NHL FanHouse

Sources: 19-Year-Old Zach Bogosian Enters US Olympic Picture

Christopher Botta — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:51:00 EST

Filed under: Thrashers, FanHouse Exclusive

Zach Bogosian, the 19-year-old defenseman from the Atlanta Thrashers, has emerged as a serious candidate for the United States Olympic Team, a pair of sources have told FanHouse.

The 19-year-old Bogosian, a native of northern New York, has developed into a superb two-way defenseman with shocking ease, with just 64 NHL games under his belt. The third overall pick from 2008 already has eight goals this season, tops among NHL defensemen. He would be a natural for the up-tempo system Team USA coach Ron Wilson plans to install for the Olympics in Vancouver in February.

The biggest roadblocks, of course, are Bogosian's youth and lack of big-game experience. However, he has displayed great maturity in his season and a quarter with Atlanta. His poise while leading the Thrashers' blue line proves little fazes him.

In addition, the 6-3 defenseman figures to be a part of many Olympiads to come -- if the NHL continues to make its world-class players available for the Winter Games. Since USA general manager Brian Burke is leaning towards taking eight defenseman, Bogosian could make the roster as both a worthy player and a prospect who'll gain invaluable experience for future Olympics.

This season Bogosian is 8-2-10 in 18 games for the Thrashers. The teenager is leading all Atlanta skaters with 23:30 per game in average ice-time. In the Thrashers' 4-3 shootout loss to Boston on Thursday, Bogosian played a team-high 29:13 despite getting less than a minute on the power play. (Ilya Kovalchuk, who played 9:52 on the power play, takes up most of the time as the right-hand shot on the point).

While Bogosian seems to get better with each week of NHL experience, another factor in his favor is that few American defensemen are slam-dunk candidates while others -- including Paul Martin, Mike Komisarek and Brooks Orpik -- have suffered injuries this season.

Veterans with roster spots likely locked up are New Jersey's Martin and Brian Rafalski of Detroit. Nashville's Ryan Suter has an excellent chance, and youngsters Erik Johnson of St. Louis and Jack Johnson of the Kings are in the mix. Other contenders include Ryan Whitney, Matt Carle, Brooks Orpik and Rob Scuderi.

Like Bogosian, Alex Goligoski wasn't invited to Team USA's orientation camp in August but is having an outstanding season for Pittsburgh. As Burke's committee -- including Thrashers GM Don Waddell -- keeps an eye on Bogosian they will also watch his defense partner. Ron Hainsey is playing the best hockey of his career and merits consideration for the Olympic team.

Team USA will announce its final roster on Jan. 1 during the festivities at the Winter Classic at Fenway Park in Boston.

Sources: 19-Year-Old Zach Bogosian Enters US Olympic Picture originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Puck Talk: A Blow to the Head

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Islanders, Kings, Thrashers, FanHouse Exclusive

With the issue of head shots becoming more and more talked about in NHL circles, it's time to tackle it on Puck Talk. We're joined this week by Anthony Curatolo, who is a senior writer at Crash the Crease and also has a podcast every week. Since Anthony is an Islanders fan, we also let him talk up his red-hot team and discuss the Blackhawks' impending cap woes. Listen after the jump.

Listen to the podcast above, or click here to download the file.

Puck Talk: A Blow to the Head originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Going Toe-to-Toe With the Hammer

Christopher Botta — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Flyers, FanHouse Exclusive

FanHouse's Christopher Botta spoke with Flyers legend Dave Schultz before his induction Monday night into the Flyers Hall of Fame.

What was your best fight?
"Tough to say, but I had some classics with Keith Magnuson in Chicago."

Who were your toughest foes?
"Clark Gillies. When he hit you, it wasn't fun. And of course I have to say Terry O'Reilly. We fought eight times and each one was an epic."

Judge your O'Reilly fights.
"I'd say we each won four."

Gillies says you're good pals. True?
"Absolutely. When your careers are over, you meet guys like Clark and you realize you have a lot in common. We love to joke around and live life and have fun. We just never talk about the fighting. It took a little longer to bond with Terry, but we're buddies now, too. Hope to visit with him during the Winter Classic at Fenway."

Enjoy the Old Timers' Games?
"I did for a while. We had this one before a big crowd in Canada. Check out these two lines: Bob Bourne-Butch Goring-Clarkie and then Dave Semenko-Tiger Williams-me. What a blast we had."

How about being the villain?
"I really didn't think about it while it was going on. None of it was an act. I just wanted to stand up for my teammates and I'd do anything to win. It worked."

Ever get hurt?
"No. Well, okay ... once. Pierre Bouchard (of Montreal) surprised me, gave me a huge bomb to the side of my head. I don't think the fans or the announcers noticed it, but I was stunned. Probably a concussion in a day when they weren't diagnosed. Later on (linesman) John D'Amico came up to me and said, 'Schultzie, I have no idea how you stayed up after that one.' "

What's your take on NHL fighting today?
"Get rid of the instigator and I bet most of the players would be a lot more careful with those hits to the end. There are no consequences. And the equipment is out of hand. I want the guys to be protected, but the shoulder pads now are a joke. When I played, I wouldn't hit a guy with my shoulder. I would hurt my shoulder!"

Going Toe-to-Toe With the Hammer originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

'The Hammer' Enters Flyers' Hall of Fame

Christopher Botta — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Flyers, FanHouse Exclusive

Dave Schultz will be inducted into the Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame on Monday night. Looking back more than 30 years later, it's hard to believe Schultz was only a Flyer for four seasons.

"That's my only regret," said the man forever known as "The Hammer."

Just four years. Ask any hockey fan to list the men associated with the great and notorious Philadelphia hockey teams of the 1970s and you will hear Bobby Clarke's name first, followed maybe by Bernie Parent and possibly the coach, Fred Shero. But in that next group -- along with everyone from Bill Barber and Rick MacLeish to Gary Dornhoefer and Reggie Leach and the Watson brothers -- comes The Hammer.

More Coverage: Going Toe-to-Toe With "The Hammer"

"Four incredible years that changed my life," said Schultz, now 60 years old and ready to cherish every second of his Hall of Fame night. "I put a lot into those four years."

The Hammer gave as much blood as he drew. He was the symbol of the "Broad Street Bullies," fighting every game and seemingly everyone. The left wing always played with an edge. Schultz was not crazy, but sure did a fine job making everyone else believe he was. When it comes to the Flyers Hall of Fame the only question is: what took so long?

"Had a fight my first game and won it, then the second game and it just snowballed from there. When I was in juniors, I was the most intimidated kid out there. People don't believe me, but I've never understood how the transformation happened. It just happened."
-- Dave Schultz on His Famed Role as EnforcerIn the four years of The Hammer Era, the Flyers won two Stanley Cups. Think of the top enforcers in today's NHL and their coaches would sign up for getting five goals a season from them. Don't think Dave Schultz was a hockey player? Centered primarily by Orest Kindrachuk and with Don Saleski on the right side, Schultz scored nine, 20, nine and 13 goals in those years for the Flyers. In the playoffs, he wasn't relegated to the press box as most fighters are today. In 41 postseason games with Philadelphia, Schultz had seven postseason goals and 363 penalty minutes.

