NHL FanHouse

Backchecking With ... Matt Niskanen

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

We get to know NHL players with a few quick questions. Today's subject: third-year Stars defenseman Matt Niskanen, who grew up in northern Minnesota, but now calls Dallas home.

What is your first hockey memory?

Playing in my first Mite game. It was at an outdoor rink in Cook, Minn. I remember that I was a defenseman even then. I didn't want to go past the red line. I started to after a couple games, as I started to get the concept. But I just wanted to stop guys from scoring on our net.

What's the best thing about playing in the NHL?

I get to play hockey year-round. It's the best league in the world. I have a lot of fun being around the guys in our room, and I get to play against some of the best players in the world. What a great life!

What's the worst thing about playing in the NHL?

There's not a whole lot of bad. I don't know if I can come up with one. If anything, sometimes practice can drag on a bit late in the season. You get into March, and practice can be a bit tough to get through.

Do you have any superstitions or game-day rituals?

Really, nothing drastic. I have the same routine, doing the same things every game day. I do put my left skate on first every night. When I broke my ankle two years ago, I would tighten it first to make sure it was going to be comfortable. Then I would put on my right skate and tighten it.

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

Probably (St. Louis Blues forward) David Perron. He has a bit of arrogance about him. He's not really well-liked by our team.

On your team, who would you most want to be, and why?

Easy. Mike Modano. He's played 20 years in the NHL. He won a Stanley Cup. He's scored 50 goals in a season. He has the U.S. record for goals and points. He's had a hell of a career. It would be a heck of a chance to get to be him.

Backchecking With ... Matt Niskanen originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Hawks Likely Have Some Dealing to Do

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Western, NHL Economics

Reports began to surface this week regarding some significant moves by the Chicago Blackhawks. Five-year deals are coming for forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, and defenseman Duncan Keith is apparently going to sign a mammoth 13-year deal for less annual money.

This is all being thrown onto a team that is already up against the NHL's salary cap. Even if the cap doesn't fall as much as previously expected for next season, Chicago is facing a harsh reality: in order to get under the cap, it's likely they'll have to make some deals. With that in mind, we thought we'd take a look at what players are in the most danger of being dealt before the 2010-11 season.

While it's possible that Chicago will make some sort of cap-clearing trade before the March trade deadline, a move during the next offseason seems to be a greater likelihood. After all, if this team is truly a Stanley Cup threat, why break them up when you're safely under the cap for this season? It's next season that general manager Stan Bowman has to be more concerned about.

(Cap figures cited are from the ever-popular nhlnumbers.com.)

Brian Campbell, defenseman, $7.14 million

Campbell is the easiest target, thanks to his mammoth cap figure and somewhat underwhelming return. The Blackhawks are also deep on defense, thanks to guys like Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Cam Barker, all of whom are 25 or younger.

Of course, that cap figure and somewhat underwhelming performance are also reasons why Campbell can't be moved. If the goal here is to clear cap space for future seasons, the Blackhawks can't be taking on any big contracts, and there simply aren't a lot of teams who are looking for a $7 million defenseman who doesn't defend well and isn't that big of a factor offensively.

That said, Campbell was highly-sought as a free agent not even two years ago. If the Blackhawks were willing to listen, you would have to think teams like Nashville, St. Louis or Colorado would want to talk at some point. All of them have cap space, cheap guys who could be attractive to Chicago, and they're struggling badly on the power play right now.

Approximate Trade Odds: 50 to 1

Cam Barker, defenseman, $3 million

A guy like Barker is a better bet than Campbell for a number of reasons. For starters, he has a long-term deal for a low amount of money (he's signed for two more years after this season). At just 23, he clearly has a bigger upside than Campbell, and he has similar skills as a power-play quarterback. Because of his lesser salary, he's a more realistic fit on a number of teams who could use a little help on the blue line. While Chicago won't gain as much cap space, they can probably be a bit choosier about his destination, meaning Eastern Conference teams like Carolina, Ottawa, or Buffalo could come into play.

Approximate Trade Odds: 15 to 1

Cristobal Huet, goalie, $5.625 million

Some would consider his cap figure and near-total lack of playoff success to be non-starters. However, Huet has put up respectable numbers so far, and there are plenty of teams who will run into trouble in goal. Once that point comes, they could be willing to take on a veteran who has a lot of game experience in the NHL.

It's hard to identify teams who might be interested in Huet, but you have to wonder if Los Angeles -- with a ton of young players and even more cap room -- might be interested in adding an older goaltender, just in case Jonathan Quick continues his up-and-down play.

Approximate Trade Odds: 12 to 1

Dustin Byfuglien, forward, $3 million

Byfuglien is a valuable player, no doubt. He willingly goes into the tough areas, does a ton of dirty work, and uses his size and toughness to help protect his highly-skilled teammates. Given Brian Burke's philosophy, he'd be a great fit on Team USA for the Winter Olympics.

That said, this is Chicago's deepest position, especially once Marian Hossa returns from his shoulder injury. This will be happening sooner rather than later, by the way.

There should be a slew of teams beating down Bowman's door should he ever show a willingness to trade Byfuglien. Teams like Buffalo, Tampa Bay, and even Atlanta could use a little more grit around the net, and Byfuglien can give them that.

