think of my Russian line up for Sochi! The next episode will feature the Czechs!

  2. habsguy26
    Hey guys, we're back with what is hopefully the last installment (from me anyways) of Trade Wars. I'm not even gonna bother quoting all of the completed trades because 1) there was a a problem with the quoting from my last blog and 2) you should have a basic understanding by now off all the trades. Now, from HF's last issue, I accepted one of his two trades.
    HF's 1st offer: Confirmed

    The San Jose Sharks trade:
    Brad Winchester
    To the Boston Bruins for
    a 3rd round pick in the 2012 draft
    Offer Confirmed: I decided to accept this offer from HF because I like Winchester's game and it comes cheaply with only the 3rd rounder going back. This trade adds another gritty forward to an already sand paper'd line up in Boston and Winchester's style of play is coveted by play off teams. Good offer from HF.
    HF's 2nd offer: Declined
    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
    Offer Declined: This offer is rejected respectfully because I know that the Habs could get more for Plekanec. In comparison, The Columbus Blue Jackets ( in real life, not in this trade wars blog) got defenceman Jack Johnson and a 1st round pick for the services of Jeff Carter. Carter through 39 games this year has 25 points and is signed through the next 10 years at a big cap hit. Plekanec, is signed through the next 4 years at a moderate cap hit, has 42 points in 63 games, and unlike Carter has a good two way game and even plays on the NHL's best Penalty Kill. A deal HAS to be sorted out between these two teams, and I am going to make a counter offer.
    The Montreal Canadiens offer:
    Tomas Plekanec and a 2012 2nd round pick (acquired from Nashville for Hal Gill)
    to The Phoenix Coyotes for:
    Brandon Gormley and a 2012 1st round pick
    Wow, you're thinking. This is a similar package to the one Columbus received for Carter, except Gormley is only a prospect and Jack Johnson is a PROVEN NHL player. Gormley still has a ways to go. Plekanec will be a great 2nd line center for the Coyotes and would help them tremendously in the play offs, much like he did for the Canadiens during their story book run back in 2010.
    Okay so there it is, part 11. We've recently both been very busy and were unfortunately unable to complete this series by our goal, the Trade Deadline. But, we hope to finish it in the next couple of days. Don't forget to comment and vote!
  3. habsguy26
    Hello everyone, welcome to Trade Wars, the ninth installment. As the series is winding down, I'd just like to say thank you to everyone who commented, voted and viewed. Its been really fun for HF101 and I and we want to do it again next season. So without further ado, lets get to the trades that we have already completed.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    New York Rangers trade:
    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.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Vancouver Canucks trade
    Robert Luongo
    To the Florida Panthers for
    Scott Clemmenson, Rasmus Bengtsson, Nick Bjugstad and Florida's 1st round pick in 2012
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    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
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Philadelphia Flyers trade
    James Van Riemsdyke, Jody Shelley, Marc-Andre Bourdon and a 2012 2nd round draft pick
    To the Los Angeles Kings for:
    Jack Johnson, Trent Hunter and Thomas Hickey
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Nashville Predators trade
    Ryan Suter and Chet Pickard
    To the Pittsburgh Penguins for
    Paul Martin and Tyler Kennedy
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Toronto Maple Leafs offer:
    Clarke MacArthur, Tyler Bozak and a 2012 1st round pick
    to The Columbus Blue Jackets for
    Jeff Carter
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Minnesota Wild trade:
    Josh Harding
    To the Tampa Bay Lightening for
    Teddy Purcell and Carter Aston
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Detroit Red Wings trade:
    Petr Mrazek, Landon Ferraro and a 2012 3rd round pick
    to Winnipeg Jets for
    Johnny Oduya and Chris Mason
    the latest deals that HF accepted in the previous blog.....
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Carolina Hurricanes trade:
    Tuomo Ruutu and Bryan Allen
    To the Colorado Avalanche for
    Joey Hishon, Cameron Gaunce and Tyson Barrie
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Ottawa Senators trade:
    Filip Kuba
    To the Anaheim Ducks for:
    Jason Blake
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Washington Capitals trade:
    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
    now the offers I accept from HF in his latest blog...
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Dallas Stars trade:
    Radek Dvorak and Brett Richie
    To the New Jersey Devils for:
    Dainius Zubrus
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The St Louis Blues trade:
    Kris Russel and Jori Lehtera
    To the New York Islanders for:
    Milan Jurcina
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I love the fact that we're getting a cagey vet in Radek Dvorak and a great prospect in Brett Richie (here is his prospect profile -----> http://www.hockeysfu...s/brett_ritchie) for the aging, dried up Dainius Zubrus. Dvorak has 20 points this season and would be a welcome addition to New Jersey's roster. While I didn't get the young goalie prospect I wanted to get for New Jersey, I did manage to get young Brett Richie, who is projected to be a top 6 forward and based on his scouting report, he seems like he could be comparable to Milan Lucic.
    As for the Isles deal, I accepted it because Jurcina will definitely help St. Louis in their play off run, and we will get two solid players in return. Kris Russel has offensive upside and has the potential to run a 2nd powerplay unit. While Jori Lehtera (here is his prospect profile ---> http://www.hockeysfu...ts/jori_lehtera) is a young, big center who can score; a hot commodity in the NHL these days. I liked this offer from HF.
    Now to get to the two trades I declined from HF....
    HF's first counter offer:
    The Phoenix Coyotes offer:
    Ray Whitney
    To the Boston Bruins for
    Jared Knight
    Offer Declined:I decided to reject this offer because Jared Knight will be a scoring machine in the NHL. He is slotted as a future 2nd line power forward, and he drives the net hard (here is his prospect profile ----> ( http://www.hockeysfu...ts/jared_knight). I don't think trading a prospect of his caliber for the aging rental Ray Whitney is beneficial for us looking forward. I am going to abandon all talks between Phoenix and Boston.
    HF's second counter offer:
    The San Jose Sharks offer:
    Brandon Mashinter and a third round pick
    To the Montreal Canadiens for
    Andrei Kostitsyn
    Offer Declined: This offer has been rejected because I think we can get more for Andrei than a future 4th line power forward. I am going to abandon all talks between San Jose and Montreal.
    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
    Why I like this offer is because Phoenix will get a bit of everything in this deal: a 2nd - 3rd line scoring winger for a different threat besides Whitney, Doan and Vbrata, a puck moving defenceman who can play on a second power play unit, a grinding 4th line forward who can chip in offensively and a promised 2nd rounder in the 2013 draft. My Habs on the other side, will get a 29 year old defenceman who is going to hit his stride in the next year or two and a big (FRENCH) forward in Gilbert Brule, who hasn't really caught on to the NHL game yet. I think its a win-win scenario for both teams, as Montreal takes a gamble on Brule but receives Klesla, and Phoenix gambles on Campoli but gets Kostitsyn, plus others.
    Second offer:
    The Boston Bruins offer:
    Greg Campbell and a 2012 2nd round pick
    to The San Jose Sharks for:
    Doug Murray
    Even though San Jose just traded for Moore, any team will benefit from having Greg Campbell playing for them. Greg, son of former NHL sheriff Colin Campbell, is a hard hitting, face off winning, grinding center who play off teams would truly drool over this trade deadline. Coming back to Boston will be hard hitting defender Doug Murray, who will certainly lay a few crippling hits on my Habs this post season
    Okay guys so there it is. Hopefully we'll get this done before Monday!!!! Don't forget to comment and vote!!!!!!
  4. habsguy26

    10 Questions

    By habsguy26,

    Welcome back for another installment of 10 questions! I'm your host, habsguy26. So without further ado, here we go!



    1) Who'd get canned first? Brian Burke, Paul Holmgren or Stan Bowman?



    2) Pavel Kubina?



    3) Which Canadian 'bubble' team is most likely to make the playoffs? Winnipeg, Calgary, Toronto or Montreal?



    4) Who will have the highest +/- this season?



    5) If you were Holmgren, do you shop Bryzgalov?



    6) Sean Couturier, would you give him up for Nash?



    7) If you were the GM of any team in the NHL (you decide) who would you offer for Rick Nash?



    8) Can you believe its not butter?



    9) Who will finish with the highest amount of assists?