"There's no fighting in the playoffs anymore, but in my day it set the tone," said Schultz. "You had a lot of cheap hits in the first period. Me and the other guys would settle the scores and the nonsense would be over with. You knew the refs were thinking, 'Okay, it's time to get Schultzie out of this game.' By the end of the first period in playoff games, I was usually showered and in my suit."

Strange but true, Schultz was drafted by the Flyers as a goal scorer. It wasn't until the club sent him to the Eastern Hockey League that he found his niche as a fighter. "Had a fight my first game and won it, then the second game and it just snowballed from there," said Schultz, today a sales manager with BP Solutions in Wydmoor, PA. "When I was in juniors, I was the most intimidated kid out there. People don't believe me, but I've never understood how the transformation happened. It just happened."

The Philadelphia fans loved every short Schultz shift, with seasons of 259, 348, an NHL-record 472 and 307 penalty minutes with Bob Kelly as his partner in misconduct. "My rewards were the respect of my teammates and the appreciation of the fans," he said. "This city has been wonderful to me for a very long time."

The Brotherly Love is a big part of this Hall of Fame induction on Monday. Schultz fought and played for Philadelphia for four years, but he's been a Flyer for four decades. Although he later played for Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Buffalo -- "should have won a Cup with the Sabres in '78-79, a great team," he said -- he always bled Broad Street orange.

More than 30 years since throwing his last punch, Schultz's career has been re-discovered by the YouTube generation. Almost all of his scraps are online, receiving hundreds of thousands of views. Schultz seems humbled that his reputation outside Philadelphia has been re-considered. "I think people understand now I was honest and played by the rules of the era," he said. "They also appreciate that back then it wasn't like I was playing the game for money." (In 10 years of pro hockey, Schultz made a combined $600,000).

"I look back now and can say, yes, there were times when all the fighting could wear on me," said Schultz, who reports that he's in perfect health. "But in the end, I was fortunate to have my career and enjoy such a blessed life."

Schultz will embrace all the tributes as he enters the Flyers Hall of Fame, finally getting his personal moment before 18,000 fans. At his side will be his sons Chad, 34, and Brett, 31. Chad has written a screenplay about his father's career that Dave says "will be like Invincible for hockey."

The final scene will be played out Monday night.

'The Hammer' Enters Flyers' Hall of Fame originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Teamwork of Rivals May Have Saved Life

Christopher Botta — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Penguins, Sharks, NHL Injuries, FanHouse Exclusive

The NHL can be a league of brutality, of fierce grudges played out inside the boards. But one of the game's most endearing qualities is the sportsmanship demonstrated when the final buzzer sounds. There is, of course, the traditional handshake after playoff series. Then there are the moments you don't hear much about.

David Morehouse (pictured right) arrived safely at home on Thursday morning. The 48-year-old president of the Pittsburgh Penguins had emergency endovascular stent surgery on Sunday in California to repair a blocked artery. But there is a lot more to this story.

"In the National Hockey League, we have more of a family culture than you'd expect because the games are so competitive, the rivalries so intense," said Tom McMillan, the Penguins Vice President of Communications. "The way two teams worked together on Sunday to take care of Dave Morehouse kind of says it all."

On Sunday morning, about 10 hours after the Penguins lost to the Sharks in San Jose, Pittsburgh's players, coaches and staff boarded a charter aircraft bound for home. Ten minutes before the flight's scheduled departure, Morehouse told Penguins head athletic trainer Chris Stewart that he was experiencing discomfort in his chest and pains down his left arm. Stewart immediately took Morehouse off the plane and told his colleagues to travel without them.

This is when the teamwork of rivals began. Stewart reached San Jose Sharks head trainer Ray Tufts and asked if he could provide any assistance. According to an eyewitness account provided to FanHouse, the Sharks staff worked for Morehouse as if he was their team president.

Tufts, who who was honored this week for recently working his 1000th NHL game, bolted immediately to San Jose Mineta International Airport to pick up Morehouse and Stewart. He drove them to a small hospital in Los Gatos for a preliminary observation with a cardiologist. The Sharks trainer also contacted head team physician Dr. John Chiu, who assisted in the early diagnosis and then arranged for Morehouse to be transferred to the larger El Camino Hospital in Mountain View.

Morehouse, who has three children with his wife Vanessa, underwent stent surgery considered minimally invasive, but might have had to endure much more if the Penguins' charter took off for the five-hour flight with him on it. Crediting the poise and quick thinking of his trainer Chris Stewart, Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby said, "Chris was getting a lot of pats on the back. That was scary stuff. He was really smart to tell Dave to stay back. That was big. It's a long flight. He may have saved his life."

Although Tufts, the Sharks trainer, and Chiu, San Jose's medical director, politely declined interview requests from FanHouse -- therefore declining to take any credit -- Morehouse and the Penguins family know the real story behind his extraordinary care.

"The Sharks' medical staff was just incredible to us," said McMillan, the Penguins' VP. "We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude."

Teamwork of Rivals May Have Saved Life originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Backchecking With ... Patrick Kane

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, FanHouse Exclusive

We get to know NHL players with five quick questions. Today's subject: Patrick Kane, the dynamic young Chicago Blackhawks forward. His team continues to lead the Central Division early in the season.

What is your earliest hockey memory?

It's got to be skating down the family pond in Buffalo.

What are your favorite, and least favorite, things about playing in the NHL?

My favorite has to be just playing pro hockey. It was my dream for so long. My least favorite thing would probably have to be living under the microscope. Everyone is watching you.

Do you have any superstitions or pregame rituals?

I don't really have a lot of superstitions. In fact, we don't have a lot of superstitious guys (on the Blackhawks). If it works, I stick with it. As far as rituals go, I do tape my stick the same way all the time.

Who is the one player in the NHL you would like to throw a good, hard, clean check on?

Probably Johan Franzen from Detroit. Last year in the playoffs we got in a scrum after a whistle, and he took my mouthpiece from me and threw it on the ice.

If you could be one teammate, who would you be and why?

That's easy. Marian Hossa. He's had a great career so far.

Backchecking With ... Patrick Kane originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

For First Time, Dapuzzo Reveals Anguish, Depression After Skate Severs His Face

Christopher Botta — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive

On Feb. 9, 2008, veteran NHL linesman Pat Dapuzzo suffered career-ending and life-altering injuries when he was accidentally struck in the face by the skate blade of Flyers forward Steve Downie during a game in Philadelphia against the Rangers. The damage to Dapuzzo's face and head was far more serious than simply cosmetic.

In this exclusive for FanHouse, the 50-year-old Dapuzzo opens up for the first time about his memories of the incident, the countless surgeries, the deep depression, the support of the NHL community and his determination to live a normal life again. This is the story entirely in his own words, as told to Christopher Botta.

******

I don't care how tough you are. I used to think I was pretty tough, that there wasn't anything I could not handle. I was a kid from New Jersey who became an on-ice official in the National Hockey League. Nothing could stop me from chasing my dreams. Well, what I've learned over the last year and a half is that there is always something that can bring you to your knees.

I haven't talked much with anyone about this yet. But the good news is, slowly but surely, I'm starting to feel a little better. I finally see some light at the end of the tunnel. I'm ready to talk about what happened because now I feel that maybe I can help some people. My story is far from over, but here's what I've got so far.

