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It's a Canadian Game

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  1. It's a Canadian Game
    The NHL has been notorious for what has been dooped as the “sophomore slump.” Players who light up the league in their first season in the most skilled league in the World, only to fail to live up to the same levels of success they had during their first year.
    The latest example of this phenomenon is Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. The 19-year-old took home the Calder Trophy last season after leading all rookies with 63 points. However, this season, like the rest of his Avs teammates, he is having a disappointing go having put up just 20 points in 32 games, which at that pace would see a dip of 12 points this season for a total of 51.
    However, while MacKinnon seems to be struggling to perform at the same level he did last season, there have been a collection of sophomore players who are trending in the opposite direction. Instead of slumping in year two, they have elevated their play to a new level and are quickly becoming important parts of their NHL clubs.
    Sean Monahan
    The sixth-overall pick in 2013 put up an impressive 22 goals in his rookie campaign and added another 12 assists on a Calgary Flames team that did just slightly better than their Alberta counterparts, the Oilers. This year the team rushed out to a start that not many predicted prior to opening day. However, since then the Flames have cooled off, but Monahan still looks to eclipse the impressive numbers he amassed last season. Through the first 35 games the 20-year-old has 11 goals and 21 points and is on pace to hit the 25 goal mark and 49 points. It’s not a huge number, but is a 44% increase on last year’s point total and is on pace for the second most goals on the team behind Jiri Hudler.
    Brock Nelson
    Nelson broke into the league last season with the New York Islanders and put up 26 points in 72 games. Fast-forward to this season and the former 2010 first-round pick is becoming one of the go-to-guys for the Islanders. Through his team’s first 33 games he has helped his team find a spot among the top of the Eastern Conference with his 14 goals and 27 points. His ice-time has risen over 2:30 to where it was last year and Nelson has been making every last minute count. Nelson is on pace for 67 points just two points behind the paces of both John Tavares and Kyle Okposo for top spot on the team.
    Tyler Johnson
    The Tampa Bay Lightning haven’t seemed to really skip a beat since the departure of long-time Bolt, Martin St. Louis last season. A big part of the reason is because of the play of Tyler Johnson. The 24-year-old has helped his team become among the elites in the East. Johnson had a very impressive rookie season finishing second in voting behind MacKinnon. He tied the Avs centre with 24 goals last year including five shorthanded. He put up a very impressive 50 points playing in all 82 games.
    This season though he’s on pace to shatter those totals, he currently has 10 goals and 34 points in 34 games, on pace for 81, after missing one game earlier this season. He is also second in the NHL with a plus-20. But what might be most shocking is that the Spokane, WA native was never drafted, but rather signed by the Lightning in 2011 as a free agent.
    Nikita Kucherov
    The Lightning are quickly becoming the new Detroit Red Wings, finding a way to be successful at the hands of their own homegrown talent and Nikita Kucherov is another example of that. The 21-year-old Russian was drafted by the Bolts in the second round 58th overall in 2011 and is third in team scoring behind Steven Stamkos and Johnson. The right winger has 13 goals and 30 points in 35 games after putting up just 18 points in 52 games in his rookie season. The 5-foot-11, 171 pounder had 24 points in 17 games in the AHL last season earning a call up from the team and he now seems to have earned a permanent spot with the big club.
    Sami Vatanen
    It took some time for Sami Vatanen to finally get a shot with the Anaheim Ducks after being drafted in the fourth round 106th overall in 2009, but the 23-year-old now looks like a steal of a pick. After playing 48 games with the Ducks and registering 21 points, the Finish blueliner made the team out of training camp and is quickly making a name for himself. In the team’s first 35 games, the right-hander has nine goals and 24 points, trailing only Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler. He is on pace for 56 points, 20 more points that Cam Fowler had last season, leading all Duck defenders.
    A player is expected to learn a lot and develop during his first season in the NHL. But entering year-two, rarely are players expected to become the most valuable pieces of their teams, but the few players above are quickly doing so. These players have not only avoided the “sophomore slump,” but rather have been part of a “sophomore sizzle.”
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
    Photo Courtesy of Jeff Gross/Getty Images
  2. It's a Canadian Game
    The Vancouver Canucks will be relieved to return to Rogers Arena on Saturday when they take on the New York Rangers. This comes after dropping their last three contests against three of their Canadian counterparts.
    The Canucks will be returning from a seven-game road trip where after winning three of the first four games, the team dropped the latter three to Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal.
    The Nucks were sitting very comfortable towards the top of the Western Conference just over a week ago and since dropping their last three games now find themselves fifth in the west.
    The team finished last season with the third worst record in the west, under head coach John Tortorella, but have since looked to rebound with Willie Desjardins at the helm. However, despite what has been a great bounce-back it is important to be aware of just how this team has gotten where they are.
    During their impressive 18-9-2 run, half of the team’s wins have come against teams who currently sit outside of a playoff position. What is also very important to take into account is the fact that four of the team’s w’s have come at the hands of the NHL’s basement dwelling, Edmonton Oilers.
    Now there is two ways to look at that, one if the Oilers really are as bad as they seem to be, then there should be no reason for them to lose to Alberta’s under-achievers. On the other hand, Vancouver has defeated the Oilers by scores of 5-4 in a shootout, 2-0, 3-2, and 5-4. That means they have only scored four more goals than the Oilers during the season series. If Edmonton were to have been able to get a couple better goaltending performances or an extra bounce to maybe split the series, the Canucks would find themselves sitting 10th in the West today.
    What also seems to be a curious case with Vancouver has been the play of starting goaltender Ryan Miller. Miller took the starting position, signing with the Canucks during the off-season after Luongo was shipped out during last season’s trade deadline.
    And although Miller currently has the third most wins among all goalies this season, with 16, he also has the 37th best save percentage at .905 and the 25th ranked goals against average with a sub-par 2.57.
    It seems this season that the Vancouver goaltending has either flourished when the team has been playing well or has been brutal when the team has been behind the eight-ball. In the 11 loses this season, including overtime and shootout, the team’s GAA has been a dismal 4.54. Meanwhile in the 18 wins this season the team’s GAA has been great sitting at a 1.67.
    Whether that means the team has played well in front of their goalies in these games, who knows, but what is certain is that when Vancouver loses they like to do it big.
    Taking a look at the advanced side of things, the Canucks also have the fifth worst PDO (save percentage + shooting percentage) at 5-on-5 this season, sitting at 98.4, while also holding the 18th ranked Corsi-for percentage at 50.3%.
    The Canucks ended their recent road trip with three games in four nights so it is fair to say that towards the end they may have been feeling a little fatigued. In fact both Sedins only had two assists a piece in the team’s last four games away from home.
    I wrote a piece yesterday suggesting that this season the San Jose Sharks weren’t quite the team they were last year. However, when I look at Vancouver I would argue the Canucks also aren’t the same, but they are definitely trending upwards.
    They had a rough go away from home, but when you consider where the team sat at the end of last season there is no question Vancouver has improved. They still sit in a playoff spot and will have had three days off when they take to the ice Saturday night. It’s just important to understand that the team who rose to the top of the Western Conference standings may have got off on the wrong floor.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
    Photo courtesy of Paul Chiasson/ THE CANADIAN PRESS
  3. It's a Canadian Game
    The San Jose Sharks defeated the Edmonton Oilers in demanding fashion 5-2 Tuesday and the team currently is sitting in a playoff spot, so everything is going swimmingly for the team right? Not exactly.
    Despite earning a spot in the post-season dance so far, the Sharks find themselves in eighth place in the Western Conference, a far cry from their fourth place finish last season, all this having played more games than any other team in the conference.
    So despite holding a spot with 33 points and being just a win away from hopping the Winnipeg Jets and tying the Calgary Flames, each of those teams have a game-in-hand on the Sharks. What is even more concerning is the Los Angeles Kings who are just one point behind them, have two games in-hand and the Minnesota Wild who are three points behind them, have four games in-hand, including a tilt Thursday against the Sharks. So a slide down the western conference standings could be on the horizon.
    Looking quickly at this year’s team it seems kind of odd that they find themselves where they are, as there doesn’t seem to be any obvious reasons for the drop in the standings. San Jose currently has the 13th best goals per game average at 2.8 and the 12th goals against per game at 2.57, and though neither are very impressive, neither is terrible either.
    However, when you consider last season the team had the sixth highest goals per game at 2.92 and the fifth best goals against per game at 2.35 it all starts to make sense.
    The team’s power play has been much more successful this year, firing on a 24.2 per cent success rate, good enough for third in the NHL. This is an improvement from their 20th ranked power play last season. However, their penalty kill has dropped from sixth in the league last season to 12th this year.
    The biggest area though where the Sharks are seeing a lack of success is in the possession game, that’s right advanced stats lovers. Last season the Sharks had the third best Corsi-for percentage and the fifth best Fenwick-for percentage both firing at 53.7%. Whereas this season, San Jose’s Corsi-for has dropped to 10th to 52 per cent while their Fenwick-for has dropped to 16th and 50.8%.
    The team’s shooting percentage is sitting at almost an identical position to where it did last year, in the 18th spot at 7.47%. However, this is greatly due to a big 5-2 win against the last place Edmonton Oilers Tuesday night where they scored five goals on 24 shots. The offensive outburst shot the Sharks up the list six spots in that category overnight.
    Advanced stats aside, making the playoffs plain and simple comes down to winning hockey games and what could be very telling about the this season for the Sharks is who the team has lost to. San Jose has lost five games to teams that looking now could be in the Connor McDavid/Jack Eichel sweepstakes in just over six months time. They have dropped two games to the Columbus Blue Jackets who sit 27th in the league standings, one to the 26th seeded Arizona Coyotes, two at the hands of the 28th Buffalo Sabres, and last Sunday a 2-1 decision to the last place Oilers.
    The Sharks do not seem to be the same team since their historic elimination from the playoffs last season to the Kings. After taking a 3-0 stranglehold in the series, the team dropped four straight. Management stripped veteran Joe Thornton of the team’s captaincy during the off-season and have been suiting up with four alternates instead. Meanwhile rumors since last season have swirled about the security of head coach Todd McLellan’s job.
    It isn’t time just yet to call the team a disaster as they are still in the mix and could very well turn it around, but for a team who has finished atop the Western Conference consistently in the past, this season’s team looks as though they could be in a fragile state of regression.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
    Photo Courtesy of EZRA SHAW/Getty Images/AFP
  4. It's a Canadian Game
    Wayne Gretzky named him to his All-Time All-Star team and he is the highest scoring defenseman to ever dawn the Montreal Canadiens jersey, yes Larry Robinson has had quite the career.
    The Great Defender: My Hockey Odyssey with Kevin Shea takes readers through the life of the Hall of Fame defenseman from his days as a kid growing up on a small farm outside Ottawa. Robinsons recalls his upbringing through junior hockey, to his all-star career in the NHL, wearing the maple leafs for Team Canada, to life after the game.
    Robinson was lucky enough to win the Stanley Cup six times as a player and three more times as a coach. He is among the league’s greatest defenders to ever lace them up, something that he has never quite been able to grasp. Something he reflects upon when he recalls the Canadiens 75th anniversary season where he was named to the Habs All-Time Dream Time.