    10) Does Sidney Crosby play before the playoffs?



    Okay guys, just a fun little blog before tonight's hockey. Leave your responses in the comments! Also, just a reminder that HF101 is going to be posting his Trade Wars today so don't forget to check it out!

  5. habsguy26
    Hey guys, this is another one of my old blogs.. tell me what you think!


    *With the preseason in full gear, we have gotten to see a preview of what to expect in this defining 2012 NHL season. I know that lately my blogs have been focused on all 30 teams, but today I'm just going to talk Habs. This blog will be (obviously) about what I expect from the players (stat wise) and the team's opening night lines. Also, I'll write a blurb on a few of the rookies and their performances so far this preseason, and when you can expect them in a Habs uniform full time. So without further ado, here we go!

    Forwards


    13 Mike Cammalleri- 35 G, 30 A - 65 P, +10, 10 PPG

    X factor


    - Goal totals are expected to rise this year with Cammy apparently being in the best shape he's been since he scored 39 in Calgary.



    72 Erik Cole- 20 G, 38 A - 58 P, +4, 9 PPG

    X factor


    - Has performed well in the preseason so far. No reason to expect any less from Cole, who is in the first year of a 4 year, 18M pact with the Habs.



    52 Mathieu Darche- 10 G, 10 A - 20 P, -5, 0 PPG

    X factor


    - Not very impressive on paper, but considering he will be playing on the fourth line, and that he is 34, these numbers aren't bad. You can't win if you don't have a Darche like player on your team. He'll be as valuable as anyone this season.



    51 David Desharnais- 13 G, 28 A - 41 P, -1, 2 PPG

    X factor


    - Desharnais could see himself playing on the second line if Gomez/Eller falter this season, and if that happens, you will see steady numbers from the 5'7" centre.



    81 Lars Eller- 5 G, 17 A - 22 P, -6, 1 PPG

    X factor


    - I can see Eller sticking in the bottom nine all season. He just doesn't seem to have the drive, in my opinion. Expect to see low totals again this season.



    21 Brian Gionta- 30 G, 19 A - 49 P, +13, 12 PPG

    X factor


    - Our captain is poised for another solid goal scoring season. He scored 29 last year, and with no changes to the second line, there is no reason to not expect any more or less.



    11 Scott Gomez- 9 G, 37 A - 46 P, -9, 3 PPG

    X factor


    - He looked good in his first preseason game last night against Ottawa. If this is some kind of window to the future, you may see a mediocre season from Gomez. Still not worth 7M, but he's (kind of) getting there.



    46 Andrei Kostitsyn- 18 G, 17 A - 35 P, +3, 7 PPG

    X factor


    - A few nights ago, we saw that AK46 still has that wicked wrister that we know him for, but I still don't think he will finish the season with Les Canadiens. He and maybe a prospect/pick will be traded at the deadline for _______ (fill in the blank in the comments!!)



    32 Travis Moen- 4 G, 13 A - 17 P, -6, 0 PPG

    X factor


    - One of my personal favourites, Travis Moen is the kind of player we love. A big guy, solid hitter and won't back down from a tussle (although I noticed that after his eye injury last season he didn't drop the gloves at all). He'll be a solid third liner.



    67 Max Pacioretty- 23 G, 34 A - 57 P, + 16, 8 PPG

    X factor


    - He shows great chemistry with Brian Gionta, and he will be a Masterson Canidate this year. The fact that the guy is still walking is a miracle, let alone playing hockey, at a high level I may add. Look for a big year from Patches.



    14 Tomas Plekanec- 19 G, 53 A - 72 P, + 17, 4 PPG

    X factor


    - This will be a defining season for Plekanec, who signed a big six year deal back in 2010. He is labeled as a good second line centre, but a decent first liner. Though he scored 70 points in 09-10, he fell back to 60 last year. Injury depending, we may see Plekanec have his best year yet.



    53 Ryan White- 5 G, 10 A - 15 P, -8, 0 PPG

    X factor


    - I am a big fan of this kid, and unfortunately we may see him being the odd man out. But, you may see him take a roster spot half way through the season. Keep your eyes on this guy.

    Defense


    17 Chris Campoli- 5 G, 18 A - 23 P, -4, 2 PPG

    X factor


    - Not a bad pick up yesterday by Pierre Gauthier. Insurance if Emelin or Spacek don't pan out or if Markov gets injured. He will have a decent year this year.



    74 Alexei Emelin- 2 G, 9 A - 11 P, +3, 0 PPG

    X factor


    - The Russian import who was taken by the Habs in the third round of the '04 draft will finally be making his NHL debut at the age of 25. He will bring part of what we lost in James Wisniewski (Columbus, 6 years, 33M), which is a physical edge but unfortunately he does not bring the kind of offensive talent that Wiz had.



    75 Hal Gill- 1 G, 7 A - 8 P, -2, 0 PPG

    X factor


    - He is great in the locker room, and solid defender. But, every rose has it's thorn. Gill is aging, plus he was slow on his feet to begin with. He was re-upped for this season, but it looks like it may be his last, at least with Montreal anyways.



    26 Josh Gorges- 3 G, 13 A - 16 P, + 11, 0 PPG

    X factor


    - He is coming back from a major injury and he looks better than ever. He'll play 20 minutes every night, and will be quarter backing the first P.K unit.



    79 Andrei Markov- 12 G, 47 A - 59 P, +19, 8 PPG

    X factor


    - Like Gorges, Markov is coming off a major knee injury, and though he may miss the first week of the regular season, we will probably see the old Markov that we know and love.



    6 Jaroslav Spacek- 1 G, 13 A - 14 P, -4, 0 PPG

    X factor


    - He's lost some weight this past offseason, and he is faster. He actually won a footrace against Sabre Speedster Nathan Gerbe. I actually did a double take. He'll kind of bounce back from last year's bad season.



    76 P.K Subban- 21G, 38 A - 59 P, + 23, 14 PPG

    X factor


    - Love him or hate him, Pernell-Karl Subban is a budding superstar. Barring a sophomore slump, expect him to pull off HUGE numbers. He'll get a big contract next summer too.



    68 Yannick Weber- 2 G, 18 A - 20 P, -1, 1 PPG

    X factor


    - Weber has the potential to be a second pairing defeseman, but right now he may be on the outside looking in due to the strong play of Emelin.

    Goaltenders


    30 Peter Budaj- 7 W, 11 L, .912 SV%, 2.89 GAA

    X factor


    - Budaj may be a step down from Alex Auld (Ottawa, 1 year, 1M) on paper, but Budaj has the potential to be a great back up for Carey Price. Expect to see an OKAY season.



    31 Carey Price- 38 W, 26 L, .925 SV%, 2.25 GAA

    X factor


    - Remember last time his preseason debut was horrible? Just chill out guys. Carey will be as good, if not better than he was last season. Maybe, just maybe, we can see a Vezina nomination.

    2011-2012 Starting Line Up


    LW- 13 Mike Cammalleri C- 14 Tomas Plekanec RW- 72 Erik Cole



    LW- 67 Max Pacioretty C- 11 Scott Gomez RW- 21 Brian Gionta 'C'



    LW- 32 Travis Moen C- 51 David Desharnais RW- 46 Andrei Kostitsyn



    LW- 52 Mathieu Darche C- 81 Lars Eller RW- 53 Ryan White



    LD- 79 Andrei Markov 'A' RD- 74 Alexei Emelin



    LD- 76 P.K Subban RD- 26 Josh Gorges



    LD 6 Jaroslav Spacek RD- 75 Hal Gill 'A'



    7th D - 68 Yannick Weber



    Starting Goaltender - 31 Carey Price



    Back Up Goaltender - 30 Peter Budaj

    Rookies


    Brenden Gallagher- I think he has the potential to be a top line forward. But for now, he will be returned to the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, where he will tear it up again. I think you will see him in the NHL full time before you know it, in about two or three years.



    Nathan Beaulieu- I like this kid's game. I can't believe we got him at 17th overall this past draft. He was expected to go in the top 10! He has a good, if not really good first pass, and his shot from the point is pretty good. Expect him in the NHL in 2013-2014.