When Steve Downie was checked by Fedor Tyutin and we became entangled along the boards, Downie's leg whipped around and his skate blade cut my nose off. There was a hole in my face. I was on all fours and was bleeding badly. I thought I had lost my eye. Other than that, I don't remember much about the immediate impact of the skate hitting my face. I was later diagnosed with a concussion from the collision, after they sent me to a trauma center in Camden, New Jersey.

When I saw three fights had simultaneously broken out between the Rangers and the Flyers after Tyutin hit Downie, I tried to break them up. I guess I was delusional, but I'm old-school -- always was and always will be. I know I was a mess, but my job was to monitor those altercations and end them. If you watch the tape, I actually shove (referee) Kelly Sutherland aside so I can try and do my job. I was thinking that if my mentor (former NHL linesman and supervisor) John D'Amico was looking down from heaven, he would have kicked my butt for not taking care of business.

Jim Ramsey, the Rangers trainer, came on the ice and got me. He put a towel over my eyes. I could not see a thing from all the blood. 'Rammer' brought me to the Flyers' trainers. Their doctors sewed my nose back on. It took more than 40 stitches. The doctors were alarmed because my left eye was drooping. They told me I could not go back on the ice because I could die. My face was fractured. That was when I realized this was more than just a brutal cut.

******

After 24 years, my career as an NHL linesman was over in an instant. The damage to my face was worse than just my nose being severed.

There were 10 fractures in my face. My right cheekbone was shattered. Between the accident and all the surgeries I've had, I lost all of my teeth. I lost my sense of smell. I developed sleep apnea. I dealt with terrible earaches caused by bone fragments in my right ear.

We have three boys. ... They would ask me "Dad, what's wrong? Why can't you come out with us?" Not being able to do anything, not being able to explain to your kids what you're feeling, is probably the toughest time I had to go through. I still suffer from post-concussion syndrome. There were times in the first year after the accident when I couldn't get out of bed for weeks.

I have almost no sense of taste. My wife Lisa would make me my favorite -- her thin crust pizza. So I could taste it better, I kept sprinkling cracked pepper on it. I still couldn't taste a thing, so I'd put on more and more with each bite. By the time I was done, I pretty much went through the whole bottle. Worse, I was sweating like I'd just run a marathon. My wife and I decided I shouldn't do that again.

I couldn't work. I loved my job as an NHL linesman so much, and now it was gone. And never mind that -- there wasn't any job I could do. Whenever my heart rate would rise a little, the headaches would be debilitating. I couldn't even work out.

I was depressed. I couldn't function like anything close to a normal adult of 50 years of age. We have three boys, great kids now in seventh, eighth and ninth grades. They would ask me, "Dad, what's wrong? Why can't you come out with us?" Not being able to do anything, not being able to explain to your kids what you're feeling, is probably the toughest time I had to go through.

Our house is in Rutherford, New Jersey. It's very close to the hotel where the NHL officials stay when they're in town to work Devils games. This is how bad it got: my buddies would try to contact me before coming to New Jersey. I wouldn't pick up the phone, wouldn't return their messages. A lot of them, when they arrived in Jersey, actually came to my house and banged on the door. I wouldn't answer.

This is a fact: all this happened to me because I wasn't wearing a face shield.

******

Besides the support of my family, the biggest reason why I have managed to get through the darkest days is the support I have received from so many people connected to the NHL. I'm not close to a full recovery yet. I have at least three more facial surgeries scheduled. The next one is on November 17 to open up my pallet and minimize the sleep apnea. But the NHL has taken good care of me, not just because I continue to be credited with years of service but because of the compassion I've been shown.

Anyone who has a problem with Commissioner Gary Bettman, I'd like to tell you plenty of stories of how much that man cares. But I know he wouldn't want me to. Just take my word for it. (NHL deputy commissioner) Bill Daly is my New Jersey neighbor and has become one of my best friends. Colin Campbell from the league office, Brian Murphy from the NHL Officials Association ... I can't tell you how wonderful they have been.

The calls were non-stop from people all over the league: Brian Leetch, Ron Wilson, Jeremy Roenick, Tom Renney, George McPhee, Brian Burke, just to name a few. Some of our best players who have gone through serious concussion problems reached out to share their stories and advice with me: Mike Richter, Keith Primeau, Scott Stevens, Eric Lindros, Pat LaFontaine. I want to thank everyone, especially the fans, for all of the support.

My brothers among the referees and linesmen never forgot me. Even when I couldn't gather the strength to return their calls, they understood and waited patiently for me to start to become myself again.

Terry Gregson is now running the show as director of officiating. This is the final season for many referees that the fans, players and coaches know well: Bill McCreary, Kerry Fraser, Dan Marouelli, Don Koharski, Mick McGeough ... there are so many of them. There's going to be a turnover of NHL referees like you wouldn't believe.

Before I got hurt, my goal had been to make it to the end of our contract with Billy and Kerry and the rest of my guys. The plan we set in motion a few years ago was for me to hopefully become a supervisor. Right now, I'm not strong enough, not healthy enough for an important responsibility like that. I'm determined to get better, motivated by the opportunity to work under Terry. Maybe someday.

******

I have my good days and my bad days, my good hours and my bad hours. I'm more optimistic lately because the good is outweighing the bad. I could not possibly hold down a steady job right now, but I'm starting to get involved whenever I can.

My good buddy Ed Horne, who used to run the marketing for the NHL and the NFL, invited me to be a consultant with his company, Madison Avenue Sports and Entertainment. It makes me feel good to contribute here and there, but my disability still prevents me from putting in the time I'd like. I'm on five different kinds of medications. I'm on anti-depressants. I still have a long way to go.

I'm not ashamed to talk about what I've been through. We all know people who have been through far worse and never had the gifts of an amazing family and an NHL career like I have.

I had the privilege of working Wayne Gretzky's last game. A picture from the game is one of my prized possessions. During a TV timeout, Wayne said to me, "Dap, I want you to know that you are one of the most respected men in the game of hockey." Can you believe that?

Last March the Flyers invited me to drop the ceremonial faceoff before a home game against the Rangers. I hadn't been going to NHL games, but I could not turn down that invitation from Ed Snider, Peter Luukko, Bob Clarke and Paul Holmgren. League security man John Malandra made all the arrangements. They put my family in a suite and treated us like royalty. The big surprise was before the faceoff. The Flyers showed a five-minute video about my career. The Philadelphia fans gave me -- a linesman! -- a standing ovation. How can you say I haven't been blessed?

I hear a lot of "Poor Pat ... Poor Pat." C'mon folks, do not give me your sympathy. I graduated high school in New Jersey in 1976 and six years later became a linesman in the NHL. I worked almost 2,000 games. I've met almost every legend in hockey, worked a lot of the biggest games. I've met U.S. presidents and was invited to the White House. So many people dream of the life I've led.

"Poor Pat." Give me a freakin' break.

I would agree to get kicked in the face once a month if I could get back on the ice in the National Hockey League.

For First Time, Dapuzzo Reveals Anguish, Depression After Skate Severs His Face originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

DraftWatch 2010: Kirill Kabanov Embraces North American Style

Christopher Botta — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Draft, FanHouse Exclusive, Junior Hockey

When he's not pursuing his goal of becoming the first overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, 17-year-old Kirill Kabanov helps out with renovations on the home of his host family in Moncton, New Brunswick.

