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The Pink Slip Index: Which Coach Will Be First to Go?

Kevin Schultz — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Flyers, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Panthers, 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.

We've made it through the first month of the NHL season and not one coach has gotten fired yet. That's got to be some kind of record. This is the NHL! Coaches are fired for lots of reasons and sometimes no reason at all. How is no team displeased enough to have fired a coach yet? And what have you got to say for yourself, Lou Lamoriello? Why is your finger not on the trigger?

As it turns out, a lot of teams have actually surprised us and played well, helping their coach's job security in the process. Before the season I named a few coaches whom I thought were starting the year on the hot seat. More than a few of them have been saved by solid starts. Joel Quenneville and the Hawks are 7-3-1 and atop the Central. John Anderson and the Thrashers started the year 4-1-1 before dropping their last two against good teams and the Kings may have saved Terry Murray's job by grabbing 17 points in 13 games to lead the Pacific.

The good news for me -- I was afraid I wouldn't have anyone to write about -- is that not every team is off to such a hot start. The Ducks have struggled out of the gate, the Flyers and Canucks are both hovering around .500 and Toronto has been an unmitigated disaster losing six of their first eight by two goals or more. So I'd like to take the time to thank those teams for lighting a fire under their coach's respective chairs.

So today, I present to you the first in a season-long series of coaches-on-the-hot-seat rankings. Five coaches. Five teams. Five fanbases that want blood -- sweet, sweet blood. We'll start at number five and head on through to numero uno, my prediction for the coach to get the axe first.

No. 5: Peter DeBoer, Florida Panthers. DeBoer is only in his second year with the Panthers and had some success last year as the team finished ninth in the East, missing out on the playoffs by losing a tiebreaker to the Canadiens. But in the NHL it's all about 'what have you done for me lately' and the Panthers have started this season 2-7-1 and are averaging 2.2 goals per game. Add that to their 29th-best ranking in goals allowed and things are not looking good. Personally, I don't believe the Horton trade rumors, but if they're crazy enough to trade him firing DeBoer will look sane in comparison.

Seat status: STEAMY

No. 4: John Stevens, Philadelphia Flyers. I said before the season that this could be a make or break year for Stevens and the Flyers. They had a talented roster and only improved it during the offseason. However, they've been short on postseason success and are 5-4-1, already nine points behind the division-leading Penguins in the tough Atlantic. The Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup last year after firing their coach down the stretch. That means there will be copycats, and if the Flyers continue to be mediocre Stevens may be sent packing to shake things up.

Seat status: STEAMY

No. 3: Randy Carlyle, Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks have had a lot of success under Carlyle. In four seasons they've won a Cup and made another trip to the conference finals. The last two years have been less successful but nothing that should threaten a coach's job. But the Ducks are 3-6-1 to start this season, with the latest defeat being a 6-3 drubbing by the winless Leafs in front of the home fans. Half the reason Carlyle is on this list is because there really aren't a lot of other people to put here. The other half is because of the random stinkers the Ducks have put forth this season: 5-0 home rout by St. Louis, 4-1 opening-night loss to San Jose. He's not going anywhere yet -- he'll get a fair shake -- but the early news is not good.

Seat Status: TOASTY

No. 2: Ron Wilson, Toronto Maple Leafs. It's been a fun season already in Toronto. The team has started 0-7-1 before showing some life the last two games on, of all places, the road in Anaheim and Dallas. Fans are outraged. The media is making jokes. Wilson has already gotten a vote of confidence from the GM. All key ingredients to canning a coach. However, there's one thing standing in the way: that vote of confidence was actually legit. The problem with this team is not Wilson and GM Brian Burke knows it. The seat is very warm but there will be little action here. Move along.

Seat status: CALIENTE

No. 1: Rick Tocchet, Tampa Bay Lightning. The lame thing about NHL coaches this season is that there's no one you can point at and yell 'DEAD MAN WALKING!' A lot of thought-to-be-crappy teams are good. A lot of good teams are mediocre. A very small handful of teams are very bad. The Lightning are not very bad. But the Lightning are off to a bad start (4-3-3) and are led by a coach who was interim for most of last season and was hired by the previous coach. That latter is the coaching kiss of death, which is why I believe Tocchet will be the first to go this year. And also because anything goes at Cirque du SoLightning.

Seat status: CALIENTE MÁS UNO

Coaches recieving a free pass this time around: Alain Vigneault, Vancouver Canucks. Barry Trotz, Nashville Predators. Paul Maurice, Carolina Hurricanes. Jacques Lemaire, New Jersey Devils (listed simply because his boss is Lou Lamoriello).

The Pink Slip Index: Which Coach Will Be First to Go? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hi, My Name Is ... Marc Cheverie

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Panthers, NHL Draft, College Hockey

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

Two big stories emerged from a Western Collegiate Hockey Association weekend series at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis. Unfortunately, most college hockey followers only know about one of them. While everyone is well aware of the early-season struggles of Minnesota (0-3-1 record, three goals scored in four games, and all three losses have been shutouts), they've probably dismissed the accomplishments of the Denver goalie who held the Gophers off the board for 120 minutes.

Despite facing a lineup that featured 16 NHL draft picks Friday and 17 Saturday, junior goalie Marc Cheverie (NHL rights: Florida) didn't allow a single goal.

Cheverie was very good as a full-time starter last year, winning 23 games, pitching four shutouts, and posting a .921 save percentage while leading Denver to the NCAA Tournament. However, the Pioneers were upset by Miami in the first round of regional play, and Cheverie faced competition this year from freshman Adam Murray (undrafted), who came from the U.S. National Team Development Program.

Head coach George Gwozdecky made it clear before the season that he would rotate Cheverie and Murray early in the season. Gwozdecky, who won his 500th career game over the weekend, said he had talked to Cheverie long before the season, and the veteran was well-aware of the situation going into the season.

However, that rotation only lasted two weeks. Cheverie won both his starts, getting the first game of series against Vermont and Ohio State. Murray started the next day of both series and took the loss in both games.