    “When I look on it now, I was there with Aurele Jolait and Dickie Moore and Maurice Richard and Jean Beliveau and Doug Harvey and Jacques Plante. Those are frigging icons! I was thinking, ‘What’s this little farm boy doing up with all these guys?’ It was amazing.”
    What is made very clear in the book is just how respected and down to earth Robinson was during his career. He never took anything for granted, he had a blue-collar work ethic (which he picked up growing up on the farm), and he was a natural leader. He wasn’t afraid to get his team pumped with a big speech or even a dance around the dressing room in nothing, but his jockstrap.
    “(‘Flashdance: What a Feeling’ by Irene Cara) came on… To break the tension, I started dancing to the song with nothing on but my jockstrap. I went flying from one end of the room to the other, doing my best Jennifer Beals impression… it was a thing that I did just to loosen everybody up – and then we went out and won the game.”
    The, now associate coach with the San Jose Sharks, after all has been said and done is a family-man at heart. He has been attached to his wife Jeanette since he was a teenager and he now takes pride and makes it an opportunity to spend time with his family, including grandchildren. Robinson has won many Cups and a Norris Trophy, but his family has been his biggest prize.
    “Jeanette has been my rock. She Still is. We’ve been blessed with two wonderful children, Jeffrey and Rachelle. They may be the greatest gifts of all… they have blessed us with three wonderful grandchildren, whom we adore.”
    Robinson had his number 19 raised to the rafters in 2007, he made the playoffs in each of his 20 seasons in the NHL, and holds the all-time record for plus minus with a plus-793 (a record that may never be beat). He was one of the greats and his book lets readers now just what it is like to grow up a fan-favourite for arguably the most historic franchise the NHL has ever known.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
    Photo Courtesy of Amazon.
  5. It's a Canadian Game
    The Dallas Stars have lost five of their last seven games and understandably there hasn’t been much for the under-achieving team to be happy about this season.
    However, reminiscing about their days in junior and having the opportunity to represent their country at the IIHF World Junior Championship as teenagers does give players John Klingberg and Ales Hemsky something to smile about.
    “I got the opportunity to play in Buffalo and Calgary,” says Klingberg, referring to his time wearing the Sweden jersey in 2011 and 2012. “It’s a big thing over there it helps with the routines and stuff too.”
    During his two tournaments the 22-year-old rookie for the Stars recorded five points in 12 games. The 2011 team finished fourth in Buffalo, but the 2012 had much greater success, which would make it no surprise that it was his time in Calgary that highlighted his World Junior career.
    “Obviously when we won the gold,” says Klingberg, simply.
    Though this winter will mark three years since the 6-foot-1 blueliner, put on the blue and gold jersey, Klingberg admits that he still tries to make time to watch the tournament when he can.
    “Yeah of course, last year was in Sweden and I was playing, so I was trying to watch all the games when I wasn’t playing,” says Klingberg. “It’s growing in Sweden, it’s probably one of the biggest sports events of the year there. Of course I try to keep up with it.”
    He also admits that during his earlier career he has found that many players around the league still talk about the tournament and admits he has come to expect some trash talking from his teammates.
    “Yeah probably a little a bit,” says Klingberg, about whether guys will be giving each other the business. “I talk to a lot of the young guys about it and guys on other teams about it, obviously it's a big thing in Canada and in the USA for two weeks.”
    Unlike Klingberg, who has played just a dozen games in the NHL, Hemsky has played a dozen seasons, but to the first-round pick in 2001, he also feels the tournament is something really memorable.
    “It was very special for a young guy like me or anybody else,” says Hemsky. “It’s special to represent your country and just to build your career.”
    Hemsky suited up for the Czech Republic at the 2002 installment of the tournament, and though he and his fellow countrymen finished seventh, the fact that the tournament was played in his hometown of Pardubice made it that more special for the 31-year-old.
    “It was nice, I think I was 18 or 19 and my first World Juniors was in the Czech Republic and was in my home city,” says Hemsky. “So it was pretty cool spending time with my family and just playing in front of them.”
    Hemsky didn’t disappoint playing in front of his loved ones, finishing tied for second in the tournament in scoring with three goals and nine points in seven games.
    The Stars right winger, like Klingberg, admits that the tournament still gets a lot of attention from NHLers, which of course has a lot to do with the fact that he has played his entire career, before signing with Dallas this off-season, in Canada.
    “I’ve played in Canada for a long time and World Juniors is huge here, everybody watches it on TV all the time,” say Hemsky. “So with the guys in the room, we have a lot of young guys, a lot of guys that played at it. They’re still young so they’re really into it, we all watch it.”
    However, the one downfall Hemsky has had with playing in Canada and with the teammates watching and teasing each other is, Canada historically has done so well at the tournament.
    “Yeah, the Czech’s didn’t really have good teams, but I think they’re getting better,” says Hemsky. “I can’t even fight with anyone, Canada always wins. It’s a big country; they make a lot of players and they always have a special team so, it’s hard to beat them.”
    As the Boxing Day kick-off to the tournament approaches, countries have started to name their camp rosters and so the hype once again is starting to build for the special time of the year. And though fans of the tournament might get excited, Hemsky sums up perfectly why the tournament means so much to the players lucky enough to participate.
    “It was the first big tournament where you put that jersey on, your country’s jersey,“ says Hemsky. “That’s why it was so special.”
    Follow me on Twitter: @Craig_Hagerman
    Photo Courtesy of Bruce Bennet/Getty Images North America
  6. It's a Canadian Game
    The Dallas Stars made it into the playoffs last season by the skin of their teeth, edging out the Phoenix Coyotes by a single ‘w’.
    Being the eight seed in the West the Stars were paired up against the number-one seed Anaheim Ducks and though they made the series interesting, they ultimately fell to the Ducks in six games.
    So heading into the 2014-15 season, Dallas looked to improve on last season by bolstering their secondary scoring by being one of the most active teams during the summer’s free agent frenzy locking up former Ottawa Senators Jason Spezza and Ales Hemsky.
    However, 24 games into the season and they have moved in the standings, but in the wrong direction, finding themselves now tied for second last spot in the Western Conference ahead of just the Edmonton Oilers.
    So far this season Hemsky has just seven points through 24 games, and five of those points have come in the last six games. Hemsky even had a stretch where after recording an assist in the first game of the season, went 14 straight pointless.
    Spezza on the other hand has 20 points in 25 games, which is pretty good, but that has been greatly due to the fact that after a slow start Spezza was moved up to the top-line with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. Spezza also has been seeing more ice-time than Hemsky including more time on the power play.
    The inability to give the team some second-hand scoring comes somewhat of a surprise as during the final quarter of last season Hemsky was brought in at the deadline to play with Spezza and the two seemed to make magic. The two combined for 36 points in the Sens final 20 games of the season.
    In an attempt to try and get Hemsky going head coach Lindy Ruff has started to play Hemsky on the top-line wit Benn and Seguin, who currently leads the NHL in goals with 18, in an attempt to break him out of his offensive slump.
    However, Hemsky hasn’t stuck with the top-line and his ability to produce is likely why. Now Hemsky isn’t the only under-achieving Star, in fact behind Seguin’s 18 and Benn’s eight, five players have five goals and the numbers slide from there.
    Entering their game against Toronto Tuesday, Dallas was 10th in the NHL in goals for this season with 69 goals, but that number can be skewed since Seguin has scored a league-high 26% of his team’s goals. In fact if you were to take away Seguin’s 18 goals Dallas would find themselves 27th in the league. Benn and Seguin currently make up 38% of Dallas’ goals this season.
    Another problem that could be holding the Stars back is the lack of production from their veteran players. Shaun Horcoff, Eric Cole, and Vernon Fiddler. Each have all had years to forget and given their ages, they might be some of their last.
    The age of three combine for 106 years and this season the three have tallied a total of 23 points in 71 games. The Stars recently traded away veteran defenseman Sergei Gonchar to the Montreal Canadiens for tough guy Travis Moen. The 40-year-old had recorded one assist in three games this year after missing a large portion of the season with an ankle injury.
    Last season Gonchar had his lowest points per game average of his career, not including his season in 1994-95 where he only played 31 games. So maybe the Stars need to be out with the old and in with the new.
    What also hurts the Stars is the fact that sophomore winger, and former first round pick, Valeri Nichushkin has only seen four games this season and looks like he may miss the rest of the season after having hip surgery. Nichushkin put up a respectable 34 points in his first year in the league last season and even found a spot on Russia’s roster at the Sochi Olympics.
    The team’s lack of secondary scoring doesn’t help when following a 5-3 loss to the Maple Leafs, have the worst goals against per game in the NHL at 3.52
    Though things don't seem to be in Dallas’ favour so far it’s early and though secondary scoring has hurt the team, last season Alex Goligoski who finished third on the team in scoring with 42 points, was still 37 points off Jamie Benn for second in team scoring. Maybe Benn and Seguin are the saving grace for the Stars.
    Follow me on Twitter: @Craig_Hagerman
    Photo Courtesy of Ronald Martinez/Getty Images North America
  7. It's a Canadian Game
    If you search the league leaders on NHL.com among goaltending stats, his name might not even come up, but the best goalie in the NHL this season may very well be Martin Jones.
    The Los Angeles Kings back-up has only found the net seven times this season, but best believe he could very well get more starts the way his season is going.
    Jones might not appear among some of the league leaders in stats simply for the fact he doesn’t have many starts, but when he has had the chance to suit up, he has been a wall. In seven appearances this season Jones has a record of 3-2-1, which is alright, but he has a save percentage of 0.947% and a goals against average of 1.42.
    How good are those numbers? Well his 0.947% save percentage would tie him with Winnipeg’s Michael Hutchinson for first overall in the NHL while his goals against average is better than any tender in the league. The NHL takes into account Hutchinson’s numbers among leaders though he has only played one more game than Jones. So, one more start and Jones may become the man to beat.
    Jones also has two shutouts and oh yes, they are in his last two games. He currently has a shutout streak of 146:01. What’s more amazing, for a goalie in just his second season, as a back-up go figure, is that that isn’t even his longest shutout streak. Last season Jones played a stretch of 163:12 without giving up a goal.
    Following his shutout Thursday night in a 4-0 routing of the Arizona Coyotes, Jones tied Hall of Fame tender Tony Esposito as the third fastest goalie to record six shutouts.
    The North Vancouver, BC native broke into the NHL last season backing-up Jonathan Quick and was as durable as one can be as a number two. In 19 games he went 12-6-0 with numbers of 0.934% and a 1.81 GAA with four shutouts.
    The 24-year-old was never drafted, but rather joined the Kings organization after being signed as a free agent in October of 2008. The move seems like a stroke of genius now.
    Looking back at his career, it’s actually difficult to find a season where Jones hasn’t put up miraculous numbers. His worst year of junior was his first season with the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League, which for his first season is understandable. The thing is though; his numbers aren’t even bad. He had a 3.03 GAA and a 0.884% save percentage, which are both respectable numbers for junior netminders. These came as he recorded of 9-4-3 record, so he was still winning.