    Jarred Tinordi- He has had a shaky preseason so far, but hey, its his first pro experience. He's a big kid, with a good stick. His skating could use work, but other wise a solid prospect. Rookie year could be 2014-2015. *

    Montreal Canadiens skaters through 59 games:
    Forwards


    13 Mike Cammalleri- 13 G, 15 A - 28 P, -11 *Traded to Calgary for F Rene Bourque, Peter Holland and a 2012 2nd round pick*

    27 Rene Bourque- 16 G, 5 A - 21 P, -4


    72 Erik Cole- 22 G, 22 A - 44 P, +10



    52 Mathieu Darche- 5 G, 7 A - 12 P, 0



    51 David Desharnais- 11 G, 32 A - 43 P, +10



    81 Lars Eller- 12 G, 10 A - 22 P, +5



    21 Brian Gionta- 8 G, 7 A - 15 P, -7 * 31 GP*



    11 Scott Gomez- 2 G, 7 A - 9 P, -4*29 GP*



    46 Andrei Kostitsyn- 12 G, 12 A - 24 P, -6



    32 Travis Moen- 9 G, 7 A - 16 P, -3



    67 Max Pacioretty- 24 G, 21 A - 45 P, +1



    14 Tomas Plekanec- 12 G, 29 A - 41 P, -14



    53 Ryan White- 0 G, 1 A - 1 P, +5 *2 GP*

    Defense


    17 Chris Campoli- 2 G, 4 A - 6 P, -2 *21 GP*



    74 Alexei Emelin- 2 G, 2 A - 4 P, -4



    75 Hal Gill- 1 G, 7 A - 8 P, -7 *Traded to Nashville for Blake Geoffrion, Robert Slaney and a 2012 2nd round pick*



    26 Josh Gorges- 2 G, 10 A - 12 P, +15



    79 Andrei Markov- 0 G, 0 A - 0 P, 0 *0 GP*



    6 Jaroslav Spacek- 2 G, 7 A - 9 P, +1 *Traded to Carolina for Tomas Kaberle*



    22 Tomas Kaberle- 2 G, 14 A, - 16 P, -4



    76 P.K Subban- 3G, 20 A - 23 P, +5



    68 Yannick Weber- 4 G, 12 A - 16 P, -2

    Goaltenders


    30 Peter Budaj- 2 W, 6 L, .906 SV%, 2.73 GAA



    31 Carey Price- 22 W, 29 L, .917 SV%, 2.37 GAA

    *9 losses in Overtime/Shootout*


    Okay guys, what did you think of that? I obviously had some big expectations of this year's Habs at the start of the pre-season, but now all that has faded. I really just want a high draft pick.