"They treat me like a son," Kabanov said of his billets. "I want to help out any way I can. This is my home."

It will likely be for just one year. The super-skilled left wing is a certain top-10 pick in the draft next June. His decision to move from his native Russia to play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season has elevated his already-lofty status in the NHL scouting community.

"If Kabanov stayed in Russia, even with all that uncertainty about contracts and the KHL, I still think he would have gone somewhere in the first 12 picks," said a scouting director for a Western Conference team. "Now that he's demonstrated the commitment to play in North America, he could go in the top five -- maybe the top three."

In a phone conversation with FanHouse, the amiable teenager did not try to play it cool when stating his intentions.

"It's important for me to be No. 1," said Kabanov. "I'm trying to be No. 1. Am I going to cry if I don't get picked first? Of course not. But this is one of the reasons I came to Canada."

Okay, but why is it so important to be the first overall pick?

"It means you were the best of all the great young players in the world," said Kabanov. "I always want to be the best. My goal is to help Moncton win a championship and to be No. 1 in the draft. For me, that would be a great year."

Realistically, the skinny, 6-3 left wing may have to settle for being second, third or a bit higher in the draft. Taylor Hall, a center with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League, has been projected as a franchise player and the cream of the 2010 draft. Teams looking for a No. 1 defenseman with one of the top five picks will lust after Hall's teammate Cam Fowler.

Kabanov's playmaking ability and heavy shot are enough to have him near the top of most early-season draft lists. To have a chance of reaching his goal of being No. 1, Kabanov will have to show scouts all year in Moncton that he's more than just a gifted finisher, but a leader, a clutch performer, a true franchise player.

Prospect to Watch: Vladimir Talasenko
The 6-1, 200-pound left wing from Russia is moving up draft charts after an impressive start to his KHL season. "He is a bull," said one European scouting director for an NHL team. "He's a player a lot of teams are starting to watch more closely."

"You can't deny the kid has star potential," said an Eastern Conference scout who watched Kabanov and the Wildcats win 4-2 in Montreal on Thursday. "I'm just not ready to put him in the top five. In the Montreal game, he was the best player in the first period, tailed off a bit in the second and by the third he was worn down.

"He made the right move to play this season in Canada. As a 16-year-old, he didn't match the year (Alexander) Ovechkin or (Nikita) Filatov had when they were his age. Now that he's in North America, he's learning it's a much different game than what he'd see back home. In Russia, Kabanov could make a pass and no one would touch him. Here, like we all saw Thursday, he made a pass and someone drove a shoulder into his chest. He has to prove he can battle. "

Early on, he has answered the bell. He has three goals and nine assists in his first eight games with the Wildcats. Entering a potentially difficult environment as a European teenager joining a team of Canadians (and one Slovak) a few weeks into the season, Kabanov has won everyone over with his work ethic and charm.

"Kirill is determined to be a star, but he's very down to earth," said Moncton general manager Bill Schurman. "He's always laughing and he's full of mischief. It didn't take long for him to start creating the pranks, instead of being on the other end of them. He's just a very likeable young man."

On game night, Kabanov -- who had a goal and an assist in his team's 5-3 win on Saturday in Rouyn-Noranda -- has made an immediate impact on a team that was predicted to contend in the QMJHL even before he arrived. "He's not just a good player, but a very exciting player to watch," said Schurman. "At our home games, there's been an electricity in our arena we haven't seen since Sidney Crosby used to come in with Rimouski."

Like most NHL scouts, the Wildcats GM is quick to point out that Kabanov is not in the Crosby-Ovechkin category. So is Kabanov himself. "No, no, no ... I'm not talking about that," he laughed. "One thing at a time. I'm in the Quebec League because it is my best chance to get to the NHL soon. No comparisons, please."

So Kabanov plays in the "Q" under Wildcats coach Danny Flynn, a former Islanders assistant who is highly regarded for teaching ability. On off nights, he watches the NHL Center Ice package -- keeping a close eyes on his longtime friend Filatov and the Columbus Blue Jackets. And whenever he has the time, he takes a break from building an NHL career by helping out at his home away from home.

"I like them and they like me," Kabanov said of his billets. "I feel like I'm where I belong, on the ice and in this house. Hockey is a like a religion in Canada. It's all good. It's all very exciting."

FanHouse's 2010 NHL Draft Top 5, 10/27/09
	Player	Team	GP	G-A-P
1.	Taylor Hall, C	Windsor (OHL)	15	15-17-32
2.	Cam Fowler, D	Windsor (OHL)	15	2-19-21
3.	Tyler Seguin, C	Plymouth (OHL)	14	17-13-30
4.	Kirill Kabanov, LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	8	3-9-12
5.	Mikael Granlund, C	HIFK Helsinki (Finland)	15	4-12-16
Note: While Hall could stay at No. 1 all year and Fowler is a safe bet to remain in the top five, the names and order of prospects No. 2-5 are likely to change for the next six months.

DraftWatch 2010: Kirill Kabanov Embraces North American Style originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Puck Talk: Returning to New Jersey

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Devils, Eastern, FanHouse Exclusive

This week, our Puck Talk podcast chats about the Devils. We're joined by radio analyst Sherry Ross, who returned to the booth in 2007, just in time to watch Brian Rolston return to the ice, and eventually Jacques Lemaire return to the bench. Seems like everyone ends up going back there at some point.

We talk with Sherry about this year's team, how Lemaire is adjusting to his young talent, and what kind of workload goalie Martin Brodeur will face this season. Check out this week's podcast after the jump.

Listen to the podcast above, or click here to download the file.

Puck Talk: Returning to New Jersey originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Cam Ward: The Best Goalie Hardly Anyone Knows

Christopher Botta — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Hurricanes, FanHouse Exclusive

The Carolina Hurricanes will only go as far as Cam Ward takes them, so it's a good thing Ward has emerged as one of the top goaltenders in the National Hockey League.

"He's our guy," said Carolina coach Paul Maurice, who did not want to rank his goaltender but said, "He gives us a chance to win as frequently as any goalie in the league."

The Hurricanes' most recent game was the latest proof. In a 2-0 loss in New Jersey on Saturday, Ward made a half-dozen dazzling stops over the first two periods. Among the best: stacking the pads on Jamie Langenbrunner, alone in front after a centering pass from Zach Parise, with 16 seconds left in the first period. A sliding save on Nicklas Bergfors mid-first. A Hasek-ian sprawl and shaft poke check (yes, that's correct) on Travis Zajac in the final seconds of the second period to keep the game scoreless.

As Ward made the highlight-reel stop on Zajac, a press box scout said, "That's the Tommy Barrasso influence."
Told about the remark, the 25-year-old Ward laughed in recognition. Barrasso, a No. 1 goalie for most of his 18-year NHL career, is now an assistant coach with the Hurricanes. "Tom has encouraged me to challenge more, to be more aggressive," Ward said in a cell phone conversation before his team charter left for New York and a game against the Islanders on Wednesday. "Probably the biggest impact he's made on me is with my work habits. Even in practice, I don't want any pucks to get behind me."

Ward plays like he practices. Although he led the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in 2006 as a rookie, the 25th overall pick in the 2002 draft continues to improve. Last season the Alberta native set personal bests with a 2.44 GAA and .916 save percentage. He was rewarded in September with a six-year contract extension worth $37.8 million.