    In 2008-09, the season he was signed by LA, he put up an astounding record of 45-5-4-7. He finished four years of junior hockey with a record of 108-28-9-16 a winning percentage of .601. In 2009-10 Jones went 36-11-1-8, he was named to Canada’s World Junior team, winning silver, he was a first team WHL all-star, he was named the WHL’s top goaltender during the regular season, he earned the WHL MVP, was named to the CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team, and took home the Hap Emms Trophy as the Memorial Cup’s most outstanding goaltender.
    Last season, before becoming the team’s back-up, Jones started the season the Kings’ AHL affiliate the Manchester Monarchs playing 22 games going 16-3-3-2 with 0.928% save percentage and a 2.13 GAA. It was this performance that likely gave the Kings the confidence to trade away, then back-up, Ben Scrivens to Edmonton even with Scrivens posted a 0.931% save percentage and 1.97 GAA.
    This summer should be a very interesting time for the 6-foot-4 tender. He is in his last year of his contract that is paying him just $550,000 and with his outstanding numbers should be able to receive a nice raise. The Kings will already have over $60 million of their cap distributed among 14 players and will need to still find a way to sign restricted free agents Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson, who will deserve a pay increase. All this while also dealing with unrestricted free agents Jarret Stoll and Justin Williams.
    So, there is a chance that Jones might have to go elsewhere. And if Jones wants to become a number one in the league, that might just be the best thing for him, just ask Jonathan Bernier. Quick is under contract until 2023, so unless a devastating injury arises, staying in LA means minimal playing time.
    Jones has been a winner at every level he has played and put up unbelievable numbers along the way. He might one day be one of the premier goalies in the league, not bad for someone who as of Friday could not be found among NHL.com’s goaltending leaders.
    Follow me on Twitter: @Craig_Hagerman
    Photo Courtesy of Mark Blinch/ The Canadian Press
  8. It's a Canadian Game
    The New Jersey Devils haven’t made the playoffs since the 2011-12 when they fell to the Los Angeles King in six games and there seems to be a simple reason for that.
    The Devils have been absent from the post-season the last two seasons and why is that, it could simply be because they no longer have star left winger Zach Parise. It’s hard to put so much on one player and of course one player doesn’t make a team, but you have to at least consider the numbers.
    Here is a list of the years when Parise played and how the Devils finished in the standings (The first number is how they finished in the NHL, the second is how they finished in the Eastern Conference:
    Year-----------------Place in the League------------Place in the Eastern Conference
    2006-07----------------------7th --------------------------------------------2nd
    2007-08 ----------------------6th --------------------------------------------4th
    2008-09 ----------------------5th --------------------------------------------3rd
    2009-10 ----------------------6th --------------------------------------------2nd
    2010-11 ----------------------23rd -------------------------------------------11th
    2011-12 -----------------------9th --------------------------------------------6th
    Since the 2011-12 season the Devils have finished 10th and 12th in the Eastern Conference without the Minneapolis, MN native.
    The success the team had with Parise in the lineup is kind of incredible, never finishing lower than sixth in the eastern conference. “Yea, but what about in 2010-11?”
    Well this is what makes the argument even more concrete; during the 2010-11 season Parise was limited to just 13 games after suffering a devastating knee injury. In that year Martin Brodeur also missed 13 games of the season with an injury, but in doing so Johan Hedberg filled in and he ultimately finished the season with a higher winning percentage, goals against average, and save percentage with half the amount of starts as Brodeur, who still started 59 times. So, once again the loss of Parise seems like the key factor.
    What has also plagued the Devils the last few years is that they have had one of the worst shootout records in the league. This season they are 1-4 in the skills competition, last season the Devils didn’t win a single shootout, and the year prior to that the team had a shootout winning percentage of 22 per cent.
    Once again, you can’t put that all on the shoulders of the 5-foot-11, 197 pounder, can you? Well Parise is currently tied for the most shootout goals since the shootout was introduced back in the 2004-05 season.
    Parise has taken the second most shootouts all-time only one behind Alex Ovechkin and Minnesota teammate Mikko Koivu with 85 attempts.
    The Devils all-time have the seventh most shootout wins and are tied for first with the most games in which they’ve gone to a shootout with 109. The Devils have a career winning percentage of 52 per cent.
    Since Parise has left, the Devils have a 3-24 record in the shootout, a winning percent of just 11.1 per cent. Prior to Parise leaving, the Devils were 45-25 in the post-overtime shenanigans (dating back to 2006-07, Parise’s first year with the Devils), a winning percentage of 64 per cent.
    In fact Parise actually has much worse shootout numbers since he left for the Wild. In three years with the Wild he has gone 8-for-22, a success rate of 36 per cent, while with the Devils he went 29-for-43, capitalizing on 67 per cent of his attempts.
    Then straight up Parise had 410 points in 502 games with New Jersey good enough for a very respectable 0.81 points per game. During his seven years with the team that drafted him in the first round in 2003, he recorded 51 powerplay goals was a plus-57, and the former team captain. He was twice named the team MVP and during his time also amassed 37 game-winning goals, speaking to just how important he was with the team.
    What really stings is knowing last year New Jersey missed the playoffs by just five points, giving up 13 points in the shootout while in 2012-13 they missed out by seven points; points that could have been attained if they had gone perfect in the shootout.
    Parise was always a big part of the Devils during his seven seasons with the team, but as the Devils sit 12th in the East one really starts to see just how important he really was.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
  9. It's a Canadian Game
    It seems only TSN hockey analyst Aaron Ward expected the kind of start the Calgary Flames seem to be on this season. With 33 points through their first 23 games, the Flames are just one point behind for first in the West.
    Their red-hot start is a far cry from last season when the Flames finished 13th in the West in front of only their Alberta counterparts, the Edmonton Oilers.
    Though much of this season’s success can be attributed to the career year of captain Marc Giordano (who was just named NHL’s first star of November), much can also be accredited to 30-year-old Jiri Hudler.
    The 5-foot-10 center is currently in his third season with Calgary and is on pace for a career high season. The Olomouc, Czech Republic native has 11 goals and 23 points in the team’s first 24 games of the season and on pace for 37 goals and 77 points.
    Though these would be career numbers for Hudler, the fact is he has seen an increase in his offensive production ever since he came to Calgary. During his time with Detroit, who drafted him in 2002, 58th overall in the second round, between 2003 and 2012 Hudler played 409 games as a Red Wing recording 87 goals and 214 points. That comes out as a points per game of 0.52.
    Meanwhile in his three seasons with the Flames Hudler has amassed 38 goals and 104 points in 141 games, a points per game of 0.73. This points per game change with the Flames means that in a full 82 game season Hudler is putting up an average of 18 more points with the Flames than he did with the Red Wings.
    Another big reason for Hudler’s improved offense is because of the role he has been thrusted into in Calgary. The Czech is enjoying a career high in ice-time this season averaging 17:55 a night, while his highest average during his time with Detroit was 15:40 in 2011-12.
    Hudler has also seen a career high shooting percentage, finding the back of the net on 28.2 per cent of his shots. And he has also has recorded 78.3 per cent of his points (nine goals and 18 points)this season while at even strength. While Hudler has also had a knack for scoring clutch goals for his team, with three of his goals being markers that have tied the game.
    Of course it is always important to note that it is still very early on in the season and paces usually tend to drop off at some point. However, what is clear is that Hudler has seem to have found a home in Calgary and if the Flames do happen to make it to the post-season you can bet that Hudler will definitely be a big reason for it, and someone the team will look upon to lead the way.
    Follow me on Twitter: @Craig_Hagerman.
    Photo Courtesy of Gerry Thomas/NHL via Getty Images
  10. It's a Canadian Game
    The NHL is season is just under a quarter of the way through and already many first year players have taken on important roles with their respected NHL clubs.
    With that being said let’s take a look at some players who could be Calder Trophy Nominees come season’s end.
    Filip Forsberg, C - Nashville Predators- Drafted 11th overall in 2012 by Washington
    The 20 year-old Forsberg is off to a scorching start and if he keeps the pace he is on, he will without question, walk away with the Calder Trophy. Forsberg is currently tied for eighth in the league in scoring with 20 points in 17 games with the Preds. The native of Ostervala, Sweden is also leading the league in plus-minus with a +19 rating.
    After suiting up for five games following his trade to Nashville at the 2013 trade deadline, Forsberg played in 13 games last season before being sent down to the Milwaukee Admirals for. There he put up 34 points in 47 games as a 19-year-old rookie. It now seems like patience has certainly been a virtue for Forsberg.
    The Predators as of Monday find themselves tied for third place in the Western Conference and Forsberg is a big reason for that. The 6-foot-one, 186 pound, centre leads the Predators in all offensive categories and is on pace for 95 points. One can only assume the Washington Capitals wish they were as patient with Forsberg as Nashville has been.
    Aaron Ekblad, D – Florida Panthers- Drafted First overall in 2014 by Florida
    In just his first year with Florida, last season’s first overall pick in the draft, is already becoming the go-to-guy on the Panther’s blueline. Leading all rookie defensemen with 10 points and just a point behind Jussie Jokinen on the Panthers for tops in scoring, Ekblad is already showing he was the right pick at number one.
    Ekblad entered the OHL in 2011-12 with the Barrie Colts as a 15-year-old after being granted “exceptional player” status. Last season he was named the OHL’s defenseman of the year after recording 23 goals and 53 points in 58 games.
    The 18-year-old Ekblad has helped the Panthers get off to an impressive start to the 2014-15 season, posting a record of 6-4-5, for second last in the Atlantic Division. And though that may not sound good, the Panthers have played just 15 games, four fewer than some teams in their division and after defeating the Anaheim Ducks candidly 6-2 Sunday, there seems to be no reason why they can’t climb up the standings.
    The Windsor, On native is fourth on the Panthers in ice time averaging just under 22 minutes a game. Ekblad is eligible to suit up for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships this December, but it seems very unlikely that Florida will want to part with 6-foot-4 blueliner.
    Tanner Pearson, LW – Los Angeles Kings- Drafted 30th overall in 2012 by Los Angeles
    After becoming a real valuable part of the King’s second Stanley Cup run in three years in 2013-14, Pearson has returned with Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli to form the ‘That 70s Line’ and the line has been the Kings’ saving grace so far this season.
    The trio has combined for 43 points through 18 games, carrying the offensive load for the Kings. Pearson has seven goals on the season, good enough for second amongst rookies, to go along with three helpers and an impressive +11 rating.
    Ten points through 18 games may not seem that astonishing, but that is because Pearson has cooled off some since his hot start to the season. However, that is less to do with just Pearson, but the entire Kings team.
    L.A. is 3-4-3 in their last 10 games, while Pearson has just one assist in his last five games. There’s no need to worry just yet, the Kings have had a knack for slow starts to the season in recent years and have always managed to rally when it really matters. So, with a full roster firing on all cylinders you can expect Pearson’s production to pick up.
    Pearson put up 12 points in 24 games in last year’s post season and is quickly becoming an important part of the Kings’ offense and if him and the rest of his teammates can return to their Cup-winning form, his numbers could put him in consideration for rookie of the year.
    Honourable Mentions:
    Here a few other names that could also be in the running come seasons end:
    Johnny Gauderau, LW, CGY, (3-9-12)
    Andre Burakovsky, LW, WSH, (3-9-12)
    Jonathan Drouin, LW, TB, (1-7-8)
    It is still very early and things can always and almost always do change (last year my early prediction for rookie of the year was Tomas Hertl), but these are the players who are wasting no time this season proving they will one day be stars in this league.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
    Photo Credit: Scott Iskowitz/Getty Images
  11. It's a Canadian Game
    Tomas Plekanec scored his second goal of the game with just 40 seconds left in regulation to lift the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the season opener Wednesday.
    Plekanec was the recipient of a lucky bounce that saw his winning goal deflect off the skate of Leafs rookie defenceman Stuart Percy and past Jonathan Bernier.
    The goal was a heartbreaker to Leafs fans affter Morgan Reilly tied the game with 2:19 left in the third on a fluky goal that got through Carey Price.
    Plekanec led the way for the Canadiens with his first two goals of the season while Alex Emelin and P.A. Parenteau finished the night with two helpers a piece.
    The Maple Leafs found themselves in a hole early on in the game when Max Pacioretty cut through the Leafs blueliners and snuck a wrist shot under the catching arm of Bernier. The goal came on the Habs first shot of the game.
    The buds would battle back to tie it after Nazem Kadri deflected the Brandon Kozun wrist shot over the catching-glove of Carey Price. The assist was the first career NHL point for Kozun, who cracked the opening day lineup after having a stellar training camp. The goal came with a little controversy as Kozun appeared to be offside on the play.
    With 40 seconds left to go in the period the Maple Leafs capitalized on the power play on an impressive effort by Stuart Percy. Percy dumped the puck into the corner and was able to beat the Canadiens defenders to the puck before centering it to a wide-open Tyler Bozak who slipped the puck between the legs of Price to give the Leafs a 2-1 lead heading into the second. The assist was also Percy’s first NHL point.
    However, the Leafs would see their lead disappear in the second after Plekanec was able to split the Leafs ‘d’ for a breakaway and slide a backhand under the pads of Bernier.
    The game would remain tied until midway through the third. After the Leafs were caught running around in their own end, the puck came out to former Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban, who fired a wrist-shot blocker-side on Bernier.
    Price made 24 saves on 27 shots for the win while Bernier turned away 28 of the 32 shots he faced in a losing effort.
    Despite some impressive debuts from their rookies the Maple Leafs seemed to fall into old habits for much of the game Wednesday. The Leafs struggled to get the puck out of their own end on many occasions and at times it seemed like a daunting task just to get the puck to centre ice.
    Both Randy Carlyle and newly acquired defenceman Stephan Robidas believe the buds got away from their game plan midway through the second period and it showed.
    Despite leading the team in ice time Wednesday playing 23:31, it seemed like the Leafs plan to relieve Dion Phaneuf of some of his defensive responsibilities was in effect. The Leafs brought in Robidas and Roman Polak in an attempt to stabilize the back end while also giving more responsibilities to youngsters Reilly and Jake Gardiner. Phaneuf finished the night with one assist and a -1 rating.
    The Leafs will be back in action Saturday night when they welcome Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Air Canada Centre. While the Canadiens now head to Washington to face Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals tonight.
    Photo Credit: Canadian Press/ Frank Gunn
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
  12. It's a Canadian Game
    The Toronto Maple Leafs and Cody Franson avoided what would have been another arbitration meeting between the two Monday.
    The meeting was avoided when just hours before it was scheduled to occur, both sides agreed to a one year $3.3 million dollar deal.
    Just days before the deal was made, a report surfaced that both sides were as much as $2.2 million dollars apart. Franson was reportedly looking for a deal in the area of $4.2 million dollars while the Maple Leafs were offering around $2 million. In the end both sides agreed to a number almost straight down the middle.
    Now although the deal is done, rumours still suggest that the Maple Leafs may be looking to trade the 26 year-old defenceman. Back on July 1st news broke that the Leafs were hoping to strike a deal with the Montreal Canadiens with the hopes of acquiring defenceman Josh Gorges. In the end the deal fell through after Gorges refused to accept a trade to Toronto. Going the other way for Gorges in the deal would have been Franson.
    So, obviously it is no secret that the Leafs have been looking to trade the defenceman, but if he stays is that so bad either?
    Last season Franson lead the Leafs blueline with 33 points and was second in the NHL in hits with 282. So, Franson does have the ability to play both sides of the puck. He also lead the Maple Leafs in points with 29 in the lockout shortened season in 2013. However, Franson also had the second worst plus minus on the Maple Leafs this season with a -20 this season.
    In the last two seasons combined, Franson ranks 19th amongst defencemen in points meaning he is definitely got that going for him.
    In fact had the Leafs been able to hold on to beat the Bruins in game seven back in 2013, Franson might be looked as somewhat of a Toronto hero. After coughing up the first goal in game seven, it was Franson who scored the next two goals for Toronto to give them a 2-1 lead, what could have been.
    The biggest problem that seems to surround Franson is his speed and his defensive game. The dman stands at 6’5 so of course speed is not his strong suit. When it comes to playing defensively, well the entire Toronto team suffered from a poor defensive system, so if a new system is implemented in Toronto this season these numbers could be corrected.
    In fact if you look back to the previous season, for a large part of it Franson was among the league leaders in plus minus and his defence partner at the time, Mark Fraser, finished sixth overall in that category.
    It seems as though once again the Maple Leafs will give Franson the chance to prove that he does deserve a raise or give him the chance to spark some interest among other teams so the Leafs can deal him. Either way, despite agreeing to his third one-year deal with the buds, it looks as though things will have to proceed as normal with Franson.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
  13. It's a Canadian Game
    Well it’s been almost two weeks since the NHL free agency signing period started and things have started to quiet down. The majority of the interest has now shifted from unrestricted free agents to restricted free agents and salary arbitration cases.
    Early last week a rumour came out of a Montreal radio station reporting that the Canadiens were prepared to offer young Boston Bruins defenceman Torey Krug an offer sheet.
    Though many were skeptical about the credibility of the report and some confirmation that Krug wasn’t eligible to be given an offer sheet, nonetheless the report brings up an interesting idea that in recent years we have seen almost completely eliminated from the game; the use of offer sheets.
    In the NHL there has become a moral code it seems among general managers around the league when it comes to offering contracts to restricted free agents, in the hopes of stealing them out of their respected clubs.
    Though the risk that also comes with making offer sheets is that the team making the offer must comply with a pre-determined compensation to the team they take the player from. This compensation is pre-determined based on the salary that the offer sheet is signed for. Globe and Mail hockey writer James Mirtle outlines the compensation agreement here: https://twitter.com/mirtle/status/484009107272519680/photo/1.
    It’s happened just a handful of times in the last few years with the last being in 2013 when the Calgary Flames attempted to lure Ryan O’Rielly out of Colorado. Eventually, the Avs matched the Flames’ two-year $10 million dollar bid.
    In 2006 the Philadelphia Flyers offered then-Vancouver Canuck Ryan Kesler an offer sheet to lure him to Philadelphia. At the time the offer sheet made big news around the NHL and the Vancouver Canucks at the time made it clear that they weren’t happy with the Flyers front office.
    It was situations such as this one that has caused teams to be careful not to step on other teams’ toes in a non-written code of, you don’t sign my players I won’t sign yours. But why not?
    Of course it has happened as I mentioned a few times in the last few years, with players such as Shea Weber, Nicklas Hjalmarsson, and David Backes, but just nine offers made dating back to 1998, with just one being accepted.
    At the time when the Flyers went after Kesler, Kesler had yet to produce huge numbers. The Flyers saw the potential in him and put the pressure on the Canucks to keep him, which would be a similar stance taken if the Habs did offer a contract to Krug (all hypothetical of course).
    Krug has proven in his short time in the NHL that he can be an offensive force on the blueline and his offensive skills will only get better and better as he gets older, so what better time to go after him then now.
    Last season Krug made just over $1.7 million while putting up decent numbers, especially for a player playing in just his first full season in the NHL. Now, if you are the Bruins it might be too early to decide whether you want to commit a large upgrade in pay to Krug, as he is still so young. However, if you are another team like the Habs and you feel confident you can probably offer him a deal in the $4 million range, a number that if he does pan out the way he might, would be a good deal for a good defenceman.
    Yet, for the Bruins it could be too much money to invest for a player that might not pan out. $4 million would also be a hefty number for Boston as they are already sitting tight when it comes to the salary cap, a reason why signing Jarome Iginla may not have panned out for them. (Iginla signed with the Colorado Avalanche on July 1st).
    Looking at the list of restricted free agents, there is many other interesting names out there that, if teams were willing to break the non-written code, could really benefit them in the long run. Names such as P.K. Subban, Nino Neiderreiter, Ryan Johansen, Mats Zuccarello, and Reilly Smith, just to name a few.
    These names stick out because like Krug, each player here put up good numbers this season, but are coming off season where looking now they made a lot less money than they are likely to make next year and into the future.
    Subban made just under $3 million, Neiderreiter also made just under $3 million, Zuccarello made just over $1 million, Johansen made just under $2 million, and Smith made $900,000 so each of them could argue for higher salaries and with them each being very young players, teams may be weary to pay up.
    It’s a very interesting situation. Of course like recent years, we shouldn’t expect much to be done to take these players out of their current homes, but the fact is that in a time where teams try so hard to cash in at free agency and trade deadline it’s surprising that more teams don’t take this root to improve their rosters.
    Follow me on Twitter: @Craig_Hagerman
  14. It's a Canadian Game
    NHL’s free agent frenzy kicked off Tuesday with a big bang.
    Though they didn’t make a number of monumental moves when the signing period began, the Toronto Maple Leafs did dabble in the action and also said farewell to other bodies.
    So with this the Toronto Maple Leafs are already looking to be a different group of players when they take to the ice next season.
    The Leafs transactions first began last Saturday when they sent defenseman Carl Gunnarsson to the St. Louis Blues for fellow tough-guy, defenseman Roman Polak. Gunnarsson had been with the Leafs for the last five seasons and had spent the majority of his time playing on the top pairing alongside Dion Phaneuf.
    After leading the team with a +12 this season, the Leafs shipped him out as they looked to bring in someone with more physicality in his game, something a lot of the Leafs’ defense core lacked.
    The Leafs then made another move via free agency Tuesday to try and bolster their defense core. The buds signed veteran defenseman Stephane Robidas to a three-year three million dollar deal. The 37 year-old is coming off a season where he broke his leg twice.
    Despite these injuries Robidas played great for Anaheim when he was healthy, putting up 10 points in just 38 games. Robidas claims right now to be at 95% and says that come the season’s start he will be 100% ready to go and injuries will not be an issue.
    In an interview with TSN’s James Duthie, after signing with the Maple Leafs Tuesday, Robidas mentioned that early talks with management suggest possibly playing alongside either Jake Gardiner or Morgan Reilly, but until the season finally starts we can only speculate.
    The other two additions to the Leafs roster that were made saw Dave Nonis bring back fellow Maple Leafs Matt Frattin and Finish pest Leo Komarov. The two acquisitions are interesting because both players played on the Maple Leaf team that made the playoffs two season ago, before losing in dramatic fashion to the Boston Bruins.
    Frattin had a fairly unimpressive campaign this last season recording just seven points in 44 games split between the Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets. While Komarov put up a respectable 34 points in 52 games for Dynamo Moscow in the KHL, while also representing Finland in the Winter Olympics in Sochi. The Leafs are hoping the two can help bring a bit more grit and speed, something the organization feels they had two years ago.
    Now besides the names that the Leafs brought in over the past week, what might be just as interesting or worth noting is the names that they saw go elsewhere.
    The biggest of these names is obviously that of the Mimico native, Dave Bolland. Though Bolland claimed to wanting to stay in Toronto, eventually he decided to take his services to Florida, signing a five year contract paying him $5.5 million per season.
    Though he played just 23 games for the Leafs last season, Bolland was a force for them especially before he suffered his Achilles injury that kept him out of the lineup for 56 games.
    Wednesday the Maple Leafs also saw defensive forwards Jay McClemment sign a one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes while Nikolai Kulemin signed an extensive four-year $16.75 million contract with the New York Islanders. This will leave some holes on the Leafs penalty kill, though Komarov will likely see playing time there.
    Now some other interesting loses to the organization come at the hands of the Marlies and players that could very well have pushed for a roster spot with the Maple Leafs next season. Those names are AHL defenseman of the year T.J. Brennan and arguably the top goaltender in the AHL playoffs this past year, Drew McIntyre, who may now get chances elsewhere.
    Brennan has always proved himself to be a very offensive defenseman in the AHL and 2013-14 was no exception. The 25 year-old amassed 25 goals and 72 points in 76 games this season, most among all defenseman in the league. Brennan has only played 40 NHL games spread over three NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers. In their search for a more stellar defense core its interesting the Maple Leafs would allow the best defenseman in the AHL to go for nothing. Brennan signed a one year deal with the Islanders on Tuesday.
    McIntyre lead the Marlies to the Western Conference finals this year, giving up just 29 goals in 14 games, putting up a 0.944 save percentage and a 2.08 goals against average. The 31 year-old McIntyre could have been a reliable backup to Jonathan Bernier and likely for a good price. Both good things for the Leafs as rumours have swirled that James Reimer has asked for a trade and with the news that the current restricted free agent has filed for salary arbitration. McIntyre was picked up by the Hurricanes on a one-year, two-way deal.
    In other news this weekend former Montreal Canadiens’ defenseman, now with the Sabres, Josh Gorges, was going to be shipped to Toronto, but Gorges refused to waive his no-trade clause to come to Toronto. The deal is believed to have been for Cody Franson, this likely means the Maple Leafs are looking to trade the large dman. Franson is currently an RFA and will have to either be signed or moved by the team.
    The Maple Leafs are most certainly not done this off season and more moves can be expected to be made, whether it’s to either further improve their back end or to try and look for a top-six centre. Either way, so far it looks like there will be some different faces dawning the blue and white next season and a few old ones.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
  15. It's a Canadian Game
    The 2014 NHL Entry Draft kicks off Friday night in Philadelphia and along with the excitement surrounding the new crop of young stars, comes the excitement of wheeling and dealing that is likely to occur in the coming weeks.
    Among the teams that early on look as though could be busy this off-season is the Chicago Blackhawks. It seems kind of interesting that the Hawks would want to make many moves after coming just a goal a way from punching their ticket to their second Stanley Cup finals in two years.
    This past week growing rumours about the future of Ottawa Senators star centre Jason Spezza started to heat up and according to many sources it seems as though the Blackhawks are among the teams that are showing the most desire for the 31 year old.
    The Hawks are looking to shake some things up, and since Bryan Murray and the Senators are hoping to get a similar type of return for Spezza that they gave up to acquire Bobby Ryan (a roster player, a prospect, and a high draft pick) it seems as though the Hawks would be forced to shake things up.
    In saying this Murray has made it clear that he would be interested in a one-for-one deal, obviously meaning that a high-end top six forward would be coming back the other way, something the Hawks have in abundance.
    Though obviously names such as Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane would not be on that list; and well get to that later. Names such as Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa could enter that discussion, Sharp especially.
    Despite having a fantastic regular season (leading Chicago in scoring with 34 goals and 78 points) Sharp failed to show up for the Hawks in the playoffs, recording just five goals in 19 games, and could give reason for the Hawks to ship him.
    Also for Chicago a deal for Spezza that includes Sharp would free up $900,000 in cap space as Sharp is currently making $5.9 million while Spezza is under contract for $5 million. For Chicago that ability to free up some salary is huge as TSN Insider Bob McKenzie reported this week that negotiations between Toews and Kane on signing contract extensions have begun.
    The two superstars apparently gave Chicago their initial asking prices to sign with the club; they will become unrestricted free agents following the 2014-15 season. According to early reports both players are looking to make in the ballpark of $12 million dollars a year, figures that would make them amongst the highest paid players in the league.
    Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie · 23h
    It's believed Kane-Toews initial ask of CHI on extension is around $12M/yr each. They'll end up lower but still could be $10M+ AAV players.
    If Chicago is serious in signing the two, which they obviously will be, they will need to free up some cap space, while still filling out their roster. As it stand now, according to capgeek.com the Hawks would have just six of their current forwards, three defensemen, and just Corey Crawford under contract for the 2015-16 season, while having allocated just over $50 million on just these players.
    So, of course the Hawks would have to be selective in how they go about signing and filling out their roster. Young players such as Marcus Kruger and Brandon Saad will likely both demand pay increases as they continue to develop so Chicago management will have to decide where to find those extra dollars. Other rumours have suggested that the cap could rise to as high as $75 million in the coming years which would come as a huge relief to the Hawks moving forward.
    In other Chicago news as free agency approaches, TSN and ESPN Insider Pierre LeBrun has reported that the Hawks are also among a number of teams who have shown interest in soon-to-be free agent Paul Stastny.
    Pierre LeBrun @Real_ESPNLeBrun · 19h
    Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks among many teams to have reached out to Stastny camp, latest in Rumblings blog: http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/31597/rumblings-kesler-watch-stastny-market …
    The 28 year-old Stastny is coming off a season where he put up a very respectable 60 points in 71 games. What makes this deal again all the more interesting for Chicago is the fact that Stastny’s agent, Matt Keator, made it clear this week that his client is not looking to make any less than he made last season, which was a hefty $6.6 million.
    So, once again the issue will be how exactly will the Hawks make room to accommodate Stastny’s contract if they are as serious about signing him as they appear to be.
    Despite coming so close to playing for their second consecutive Stanley Cup it seems as though the Hawks are looking to vamp up their squad. Though most eyes will be on the draft stage this week, it should also be an interesting next few days in the boardroom as well.
    Follow me on Twitter: @Craig_Hagerman
  16. It's a Canadian Game
    The newest class of inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame was announced Monday.
    This November the likes of Dominik Hasek, Peter Foresberg, Rob Blake, Mike Modano, Pat Burns, and Bill McCreary will become the newest members to be enshrined in the hall.
    With this year’s class named, questions about who was left off this year’s card begin to swirl. The most popular name that had been receiving a lot of consideration in the days leading up to Monday’s announcement was ‘the Big E’ Eric Lindros.
    However, once again Lindros was not fortunate enough to have his name added among the game’s great which now makes it five years now that Lindros has been left off the ballad since he became eligible to be inducted.
    Now although Lindros’ name seems to be the name people bring up when they talk about Hall of Fame snubs, another name that has also been snubbed by the hall and deserves some serious consideration is Russian great Alexander Mogilny.
    Like Lindros, Mogilny has been eligible to be inducted into the hall since 2009. Now although Mogilny may not have put up the most points by any Russian and may not be on a lot of people’s radar to get into the hall, there is no question that what he did on the ice and for the game was nothing short of great. The original ‘Alexander the Great’ deserves to be remembered for what he did for the sport.
    The Russian sniper finished his NHL career having racked up 473 goals and 1,032 points in 990 games. On top of that Mogilny is a member of the very rare Triple Gold club after winning the Stanley Cup in 2000, the World Championship in 1989, and Olympic Gold in 1988.
    However, what Mogilny might be known most for is the path he carved for Russian players. Mogilny was the first player to ever defect from the Soviet Union. In doing this Mogilny became the first Russian born player to lead the league in goals, when he tied Teemu Selanne with 76 in 1992-93, and became the first Russian to captain a NHL team.
    On top of winning Olympic gold, Mogilny also won World Junior gold in 1989 when he played on what some call the greatest line the tournament has ever seen. During the 1989 championship, Mogilny played on a line with fellow Russian greats Sergei Federov and Pavel Bure.
    In fact Federov believed it was Mogilny who was more skilled player on that line.
    “Alex, I think, was the strongest. He has the most agility, the quickest release and the best shot, the leader of our line,” said Federov.
    Mats Sundin once referred to him as the most talented player he had ever played with and Pat Quinn, his former coach and now chairman of the Hall of Fame, once described Mogilny as “having good size and wonderful skating ability, he can play any kind of game.”
    Mogilny is also a six-time all-star, winner of the Lady Byng Trophy in 2003, and was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame in 2011. Mogilny would have won the Rocket Richard Trophy in 92-93 had the award existed at the time and above all was a threat on the ice every time he played.
    Mogilny had the respect of his peers and was among some of the greats during his time in the league. He led the way on the scoreboard and led the way for Russian players in the NHL. There are many great players still waiting to have their name one day immortalized among the best and ‘Alexander the Great’ deserves to one day be among them.
    Follow me on Twitter: @Craig_Hagerman
  17. It's a Canadian Game
    “If it aint broke don’t fix it.” Unfortunately, this is not a tune people were singing about the National Hockey League back in 1998.
    Among those people were Jeff Z. Klein and Karl-Eric Reif, the authors of the influential book the Death of Hockey.
    In their book the authors clearly layout problems that they have noticed with hockey, problems that have plagued the NHL from standing among the other elite sports in the world. They touch on things such as the league’s overexpansion, the lack of control towards violent play, the removal of classic arenas, and more. While pointing out the flaws, the authors also suggest ways in which NHL could make adjustments to help bring the game back to the competitive nature that made it so great in the past.
    The Death of Hockey is a monumental piece to sports history because it really helps to see where the game has come after almost 16 years and helps to provide a historical context to the game that millions still have a burning passion for.
    So, how bad was the game at this time really? Well as Klein, now a sports reporter for the New York Times, put it, the game was in such turmoil that after the book was written both him and Reif stopped covering the sport for a bit.
    “Karl and I we both gave up on hockey a couple years after,” says Klein. “Karl still hasn’t started watching again, he’s still out of it.”
    While writing their book the two hockey fans also discovered that nearly twenty years prior a book of the same name had been produced on similar grounds to theirs.
    “We picked that title of that book, unaware that two Canadian authors back in 1968-69 had written a book with the same title,” says Klein. “Their big argument was that the game had expanded too quickly, with six new cities all in the US and they were undermining senior hockey. So this idea had come up before.”
    One of the biggest problems with the NHL 16 years ago was the belief that the game had gotten away from its rich history and that the league had forgotten to embrace its roots. However, Klein believes that this is where the NHL has made vast improvements, especially in the last six years and Klein believes that the Winter Classic and the outdoor games have played a large part in that.
    “That was the real turning point and I remember the first one in Buffalo and the snow and Penguins white and blue jerseys it was perfect,” says Klein. “I remember all the people around me were not hockey fans, but they were all like ‘wow look at that’ and that moment, that was a turning point.”
    Klein likes where the game is now and what the league has done though he still believes that the length of the average season remains too long.
    “I think the season is still too long and with so many teams it’s sometimes too hard to keep track,” says Klein. “That’s the biggest problem and then the playoffs go on forever.”
    The Death of Hockey will really help readers and hockey fans to greatly appreciate the game for what is now by learning about the state that it was once in. As for Klein, he believes the game has finally strung the right tune with a lot of people as he says, “I’m awfully glad that we’re no longer having to deal with these stupid questions about what does hockey have to do.”
  18. It's a Canadian Game
    The Maple Leafs have won six of their last seven games and look to be firing on all cylinders. While the Maple Leafs have jumped back up into a respective fifth place in the Eastern conference their AHL counterparts find themselves atop their division. This is due in large part to the great play of TJ Brennan.
    One of the biggest reasons for the Marlies success has been the great play of defenceman T.J. Brennan. Brennan finds himself fifth in the league in scoring and number one amongst defencemen with 40 points in 39 games. So with 40 points in 39 games one must think a call up to the Leafs could be in order.
    Brennan was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres 31st overall in the second round in 2007. However, he spent most of his time with the Rochester Americans and played just 21 games with the Sabres between 2011-2013 recording just two goals. Halfway through last season he was moved to Florida where he played 19 games and put up two goals and nine points. Yet back in the American Hockey League Brennan racked up 35 points in 36 games with the Americans.
    Brennan may not have hit his stride at the NHL level yet, but he has proven that at the AHL level he has tremendous offensive upside. Brennan has only seen 40 games in the NHL and has recorded 11 points which if you consider him as a rookie, since he hasn’t seen a full season is not too bad.
    The problem that might stop Brennan from seeing time with the Leafs in the near future is the fact that they seem to have a plethora of young offensive defencemen. With the likes of Morgan Reilly and Jake Gardiner as well as Dion Phaneuf and Cody Franson he is likely not going to see time unless the Leafs suffer a few injuries down the line.
    Randy Carlyle and the Leafs have been looking to add physicality to their back end and for a team who doesn’t have too many players that fit that criteria, bringing in a defenceman whose biggest strength is offence, means the odds might be against Brennan. Just this month the Maple Leafs sent veteran defenceman John-Michael Liles to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for fellow defenceman Tim Gleason. This trade was made to help bring a more defensive presence to the Leafs’ back end.
    However, what might give Brennan a glimmer of hope is the fact that come next year Toronto will be faced with 10 free agents and with just $20 million dollars to sign them. Among these 10 free agents will be unrestricted free agents Paul Ranger and Mark Fraser and restricted free agents Cody Franson and Jake Gardiner.
    Gardiner is in the last year of his contract and currently makes $875,000 and will likely be looking for a pay increase, while Franson is making $2,000,000 and after a lengthy contract dispute last year will likely also be looking for a raise.
    Brennan on the other hand will also be a restricted free agent, but after only making $600,000 this season he may be a player that the Leafs could sign for a bargain and if he could bring his same offensive skill to the Leafs could be a great fit.
    Brennan will likely be named to the AHL All-Star Game to be held on the February 11th-12th weekend and so far looks to be a shoe in as the AHL’s top defenceman. He may not see time with the big club this season, but depending on the health of the Leafs’ blue line and how this off-season goes for Dave Nonis, Brennan may still have a bright future in the NHL.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
  19. It's a Canadian Game
    Tuesday was the day that a lot of Canadians had marked on their calendars as it marked the announcement of the roster that will hit the ice to defend gold at the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. Steve Yzerman and the selection committee made the announcement just before 11:00am and Yzerman and the rest believe this is the team that gives Canada the best chance to win gold.
    Most hockey fans have been making up their own roster of who they would take, but here is the roster that will take the ice in Sochi:
    Goaltenders: Roberto Luongo, Carey Price, Mike Smith
    Defense: Jay Bouwmeester, Drew Doughty, Dan Humuis, Duncan Keith, Alex Pietrangelo, P.K. Subban, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Shea Weber
    Forwards: Jamie Benn, Patrice Bergeron, Jeff Carter, Sidney Crosby, Matt Duchene, Ryan Getzlaf, Chris Kunitz, Patrick Marleau, Rick Nash, Corey Perry, Patrick Sharp, Steven Stamkos, John Tavares, Jonathan Toews
    Of course when a country with the overwhelming abundance of talent such as Canada is forced to put together a roster of just 25 players there are bound to be omissions and additions that many will question and argue against and this team is no exception.
    In goal there is seems to be no surprises with Luongo, Price, and Smith however in other spots on the ice there are a few interesting choices that were made.
    The most notable omissions to the team this time around include Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis, Philadelphia Captain Claude Giroux, San Jose’s Logan Couture, Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang and James Neal and Chicago’s Brent Seabrook. Meanwhile some notable admissions were Pittsburgh’s Chris Kunitz, Los Angeles’ Jeff Carter, and San Jose’s Patrick Marleau.
    For team Canada it is hard to justify some players over others as the numbers of player having great seasons this year is so large. One of the most controversial additions is Chris Kunitz. Kunitz is having a great year having put up 23 goals and 47 points in 44 games so far. However it seems that the biggest reason for Kunitz being named to the team is because of the chemistry that he has had with Sidney Crosby. So the one looming question following Kunitz is, is he there simply just to compliment Sidney Crosby?
    For the mean time it looks like that is the case though you can’t ignore that he has more than a point per game this year. However, one other question to consider when looking at Kunitz is if Crosby were to be injured and unable to take the ice in Sochi, would Kunitz be able to gel well enough with another centreman and vice versa? Team Canada obviously thinks so and let’s hope that they are right.
    As for Carter, Carter has been one of the better shooters the past few years and is a proven finisher a great asset for any team. This season he has 26 points and 15 goals in 33 games. This means Carter is scoring almost once every two games and last year averaged what would have been over 50 goals in a full season.
    Marleau is a unique pick in the sense that he wasn’t a name that garnered a lot of attention yet almost seems like a no brainer to be on the team. He has been fairly consistent his entire career and also been a great leader. Though Marleau’s numbers dipped a little last season putting up just 31 points in 48 games, this year he has put up 41 points in 43 games and seems to back at it. Marleau was also part of the team that won gold in Vancouver and will bring a veteran presence to the team as well as the ability to play in all situations for Canada.
    One of the more notable omissions was Claude Giroux, in Giroux’s case it seems that his slow start may have been what plagued him the most. Giroux started off the season not recording his first goal past the 10 game mark, due in part to both his play and the poor play of the rest of the Flyers. Giroux has substantially picked up his play since and how has 38 points in 42 games, but it seems like this hot streak may have come too late for Giroux and may have caused him his spot. Former Olympians Eric Staal, Joe Thornton, and Brent Seabrook were also snubbed of spots on the team as well.
    A lot of controversy arose last week after Team USA announced that Ottawa forward Bobby Ryan did not make the roster that will represent the States in Sochi, but it seems that for Canada opinions about who should and who shouldn’t have made the team have been even more intense.
    However, arguments aside the team has been announced and bearing a few injuries to the team, this will be the team that will look to defend gold for Canada. A case could be made for or against almost every player named to the team and some people may just do that. Many may not agree with who all made the team, but one thing is for sure, there is no shortage of talent on this roster of 25 of Canada’s best.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
  20. It's a Canadian Game
    The holiday season is upon us and it seems that Director of Player Safety Brenda Shanahan has been in the giving spirit, suspensions that is. Throughout the month of December Shanahan has handed out 9 suspensions. So with all these suspensions in the past few weeks a question has been looming in the NHL, is the NHL giving out too many suspensions or have their means been justified?
    The NHL has seen 9 suspensions with a total of 38 games given for the infractions this month. Of the 9 suspensions dished out by the NHL, 7 of the suspensions have come to what the NHL had deemed to be dangerous hits, whether they be hits to the head, boarding calls, or hits from behind.
    What these suspensions suggest is that the NHL is finally cracking down on dangerous hits in an attempt to rid of hits than cause serious injuries to players including concussions. Over the past few years the NHL has taken a real step forward in trying to make the game safer for the players by trying to remove dangerous plays.
    It seems the crackdown on these dangerous plays has come as new knowledge and information on the devastating effects of concussions and head injuries in the sport has started to come out. In May 2011 New York Ranger enforcer Derek Boogard died of an accidental drug and alcohol overdose. The enforcer’s death came while Boogard was recovering from a concussion. Boogard was later found to have been suffering from a condition referred to as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a condition common in those who have suffered multiple concussions.
    Boogard’s case is just one example of the things the NHL wants to prevent. So, in doing this a reduction in headshots has become one of the league’s top priorities. The NHL has handed out 3 suspensions this month for head shots, 7 in total this season and even 2 during the preseason. The NHL has made it clear with these suspensions that these types of hits will no longer be tolerated.
    One other way the NHL has shown that it is trying to crackdown on dangerous play is through the harshness of the suspensions being handed out. 9 suspensions have been handed out this month and of those 9, 6 of them have been for either 3 games or less. What this suggests is that the hits that the NHL have been suspending players for haven’t been career ending or necessary malicious or hits with intent to injure another player, but rather that they are hits that have been deemed “dangerous”.
    What this does is simply let players know that if they make contact with a players head or catch the player in a vulnerable position they will be penalized beyond just a minor or major penalty. However, they might not get a long term suspension if the intent to injure is not there. In the end this should make players more cautious about how they hit and help them to take better control of their bodies.
    Just this past month a group of former NHL players filed a lawsuit against the NHL claiming that their safety was never fully taken into account and that they are owed a settlement because of this. The lawsuit likely comes after a group of former players had recently filed a similar lawsuit against the NFL and won.
    Many other critics have also claimed that the NHL has been suspending hits that in the past would never have been considered suspendable. This is true, but as mentioned above it is obviously for a good reason and for the health and safety of the players. The NHL has made it clear that they have no intentions to remove hitting from hockey, but rather that they want the hitting in the game to be safe.
    Shanahan has been a very busy body this month and has handed out a lot of suspensions, but these suspensions seem to be justified and should be looked at with optimism. These suspensions don’t suggest that the game is too dirty or that it will become less physical. What these suspensions have done is help players to realize that safety comes first and dangerous play that may put a player’s safety in jeopardy will no longer be tolerated.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
  21. It's a Canadian Game
    On Monday Hockey Canada announced the invitees to its World Junior Camp for the upcoming 2014 World Junior Hockey Championships. After finishing a disappointing fourth place last year, Hockey Canada is taking a different approach to this year’s camp. Unlike in year’s previous where Canada would invite upwards of 40 players to camp and then make cuts accordingly, this year a roster of only 25 players was invited with the hopes of only making a few cuts and leaving more time for the team to gel and work out systems.