  6. habsguy26
    Hey guys, this is part 7 of Trade Wars: Habsguy26 vs HF101. Please vote on the above trades and comment to tell us what kind of job we're doing! Its getting narrower and narrower as we go by and the end is near. So far, we have 8 of the needed 15 deals completed. They are as follows:
    and the latest trades...
    I love these two trades. The Lightning acquire the goalie they need to make them an elite team at a little cost, and Winnipeg gets 2 great prospects for some veteran rentals.
    Harding would be the Lightning's franchise goalie for the next 7 years or so, and I'll take this deal any day of the week. He hasn't had a real chance to start, but with Tampa, Harding will be the undisputed #1. In Tampa, we are deep in forwards with Stamkos, St.Louis, Lecavalier, Downie, Malone and now Connolly taking Purcell's spot rounding out the top 6, so his loss is not very big. Carter Ashton is the main piece going back to Minnesota in my eyes. He is a decent prospect (here is is prospect report ---> http://www.hockeysfu...s/carter_ashton) but we have two good prospects by the names of Richard Panik and Vladislav Namestnikov who make the loss not as painful.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu_WgS1h8d8
    Going to Detroit will be Johnny Oduya and Chris Mason, to solidify their lineups come this spring. Oduya was a staple in the New Jersey defence that won a few championships and will bring a good presence to Detroit and Chris Mason is a better back up than Ty Conklin/Joey MacDonald. Winnipeg receives a top-tier goalie prospect in Petr Mrazek, and a future second line centre in Landon Ferraro. This is definitely a rental trade, as we in Winnipeg will probably be selling come February 27th.
    Now to discuss the other trades proposed by HF101 in his latest entry...
    The Phoenix Coyotes offer:
    Ray Whitney and a second round pick
    To the Boston Bruins for
    Jordan Caron
    Offer Declined: I initially accepted this offer, but upon further examination I decided to decline. Caron is among our best prospects here in Boston and is already fitting nicely with our team in Boston. Ray Whitney would be a good addition for Boston to help us push deeper into the play offs, which is why I am going to counter offer.
    Counter 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)
    This trade is better for both organizations in my opinion. Phoenix acquires a young, versatile prospect in Jamie Arniel ( here is his prospect profile ---> http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/jamie_arniel) while we receive Whitney and an unlikely pick. Plus Phoenix gets a guaranteed 3rd rounder.
    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)
    Offer declined: Right now, I feel that Kevin Porter doesn't fit into the plans of the Islanders. We are looking to make the playoffs, and acquiring a prospect for a depth defenceman doesn't really make sense for us. Plus, I have plans for Colorado that I will address in my offer from Carolina.
    The Dallas Stars offer:
    Thomas Vincour
    To the Carolina Hurricanes for
    Tuomu Ruutu
    Offer declined: I am declining this offer for 2 reasons: 1) Vincour is a decent prospect, but we don't feel he enough is worth Ruutu. and 2) We feel Ruutu would be a better fit for Colorado and I will address that in my offer to them later on in the blog.
    The San Jose Sharks offer:
    Jamie McGinn and a Fourth Round pick in the 2012 draft
    To the Montreal Candiens for
    Travis Moen
    Offer declined: We are going to respectfully decline this trade because we feel that Travis Moen fits into our future plans and we wish to resign him in the summer. McGinn may be too good to pass up though, which is why I am going to propose another offer to HF since he appears to be interested in trading him.
    The Anaheim Duck offer:
    Saku Koivu and a third round conditional pick (if the Capitals do not play in the conference finals)
    To the Washington Capitals for
    Jeffery Schultz
    Offer declined: I believe that the Washington Capitals have greater needs than Koivu and we address those needs in the offer to Edmonton
    The Minnesota Wild offer:
    Josh Harding
    To the Tampa Bay Lightening for
    Teddy Purcell and Carter Aston
    Offer was accepted earlier in the blog
    Now to send my offers out to HF101......
    First offer:
    The New Jersey Devils offer:
    Vladimir Zharkov and a 2012 4th round pick
    to The Dallas Stars for
    Sheldon Souray
    In Vladimir Zharkov, Dallas receives a good, two way NHL ready prospect who can play the power play and penalty kill ( here is his prospect profile ---> http://www.hockeysfu...ladimir_zharkov ) and would probably be ready to play for the Stars now. On our end of the deal, Jersey receives a defenceman who has had a solid bounce back season after playing on loan for Hershey last season. This would be Souray's second stint as the Devils, as they drafted him back in 1994. New Jersey could use him because we absolutely need to generate as much play off revenue as possible, and Souray would help us push further.
    Second Offer:
    The Carolina Hurricanes offer:
    Tuomo Ruutu and Bryan Allen
    to The Colorado Avalanche for
    Joey Hishon, Cameron Gaunce and Tyson Barrie
    Colorado will receive this years' cream of the crop when it comes to the trade deadline. Tuomo Ruutu would definitely help Colorado score a few goals and should Duchene or Statsny go down, Ruutu would be there to pick up the pieces. This year, Ruutu has 17 goals and 30 points, which would be good for 4th on Colorado. Additionally, Colorado would receive a very good depth defenceman Bryan Allen and would be capable of playing on Colorado's 2nd pairing with Jan Hejda. On our side, we receive 3 good prospects in Hishon, (http://www.hockeysfu...cts/joey_hishon) Gaunce, (http://www.hockeysfu.../cameron_gaunce) and Barrie (http://www.hockeysfu...ts/tyson_barrie). This move definitely puts Carolina in a great position heading forward and gives Colorado a good chance to go deep into the play offs.
    Third 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
    I really like Jamie McGinn and I think he is a great young forward who will score some goals, get into the gritty areas and drop the gloves occasionally. Marc-Edouard Vlasic is a key defenceman and would help the Habs tremendously. He is also french! Going to San Jose, will be consistent 20 goal scorer Andrei Kostitsyn (UFA), penalty killing defender Hal Gill (who is one of the reasons why the Habs penalty kill is one of the best in the league, also a UFA), a young, puck moving defenceman in Yannick Weber and a guaranteed 2nd round pick, which will probably end up being 31-39th overall. I think this is a good deal for both teams.
    Fourth Offer:
    The Ottawa Senators offer:
    Filip Kuba
    To the Anaheim Ducks for:
    Jason Blake
    A one for one deal. Straight up. Ducks get the depth defenceman they need to make a push and Ottawa gets Jason Blake, a veteran that would help balance the top 9. This deal also allows for some of Ottawa's younger defencemen like Jared Cowen or Brian Lee to step up and take a larger role on the team. I think this is a fair offer for both sides.
    Fifth Offer:
    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
    Saved the big one for last. Edmonton gets Jeff Schultz, a guy who is capable of playing a 20 minute, mistake free hockey game, a power forward still capable of 20 goals, a future number one tender, and a top 15 pick for Ales Hemsky, someone who could benefit from playing with Ovechkin and Backstrom, or even Brooks Laich and Johansonn, a young forward in Svensson whose stock is dropping and Cam Barker, a former top 3 pick who hasn't lived up to any of the hype at all. But obviously, the main piece here is Hemsky, who I believe could have an 80 point season if he played 82 games with Ovechkin. This trade benefits both teams.
    Okay guys there you have it. Part 7. HF will likely get part 8 up as soon as the end of this week, as we want to finish this before the deadline. Its getting narrow so the trades are becoming easier. Anyways, see you later, and happy hockey! Don't forget to leave a comment and vote on the two latest deals, we need your feedback!
    P.S Hope you guys had a special Valentines Day and got to spend it with someone special
  7. habsguy26
    Hey guys, this is Habsguy here back with the third installment of Trade Wars. If you haven't been reading this series, go to the blogs section and check it out. Before we get started, how did you guys like the All Star Draft? I was there actually, and the whole crowd was really into it. The boo's were louder in person than they were on T.V though when Lupul drafted Kessel. As Habs fan it was great to see. A moment that made me laugh hysterically was when Chara drafted Carey Price, Chara went to shake Price's hand and Price totally snubbed him. Not sure if it was intentional but nonetheless it was still hilarious. But anyways, we do have one deal in place from HF101's latest entry and that trade is:
    Okay, the first order of business is to go through HF101's proposed trades in the last entry. Funny story actually, I started doing this blog last Saturday and almost had it done, (literally accepted/declined all of HF's trades and proposed 4 of my own) when Google Chrome randomly crashed. Cue Chrome rage. I was so furious that I didn't even want to start over and just left it. To all you Chrome users out there, do you guys have the same problem? But anyways, the train of thought may be getting a bit derailed here so here we go to the trades!
    Trade Proposal 1:
    The L.A Kings offer
    Jack Johnson. and Trent Hunter
    To the Philadelphia Flyers for
    James Van Reimsdyke and Marc-Andre Bourdon
    Offer Declined: As much as we need a defender right now, I don't like the idea of essentially Van Riemsdyke and Bourdon for Johnson. Trent Hunter can be a solid bottom 6 contributor, but for how long? He doesn't fit into our long term plans while Van Riemsdyke and Bourdon do. But, for you Flyers fans, I will make a counter offer.
    Counter Offer:
    The Philadelphia Flyers offer:
    James Van Riemsdyke, Jody Shelley, Marc-Andre Bourdon and a 2012 3rd round draft pick
    To the Los Angeles Kings for:
    Jack Johnson, Trent Hunter and Thomas Hickey
    Hey, Jody Shelley is a great locker room guy.
    In this trade, I decided to keep the Van Riemsdyke-Johnson core but added a few extras. Van Riemsdyke would benefit from a trade and a new system, while L.A also gets a great locker room guy in Jody Shelley, and a good prospect in Bourdon. While we would receive a top pairing defenceman, a solid forward and a decent prospect in Thomas Hickey.
    Trade Proposal 2:
    The Vancouver Canucks offer
    Roberto Luongo
    To the Florida Panthers for
    Clemmenson, Kulikov and a first round pick in 2012
    Trade Accepted: Done, done, done, done, done. This is a steal on our end. Roberto Luongo would have no problems waiving his NTC to come here since his family lives here and he would definitely help us in our play off push(shocking, I know) No offense to Scott Clemmenson, who is a great back up, but the only real asset we lose here is Kulikov, who will be a solid defenceman for many years to come for Vancouver. Also to my surprise, our 1st round pick this year isn't really that valuable, and it will only get less valuable when the man known as "Lu" starts playing for us and pushes us deeper into the playoffs. Didn't even have to think about this one.
    Trade Proposal 3:
    The Edmonton Oilers offer
    Sam Gagner, Alex Hemsky
    To the Toronto Maple Leafs for
    Cody Franson, M Grabovski and Jake Gardiner
    Trade Declined: Okay look. Grabovski has been a great player since arriving here from Montreal. Also, Cody Franson has been great since Komi got injured and our resident Justin Bieber fan Jake Gardiner is having a pretty good rookie season. But, the main reason why I don't want this trade is because Hemsky has no motivation in Edmonton, why would he have motivation here? Plus we are kinda deep in the skilled wingers department anyways. I think Sam Gagner could benefit from a change of scenery, but unfortunately it can't be here in Toronto. We respectfully decline.
    Trade Proposal 4:
    The Minnesota Wild offer
    Niklas Backstrom and Greg Zanon
    To the Tampa Bay Lightning for
    Vinny Lecavalier
    Trade Declined: Had to think about this one, but here is another prime example of a trade that would help both teams. Backstrom would help us tremendously in goal, and Lecavalier would give Minnesota that true veteran presence and someone for Heatley to play with (Not saying Koivu isn't worthy enough for the all mighty Dany Heatley, but he is injured). But that is exactly the reason why I don't want to give him up. Imagine what loosing Lecavalier would do to our locker room. He is also one of the only pieces remaining from our championship season. So for that reason, I'm going to decline. BUT, I will make a counter offer.
    Counter Offer:
    The Tampa Bay Lightning offer:
    Mathieu Garon, Matt Gilroy, Carter Ashton and a conditional 2013 1st round draft pick (if Tampa makes the play offs in 2012)
    to the Minnesota Wild for
    Niklas Backstrom and Greg Zanon
    Why I like this proposal better for both teams is that Minny would get a great back up for Harding in this deal, a great young defenceman in Gilroy and a World Junior stand out for Canada in Carter Aston. The draft pick is also a nice touch. Already covered why I want Backstrom, but Greg Zanon is an important piece too. He is among the league's best shot blockers (behind Josh Gorges of course ) and would help us out tremendously.
    Trade Proposal 5:
    The St Louis Blues offer
    Ian Cole
    To the Carolina Hurricanes for
    Tim Gleason
    Offer Declined: "Ian who?" is what I said when I first read this. I actually had to scout him out. His scouting report didn't really say he is or will be anything special in the NHL, so for that reason I respectfully decline.
    Okay, now that we got that out of the way, I'm gonna move on to what I'm going to offer HF101.
    First offer:
    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
    When you strip this trade naked, it is basically struggling forward for struggling forward. Both could maybe benefit from playing for a new team. O'Brien on the other hand would add toughness to our blueline while Dustin Byfuglien remains injured. Tim Stapleton and the pick are just throw in's, but Stapleton can be a useful player, especially in the faceoff circle.
    Second Offer:
    The Buffalo Sabres offer:
    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
    So, The Buffalo Sabres are gonna be sellers this year. After we signed a bunch of free agents, our season hasn't exactly turned out the way we'ved expected. I think Chicago could use some grittiness, especially after losing Carcillo to injury. Gaustad and Kaleta are perfect fits in Chicago and would definitely help them make a great playoff push. On our side of this deal, we get 4 decent prospects. I'm most excited about Nick Leddy, who has proved he can hang with the best in the NHL.
    Third Offer:
    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
    Okay, lets face it: Jeffrey Carter has been a bust in Columbus and there is a possibility that he is available. While I don't like this trade from a Habs fan perspective, it makes tons of sense for us in Boston. We can take a risk on Carter while not giving up our chemistry. Columbus on the other hand gets a wild card in Benoit Pouliot, and 3 decent almost NHL ready prospects, among a late 1st rounder. Plus, they get Carter off the books so they can once again go into a full rebuild. Everyone wins.
    Fourth Offer:
    The Pittsburgh Penguins offer:
    Tyler Kennedy, Eric Tangradi, Craig Adams and a 2012 2nd round pick
    to the Dallas Stars for
    Brenden Morrow
    Brenden Morrow is apparently on the block and would be a good fit for us in Pittsburgh. He won't replace the offence we lost from Sidney Crosby, but he will be a good line mate for Malkin and Neal. Dallas, will receive a good forward in Tyler Kennedy who is very under rated and over shadowed by Crosby, Malkin and Neal. Throw in a good prospect in Eric Tangradi and the always solid fourth liner Craig Adams and this should be a good deal for both teams.
    Fifth Offer:
    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
    No, I'm not crazy. But this trade offer might be. This is very unrealistic and will NEVER happen, not in 1289472913518291237 million years, but hey, its worth a shot. Gomez of course is a risky part of this deal... but the good thing about the CBA is you can send any player you want down to the minors and erase their cap hits, and if Gomez persists to under perform in Anaheim that can be done. Andrei Kostitsyn and Hal Gill are both UFA's come July 1 but I can see both excelling under Bruce Boudreau. Then we get to Tinordi and Webber, two guys I would hate to see going. Tinordi may be an exact copy of Zdeno Chara. He has a big shot, he's VERY big, and gets into the passing lanes well. He can also fight and hit. Weber, as some of you may know, is expected to have a very good career in the NHL offensively and defensively. You know he's good when Cunneyworth plays him at forward. If you read my debut topic on this site, you know I'm a fan of George Parros. Go there (http://www.hockeyfor...-the-next-step/) to see why. Ryan Getzlaf is a premier centre in the NHL and Montreal would benefit from having him around. J.F Jacques on the other hand is a 4th liner at best, and to be honest I threw him in because he's francophone.
    Okay guys, so there you have it. Part three of Trade Wars. Be sure to leave a comment below to tell us what kind of job we're doing and if you like the series! HF101 will be back with part 4 soon. But until then, see ya!
  8. habsguy26
    Hey guys. We're back with the next part of Trade Wars. Please vote on the above polls as we appreciate your feed back on the trades, and don't forget to comment to tell us what you think of the series! Before we get into things, lets see all of the accepted trades so far.
    And the latest trade..

