NHL FanHouse

Brendan Shanahan Retires: Great Player, Entertaining Person

Adam Gretz — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:20:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Devils, Rangers, Red Wings, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

Brendan Shanahan announced his retirement on Tuesday afternoon, ending a 21-year career that saw him finish with 656 goals (11th all time), 698 assists and 1,354 points with the New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils.

He was a member of three Stanley Cup winning teams (all in Detroit), an eight-time All-Star and a two-time 50-goal scorer.

Not only was he a dominating player on the ice, he was also an extremely entertaining person off of it.

Said Shanahan in a statement: "I would like to thank my family and all of the friends who have helped me achieve and maintain my childhood dream of playing in the National Hockey League. I am enormously grateful to all of my coaches and teammates I've had the privilege of learning from and playing along side of, throughout my career. While I always dreamed of playing in the NHL, I can't honestly say that I would have ever imagined that I'd be this fortunate and blessed. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped me fulfill this dream."

The only question remaining now is: how long will he have to wait before he takes his inevitable spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame? It won't be long.

******

While searching for the proper video tribute for such a world-class player, I happened to stumble upon some gems for your enjoyment.

Remember the old ESPN show, Teammates? You're forgiven -- and probably fortunate -- if you don't, but the premise was centered around two players on the same team being asked random questions in an effort to see how much they knew about one another. Shanahan, along with former Red Wings teammate Darren McCarty, were guests on one episode, which led to McCarty revealing Shanahan's bad habit of stretching naked. Hilarity ensues in what is probably the only funny moment the show ever produced.

And my personal favorite, a classic commercial from the days when ESPN televised NHL games in which Shanahan discusses the giant melting pot the Red Wings locker room was (and yes, we've posted this before, but it's always worth another look):

Brendan Shanahan Retires: Great Player, Entertaining Person originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Cam Janssen Edition

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Canucks, Flyers, Rangers, Thrashers, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

If last week seemed a little bit light, we're going to make up for it now. There is no shortage of fights to choose from this week, and we had some really good ones that had to be left on the proverbial cutting room floor. We've also added to our series of rather unlikely scraps. To top it all off, we had an easy choice for the week's best bout.

"Why Are We Fighting?" Fight of the Week: Zach Bogosian vs. Ryan Callahan

Apparently, Callahan really took exception to a bit of a cross-check by Bogosian. Instead of sending a goon after the young defenseman, Callahan took matters into his own hands. This wasn't a great fight by any means, but it was a bit of a head-scratcher. Video can be watched here.

Runner-Up: Rick Rypien vs. Brad May

Vancouver's game against St. Louis Wednesday became a fight-fest (more on this in a bit), but Rypien showed that he had some energy left over to take on one of the league's real veteran heavyweights. This isn't a terribly long fight, but it's intense, and it's not a surprise the guys seemed to wear out a bit. Check it out here.

Runner-Up: Cam Janssen vs. Arron Asham

Janssen looked for a moment to have an easy one here, as Asham struggled from the opening bell. The home crowd inspiring him, Asham pulls off an impressive comeback, and you could argue he at least gave himself a chance to "win the fight." Click here to watch the video.

Fight of the Week: Tanner Glass vs. Cam Janssen

Here's Janssen again. This one's a legitimate candidate for Fight of the Year, not that we're contemplating such an honor at the end of the season. The Canucks were in the midst of getting blown out by St. Louis on Wednesday, but Glass took a shot at injecting some life into his team, which hadn't shown much in the first game of a back-to-back. Janssen got a rousing ovation, and responded to it, after his performance in this fight.

Fight of the Week: Cam Janssen Edition originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pink Slip Index: Complications in Carolina

Kevin Schultz — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Ducks, Flyers, Hurricanes, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Panthers, Wild, NHL Coaching

In the NHL, coach firings are as common as parking tickets in New York City. Throughout the NHL season I'll be taking a bi-weekly look at five coaches who are the most likely to get fired. Be advised your local coach may be axed at any moment. Consider this fair warning.

Things have changed quite a bit since our last look at coaches with warm cushions. For one, the Lightning are making me look bad at 3-1-3 since the last installment. The Leafs have won a few games and things have gone from bad to an Alexander Daigle brand of awful for the Hurricanes. We'll take a look at all of that and more after the jump.

Off the List (for now):
John Stevens, Philadelphia Flyers (Previous Rank: 4). The Flyers have won five in a row since we last checked in and are sixth in the conference. Nothing to worry about, John.

Peter DeBoer, Florida Panthers (5). The Cats got hammered twice over the weekend by the Caps but are still 4-2 since we last checked in. Basically, there are more folks in a lot more trouble than DeBoer.

Free Passes: Barry Trotz, Nashville Predators. Jacques Lemaire, New Jersey Devils (who will be listed here as long as Lou Lamoriello is in charge).

No. 6: Rick Tocchet, Tampa Bay Lightning (1). There was some disagreement in other parts of the blogosphere about Tocchet topping the last list. No matter if you agreed or disagreed, I think we can all say that the Lightning are playing some solid hockey at the moment. They're 5-1-3 in their last seven and Steven Stamkos is destroying defenders' lives with his play. This run has cooled off Tocchet's seat so much I was going to completely take him off the list. Then he went and called out Vinny Franchise and dropped him to the third line, blatantly pandering to me to keep him on the list. So here he is with his own special spot at six since he's either completely bat poop crazy or playing job roulette with Oren Koules.

Seat status: Confusing.

No. 5: Ron Wilson, Toronto Maple Leafs (2). Things have turned around for the Leafs since my last look at them. They've actually won a few games and could have a few more under their belt if they could just figure out how to work that darned overtime. They're 2-1-4 since we last checked in, and that includes a 5-1 spanking of Detroit on Saturday, which nobody saw coming. Things are looking up in Leaf Land but we're keeping Ron on the countdown since October was a complete and utter FAIL. You can't forget about something like that so quickly.

Seat status: A warm spring day.

No. 4: Randy Carlyle, Anaheim Ducks (3). This week, Carlyle cools off slightly and moves to the fourth position. I'm still a firm believer that he'll get a fair shake in Anaheim and likely will last the season barring a major turn of events. However, the Ducks got the dubious honor of giving the winless Leafs their first victory -- on home ice, no less! -- but have showed a very mild resiliency going 3-2-1 since we last checked in on them. Carlyle cools off as the Ducks break even and we put some more volatile candidates in front of him.

Seat status: One of those hot summer nights where you wake up sticky because the AC is broken.

No. 3: Todd Richards, Minnesota Wild (NR). The Wild struggled early this season and I gave Richards a pass in the first edition of PSI since he's a first-year coach. That usually provides a little Teflon with which to deflect criticism. However, Richards makes our list this time since the Wild have continued to stumble. The more they stumble, the less of an excuse "brand new head coach" becomes. They're 7-10-1 on the year, second to last in the Western Conference, and are owners of an awful 2-8-1 road record. I fully expect the brass in Minnesota to give Richards some time but this being the NHL and all, hey, you never know.

Seat status: Lukewarm.

No. 2: Paul Maurice, Carolina Hurricanes (NR). The Hurricanes finished sixth in the East last year and made it all the way to the conference finals before getting swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champs. Injuries can be to blame, as Eric Staal and Joni Pitkanen are hurt and Eric Cole has missed time. Losing Cam Ward last Saturday was a death blow to a team already in last place. But with the Kings extending the Canes' winless streak to 13 and Carolina winning two of 17 overall, it would appear as though Maurice is as good as gone. This team has been outscored 30-10 in their last seven games -- all regulation losses. And if you can't even make it to overtime in Gary Bettman's Everybody Gets a Point Most of the Time League, you're really doing something wrong.

So it seems like Maurice is an open and shut case to go, right? Well, not exactly.