Cheverie then shut out Minnesota Friday night with a 30-save effort. That would be -- at least for now -- the end of the goalie rotation. Gwozdecky came back with "Chevy" Saturday night, and he was rewarded with another 30-save shutout, marking the third straight start where Cheverie held his opponent off the scoreboard.

Denver won both games by matching 3-0 scores, and they have some serious momentum as they embark on the long, taxing WCHA season.

Cheverie has good fundamentals for a goalie, but he is more aggressive than most. He likes to challenge shooters, and he plays his angles well. If he continues to play at this high a level throughout the season, he has the talent to carry a loaded Denver team far, and it's likely that he would earn a shot at professional hockey after this season.

Gwozdecky has handled complicated goalie situations very well over his tenure at Denver. He's used rotations more than a few times, only to settle on a goalie for the postseason. It usually works for him, and it's doubtful that a highly-touted goalie like Murray is going to sit too long. That said, Denver's best bet might to be to ride this "Chevy" as far as they can go.

Other Players to Watch

After a bit of a rough start for freshman Mike Lee (Phoenix) in his WCHA debut, St. Cloud (Minn.) State used junior Dan Dunn (Washington) Saturday night against Minnesota Duluth. Dunn was outstanding, stopping 31 of 33 shots faced in a 4-2 win. The Huskies were buoyed by two short-handed goals in the second period, and Dunn also stopped a penalty shot during the middle stanza.

Staying out west, senior forward Bill Sweatt (Chicago) had seven points (one goal, six assists) in Colorado College's weekend sweep of Michigan Tech. Sweatt had a hand in all four goals as CC won 4-1 Friday, then chipped in three assists in the Tigers' 8-5 comeback win Saturday.

New Hampshire's Blake Kessel (N.Y. Islanders) had a big weekend. The sophomore defenseman scored one goal and assisted on four others as the Wildcats beat Northeastern 4-2 and Maine 5-2 in Hockey East action. Blake is the younger brother of Toronto Maple Leaf Phil Kessel.

Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (Colorado) of Boston University assisted on two goals in a 3-2 win over Michigan Saturday, marking the defending national champions' first win of the season.

Hi, My Name Is ... Marc Cheverie originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Booth Taken Off on Stretcher After Devastating Hit From Mike Richards

Adam Gretz — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:20:00 EST

Filed under: Flyers, Panthers, NHL Injuries, NHL Discipline

For the second time in as many nights, an NHL player was taken off the ice on a stretcher Saturday. This time around it's Florida Panthers forward David Booth, who was on the receiving end of what appears to be a rather borderline hit from Philadelphia's Mike Richards.

Video after the jump.

Richards appears to lead with his shoulder, but it's a hit to the head, and that's never a good thing. He received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for interference, and the play will obviously get some attention from the league. How can a player get five minutes and a game misconduct for interference you ask? Well, let's recall our conservation with former NHL director of officiating Stephen Walkom from a year ago. From Walkom:

"In terms of that call, a year ago the general managers decided that in our rule book we always had a minor penalty for interference," said Walkom. "Someone asked the question one day, 'What happens if a player doesn't play the puck, gets hit, and gets injured ... Shouldn't that be a major penalty? And a game misconduct?' So, the major penalty and a game misconduct were added to the rule book last year. It was approved by the competition committee, the board of governors and the general managers first."

Once the major penalty is issued, the game misconduct becomes automatic. It's all under rules 56.4 and 56.5 in the NHL rule book.

Booth scored his second goal of the season earlier in the game.

So, what do you think, hockey fans? Is this a legal hit with an unfortunate result, or a player that requires further discipline from the league?

UPDATE: Booth has been released from a Philadelphia hospital after suffering a concussion.

(H/T HFBoards for posting the video)

David Booth Taken Off on Stretcher After Devastating Hit From Mike Richards originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Predators Offense Continues to Struggle

Adam Gretz — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Panthers, Predators, Sabres

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.

Bruins 3, Predators 2: Entering play on Wednesday, the Nashville Predators, as a team, had scored as many goals (nine) as the league's leading goal-scorer (Alex Ovechkin). They have yet to score more than three goals in a game this season, and haven't scored more than two since October 8. That streak continued on Wednesday thanks to their 3-2 loss in Boston.

Through its first eight games, Nashville has scored just 11 goals, and because of their 0-for-3 showing on the power play, the Predators are now just 1-for-27 with the man-advantage.

Ouch.

Also: Scott Clemmensen's short night, Video of the day, and more

The Bruins, meanwhile, playing without the services of Marc Savard and Milan Lucic, pulled out the win thanks to goals from Michael Ryder, Patrice Bergeron and Steve Begin. Predators forward Colin Wilson, a 2008 first-round pick (No. 7 overall), scored his first career goal in the loss.

Sabres 5, Predators 2: Short night for Panthers goaltender Scott Clemmensen as he was pulled just two minutes into the first period after giving up two goals on three shots. Buffalo scored five goals in the first period on its way to a 5-2 win.

Clemmensen was making his second consecutive start after picking up the win against Philadelphia earlier this week, stopping 25 shots in a 4-2 win. Tomas Vokoun, who has struggled mightily so far this season, came on in relief and stopped 30 shots.

Ryan Miller picked up the win for the Sabres with 41 stops.

Wednesday's Other Games

The Islanders are on the board! [Box Score, Botta's Recap]

Minnesota knocks off Colorado in a shootout. [Box Score, Recap]

Dallas Beats Anaheim [Box Score, Recap]

Samuelsson's winner leads Canucks [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- Is there an upside to Sergei Gonchar's injury if you're a Penguins fan? [Pens Universe]

-- Cap relief for the Caps as Michael Nylander agrees to a conditioning assignment with the Grand Rapids Griffins. [Grand Rapids Griffins]

Video Of The Day

The Islanders get their first win, so let's give the video of the day to Frans Nielsen for his nifty shootout goal.