Approximate Trade Odds: 8 to 1

Patrick Sharp, forward, $4 million

While it would be an incredibly difficult decision for Bowman, this is the one that probably makes the most sense. Sharp is 27, so he's likely about to peak as an offensive threat. He is signed through 2011-2012 at a relatively reasonable number. It likely makes him expendable, because the Blackhawks already have big-time scoring threats like Hossa, Kane, and Toews, along with secondary guys Kris Versteeg and Troy Brouwer.

It's not that Sharp is not good enough or that he's not worth keeping. He's easily the best player on this list. However, his skills are not unique on this team, and while you are right to argue that Campbell and Huet would be better guys to trade, Sharp gives them the best combination of two important qualities: "Player they wouldn't miss a ton" and "Player other teams will actually want."

His addition would be huge on teams like Los Angeles, Colorado, or -- if Chicago wants to trade him to the East -- Ottawa.

Approximate Trade Odds: 5 to 1

'Hawks Likely Have Some Dealing to Do originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Backchecking With ... Cal Clutterbuck

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Wild, Western

We get to know NHL players with five quick questions. Today's subject: Cal Clutterbuck, who set an NHL record for hits last season while irritating Don Cherry along the way.

What is your earliest hockey memory?

Pushing a chair around the rink in Welland, Ontario, with my mom. It was public skating.

What is your favorite thing about playing in the NHL?

Probably would say just getting to live out my dream. Not many people get to do that. That and playing in Minnesota.

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

That's a tough one. I'm going to say the grind of the season. The schedule's pretty tough. We play a lot of games, and it's hard on the body.

Who in the NHL would you like to get a good, hard, clean check on?

Alex Burrows.

Why?

Because I don't like him.

Who on your team would you want to be and why?

Petr Sykora. Because I'd want to know what it's like to sit right beside me in the dressing room.

Backchecking With ... Cal Clutterbuck originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Puck Talk: The Red-Hot Avalanche

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Western

Undoubtedly, one of the best stories early in the NHL season is being written in Denver. The Colorado Avalanche have survived a stretch of 11 road games over their first 15 with a stunning 10-3-2 overall record, and they have an early lead in the Northwest Division.

To find out what has clicked with the Avalanche so far, we turned to someone who follows them. David Driscoll-Carignan writes for the wonderful site Mile High Hockey, and he joins us on the podcast. Listen after the jump.

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

Puck Talk: The Red-Hot Avalanche originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Puck Talk: Heading Out West

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Ducks, Kings, Sharks, Red Wings, Western

There are a number of compelling stories in the NHL's Western Conference. Not only are the Colorado Avalanche off to a ridiculous start, but the Los Angeles Kings are playing great, San Jose is lurking, and Anaheim is still plagued by bad penalties and not enough offense.

FanHouse's Susan Slusser joins us from her West Coast perch this week, as we examine these issues and talk about her beloved Red Wings' slow start. Listen after the jump.

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

Puck Talk: Heading Out West originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hockey Talk: NHL Fanhouse Live Chat

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Kings, Rangers, Eastern, Western, NHL Live Blogging, NHL Discipline

There's a lot of action around the NHL tonight, and we'll break it all down in our weekly NHL FanHouse chat. There are surprise teams, surprise players, and injuries to discuss. Not only that, but the first major disciplinary decisions of the season have been made by the NHL. As usual, they come with some controversy. Join us at 2 p.m. ET as we break it down with you.

&amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;altcast_code=1c848386ae" &amp;gt;NHL FanHouse Live Chat&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Hockey Talk: NHL Fanhouse Live Chat originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blue Jackets Livid at Scuderi After Hip Check on Chimera

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:45:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Kings, Western, NHL Videos, NHL Discipline

As talk of NHL discipline heats up early in the season, the Columbus Blue Jackets would like a little bit of love from the league office.

During a 6-2 pasting at the hands of Los Angeles Sunday night, Columbus forward Jason Chimera carried the puck across the Kings' blue line, and was met promptly by a low hit from defenseman Rob Scuderi. What appeared to be an attempt at a solid hip check was treated as anything but by the Blue Jackets.

First off, a look at the videotape.

Scuderi was not penalized. Chimera was given a misconduct, presumably for chirping at the Kings' bench after he (thankfully) got up after the hit. Derek Dorsett picked up a game misconduct after jumping off the bench to get involved in a post-hit fracas. Dorsett, however, was said to be coming on as part of a line change, and his argument apparently won the league over, as he will not be suspended further.

Chimera was livid after the game.

"It's a dirty hit. There's no room in the game for that kind of (expletive). A guy takes your knees out, what are you supposed to do? It wasn't a hip check at all. It was a direct hit on the knee. That's the way it goes, I guess. And he doesn't want to fight after a hit like that, either. I landed on my face, on the ice. My neck was squished against the ice. I'm lucky I don't have a concussion or something. It's a dirty hit and there's no room in the game for it. Too many guys now are getting carried off the ice on a stretcher. It's just dirty stuff. It shows no level of respect. I don't care if Scuderi's a good player. He needs to stick up for himself. You fight after you do something like that to somebody."

Scuderi did not offer an apology, instead claiming that his hit on Chimera was clean. He also told reporters that he didn't have a problem with the way Columbus reacted, saying they were just standing up for a teammate.