While Ward does not receive much national intention, he is among the favorites for selection to Team Canada for the Winter Olympics in February. If he makes it, there's a good chance he'll be teammates with Martin Brodeur, who shut out Ward's Hurricanes on Saturday night in Newark. After the game, it was almost startling to hear the 37-year-old Brodeur, who passes out compliments to opponents as often as he backs up Yann Danis, show so much respect toward Ward. "Cam is such a good goalie," said Brodeur. "Any time you play against the best you have to raise your game."

"That's very flattering to hear, coming from Martin," Ward said three days later. "I mean, right back at him. It's amazing when you hear some people start to write him off year after year. I don't see it. I certainly didn't see it when he shut us out on Saturday. He's as good as ever."

For Carolina to have any chance of keeping up with the class of the East like Washington and Pittsburgh, they'll need Ward at his best. Actually, the Hurricanes are counting on it. "Cam's even-keeled, confident, reliable," said Maurice, who adds that his goalie is so low-maintenance that their conversations rarely go much deeper than "hello" while getting coffee in the locker room. "Cam's as capable as any goalie of coming up with that game-changing, spectacular save. It says a lot that our defense loves playing in front of him. I think that's because he's in control at all times."

His calm demeanor was on stage while backstopping Carolina to the Stanley Cup at the age of 22. Management is not worried about Ward burning out in the game's most psychologically-taxing position because they know his outlook each day at the rink.

Since the beginning of his youth hockey days, Ward was encouraged by his father to enjoy the challenge of netminding instead of being burdened by it. With his dad's words in mind, Ward writes "Have Fun" on all of his sticks.

"From peewee to juniors, the Stanley Cup Final and wherever the game takes me," said Ward, "I've always taken Dad's words to heart."

They have served him well.

Cam Ward: The Best Goalie Hardly Anyone Knows originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Coyotes Giving Away Free Tickets ... If They Win

Christopher Botta — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:26:00 EST

Filed under: Coyotes, NHL Fans, NHL Economics, FanHouse Exclusive

The Phoenix Coyotes, in need of building up a wounded fan base and putting warm fannies in the seats, have come up with quite the marketing initiative. Branded "Join The Pack!" (their exclamation point) with the kicker "We Win, You Win," the Coyotes will give fans attending any of the following five games a free ticket to a game later in the season if the team wins:

Oct. 24 vs. LA

Nov. 14 vs. Dallas

Dec. 5 vs. Ottawa

Jan. 16 vs. Minnesota

Feb. 13 vs. Dallas

All five are Saturday games, a depressing illustration of the box office challenges facing the Coyotes with the franchise's very existence in question. With Thursday's gate attendance an estimated 5,000 setting the bar, the organization may be waving the towel on weeknight games. Give management credit for being realistic.

The idea to distribute potentially thousands of free tickets if the Coyotes win any or all of the five games was undoubtedly pondered by Phoenix executives for a while. There are many pro and cons -- or, since this is hockey, Pluses and Minuses. Let's analyze:

Minus: Any time you comp or deeply discount your tickets, you're devaluing them. Why would Coyotes fans ever pay full price? Why would they ever buy season tickets?

Plus: Guess that's not really the Coyotes' biggest problem right now!

Minus: If you're a player on the Kings, Stars (twice), Senators or Wild, you have some added motivation. As they put on the foil pre-game, you can just hear the captain saying, "Phoenix thinks we stink so bad, they're giving away free tickets if they beat us!" Or there's the Gipper-esque rallying cry, "If they beat us, they're comping thousands of free tickets and as NHLPA members we lose more of our escrow!"

Plus: The way new head coach Dave Tippett has the Coyotes focused and executing a smart gameplan, they could still beat the psyched up (and psyched out) Kings, Stars, Senators and Wild.

Minus: When you really think about it, these "We Win, You Win" games create stakes that are not far removed from a gambling environment. ("Hey, why did Tippett put Bissonnette, Jovanovski and Vandermeer in the shootout? Did he get a call from upstairs saying the team didn't want to give away any more free tickets?")

Plus: Nah. The Phoenix Coyotes have plenty of good seats available in all sections.

Plus: In the final analysis, Coyotes management is doing the right thing. There are many passionate hockey fans in the Phoenix area. The team has a general manager (Don Maloney) with a plan, an excellent head coach, several skilled young players and a captain in Shane Doan who deserves to be a winner.

With "We Win, You Win!" the Phoenix staff is focused on getting some energy in the stands and reminding people a hockey game is a good night out. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. You never know -- the Coyotes could stick around a while.

Coyotes Giving Away Free Tickets ... If They Win originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Blues, Wings Flat Since Sweden

Susan Slusser — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Red Wings, FanHouse Exclusive

Niklas Kronwall and Erik Johnson, defensemen for the Red Wings and Blues respectively, both enjoyed opening the season in Sweden. Like many of Detroit's players, Kronwall is from there, while Johnson was happy St. Louis took both games and that he's healthy after missing most of a year.

Since returning to the U.S., however, the Red Wings and Blues have been less than sharp. And Detroit wasn't any great shakes in Sweden, either, dropping both games despite holding leads in each.

The two teams, both expected to be contenders, are at the bottom of the Central Division going into play Thursday night.

"We've stumbled of late," Johnson told FanHouse by phone. "I think maybe we got a little ahead of ourselves, thought we were better than we were because we beat the Red Wings twice."

Kronwall said the opening games in Stockholm were well-received by the local fans and that it was "surreal" to dine with the entire Red Wings team at a restaurant he frequents during the summer. But, he said, "We went there with one goal, to win those games, and we didn't. It was a great experience - except for the outcome."

After getting smoked 6-2 at Buffalo on Tuesday, Detroit is 2-3 and the annual whispers wondering if the Wings are finally on the downswing have begun. With the offseason exodus of Marian Hossa, Jiri Hudler, Mikael Samuelsson and Tomas Kopecky, the team lost 88 goals - and Johan Franzen's recent injury pushes that number to 122 goals gone from last year's tally. Hossa and Franzen led the team in that category last year.

Franzen is expected to miss four to six months with a torn ACL. Describing his loss, Kronwall told FanHouse, "I don't know if I can put it in words. He's one of the leading players in the league and this would have been a big year for him. He would have been one of the top goal scorers in the league. for sure. But this will give other people opportunities."

The annual doubts about Detroit? "That's kind of how it is year after year when we lose a few games," Kronwall said. "But the feeling in our dressing room is the same. We still believe in our team and the way we play. We just have to get back on track, work harder - not that we haven't been working hard, we have to just work harder together in the same direction - and we'll be fine."

The Blues, seen as real up-and-comers after winning nine of 11 last spring to finish the regular season, have dropped two in a row since toppling the Wings twice. They've scored three goals, total, and they've gone 0 for 8 on the power play in losses to Atlanta and L.A.

Johnson said the Blues just need to relax and prepare themselves the way they usually do - and to realize that not every game is going to be easy. The team also needs to shoot the puck more, he said, and the defensemen need to work on ensuring good gaps in the neutral zone to improve the transition game.

Steady veterans Keith Tkachuk and Paul Kariya are leading the Blues in scoring, and Johnson, 21, said it's time for the club's younger players to step it up, too. "If we're not going," he said, "that's a big chunk of the team."