    Hockey Canada announced that 15 forwards, 8 defencemen, and 2 goalies had been invited to the camp that will take place in Toronto from December 12th-15th. The team looks to be very strong this year, but take that with a grain of salt as last year’s team that finished fourth was seen by many to be a stacked squad after NHLers Ryan Nuggent-Hopkins and Jonathan Huberdeau were named to the squad.
    However, this year’s crop is incredibly talented and there is no doubting that and in fact this may be one of the first year’s in a while where the projected top overall picks in next year’s NHL draft will get a serious look. Kootenay Ice’s Sam Reinhart and Barrie Colts’ Aaron Ekblad, who are both believed to challenge for the top spot in next year’s draft could play very pivotal roles on this year’s team. Both were important pieces of Canada’s under 18 tournament that won gold this past year.
    Reinhart has captained Canada’s under-18 team the past two seasons so despite being one of the younger players on the squad, will be one of the leaders going forward. Reinhart has put up 45 points through his first 28 games this season and will be looked to bring his offense and hockey smarts to the world stage once again.
    Ekblad who captains the Barrie Colts, was a huge part of the team that brought home the gold at the under- 18 tournament is the youngest defenceman on Canada’s roster. However, don’t expect his young age to get in the way of him playing important minutes for the team. Ekblad joined the Colts in the OHL as a 15 year old after being awarded exceptional status. Ekblad was instrumental at quarterbacking Canada’s powerplay and could be looked to help do the same with this year’s team.
    Besides these two, another member of that same under- 18 team and someone many people will be excited to see, is 16 year old phenom Connor McDavid. McDavid like Ekblad was also granted exceptional status into the OHL last season and has already put up 45 points through 27 games this season. McDavid is already slated to be the next Sidney Crosby or even better depending on who you ask, and will be expected to bring his dynamic offensive skills back on to international ice.
    On top of these great offensive talents, the player who will likely provide Canada with the strongest offensive punch is returning player Jonathan Drouin. Drouin was one of the more offensive players on Canada last year on a team despite the firepower, lacked the ability to finish at key times. The No. 3 overall pick in last year’s NHL draft and Memorial Cup winner is currently lighting it up again for the Halifax Mooseheads, tallying 46 points through his first 19 games this year. Drouin can be expected to play on Canada’s first line and see a lot of time on the team’s powerplay.
    Besides the vast talent mentioned above, the team will also include Bo Horvat, the Canucks first round pick from the London Knights who was picked by Vancouver after they traded away goaltender Corey Schneider for New Jersey’s pick. Philadelphia Flyer’s first round pick Scott Laughton scored an invite after being snubbed last year. Jets draft pick Nic Petan of the Portland Winterhawks, who since the beginning of last season has put up more points than any other Canadian player, and Anthony Mantha who since the start of last year has put up more goals than other junior in Canada will both dawn the red and white.
    Like last year, this year Canada will also be fortunate enough to have a player with NHL experience on the squad. The Minnesota Wild agreed to loan defenceman Matt Dumba to Canada. Dumba has been in and out of the lineup this season for the wild and because of this the Wild felt there was no reason why they couldn’t let him join the team.
    Charles Hudon will be another face that the Hockey Canada will be happy to finally see in red and white this year. Last year Hudon suffered a devastating double fracture in his back during one of Canada’s tune up games and because of the injury was unavailable for the entire tournament. This year Hudon has 32 points in 29 games for the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the QMJHL.
    However, despite having only named 25 players there will still need to be a couple of cuts made to the team to get the down to size, likely two-three forwards and one defenceman. This cut will be easier on the defensive side of things, at least for the beginning of the tournament due to the case of Griffin Reinhart.
    The elder brother of Sam Reinhart, will still have to serve three more games as part of a suspension that Griffin received last year for a highstick he delivered in a game against the USA. This means that Griffin will miss the first three games against Germany, Czech Republic, and Slovakia, but will be able to return in the team’s fourth game against the reigning champions USA. Luckily the team’s coaches will have three games to see who they want to sit upon Griffin’s return to the roster.
    Meanwhile in goal it is a little uncertain to this point who exactly will carry the reigns, but as Canada has usually elected to do, both goalies will likely see playing time during the first couple games of the tournament. Jake Patterson returns for Canada after being the team’s third string last year, despite arguably being the best goaltender in Canada’s camp last year. Patterson has put up some shaky numbers this season with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit including a 3.56 goals against average. However, Hockey Canada believes that he can still be a solid contender between the pipes. Canada will also have Canadiens second rounder Zach Fucale of the Halifax Mooseheads. This season Fucale has put up a 2.62 goals against average and 0.897 save percentage in 23 games.
    Here is the entire list of those invited to this year’s camp:
    Forwards
    Josh Anderson, London Knights (OHL)
    Jonathan Drouin, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
    Frédérik Gauthier, Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)
    Félix Girard, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
    Bo Horvat, London Knights (OHL)
    Charles Hudon, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
    Scott Laughton, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
    Curtis Lazar, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
    Taylor Leier, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
    Anthony Mantha, Val-d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL)
    Connor McDavid, Erie Otters (OHL)
    Nic Petan, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
    Sam Reinhart, Kootenay Ice (WHL)
    Kerby Rychel, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
    Hunter Shinkaruk, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
    Defence
    Chris Bigras, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
    Matt Dumba, Minnesota Wild (NHL) / Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
    Aaron Ekblad, Barrie Colts (OHL)
    Josh Morrissey, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
    Adam Pelech, Erie Otters (WHL)
    Derrick Pouliot, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
    Griffin Reinhart, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
    Damon Severson, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
    Goalies
    Zach Fucale, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL
    Jake Paterson, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
    Team Canada will kick off the tournament on Boxing Day when they take on the Germans. Canada has not brought home gold from the championship since 2009, but hopefully with a new approach to their camp and yet another roster chalked full of talent they will be able to get back on top of the junior hockey world.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
  22. It's a Canadian Game
    It seems that this year has been the first year that talk about removing fighting from hockey has really resonated with people. In years previous it seems that the vast majority of hockey fans had been in favour of allowing fisticuffs in the game, but many are now singing another tune.
    Ever since opening night this season when Montreal Canadiens’ tough guy George Parros took a freak fall when fighting Toronto Maple Leafs’ Colton Orr, smashed his head on the ice and ultimately leaving the veteran enforcer concussed, the debate on fighting in the NHL has gathered steam. Now whether the NHL is heading down that way is hard to tell, but with head shots being looked at and punished more severely than ever before it’s certain that the NHL is trying to limit player injuries. So, with that in mind it would make sense to think fighting could be next.
    George Parros Injury in Fight With Colton Orr

    When asked on their opinions about fighting in the game it seems that there have become three different stances on the issue. There are those who are absolutely for it, those who are completely opposed to fighting, and those who feel that fighting could be acceptable if various parameters were put in place. Many believe if things such as stricter penalties for fighting or allowing players to fight as long as the fights are not premeditated could be acceptable.
    Now for me I would lean more towards the side of keeping fighting and at the most I would maybe make some harsher penalties for fighting. I feel one solution could be to implement the rule that I grew up playing with in minor hockey. This rule was simply that if you fought you were out for the remainder of the game unless the fight was late in the third period in which then a 1 game suspension would be assessed. This rule makes it so that players can fight, but they have to choose their battles and make sure that the fight is worth it.
    Those who are opposed to fighting simply see it as an unnecessary part to the game and one that causes injuries. However, the fact is that all players playing the game know the risk going into fighting and know that injuries can happen, but when playing a sport that allows hitting and is strongly encouraged for physical play injuries are going to happen with or without fighting. In fact in both 2011 and in 2012 NHL players were polled on whether they wanted to keep fighting in the game and an overwhelmingly 98% of the 318 players polled said yes. So, if the players are all for it and understand the risks why not?
    For those in favour of fighting another belief is the thought that fighting in hockey sells tickets. This could not be more false. I don’t believe there is a hockey fan out there who can truthfully say that they watch hockey for fighting and fighting only. Fans go to games to cheer on their teams and to see them win, fighting is extra. It is a part of the game that many fans might enjoy, but fighting is not what sells tickets.
    In the end to me the biggest reason why fighting should remain in the NHL is to keep players safe, prevent devastating injuries, and reduce the amount of suspensions. This may seem like a crazy idea, but I stand by it and this is why.
    A lot of fights in the NHL occur after a player on one team is threatened by another player on another team, either by a hit or something more dirty such as a vicious elbow or slash. In these instances fighting is usually seen as a way to dissolve the issue by intervening with the player who is threatening the opposing player. In most cases after a fight people seem to settle and the issue is resolved.
    Now, in an NHL where there is no fighting I think chaos could ensue. For instance if someone throws a dirty hit or tries to go after Phil Kessel and Colton Orr is not allowed to come to his aid to help protect Kessel and settle the issue by going one on one with whoever went after him what will happen? Do you think the Maple Leafs are going to continue to let someone rough up their star player? Not at all, instead they are going to take matters into their own hands, likely by throwing a lot of hits at the player in question. However, if that doesn’t solve the problem the most likely way to stop this person will be to injure them, maybe a slash, maybe a dirty hit such as a head shot, etc. In the end what ends up happening, a player is put at risk of a much more severe injury when a simple fight may have alleviated the pressure while also removing fear from your star player allowing them to do what they do best.
    Essentially I believe that without fighting, players will find another way to stick up for their players and if fighting isn’t an option then dirty hits and other overly physical play will be the answer and I feel that will cause many more injuries than fighting will. Most players believe the biggest injuries occur in a flash with the quick speed of the game. Hockey is a physical game and removing fighting will not change that.
    As far as premeditated fights go the combatants are usually heavy weights who are waiting to square off against one another. However, I feel that they can also be the perfect grounds to step up for a player such as in the scenario described above. I also believe that premeditated fights can be safer than spare of the moment fights. In premeditated fights both fighters usually have the time to get ready and square off evenly with each other unlike in spare of the moment fights where players can be jumped from others following a devastating hit or so on. It is here players can be blindsided and severely hurt from unseen punches.
    Some hockey fans might argue that a team that fills its fourth line with more talented forwards who can contribute offensively rather than enforcers and grinders can make a team much better, but it is not that easy. For one, in the new NHL the salary cap makes it pretty hard for a team to sign 12 offensively touted forwards. Two, a good team needs to be able to play good defensively and physically in their own end and in the opposition’s end of the ice as well, something that these physical type of players can provide. Third, if a team is hoping to have a fourth offensive line, that fourth line is going to need to be given more ice time in order to be successful, is it in a team’s best interest to cut the ice time of their top two scoring lines to make room for an underachieving fourth line? Fourth, enforcers allow for stars to play their game without the fear that some goon is going to come after them. Instead enforcers and fighting help to establish a code that harm our best players and their will be consequences.