It's not hard to understand why this hit is so controversial. Scuderi tried to throw an old-school hit, but he got a bit too close to Chimera's knees for comfort.

Now, for the $64,000 question: Should Scuderi face supplemental discipline?

It could be argued that he hit Chimera too low, but was it intentional? This isn't as clear-cut as most hits that result in suspensions. For example, you can't argue that Tuomo Ruutu was trying to throw a clean hit on Darcy Tucker. The argument in favor of suspending Scuderi alleges intent that isn't abundantly clear.

While the Blue Jackets' reaction is completely understandable, and Scuderi was wrong not to have fought later in the game when asked, the NHL's hands are virtually tied when it comes to suspending the defenseman. Any supplemental discipline here would open up a huge can of worms that the league isn't prepared to open.

(UPDATE: Scuderi was fined by the NHL)

Blue Jackets Livid at Scuderi After Hip Check on Chimera originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Duchene, O'Reilly Staying With Avalanche

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:25:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Western, Junior Hockey

While in the midst of a youth movement, it appears the Colorado Avalanche have something going. After a disastrous 2008-2009 season that led to what was nearly a full housecleaning in Denver, the organization picked up two bright young players early in the June draft.

Those players -- Matt Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly -- were thought to be big pieces of the future. Instead, the pair represent the club's future, too.

Duchene was Colorado's first-round pick, third overall. It's really no surprise that he wasn't sent back to his Canadian junior team before the season started, and it also doesn't register as a shock to hear that Duchene will be sticking with the Avalanche and not returning to the Brampton Battalion.

He won the job as the second-line center for the Avalanche, and he scored his first career NHL goal in the Avs' shootout win over Detroit Saturday. The teenager is averaging almost 17 minutes of ice time per game, and he's acquitted himself quite nicely with the veterans on the club.

"His computer," (defenseman Brett) Clark said. "In the room, he's pretty much got the laptop open all the time, propped up in bed, headphones on. But he's a pretty amazing kid. He's just all hockey, but he's smart with other things too. He was showing me some of the designs he's made, like the high school team logo he came up with, and it's pretty unbelievable."

O'Reilly was a bit of a longshot to make the team in training camp, and there were likely some who didn't think he had a chance to stick. However, the Avalanche are keeping him around, too. It makes sense. He's over 14 minutes per game, already has six points, and is so responsible defensively that he's become a trusted penalty killer. He leads all Colorado forwards in plus-minus (plus-five).

In case you're wondering, because both players had major junior eligibility remaining, the Avalanche had a decision to make.

According to NHL rules, if a player with junior eligibility remaining plays 10 NHL games, the first year of his entry-level contract goes into effect. The Avalanche still would be able to send Duchene back to his junior club, but that's unlikely due to his contract status and the fact that they wouldn't be able to recall him until Brampton's season was over.

(The same rules applied to O'Reilly, whose rights were owned by the Erie Otters.)

There may be some in the hockey world who criticize the organization for burning the first year of the youngsters' entry-level deals. For a rebuilding team that is off to a surprising start, however, this is much more of a no-brainer than you might think. The team gains nothing out of using marginal players to fill the roles Duchene and O'Reilly have been playing.

Instead, the kids will get better because they're getting real minutes in NHL games.

Duchene, O'Reilly Staying With Avalanche originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wild's Early Stink Can't All Be Blamed on Coaching, System Changes

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Wild, Western, NHL Coaching

When you watched the Minnesota Wild the last eight years, there were some things that could be counted on almost every game.

The teams coached by Jacques Lemaire weren't known for being lazy, uninspired, or unprepared. In fact, Lemaire has developed a reputation for getting the absolute maximum out of even the most marginal NHL players. They might not have been the most exciting team in the league, but they were competitive.

None of this should be seen as an indictment of new coach Todd Richards yet. Frankly, he wasn't left with a full cupboard when he arrived, given that his best player (Marian Gaborik) was going to leave via free agency, and he was desperately short of quality centers for the style of play he wanted to employ.

After a 1-4 start, however, there are problems with this team that can't all be blamed (fairly, at least) on the fact that Richards overhauled Lemaire's system and wants a wide-open style.

For starters, the team has no business being 1-4. Only a few fortunate bounces (in this case, these "bounces" are of the officiating variety) stand between the Wild and an 0-5 start to the season. They needed to get a couple lucky calls -- and subsequent power play goals -- to beat Anaheim last week in their home opener.

More disturbingly, the Wild have had some insane stretches of bad hockey over their first five games. They played so poorly in the first period at Los Angeles last Thursday that Richards could have justifiably benched half his roster and changed goalies. The Kings jumped to a 3-0 lead, mainly using long shots and relying on traffic in front of the net to cause problems. In the meantime, the Wild lost battle after battle, including those for position by the goal.

During training camp, Richards talked many times about how tough it was to train the returning players on the nuances of his new system. Likening it to re-training a dog, Richards knew he would be in for challenges during the first half of the season.

While injuries to Petr Sykora, Cal Clutterbuck, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, and now Martin Havlat haven't made things any easier, but it's not like Richards could be fully pleased with what he was seeing out of these guys before they were hurt.