Expectations are higher, and Johnson likes that. "It's a good thing," he said. "There's pressure on us now to fail, but we set a standard of how we want to play in the second half last year, and everyone here wants to win."

Blues, Wings Flat Since Sweden originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Backchecking With ... Scottie Upshall

Adam Gretz — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coyotes, FanHouse Exclusive

We get to know NHL players with some quick questions. Today's subject: Phoenix Coyotes forward Scottie Upshall, who talks about his love of music, the grind of playing in the NHL, and which player he would like to get with a good, clean check.

What is your earliest hockey memory?

Walking out of my house back home in Fort McMurry (Alberta), my dad had our deck in our backyard, and he always had it frozen over. He had a sheet of plastic and some ice out there and I remember the winters being so cold, and being old enough just to pretty much walk, and my dad would have me out there on probably an 8-by-10-foot deck just skating around. That's probably my earliest memory of being on skates and having a stick in my hands.

What are your favorite, and least favorite, things about playing in the NHL?

Favorite thing about being in the NHL is definitely having the opportunity to play a game I love in great cities across North America, and having an opportunity for my close friends and my family to be able to watch play me at an elite level. Just having the opportunity to be in this position and to play for the Stanley Cup every year is pretty special.

I'd say my least favorite thing about being in the NHL would be the tough travel. Eighty-two games throughout the course of six months, I mean, it can be pretty tough. I love traveling, but at times when you're playing three games in five nights in three different cities it definitely takes a toll. And having to play against guys like Jordin Tootoo and Sean Avery, who run around and try to take your head off.

Do you have any hidden or special talents off the ice?

I've been known to swing the golf clubs around pretty good. I love music. I took up the guitar about three years ago, and more or less just the background of music in general and experiencing it firsthand. I think if hockey didn't work out I'd love to get into the music business.

I'm a big fan of alternative music; I love Pearl Jam, I love a band called Phoenix right now ... there's a lot that I like. I like Radiohead, I like Coldplay, I love Jay-Z. I love pretty much everything except country.

Do you have any superstitions or pregame rituals?

Not really. I'm not the most superstitious guy. I like to just get prepared and I play the same tunes before every game. I'm in control of the music in the locker room so I make sure I have some good beats going on.

I like to know who we're playing, who is in the lineup, who is not, and just be prepared for the goalie that we face. Other than that, nothing much.

Who is the one player in the NHL you would like to get a good, hard, clean open-ice hit on? And don't be afraid to be honest.

Oh man ... maybe Ryan Kesler.

Who, in your mind, is the toughest player in the NHL to play against? The one guy that when you see his name in the lineup you think 'Aw man, this guy is a pain in the ass to play against.'

I'd probably have to go with Brenden Morrow from Dallas.

Backchecking With ... Scottie Upshall originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Evander Kane a Virtual Lock to Stick

Christopher Botta — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:12:00 EST

Filed under: Thrashers, FanHouse Exclusive

Atlanta general manager Don Waddell all but confirmed to FanHouse Wednesday morning that 2009 fourth-overall pick Evander Kane will not be returned to the WHL and will be with the Thrashers all season.

"Evander is certainly making the decision easy for us," Waddell said in a phone conversation.

Kane just turned 18 in August. By comparison, Islanders first-overall pick John Tavares turned 19 in September. Like any player on his entry level deal, Kane could be sent back to junior hockey before his 10th NHL game and a year would not burn off his contract.

This is very unlikely to happen, now that management has an even better idea of what they have in their first round pick.

The Atlanta center prepared himself to play in the NHL this season. According to Waddell, Kane was 162 pounds in the summer of 2008. At the start of the '09-10 season he was 190 pounds with just 4 percent body fat.

The Thrashers have only played three games so far and their next one is not until Friday in New Jersey. Kane has a goal and an assist, but his play and his approach since the start of training camp give Waddell confidence the young man is ready for the challenges of his rookie NHL season.

"He's a very mature individual," said Waddell. "He's just 18 and he's in a new city, a big city, but he has handled everything better than you could ever expect. On our team, he fits right in as a player and is a respectful young man. That has made it easy to fit in among his teammates.

"He's used to a first-line role in junior (WHL Vancouver) and he's not getting power play time here because the coaching staff is wisely breaking him in. Evander understands this is a process for him and he's really adapted strongly. He has the speed and the hockey sense to excel at this level right now."

Plenty can happen as the Thrashers play six games over the next two weeks. However, since Waddell appears convinced Kane has the poise to handle anything, count on the top pick being in Atlanta all season.

Evander Kane a Virtual Lock to Stick originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Columbus Jumps Out Fast in Central

Susan Slusser — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, FanHouse Exclusive

Sure, it's the early going, but the Central Division is no joke, with the still-tough Red Wings and two teams pegged for big things in St. Louis and Chicago.

More than two weeks in, Columbus has held its own, showing some very good things, like a near impervious penalty-kill unit, and at the other end of the spectrum, a wobbly power play.

"The team's come along quick," Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash said after a recent morning practice session. "We're getting contributions from the young guys, and we have such a young team, we're going to depend on them a lot to produce. So far, they've been great."

"It's nice to get off to a good start, put our best foot forward," goalie Steve Mason said. "We feel good, we have a lot of confidence and we worked hard this offseason to pick up where we left off."

Columbus would like nothing better than to build on last year's first-ever playoff appearance, which energized the area.

"We'd like to get back there," Nash said, "and make some noise."

Are the Blue Jackets still under the radar, though, after their initial playoff run and their fast start?

"You have to win in the playoffs, then everyone takes you a little more seriously. Until then, everyone's got a 'Yeah, but ...' going. We've got to fight that, because we didn't win in the playoffs."
-- Ken Hitchcock on gaining respect across the NHL"I hope so," Nash said. "We like it that way. It's nice to bring an element of surprise to teams. It's perfect. We're used to being the underdog."

Being in a smaller media market, the Blue Jackets don't draw much national attention, and Mason said that being outside the spotlight suits the team. "We can sneak up on people," he said.

Mason, though, won't be able to sneak up on anyone after being named the Calder Trophy winner as the league's top rookie last season. His emergence made the Blue Jackets a force to be reckoned with.

"He's unbelievable, and so calm," Nash said. "Steve's been our best player since he came up last December. And that's what we need -- teams that win championships have goalies who are the backbone of the team."

The Blue Jackets inked defenseman Rusty Klesla to a four-year, $12 million extension at the start of the month, which Nash and Mason applauded.

"It's huge," Mason said. "He's a big part of the team and he'll be here for years to come."

Head coach Ken Hitchcock can see a lot of places his team can improve, saying, "We can play a lot better. ... We need a lot of work."

This time of year, Hitchcock said, defense tends to lag behind offense because when the regular season starts, the level of play picks up and the games speed up.

"We're like a lot of teams, trying to get a lot of fingers out there plugging holes in the defense," Hitchcock said.

Another trip to the postseason this year won't get the Blue Jackets much notice, according to Hitchcock. The team won't increase its profile until it manages to win a playoff series.

"You have to win in the playoffs, then everyone takes you a little more seriously," he said. "Until then, everyone's got a 'Yeah, but...' going. We've got to fight that, because we didn't win in the playoffs.

"To be a legitimate team, we also have to have a lot better record in our division, and our division is the most competitive division I've ever been a part of."

