NHL FanHouse

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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Fight of the Week: Princeton's Favorite Son Drops Them Again

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Canucks, Ducks, Penguins, Predators, Rangers, Sharks, Wild, NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

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

A light week on the card, but there was a relatively surprising bout and some pretty good ones to choose from. Highlighting it is our favorite former Princeton player, a gentleman who has made a name for himself by being a really good fighter. Of course, the big news of the week involved a team captain dropping the gloves with a random defenseman.

Huh? Fight of the Week: Marek Zidlicky vs. Sidney Crosby

Sometimes, guys are obviously planning to fight before they drop the gloves. Others are clearly spontaneous. This one falls under the latter. Crosby and Zidlicky had enough of using their sticks, and decided to use fists instead. Watch it here.

Beatdown of the Week: Kent Huskins vs. Jared Boll

Boll is one of the league's real up-and-coming heavyweights, and he dominated this scrap. It started with a hard hit on Huskins by Boll, and quickly became a fight. Just as fast as it started, Boll emphatically ended it. He then proceeded to stand over his conquest like a predator stands over lunch. Watch the fight here.

Runner-Up: Dane Byers vs. Tanner Glass

This was a little quick for most fans' tastes, but some really good punches were thrown. Byers got off to a quick start, but Glass got the last laugh, or "shot," if you prefer. Check it out here.

Fight of the Week: Wade Belak vs. George Parros

Parros is a top fighter, and he got all he could handle in this one from Thursday night. The Predators might not have done much to stay in the game, but Belak more than held his own against one of the best.

There is some solid back-and-forth between the two, and the ending is kind of a surprise. Too bad for the Ducks' TV people that the fight was over by the time they got the "Tale of the Tape" graphic ready.

Fight of the Week: Princeton's Favorite Son Drops Them Again originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rangers-Canucks Third Period Meltdown

Adam Gretz — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, Rangers, NHL Fights

During Wednesday's edition of Newsmakers, I made a brief mention of the insanity that unfolded in the third period of Tuesday's Rangers-Canucks game, and the video is perhaps even better than I could have ever imagined.

Just over four minutes into the period, with the Canucks leading 1-0, 17 players found their way onto the ice (10 Rangers, seven Canucks) and exchanged pleasantries at center ice. Once order appeared to be restored for a few seconds, Sean Avery had words with the Canucks bench, and before you knew it, he was stealing Shane O'Brien's stick (after O'Brien tried to spear him with it) and throwing it on the ice.

Video of the mayhem after the jump.

When all was said and done, Dane Byers, Kevin Bieska, Alex Burrows, Daniel Girardi and O'Brien were all issued 10-minute misconducts, while Ryan Kesler picked up a two-minute minor for roughing.

The pugilism didn't end there, of course, as Byers and Vancouver's Tanner Glass decided to throw down in the final two minutes after the Canucks had taken control with a 4-1 lead.

Byers picked up another 10-minute misconduct, as well as an instigator penalty, and finished the game with 29 penalty minutes. He only played 4:47.

I think the important thing to keep in mind, as the announcer points out, is this would have been a far worse situation 20 or 30 years ago when bench clearing brawls were quite common, and far more violent.

Rangers-Canucks Third Period Meltdown originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Heavyweights

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Canucks, Ducks, Flames, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Stars, 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.

It's no secret what we're looking for in a good fight. It needs to have intensity, some good back-and-forth action, and there is some longevity needed. If two guys trade a flurry of punches for seven seconds, it's not nearly as impressive as a high-quality 30-second fight.

This week's top fight has a little bit of everything.

Beatdown of the Week: Krys Barch vs. D.J. King

King played in just one game last season, but he showed no rust in this quick putaway of Barch. Watch the fight here, but don't blink, because you might miss the action.

Runner-Up: Colton Orr vs. George Parros

While the fight itself was okay, the news happened when Orr shoved the linesman who appeared to be trying to break up the bout prematurely.

(Orr, by the way, is not going to be punished any further for that, beyond the misconduct penalty he got at the time.)

Orr and Parros are experienced at this sort of thing, and it's no surprise they can get together and give the fans a good slugfest. Watch the video here.

Runner-Up: Brad May vs. Tanner Glass

May held a real heavy edge in experience on Glass, so you might think he would control this fight. Instead, the youngster did very well against May, even ducking out of the way as May threw a roundhouse that would have knocked Glass into the middle of the Olympic break. Watch the video here.

Fight of the Week: Steve MacIntyre vs. Brian McGrattan

This was easily the best dance of the week. McGrattan is the better fighter, and he won this one hands-down. But it wasn't just about that. MacIntyre made a good showing of himself by simply competing, and he showed he can hang with one of the league's better fighters.

It's not hard to fathom that these two -- playing on division rivals -- will go again this season.

Fight of the Week: Heavyweights originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Willie Mitchell Delivers Crushing Hit on Jonathan Toews

Adam Gretz — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Canucks, NHL Videos

The Vancouver Canucks were 3-2 winners against the Chicago Blackhawks Wednesday night thanks to Mikael Samuelsson's game-winning goal late in the third period.

Earlier in the period, Canucks defenseman Willie Mitchell came out of the penalty box and found himself in a position to catch Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews with his head down, and used that opportunity to deliver a crushing (and what appears to be a clean) open-ice hit.

It might be the hit of the year so far. Video after the jump.

Yeah, that appears to be clean. Mitchell doesn't leave his feet, doesn't lead with an elbow, and the hit doesn't appear to be directed at Toews' head. Just a good, solid open-ice hit.

The problem, if you're the Canucks, is that the play was stopped (negating a two-on-none break) because the Blackhawks decided to respond with an attempt at some vigilante justice, which is a continuing (and disturbing) trend in today's NHL following clean hits. Kris Versteeg ended up taking the extra penalty for Chicago, giving Vancouver a power play, but it cost the Canucks a prime scoring opportunity.

It's obvious that Toews was shaken up following the play, and that's unfortunate. Nobody wants to see him (or any other player) injured on the ice. But hockey is a physical game, and when players play within the rules (as Mitchell did in this case) they shouldn't have to drop the gloves and defend themselves.

Clean hit. Play on.

Video: Willie Mitchell Delivers Crushing Hit on Jonathan Toews originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Backchecking With ... Alex Burrows

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

Filed under: Canucks, FanHouse Exclusive

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

What is your earliest hockey memory?

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

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

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

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

Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Vancouver Gets In the 'W' Column

Adam Gretz — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Canadiens, Canucks

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.

Canucks 7, Canadiens 1: After three straight losses to start the season, the Vancouver Canucks took out some of their frustrations on Montreal Wednesday night by dominating the Canadiens, 7-1. The Sedin twins combined for two goals and five assists in the win, while Roberto Luongo, fresh off a start where he gave up four goals on just 12 shots against Columbus, stopped 27 of 28 shots in the win.

Carey Price started in goal for the Canadiens and was lifted after giving up all seven Vancouver goals. Jaroslav Halak came on in relief and stopped all three shots he faced.

After the jump: Video of the day and a look at Thursday's key games

Wednesday's Other Game

Phoenix dominates the Penguins in Pittsburgh. [Box Score, More on this game later today]

Loose Pucks

-- The NHL closes the tampering issue between one of Brian Burke's old teams, the Vancouver Canucks, and Brian Burke's current team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Play nice, gentlemen. [ESPN]

Video Of The Day

Brent Johnson made his first start for the Penguins and, for the most part, kept them in the game with saves like this:

Thursday's Key Games

Penguins vs. Flyers: It's the first meeting of the year between Chris Pronger and Sidney Crosby as the Penguins travel to Philadelphia. It's also a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference quarterfinals (and the previous year's Eastern Conference Final).

Blackhawks vs. Red Wings: Detroit opens its home schedule as it takes on division rival Chicago, the team the Red Wings eliminated in last year's Western Conference final. Both teams opened the season in Europe, and will be playing their first games on North American soil. The Wings are still looking for their first win after being swept in Stockholm, Sweden by the St. Louis Blues.

Avalanche vs. Predators: Colorado looks to continue it's surprising start as it makes its first road trip of the season, traveling to Nashville.

Vancouver Gets In the 'W' Column originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Luongo's Rough Start Continues

Adam Gretz — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Canucks

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.

Blue Jackets 5, Canucks 3: It's a long season, and when all is said and done I have no doubt that Roberto Luongo will once again be at the top of the pile when it comes to NHL goaltenders. His first three starts of the season, however, have been quite forgettable, and Monday's game against Columbus was certainly the worst. Luongo was lifted after giving up four goals on just 12 shots, including three in a row to start the second period. Through three starts he's stopped just 50 of 61 shots.

After the jump: Video of the day, great minor league fight, Tuesday's key games

With Monday's loss, the Canucks fall to 0-3 on the season, while Columbus, led by Steve Mason's 40 saves, improves to 2-0. Antoine Vermette, Rostislav Klesla, Kristian Huselius, Nikita Filatov, and Fedor Tyutin all scored for the Blue Jackets.

Monday's Other Game

Teenage defenseman leads Rangers' power play [Box Score, Botta's Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- Carolina Hurricanes forward Erik Cole is going to miss some significant time due to a fracture in his lower left leg. [TSN]

-- Great minor league hockey fight between Joe Vitale and Kevin Harvey. [YouTube]

-- The Florida Panthers signed free-agent forward Dominic Moore to a one-year contract. [Litter Box Cats]

-- Columbus and Rostislav Klesla came to an agreement on a four-year contract extension over the weekend. [Puck Rakers]

-- During the fourth quarter of Monday night's Green Bay vs. Minnesota football game (otherwise known as Favre Bowl I), ESPN play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico referred to Packers kicker Mason Crosby as "Sidney Crosby." That will likely be the only time a hockey player is referenced by name on ESPN until the Stanley Cup Final.

Video Of The Day

Michael Del Zotto scores his second goal in as many games for the New York Rangers.

Tuesday's Key Games

Capitals vs. Flyers: The Washington Capitals are on pace to score, roughly, a billion goals this season (number may not be accurate) and they take their show on the road to Philadelphia for the Flyers' home opener. Ray Emery has looked solid in net for the Flyers through two starts, and this will clearly be his biggest challenge of the young season.

Senators vs. Maple Leafs: After losing in overtime to arch-rival Montreal in the season opener, the Maple Leafs were throttled by the Washington Capitals on Saturday. The Leafs return home on Tuesday for The Battle Of Ontario as they host the Ottawa Senators.

Stars vs. Oilers: Edmonton lost a point on Saturday when Nikolai Khabibulin turned the puck over to David Moss with less than a minute to play in regulation. The Oilers return to action, at home, against Dallas.

Luongo's Rough Start Continues originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last Season's Ending Drives Luongo

Susan Slusser — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, FanHouse Exclusive

Roberto Luongo doesn't bristle when he's asked about the last game of the Canucks' 2008-2009 season. He gave up seven goals in Game 6 of Vancouver's conference semifinals loss to Chicago in May. That was decidedly unlike Luongo. He knows it, everyone knows it. And he's using the worst big-game performance of his career as fuel as a new campaign gets underway.

"It's tough to figure out," Luongo told FanHouse. "Obviously, I didn't have my best game, and there were a lot of factors that came together. But I'm trying to use it as motivation for this season. I'm not happy it happened, but I learned from it."

Luongo still sounds surprised talking about that night, saying, "The thing is, I felt good, believe it or not. I stopped a breakaway by Martin Havlat, I was feeling comfortable. Then a couple of goals went in and all of a sudden it was 7-5. I've just got to grow from it."

The summer wasn't entirely stress-free, either. Luongo, a four-time All-Star and the Canucks' captain (the first goalie to be named captain in 61 years), was in negotiation for a contract extension. The deal was completed at the start of this month, and Luongo will earn a total of $64 million over 12 years. In addition, the Canucks re-signed the Sedin twins to five-year $30.5 million deals just before they were scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.

Luongo did not want the talks to continue into the season, so he was relieved to get things wrapped up.

"That was huge for me," he said. "I didn't want to face the same questions every day. I want to focus on hockey. I didn't want to have anything that was a distraction, especially in such an important year for this hockey club."

Last year Luongo thought the Canucks had the talent to win it all. He believes they have that level of ability again, and, he said, "We've added depth to our defense (with Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich), we've added Mikael Samuelsson. We had a very disappointing end to last season, but we've got a really confident group here."

Luongo has been terrific in the preseason, with a 1.45 goals against average and .942 save percentage in three games, and though he is among the top handful of goaltenders in the league, he is still trying to improve.

"Every year, I want to brush up on the basics during the preseason, make sure I'm doing things right, the things that make you successful," he said. "But I also want to implement something new every year and become more successful doing other things."

This exhibition season, he said, he's working on his post-shot response - making sure he's quicker getting into position for second shots.

"So far, so good," he said.

Luongo has something else to look forward to in the coming year, too -- he is expected to be one of Canada's top two goaltenders for the Winter Olympics, which will be held in Vancouver. He'll be one of the most visible athletes of the Games, a Canadian representing his home country in the town he plays professional hockey in.

Last Season's Ending Drives Luongo originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roberto Luongo Has Earned Every Cent

Christopher Botta — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks

If Roberto Luongo's new contract was for 24 years and $128 million, he would still be worth every penny. The Vancouver Canucks did wonderfully for themselves and their fan base by getting him at half. Priceless is the professional athlete who just shuts up and plays his position as well as anyone on the planet.

The 30-year-old Luongo had three wishes: to get paid, to not bankrupt the Canucks from fielding a contender and to go very long-term. So what if the contract doesn't end until the Jamie Moyer stage of his career?

Wednesday, everyone had a lot to say about what Luongo will be at 43 and what he is now at age 30. But a little history reveals why the All-Star goalie may have been so resolute in his demands.

Despite being the most-hyped goaltender of the last 15 years, he has delivered on his immense potential. Of course, there is the rather large matter of carrying a team to a Stanley Cup, but even his critics are forgiving. They acknowledge Luongo has been an NHL goalie for nine seasons, a member of a functional NHL franchise for only the last three.

While universally hailed as the game's top prospect a decade ago, Luongo was demoted to the minors by the New York Islanders so the owners at the time could avoid paying him bonus dollars. The goalie, all of 20 years old, proved he was the better man. He just shut up and played hockey.

Luongo was traded by Mike Milbury on Draft Day 2000 with Olli Jokinen to Florida for Oleg Kvasha and Mark Parrish. (The Islanders also passed on the opportunity to draft a few future 40-goal scorers, but we're trying to keep this column a reasonable length). While the rest of the league either laughed or gasped, Luongo -- steely determination a cliché invented for athletes like him -- just shut up, went to South Florida and played hockey.

His five years with the talentless and colorless Panthers can be summed up by this beauty of a stat line from their playoff-less 2003-04 season: 73 games, 7 shutouts, 2.43 goals-against average and .931 save percentage. All this led to a record of 25-33-14. No one would have blamed Luongo for ripping his mask off mid-game and banging his head repeatedly into the goal pipes, but that has never been his style.

So when Florida joined the Islanders as the second asinine team to trade Roberto Luongo, the goalie decided to take a personal interest in his future with the Canucks. No, this isn't franchise player as management nudge -- simply a goaltender wanting to stop pucks and the insanity.

Good for him. Good for the Canucks. Good for their fans. Entering the prime of a Hall of Fame career, Luongo negotiated 12 years for $64 million -- an annual salary cap hit of $5.33 million. Rick DiPietro, his apparent heir at the Islanders, got $67.5 million for 15 years ($4.5 mill) without proving much. Neither deal prevents the Canucks or Islanders from building Cup-contending rosters. Only Luongo, always in the conversation as the No. 1 goalie for Team Canada, is currently healthy enough to do something about it. Canucks management, so emotionally invested in the man from Quebec they named him captain, now begins losing sleep over the nightmare of a long-term injury to The Franchise.

Make no mistake, the league office abhors these long-term deals. Gary Bettman was not shy about his distaste for the DiPietro deal, but opted for silence when established superstar Alex Ovechkin was inked for 13 years. Recent contracts by Philadelphia (Chris Pronger) and Chicago (Marian Hossa) were downright knee-slappers in their circumvention of the salary cap.

You don't need Brian Burke to underline the $1 million Luongo will receive in each of the last two years to see the salary cap scam (imagine that, a sports team looking for an edge). Try as they might, league lawyers will not find the Luongo deal in violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Their next chance to change the rules arrives in 2011.

Celebrate, Canucks Country. You have the best player on your team -- the goalie most real GMs would take in their fantasy draft -- for at least the next decade.

Roberto Luongo was born to be a goaltender. Look at him: long arms, long legs, Gumby-like flexibility, Andy Pettitte-like focus. Now, just as he wanted, he's a Canuck for the rest of his playing days.

Roberto Luongo Has Earned Every Cent originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:00:00 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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Luongo Sets Deadline for Extension; Predators Interested in Chelios?

Adam Gretz — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, Predators, NHL Free Agency

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our daily look at the previous night's action. During the offseason, it's our link dump that looks at some of the storylines and moves taking place around the league three times per week. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

The Vancouver Canucks have, arguably, the best goaltender in the NHL in Roberto Luongo, and they now have just under three weeks to sign him to a long-term contract extension or they risk losing him. Luongo is set to become a free agent following the season, and while the two teams have had talks, a deal has yet to be reached. According to the Globe and Mail, Luongo has set a deadline for September 13 for a new contract to be signed as he will not negotiate once training camp begins.

From Matthew Sekeres and Erik Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail:

"We're trying to get it done before camp," Luongo said in Calgary yesterday. "If it doesn't happen before camp, I will not be negotiating during the season. I don't want to have that distraction." Yesterday, Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said a contract extension is not finished, but he is confident the sides will arrive at terms over the next 18 days. "I'd prefer that we have it wrapped up [by camp]," Gillis said. "We're all confident that we're moving in the right direction."

The 30-year-old Luongo is coming off a 2008-09 campaign that saw him post a .920 save percentage in goal for the Canucks, despite missing several weeks with a groin injury. While Luongo's intention here is to avoid a distraction, Sean Zandberg of Nucks Misconduct sees the deadline as a double-edged sword:

On one side, I can appreciate that Lou wants to completely focus on this season and he wants the team to succeed plus be the starting goalie for Canada in at the Olympics. Unfortunately, if a deal does not get worked out you know what's going to happen: many of the media and the fans are going to hound him for answers regardless and the "trade Luongo" freaks are going to come back out in full force. Distraction is imminent if a deal doesn't get done. Especially in a hockey-mad, hungry and even cruel-as-hell market like Vancouver. I would really prefer the extension to get done soon given those circumstances.

Nashville Might Have Some Interest In Chris Chelios

Even at the age of 47, Chris Chelios is still drawing interest from teams around the NHL, including the Nashville Predators. The money line from Thursday's John Glennon article in the Tennessean discussing the possibility: "I said, 'Chris, are you sure you'd have the interest of playing in Nashville, because you're not exactly well-liked here?' '' Trotz said. "He said, 'Trotzy, trust me, I'm not well-liked anywhere.' I said 'Yeah, I guess you're right.' '' [The Tennessean]

Loose Pucks

... Mike Sillinger announced his retirement on Wednesday, ending a career that saw the 17-year veteran play with 12 different teams, or, 40 percent of the league. Impressive. [TSN]

... Senators head coach Cory Clouston responds to Dany Heatley's claim that a diminished role is the reason for his trade demands. [Ottawa Citizen]

... Randy Youngman tries to explain where that random Patrick Marleau rumor from Tuesday came from. [OC Register]

Luongo Sets Deadline for Extension; Predators Interested in Chelios? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remembering Don Gibson for $1 Million

Kevin Schultz — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:10:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, NHL Fans, NHL Economics

Hey Canuck fans, have I got a great deal for you! How would you like to relive the magical days of Don Gibson, from the monumental moment he was drafted in the third round in 1986 to his epic 14-game call-up during the 1990-91 season? You would? Well, how about settling for a hockey card that lists his three career NHL assists?

For the low, low price of $1,000,000 you too can relive the magic of Gibson's career with the Canucks with a limited edition one-of-a-kind hockey card printed by Upper Deck. And heck, the seller is even throwing in the rest of the set for free. Sold yet?

Yes folks, for the low price of a million bucks (plus shipping and handling), one generous eBay seller is auctioning off his set of 1992-93 Upper Deck hockey cards -- which appears to actually be the 1991-92 set -- complete with all the hologram cards and a misprinted Don Gibson rookie. It's the gem of the set, since it was misprinted without the trademark Upper Deck hologram of authenticity. And that's, you know, about the only way to inflate the value of a card of a player who saw only 14 games of NHL service.

But wait -- that's not all! You can also get the rookie card of Miikka Kiprusoff's older brother, Marko. Really, there's a lot to like, especially if you're a fan of things that are $999,950 overpriced.

Who says that we're in a recession? The hockey card industry is clearly flourishing with deals like this around.

Remembering Don Gibson for $1 Million originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ryan Kesler Is Back From Camp and Likes USA's Chances

Susan Slusser — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, Olympic Hockey, FanHouse Exclusive

The USA Olympic orientation camp made for some strange bedfellows. Vancouver forward Ryan Kesler found himself rooming with T.J. Oshie of the Blues, who'd sent some cheap shots Kesler's way in the past, according to Kesler.

"I wasn't a fan," Kesler told FanHouse by phone this week. "And Paul Stastny once got me with a stick on a faceoff and chipped a couple of my teeth. But we sat down and talked and they're good guys. Stastny apologized for high-sticking me in the face."

Could it be that some of the other USA hopefuls felt equally ambivalent about Kesler going into the camp?

"A couple," Kesler said with a laugh. "About 90 percent."

The camp, held near Chicago, concluded this week and Kesler came away particularly impressed with Boston goalie Tim Thomas. He hadn't seen much of Thomas before, and, Kesler said, Thomas stopped every one of his shots during practice.

Kesler, a Michigan native, is pretty much a lock for Team USA, whose general manager, Brian Burke, drafted Kesler for the Canucks in 2003. Burke's comments about Kesler all week were glowing, and Kesler was a Selke finalist, so it's kind of a no-brainer.

That's a good thing, because Kesler, who turns 25 at the end of this month, will be an interesting storyline come the Olympics. He plays for the Winter Olympics host city during the NHL season and he said it's extra special to have a chance to play in Vancouver as an Olympian - but for the duration of the the international competition, he'll be wearing the wrong uniform as far as most Canucks fans are concerned. The reaction could be decidedly mixed, especially after Kesler recently told Greg Wyshynski of Puck Daddy, "I guarantee that we'll beat the Canadians."

Kesler didn't backpedal from that statement when he spoke to FanHouse, but he did temper it somewhat. He has to play north of the border, after all.

"Canada has a lot of pressure on them," he said. "They're a good team but we're going to have to get past them to win. You can't win unless you beat them. So I'm not backing off what I said - but I can't say too much bulletin board stuff."

Except, perhaps, when it comes to his own teammate, the Canucks' star goaltender, Roberto Luongo, who along with Martin Brodeur, will be one of Team Canada's netminders.

Reflecting on the possibility of facing Luongo in February, Kesler said, "It definitely would be strange. He's a great goaltender, the best in the league.

"But obviously, shooting against him every day, you tend to learn his weaknesses. So it might be a little payback for all those years he's stopped me in practice."

Luongo is a reason the Canucks are viewed as potential contenders every year, as is Kesler, who was named the team's MVP last season, and the Sedin twins, who were inked to fresh contracts at the start of July. Mikael Samuelsson was added as a free agent, but Mats Sundin, who fit in well with the club last season after his lengthy career in Toronto, remains a free agent.

Numerous reports in the past day or two have indicated not only that Sundin wants to return to the NHL but also that Vancouver is the best bet to sign the 38-year-old center. Kesler had no particular insight into that, he said, but he's all in favor.

"If that happens, it would be great," Kesler said. "Sundin definitely helped me become a more complete player, that would bring things full circle. He's great on the ice and he's one of the better guys I've played with off the ice, a leader in the room."

No matter what, Kesler feels good about the Canucks. He stopped short of making any guarantees there, but, he said, "I believe in this group. I think every year is the year, but I like what our GM (Mike Gillis) is doing, and we have some young guys looking to step up. It's a good mixture."

Ryan Kesler Is Back From Camp and Likes USA's Chances originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jordan Schroeder's Father Shoots Down Canucks/WHL Rumor

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, Western, College Hockey

A rather odd story was making the rounds in western Canada Thursday. The rumor involved Vancouver Canucks first-round pick, Jordan Schroeder. He's a forward with the University of Minnesota, and was one of the top freshmen in college hockey last year.

The rumor had Schroeder signing an entry-level deal with the Canucks, then either making the team (possible) or playing the season with the Everett Silvertips, who own his Western Hockey League rights (more likely).

The rumor made some sense. Doing this would give the Canucks a chance to take a long look at Schroeder in training camp, and even for the first ten games of the regular season, before making a decision on where he would play this season.

While there are some teams who believe that their draft picks are better off in major junior than U.S. college hockey, there are others who will let a kid make up his own mind. It appears the Canucks are that type of organization. Yes, they plucked Ryan Kesler out of Ohio State after his freshman year, but they also let Mason Raymond stick around for two years at Minnesota Duluth.

In the case of Schroeder, the Canucks aren't pushing. Schroder's father, John, has told The Vancouver Sun that his son will return to Minnesota for his sophomore season.

"I just talked to Jordan last night," John Schroeder said from Prior Lake, Minn. "We've told [the Canucks] he's going to go back to school for another year. He'll be a leader on his team and can work on some things, like his shooting. He can grow in maturity and be ready to step into professional hockey at the end of the season.

"Playing in the WHL is probably not an option for us."

While this is good news for the Gophers and their fans, it does come with a bit of a downer. After all, it doesn't sound like Jordan Schroeder will be in college beyond this coming season.

John Schroeder said his son could join either the Canucks or their farm team in Winnipeg after the college season ends in March. Jordan turns 19 on Sept. 29.

The Gophers just missed the NCAA Tournament in 2009. With the XCel Energy Center in St. Paul hosting an NCAA regional in March 2010, the pressure is on to return.

(Tap of the stick: Western College Hockey)

Jordan Schroeder's Father Shoots Down Canucks/WHL Rumor originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL's Top 50: Roberto Luongo (No. 6)

Adam Gretz — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, Islanders, Panthers, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 6 is Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo.

It still amazes me as to how a player this good and this dominant, and at a position of such importance, could be traded -- twice! -- for such awful returns.

When discussing Zdeno Chara and Jason Spezza in my top 50, I made mention of how then-Islanders general manager Mike Milbury traded the future Norris Trophy winning defenseman, and the pick that was used on Spezza for Alexei Yashin, and how infamously bad it ended up being. Not even that was bad enough to make up for the sting that was his June 24, 2000 deal that sent Luongo -- and Olli Jokinen -- to the Florida Panthers for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha. Luongo, of course, blossomed into an elite goaltender for the Panthers, while Jokinen eventually developed into a consistent 30-goal scorer.

The NHL's Top 50 Players: See the Entire List

At the time, Milbury gave us one of his best quotes ever, saying: "We're rolling the dice here a little bit. Roberto Luongo is going to be an excellent goaltender in this league. He is a class act and a kid I know we would have been happy to ride with. But hell, I've gotta send him off."

Brilliant!

After dealing Luongo, a fifth overall pick just three years earlier, Milbury then used the No. 1 overall pick in the draft on Rick Dipietro, who has had his promising career derailed by injuries -- the Islanders actually signed two free agent goaltenders this offseason (Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron) despite having Dipietro signed through the 2020 season. Not a good sign.

Luongo spent five years playing for some bad Florida teams, and still managed to finish in the top-10 in save percentage every season despite being peppered by well over 30 shots per game. In his last two years with the Panthers, he faced, on average, 34 shots per game, and posted an impressive .922 save percentage in the process. Those two seasons, by the way, rank No's 1 and 2 all-time in terms of most shots faced by a goalie in a single season. Unable to work out a contract extension with their franchise goalie, the Panthers traded him, along with defenseman Lukas Krajicek and a draft pick, following the 2005-06 season for Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen and Alex Auld. Just three years later, Allen is the only player that remains with the team.

Despite his success, the one thing people tend to point to is his lack of playoff experience (he's only played in the postseason twice) and how his team's have never played past the second round. Following Vancouver's Game 6 loss to Chicago in the Western Conference Semifinals, scribes in Vancouver flirted with the idea of moving their franchise goalie, while Stan Fischler of Max Hockey penned a column in June asking if Luongo is a fraud or a find.

Which brings me to the 2009 edition of Luongo and what he's all about. For real or fraud? Which is he? Roberto has been touted as The Man who can bring a Stanley Cup to British Columbia. So far he's brought only hopes, hype and a horrendous final playoff game against the Chicago Blackhawks last Spring. Stanley Cups are won with superior goaltending -- IN THE CLUTCH.

Luongo has started 22 playoff games and currently holds an 11-11 record to go with a .920 save percentage. His first postseason appearance, during the 2006-07 season, saw the Canucks eliminate the Dallas Stars in seven games, and then fall to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks in five games. Three of Vancouver's losses to Anaheim were one-goal decisions, including a pair of overtime losses in Games 4 and 5. The Canucks never scored more than two goals in a single game that series. Unless the expectation for your starting goaltender is to never surrender a goal in the postseason, it's hard to put much of that series on his shoulders.

After sweeping the St. Louis Blues this postseason, a series that included Luongo's first career playoff shutout, the Canucks were eliminated in six games by Chicago, including what was a disastrous third period performance by Luongo in the deciding game. Should that be reason to believe he can never help carry a team a Stanley Cup? Of course not. He's still only 29 years old and has plenty of hockey in front of him. Dominik Hasek, for example, is regarded as one of the greatest goalies to ever play the game, and it took him until he was 37 to get his first cup. Ed Belfour was 33.

He currently has the best career save percentage of any active goalie, owns 47 career shutouts, and is a three-time All-Star.

And now, for your obligatory YouTube video...

NHL's Top 50: Roberto Luongo (No. 6) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vancouver's Alex Burrows Investigated for Summer Hockey Incident

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, Western, NHL Police Blotter

Anyone who is a fan of a Northwest Division team knows how Alex Burrows of Vancouver plays. He's not the biggest player on the Canucks, but he's intense, physical, and one of those players who's not afraid of anything on the ice.

He's also the kind of guy who will drive opponents absolutely crazy, because he refuses to give up on a play, and he loves getting in the goalie's face. According to a published report, Burrows is under investigation for allegedly taking that intensity a little bit too far in a summer game.

During a summer hockey game in Montreal, Burrows allegedly got mixed up with a goalie.

According to a report on RDS.ca, an investigation is underway in response to a complaint filed on July 21 that states Burrows violently struck the face of a goaltender with his stick during a game at the Excellent Ice Arena in Kirkland, Que.

Burrows' agent isn't sure how this will play out.

Burrows' agent, Paul Corbeil, said police were called to the arena after the alleged incident, but no arrests were made.

Asked by the Vancouver Sun if he was worried about the possibility of charges being laid, Corbeil said: "We need to be serious with that possibility, but there are no charges right now. We'll see.

"I think everything will be okay. I think so, but you never know."

The summer league Burrows was taking part in includes professional and amateur players.

Vancouver's Alex Burrows Investigated for Summer Hockey Incident originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL's Top 50: The Sedin Twins (No. 21)

Adam Gretz — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 21 is Vancouver Canucks forwards Henrik and Daniel Sedin.

Maybe I'm cheating here, and I realize that including Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin as one entry makes this the FanHouse top 51, but that's only if you see them as two individual players and not the two-headed monster they've been the past four seasons.

The NHL's Top 50 Players: See the Entire List

The Numbers: Henrik And Daniel Sedin
Career Totals	Goals	Assists	Points	Pim
Henrik Sedin	109	351	460	370
Daniel Sedin	179	283	462	264

Draft Year: 1999

Even in the NHL draft they were right next to each other. The Sedins were selected with back-to-back picks at the top of the 1999 entry draft after Brian Burke, then general manager of the Canucks, had to pull off a series of trades to acquire them. Atlanta (part of Burke's master plot in '99) took Patrik Stefan with the top pick, one spot before the Sedins went off the board.

Why They're On My List

Outstanding two-way players. Henrik is the better passer, and the more physical player, while Daniel is the better goal-scorer. Their point totals have mirrored each other over the course of their careers, which begs the question: How would they perform if they were split up for an extended period of time? That remains to be seen, and frankly, as long as they're together in Vancouver (and they will be for the next five years) it doesn't really matter because they're one of the best center-wing duos in the league. They're both extremely durable, and have combined to miss just one game (Daniel during the 2006-07 season) since the lockout.

Obligatory YouTube Video

I have no idea what's going on in this Swedish Truck commercial featuring the twins, other than they appear to be playing hockey with forklifts.

NHL's Top 50: The Sedin Twins (No. 21) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 02 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leafs Coach Wilson's Comments Lead to Tampering Investigation

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, Maple Leafs, Eastern, NHL Free Agency

Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Brian Lawton could very well be smarter than Toronto head coach Ron Wilson.

After all, Lawton has been able to convince everyone that he and the agent for Mattias Ohlund, J.P. Berry, negotiated a complex player contract and finalized details in less than 20 minutes July 1. Wilson, meanwhile, couldn't resist making comments on the radio about Vancouver's Sedin twins before free agency began. Take a guess which team is potentially in hot water with the NHL.

That's right. Lawton gets off scot-free for what seems to be obvious tampering, while Wilson's vague remarks about two players who never entered free agency are drawing scrutiny.

Leafs general manager Brian Burke confirmed yesterday that the NHL has informed him that the league will examine potential tampering because of remarks made by the Leafs coach in an interview with a Toronto radio station last week.

"The league has indicated that they are looking into it, so we will have no public commentary at this time," Burke said yesterday when asked to respond to a column published by the Vancouver Province last weekend in which an unnamed NHL executive remarked that what Wilson said was a "clear-cut case of tampering."

Last Tuesday, less than 24 hours before the Sedin twins re-signed with the Vancouver Canucks, Wilson told the Fan 590 in Toronto, "You're hearing right now, and this sounds very contradictory but, there's a real possibility, I would think, that we would be going after the Sedins. Let's just speculate there."

I get that Wilson should know better. Everyone working in the NHL should know better.

But this is ridiculous.

There's no evidence to support an argument that the Lightning tampered with Ohlund, except for the terms of his contract and the fact that it was announced when the signing period had just started. Reality, however, is that Ohlund indeed did sign with the Lightning, and you're naive if you believe that Lawton and Berry had no contact whatsoever regarding Ohlund before free agency began.

Wilson's comments were not smart, but they were made about two players who eventually chose to re-sign with their current team, and never made it to the open market.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told the Globe and Mail that the Canucks have not filed charges, which also adds intrigue to the story. If Vancouver doesn't feel they were victimized in either case, then why is the league investigating in the first place?

Does Wilson's crime really rise to a level where it doesn't matter if the "victim" feels like a victim?

Leafs Coach Wilson's Comments Lead to Tampering Investigation originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mattias Ohlund Signs With Lightning

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, Lightning, Eastern, Western, NHL Free Agency

Just mere minutes after the NHL free agency period started Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Lightning jumped in the pool.

Looking for a veteran defenseman to help tutor rookie Victor Hedman, the second overall pick in the NHL Draft last weekend, the Lightning apparently found their target quite quickly. They had to head all the way to Vancouver to do it, but they have signed Mattias Ohlund away from the Canucks, according to multiple reports.

USA Today's Kevin Allen was first to break the news, as he reported a deal was one on his Twitter feed. From there, we got word from TSN's Bob McKenzie that Ohlund is being paid quite handsomely to move from the west coast of North America to the west coast of Florida.

McKenzie says Ohlund got a seven-year deal worth $3.75 million annually.

Yes, the Lightning just gave a 33-year-old defenseman a seven-year deal.

With the salary cap expected to fall next year, this kind of deal actually makes some sense. Ohlund is likely to make more than $3.75 million in the first few years of the contract. While the cap hit is stretched out over seven years, the team's out-of-pocket expense will probably fall in the last couple years of the deal.

Of course, the Lightning may very well regret this when they're stuck with a $3.75 million cap hit for a 39- or 40-year-old.

Hilariously, all of this comes after general manager Brian Lawton told Erik Erlendsson that the team would be cautious in free agency. If by "cautious," Lawton meant "insane," then he was absolutely right.

Mattias Ohlund Signs With Lightning originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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