Sure, Clutterbuck will rarely -- if ever -- give you less than everything he has on a shift. Bouchard had a pretty good camp adjusting to being a center. Meanwhile, Havlat has been benched for at least two stretches of games because of poor play in his own zone, and Sykora rode the pine during the aforementioned Kings game.

Injuries aside, Richards knows he can't just make blanket statements about his players trying to adjust. Wednesday's 3-2 loss to Anaheim is a stirring example of why. Instead of giving up goals because guys weren't quite in the right place, or because there was a missed assignment, the Wild weren't competing.

This had to drive Richards absolutely crazy. You can do whatever you want with the system. Run set plays until you're blue in the face, or double-shift your best players because they're your best players, and none of it matters if your team isn't competing.

For the Wild, it was a 20-minute absence of fire. It led to a 2-0 deficit the club wouldn't overcome, no matter how well it played in stretches over the rest of the game. It was something you rarely saw with Lemaire on the bench, and now it has happened multiple times over Richards' first five games.

The mistakes you'd expect from such a drastic system overhaul have been happening, too, but those are accepted and more will happen before Richards' work is done.

Wednesday night featured players not battling in front of either goal, and one of the worst line changes in NHL history. The Wild had four players making their way off for a change before they had succeeded in getting the puck across the red line. It led directly to the first of two goals by Corey Perry, who had a breakaway while the enemy was busy going to the bench.

It's the kind of elementary play that can't possibly be blamed on Richards or the transition. Instead, it was just bad hockey. Actually, Richards called it "selfish" after the game, and that's accurate. It was totally out of character for a Wild team that fans were used to watching sell out for every loose puck.

Until he can find a way to fix his players' willingness to compete at a high level all the time, Richards doesn't have to worry about his new system.

Wild's Early Stink Can't All Be Blamed on Coaching, System Changes originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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George Parros Kisses the Proverbial Canvas, Launching Wild Comeback

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Wild, Western, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

It's often said that a fight can turn around a hockey game. This was definitely true Tuesday night in St. Paul.

Entering this season, Minnesota Wild forward John Scott had three NHL regular season fights to his credit. Anaheim's George Parros was the veteran of 82. It may have seemed odd, then, for Scott to challenge Parros to a scrap in the third period Tuesday. However, the Ducks led 3-0 at the time, and the Wild were almost literally going through the motions in their home opener. Oh, how things can change with one punch. Video after the jump.

The Wild launched a three-goal rally shortly after Scott's decisive fight win. Mikko Koivu, Petr Sykora, and Eric Belanger scored in regulation to tie the score. In overtime, the Wild benefited from a dumb penalty by Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski, who took a roughing minor. Andrew Brunette scored a power-play goal for the first win of the Todd Richards era, 4-3.

While the anti-fight zealots will laugh such a notion off, there's no question Scott's fight was a momentum-changer. It got the crowd going and jumpstarted the home team for the first time all night.

George Parros Kisses the Proverbial Canvas, Launching Wild Comeback originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL 10 Cover Boy Patrick Kane Happy For Chance to Move On

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Western, Team USA, FanHouse Exclusive

The renaissance of the Chicago Blackhawks is well-chronicled. After not making the Western Conference Finals once since 1995, Chicago got to the NHL's final four in 2008. A five-game series loss to Detroit ended their magical run, but the pieces are in place for the Blackhawks to again be a perennial contender in the NHL.

One of those key pieces is forward Patrick Kane. After posting over 140 points in his first two NHL seasons, the dynamic youngster graces the cover of EA Sports' NHL 10. Kane spoke with FanHouse about the game, the Blackhawks, and what was a tumultuous summer.

Like many young players, Kane said he grew up playing EA's NHL games, and was a candidate to be on the cover of last year's game, which featured Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf. "I'm happy it ended up working out," he said.

"Now that it's out, reality sets in that I'm on the cover. It's pretty cool."

He noted that it was his dad who told him the good news once the deal with EA was worked out. Kane said he was supposed to keep it under wraps, so he didn't tell any of his teammates the news. Word leaked, and Kane had a rather funny story about an exchange with Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews.

"I was in the locker room," Kane said, "and Toews walks in. He says 'I hear you're on the cover of NHL 10. Why are you on the cover? What about me?'

"It's cool to be on the cover. Great for me, and good for the Blackhawks, too."

This year's offering from EA is rather low on new features, but it builds effectively on a very good game last year. First-person fighting, the ability to start scrums after a whistle (be careful, because starting them is a good way to go shorthanded), a rebuilt franchise mode (Be A GM) and improved crowd animations are among the key features.

In real life, Kane said he feels his team learned a lot during their playoff run last year.

"You figure out what to do (in the playoffs)," Kane said. "Experience goes a long way in the playoffs. At the same time, we're a year older."

Asked what his team has to do to go even farther in the playoffs, Kane did not hesitate.

"Put it all together," he said. "We've got good chemistry off the ice, and on it, too."

There were two pretty controversial stories over the offseason involving the Blackhawks. On July 14, word got out that the team had fired general manager Dale Tallon, who had seen a ton of success since taking over. Former Blackhawk Martin Havlat, who had signed with Minnesota July 1, was openly critical of the move, blaming front office unrest on executive John McDonough.

Then came the morning of Aug. 19, and word that Kane had been arrested for an alleged assault on a cab driver. The case was settled just over a week later, but it wasn't the way for the offseason to end.