    Fighting is a very controversial issue and everyone can expect to hear a lot more about the debate on the matter as the season continues and so forth. Are my suggestions to the problem perfect, not likely, but at the end of the day accidents happen in such a physical game and we must come to accept that instead of looking to change it. Injuries happen, but as Canadiens’ defenseman Josh Gorges stated following the injury to George Parros, “I see more players get hurt from hits, collisions, from pucks, than I do from fights… I don’t think saying because a player got hurt in a fight that now we have to talk about taking fighting away. And I bet that if you ask George (Parros), he’ll be the first to agree with me on that one too.”
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
  23. It's a Canadian Game
    Ever since Monday the talk around the league has been the devastating injury to Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Steven Stamkos. Monday in their matinee game against the Boston Bruins Stamkos crashed heavily into his own net and in doing so broke his right tibia.
    The Stamkos injury means that he will be out of commission indefinitely. Now despite just being out of the Lightning lineup for the foreseeable future the injury also could mean that Stamkos’ participation for team Canada at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi could be in jeopardy, a big blow to Canada’s offense.
    Besides Stamkos and his injury there may also be some other players who were expected to make it that may have played themselves off the team with their poor starts to the season. Two names that immediately come to mind are Flyer’s captain Claude Giroux and Hurricanes’’ captain Eric Staal.
    When team Canada held their orientation camp in the summer these two were penciled in by many to already have a spot on the roster. However, through the first 18 games Giroux has just one goal and 10 points and has the second worst plus/minus rating on the Flyers with an unimpressive -8. Meanwhile Staal’s numbers are similar, having only amassed 9 points and a team worst -9 in Carolina’s first 18 games.
    TSN insider Darren Dreger reports that Team Canada management still feels very strong about Giroux and believes he can be a very important part to the team, but with his terrible start this season it’s hard to think he deserves a spot over players who have excelled this year.
    Another name that could be on the bubble is Rangers’ Rick Nash. Nash is coming off a concussion that has kept him out of the lineup since the Rangers’ third game of the season. Now Nash started practicing with the team this week and is expected to be in the lineup very soon, but if Nash’s injury prevents him from competing at 100% his spot on the team may be up in the air as well.
    Luckily for Canada there have been others who have started the season with stellar performances and if given the chance may very well be able to provide the void left by injuries and under performers.
    With his team off to an incredible 14-3 start and having put up 19 points in those games, Matt Duchene is a name that would be very hard for the team to overlook. He like Stamkos is a centre, but if he makes the team may be looked upon to play the wing due to a plethora of talented centres at Canada’s disposal.
    Duchene could prove to be a very valuable piece as he can play all situations, has incredible speed, and through 17 games this year has yet to take a single penalty meaning he plays a very smart game.
    Another name that should get some consideration despite failing to receive an invitation to the team’s orientation camp is Dallas Stars’ left winger Jamie Benn. Benn has 16 points in the Stars’ first 18 games. This is good enough for second on the Stars behind Tyler Seguin. Benn is also a +6 which also leads the team.
    Benn is a big body who can play physical, can dominate offensively, and like Duchene can be very versatile. Benn could be a great replacement for big bodies such as Nash or Staal. In fact TSN’s Darren Dreger ran through an updated guess of who he thought the roster might include this past Tuesday, including Jamie Benn.
    With their hot start a number of San Jose Sharks may also get a strong look as well. Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau, and Joe Thornton have all put up substantial numbers this season and could push for a roster spots as well. Thornton has 19 points in 18 games, while both Couture and Maleau have 18. The Sharks trio also have a combined +17 rating and 8 powerplay goals between them.
    Thornton and Marleau would also bring a great veteran presence to the team as both were part of the 2010 squad that won gold in Vancouver. The two were also part of the team’s most consistent offensive lines along with former Shark Dany Heatley.
    Team Canada’s Management staff met in Toronto to strongly discuss the core of their roster on Tuesday. Ideas of what names exactly were discussed are unsure, but one can assume the players above were part of these discussions among others. So, as we inch closer and closer to January when the roster will be named, once can only assume that these names will be discussed a lot more thoroughly.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
  24. It's a Canadian Game
    It was another familiar and unfortunate site for Buffalo last Wednesday night, not just because the Sabres lost again for the 9th time this season (now at 10), but because another dirty hit was committed. In their 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins Sabres goon (to put it nicely) John Scott delivered a vicious elbow to the head of Bruins star Loui Eriksson on a delayed hit. So once again Scott has the hockey world up in arms after another dirty play.
    John Scott's hit on Loui Eriksson
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojoCAhhOxGs
    However, it seems that now the talk of the incident is less about vicious hits in the game, but more about having vicious players such as Scott in the game at all. Scott has been coined the term “goon” and rightfully so. Many believe that hockey has no place for people whose sole purpose to take the ice every night is to hurt and attempt to injure other player, while contributing very little to their team in terms of offense.
    Throughout Scott’s career he has played in 187 games and recorded just one goal and 4 assists. This year in 7 games Scott has no points, has averaged just 4.57 minutes of ice time while averaging just under 3 minutes per game in the penalty box. That means Scott only tends to play about 2 more minutes on the ice then he does in the penalty box.
    Besides his lack of contribution at the NHL level, Scott’s stats have been similar everywhere he has played. In the AHL he has played 173 games putting up just six goals and 13 points and in the WCHA he played 126 games recording 7 goals and 18 points. It is obvious to see that Scott did not make it to the NHL because of his numbers.
    Now many might claim that he is just doing what fourth line players are paid to do, be physical, stick up for their stars, and get their team energized with a good fight. This is all true, but Scott tends to do this in a very dirty fashion. Many fourth line players will fight other fourth line players and stick up for their stars when they are in trouble. This is not what Scott has done.
    In a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the pre-season (likely one of the more famous pre-season games of all-time) Scott jumped superstar Phil Kessel which then resulted in a line brawl that even saw goaltenders Jonathan Bernier and Ryan Miller square off.
    Scott jumped Kessel, in what seemed to be a retaliatory offense, after Maple Leafs tough guy Jamie Devane fought with Sabres Corey Tropp. However, in the case of Tropp, he bit off a little more than he could chew. Tropp being 6’0 decided to take on Devane who towers at 6’5. To make matters worse Devane is a player who has been known to be a good fighter. So, when Tropp was knocked out by a punch by Devane, as tragic and dangerous as it was, it wasn’t Devane’s fault so looking for retaliation should not have been his first thought.
    Scott though was not pleased with this and to settle the score he decided to take vengeance on the Leafs star, instead of the person who actually had knocked out Tropp. In fact just before Scott jumped Kessel as they lined up to one another on the faceoff circle, Scott told Kessel he was going to jump him.
    Unfortunately, this has been a pattern with Scott. In both his most recent altercations he has targeted star players, not other fourth line players like himself. This goes to show that he trying to injure stars to give his team an edge the best way he can, since goal scoring for him is out of the question.
    Many may argue Scott is no different than other fourth line players and goons such as Colton Orr, George Parros, Chris Neil, Matt Cooke, etc. but the fact is that these players do either one or two things that Scott does not. First off most of them can provide a few more points for their team, Chris Neil has averaged about 25 points a season and even put up 16 goals in 2005-06 while Matt Cooke when healthy and in the lineup has been able to put up a solid 40 points and is currently second in scoring on Minnesota with 8 points in 12 games.
    The other thing many of these other fourth line players tend to do is fight and play physical while also being clean. To be an enforcer does not mean one has to play dirty. Guys such as Colton Orr and George Parros fight a lot and are looked upon to be physical but these players tend to fight the enforcers of other teams. They refrain from going after big stars and when they fight or play physical they do it cleanly. These players don’t look to hit for the head or throw vicious elbows to injure others, they simply do what they can to stand up for their teammates and provide energy and a boost to their team.
    As the NHL still works to come up with an appropriate suspension for Scott following the Eriksson hit the one thing that Scott might have going for him is the fact that he doesn’t have any prior suspensions and this will be his first offense. Though, if Scott’s style of play and his past show anything it might be that this won’t be the last time he faces discipline. Maybe the league should stop Scott once and for all.
    Follow me on Twitter: @Craig_Hagerman
  25. It's a Canadian Game
    The Toronto Maple Leafs finished off their west coast road trip last Saturday with arguably their worst effort of the season, losing 4-0 to the Vancouver Canucks . However, despite this loss the Leafs looked great picking up solid wins against the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames. These two wins can largely be credited to the outstanding play of both James Reimer and Jonathan Bernier and that is why there may be some cause for concern.
    In their three games each tender was forced to make over 40 saves. Against Edmonton Reimer recorded a 43 save shutout, in Calgary Bernier made 41 saves on 43 shots, and on Saturday Reimer made 43 saves on 47 shots. In these same three games the Leafs registered shot totals of 26, 22, and 21. Meaning during this road trip the Leafs were outshot 127-69.
    This is a problem that the Leafs have been plagued by all season. Through their first 15 games the Maple Leafs been outshot in 13 of those games. In fact the Leafs currently have allowed the second most shots against in the league, giving up an average of over 36 shots a game.
    Besides just being a lot of pressure on the goaltenders what this drastic shot differential means is so much more. What this plethora of shots against implies is that more of the game has been played in the Maple Leafs’ end of the rink instead of the opposition. This means that the Leafs are not providing themselves with opportunity to produce offense. This also means that there is extra pressure put on the defensemen, this suggests that the Leafs are being caught running around in their own end. This usually is what leads to penalties taken, leading to once again, more shots and more scoring opportunities for the opposition.
    Simply put, the Maple Leafs need to start controlling the play and relying less on their goaltenders. The Leafs have been very fortunate that they are able to make the most of their opportunities and that their goaltenders have risen to the occasion. However, Saturday was a perfect example that no matter how well your goaltenders play, they can’t produce offense. The Maple Leafs should take the 4-0 loss to Vancouver as a lesson learned and look to take some of the burden off of their goaltenders.
    On Saturday the Leafs were dealt another big blow as they lost centreman David Bolland to an injury after in a hit into the boards he suffered a cut tendon in his right foot. This injury comes after Tyler Bozak had missed the last three games and was placed on the long term injured reserve, likely not back until late November.
    Bolland had successful surgery to repair the cut, but will be out indefinitely and though his timetable for a return is not known for sure, it is expected to be a couple months. So, with this the Maple Leafs may now be in the market for a new centreman to fill the gap.
    TSN’s hockey insider Darren Dreger, believes the Leafs are looking around for a new centreman, but that availability may be slim. He also added that the Maple Leafs may use this injury to look for another top 6 forward believing that they have a lot of assets to offer in defensemen such as John-Michael Liles and young prospects.
    In the meantime the Leafs have temporarily put winger James van Riemsdyk back at centre between Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul. Although van Reimsdyk has never played centre as a pro he played the position back in college and both him and head coach Randy Carlyle believe that the transition won’t be that hard. In fact fans may have noticed the trio paired together a few times on the powerplay Saturday in Vancouver.
    The Maple Leafs don’t play again until Friday when they take on the New Jersey Devils which should give the Maple Leafs a lot of time to either gel van Reimsdyk or find someone else to help fill in the gap.
    Follow me on Twitter @Craig_Hagerman
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