Columbus Jumps Out Fast in Central originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Just Like Coach, Leafs Show a Lot of Quit

Christopher Botta — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:49:00 EST

Filed under: Maple Leafs, FanHouse Exclusive

NEW YORK -- After his team's latest loss, a 7-2 embarrassment Monday night to the New York Rangers, Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson answered three softballs from state-owned Leafs TV and then responded to a question about the opponent by lavishing praise on his counterpart, John Tortorella. After all, when your team is out-everythinged and you've been as out-coached as Wilson was Monday, what else could he do?

But the true reveal on Wilson's character came as the rough, tough and massive Toronto print media corps got ready to pepper the coach with questions. (Actually, present were only one writer each from the Star and the Sun). Before the first could get his query out, Wilson -- who has as many Stanley Cup rings as anyone in the press room -- said, "That's it. I'm done."

That's it -- the behind-the-bench leadership of the 0-4-1 Maple Leafs.

Also: Great Comeback Or Embarrassing Loss In Chicago?

The Leafs are a mess right now. Worse, they are a boring mess. As veteran left wing Niklas Hagman said after the game, "It's not working." As Gertrude Stein famously said, "There's no there there."

What, exactly, are these Maple Leafs?

Impossible to tell right now. Think of the Leafs and you don't think of a charismatic player or a defining style of play. The face of the franchise is Brian Burke, the talented, successful, presence-packed general manager for whom the verb and noun "bluster" seems to have been created. When you're an NHL flagship franchise and the biggest sports team in town and your star is the GM, you've got problems.

On Monday, the Maple Leafs had problems all over the Madison Square Garden ice. While Toronto is already in the mode of blaming everything on their goaltenders -- "You need your goalie to make a big stop," Wilson said Saturday after his team was out-classed in every phase by Pittsburgh -- the Leafs presented starter Vesa Toskala with a 5-on-3 just two minutes into the game. Ryan Callahan turned out to be the lucky one of three Rangers whacking away uncontested at Toskala to score the power play goal at 2:34 of the first.

Moments later, Toronto first-pair defensemen Mike Komisarek and Tomas Kaberle handled Vinny Prospal's two-week camping trip behind Toskala's goal like they were in peewee hockey. Although the teams were at even strength, Komisarek and Kaberle simply stared as Rangers defenseman Wade Redden eventually went to the goal unchecked by a Leafs forward and scored to make it 2-0.

On a power play with three minutes left in the first period, the entire Leafs' five-man unit was out-worked on their side of the red line by Callahan and Chris Drury. Only a sterling save by Toskala kept Toronto in the game. When they gave up another shorthanded chance late in the second, Leafs wing Jason Blake cross-checked Drury directly into Toskala's head. Three minutes into the final period his teammates abandoned him altogether as the Rangers scored twice to take a 5-2 lead.

But sure, keep on blaming the goaltending, coach. At least the players in the locker room have the pucks to put the blame on themselves. Said Toskala, "I have to be better. They bail me out. Sometimes I have to bail them out." Hagman: "This is the worst hockey I've played in a long, long, long, long, long time."

Burke talks a lot and says a lot -- partly because the chatter is good for the game, partly because he can't help it. But when the puck drops at 7:00 p.m., there's nothing a man in a suit in the press box can do for this team.
The Toronto defense, allegedly their one strength, is undisciplined and disorganized. Second-year defenseman Luke Schenn, hailed last season by the Ontario over-caffeinated as a combination of Borje Salming and Scott Stevens, looks unsure of himself.

During the second intermission, Burke did a fairly convincing impersonation of a man unmoved by his team's 0-4-1 start (the Leafs and Islanders are the NHL's only winless teams). The Toronto president & GM said, "We tried to improve our defense. Right now, we're not clicking."

Burke masterfully spun the agony of his legendary fan base into a positive, complimenting the people of Toronto for their devotion to the Maple Leafs.

Burke talks a lot and says a lot -- partly because the chatter is good for the game, partly because he can't help it. But when the puck drops at 7:00 PM, there's nothing a man in a suit in the press box can do for his team.

On the other hand, Wilson likes to give the media lectures on the kinds of questions reporters should ask, yet he seems to have no answers for his last-place hockey team. Facing a Rangers team that played the night before, the Leafs were the whupped team in the third, getting out-scored 4-0 and, worse, displaying no heart. This team wins the occasional fight, but little else. Monday night, they didn't even have any fight left in them. They watched public enemy Sean Avery light them up for two goals.

Of course, it doesn't help when you have little offensive creativity and Burke's goal-scoring acquisition, Phil Kessel, is still a month away from returning from offseason shoulder surgery. Burke traded the Maple Leafs' first round pick in 2010 as part of the bounty for Kessel. Imagine the tension in Toronto if the team's woeful play continues and that pick is in the top five.

Barring dramatic improvement, the Maple Leafs may be in no man's land. Last year they weren't bad enough to properly "descend rapidly" (Burke's term) and be a part of John Tavares-Victor Hedman-Matt Duchene sweepstakes. Instead, they added B-plus prospect Nazem Kadri with the seventh overall pick. Because of the Kessel trade, there's no savior coming in next year's lottery.

Burke can shrug it off all he wants. It's getting late early in Toronto, and it appears his head coach only has the ability to inspire finger-pointing.

Just Like Coach, Leafs Show a Lot of Quit originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

My Goaltending Tutor, My Enemy

Christopher Botta — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive

If someone told you Tony Romo was getting helpful advice from the quarterbacks coach of the New York Giants, wouldn't you find that odd?

What if some of the Chicago Cubs were getting batting tips from the hitting instructor of the St. Louis Cardinals? Strange, right?

Welcome to the chummy world of the National Hockey League, where fans can take comfort in knowing that some of the goaltending coaches of their favorite teams help out opposing netminders.

Before embarking on his comeback season with the Philadelphia Flyers, goalie Ray Emery traveled to Calgary in August for a few weeks of intensive instruction with Eli Wilson. Never heard of Wilson? He was Emery's goalie coach during his final season in Ottawa. While Emery is now with Philadelphia, Wilson is still the Senators' goalie coach.

Joining Emery at Wilson's summer camp, among others, were Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens and Chris Mason of the St. Louis Blues. So remember, Sens fans: don't be bummed if Price shuts out your team. Take pride in the fact that the Ottawa goalie coach helped Carey out!

The coziness in the crease doesn't end with Wilson. Nikolai Khabibulin has been an excellent netminder for most of this decade, but when the Bulin Wall has needed an offseason refresher course, he has gone to the offices of Benoit Allaire, his coach in Phoenix in the late '90s who is now with the Rangers. Backup goalie Yann Danis signed as a free agent this summer to play for the New Jersey Devils, but he prepped for his role as Martin Brodeur's backup with a week-long personal clinic with Sudarshan Maharaj -- his coach last season with the Islanders.

Carolina's Cup-winning hero Cam Ward is known to visit with Canucks goalie coach Ian Clark. On Clark's bio on the Canucks' website, it boldly details how he consulted privately with other goalies while he was a coach with the Florida Panthers.

In perhaps the most celebrated illustration of teacher and student, Vancouver goaltending great Roberto Luongo gets ready for the season by working out with his longtime mentor, Francois Allaire. After 13 seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, Allaire was hired as goaltending consultant with the Maple Leafs in June.