As Bob Harwood over at Canes Country points out, the Canes have put themselves in a bind not only with players but with the coaching staff, too.

"[Canes GM Jim Rutherford] has severely limited himself on what he can do regarding the coaching staff because of his recent three year signing of head coach Paul Maurice. If he were to fire Maurice, he would officially have two ex-coaches on the payroll because the team is still paying Peter Laviolette."

Yeah, so under most any other set of circumstances Maurice is a sitting duck. Now that he's at the helm of a failing team that gave him an extension over the summer and is already paying one guy to not coach them? That's a big bullet for one GM to bite. Maurice is second on our countdown because his seat is unquestionably hot. But, as the evidence points out, he's probably not going anywhere soon.

Seat status: Molten lava. But the extension and Laviolette deal means the Canes will likely have to bite the bullet.

No. 1: Andy Murray, St. Louis Blues (NR). When the Blues went 9-1-1 to sneak into the playoffs last year, there were some rumblings that run may have saved Murray's job. The team was promptly swept by the Canucks and many of its young stars have struggled during the early going this season -- and are killing my keeper league fantasy team -- despite a kind of deceiving 6-7-4 record. TJ Oshie has six points in 13 games, Patrick Berglund has four in 16 and David Backes has three in 17. But maybe after a 6-1 rout of Vancouver on Tuesday things are turning around. We'll see.

Seat status: Southern style chili cheese dog.

Right now, Murray tops our list since he doesn't have a complicated situation like Maurice, a "rookie" excuse like Richards, a Stanley Cup ring with the team like Carlyle or a recent hot streak like the rest. So if anyone is getting axed in the next week or two, it's this guy. Unless Lou Lamoriello gets up on the wrong side of the bed one day, but I digress.

Pink Slip Index: Complications in Carolina originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plus/Minus: Boyes, Perron Have Breakout Game; Crosby Still Slumping

Adam Gretz — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Penguins

We're trying something different to replace the old Newsmakers in the NHL posts. Hopefully you'll like it. Each weekday we'll take a look at one positive performance from the previous night (a plus), and one negative performance from the previous night (a minus). It's the plus/minus.Tell us what you think at nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

More Coverage: Tuesday's NHL Scoreboard

Plus Of The Day: Brad Boyes, David Perron -- St. Louis Blues

After scoring 76 goals the past two seasons, Brad Boyes entered play on Tuesday with just two goals and four assists in 15 games. Somewhat disappointing to say the least. He nearly matched his point total for the season with one goal and three assists (and a plus-three rating) in St. Louis' 6-1 thrashing of Vancouver, as the Blues ended what had been a five-game losing streak -- a streak that saw them score just four goals.

It's only their fourth win in 14 games since returning from their season-opening trip to Sweden, where they knocked off the Detroit Red Wings in back-to-back games.

Boyes tallied three assists in the first period (including one just 18 seconds into the game on an Andy McDonald goal) as the Blues chased Canucks goaltender Andrew Raycroft after he surrendered four goals on 13 shots. He would later add his third goal of the season at the 18:45 mark of the second period, capitalizing on a power play.

Meanwhile, David Perron also had a bust-out game for the Blues, recording his first career hat trick. The third-year forward had zero points in his first seven games, and has since put up 11 in the ensuing nine games, including five in the past two.

While the Blues have been losing quite a bit recently, the positive they can take out of it is that their last three losses all came in overtime or a shootout, so they've at least managed to pick up a few Bettman/charity points in the standings, and they're still just four points out of a playoff spot (though, it's way too early to even seriously discuss such a thing). Still, this is the type of performance we should be expecting from the Blues a little more frequently this season. There's just too much young talent (and experienced talent) on this team to be losing games (and not scoring goals) like they've been through the first month of the season.

Minus Of The Day: Sidney Crosby -- Pittsburgh Penguins

This was a toss-up between Sidney Crosby and Raycroft for his woeful performance against the Blues, but I decided to go with Crosby who has been M.I.A for the better part of two weeks now. After all, it's not everyday that Crosby has to be singled out for a lack of production, and, frankly, right now he needs to be singled out.

With the Penguins decimated by injuries (Evgeni Malkin, Tyler Kennedy, Sergei Gonchar, Kris Letang and Max Talbot were already out of the lineup entering Tuesday's game, where they also lost Brooks Orpik) and mired in a slump that has seen them drop four of their past five games, Crosby has completely vanished from the scoresheet.

It's easily been the worst stretch of hockey in the brief Dan Bylsma era, and the offense has been at the center of the struggles. The Penguins haven't scored a goal since the second period of Thursday's game in Los Angeles (seven periods) and have been outscored 13-2 during their current three-game losing streak.

Leading the way (or not leading the way, as it turns out) is Crosby, who is currently battling the worst slump of his career, with Tuesday's game being perhaps his worst of the season. He hasn't registered a point in five games (a streak that coincides with Malkin going down with a shoulder injury) and was limited to just two shots on goal, and zero through his first 14 minutes on the ice, in a 3-0 loss in Boston. It's a slump, it happens, even to the best of them, but the Penguins didn't need him to hit the worst one of his career when half of the lineup is on the shelf due to various injuries.

Highlight Of The Day: Jarome Iginla scores the only goal of the game (his ninth of the season) in Calgary's 1-0 win in Montreal.

Plus/Minus: Boyes, Perron Have Breakout Game; Crosby Still Slumping originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brett Hull Shows Michael Jordan How to Give Hall of Fame Speech

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:15:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame, NHL Videos

In September, former NBA superstar Michael Jordan raised more than a few eyebrows. The speech he gave at his Hall of Fame induction quickly turned into a vengeful gong show in which His Airness blasted virtually anyone who he even perceived to be guilty of a slight.

Monday night, the Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed its class of 2009. The ceremony's very first acceptance speech was given by former St. Louis Blue, Dallas Star, and Detroit Red Wing Brett Hull. It was a stirring example of how to give a Hall of Fame speech.

Here is the video of Hull's speech.

In case you've forgotten, here's MJ's idea on a Hall of Fame address. You'll notice a stunning difference in the attitudes shown by both.

Hull was followed by Brian Leetch, Lou Lamoriello, Luc Robitaille, and Steve Yzerman, all of whom gave similarly classy and dignified acceptance speeches.

Hockey players have generally developed a positive reputation over the years by showing a great amount of respect for their sport and its wonderful history. It's the kind of behavior that makes events like Monday's so much fun to watch. While these guys are all legends, there's an obvious acknowledgment of the honor they have received. It's a concept people like Jordan apparently don't understand. If they do, they have a weird way of showing it.

Brett Hull Shows Michael Jordan How to Give Hall of Fame Speech originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brett Hull: Bulldog, Blues and Beyond

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame, College Hockey

In 1984, a kid with a famous name and loads of potential in his game showed up on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth. The Calgary Flames had drafted the kid, but they knew he wasn't ready to play.

After two years at UMD, Brett Hull -- son of the great Bobby Hull -- was ready to tear up the NHL. Boy, did he ever do that.

Turns out Hull was quite the impact player at every level he ever played at. He finished his career as the only player to ever score 50 goals in college hockey, the minors, and the NHL.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

With his 2009 Hockey Hall of Fame induction, Brett joins Bobby as the only father-son combination to be inducted into the Hall. One year ago, the pair became the first father-son tandem to make the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, as Brett was inducted.

Before signing with the Flames, Hull set records that will never be touched at UMD. He scored 32 goals as a freshman, then answered that with a 52-goal season as a sophomore. With Hull on campus, the Bulldogs went an incredible 62-22-6, making the Frozen Four in 1985. It was unprecedented success for the program at the Division I level, as UMD qualified for back-to-back Frozen Fours. They wouldn't make another one until 2004.