    You may as well give Pittsburgh the cup right now. This trade definitely would set up a potential Hawks-Penguins cup final. That'd be epic, wouldn't it? If Sidney Crosby returns well before the playoffs (and if you believe Ek's ''sources'', then he will) the Penguins are the best team in the NHL, in my opinion. Add Suter to the mix and he solidifies an already solid defence. Chet Pickard on the other hand is a good goaltending prospect and I'm glad I got him in the deal, even though we will have M.A Fleury for the next 10 years, Pickard has the potential to be the #1 in Pittsburgh and give Fleury a run for his money. Just give him time. To Nashville, we lose serviceable guys Martin and Kennedy. Paul Martin though, is far too mediocre for us, and we needed to get his 5 000 000 dollar cap hit off the books. Kennedy (who I have been trying to trade through-out this whole series, good job to HF for noticing) is someone who will flourish on a new team. He can be a solid #2 centre in Nashville. He's been greatly overshadowed in Pittsburgh by Crosby, Malkin, Neal and Staal. Its hard to lose a guy like him but it would be best for his career if he was sent packing.
    Now to get to the other deals HF proposed in his latest blog.
    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
    Offer Declined: I know what you're wondering: "A trade offer that involves Scott Gomez and includes the next Wayne Gretzky Sam Gagner?! What a steal!" Well, not exactly. Being a DIE HARD Habs fan, this is hard to say no to, but easy at the same time. Gagner I think could fit nicely into the Habs, but the real x factor here is Nathan Beaulieu. NO WAY we give him up. He was supposed to be a top 5-10 pick, but slipped to us at 17. He is our future power play QB and maybe even captain. So for that reason, no, but I will propose something else since I know he's interested in Gomez
    Counter 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
    I like this trade better for both teams, because Edmonton gets the vet they wanted in Gomez, plus a scoring threat in Andrei Kostitsyn (who is an UFA this summer). Also, they get powerplay specialist Raphael Diaz, who made the all rookie all star team this year, and could benefit mightily from passing to Nuge, Hall or Eberle on the power play. Then there's Jarred Tinordi, who the Habs traded up to draft 22nd overall in 2010. He's a big, hitting defender who plays with London right now. Montreal on the other hand will get Sam Gagner, who is on a note worthy streak (12 P in 3 GP) and pest Ben Eager. Paargarvi is the interesting piece of this trade. Some say Edmonton should keep him, but I think this is the perfect time to trade him. He's having a bad sophomore year and is currently playing with Edmonton's AHL affiliate Oklahoma. He was a high draft pick (10th overall in 2009), but if you look at all the depth Edmonton has at forward, it makes him expendable. Especially for 2 good defence prospects.
    The San Jose Sharks offer:
    Matt Neito and the Sharks third round pick in the 2012 draft
    To the Carolina Hurricanes for
    Tuomo Ruutu
    Offer Declined: This offer is declined because I don't really think Carolina needs a young dynamic forward like Matt Neito right now. If HF is still interested, I'd like to negotiate a different deal.
    The Columbus Blue Jackets offer:
    Jeff Carter
    To the Washington Capitals for
    Brooks Laich, Jeff Schultz and a 1st round pick (Colorado)
    Offer Declined: I don't feel that Carter straight up is worth Laich and Schultz alone, plus the potential top 15 pick. I feel that if we are gonna trade Laich and Schultz, it should be for a player that would compliment Ovechkin's style of play. Carter doesn't really do that, as he, along with Ovechkin, is a shooter. Washington is out of their slump, but Ovie isn't. So for that reason, I respectfully decline.
    The Minnesota Wild offer:
    Marek Zidlicky and Tyler Cuma
    To the New York Islanders for
    Brian Rolston and Brock Nelson
    Offer Declined: Cuma and Nelson are the players I had to ponder about this deal. It was really tempting, but I don't want to lose Nelson, since he has top six potential and I think he will compliment John Tavares nicely. Cuma is a nice prospect, but I think that in the long run I'd rather have Nelson. The two vets in the deal, Rolston and Zidlicky, would help both teams but the major factor was Nelson, so was again I respectfully decline.
    Now to get to the 5 trades I must propose to HF101.
    First offer:
    The Toronto Maple Leafs offer:
    Clarke MacArthur, Tyler Bozak and a 2012 1st round pick
    to The Columbus Blue Jackets for
    Jeff Carter
    Jeff Carter has been long rumored to be going to Toronto, ever since his Philadelphia party days. He would fit nicely into Toronto's aggressive attack. Clarke MacArthur has been rumored to be floating around the trade block and is a decent forward that Columbus would benefit from having. Bozak is a speedy, play making centre with lots of skill. The pick could be in the bottom 20's if Toronto continues to play they way they are. The main point of this deal is to get Carter out of Columbus.
    Second Offer:
    The Winnipeg Jets offer:
    Blake Wheeler
    to The Detroit Red Wings for
    Justin Abdelkater, Landon Ferraro and a 2012 3rd round pick
    Blake Wheeler is having a pretty good year this year with 35 points. He is a big power forward who has a great shot. The Wings could really use a depth forward for their playoff run, and Winnipeg may be sellers. Landon Ferraro (son of Ray) is projected as a future second line sniper. Will compete for a job on the Griffins for the 2011-12 season, but could be sent down to the ECHL if he does not earn a job out of training camp. Abdelkater has the size and skill combination to be a prototypical power forward.
    Third Offer:
    The Boston Bruins offer
    Zach Hamill and Steve Kampfer
    to The Quebec Nordi... Phoenix Coyotes for
    Ray Whitney
    Ray Whitney is cagey vet who will score some goals for Boston down the stretch and in the play offs and will help Boston try to repeat as Cup Champs and will become a UFA after the play offs end or he will retire. Phoenix, will get a solid young defender in Kampfer and a forward who was just placed on waivers yesterday and went unclaimed. Hamill is a speedy centre who does drive the lane well and can play in any situation. I think this is a fair offer for both sides.
    Fourth Offer:
    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
    You had to know I`d be coming back with a block buster after two rentals. Parise is a perfect fit for Minnesota. Its his home state and he`d be the future captain for sure. I also think him on a line with Koivu and Heatley would be deadly. If its true the Devils are in financial troubles, they need to get Parise off the books at the deadline and I think the best fit for him is Minnesota. In return, we get our future #1 goalie in Harding, a defenceman that they want gone in Zidlicky, a solid defenceman prospect in Spurgeon and hitting machine Cal Clutterbuck, who is the second main piece that I want in return.
    Fifth Offer:
    The Tampa Bay Lightning offer:
    Ryan Malone, Mathieu Garon and Carter Ashton
    To the St.Louis Blues for
    Jaroslav Halak and T.J Oshie
    Okay, so you're thinking: " What?! No way St.Louis gives up Halak! Elliot's not proven!" Well I say to that, cool your jets. Brian Elliot may not be proven as a legit NHL starter for now, but lets not forget how deep the Blues are in net. They have WJC goalie Jake Allen in the minors who is playing well along side the 6'7 giant Ben Bishop in Peoria. Both of these goalies have starting potential. SO, if St.Louis wants to get Halak off the books for maybe a future Semin or Parise signing this summer, this is the best way to do it. They also get Ryan Malone who is a beast and will excel under Hitchcock. Garon can serve as a back up to Elliot and Carter Ashton is playing well in the minors and he also has a WJC gold medal. In the deal, Tampa would also get the power forward T.J Oshie, who has had injury problems in the past but is playing decently this season. He would fit nicely on a line with Stamkos or Lecavalier.
    Okay guys so there it is. Sorry if I didn't go to well into detail on some of them, its just pretty late and I needed to get this up tonight. Leave a comment and don't forget to vote!
  9. habsguy26
    Hey guys, just going through my old blog page and found one that received both positive and negative criticism. Just gonna copy and paste it and see what you guys think.
    Ryan White Signs 1 year deal with Montreal
    First of all, congratulations to Ryan White for signing a one year deal with the Habs. Good signing for the Habs. White plays with a lot of poise and is one of maybe 2 players who will drop the gloves at any moment so they need a guy like him to play physical for them. He has a year to prove he belongs because there are plenty of guys who could fill that role. For those of you who are unaware of Ryan White, he is the kind of player we lost in Maxim Lapierre, whose physical and scoring presence was missed deeply in this years play offs. Ren Lavoie of RDS reports it's a one-way deal worth $625,000 for the season.
    NHL Re-Alignment
    According to Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold, the NHL will re align its divisions for the 2012-2013 season. Leipold was quoted as saying the Winnipeg Jets will join his Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, St.Louis Blues, Dallas Stars and possibly the Columbus Blue Jackets in the new Central Division. He made no mention of the 2010-2011 Central Division champion Detroit Red Wings, which is the team most likely to move the Eastern Conference to accommodate the Jets' move.