Now that it's time to play hockey, Kane couldn't be more excited for the chance to move on.

"It's nice to get everything behind you," Kane said. "You tend to take things for granted, but it's a privilege we all have to play this great game. It was a tough time, but now I get to move forward."

Kane was appreciative of the support he got from many different places, including his locker room.

"I got great support from the Blackhawks, EA, family, friends, everyone. The team has been great, from the front office to the trainers, everybody."

As part of a busy summer, the Buffalo, N.Y., native also had a chance to take part in an evaluation camp for Team USA, as the 2010 Winter Olympics approach. Kane is excited about the opportunity to represent his country.

"I hope it happens, especially with the Games in Vancouver," he said. "Canada came on U.S. soil (in 2002 at Salt Lake City) and took the gold from us. It's not city versus city, it's country versus country, and I think this is the greatest country in the world. It's a great opportunity."

Kane and the Blackhawks head overseas to open the season. They play the Florida Panthers Oct. 2 in Helsinki, Finland. Meanwhile, NHL 10 is available now at stores nationwide.

NHL 10 Cover Boy Patrick Kane Happy For Chance to Move On originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wild Players Getting Used to New System

Bruce Ciskie — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Wild, Western, NHL Coaching

FanHouse's Bruce Ciskie reports from Wild training camp.

ST. PAUL -- After nine years of the same voice at practice and during games, a significant change came to the Minnesota Wild after the 2008-2009 season. Veteran coach Jacques Lemaire was out, replaced by first-time NHL head coach and Minnesota native Todd Richards.

While the Wild had their share of success with Lemaire, most fans thought it was time for a change. That change isn't just the voice the players hear every day. Richards brings in an entirely new way of playing hockey for the Wild.

While Lemaire relied on stout defense and opportunistic play up front, Richards wants a more wide-open, up-tempo system. Skating becomes incredibly important with what Richards wants his team to do.

The coaches have talked about re-training players, and things appear to be going well so far. The big test comes when the regular season opens next month, but the preseason schedule, which is about to get cranked up for Minnesota, will also help the players and staff gauge their progress.

One of the players expected to benefit greatly from the changes is defenseman Brent Burns. After injuries took him out for a chunk of the second half last season, Burns is healthy again, and doing everything in his power to learn the new system. It's one that brings defensemen into the offensive rush more often, allowing them more opportunities to go to the net.

"It's been a lot of work," Burns said, "but we've got to keep going."

Asked if players are taking well to the new system, Burns said things are going well.

"It's been good. There been good communication with everybody."

Asked to compare Lemaire and Richards, Burns said "there's a lot of differences," and he praised the passion of both men.

Fellow defenseman Nick Schultz has never scored more than six goals in an NHL season, totaling just 21 in 527 NHL games. In each of the last four years, Schultz has scored just two goals. He showed some offensive ability in junior hockey, but it has never has translated to the NHL. The new system might change things for him.

"It's exciting," Schultz told FanHouse. "There's gonna be a little more freedom for the fourth guy -- one defenseman -- to try to get up the ice and join the offense."

Schultz says it's a more aggressive style, and it's clear from watching the Wild practice that skating is going to be a very important part of things. Multiple times, coaches could be heard drilling home the importance of skating to all players. It's not just one or two guys who will have to be constantly moving their feet during shifts. It's everyone.

The veteran defenseman also noted a more aggressive forecheck. The one-man forecheck Lemaire preferred is no more, replaced by a two-man system.

"It's going to be fun to get up the ice and be a part of it," Schultz said.

Richards knows that this is a work in progress, but as fans prepare to watch the Wild for the first time Friday night (they host Columbus for a preseason game), he believes they will be happy with what they see.

"Hopefully we'll be more entertaining, more energetic," Richards said. "We got some players in who can make plays and bring energy, with the (Cal) Clutterbucks and (Derek) Boogaards, and I know that they are fan favorites, so they can look forward to that."

Richards is also looking forward to seeing Burns make his preseason debut Friday.

"I know just watching him in practice, I think he's real excited about playing the first game. It's going to be basically open up the barn doors and let the horse run."

The rookie coach says there could be some butterflies before the home debut. He noted that he still hasn't settled into his new house, and he is also working hard to get the players acclimated to the new system.

The Wild might not make the playoffs this season, but it's clear that players and coaches alike believe the talent is there for this team to make a run. As long as Nicklas Backstrom is in goal, the Wild know they can "steal" games with their defense. The key now will be scoring enough goals to make the team a more consistent winner.

Wild Players Getting Used to New System originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Petr Sykora's Wild 'Tryout' Leads to One-Year Deal

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:15:00 EST

Filed under: Wild, Western, NHL Free Agency

FanHouse's Bruce Ciskie reports from Wild training camp.

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- It's not terribly common for a player with 300 goals and plenty of gas in the tank to try out for a team. For Petr Sykora, there may have been a tryout, but it was extremely short and equally effective.

The veteran winger agreed Thursday to a one-year deal with the Minnesota Wild, just a couple days after word leaked that he was going to be in St. Paul for a tryout during training camp.