Thursday's Key Games

Capitals vs. Thrashers: Fantastic Southeast Division matchup as Atlanta hosts Washington. The Thrashers are off to a strong start, and they'll look to keep it going as two of the top goal-scorers in the league (Alex Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk) square off.

Devils vs. Rangers: The Rangers had their seven-game winning streak snapped on Monday in a blowout loss to the Sharks. They'll look to get rolling again when they host their long-time rivals from New Jersey. It's also Sean Avery vs. Martin Brodeur, which should be fun.

Islanders vs. Canadiens: Can the Islanders start their first winning streak of the season? They have a shot in Montreal!

Predators Offense Continues to Struggle originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:00 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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NHL's Top 50: Jay Bouwmeester (No. 37)

Adam Gretz — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Flames, Panthers, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 37 is Calgary Flames defenseman Jay Bouwmeester.

After spending his first six seasons in Florida, Jay Bouwmeester moved on to Calgary this offseason, signing a five-year, $33 million contract after his rights were traded for defenseman Jordan Leopold and a third-round pick. Would Florida have received more for Bouwmeester at the NHL's trade deadline? Probably, yes. But, as I've argued in this space many times since then, Florida still made the right decision, even though it lost its best player, and didn't have a trip to the playoffs to show for it.

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

At the deadline, Florida looked like a solid playoff contender, and trading Bouwmeester would have been tossing up a white flag and giving up on the season when there was really no reason to do so. It didn't work out in the end, but, a team that hasn't made the playoffs since 1999-2000, and has only qualified three times in its 15-year existence, needed to do everything it could in an effort to get in.

Bouwmeester now joins a Calgary team that has plenty of playoff experience, but suffered a disappointing first-round exit this past season. He'll help form one of the best top-three's in the NHL, teaming up with Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr.

The Numbers: Jay Bouwmeester
Jay Bouwmeester	Goals	Assists	Points	PIM
Career Totals	53	150	203	329
Average Per 82 Games	9.0	26.2	35.2	57.4

Draft Year: 2002

Taken third overall behind Columbus' Rick Nash and Atlanta's Kari Lehtonen, and one spot before Philadelphia's Joni Pitkanen.

Why He's On My List

One of the fastest skaters in the NHL, and possessing the ideal size and talent of a No. 1 defenseman, Bouwmeester has been a model of durability and a workhorse along the blue line in his six-year NHL career. He's played in 471 of a possible 492 games, and has played a full 82-game campaign five times in six years. He hasn't missed a game in the post-lockout NHL, and has finished in the top-seven in terms of total time on ice the past four seasons, leading the league in each of the past two. He's developed into a consistent 12-15 goal-scorer, and while he's not neccessarily an intimidating physical player, he's good enough defensively to be matched up against the other team's top offensive line.

Obligatory YouTube Video

Bouwmeester scraps with Max Talbot. According to HockeyFights.com it's the only fight of his career.

NHL's Top 50: Jay Bouwmeester (No. 37) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 25 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Florida Panthers Fans 'Hire' Drew Rosenhaus to Negotiate Ticket Prices

Adam Gretz — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Panthers, NHL Fans

The Florida Panthers are no strangers to unique marketing campaigns in an effort to put butts in the seats. Earlier this season, with the team fighting for its first playoff berth since 1999-00, the team introduced The Panthers Promise Plan, offering free tickets during the 2009-10 season if they failed to make the playoffs, which they eventually did. According to the team, all free tickets that were promised will be honored next season.

Now, it appears as if the Panthers are bringing NFL super-agent Drew Rosenhaus into the marketing mix.

On Tuesday, Rosenhaus announced, via his Twitter feed (naturally), that he had been "hired" by Panthers fans to help negotiate cheaper season ticket prices. The Panthers quickly responded, via their official Twitter, and claimed to have no comment on the matter.

So, is Rosenhaus really going to be battling it out with Panthers' brass to get lower ticket prices? Not quite. Actually, he's working for the Panthers.

President and COO Michael Yormark released the following statement: "Sports agent Drew Rosenhaus is part of our new marketing campaign that's launching next week. The premise of the campaign is that he's been retained by Panthers' fans to renegotiate the season-ticket pricing."

Attendance has been a problem in Florida for the past decade, as the team hasn't ranked higher than 17th since 2001. During the 2008-09 campaign, for example, the team averaged just over 15,600 fans per game, good enough for 25th in the league. Even worse, that 15,600 represented just an 80 percent capacity at the BankAtlantic Center. The only team to play to a smaller percentage on a nightly basis was the Atlanta Thrashers.

Are ticket prices part of the problem? A quick look at the Panthers' website shows a variety of season ticket packages that start as low as $387, or $9 per game. As far as season tickets to a professional sports franchise go (that's 43 games, including preseason), that's not a bad deal. Granted, the seats are in the last five rows of the arena, but still, a season ticket is a season ticket. The next lowest full season package, according to the website, is $17 per game.

You can't fault the Panthers for thinking outside the box here, but the best marketing approach is still the simple formula of winning games. In their 15-year existence the Panthers have qualified for the postseason just three times, including a surprising trip to the Stanley Cup final during the 1995-96 season.

Florida Panthers Fans 'Hire' Drew Rosenhaus to Negotiate Ticket Prices originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jay Bouwmeester Traded to Calgary

Adam Gretz — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Flames, Panthers

The Florida Panthers took quite a gamble at the NHL's trade deadline by holding onto soon-to-be free agent defenseman Jay Bouwmeester. In the end, the Panthers not only missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season, but now they've also lost their one-time franchise defenseman, as the team traded his rights to Calgary for Jordan Leopold and a third-round pick.

Leopold, like Bouwmeester, will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, assuming deals can't be reached before then.

Even though Florida received considerably less this weekend than it would have back in March, it's hard to argue against its original decision. The Panthers were in a playoff position at the time of the deadline, and trading their best player would have put a significant dent in their chances (not like it mattered in the end) and been a PR nightmare.

The team was so committed to making the playoffs that it even put together a ticket package that promised fans free tickets in 2009 if it failed to end its postseason drought.

If the Panthers can work out a deal with Leopold, however, it's actually a decent haul given the circumstances. He's not Bouwmeester, but he's a capable NHL defenseman that can log about 20 minutes per night, and even provide some offense.

Assuming the Flames can sign Bouwmeester before he hits the open market on Wednesday, this gives them a potentially lethal defense when you combine the former top-five pick with Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr. The problem, of course, is how are they going to fit him under the cap? Currently, the Flames have nearly $47 million committed to 16 players for 2009-10, while Bouwmeester was expected to get anywhere between $5 and $7.5 million in free agency.

Bouwmeester, 25, matched a career-high during the 2008-09 season with 15 goals, while also recording 27 assists. He hasn't missed a game since the 2003-04 season.

Jay Bouwmeester Traded to Calgary originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Offseason Roadmap: Southeast Division

Tom Mantzouranis — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:37:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Hurricanes, Lightning, Panthers, Thrashers

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 Southeast Division.

The Southeast is probably going to be the most boring division in hockey this offseason. Three of the teams don't have the financial capability to make the sort of splash they need, and the other two were good enough to mostly maintain the status quo.

Still, we've got two top-5 draft picks to look forward to, as well as the ongoing sagas surrounding the stars for both Florida franchises.

Atlanta Thrashers: We know (or are being told) this much: the Thrashers are hanging on to Ilya Kovalchuk. But to have a chance of keeping him around past this year, the last of his deal, they'll have to put a better team around him. With only $30.8 currently committed to 17 players, they've got the financial situation to make it happen this year. But considering that they'd be stocking up their roster in an effort to have the chance to ink Kovalchuk to a huge contract next year, they have to spend this year with an eye on ensuing seasons. In other words, they have ample cap space, but they have to ration a chunk of it on Kovalchuk in lieu of making a splash this offseason.

But they might not be too far from being competitive, anyway. They've got very solid young pieces locked up cheap in Zach Bogosian, Bryan Little, and Anssi Salmela.

They need some top-line guys to pair with Kovalchuk and a top-four defenseman. And they've got some pieces to deal, including the No. 4 pick in this week's draft and depth at goalie in a weak free agent market at the position (especially if they re-sign Kari Lehtonen, who's a restricted free agent). That won't be enough to net any real "wow" guys, but it could still improve the team's quality and depth (which is sorely lacking). With slight improvements on the roster and the continued ascension of those young guys, the Thrashers could be in the playoff chase next year, or at least show enough potential to convince Kovalchuk to stick around and watch it blossom.

Carolina Hurricanes: They've got their coach of the future (for the second time) locked up, but the Hurricanes have trouble brewing on the blue line. Dennis Seidenberg and Anton Babchuk are free agents (unrestricted and restricted, respectively), and the team is uncertain whether they can retain both, or either. After all, they have some key players to lock up at forward too -- Erik Cole, Tuomo Ruutu, Jussi Jokinen, and Chad LaRose -- and would like to add a physical defenseman, as well, to diversify the back end.

This is probably a team that is going to lose some of its talent, which is unfortunate given that they were closer to the Stanley Cup Finals than their conference final against the Penguins indicated.

Florida Panthers: They took a gamble keeping Jay Bouwmeester at the trade deadline, opting to push for the playoffs instead of getting a return on their impending departure. They're still trying to get something for his negotiating rights, but first things first -- how about hiring a general manager?

The Panthers are like the Thrashers in that they won't be able to spend a lot (the team will also have to pay the rising David Booth a handsome raise in restricted free agency), so they'll be counting on the continued improvement from those like Booth, Stephen Weiss and Karlis Skrastins on top of some additions from the farm, to again get even close to the playoffs.

Tampa Bay Lightning: The team is still sort of in a mess, with the biggest questions surrounding the future of Vincent Lecavalier. What direction they decide to go in, and we'll know that answer soon, will give away their concept of next season.

Dealing him means the Lightning are content with blowing it up and re-building around Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman, whom they likely will select with the second-overall pick. That's not a bad duo to build around, as Hedman will probably play in the NHL from Day 1. However, by sacrificing the most iconic player in franchise history for a bounty that surely won't have equal value, it's a clear message that Lightning fans should expect another three or so years of equal misery.

They could keep Lecavalier and his enormous contract, on the other hand, and bank on Hedman and some scotch-taping to a woeful blue line being enough to allow the Lightning at least out-score their way out of the land of laughing-stocks.

Washington Capitals: This team is better than their exit point indicated, and when you've got the best scorer (arguably player) in the league and a young goalie who looks to have a bright future, you're going to be OK. And the Capitals have depth up front behind that all-world talent. Still, there's going to be some turnover here. But there will be a reliance on filling those spots from within -- Kari Alzner on defense, perhaps Chris Bourque and Keith Aucoin up front.

Offseason Roadmap: Southeast Division originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:37:00 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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Jacques Martin to Coach Montreal; Mario Tremblay Back As Assistant?

Adam Gretz — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:05:00 EST

Filed under: Canadiens, Panthers, NHL Coaching

After serving as the Florida Panthers general manager for the past four seasons (and head coach for three of those seasons) Jacques Martin will be named the new head coach of the Montreal Canadiens on Monday. During his four-year stint in charge of the Panthers, the team failed to make the playoffs each season, while he brings 14 years of head coaching experience to the Canadiens.

After a brief two-year tenure with the St. Louis Blues in the late 1980s, Martin took over the Ottawa Senators in 1995, leading the team to the playoffs eight times in nine years, while also winning three division titles and the Jack Adams award as coach of the year in 1999.

While his regular season record -- outside of Florida -- is very strong, his playoff record leaves a bit to be desired, advancing beyond the second round just once in 14 years. His teams have compiled a regular season record of 517-406-119-56.

Martin will be replacing the Guy Carbonneau/Bob Gainey two-headed monster behind the bench, as the Canadiens stumbled to an eighth-place finish in the Eastern Conference, while getting swept in the first round by the Boston Bruins. It was a disappointing season that saw the Canadiens enter as a favorite to represent the conference in the Stanley Cup Final.

This is the first of what will be many offseason moves in Montreal, as the team has 15 players headed to free agency (10 unrestricted, five restricted), including Alexei Kovalev, Alex Tanguay, Saku Koivu, Mike Komisarek, Mathieu Schneider, and Robert Lang.

Update: According to the Montreal Gazette, former Canadiens head coach Mario Tremblay may be returning to the team as an assistant coach.

According to CKAC's Martin McGuire, the French-radio play-by-play broadcaster who is very well plugged in, Mario Tremblay will be an assistant coach, with Jacques Lemaire a strong possibility as a special advisor.

Tremblay coached the Canadiens from 1995-1997, and was constantly feuding with Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy, eventually leading to Roy demanding a trade following a loss to the Detroit Red Wings. As an outsider, this is kind of humerous, seeing as how Carey Price's season ended with him bringing back memories of Roy's final game in Montreal by sarcastically saluting the fans, much like Roy did in his final game. It all comes full circle in Montreal.

Jacques Martin to Coach Montreal; Mario Tremblay Back As Assistant? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ilya Kovalchuk Throws Down

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Panthers, Thrashers, Eastern, NHL Videos

Long gone from the playoff race, the Atlanta Thrashers are busy playing out the proverbial string. While they did lose Thursday, 3-2 to Florida, there's no denying the Thrashers have been playing some pretty good hockey as of late. They're also feisty. In Thursday's game, captain Ilya Kovalchuk decided it was time to throw some punches, as he got into it with Florida defenseman Bryan McCabe. It was just the fifth fight of Kovalchuk's NHL career (second this season), but there's no doubt he more than held his own.

Ilya Kovalchuk Throws Down originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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East Playoff Field Is Set

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST

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

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

The field of eight for the 2009 NHL Eastern Conference playoffs is set. Now, the jockeying for position can begin. The New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens clinched the last two spots in the playoffs Thursday night, leaving the Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres out in the cold, despite victories in their respective games.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 4/9
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	106
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	x-Philadelphia Flyers	97
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	97
6.	x-Pittsburgh Penguins	95
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	91
9.	Florida Panthers	89

Eastern Conference, 4/10
1.	z-Boston Bruins	114 pts
2.	y-Washington Capitals	108
3.	y-New Jersey Devils	104
4.	x-Philadelphia Flyers	97
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	97
6.	x-Pittsburgh Penguins	97
7.	x-New York Rangers	93
8.	x-Montreal Canadiens	93

Florida won Thursday, but it doesn't matter. A win by the Rangers (2-1 over Philadelphia) clinched them a spot, and Montreal's 5-4 overtime loss to Boston got them the point they needed to clinch.

Buffalo's 5-1 win over Carolina ultimately kept the Hurricanes from taking over fourth place because of the Philly loss. Pittsburgh walloped the Islanders 6-1, forcing a three-way tie for sixth.

The Devils have won the Atlantic Division, and tacked on a shootout win over Ottawa for good measure.

In the West

Western Conference, 4/9
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	117 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	111
3.	x-Calgary Flames	96
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	100
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	96
6.	x-Columbus Blue Jackets	92
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	St. Louis Blues	88
9.	Nashville Predators	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	85

Western Conference, 4/10
1.	z-San Jose Sharks	117 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	112
3.	x-Vancouver Canucks	98
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	100
5.	x-Calgary Flames	96
6.	x-Columbus Blue Jackets	92
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	St. Louis Blues	88
9.	Nashville Predators	88
10.	Minnesota Wild	85

Vancouver knocked off Los Angeles, 1-0, giving the Canucks the Northwest Division lead. The Flames, however, will win the division if they can sweep the Oilers in a home-and-home that starts Friday in Edmonton.

Nashville rallied to beat Detroit in a shootout, meaning the Predators are still very much alive for a playoff spot. Nashville, however, only has one game left, while Anaheim and St. Louis each have two, as does Minnesota.

Phoenix beat San Jose, 4-1, which kept the Sharks from clinching the President's Trophy. They have sewn up the top seed in the West.

******

.
What's Next

Calgary visits Edmonton, with their shot at the Northwest title on the line over their last two games. That's far from the only significant game in the West.

Nashville plays their season finale at Minnesota, with both teams needing a win (Minnesota needs a regulation win, actually) to have any shot at the playoffs. Dallas tries to play spoiler at Anaheim, who still needs a win to guarantee themselves a spot. The Blues, meanwhile, host Columbus Friday night, needing a win to stay in good shape.

In the East, it's all about position now. The conference has Friday off, with some important games being played Saturday to decide who plays who in the first round.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

East Playoff Field Is Set originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buys and Sells: The Playoff Picture Is Almost Complete

Kevin Schultz — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Blues, Hurricanes, Panthers

Each Friday throughout the season, I'll provide you with my predictions on whose stock is on the rise and whose is failing miserably like ~~the American job market~~ pretty much everything these days. It's a neat little segment entitled Buys and Sells. There are a few teams/players/issues to buy and a few to sell.

The playoff picture has been in the making for seven months now like an exquisitely handcrafted piece of art. As of this morning, the Eastern Conference race has been completed while there are still two spots up for grabs out west. Today, we'll take a look at the teams that got in, those that didn't and those that are still hanging on to faint glimmers of hope.

Sell: What the heck happened to the Panthers? They were the league's hottest team a few weeks ago and were staring down their first playoff berth since 2000. At the trade deadline, they held onto impending UFA Jay Bouwmeester and went for broke to try and get into the dance. After the Rangers defeated the Flyers last night, the Panthers are on the outside looking in yet again. The Panthers would have been the Cinderella of the east and now they haven't even been invited to the ball. Yikes. This one may sting for a while.

Buy: Columbus Blue Jackets. Who are these guys? 92 points and safely in the playoff picture, not having to sweat out the final weekend the Blue Jackets are looking at a potential first round matchup with the Vancouver Canucks. They're 3-1 against the Canucks this season and are 9-2-4 in their last 16 games. These guys are, by all indications, the real deal.

Buy: Carolina Hurricanes. They're the hottest team in the NHL right now. For six months, they played .500 hockey and were milling around the eighth spot in the east for the entire season. Their coach got fired and that didn't change their position. Now they've won nine of ten, could finish as high as fourth in the conference and before getting shellacked last night against Buffalo Cam Ward was playing like a goalie possesed. If you're looking to pick a team that's been hot down the stretch, there may be no team more en fuego than the Canes.

What the heck: St. Louis Blues. The Blues are currently tied for seventh in the west. Don't the Blues know that they're in the middle of a rebuild? Don't they realize how much of a toll injuries have taken on their team? Do they even remember that they were the worst team in the Western Conference as recently as February 17th? And why are they deliberately trying to make this bloggers head explode? It's all so confusing. I'm going to go lie down.

Buys and Sells: The Playoff Picture Is Almost Complete originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Canadiens Are in the Playoffs

Adam Gretz — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Canadiens, Flyers, Panthers, Rangers, Thrashers, NHL Fans

Newsmakers in the NHL is a weekday morning attempt to clear yesterday's rebounds and look to the day ahead.

Bruins 5, Canadiens 4: The Montreal Canadiens may have lost on Thursday night, but because they did so in overtime, earning a "Bettman point," they managed to secure a playoff spot, avoiding what would have been a spectacular disappointment in a season of celebrations and championship expectations. Montreal overcame a 3-1 deficit in the second period with a four-goal outburst, including a tally from defenseman Mathieu Schneider who suited up despite earlier reports that his season was over.

Aside from Montreal, the New York Rangers also punched their playoff tickets with a 2-1 win over the Flyers, which means the Florida Panthers, despite their 3-2 win in Atlanta, are mathematically eliminated from contention.

It was a valiant effort from first-year head coach Peter DeBoer and his young team, but they're going to come up just short, and this past Friday's loss to Atlanta is probably going to sting for quite a while this offseason. On the plus side ... free tickets next season!

Predators 4, Red Wings 3: Gigantic win for Nashville, as the Predators overcame a 3-1 deficit in the final seven minutes of regulation to pick up a 4-3 shootout win in Detroit. Jason Arnott and J.P. Dumont scored for Nashville in the third period, while Arnott added the game-winner in the fourth round of the shootout. With the win, the Predators move into a tie with St. Louis and Anaheim for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference.

The Rest Of Thursday's Action

-- The Hurricanes have their winning streak snapped with a 5-1 loss to Buffalo.

-- Pittsburgh wins, 6-1, against the Islanders, while New York has been outscored 15-1 in its past two games.

-- The New Jersey Devils clinch the Atlantic Division with a 3-2 shootout win in Ottawa.

-- Mike Green scores his 31st goal of the season in Washington's 4-2 win over Tampa Bay.

-- Thanks to their 1-0 win over Los Angeles, the Vancouver Canucks take over first place in the Northwest Division.

-- Dallas Beats Colorado, 3-2.

-- Phoenix surprises the Sharks, 4-1.

Daily Rebounds

-- Steve Lepore of Puck The Media talks to Bruins broadcaster Jack Edwards about ESPN and hockey. [Puck The Media]

-- The Calgary Flames have had some problems with the salary cap. [TSN]

-- The Tampa Bay Lightning have used 50 players this season. 50! [Lightning Strikes]

Friday's Key Games

Blues vs. Blue Jackets: The Blue Jackets have already secured their spot in the playoffs, while the Blues look to complete their improbable run, entering action in a three-way tie for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference. It's worth pointing out that all three teams (St. Louis, Nashville and Anaheim) are in action on Friday. After the Blues take on Columbus on Friday, they close out their regular season on Sunday in Colorado.

Flames vs. Oilers: Ah, yes, the Battle of Alberta. The Oilers may not be making the playoffs this season, but they can still help play spoiler on Friday as they attempt to keep their long-time rivals from winning the Northwest Division.

The Canadiens Are in the Playoffs originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Four Playoff Spots Remain

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Blues, Bruins, Canadiens, Canucks, Capitals, Devils, Ducks, Flames, Flyers, Hurricanes, Panthers, Penguins, Predators, Sharks, Wild, Red Wings, Eastern, Western

Eastern Conference, 4/8
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	106
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	x-Philadelphia Flyers	97
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	97
6.	x-Pittsburgh Penguins	95
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	91
9.	Florida Panthers	89

Eastern Conference, 4/9
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	y-Washington Capitals	106
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	x-Philadelphia Flyers	97
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	97
6.	x-Pittsburgh Penguins	95
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	91
9.	Florida Panthers	89

There were no games involving Eastern playoff contenders Wednesday.

In the West

Western Conference, 4/8
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	117 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	111
3.	x-Calgary Flames	96
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	99
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	96
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	90
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	St. Louis Blues	88
9.	Nashville Predators	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	83

Western Conference, 4/9
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	117 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	111
3.	x-Calgary Flames	96
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	100
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	96
6.	x-Columbus Blue Jackets	92
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	St. Louis Blues	88
9.	Nashville Predators	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	85

Lots of significance to the Columbus win Wednesday. It's their first playoff berth ever, and the point Chicago got put them at 100 points for the season. They're in fourth place and can lock up that seed with one more point in their remaining two games.

Columbus needs one more point to assure a sixth-place finish. The Blue Jackets cannot move up.

******

.
What's Next

There are four "game days" left in the 2008-2009 regular season. There are a number of big games on Thursday. Nashville's playoff life is likely on the line at Detroit. Carolina tries to keep their home winning streak (currently 12 games) going against Buffalo. Philadelphia visits the Rangers, trying to hold off the Hurricanes for fourth in the East.

Montreal, once again in a bit of a slump, heads to Boston.

Finally, San Jose can clinch the President's Trophy by beating Phoenix.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Four Playoff Spots Remain originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keystone State Teams Clinch

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 10:20:00 EST

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

A good night Tuesday for teams based in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia clinched a playoff spot with a 2-1 home win over Florida, while the Penguins also clinched a berth in the postseason, beating Tampa Bay 6-4. Both teams benefited from some craptastic officiating. Philly's Scott Hartnell got away with a cross-check right before the Flyers' game-winner, and Pittsburgh's eventual game-winner was not reviewed, even though Tampa goalie Karri Ramo was clearly run into. In the end, however, they don't ask you how you won. They only ask if you won.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 4/7
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	104
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	95
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	95
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	93
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	89
9.	Florida Panthers	89

Eastern Conference, 4/8
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	y-Washington Capitals	106
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	x-Philadelphia Flyers	97
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	97
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	93
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	91
9.	Florida Panthers	89

The Flyers are in, and Florida is in serious trouble. The Panthers now trail eighth-place New York by two points and seventh-place Montreal by three, with just two games left to play. The task will be daunting, and likely starts with two wins. Even a one-point night is going to virtually end Florida's chances.

Meanwhile, New York's 3-1 win over Montreal is a huge step in the right direction for the up-and-down Rangers.

New Jersey can probably forget about the second seed after a seventh loss in nine games, 4-1 to Toronto. That happened while Washington won at Atlanta.

Carolina's dominating win over the Islanders keeps them in position to overtake Philadelphia for fourth should the Flyers slip.

In the West

Western Conference, 4/7
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	115 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	111
3.	x-Calgary Flames	96
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	97
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	94
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	90
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	Nashville Predators	86
9.	St. Louis Blues	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	83

Western Conference, 4/8
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	117 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	111
3.	x-Calgary Flames	96
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	99
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	96
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	90
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	St. Louis Blues	88
9.	Nashville Predators	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	85

San Jose needs either one point or one Detroit loss to clinch the top seed in the West, as they beat Colorado 1-0 in a shootout Tuesday night.

Chicago took a huge step toward holding on to fourth with a 4-2 win at Nashville. The Predators, meanwhile, fell out of the top eight after St. Louis beat Phoenix 5-1. The Blues now "control their own destiny" for a playoff spot.

Vancouver tied Calgary for the Northwest lead with a 4-1 win. The Canucks trail on the tiebreaker, so they need to pass Calgary in points to actually win the division.

Minnesota stayed alive, beating Dallas 3-1. The Wild need to win their remaining two games and have either Anaheim go 0-2 or St. Louis 0-1-1, or they'll miss the playoffs. Edmonton, meanwhile, was eliminated after losing to Los Angeles 2-1.

******

.
What's Next

Chicago hosts Columbus Wednesday night in the only potentially meaningful game. Both teams are looking to hold on to their current spots by winning, and Chicago can also pass the 100-point mark by getting at least a point out of the game.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Keystone State Teams Clinch originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 08 Apr 2009 10:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flames Nearing Northwest Title

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Blues, Bruins, Canadiens, Canucks, Capitals, Devils, Ducks, Flames, Flyers, Hurricanes, Oilers, Panthers, Penguins, Predators, Rangers, Sabres, Sharks, Wild, Red Wings, Eastern, Western

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

It looked like a foregone conclusion not that long ago, but the Calgary Flames had trouble sealing the deal. Fortunately for them, Vancouver couldn't seize the opportunity to take control of the Northwest Division, and the Flames find themselves on the cusp of a division title. A 4-1 win over Los Angeles Monday night gave the Flames a two-point lead with three games to go.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 4/6
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	104
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	95
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	95
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	93
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	89
9.	Florida Panthers	89

Eastern Conference, 4/7
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	y-Washington Capitals	104
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	95
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	95
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	93
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	89
9.	Florida Panthers	89

We bid "adieu" to the Sabres, who were beaten at home Monday by Detroit, thus destroying any serious chance they had to make the playoffs. Sure, they're still alive if you look at the math, but it's not all about that here. The Sabres need too much help.

In Montreal, the Canadiens blew a third-period lead and lost to Ottawa, 3-2. While the Habs lead ninth-place Florida by three points, Florida has a game in hand, while Montreal has to deal with the slumping and potentially desperate Rangers at the Garden Tuesday.

In the West

Western Conference, 4/6
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	115 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	109
3.	x-Calgary Flames	94
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	95
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	94
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	90
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	Nashville Predators	86
9.	St. Louis Blues	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	83
11.	Edmonton Oilers	83

Western Conference, 4/7
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	115 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	111
3.	x-Calgary Flames	96
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	97
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	94
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	90
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	Nashville Predators	86
9.	St. Louis Blues	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	83
11.	Edmonton Oilers	83

In the only games involving teams in the West, the Flames won in Los Angeles, and Detroit picked up the win at Buffalo.

******

.
What's Next

Plenty of games Tuesday involving either playoff teams trying to improve their position, teams trying to make the playoffs, or both.

Among the big ones are Florida traveling to Philadelphia, where the Panthers are trying to get in, and the Flyers are in a dogfight for a home-ice position in the first round. Also in the East, Montreal visits the Rangers, trying to at least hang on to seventh in the East.

In Nashville, the Predators continue their push for a playoff spot as they host Chicago. The Blackhawks are in good position for the fourth seed in the West, but they need to keep picking up points.

Meanwhile, Vancouver's last chance to take a shot at the Northwest Division title is a home date with Calgary.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Flames Nearing Northwest Title originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: How to Root for Those Pesky Cats

Eric McErlain — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Panthers, Penguins

Watching the hockey news wires Sunday, it was clear that some important news coming out of Florida was being squelched.

Yes, I suppose it was exciting that Sidney Crosby stepped up to defend teammate Evgeni Malkin. Then again, I think just as much attention, if not more, should be paid to the perfectly executed hip check that Keith Ballard delivered to send Malkin tumbling through the air in the first place. In hockey, the hip check has become a lost art. Bravo to Ballard for fearlessly delivering it clean, hard and without fear against one of the game's biggest names. But we shouldn't ignore the fact that the Panthers actually managed to win the game, 4-2.

After watching Ballard wipe out Malkin -- go and watch it again now, I'll wait -- I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the Panthers. I'll freely admit that's a bit abnormal, as I live in the Washington suburbs and have gotten used to thinking of them as a surprisingly pesky division rival of the Capitals. But I'm feeling sympathy nonetheless, and part of it comes from the realization that this franchise -- one that endured a raft of layoffs in their business operations earlier this year -- needs to make the playoffs more than just about any other franchise in the NHL outside of Phoenix.

Outside of that magical run to the finals all the way back in 1996 -- and boy does that make me feel old -- there hasn't been all that much to cheer about hockey-wise in South Florida lately. The Panthers haven't managed to win a playoff round since then, and haven't made the postseason since 2000-'01. Everything that's happened in between, we ought to admit, has been supremely forgettable, and I'm sure seeing their in-state rivals, the Lightning, win it all back in 2004 had to hurt something fierce.

Even franchises in established hockey cities like Boston and Chicago have had trouble reconnecting with their fans after long absences from the postseason. But in a non-traditional market like South Florida, one that doesn't have a great record of supporting professional sports in the first place, such a long absence has served as a virtual death sentence for the Panthers. More than a few Canadian hockey writers have started circling like vultures in hopes they might be relocated somewhere north of the border, a contention that I'm sure sits well with the actual fans of the team, more than 18,000 of whom showed up for Sunday's win against Pittsburgh.

That win allowed the Panthers to climb into a virtual tie for eighth place in the conference with the New York Rangers. Thanks to a sackload of shootout wins, the Rangers hold the tiebreaker between the two teams, both of whom have three games left in the regular season.

So who would you want to see make the playoffs, New York or Florida? With the way the standings are looking right now, it probably won't matter all that much, as any team that finishes in the eighth spot in the East would likely turn into cannon fodder for the resurgent Bruins. Then again, think of it this way: which franchise could best survive another postseason miss? If the Rangers fail to make the postseason, it might well cost GM Glen Sather his job, but in the end Madison Square Garden will still be filled and so will their corporate coffers.

But if the Panthers fail to make the postseason, it's easy to see how complete disaster could befall the franchise. After yet another miss, it's impossible to see how pending unrestricted free agent Jay Bouwmeester might return to the team next season. Without a reason for fans to believe in the near term, ticket sales will continue to fall in an economic downturn. What would happen after that would be anybody's guess.

Businesses fail all the time, and seeing ice hockey fail in South Florida wouldn't exactly be a surprise. But that doesn't mean you have to root for it to happen.

Every Monday morning The Ice Sheet will take a close look at everything that's happened in the NHL since Friday night at 5:00 PM -- or if need be, anything else the author wants to bleat about. To read them all, click here.

The Ice Sheet: How to Root for Those Pesky Cats originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panthers Win, Stay Alive in East

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Blues, Bruins, Canadiens, Canucks, Capitals, Devils, Ducks, Flyers, Hurricanes, Oilers, Panthers, Penguins, Predators, Rangers, Sabres, Sharks, Wild, Red Wings, Eastern, Western

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

Thanks to a loss to Atlanta on Friday, the Florida Panthers had their backs against the wall Sunday evening. With Pittsburgh in town, Florida needed a win to keep up with the Eastern Conference playoff race. As we enter the final week of the season, the Panthers are indeed still alive, and Pittsburgh's hopes for a fourth seed took a huge hit.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 4/5
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	102
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	95
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	95
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	93
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	89
9.	Florida Panthers	87
10.	Buffalo Sabres	85

Eastern Conference, 4/6
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	y-Washington Capitals	104
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	95
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	95
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	93
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	89
9.	Florida Panthers	89
10.	Buffalo Sabres	85

Florida beat Pittsburgh 4-2 and tied the Rangers for eighth. New York has more wins, so they keep the position for now. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, missed a chance to create a three-way tie for fourth with Carolina and Philadelphia.

Washington's 6-4 win over Atlanta gives them sole possession of second in the East, but the Devils still have time to make the pass this week.

In the West

Western Conference, 4/5
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	113 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	x-Calgary Flames	94
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	95
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	94
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	89
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	Nashville Predators	86
9.	St. Louis Blues	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	83
11.	Edmonton Oilers	83

Western Conference, 4/6
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	115 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	109
3.	x-Calgary Flames	94
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	97
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	94
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	90
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	Nashville Predators	86
9.	St. Louis Blues	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	83
11.	Edmonton Oilers	83

No movement in the West standings, but there were a couple meaningful results. Minnesota's failure to hold on for at least a point against Detroit probably cost them any remaining chance to make the playoffs. Anaheim's winning streak ended at home against San Jose, and it keeps them within shouting distance of the ninth-place Blues.

Chicago got a significant two points with a 1-0 overtime win over Columbus, while the Blue Jackets got a point out of their second straight game. It appears Columbus is virtually locked into sixth.

Colorado stunned Vancouver, 4-1. That puts the Flames in good position to win the Northwest.

******

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What's Next

Detroit goes to Buffalo, hoping to end what's left of the Sabres' hopes. Also, Montreal is home for Ottawa, and Calgary hosts Los Angeles.

The Flames have clinched a playoff spot, while the Canadiens are in good shape for one, but both need wins. Calgary is trying to hold off Vancouver for a Northwest Division title that seemed to be a lock a month ago, and Montreal could conceivably finish as high as fourth if they keep playing well.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Panthers Win, Stay Alive in East originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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