    The NHL Board of Governors are scheduled to meet in December to resume talks of realignment. The Jets will play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference this season, joining the Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers.
    If you ask me, I think the NHL should look a bit different than this. After looking at the locations of all 30 NHL teams, I came up with my own opinion.
    Western Conference
    Pacific
    Vancouver Canucks
    San Jose Sharks
    Los Angeles Kings
    Phoenix Coyotes
    Anaheim Ducks
    North West
    Calgary Flames
    Edmonton Oilers
    Winnipeg Jets
    Colorado Avalanche
    Minnesota Wild
    Central
    Chicago Blackhawks
    St.Louis Blues
    Nashville Predators
    Dallas Stars
    Columbus Blue Jackets
    Eastern Conference
    Atlantic
    Boston Bruins
    New York Rangers
    New York Islanders
    Washington Capitals
    New Jersey Devils
    North East
    Detroit Red Wings
    Montreal Canadiens
    Toronto Maple Leafs
    Buffalo Sabres
    Ottawa Senators
    South East
    Pittsburgh Penguins
    Philadelphia Flyers
    Carolina Hurricanes
    Tampa Bay Lightning
    Florida Panthers
    Okay, so, with the Pacific, it makes more sense geographically if the Canucks joined that division. It would give more variety of games too. Winnipeg moving to the North West means more match ups with the Flames and Oilers which is what everyone in Canada wants anyways. Dallas moving to the Central is quite self explanatory. It makes sense geographically. Now we head East. In the Atlantic, I definitely think the Bruins and Washington should move. If Boston moves to the Atlantic, it does unfortunately mean less Habs-Bruins regular season games. But it makes the four or five they would play even more special. In the North East, not only do the Red Wings move divisions, they will change conferences, which is inevitable and very un-heard of. Then, to the South East, the Pens-Flyers rivalry will be maintained while they move to what could be the weakest division in the league this upcoming year.
    Okay so there it was. This was before the whole realignment plan was pitched so I had no idea that they were just gonna have 4 divisions or anything like that. Leave a comment on what you guys think!
  10. habsguy26
    Hey guys. You may remember my very first topic on this site was about how the Canadiens could be fixed. I suggested either we get a new coach, acquire a top 3 scorer, or a tough guy. Well, unless you've been hiding under a rock, Jacques Martin was fired earlier this year and replaced by Randy Cunneyworth, and Michael Cammalleri was traded to Calgary for Rene Bourque (during a game I may add). Under Cunneyworth, Montreal is 6-14. Before they fired Martin, they were 13-12-7. This was obviously a panic firing by Gauthier, and both he and Cunneyworth are expected to be let go by the end of this season.
    If I were the Molson brothers (I can dream) I would let Cunneyworth come back as an assistant, but I would look externally to find a new head coach.
    ​Habs potential coaching candidates:
    1) Patrick Roy
    This would be my number one choice, hands down. Roy, who currently owns, manages and coaches the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League said he’s open to the possibility of returning to the organization where he began his NHL career. Patrick is a great candidate for the Habs' coach for plenty of reasons. He feels he owes the team after leaving so dis-gracefully, He'd be great for Price(and Budaj), he is currently leading the Remparts to a 33-14-5 record, and he just so happens to be french. The Hall of Famer would definitely be a great hiring for the Habs, as a fan, I hope they come to terms.
    2) Guy Boucher???
    This is a little less crazy as it sounds. The Lightning are having a sub par year, and Steve Yzerman is a new GM who could pull the trigger on a panic firing. Boucher would certainly have no issues coming back to his roots. The former Adams Trophy candidate is well known for his defensive styled hockey, and his 1-3-1 forecheck trap that had the league scratching their heads. He is also french!
    3) Clement Jodoin
    Jodoin is currently the head coach of Montreal's AHL affiliate, The Hamilton Bulldogs. But before that, Jodoin had an impressive run in the QMJHL as head coach of Sidney Crosby's Rimouski Oceanic going 151-95-8-5. He has won a total of 3 CHL coach of the year awards ( with Halifax, Lewiston and Rimouski) and will forever be a great coach in the QMJHL history books. I know I said Montreal should look externally, but Jodoin has paid his dues and deserve a great of chance as any other candidate. He is also french.
    4) Randy Carlyle
    Yes, that Randy Carlyle. The 1981 Norris Trophy winner could be a dark horse in the running for the next coach of Montreal. He won a Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2007 and he coaches fast pace, crash the net styled hockey; the style of coaching all Habs fans having been dreaming about. Being a former defenceman, and coaching a few great defencemen (Pronger, Niedermayer etc.) his hiring could be beneficial for young defencemen P.K Subban, Alexei Emelin, and Raphael Diaz, who all appear to have great futures with the Habs. And no, he does not speak french, but it should (but it won't) be the last thing the Molson brothers look for.
    Top candidates for the next GM
    1) Patrick Roy
    Need I say more? If Roy takes our coaching job, his title would likely include GM and Team President.
    2) Pierre McGuire
    Although he was born in New Jersey, McGuire can speak fluent french. The current NBC analyst was named specifically by colleague Pierre LeBrun as a potential candidate for the GM job in Montreal. McGuire won two Stanley Cups as a scout and assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992. He then joined the Hartford Whalers as an assistant coach and was later named assistant general manager. In 1993 he was named head coach, leading the team to a 23-37-7 record in the 1993–94 after replacing current Flyers' GM Paul Holmgren in mid-season. Holmgren replaced McGuire as head coach following that campaign. McGuire is a liked and respected figure around the NHL and would probably make a good GM.
    5 players that would help the Montreal Canadiens tremendously:
    1) Andrei Markov and Brian Gionta
    The two players that would help us out the most are already under contract with us. Gionta, our captain, hasn't played a game since January 10th, and hasn't had a point since December 6th. He has 15 points on the year after a 29 goal, 47 point season last year. Granted, he has only 31 games under his belt this year but for 5 million bucks, his performance has to be better than 0.5 points per game, or he will be traded or bought out. Markov on the other hand, hasn't played since November 13th, 2010. His last point was on November 11th. He signed a new deal with Montreal last summer, and it has since been highly criticized because he has yet to have even a full practice. He was expected to be ready for the start of this season but there was a set back. Then, it was expected he would return in early January, but obviously nothing has happened. That was the last we've heard of Markov. He is a key contributor to our powerplay and was one of the reasons we had a strong one in the late 2000's, and may be the sole reason why our powerplay is dead last today. Extremely similar to the Indianapolis Colts' situation with Peyton Manning, Markov could be the teams' MVP without even playing a single game.
    2) Johan Hedberg
    Peter Budaj has done a fine job this season, but if Carey Price is having one of those games where he just doesn't care (been a few this year) I'd feel better having 'Moose' coming in instead of Budaj. Hedberg is without a question the best true backup goalie in the NHL (by that I mean goalies who couldn't be a number 1 somewhere else, like Schnidner and Harding) and would be a valuable asset to any team.
    3) Jeff Carter
    I'd love to have Jeff Cater. Who knows where he'll be traded at the Deadline this year, but its certain that he will not be a Blue Jacket come February 27th. It would probably take a roster player, a prospect and a pick and if Pierre Gauthier wants to keep his job, he will put an offer in. Carter would help Montreal tremendously, and he'd be our number 1 centre for years to come. Plus, he'd score a few goals. The main problem in Montreal could be though, the Montreal night life.
    4) Manny Malholtra
    I don't think any rumours have surfaced that Malholtra is on the trading block, but he would be a great pick up for Montreal. We could use a centre who can win a bunch of faceoffs, and Manny is among the best in the league at doing that.
    5) George Parros
    (taken from my debut topic)It's not like he would be difficult to obtain (likely a low draft pick, 4th round at the highest, or a minor leaguer.) Also, the dude can play hockey. Sure, he only has 16 goals and 30 points in 378 games, but in those 378 games, his +/- is +11. That's pretty good for an enforcer last time I checked. He's one of the best fighters in the NHL, very respected league wide, good locker room guy, he has a degree from Princeton, AND, he has a sweet stache. What's not to love? Make it happen PG!!!
    Okay guys so there it is. This blog is coming off a huge 5-0 win over the Leafs, so I hope I don't jinx anything!
    Happy Hockey
    P.S If you haven't already, don't forget to go check out "Trade Wars". Its a series of blogs that I and another member by the name of HF101 collaborate on and it really is fun. The link will be at the bottom.
    <Trade Wars> http://www.hockeyfor...guy26-vs-hf101/
    <Twitter> https://twitter.com/#!/allanrayer
  11. habsguy26

    Altered Deal

    By habsguy26,

    Due to the recent news that Kulikov will be on the IR for 6-8 weeks with knee surgery that took place on Monday, hf101 and myself have agreed on the editing the Vancouver / Florida trade.
    Accepted trade


    Vancouver trades Roberto Luongo to Florida for Clemmenson, Rasmus Bengtsson, Nick Bjugstad, and Florida's 2012 first round pick.

  12. habsguy26

    Habsguy26's trades 1-5

    By habsguy26,

    Hello everyone, welcome to the first installment of Trade Wars: Habsguy26 vs HF101! You may already be familiar with this series, as Hockeybuzz bloggers Richard Cloutier and Travis Yost did the exact same thing a while ago.



    As for the rules, they will be very similar to Travis and Richard's rules. I, will be the acting GM for every team in the Eastern Conference while my colleague HF101 will be the GM for every team in the Western conference. Each of the 15 teams from each conference HAS to have one trade completed, and they can't make more than one trade. Each blog will contain 5 trades (not including counter offers) and they will either be declined or accepted in the next blog. Salary cap WILL come into affect and will be based off of Capgeek.com. All NTC/NMC will be assumed waived. So, I think that covers just about everything.... so lets get to it!!!

    First Trade offer:
    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.
    -----------------------------------------
    Second Trade offer:
    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.
    --------------------------------------------
    Third Trade offer:
    New Jersey Devils offer
    Zach Parise and Mark Fayne
    To the Los Angeles Kings for
    Jonathon Bernier, Andrei Loktionov, Slava Voynov and Dustin Penner.
    --------------------------------------
    Fourth Trade offer:
    Pittsburgh Peguins offer
    Tyler Kennedy
    To the Minnesota Wild for
    Greg Zanon and a 2013 1st round pick.
    -----------------------------------------
    Fifth Trade offer:
    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.
  13. habsguy26
    Hope everyone had a safe and fun new year. Here's to an amazing 2012!
    Since the NHL is (almost) officially half way through the 2011-2012 season. Based off the current (January 1, 2012) standings, I will predict the entire 1st round of the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, which is set to take place in Pittsburgh this June. So sit back and enjoy, and get a first look at who your team may be drafting! Note that this is only part 1, if you guys approve I'll post part 2 for all of you Philly fans.
    First overall pick belongs to The Columbus Blue Jackets:
    Columbus selects: Nail Yakupov from the Sarnia Sting (OHL)
    Nail Yakupov is arguably the most highly skilled player available in the 2012 NHL Draft. In the 2010-2011 season, he put up outstanding numbers, recording 101 points in 65 games, and scoring nearly 50 goals for the Sarnia Sting of the OHL. This was as a rookie. Scouts are already drooling over Yakupov's skill that will surely make him a top scorer in the NHL someday. Selected 2nd overall by the Sting in the 2010 CHL Import Draft, Yakupov played along fellow rookie star Alex Galchenyuk this past season, and it will be interesting to watch the two dominate helpless defensemen during the 2011-2012 season. Yakupov has been criticized for being a selfish player by some, but others love how he uses his teammates to score goals. “The Russian Factor” scares some NHL scouts away, but Yakupov has made it clear that he has no intentions of leaving the NHL for the KHL.
    NHL Comparison: Alex Ovechkin
    Second overall pick belongs to The Anaheim Ducks:
    Anaheim selects: Mikhail Grigorenko from the Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
    Mikhail Grigorenko is yet another Russian player looking to be selected in the top three. He is an extremely talented center with great
    hands, amazing IQ, superb vision and tons of offensive upside. He is a mainstay on Russia's junior national team as their top center, and was voted Player of the Tournament at the World Junior A Hockey Challenge.
    NHL Comparison: Nick Backstrom
    Third overall pick belongs to The New York Islanders:
    New York selects: Mathew Dumba from the Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
    Matt Dumba is a strong and swift skater with a big shot and a knack for delivering open-ice hits with his six-foot, 172-pound frame.
    He has a hard and accurate shot that he gets through to the net consistently. Matt’s puck control is top notch, he’s able to beat players one on one and drives the net like a power forward. One of the biggest things about Matt’s game is that he makes very few mistakes, and the few mistakes he does make, he’s able to recover from by using his good hockey sense.
    NHL comparison: Dion Phaneuf
    Fourth overall pick belongs to The Carolina Hurricanes:
    Carolina selects: Filip Forsberg from Leksands IF (Swe)A dynamic skater with stellar offensive instincts, Filip Forsberg (no relation to Peter Forsberg) is a star on the rise in Sweden. Forsberg has an elusive stride that makes him very difficult to contain. His speed is extraordinary for a player so young. He carries the puck well on his stick and he is very poised. He is not very big but he is very strong. He can maneuver through tight spaces with ease. Forsberg is an offensive threat who has a quick shot, crisp passes and soft hands. He can dangle around opposing defensemen and come in on goal very well.
    ​NHL Comparison: Martin Havlat
    Fifth overall pick belongs to The Tampa Bay Lightning:
    Tampa Bay selects: Ryan Murray from the Everett Silvertips (WHL)
    Murray was the team captain for Canada in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, and led them to a gold medal. He is regularly noted for hisgreat puckmoving ability. In 70 games with the Silvertips in 2010-2011, Murray scored 46 points, including 40 assists. Ryan Murray is looked at as a future two-way defenseman in the NHL, and will likely be a solid defenseman for years to come.
    NHL Comparison: Kris Letang
    Sixth overall pick belongs to The Edmonton Oilers:
    Edmonton selects: Jacob Trouba from the U.S. National U18 Team (USHL)
    Jacob Trouba is a big, (6'1") physically deadly defenseman coming out of the USHL. He was supposed to rival Yakupov for the top pick, but since his stock has dropped. He isn't really offensive, either. He has the potential to be a top pairing, bruising defender.
    NHL Comparison: Scott Stevens (not quite that good, just had no one else in mind)
    Seventh overall pick belongs to The Montreal Canadiens:
    Montreal selects: Alex Galchenyuk from the Sarnia Sting (OHL)
    Since being selected first overall in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection, Alex Galchenyuk has had a lot of pressure on him to perform at an elite level. So far, he's doing just fine. In his rookie year in the OHL, Galchenyuk tallied 83 points in 68 games for the Sarnia Sting, scoring 31 goals.The 6'2 teenage star is certain to go very high in the 2012 NHL Draft, and grab another load of very high expectations in the process. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Galchenyuk was drafted into the OHL from the Chicago Young Americans after absolutely dominating the league, scoring 87 points in just 38 games.
    NHL Comparison: Marian Hossa
    Eighth + Ninth overall picks belong to The Washington Capitals:
    Washington selects: Zemgus Girgensons from the Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
    A native of Riga, Latvia, Zemgus Girgensons has been a pleasant surprise in North America. He has good size, soft hands and a physical edge to his game that make him a can't-miss prospect. Girgensons has great skating stride and he plays well at all ends of the ice. He has
    tremendous leadership despite not knowing a lot of English. His first season in North America with the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints was a huge success, nearly going a point per game, and winning the Clark Cup as league champion that season. A smart, two-way centre, he can play in all situations and he can be counted on for also dishing out the big hit when needed. He has acclimatized quite nicely to the North American style.
    NHL Comparison: Joe Thornton
    and
    Morgan Rielly from the Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
    Morgan Rielly has potential. Rielly may be destined for greatness in the NHL one day. At this point he is just another defensive prospect who needs more seasoning in the WHL. Rielly is a sharp player at both ends. His knowledge could expand. The knowledge will grow and develop over time getting stronger.
    NHL Comparison: Kris Letang
    Tenth overall pick belongs to The Buffalo Sabres:
    Buffalo selects: Cody Ceci of the Ottawa 67's (OHL)
    A big defensemen with dynamic, fast skating and huge offensive upside, Ceci can win races to the puck and can stop breakaways. The player, considered a 200-ft defenseman, can go deep into the opponents’ ice and still return to his position. Thanks to agility, he is capable of quarterbacking power plays --where his slap shot shines. He is also good at executing the first pass to start the breakout, essential to the start of a good offensive rush, and at winning one-on-one battles in his own zone. Ceci is very calm, composed and consistent with the puck. If this eighteen-year-old wants to be more of a defensive asset on his team, he should start getting in front of opponents’ shots more often to reduce the goalie’s amount of work. He could also improve his mobility along the oppositions’ blueline to get open. Another year in the OHL is all he needs to become a well-rounded NHL defenseman.
    NHL Comparison: Brent Burns
    Eleventh overall pick belongs to The Los Angeles Kings:
    Los Angeles selects: Brandon Gaunce of the Belleville Bulls (OHL)
    Brendan Gaunce has great vision, skating ability, hockey sense, a pro calibre shot, and unbelievable leadership qualities on and off the ice. He was the highest-scoring AAA minor midget hockey player in Ontario in his OHL draft year with 55 goals and 93 assists for 148 points in 86 games with the Markham Waxers. In his rookie year with the Belleville Bulls, Gaunce had 36 points in 65 games, and will be relied on heavily in the 2011-2012 season. One of Brendan's role models growing up was Brendan Shanahan. Considering his size, Gaunce is an above average skater, however it will need to be improved to be a star at the next level.
    NHL Comparison: Shane Doan
    ​Twelfth overall pick belongs to The Phoenix Coyotes:
    Phoenix selects: Slater Koekkoek of the Peterborough Petes (OHL)
    In only his first season in the OHL, he became the team's most reliable defenceman. The Petes are a young team and, even for a 1994-born player, he surely brought leadership and drive. His work ethic is exemplary and he has veteran savvy. Koekkoek has a heavy and accurate shot; it would not be out of the question to see him score double-digit goal totals in the OHL, even by next season. His passes are crisp and quick. He has a fluid skating stride that allows for him to jump into the rush. Additionally, Koekkoek can also play physical, making him a great all-around defenceman. He has potential to be a powerplay quarterback in Peterborough. His leadership was evident at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in 2010 where he helped Team Ontario win gold; he also won gold at the 2011 Memorial Tournament of Ivan Hlinka for Canada as an alternate captain. He plays the game with passion and tenacity; he is an exciting player to watch. His name might be hard to say but, in time, everyone will be saying it.
    NHL Comparison: Ryan Suter
    ​Thirteenth overall pick belongs to The Ottawa Senators:
    Ottawa selects: Griffin Rienhart of the Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
    This six-foot four, two hundred pound blueliner from the Edmonton Oil Kings has all the tools needed to have a successful pro career. His father Paul played over 600 NHL games in his career, and his brother Max is a highly touted Calgary Flames prospect. Griffin thinks that one of his strong points is his shot, which isn't too surprising given his size. But scouts will also tell you that his mobility on the ice is another strength. Pro scouts are salivating at the thought of having Griffin on their blueline some day, as big mobile defenseman are highly sought after in today's NHL. He only drops this low because of a serious knee injury he suffered early last year.
    NHL Comparison: Shea Weber
    Fourteenth overall pick belongs to The Winnipeg Jets:
    Winnipeg selects: Olli Maatta of the London Knights (OHL)
    Maatta is a solid, two-way defenseman who does not possess any significant deficiencies. His excellent feet and agility allow him to stay with even the speediest of forwards, resulting in quality one-on-one defensive coverage and giving Maatta shutdown capabilities. Maatta is an aggressive defender, as he successfully takes away time and space from the opposing puck carrier by consistently closing the gap. Though he is not the type to stand up a player at the blue line, his strong frame and physical play make Maatta a tenacious defender along the boards. His attack mentality and ability to push opponents off the puck both lead to continuous success in the defensive end.
    NHL Comparison: Paul Martin
    Fifteenth overall pick belongs to The New Jersey Devils:
    New Jersey selects: Nick Ebert from the Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
    Originally from Livingston, New Jersey, Nick Ebert has taken his game to a whole new level in the last few years. Ebert was playing in the USHL with the Waterloo Black Hawks at the age of 15, a remarkable feat, and now he's taken his talents north to the OHL, playing his first season with the Windsor Spitfires in 2010-2011. He was lighting up the New Jersey high school circuit just a couple of years ago, once scoring two shorthanded goals on the same penalty-kill. Now that he's playing at a higher level in the OHL, Ebert is still getting better every game. During the 2010-2011 season, Ebert put up 41 points in 64 games while scoring 11 times.
    NHL Comparison: Jack Johnson
    Alright folks, there you have it. If you enjoyed, let me know in the comments so I know if I should even work on part 2, because this literally took me all night.

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