The Wild did not announce terms of the deal, but multiple reports place the value of the contract at $1.6 million, meaning the Wild will be up against the $56.8 million salary cap, and they may need to make a move (could be as simple as trading backup goalie Josh Harding or sending young forward Colton Gillies to the minors) to give the team flexibility as the season starts.

After the first of two practice sessions Thursday morning, Sykora said he was happy to get the deal done for this season.

"It's a relief," Sykora said. "Now I can just focus on getting better and getting ready for exhibition games. I didn't even have a scrimmage yet, so I kind of need to get into those situations as soon as possible. It's not a lot of time before the first game, so get ready as soon as possible."

Sykora is not in the lineup for Friday's preseason game against Columbus at XCel Energy Center. Considering he just signed with the team, this shouldn't be a surprise. However, Sykora does recognize the importance of ice time before the season opens Oct. 3 at Columbus.

"I want to get on the ice and get into situations. It's not about scoring," Sykora said Thursday. "It's about getting used to being in traffic, getting hit a little bit, stuff like that. Like I said, I missed those three scrimmages where you kind of get the feel of it. I just want to get out there, get the feel of the game. You know, it never took me a long time, so I should be ready."

Wild head coach Todd Richards is also happy to have the deal done.

"We're excited to have him," Richards said. "We're always looking to make our team better, our organization better. By getting Petr here, he's made our team better."

Richards made it clear Thursday that he was going to ease veteran players into action. Owen Nolan, Andrew Brunette, Kim Johnsson, and free-agent signee Martin Havlat join Sykora in not playing Friday night, and while Richards wants to get them all into preseason games, he also wants to get them some rest and limit their travel along the way. The Wild play 14 games in October, and only five of them are at home.

Petr Sykora's Wild 'Tryout' Leads to One-Year Deal originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Petr Sykora Accepts Tryout With Wild

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: Wild, Western, NHL Free Agency

Considering a resume that includes over 300 NHL goals and two Stanley Cups, it's kind of odd to see forward Petr Sykora still looking for work.

The veteran was a part of the Penguins' championship team last season, picking up another 25-goal season along the way. Unable to find a contract offer to his liking in the NHL, and seemingly unwilling to jump to Russia, Sykora is instead going to try out for the Minnesota Wild.

According to Michael Russo, the Wild have offered Sykora a contract for just over $1 million. Russo emphasizes on his blog that the Wild have not signed Sykora, and he has not agreed to terms on a contract.

This is exactly what it looks like. It's a tryout.

From the sounds of it, the Wild will be much more of a hard-skating team this season. New head coach Todd Richards wants a higher-tempo brand of hockey, and it requires everyone to skate. If there's a weakness in Sykora's game, it's what could sometimes be perceived as laziness. For him to fit in with the Wild, he has to be a more consistent worker than what he has shown in the past.

That said, the Wild badly need top-six forwards. If Sykora can provide that kind of depth, he'd be a great pickup for the team.

Considering the cost involved, it's certainly worth a shot to see if Sykora can make the team.

Petr Sykora Accepts Tryout With Wild originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coyotes Auction Down to Two

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:05:00 EST

Filed under: Coyotes, Western, NHL Economics

Thursday is a big day for the National Hockey League. As its 30 teams prepare to open training camps, the league and commissioner Gary Bettman continue to fight for the right to handle the Phoenix Coyotes as they see fit.

The bankrupt franchise goes to auction Thursday, and a field of four bids appears to have been whittled down to just two. The league will be up against the original buyer, Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie. While the NHL insists that the franchise be allowed to stay in Phoenix, Balsillie's purchase is contingent on him moving it to Hamilton, Ont., and making it the seventh Canadian franchise in the league.

It was reported late Tuesday that Ice Edge Holdings, a group of businessmen from both the United States and Canada, will no longer be bidding for the team.

Principals with Ice Edge did not respond to requests for comment, and they have not officially withdrawn their bid. The group of Canadian and American investors included team minority owner John Breslow and was working with coach and minority owner Wayne Gretzky.

The league jumped in the fray only after White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf withdrew his bid. The NHL bid is only meant to allow the league the final determination of what happens to the organization. They intend to pursue a local buyer who will keep the club in Arizona. That bid was placed after NHL owners voted 26-0 (there were three abstentions) against Balsillie buying the Coyotes.

While it's purely speculative, Ice Edge may have withdrawn over issues with the club's lease at Jobing.com Arena. The group's decision to bid on the team was contingent on their ability to renegotiate the agreement.

Thursday could be the end of this summer-long fiasco, but maybe it won't be. No matter what, it's hard to imagine anyone allowing the franchise to relocate now, given that there are logistical issues with making such a move when we have only three weeks until the season starts.

Coyotes Auction Down to Two originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHLPA Should Fight Potential Coyotes Move, But Will It?

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:25:00 EST

Filed under: Coyotes, Western, NHL Economics

It seems like a song that will never end. The National Hockey League is trying everything to keep Jim Balsillie from buying the Phoenix Coyotes and shipping them to Canada. A hearing Wednesday in bankruptcy court decided nothing, and the league still doesn't know what will happen with the franchise. Since we're inside of a month before the regular season starts, you can understand why this is a bad thing.

Even though it appears to be diminishing by the day, the possibility that the Coyotes could move to Hamilton, Ont., for the upcoming season has not been totally dismissed. If it were to happen, the league surely wouldn't draw up new divisional alignments or a new schedule. They'd have to run with the one they already made, which will do most of the Pacific Division (including the Coyotes) absolutely no favors.

On the Forecheck broke it down by each team's mileage. There are some dramatic increases, especially within the division. The Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and Coyotes would all see their estimated travel mileage for the season increase by more than 9,000 miles. Not only that, but there are some insane back-to-back dates that this hypothetical move would create.

Imagine playing a game on a Monday night in San Jose, then flying all the way to Hamilton, losing three hours because of the time change, and then lacing the skates up to play Vancouver on your "home" rink. All the teams in the Pacific Division, except for Dallas, have back-to-backs like this that would be seriously impacted by a Coyotes move.

Where is the union on this? The NHL Players Association has not issued any public statements on the topic. It's hard to imagine they would be fully supportive.

Said an involved NHLPA member and veteran on the defending Cup champion Penguins: "I don't know anyone who would go for that. Say you're a team in the East and you have a road trip of Kings, Coyotes and Sharks. That's a typical one. Are you suppose to fly to L.A., back east to Hamilton and then to San Jose? What if they're back-to-back? It's even worse for the teams in Phoenix's division. I can't take it seriously right now. It's hilarious. If it actually happens, only the Red Wings might find it funny. Those guys log a lot of miles."

On the other hand, FanHouse spoke to a member of the team impacted most by this, Phoenix. The player brought up a good point about how the union may look at this issue.

"I don't think you're going to see any Canadian players speak out publicly against the NHL going to Hamilton," he said. Remember, only six of the 30 NHL franchises are based in Canada, and Balsillie has done a lot of rallying, trying to get Canadian fans behind his bid for a seventh.

To be fair, Judge Redfield T. Baum did address this in court Wednesday, noting that the league had a point when they said travel, broadcast, and arena schedules made a move like this on such short notice tough. No ruling was issued, and Baum seems willing to take his time, as the franchise heads for auction next week.

The union would be smart to formally weigh in on the topic. They might not want to be seen as meddling in an ownership matter, but this situation affects a reasonable percentage of the membership. While it's reasonable to suggest the league has brought these concerns up in court, Baum isn't in a position to turn down the players' perspective on the case, especially when it could help him reach a conclusion.

While the enthusiasm in Canada may be great for a seventh franchise, the timing just isn't right anymore. Logistically, this would be too big of a headache for the players, and it's hard to imagine the union being outwardly in favor of the concept.

FanHouse's Christopher Botta contributed to this story.

NHLPA Should Fight Potential Coyotes Move, But Will It? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goalie Roberto Luongo Signs 12-Year Extension With Canucks

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, Western

The parade of NHL contracts lasting more than a decade continues.

For the Vancouver Canucks, this one is likely the most significant. Goalie Roberto Luongo, the rock of the Canucks' defense for three years, has agreed to terms on a 12-year deal with Vancouver. The contract will keep him a Canucks through the 2021-2022 season, meaning Luongo will turn 43 at the end of the deal's final season.

The Canucks had been working on a deal with the star goaltender, whose contract was set to expire after the 2009-2010 season. Complicating matters was the expectation that the NHL's salary cap is expected to drop after this season. Luongo had no desire to negotiate during the season, so there was a deadline set for Sept. 13 to get this done.

Vancouver did not confirm the amount of money in this deal, but there are reports that have it worth $64 million, meaning Luongo's cap number will actually fall during the deal, from $7.5 million this season to an average of $5.33 million. If this deal is structured like other controversial long-term contracts that have been handed out in the NHL recently, it should pay Luongo a significant percentage of that $64 million in the first six to eight years.

Luongo's teammates are understandably excited to have him back long-term.

"You've seen what Roberto has done for us all the years he's been with us," said defenceman Sami Salo following a brisk skate at UBC. "He's the No. 1 part of the group of this club."

"He's a great leader, great teammate and everybody knows what he can do on the ice so we're really happy to have him back," added forward Alex Burrows.

This is the longest deal given to a goaltender since Rick DiPietro signed a 15-year contract with the New York Islanders back in 2006.

Goalie Roberto Luongo Signs 12-Year Extension With Canucks originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wild Smart to Play Waiting Game

Bruce Ciskie — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Lightning, Wild, Western, NHL Free Agency, NHL Economics

News broke Saturday that the Tampa Bay Lightning had agreed to a deal with free-agent forward Alex Tanguay. This means the Minnesota Wild have to look elsewhere if they still hope to add a forward to bolster their top-six depth.

As Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune pointed out, Tanguay wasn't a great fit for the Wild. He's more of a disher than a scorer, and the Wild are in desperate need of people to put the puck in the net. With that in mind, who can the Wild target?

Russo speculates that the Wild could take a stab at former Penguin Petr Sykora. Still without a contract, Sykora is coming off a 25-goal season with the Penguins, has 300 career tallies, and is a two-time Stanley Cup winner.

It makes some sense, given that Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher knows Sykora very well from his time in Pittsburgh, where Fletcher served as an assistant general manager. Sykora also has more of a knack for scoring goals than Tanguay does, and he could be a nice fit for the Wild at forward.

However, Russo isn't done. On his blog, he notes something very interesting about the current state of financial affairs around the NHL.

As I wrote in today's paper, Chicago, Vancouver, Detroit, Ottawa, Washington and Boston are over the cap right now. Chicago can get down by sending one of their goalies to the minors and Brent Sopel as well. I don't know what Vancouver's doing. The Canucks are over the cap and have about 26 players. Boston's over and Phil Kessel isn't even signed.

Montreal, Philadelphia, Edmonton and Carolina are about $1 million from the cap. San Jose's at $53.5 after yesterday's trade, but with 17 players. So the only way it stays under is if it signs/keeps a bunch of 500K players.

Reality is that many teams will be looking to make salary dumps in the not-too-distant future. These salary dumps may not be much different than the trade the Sharks made with Vancouver Friday. That deal sent two experienced NHL defensemen to Vancouver for two prospects, one of whom is a former first-round pick (Patrick White) yet to prove himself in college hockey.

Fletcher is smart to hang out in the weeds for now. Not everyone in the NHL wants to go through what Calgary did last year, when the Flames didn't have the cap space to call up players from the AHL to replace guys who were unable to play due to injury.

Even teams like Montreal, Philadelphia, Edmonton, and Carolina, all of whom are under the cap, are likely to do something before the season starts. They simply can't afford to stand pat and risk not having the necessary room to add warm bodies to the roster.

Because the cap is expected to fall next year, teams are doubly careful about taking on new money, so the problem for those up against the cap becomes more difficult. Russo says he wouldn't be surprised if some serviceable players ended up on waivers. He has a good point.

The Wild need to be careful. If they think Sykora makes them better, he's worth a $2 million or so investment. If not, sit on that remaining cap space, and hope that someone on the current roster can get the job done until a team suffocating against the cap gets desperate to make a move.

Wild Smart to Play Waiting Game originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reinsdorf Out as NHL Places Bid to Buy Phoenix Coyotes

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:45:00 EST

Filed under: Coyotes, Western, NHL Economics

The drama continues.

Jerry Reinsdorf, the owner of the Chicago White Sox, has pulled out of the running to purchase the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes. Long thought to be the favorite to land the franchise, which has been in bankruptcy since the spring, Reinsdorf apparently had enough of former owner Jerry Moyes, as well as the so-far futile efforts to renegotiate the club's lease at Jobing.com Arena. In his place, the NHL has placed a bid. This leaves one to wonder how Coyotes fans feel about Gary Bettman taking over their team.

In a statement, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly makes it sound like the league knows what it's doing here.

"Today, the League filed its own bid to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes' franchise out of bankruptcy," Daly said, "in an effort to maximize the likelihood that the Club ultimately will be sold to an acceptable purchaser who is committed to operating the franchise in Glendale.

... "In the event the League's bid proceeds forward and ultimately is the one approved by the Court, we intend to conduct an orderly sale process to a third party buyer outside of bankruptcy."

While some supporters of Canadian maverick Jim Balsillie may look upon this as another sign of the team's impending move to Hamilton, the league has other ideas.

The intent isn't for the Coyotes to become an NHL-run franchise. It's to keep the team out of Balsillie's hands while the league figures out who they can ~~dump the team on~~ sell to.

Reinsdorf, meanwhile, doesn't seem to be too upset at the league.

Reinsdorf, who was considered one of the best hopes of keeping the team in the Valley, said in a released statement that his group could not finalize a new lease deal with Glendale, which owns Jobing.com Arena.

Reinsdorf's group placed the blame largely on Jerry Moyes, the team's majority owner, who was characterized as an "unwilling seller."

The statement said, "We have faced an organized publicity effort designed to provide negative and misleading information."

This has been a disaster for the league from the start, and it could only get worse if they get the team, but can't find a local buyer.

Reinsdorf Out as NHL Places Bid to Buy Phoenix Coyotes originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wild's Brent Burns Feeling Better After Concussion, Shoulder Surgery

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:35:00 EST

Filed under: Wild, Western, NHL Injuries, Team Canada

The offseason sure has been interesting for the Minnesota Wild. The front office was overhauled, with former Pittsburgh aide Chuck Fletcher taking over as general manager and hiring Todd Richards as head coach.

Changes have come to the Wild on the ice, too, but one of the more notable developments of the offseason involves a player who has been with the Wild ever since he was drafted.

There was some acrimony last spring over the treatment of defenseman Brent Burns, who had a concussion, as well as shoulder problems. That concussion, according to his agent, went untreated by the Wild for six weeks, as they allowed him to continue playing.

By June, Burns' recovery was going well, and now he's healthy enough to head to Canada for that country's Olympic evaluation camp.

"[My shoulder] still has some awkward times, but for the most part, it feels pretty good and I've been able to do everything. I'm in really good shape right now...I've been really watching my diet lately and it's made a big difference and I feel really good."

More importantly, Burns continues to be free of concussion symptoms.

This is obviously good news for Wild fans, who are looking forward to watching Burns play in a more offensive system being installed by Richards. Burns should be allowed more freedom to jump into the play, and his overall numbers should improve.

As for his chances of making Team Canada, the selections won't be made during this camp, and Burns should have some opportunity to show what he can do once he's healthy and ready to play in October.

Wild's Brent Burns Feeling Better After Concussion, Shoulder Surgery originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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