Kids who grew up in the 1990s likely tried to emulate Hull's huge shot in their driveways, basements, and at the local rinks. When it came time to choose numbers on youth hockey teams, they always wanted No. 16 more than anything, because Hull was their favorite player. While Hull would go on to great professional success, most of his teammates weren't so lucky. While Norm Maciver (500 games) and Jim Johnson (829 games) had long careers in the NHL, they were the only ones to come close to Hull's long run as a pro. No one on that UMD team could claim the kind of fame Hull enjoyed in the NHL. The stigma in the 1980s was that college players were not good enough to make it in the NHL. Fans who think the major junior/NCAA debate is bad now should have been around back then, when there really was no debate to be had.

Everyone knows Hull's impact on the NHL. Over 21 years in the league, Hull amassed 741 goals, nearly 1,400 points, scored over 100 career playoff goals, and was one of the most entertaining players in the sport -- both on and off the ice. Hull's willingness to share his opinions on any subject left him equal parts loved and disliked. When he felt unwanted on the Canadian national team, Hull instead became a mainstay on United States international teams. He took part in two Olympics, two World Cups, and one Canada Cup, all for Team USA.

His 86 goals in the 1990-91 season rank him second all-time to Wayne Gretzky. Two times, Hull matched Gretzky's achievement of 50 goals scored in 50 games or less. He and Gretzky, who did it three times, are the only players to score 50 goals in 50 games more than once.

Fans would find it difficult to not respect Hull's game. Everywhere he went, he scored goals. Hull practically patented the one-timer, using his deadly release to be an absolute force on the ice. He was the kind of player you could never truly stop, because he could launch a hard shot from just about anywhere in the offensive zone. Sometimes forgotten in all the talk about Hull's ferocious shot was his accuracy. In his prime, Hull shot the puck where he wanted it to go. When he missed, it was still effective.

Kids who grew up in the 1990s likely tried to emulate Hull's huge shot in their driveways, basements, and at the local rinks. When it came time to choose numbers on youth hockey teams, they wanted No. 16 more than anything, because Hull was their favorite player.

In 2006, after his playing career had ended, UMD became the first team to retire Hull's jersey number. He wore No. 29 during his years at UMD, and it now hangs in the rafters at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. Hull has spoken highly of the Duluth area ever since he left, and he still maintains a home at a lake near the city. Proving his tremendous impact on the game, Hull has since had his jersey retired by the St. Louis Blues, and he is a well-known figure in the Dallas Stars organization.

Hull played a long time -- and achieved a lot of individual success -- before ever achieving the ultimate team goal. His first college team fell painfully short of a national title, and he never was able to get the Blues to the Stanley Cup Finals. In 1999, the Stars had a special season under coach Ken Hitchcock. They made the Finals against Buffalo, and rallied nicely after losing the series opener at home. With a chance to clinch the Cup in Buffalo in Game 6, the teams battled into a third overtime before Hull scored a controversial goal. He appeared to have his skate in the crease before the puck was there, but the play was allowed to stand, and Hull had his first championship. After moving to Detroit, Hull added another Cup title in 2002. He retired while a member of the Phoenix Coyotes after the 2004-2005 lockout.

Players on the team that wins the Cup are allowed to have the trophy for a single day.

Both times that Hull played for a championship team, he brought the Cup back to Duluth.

Brett Hull: Bulldog, Blues and Beyond originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What's Wrong With the St. Louis Blues?

Adam Gretz — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues

Fresh off a surprising trip to the postseason a year ago and boasting a roster that, on paper, is loaded with a strong mix of veterans and talented youngsters, the St. Louis Blues entered the 2009-10 season with high expectations.

Unfortunately, through their first 12 games, they've have struggled, winning just five games, and only three of their past 10. To help figure out what's ailing the Blues after one month, we've recruited the services of Sean Gallagher from the fantastic, must-read Blues blog, St. Louis Game Time.

Adam Gretz: A year ago, the Blues suffered through every injury imaginable (golf carts and Sarah Palin's red carpet to go along with the more traditional hockey injuries) and not only exceeded expectations by qualifying for the playoffs, but did so by finishing as a top-six seed. So far this year the Blues are near the bottom of the conference.

I guess the simple question to start off with is: what's gone wrong? Did last year set the bar too high as far as expectations go? Or can we use the Europe hangover as an excuse for the slow start? After all, St. Louis isn't the first team to struggle after opening the season across the pond.

"At the end of last season the Blues were a tenacious, relentless team. They battled for every puck and gave not one opposing player a free pass. ... This year it looks like they may have started to believe a little bit of their own hype."
-- Sean Gallagher on the Blues' StrugglesSean Gallagher: Well, you've managed to touch on a hot-button for all Blues fans; no one wants to say it, but there is a bit of a feeling that this team has a curse hanging around it. And not just in the short term, either, as this is the franchise that went to three Stanley Cup finals in their first three seasons (albeit as the representative from the weaker "Second Six" conference) and didn't win a game in any of them. More recently, they won a President's Trophy and were ousted in the first round of the playoffs. Mike Danton was virtually taken off a team flight and arrested by the FBI for attempting to contract a murder.

And yes, somehow a golf cart beat our franchise defenseman in a match of indian wrestling and took him out for a year. Sarah Palin's carpet not only knocked (Manny Legace) out of the lineup but it also knocked him right out of the NHL as he wound up in Peoria by February and he hasn't been back since.

This year the mantra has been to "stay healthy and we can't help but be better!"

Wrong.

T.J. Oshie's emergency appendectomy, Carlo Colaiacovo's Steve Ott-induced "flu" and Andy McDonald's weird attempt to headbutt the end boards have all added to the fans' misery in the early going, but the real culprit (and believe me, I'd love to blame this whole thing on Sweden) is a lack of intensity as a team. At the end of last season the Blues were a tenacious, relentless team. They battled for every puck and gave not one opposing player a free pass. They played hard, won puck battles and charged to the net for ugly goals.

This year it looks like they may have started to believe a little bit of their own hype. They're trying to play too cute and not doing enough of the difficult things to win games. Teams willing to pay a physical price win more games than those that don't. What the Blues need right now is for the coaching staff to come in and treat them like junkyard dogs. They need to be angry and hungry and ready to fight. Makes you wonder if Michael Vick could come by for a locker room visit.

Gretz: It's no secret that hockey teams change coaches like normal people change their underwear, and usually the first ones to go are teams with high expectations that get off to slow starts.

I was at the Blues game when they were in Pittsburgh a couple of weeks ago and Andy Murray postgame seemed more disgusted with that loss than any coach I've ever encountered. It wasn't a pretty game by any means, but he seemed to be taking it exceptionally hard for a game in early October, almost as if somebody kicked his dog right in front of him or they just lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Do you think it's possible that if this slow start continues, his seat could get a little toasty, or is it way too soon for that?

Gallagher: Andy Murray was clearly disgusted after that Pittsburgh game, but anyone who plays for, works for or watches this team should have felt the same way. The fact is that Murray is at least angry when they play poorly. His predecessor, Mike Kitchen, used to throw up his hands and basically say, "I told them what to do!"

The easy answer is to fire the coach when a team struggles, but I think management still believes in Willem Dafoe. Last year, when the team was struggling in the early going, they shook the team up not by firing the coach, but by trading the popular Lee Stempniak (for Colaiacovo and Alex Steen). I'd be willing to bet that something like that happens before they fire Murray, who was a Jack Adams finalist last year.

Gretz: What's happened to the young guys so far? David Backes was a 30-goal guy a year ago: he has two points (one goal) in 12 games. T.J. Oshie had one goal in eight games before he had his appendix taken out. It took David Perron a couple of weeks to get a goal. Patrik Berglund was a healthy scratch at one point.

Is it just a case of everybody hitting a slump at the same time (and it just so happening at the start of a season when everybody is paying attention) or is there something more going on?

Gallagher: Here's a quick spin through the Excuse Matrix:

"Backes is a slow starter."
"Teams are preparing for Oshie now."
"Perron hasn't played with consistent linemates."
"Berglund is in the doghouse."

Personally, I think a lot of this can be chalked up to the same problem the team is having as a whole: everyone is paying a little too much attention to the fans and media fawning all over them. It'd be hard to not get a big head when you're a rookie like Oshie and the whole building routinely chants your name and your jersey is outselling everyone else by a three-to-one margin. He needs to crank up his engine and play at the level he did last year when he flattened the much-larger Rick Nash twice in successive games and when he made the moves that became the NHL.com "Goal of the Year" when he went around four Canucks and scored on Roberto Luongo.

Backes seems to believe that he's turned into some sort of sniper after his 31 goals last year. His one goal this year was from 50 feet out. For him to be successful, he needs to go to the angry areas of the ice and arrive there in ill humor. The corners and the blue paint is where he should be earning his living. So far this year he has not.

As for Berglund, he has looked unprepared this season. The knock on him started in training camp when the staff apparently got on him for not playing well. Maybe the Sophomore Slump is real or maybe it's imaginary. Either way, I think it's in his head.

Perron, I think, will be fine. He was one of the few players who didn't underperform in the playoffs last year and his game this season has been full of hustle and opportunities. Until recently he had a hard time scoring, but now his points are coming in waves. This is his third NHL season and while he was considered immature most of the first two, this year looks like he may finally get it.

What's Wrong With the St. Louis Blues? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blues Get Blown Out in Pittsburgh With 'Unacceptable' Performance

Adam Gretz — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:45:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Penguins, NHL Press Box

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

PITTSBURGH -- St. Louis Blues head coach Andy Murray lifted his starting goaltender, Chris Mason, following the second period of his team's 5-1 loss in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. And it wasn't due to poor performance by the veteran netminder.

Sure, he gave up four goals through two periods, but the Penguins were coming at him in waves over the opening 40 minutes. Had it not been for the play of Mason, the Penguins could have -- and would have -- blown the doors off this game much earlier than they did.

Also: Reactions from St. Louis locker room, video of the day, and more

"When they scored their fourth goal ... I don't believe you pull the goalie right away unless it's the goalie's fault," said Murray. "And obviously that wasn't the case tonight.

"When a goalie has to skate off the ice it's a lonely feeling, and he didn't deserve that tonight. He wanted to play in the third. It had nothing to do with him and that's why we waited until the period was over so we could do it quietly and he didn't have to skate off the ice."

The Penguins finished the game with a season-high 43 shots on goal, including 20 after the first period, rarely giving Mason an opportunity to catch his breath. There were only six Penguins players in uniform (one of which was goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury) who didn't record a point in what was a total team-effort.

"There was a few times I was pretty tired," said Mason. "They had it in our zone, you know, one of the best teams in the league and they're moving the puck around and it was pretty tiring, but, that's the way it goes sometimes."

He continued: "For us not to be ready to play the defending Stanley Cup champions is unacceptable. We came off a good second and third period in Anaheim, against a very good team, and I don't know if we're getting ahead of ourselves and getting a little cocky and thinking that it should be easier than it really is, but to come out like we did against these guys, this is what's going to happen."

Murray was also at a loss for words after his team closed out its three-game road trip with its worst performance of the season. Giving Pittsburgh the first four power plays of the game, resulting in a pair of power play goals, put the Blues in a hole they couldn't climb out of.

"When you don't have the energy or the legs," said Murray. "It means you're reaching with your sticks and you're doing things you shouldn't be doing. Obviously with the shots it was total domination by Pittsburgh. It was pretty clear to see such a drop-off. It's difficult to understand why we didn't have legs and why we didn't have energy."

With the win, the Penguins now have the best record in the league at 8-1. The only negative on the night for Pittsburgh is the injury to No. 1 defenseman Sergei Gonchar, who left midway through the second period with an undisclosed injury and did not return.

Tuesday's Other Games

Montreal ends its five-game losing streak with a 2-1 shootout win against Atlanta. [Box Score, Recap]

Calgary picks up a 6-3 win at home against Columbus. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- From the waiver wire a year ago to a millionaire today. Rich Peverley signs a two-year contract extension with the Atlanta Thrashers worth $2.6 million. [TSN]

-- The Dallas Stars need more production from their centers. [Defending Big D]

-- Mathieu Dandenault signs a tryout deal with the Hartford Wolfpack of the AHL. [Steve Zipay, via Blueshirt Banter]

-- The Buffalo Sabres traded forward Dan Paille to the Boston Bruins for a couple of draft picks, including a third-round selection and a conditional pick. He's yet to play a game for the Sabres this season. [WGR]

Video Of The Day

The St. Louis Blues were dominated on Tuesday night, but like I said before -- and multiple times in my live blog -- it wasn't because of the play of Chris Mason. He kept this game from being 7-1 or 8-1, and it was because of saves like this:

Wednesday's Key Games

Hurricanes vs. Islanders: The New York Islanders are still looking for their first win, and they get another crack at it when they host the Carolina Hurricanes. The 'Canes have lost three in a row entering play on Wednesday night.

Avalanche vs. Wild: Colorado has lost one game in regulation. Minnesota has one win. The Wild will be playing its first game with the recently acquired Chuck Kobasew.

Canucks vs. Blackhawks: In a rematch of last year's Western Conference Semifinal, Roberto Luongo and the Canucks look to get back on track in Chicago.

Blues Get Blown Out in Pittsburgh With 'Unacceptable' Performance originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live Blog: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues

Adam Gretz — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Penguins, NHL Live Blogging

PITTSBURGH -- I'm live at Mellon Arena for tonight's Pittsburgh Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues game and will be live-blogging all of the action on the ice starting at 7 PM ET. Keep checking back for live updates as they happen.

That will do it from Pittsburgh. Final Score: PENGUINS 5, BLUES 1.

Thanks for reading, folks. Going to try and catch up with the Blues here......

Third Period

1:00: About ready to wrap this bad boy up...

3:00: Lot of people have made their way to the exits.

5:23: Remember the great Mellon Arena music I was referring to? Yeah, they get knocked down a few points for playing Cotton Eye Joe. We need more Slayer.

5:40: As soon as I finished typing that about Craig Adams, he goes down to block a shot in a 5-1 game with under six minutes to play. You have to like that if you're a hockey fan.

7:02: Craig Adams is a minus tonight. Not sure how that happens in a 5-1 game.

8:50: Still no word on Sergei Gonchar's injury, but his last shift ended with 7:30 to play in the second period.

9:06: Pascal Dupuis is one of the few Penguins without a point, and he just had a breakaway chance. He didn't score, but recorded the Penguins 40th shot of the night.

10:16: And Alex Goligoski puts the icing on this one, it's 5-1. And I have to apologize to Ty Conklin, because he's the guy that made that last amazing save. He started the third period (but it wasn't announced). My bad, Ty.

13:50: And they almost got it, but Marc-Andre Fleury makes a sprawling save to rob David Perron on the doorstep. And now Chris Mason returns the favor -- again! -- at the opposite end of the rink, stealing one from Malkin.

15:43: And the Blues are about to go on their second power play of the night. Crosby is going off for holding. If the Blues have any thoughts about coming back in this game a goal here is a must. Probably.

20:00: SERGEI GONCHAR WILL NOT RETURN. Not sure what happened or when he left, but he is out for the remainder of the game, according to the Penguins. Pittsburgh fans saw how important he is to this team a year ago when he was out of the lineup.

------

Going to try and catch up with the Blues locker room after the game and I'm hoping for David Perron, T.J. Oshie and Erik Johnson. Honestly, I'd be happy to speak with one of them. If this game keeps up like this I'm not sure how many people will be willing to talk.

Completely random: They're playing the new Foo Fighters song, Wheels, during the intermission and my first thought upon hearing it: When did they hire Tom Petty? Mellon Arena has a tremendous selection of music, though. I'm not sure how many arena's have Slayer on their regular play-list.

Second Period

After two, the Penguins hold a commanding 4-1 lead. Even with Kariya's goal, this game is still woefully one-sided (the shots are 35-11 in favor of the Penguins). Just because it's worth mentioning one more time: Chris Mason is the only reason the Blues aren't down by four or five goals at this point.

3:00: The Penguins kill the penalty, and as Malkin comes out of the box he sends himself and Ruslan Fedotenko on a 2-on-1 rush. Malkin dishes a perfect pass to Fedotenko only to have Mason make another great save to keep this game somewhat close. I don't care how many goals he gives up from here on out, I wouldn't be upset if he was named one of the three stars tonight.

5:10: Here's St. Louis' chance to get back in this. It's the Blues first power play of the night as Evgeni Malkin is serving a bench minor for too many men on the ice.

7:06: And the Blues are on the board! Paul Kariya deflects an Erik Johnson shot from the point behind Marc-Andre Fleury, cutting the deficit to 4-1.

10:40: It's Letang's goal. It's funny, because after Fedotenko's goal the PA announcer initially credited it to Letang. He was just 30 seconds too fast. And St. Louis is headed to the penalty box AGAIN. Perron goes off for cross-checking.

11:55: It's turning into a rout. Kris Letang fires one from the point and it's 4-0. May have been deflected by Matt Cooke.

12:31: And Ruslan Fedotenko snaps one over Mason's glove hand from the left circle, giving the Penguins a 3-0 lead.

13:46: St. Louis with its best shift of the night in terms of puck possession, but it doesn't result in a goal. After the Penguins finally get the puck out of the zone they draw another penalty at the opposite end of the rink. Keith Tkachuk is in the box.

17:48: Looked like the Penguins got away with a trip and it was quickly followed by a great opportunity by Malkin in front. Mason, once again, comes up big with the stop. He's keeping St. Louis in this game by himself.

20:00: And the second period is underway with some four-on-four hockey thanks to the scrum at the end of the first. St. Louis gets its best chance of the night thanks to a pair of shots by T.J. Oshie.

------

More stats: The Penguins attempted 31 shots that period: 20 were on goal, four missed the net, and seven were blocked by the Blues. St. Louis attempted seven shots.

Pittsburgh is also winning the faceoff battle 12-8, including a 4-for-5 performance by Craig Adams.

First Period

And at the end of the first period, Pittsburgh has a 2-0 lead and absolutely dominated play. The shots are 20-3.

:15: David Backes tries to stir something up with Crosby and all 10 players on the ice converge on one another in the corner. Crosby and Backes are both headed to the sin bin for two minutes.

2:15: Another big save from Mason, this time on former Blue Jay McKee who took a backdoor feed from Crosby. The Penguins are all over the puck in front of the net. Matt Cooke just bulldozed a defender, but I couldn't see who it was.

5:08: The Penguins are coming at the Blues in waves right now. Chris Mason is the only reason this game isn't 3-0 or 4-0 right now. The shot clock currently reads 15-1 in favor of the Pens. The Blues were briefly credited with a second shot, but it has since been taken away. They can't buy a shot right now.

7:47: And Andy McDonald is in the penalty box. And Evgeni Malkin quickly makes him pay by burying a loose puck behind Mason. It's 2-0 Penguins. The Penguins have two goals, the Blues have one shot. Now would probably be a good time to call a timeout, and that's exactly what Blues head coach Andy Murray does.

8:41: Tyler Kennedy just blasted a slap shot behind Mason to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead. Pittsburgh's third line of Kennedy, Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke can be dominant in the offensive zone at times, and that shift was a pretty good example of it.

9:21: St. Louis finally registers its first shot, a routine wrister from outside the blue line that Fleury casually cradles and covers up to stop play. The Penguins fired 10 shots at Mason before the Blues put one on net. The scoreboard has a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. They just showed the Blue Oyster Cult Saturday Night Live clip ... or part of it, anyway.

10:08: Chris Mason looks strong in net for the Blues. He's already stopped a two-on-one and stood tall on some close calls from in front. The Penguins are dominating the shots department with a 9-0 lead midway through the period.

11:40: We have our first power play, and it goes to Pittsburgh. David Perron is off for delay of game.

13:14: Jordan Staal can't catch up to a loose puck at the blue line and can only weakly poke it at Chris Mason who covers it to stop play. After the whistle, the jumbotron shows Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and the crowd cheers wildly.

17:10: After an awkward save by Chris Mason, the Blues counter attack and Brad Winchester rings one off the pipe to the left of Marc-Andre Fleury.

18:29: And the Crosby-Malkin pairing lasts one shift. The Penguins come out with their traditional top line of Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin

20:00: The Penguins are starting tonight with Crosby and Malkin together. Usually that's reserved for desperate times, but Chris Kunitz hasn't scored a goal in 36 games, so perhaps it is desperate.

Random pre-game notes

-- Tonight's starting lineups:

St. Louis -- Goalie: Chris Mason, Defense: Roman Polak and Mike Weaver, Left Wing: Jay McClement, Center: Andy McDonald, Right Wing: Brandon Crombeen

Pittsburgh -- Goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury, Defense: Jay McKee and Alex Goligoski, Left Wing: Ruslan Fedotenko, Center: Sidney Crosby, Right Wing: Evgeni Malkin

-- Scratches:

St. Louis -- Dwayne King, Alexander Steen, Alex Pietrangelo.\

Pittsburgh --Chris Bourque, Martin Skoula

-- Last meeting: November 1, 2008, a 6-3 Penguins win in St. Louis.

-- The Blues lead the all-time series with a 65-48-18 mark, but are only 21-32-12 in Pittsburgh, losing seven of their past 10 trips to Mellon Arena.

-- Tonight's referees: Frerick L'Ecuyer and Paul Devorski; Linesmen: Brian Mach and Jay Sharrers.

-- Like every team in professional sports, the Penguins allow fans to send text messages to the scoreboard before the game and during breaks. One of the first ones that shows up tonight says: "Thank you St. Louis for Jay McKee, signed: Pens fans." The Penguins, of course, signed McKee this offseason -- for next to nothing, as far as free agency is concerned -- after he was bought out by the Blues. Through the first eight games in Pittsburgh, he's been a shot-blocking machine.

Live Blog: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

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Craig Anderson's Impressive Debut

Adam Gretz — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Blues, Red Wings, NHL Videos

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

After all 30 teams hit the ice on Saturday, there were zero games on the schedule for Sunday. So, let's rewind back to some of the bigger performances and stories of the weekend, starting with Colorado Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson. Not much is expected from the Avalanche this year, as most preseason predictions -- including yours truly -- have them pegged as the No. 13, 14, or 15 team in the Western Conference.

You wouldn't know it by watching their first two games, as first-year head coach Joe Sacco and his group have stormed out of the gate with a 2-0 mark, knocking off Western Conference powers San Jose and Vancouver. Leading the way is Goaltender Craig Anderson.

After the jump: St. Louis' quick-strike offense, video of the day, and more

After turning aside 38 of 40 shots Thursday's season opening win against San Jose, Anderson one-upped himself on Saturday by blanking the Vancouver Canucks. Through two games the 28-year-old netminder has stopped 73 of 75 shots for an impressive .973 save percentage. A former third-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2001, Anderson spent the past three seasons as a backup in Florida, posting a .928 save percentage in 43 starts.

It's still early, and we're still dealing with a relatively small sample size when it comes to Anderson's performance in goal (only 90 starts in seven years), but Colorado couldn't have asked for a better start from their free agent goaltender.

Speaking of fast starts. At the start of the 2008-09 season, the St. Louis Blues would have been considered a long shot to qualify for the postseason before they lost a number of key players (Andy McDonald, Erik Johnson, and Paul Kariya, just to name a few) to injury. The fact they not only made the playoffs, but finished in the top-six of the Western Conference, made them one of the best stories of the season. They're off to a fantastic start this year, winning back-to-back games against the Detroit Red Wings, the team that's represented the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons, in Stockholm, Sweden, and doing so in impressive fashion.

After falling behind, 3-1, in the second period on Friday, the Blues rebounded with three goals in five minutes, including a pair from Kariya, and held off the Red Wings for a 4-3 win. On Saturday, they were once again scoring goals in bunches as they beat Detroit backup goaltender Jimmy Howard twice in 14 seconds to take a 4-3 lead, before going on to win 5-3 to complete the weekend sweep.

For Detroit, the goaltending duo of Chris Osgood and Howard surrendered nine goals on just 55 shots (.836 save percentage), and will likely be under the microscope much of the regular season - until April rolls around and Osgood once again flips the switch and turns into a brickwall in net.

Loose Pucks

-- During Pittsburgh's 4-3 shootout win against John Tavares and the New York Islanders on Saturday, defenseman Brendan Witt leveled Penguins forward Ruslan Fedotenko with a clean, legal, open-ice hit at the blue line. Almost instantly, Witt was under seige from Penguins Jay McKee and Evgeni Malkin, challenging him to a fight, and continuing a disturbing -- and, frankly, a very annoying -- trend in the NHL where every clean hit must be answered with a fight. Why? Why should Witt, or any player, have to stand up for himself, and defend himself, for playing within the rules? As a result of the actions of Malkin and McKee, the Penguins handed the Islanders a full two-minute, two-man advantage, resulting in New York's first goal of the night. [Video of the Hit]

-- Was the instigator rule used improperly in the Daniel Carcillo vs. Tim Gleason bout Friday night? [Broad Street Hockey]

Video Of The Day

Tomas Vokoun makes the best of his 52 saves in Florida's season opening 4-3 win against Chicago in Helsinki, Finland.

Monday's Key Games

New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils: Always a good time when the Rangers and Devils get together. The Devils dropped their opening on Saturday to the Flyers, while the Rangers are coming off their first win of the season, a 5-2 victory against Ottawa.

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Vancouver Canucks: Vancouver has dropped its first two games of the season, losing at Calgary and Colorado. The Canucks open their home schedule against Steve Mason and the Blue Jackets.

Craig Anderson's Impressive Debut originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Offseason Roadmap: Central Division

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Blues, Predators, Red Wings, Western

It's officially the offseason, meaning the time is right to look into the future. We continue our division-by-division preview of the potential wheeling and dealing with the Central Division.

The Chicago Blackhawks are trying to build off a magical season. Columbus got its first taste of playoff hockey, while St. Louis returned to the playoffs after a far-too-long absence. Meanwhile, Nashville is trying to rebound after just missing the cut for the Western Conference playoffs.

Chicago Blackhawks: After a great season that saw this young group take a huge step forward, it's time for Chicago management to figure out how to get this team to take that final leap. The Blackhawks earned the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, then won six-game series against Calgary and Vancouver to advance to the Western Conference Finals. It was there that Detroit dispatched of Chicago in five games.

The Blackhawks have strength all over the ice, thanks to young stars like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook. While the Blackhawks have plenty of cap room (14 players signed for just over $36 million), they have some important decisions to make, most notably unrestricted free agent Martin Havlat and goalie Cristobal Huet. While Huet is signed for over $5.5 million a year through 2012, he was a disaster in his first playoff start against Detroit, and the main starter during the playoffs, Nikolai Khabibulin, is a free agent.

If Chicago wasn't already forking over $7 million a year to Brian Campbell, I'd suggest they get seriously involved in the Jay Bouwmeester sweepstakes. Instead, they need to look for cheaper ways to fill a couple defensive holes while continuing to build impressive forward depth.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Finally, Columbus got a taste of playoff hockey. The Jackets were in the race for much of the winter, and they got in as the seventh seed in the Western Conference. In the end, it was just a taste of playoff hockey, as Detroit dispatched of them in a four-game sweep.

Columbus has successfully built a young team around star forward Rick Nash for the first time. Nash has thrived as team captain, continuing to put up great numbers despite being the only truly great offensive threat on the team. He gets support from the likes of Kristian Huselius, R.J. Umberger, Fredrik Modin, and Jakub Voracek, but no one besides Nash is a true star. Of course, young goalie Steve Mason has become the defensive backbone of the Blue Jackets, and he will continue to get help from the likes of Mike Commodore, Rostislav Klesla, and Fedor Tyutin next season.

With 18 players signed for just under $41 million next season, there is some flexibility for the Blue Jackets. They're in a position to be aggressive on the free-agent market, and perhaps try to reel in a goal-scorer like Marian Gaborik, or get involved in a potential trade for Dany Heatley. While it's unlikely that Columbus will want to hand over $8 million or so per year for Gaborik or make an expensive trade for a big-money guy like Heatley, the Blue Jackets would be smart to think outside the box, as Nash is entering his contract year.

Detroit Red Wings: In case you missed it, here is Susan Slusser's piece outlining the upcoming offseason for Detroit.

Nashville Predators: Down the stretch in April, the Predators weren't quite good enough. A 2-4 finish to the regular season doomed Nashville, and a promising season went up in smoke.

However, there is plenty of reason for hope in the Music City. Pekka Rinne emerged as a top goaltender, and he should benefit greatly from the fact that the team's core is already signed for next season. The most prominent defenseman set to be a free agent is 36-year-old Greg de Vries, who had a very so-so season and probably shouldn't be expected back.

The Predators have just under $34 million locked up with 14 players for 2009-10, so they should be able to bring back veteran forwards Radek Bonk, Vernon Fiddler, and Steve Sullivan at reasonable prices. Under-30 forwards David Legwand and Martin Erat are locked up long-term, and captain Jason Arnott, 34, has two years left on his contract.

It might be a dream scenario, but Nashville would be smart to pursue free-agent forward Mike Cammalleri. He's only 27, is capable of putting up big numbers, and wouldn't be expected to be the main star in Nashville. His signing would give the Predators three front-line centers. Nashville also needs to get a bit stronger defensively, and it may be worth it for them to take a run at a second-tier guy like Jordan Leopold.

St. Louis Blues: It may have been a year sooner than people thought, but a wonderful stretch run by the Blues put them in the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Blues, it wasn't a long stay, as Vancouver swept them out of the postseason.

There were plenty of positives in the Blues' surge. Forwards T.J. Oshie and David Backes may have emerged as real stars for this team. The defense held up nicely, even though captain Eric Brewer and youngster Erik Johnson combined to play just 28 games all season (Brewer played in 28, while Johnson missed the entire season with a knee injury). Any kind of contribution from those two will significantly improve St. Louis' play on the blue line (not to mention Johnson's presence only helps an already-lethal power play).

It's not likely that the Blues will do much in free agency, given that they already have over $47 million locked up in 20 players. There are a lot of backup-quality goalies the Blues could sign to spell Chris Mason, assuming they don't want Ben Bishop on the big club so he can play 20 games.

The future is quickly becoming "Now" in St. Louis, as smart drafting and solid player development are paying off.

Offseason Roadmap: Central Division originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Offseason Begins: Panthers Acquire Reinprecht, Blues Keep Tkachuk

Adam Gretz — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:07:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Coyotes, Panthers

Around 10 AM ET Friday morning, the Florida Panthers announced on their twitter feed that some breaking news was set to be announced within the hour. The first thought, of course, was centered around the possibility of the team trading defenseman Jay Bouwmeester's rights to a club that intended to sign him. Or, perhaps, that a general manager had been named.

Two hours later, TSN's Darren Dreger announced, via his own twitter feed (naturally), that Florida and Phoenix had made a trade. The deal? Steven Reinprecht to Florida in return for Stefan Meyer. Considering the initial build up, it was kind of a letdown.

Actually, it's not a bad move for the Panthers (who also signed Reinprecht to a three-year contract extension) as he is expected to fit in as their second-line center according to assistant general manager Randy Sexton. Reinprecht spent the past four seasons in Phoenix and is coming off a 14-goal, 27-assist campaign with the Coyotes.

Meyer, a former second-round pick in 2003, has yet to crack the Florida lineup on a regular basis. He's played with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League the past four seasons, averaging 16 goals per season. In four games with the Panthers during the 2007-08 season he recorded no points.

Litter Box Cats seems to like the deal, and is also intrigued by the Panthers' strategy for announcing the not-so-big news.

On a related note, the Panthers employed a bizarre strategy for drawing eyeballs to their Facebook and Twitter sites: claiming an "announcement" was coming from the team "hopefully in the next hour". The anticipation was a bitch but all around it was kinda fun. Certainly got folks talking.

So, with that, we have the first "major" move of the NHL offseason. The big move remaining for the Panthers, obviously, is moving Bouwmeester's rights, preferably prior to the draft. The Panthers made the decision to keep the free-agent-to-be at the trade deadline instead of moving him to another contender. In hindsight, it's going to hurt because not only did Florida fail to qualify for the playoffs, but now the return via trade is going to be far less than it would have been in March. That said, I still think it was the absolute right move. This is a team that hasn't made the playoffs in eight seasons and was a legitimate contender for a playoff spot in early March. Trading their best player at that point would have been throwing up the white flag when there was no need to do so.

Just as a comparison for what Florida could expect to get for his negotiating rights now: Tampa Bay acquired Gary Roberts and Ryan Malone from Pittsburgh for a fourth-round pick a year ago, while the Predators sent the negotiating rights of Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen to Philadelphia for a first-round pick (which originally belonged to Nashville, anyway) prior to the 2007-08 season.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues began their summer on Friday afternoon by striking a one-year deal with forward Keith Tkachuk. A 37-year-old, 17-year veteran, Tkachuk scored 27 goals for a Blues team that surprised just about everyone in the NHL by qualifying for the postseason despite a number of injuries that decimated the team before the season even started.

The Offseason Begins: Panthers Acquire Reinprecht, Blues Keep Tkachuk originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canucks Finish Off Blues in Overtime

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:50:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Canucks, Western

Let there be no question that the St. Louis Blues have character. They have guts. They have fire. Oh, and they have some great young players who will only get better as the years go by.

Trailing 2-0 in the game and 3-0 in the series, the Blues showed zero quit, rallying to tie the score on two second-period goals, and then getting some great goaltending from Chris Mason, who dueled with Roberto Luongo through a scoreless third period. That duel continued deep into overtime, before Alex Burrows scored his second of the game to eliminate St. Louis, 3-2.

Canucks 3, Blues 2, OT: Recap | Box Score | Tuesday's Scores

After Burrows and Kyle Wellwood had tallied for the Canucks, a lesser team, even one full with young, hungry players, would have packed it in. The Blues had every reason to, after two heartbreaking losses and an amazingly frustrating start to the tournament.

Instead, St. Louis rallied, behind goals by Brad Boyes and David Perron about four minutes apart in the second period. The Blues were at their best from the second period on, peppering Luongo with pucks and bodies. However, their dormant power play never woke up, and Luongo was on top of his game all night.

The Blues had six criticial minutes in the overtime. Daniel Sedin took a two-minute hooking penalty, and Ryan Kesler was sent off for four minutes on a high stick. The power plays both came up empty, despite some good pressure and shots.

As they had been the whole series, the Canucks' penalty kill - keyed by Luongo and his tough defense - made the difference. Luongo made 47 saves, including 18 in overtime. With 19 seconds left, Burrows came down the right wing and beat Mason five-hole to end the series.

It's a learning experience for St. Louis, who lost their two best defensemen (Erik Johnson and Eric Brewer) to injury but still battled to a playoff spot. They'll be back.

For Vancouver, it's a timely sweep. They can rest some banged-up players, as they're looking at up to ten days off. That's probably too much, and it leaves them running the risk of being rusty for the second round. But no one will ever turn down a sweep in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Canucks Finish Off Blues in Overtime originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Special Teams Not Special for Blues

Bruce Ciskie — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:10:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Canucks, Western

Game Three is often a pivotal moment in a best-of-seven series. Of course, in the case of the St. Louis Blues, it's more about keeping hope alive at this point.

Yes, teams have come back after losing the first three games of a series. However, there's a reason why it hasn't happened in the NHL in over 30 years. Betting on it as the likely outcome of your team's series is just not a smart way to go about things. The Blues and their fans are about to find out why.

Canucks 3, Blues 2: Recap | Box Score | Sunday's Scores

Discipline was the big key to Vancouver's 3-2 win in front of a frenzied crowd in St. Louis Sunday evening. The Canucks' own lack of discipline was evident throughout the game, as they took a number of dumb penalties. However, the Blues were unable to take advantage, going scoreless in six power play chances. That included two long five-on-threes, one of which saw the Blues unable to establish any serious puck possession in the Vancouver zone.

While Vancouver deserves much credit for their wonderful penalty kill in this series, something needs to be said about the Blues' miserable failures in five-on-three opportunities. There is simply no excuse for not being able to at least set up the power play in the offensive zone when you have two extra players on the ice. It's one thing to get a large number of shots but come up empty. It's another to miss the net on your shot attempts and not have the gusto to out-battle the team that is missing two players.

Meanwhile, St. Louis' stirring lack of discipline and penchant for selfish penalties bit them square in the rear. Vancouver scored all three of their goals on power plays, with the Blues playing poorly in front of their own net. Vancouver continued a trend of outworking the Blues in front of goalie Roberto Luongo, and hard work in front of Chris Mason really spurred them on to this victory.

It's a hard way for a young team to learn the lessons of playoff hockey. You can't put yourself in the penalty box to show you're a macho man, as 30-goal scorer David Backes did twice. It just doesn't work that way. The teams that win in the playoffs are the ones that don't take those types of penalties, especially Backes' horribly selfish and probably suspension-worthy attack on Henrik Sedin in the final seconds. No, St. Louis probably wouldn't have tied it up, considering the trouble they had getting possession of the puck away from the boards, but Backes betrayed his team to prove a point at the worst possible time.

Assuming the Canucks don't become just the third team in NHL history to blow a 3-0 lead and lose a best-of-seven series, they'll have earned this victory. They've been easily the better team in the first three games, outworking and outhustling the Blues at every turn.

Game Four will be played Tuesday night in St. Louis, as the Blues try to avoid being the first team eliminated from the playoffs.

Special Teams Not Special for Blues originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will Kariya Play for Blues?

Bruce Ciskie — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Canucks, Western, NHL Injuries

Sunday night is a pivotal one for the St. Louis Blues. Down 2-0 in a best-of-seven series against Vancouver, St. Louis plays their first home playoff game since 2004 on Sunday night.

Veteran forward Paul Kariya has been out of the Blues' lineup since November. He's coming off hip surgery, and was recently cleared to skate with the team. His first practice with the Blues was Sunday morning, leading to a lot of buzz about his status for Sunday night's game. It's buzz that the Blues didn't do very much to kill.

The Blues know how to play the media, and they could simply be doing that.

Or maybe they're serious.

When he came off the ice, Kariya was asked if he'd be in the lineup to help the Blues who had only one goal in the first two games, said, "We'll see."

Not, "No way." Not, "Maybe."

So a question was posed to St. Louis coach Andy Murray: What does it say to you if Paul Kariya says, "We'll see."

The coach got a big smile on his face and didn't hesitate in saying, "If Paul tells me he can play ... he's in."

Jeremy Rutherford posted on the Morning Skate blog that Kariya is "extremely doubtful" for Sunday's game.

For what it's worth, I think it's dumb to save Kariya for a Game Four. If the Blues think he can be an asset to their lineup, what's the use of waiting until the series is potentially 3-0? If Kariya says he can go, either you let him play, or you shut him down if Vancouver wins Sunday.

We'll update this post once official word on Kariya's status is announced.

UPDATE: Word on the proverbial street is that both Kariya and Vancouver's Mats Sundin (groin) are out.

Will Kariya Play for Blues? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blues in Serious Trouble

Bruce Ciskie — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:40:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Canucks, Western

The St. Louis Blues have had a wonderful run this season. Just making the playoffs was an awesome achievement, and they should be very proud of themselves, no matter what happens from here. None of this is about trying to throw a bucket of cold water on a fine young team.

Reality, however, is about to set in. The Blues youthful exuberance on offense has been absolutely no match for the Vancouver Canucks disciplined defensive work in the first two games of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. In almost a carbon copy of Wednesday night's opener, Vancouver beat St. Louis 3-0 in Game Two Friday at GM Place in Vancouver.

Canucks 3, Blues 0: Recap | Box Score | Friday's Scores

No question, goalie Roberto Luongo has been superb in these first two games. However, Vancouver's wins have almost been more about the shots he didn't have to stop than the ones he did. The Canucks have done a great job protecting Luongo, limiting the Blues to one shot in virtually all their offensive rushes.

At this point, St. Louis has become a one-trick pony. They're incapable of generating any serious chances five-on-five, despite winning a ton of faceoffs. Instead, they have to rely on the power play. That's bad enough because it puts you at the mercy of the officials, but it becomes worse when the short-handed team makes a habit of out-working your team.

There was no better illustration of this than a power play the Blues got with about four minutes to play and the score 2-0. Despite a glut of faceoff wins, the Blues never were able to mount a serious offensive threat, because they were unable to win any battles for the puck along the boards. It was the classic case of a team pressing to make something happen, but in doing so, they forgot about the simple little things that make the offensive part of the game work.

For Vancouver, it's a comfortable-looking 2-0 series lead. Unless St. Louis can find a way to get something going, especially five-on-five, it will be a quick trip to the golf course. Just make sure Erik Johnson is buckled in to his cart.

Some controversy at the end of the game, as it appeared that Kevin Bieksa mixed it up with B.J. Crombeen. We'll see if the league has anything to say about it.

Blues in Serious Trouble originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canucks Show Off Defensive Prowess

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:40:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Canucks, Western

The first night of the Stanley Cup Playoffs produced two laughers, a very entertaining upset, and one impressive defensive performance.

It was the Vancouver Canucks who put together the defense, holding off the St. Louis Blues 2-1.

While the Sedin twins played a big role in their team's win, the big key was a defense that held the Blues at bay during five-on-five play, and a penalty kill that shut down a red-hot power play.

Canucks 2, Blues 1: Recap | Box score | Wednesday's scores

The Blues knew going in that they couldn't afford to pass up opportunities on the power play. Vancouver is a very good defensive club, and they have possibly the best goalie in the league in Roberto Luongo. For the Blues to score goals and play with a lead, they were going to have to score with the man advantage.

Instead, the opposite happened. Yes, the Blues got one on the power play, but the Brad Boyes rebound goal late in the second period was too little, too late. St. Louis had already squandered their best chance to seize momentum, which came in the first period when they had a two-man advantage for 1:42.

The Blues got pucks deep, with players camped out on both sides of the net. They set up one-timers from the top of the faceoff circles. They held the puck virtually the whole time in the Vancouver zone.

Nothing worked.

When something actually got through to Luongo, it was virtually harmless and he made it look easy. The Canucks packed three players tight around the net, and they put on one of the more impressive efforts you'll ever see in a five-on-three kill.

It was as good as scoring a goal, because it killed the confidence of St. Louis' power play, and it set the tone for the game.

Friday night, the Blues have to find ways to generate more chances five-on-five. You can't count on seven power plays in a playoff game, because it doesn't always work out that way. St. Louis didn't have a single power play in the third period, and they got outshot 15-6 for the stanza. That shows you how impressive (or, perhaps, dominant) Vancouver was during times of even-strength play.

This was a fun game to watch, and it was a nice way for the Canucks to set the tone for this series.

Canucks Show Off Defensive Prowess originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Andy Murray for Jack Adams Award

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:35:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Western, NHL Coaching

On February 20, the St. Louis Blues were an afterthought in the Western Conference playoff race. They sat in 15th place out of 15 teams in the conference, five points behind eighth-place Edmonton. It appeared to be just another non-playoff year for the Blues, who hadn't been to the postseason since before the lockout.

What has happened to St. Louis since then is nothing short of incredible. They went on a 16-5-3 tear to end the regular season, and the Blues climbed nine spots in the Western Conference, finishing in sixth place.

Let that sink in for a moment. Over the span of 24 games, the Blues were able to pass nine teams in the conference standings, many of whom were playing pretty well.

Even if you discount St. Louis' efforts because of the seemingly endless number of overtime/shootout games down the stretch, you have to remember that other teams were benefiting from the extra points in those games, too.

While credit goes to John Davidson for his work in the draft, along with his decision not to trade Keith Tkachuk at the deadline, there need to be plenty of kudos saved for head coach Andy Murray.

It's one thing to handle a young team and nurture them to a decent season, but Murray managed to get his team to peak at the absolute perfect time, and then was able to coax a playoff berth out of what looked like a lost season. Not only should he be revered in St. Louis for his work, but Murray is, hands-down, the best candidate for the Jack Adams Award.

Last year, voters got it right when they selected Bruce Boudreau of the Capitals for the award. He didn't coach the whole season, but he took over a disaster of a Washington team and straightened them out.

What Murray did was a bit different. In some ways, it was more impressive. The floundering Blues open the playoffs Wednesday night at Vancouver, and they went on this run without the use of a superstar or an out-of-this-world goalie.

St. Louis might be a bit short on playoff experience, but this series is not going to be a cakewalk for the Canucks. Murray will use his veterans to help prepare the kids, and the Blues will make things very interesting.

I've said many times that coaches get too much of the blame when things go badly, and they also tend to get too much credit when they go well. This situation is no exception. Murray deserves to be honored, but his players need to get their share of the kudos, too. They played some magnificent hockey in these last two months, and they earned every point they got.

Andy Murray for Jack Adams Award originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Playoff Predictions, 1st Round

Tom Mantzouranis — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Blues, Bruins, Canadiens, Canucks, Capitals, Devils, Ducks, Flames, Flyers, Hurricanes, Penguins, Rangers, Sharks, Red Wings

Tonight the puck drops on another NHL postseason and, just like every other hockey fan wracked with anticipation, we've got opinions on who will advance into the second round. After the jump, the NHL FanHouse staff makes their predictions for the first eight series of this year's playoffs.

Got your own? First, head over to the brilliant Rinkotology and fill out a bracket (and donate some cash to a great cause, if you can), and then come back here and leave your own picks in the comments.

1st Round Predictions
	BOS-MON	WAS-NYR	NJD-CAR	PIT-PHI	SJ-ANA	DET-COL	VAN-STL	CHI-CAL
Bruce Ciskie (0-0)
Adam Gretz (0-0)
Tom Mantzouranis (0-0)
Eric McErlain (0-0)
Kevin Schultz (0-0)

NHL Playoff Predictions, 1st Round originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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