Defenders of these crease conflicts of interest say there's nothing wrong. Goalie gurus love to point out that Francois Allaire has worked with Roberto Luongo since he was 12. On the other hand, the argument can be made that perhaps their professional relationship should have ended once Luongo joined an NHL team at age 20 and Allaire wasn't an employee of it.

To be fair, there is sincere empathy around the NHL toward the moonlighting coaches. Although the position of goaltender is one of the important in professional team sports, most goalie coaches do not live the high life. Some are not even full-time employees of their teams. Like a Social Studies teacher signing up for Driver's Ed duty, the opportunity to pick up some extra cash with summer tutoring is too much to pass up.

But it's tough to think of a more unique coaching scenario in sports. Two boxers fighting for the heavyweight crown do not share coaches. Andy Roddick has changed coaches more than his tennis shoes, but once he turned pro he never shared one with Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. Does Dwayne Wade improve his footwork through one-on-one sessions with an Orlando Magic assistant coach?

Only in hockey, only in hockey. In the NHL, everyone looks away and shrugs it off as just an another oddity at a position where the players are known for being a little off-center.

That is, until a goalie wins a Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy and says in his press conference, "I'd like to thank my goalie coaches -- our guy and their guy."

My Goaltending Tutor, My Enemy originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Puck Talk: Just How Good Is Ovechkin?

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Capitals, Sharks, FanHouse Exclusive

The NHL season has begun, and it sure was an interesting first week. A scoring binge in Washington, stunning defensive start in Denver, and a stumble out of the gates in San Jose. FanHouse national NHL insider Christopher Botta joins us this week, as we break down the lid-lifters around the league. Listen after the jump.

Listen to the podcast above, or click here to download the file.

Puck Talk: Just How Good Is Ovechkin? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Backchecking With ... Alex Burrows

Susan Slusser — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, FanHouse Exclusive

We get to know NHL players with five quick questions. Today's subject: Canucks forward Alex Burrows, who scored a goal in Wednesday's night's 7-1 win over the Canadiens.

What is your earliest hockey memory?

Growing up in Montreal, watching the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup in 1986, when I was five years old. They were the talk of the city, and that's when I got into hockey. There was such a buzz about it everywhere. I remember Patrick Roy lifting up the Cup, no shirt, just a skinny 20-year-old.

Hockey was big in Montreal in the '80s for sure, but my dad (Rodney) is from England so he had no clue about it. He coached me playing soccer, and that was a fun thing to do during the summer, run around. But nobody had to push me to play hockey, I was at the rink all the time.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about playing in the NHL?

One of the better things is the travel. Being able to go across North America and seeing all the different cities, being around a good group of guys every day and pushing toward the same ultimate goal -- that is a lot of fun. We get on the plane, there's always a bunch of guys playing cards and there's plenty of food. They take good care of us.

Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?

I wouldn't say superstitions, but I would say I have a routine. I get up and have breakfast -- oatmeal, toast, fruit -- and I get my sticks ready. After we skate, I have some pasta, some chicken breast, things that are easiest to digest before a game, and then I nap from 2 to 4 p.m., 4:30 if it's a 7:30 start. Then I get up and go get a snack to make sure I'm not hungry later and I stretch and play a little soccer. That's it, every game day. Sleeping and food.

Which player would you most like to run into the boards hard?

Can I say more than one? If it's just one, I'll say Corey Perry of the Ducks. That guy's a very good, skilled played, but he's kind of chippy and he does some dangerous stuff out there. I was happy when Ryan Kesler took him down (Sept. 17 in an exhibition game).

If you could be one teammate, who would it be and why?

He's not in the league anymore, but I would have to say Trevor Linden. He's probably mentored a lot of guys in this locker room. Trevor sat beside my stall my first couple of years and he taught me about the game, about players, plays, what it takes to be a professional hockey player. He's such a class act. He's the best. So nice, no big head, great to everyone -- fans, players, management, and he worked so hard on the ice. And he also had a really good career. So definitely him.

Backchecking With ... Alex Burrows originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Is This the Thrashers' Year?

Susan Slusser — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Thrashers, FanHouse Exclusive

Before the season starter, Atlanta star Ilya Kovalchuk brashly proclaimed "This is our year."

Crazy? Well, maybe not. Thrashers defenseman Ron Hainsey told FanHouse by phone this week that the team's forwards are so talented the club can contend, despite the fourth-worst finish in the league last year.

"We have a team that has no excuse except under-performance not to be in the playoffs," Hainsey said. "We match up with anyone, especially with our skill up front."

That starts with Kovalchuk, naturally, and the main storyline this year for the Thrashers might be the left wing's contract status. There's a lot of talk about a new deal, but he'd like to see the team take a step forward before any long-term commitment.

The rest of the Thrashers very much want Kovalchuk to stay around -- a two-time 52-goal scorer who is also Atlanta's captain -- but Hainsey said, "I've learned you just never know with these things, so why worry about it? There's a lot that plays into it and we can't control it. Obviously, we want to keep him here."

"I've learned you just never know with these things, so why worry about it? There's a lot that plays into it and we can't control it. Obviously, we want to keep him here." -- Rod Hainsey on Ilya Kovalchuk It might help that Atlanta added center Nik Antropov, who like Kovalchuk is from Russia, and defenseman Pavel Kubina. Atlanta's defense should be much improved with Kubina arriving from Toronto and with highly promising Zach Bogosian getting some experience last year, playing 47 games despite missing two months with a broken leg. Hainsey described himself as "pumped up" about what Bogosian might accomplish, but he knows how demanding the NHL is at that age.

"He still has a lot to learn," Hainsley said. "He's 19, and we're putting a lot on him. The good thing is, we have guys around him who can help bring him along. There are going to be times when he is a little unsettled because defense when you're young, every mistake is so magnified because it's usually in the net."

Better defense is a key because the Thrashers had the second-worst goals against average in the NHL last year and goaltending isn't expected to be the team's biggest strength. With Kari Lehtonen out after back surgery and unlikely to return for several weeks, Ondrej Pavelec is in goal. Hainsey said he was "tremendous" in his first game, stopping 36 of 39 shots.

"Pavelec is our guy," Hainsley said. "We're hoping he plays like an All-Star this first month."

Bogosian had a goal in Atlanta's season-opening victory over the Lightning last week; fellow defenseman Anssi Salmela also had a goal and Kovalchuk had two goals and an assist in the 6-3 victory. Rookie forward Evander Kane,18, picked up his first NHL point, with an assist on a second-period goal by Rich Peverley.

"All the things he did were positive," Hainsey said of Kane's play. "He's physically mature for a kid his age and he can add to our team. I know he has a lot of offensive capability. It would be a real plus if he can handle the everyday grind while facing 230-pound defensemen and not hurt us defensively."

That clear-cut win, and the Thrashers' fine finish last year (they won 12 of their final 18) might be signs that things are pointing up for Atlanta. And Thursday night, the team gets a barometer on where they are, starting a five-city road trip at St. Louis, which is coming off two wins in Sweden against Detroit.

"They're coming off a big trip and this will be a good test for us," Hainsey said. "At the same time, we're going on a trip and we're looking to play solid and to get two points every game."

Is This the Thrashers' Year? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments