NHL Columns

Gainey was right man at right time
Comment
February 9
Montreal Gazette
 columnist Dave Stubbs
"The new-team smell had faded by early 2003 when George Gillett Jr., by then the majority owner of the Canadiens for two years, met Bob Gainey for the first time. It was at a restaurant dinner in Vail, Colo., attended by Gillett's wife, Rose, and three of the couple's four sons. The hosts planned to talk hockey with their guest, having heard excellent reviews about Gainey as a potential general manager for the Canadiens. "We'd been told, by several people who had a unique perspective on the sport and the club, that getting someone the calibre of Bob Gainey would bring a real level of intellect and class to the organization," Gillett said yesterday from Vail, a half-hour after Gainey stepped ..."
Gainey was one of the best
Comment
February 9
Toronto Star
 columnist Damien Cox
"The best hockey general managers, particularly those that work in the white hot heat of Canada's six NHL markets, are able to become totally identified with the aspirations of the fans that follow their teams. They are seen as more than employees of the team. At their best, they become citizens of the city, synonymous with how the city feels about itself. When such GMs succeed, they are lauded as men of action, as visionaries. When they err, they are castigated for their foolish logic, or even accused of having an agenda outside winning and losing hockey games."
Leaf fans, this is your future
Comment
February 9
Toronto Sun
 columnist Bill Lankhof
"Toronto Maple Leafs fans got a chance to look into the future Monday night. General manager Brian Burke's vision of what his hockey team will look like next season and beyond was on display. There was the opening faceoff, with No. 1 draft pick Nazem Kadri making his NHL debut. There was rookie Tyler Bozak opening the scoring. There was Phil Kessel returning to sniper form with his sixth goal in five games. And everywhere there was the fuzzy-cheeked optimism of youth. The game also was to mark the first appearance together in the NHL of Viktor Stalberg, called up Sunday, along with Bozak and Christian Hanson - dubbed the Frat Pack during an outstanding training camp. Only a game-time flu ..."
Another big NHL trade is hard to imagine
Comment
February 9
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Helene Elliott
"There's a lot of Ilya Kovalchuk gear on sale at the Thrashers' team store, so Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello won't be the only one getting a bargain after the left wing was traded from Atlanta to New Jersey last week. The Devils had the depth to give away promising kids like Niclas Bergfors and Patrice Cormier and a first-round draft pick for Kovalchuk, who can walk away as a free agent July 1. The Kings wouldn't surrender any two of Dustin Brown, Jack Johnson and Wayne Simmonds, so Thrashers GM Don Waddell took the best deal available. Waddell might not be around by the time Cormier and the player the Thrashers take with that first-round pick make it to the NHL, but it was clear ..."
Kovalchuk acquisition could be devil of a deal
Comment
February 7
Denver Post
 columnist Terry Frei
"Although the Devils' acquisition of Ilya Kovalchuk from Atlanta came nearly four weeks before the March 3 trading cutoff, the upcoming two-week Olympic break effectively meant it could be considered even more of a "deadline" deal. It was a steal for the Devils, if . . . and these are big "ifs": a) Devils coach Jacques Lemaire is open-minded enough to take advantage of Kovalchuk's breathtaking talent (see the Marian Gaborik "Spotlight" item that follows); and, b) Kovalchuk ends up signing with the Devils as an unrestricted free agent during the offseason. To get Kovalchuk and defenseman Anssi Salmela, the Devils gave up forward Niclas Bergfors, defenseman Johnny Oduya, 2008 draft choice ..."
Thrashers' Waddell could be next one out the door
Comment
February 7
Buffalo News
 columnist Bucky Gleason
"General Manager Don Waddell is certain to be slapped around publicly and dragged through town in the coming weeks, months — decades? — in an Atlanta-style thrashing if his team misses the playoffs and superstar winger Ilya Kovalchuk helps the New Jersey Devils to the Stanley Cup. Kovalchuk's departure could very well lead to Waddell's, who has been running the show in Atlanta since hockey returned in 1999. The Thrashers can no longer be considered an expansion team, and people are taking a long, cold look at his resume and wondering if he's still qualified for the top job. Fair enough. Les Thrash made the playoffs only once, in 2006-07, and Waddell goofed that year by falling in love with ..."
Hitchcock's firing brings out passion on both sides
Comment
February 7
Columbus Dispatch
 columnist Ray Stein
"Astute readers will recall that solo flights in this space usually are reserved for earth-shattering events such as, oh, I don't know, OSU football losses. The Blue Jackets' firing of coach Ken Hitchcock is different. Choose your side, but it seems altogether possible to harbor conflicting views. Here's mine: He had it coming. And our little corner of the sports world will be less without a daily dose of Hitch and his mantras about success being the fruits of hard work. Readers, take over. Editor: The Blue Jackets have made the first move to improve the team by firing Ken Hitchcock. Now they have to make the next step by replacing Scott Howson. I didn't think it possible, but these two ..."
Rangers, Devils land big fish
Comment
February 7
Camden Courier-Post
 columnist Chuck Gormley
"In the span of four days, New York Rangers general manager Glen Sather and New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello took a drive through the NHL's high rent district and came away with Olli Jokinen and Ilya Kovalchuk. And while the two teams certainly stole headlines with the deals, was the risk worth the reward? Let's take a look: Trade: Rangers send forwards Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins to Calgary for Jokinen and Brandon Prust. Analysis: Sather erased two of his own mistakes in this deal. After signing a three-year, $9 million deal with the Rangers over the summer, Kotalik, 31, struggled under John Tortorella's aggressive offensive system, managing just eight goals in 45 ..."
Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco is showing flashes of his vintage self at just the right time
Comment
February 7
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Mike Heika
"Let's be honest: None of us really knows what it takes to be a good goalie. There are some obvious things, such as rebound control, seeing the puck clearly, recovery from first saves, being in the right position and letting the puck hit you. But that will take you only so far in an NHL game. To get to the highest of levels, you have to have something special. And for many of his 496 regular-season games with the Stars, Marty Turco has had that something special. That's why he holds most of the franchise goaltending records. That's why he pushed his record to 257-149-60 with his 4-0 shutout win Saturday over Phoenix."
No. 24 shows he can be factor for Rangers
Comment
February 7
New York Post
 columnist Jay Greenberg
"It takes many sets of eyes and legs to shut down Ilya Kovalchuk, and last night Ryan Callahan was just the man for the job. We mean, just after the right winger made the last of at least four good Rangers passes to set up Marion Gaborik's power-play tap-in to put them up 1-0, there appeared to be more Callahans on the ice than the Devils' new star could shake his usually magical stick at. There, following the faceoff, was No. 24 in blue behind the goal, forcing a turnover, walking out and firing a quick, uncontrollable, wide-angle shot. An instant later appeared another No. 24, circling out to the high slot to surprise Kovalchuk before he could turn around to clear Mike Mottau's pass. ..."
Streaky Flyers having traffic problems
Comment
February 8
Philadelphia Daily News
 columnist Frank Seravalli
"IT WAS not profound, or deep. But it was honest. And Chris Pronger hit it right on the head. Through their winning and losing streaks - and the ups and downs of this sidewinder of a season - the Flyers' problems have not changed. They go through stretches where they can't buy a goal. The Flyers followed an 8-1-1 stretch (45 goals) with their current 5-6-0 run (24 goals). Pronger called it "streaky." The issue, though, isn't streaky. Or mind-boggling. Or rocket science. It's simple: When the Flyers attack the net, they score - and win. When they don't, they lose. That's their one and only common thread through 56 games. "We need more traffic," Pronger said yesterday. "The high-traffic ..."
Lamoriello landed 'top dog' for playoff run
Comment
February 6
New York Post
 columnist Jay Greenberg
"Martin Brodeur has three Stanley Cups and been eliminated in the first round six times, five with 100-point teams. No one knows better than the goalie, who has both won and lost more NHL playoff games than anyone but Patrick Roy, that a team without a big-time shot rarely takes a big-time shot come spring. "Ilya [Kovalchuk] brings a different element than other players," Brodeur said. "It's hard to say Zach [Parise] doesn't have talent and he certainly has the drive, but Ilya has [three] inches on him and maybe [40] pounds. "I will never put down skilled players we have had here. But this guy is a top dog. It sends a big message to our hockey team. [Lou Lamoriello] has done this in the ..."
Why can't you trade coaches?
Comment
February 5
Ottawa Sun
 columnist Earl Mcrea
"The phone rings in Bryan Murray's office, Steve Tambellini, general manager of the Edmonton Oilers calling. "Bryan, I've got a trade offer for you." "Shoot." "Pat Quinn straight up for Cory Clouston." "Are you nuts?" "Pat Quinn, an assistant coach, and a first-round draft pick for him." "What are you on, Steve?" "Pat Quinn, an assistant coach, first-round draft pick, and a million bucks." "Thanks for calling, I've gotta go." "Bryan, Bryan, we can make it a rental deal. After we make the playoffs with Cory, you can get him back again. We need him, you don't. Unlike our bums, your team is on such a hot roll, you'll make the playoffs even without Cory behind the bench." "Bye, Steve." Being ..."
Luongo's mini-slump not the end of the world. Really
Comment
February 5
Vancouver Province
 columnist Jason Botchford
"The ongoing cross-country Olympic relay isn't the only torch being passed. Just look at the Canucks. They can win even when Roberto Luongo is not playing out of his mind. In the past 10 games, Luongo has been hooked twice, has a 2.86 GAA and a .901 save percentage. In the not-too-distant past, that spelled doomsday. But the Canucks are 7-3 in their past 10, and, if not for Jaroslav Halak, could be going into their game against the Ottawa Senators Thursday with eight straight wins. This is a good thing. Luongo has never been on a team that can score like this one. When he's been off during the past month, the forwards, especially the top line, has picked him up and bailed him out. It should ..."
New seven fit right in against the Canes
Comment
February 5
Calgary Herald
 columnist John Down
"That was the kind of game, minus the penalty parade of the first and second periods, that the Flames need to play to be successful. Oh, sure, it was against the Carolina Hurricanes a team that was flat out awful, partly because of the Flames pressure and partly because of their ineptitude, but it was the kind of game that surely will give this club a big boost in their next two against much more desperate clubs that are also battling for playoff spots. A solid in-your-face effort from start to finish led by the gritty trio of Curtis Glencross, Eric Nystrom and Jamal Mayers. And Glencross, who was rewarded with three goals, made a big point when he said the extra bodies (there's 17 forwards ..."
Sad truth ... Hitch had to go
Comment
February 5
Columbus Dispatch
 columnist Michael Arace
"Ken Hitchcock played a critical role in transforming the Blue Jackets from a band of directionless losers into a playoff team in a span of 16 months. Hitchcock put the franchise on the path to legitimacy and thus earned an esteemed place in club history. That will not change. Hitchcock was fired Wednesday and the reaction has been varied. There are those who believe that Hitchcock should have had a longer leash. There are those who believe it is not right that the coach should always take the fall for underperforming players, especially a coach with Hitchcock's pedigree. There are those who point out the obvious insanity of the NHL's rapidly spinning coaching carousel: Hitchcock is the ..."
Look Who's Back: Jay Bouwmeester in South Florida
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February 5
Miami Herald
 columnist George Richards
"Not much going on right now, what with GM Randy Sexton in Rochester and the Panthers not playing for a few days. The big news around town is the return of Jay Bouwmeester. 'Big Bo' returns to the BankAtlantic Center on Friday night for the first time since he played his final game there with the Panthers on April 11, 2009. Bouwmeester refused to sign a long-term deal with the Panthers and, in June, was traded to Calgary where he almost immediately signed a five-year pact with the Flames. One of the reasons Bouwmeester wanted out of Florida was because of the lack of passion that exists for hockey in the sunny south. In Calgary, the hockey team is the biggest thing going. Teammates in ..."
Kovalchuk dealt to New Jersey in sad, expected ending
Comment
February 5
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 columnist Jeff Schultz
"This is generally how these things end. A star goes one way. A large package of some undetermined substance and quality goes the other. This isn't a new practice with the Thrashers, just an evolving one. The names keep getting bigger. Dealing Ray Ferraro and Jiri Slegr in the early days came with limited blowback. They were late in their careers. But then another impending free agent, Donald Audette, couldn't come to terms and was traded to Montreal for an obscure prospect named Kamil Piros. (Unfortunate early analysis from then-coach Curt Fraser: "The greatest player in Czechoslovakia."). Then Marian Hossa wouldn't re-sign and was dealt to Pittsburgh. Now it's Ilya Kovalchuk's turn. ..."
Best move for Bruins? None at all
Comment
February 5
Boston Herald
 columnist Stephen Harris
"Yes, this is getting mighty monotonous. A Bruins team which last year seemingly always found a way to win continues to do the exact opposite this season. The latest flop: Last night's 3-2 shootout loss to the not-terribly-impressive Montreal Canadiens, running the B's winless streak to 0-6-3 and leaving them 1-9-3 in their last 13 games. After producing one goal on 22 quality scoring chances in their loss to Washington Tuesday, the team last night turned 23 chances into just two goals. That's 45 good chances; three goals. Two dominant performances; just one point to show for them. And the streak goes on. "It's too bad we couldn't have made it 3-0, 4-0," said Blake Wheeler. "We had enough ..."
Kovalchuk doesn't make N.J. Atlantic favorites
Comment
February 5
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 columnist Rob Rossi
"Goal-scoring star winger Ilya Kovalchuk is headed to New Jersey, where Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello has upgraded a club that has struggled to score in recent weeks. Kovalchuk, with 31 goals on the season, should boost an offense that has sagged with two or fewer goals in 10 of 14 games; and soon-to-return winger Patrik Elias (concussion) should provide an added spark. Still, given what the Devils surrendered - defenseman John Oduya, forwards Niclas Bergfors and Patrice Cormier and a first-round pick - can the addition of Kovalchuk, likely to test free agency on July 1, really be considered a monumental move in the Eastern Conference? Perhaps, but all bets are off given two ..."
Oilers deserving of victory
Comment
February 4
Edmonton Journal
 columnist John Mackinnon
"Back to life, back to reality, eh? Having staunched the bleeding at 13 straight losses with that 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes the other night, you had to figure the Edmonton Oilers were approaching Wednesday night's encounter against the Philadelphia Flyers much as someone would steel himself for the well-known wet-fish slap to the face, don't you think? And with the execrable Chris Pronger tossed into the bargain, no less. Not good. The fans could sense this, seemingly. When last they saw their heroes, they were on their feet delivering a heartfelt post-game ovation for a job successfully done, if not necessarily well done. Except no one told the Oilers they were supposed to ..."
Hitchcock takes fall for everyone else
Comment
February 4
Columbus Dispatch
 columnist Bob Hunter
"These fire-the-coach news conferences always make my skin crawl. "We're all responsible -- management, players and coaches," Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said. So, at the end of the day, how is it that only one guy, coach Ken Hitchcock, got fired? "This decision was made for the best long-term interest of our hockey club," Howson said. "It had become clear that, despite the efforts of Hitch, the coaches and players to find a solution, it wasn't working. The team was not responding to the message." The Jackets have issues. Every losing team does. The coach is usually to blame for some of them -- in some cases, for a lot of them, though that doesn't appear to be the case here. ..."
Heady stuff? Sabres bow to Sen masters
Comment
February 4
Buffalo News
 columnist Jerry Sullivan
"Beforehand, the Sabres insisted it was just another game. Ryan Miller said it. Mike Grier, too. So what if they hadn't beaten Ottawa since before Obama took the oath of office? No way the Senators were in their heads. Sorry, but the Senators are in the Sabres' heads. They've paid the first and last month's rent and taken up residence. They're throwing parties in there, entertaining visiting relatives. They're rattling around the Sabres' craniums like ping-pong balls on a lottery telecast. For a few giddy moments, it seemed the Sabres were about to evict the Sens. After falling behind, 2-0, early in the third period, the Sabres scored twice in 27 seconds to tie the game. The HSBC Arena fans ..."
Thrashers blow it with Kovalchuk, as with everything else
Comment
February 4
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 columnist Jeff Schultz
"Don't fall for the spin. Don't fall for, "He's disloyal," or, "He's selfish," or, "We did everything we could for him." And please, certainly don't fall for, "We're building something special here." Because we've watched this building for 10 seasons and 11 years now, and the blueprints don't project a palatial estate. More like a pile of rocks in Kabul. The Thrashers are going to trade Ilya Kovalchuk. There's the latest sucker punch to hockey's existence in Atlanta. The realization of an impending trade is only official now. The general manager said it and the agent confirmed it. But it has been fairly well established for several months. The Thrashers' organization botched this by not ..."
How about spot duty for Budaj?
Comment
February 4
Denver Post
 columnist Terry Frei
"Peter Budaj was the only Avalanche goaltender on the ice for practice Wednesday; Craig Anderson had the day off. As he usually does, Budaj stayed out long after the conclusion of the team work, playing the foil for the lingering skaters and a mixture of serious individual work and horseplay. This season, Budaj has started only eight games. The conclusion is unavoidable: Avs coach Joe Sacco, who praises Budaj's attitude and professionalism, has little confidence in him. Anderson has had a remarkable season. Yet there have been many instances when starting Budaj made sense — most notably when Colorado played on back-to-back nights. Still, Sacco has gone with Anderson, hoping he can hold up ..."
Phaneuf has the ability to change a game
Comment
February 3
Toronto Sun
 columnist Steve Simmons
"Seven minutes in to Dion Phaneuf's new life as a Maple Leaf and already there was a big hit, a bad punch, and a fight worth remembering. The unofficial Chris Pronger hat trick. It was a beginning to remember. A beginning worth pointing to, maybe looking back at one day. When does a team change its fortunes? How does a team do it? Bill Polian, the Super Bowl general manager, told Brian Burke when he took over the Maple Leafs that the hardest thing to do in sports is alter the culture of any team. For a year and some, Burke has been stewing about altering the Leafs culture of entitlement with a hockey team that's seem satisfied going nowhere. Phil Kessel is a goal scorer but he's not the ..."
Welcome to the jungle
Comment
February 3
Toronto Sun
 columnist Mike Zeisberger
"Reality finally sinks in for J-S Giguere when he looks at the gaggle of reporters scrunched around his locker on Tuesday night. No longer is he in sunny Anaheim, the land of Mickey Mouse. He now is a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team many critics have accused of being Mickey Mouse. J-S Giguere plans on changing that image. Not by himself, mind you. He needs help. Still ... "I've seen this many media members before during my two visits to the Stanley Cup final," a grinning Giguere said. Only this isn't the Stanley Cup final. This is a Tuesday game against the New Jersey Devils. In February. "There is that," he laughs. Giguere has just finished making his Leafs debut. It ..."
Kings game pinch-hits for a silent Frank McCourt
Comment
February 3
Los Angeles Times
 columnist T.J. Simers
"I'm sorry, I really am, and that doesn't even begin to make amends for what I'm about to do to you. You deserve better, and it's too bad USC and UCLA have crummy basketball teams -- nothing to write there. The Lakers are off, the Clippers are away and Super Bowl media day is best covered by the media that is there. I had planned on better, a treat really for each and every one of you because Frank McCourt is talking again, making that announcement for some reason while I was on vacation. Saw it in the paper, though, the headline reading, "McCourt gets back in the game." It was such big news The Times had two reporters, Dylan Hernandez and Bill Shaikin, write the story. You can imagine my ..."
Bruins in Hub of misery
Comment
February 3
Boston Herald
 columnist Steve Buckley
"Remember the good old days, when the Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics were winning championships, and the Bruins seemed headed in that direction? This is the world in which we now live: Dating back to May 14 of last year, the four teams have combined to lose seven consecutive playoff games. Check it out: On May 14, 2009, the Bruins suffer a season-ending overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at the Garden. That same night, the Celtics lose to the Magic in Orlando in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Three days later, the C's get blown out in Game 7 at the Garden."
Ponikarovsky: The artful dodger
Comment
February 3
Toronto Sun
 columnist Bill Lankhof
"When he got married, Alexei Ponikarovsky told his bride that being a hockey player was a little like being in the military. In other words, keep the suitcase handy, because invariably the marching orders will be handed down. For nine seasons in the Maple Leafs organization, the phone call telling him to take a hike has not come. Several times it has been expected by the media, the public and even Ponikarovsky himself, but when the Leafs hit the ice Tuesday night against New Jersey Devils, the only two players in the lineup with more than two years of service in Toronto were Tomas Kaberle and Ponikarovsky. He has seen Leafs icons such as Gary Roberts, Tie Domi and Mats Sundin summarily ..."
Lots of Zzzs add up to a W for Giguere
Comment
February 3
Toronto Star
 columnist Rosie DiManno
"From his seat at the end of the bench, Jonas Gustavsson didn't report for observer duty with a clipboard in hand, nor video-cam for the purpose of capturing a goaltending tutorial. In any event, as presumptive student at the butterfly-bent knees of J.S. Giguere, there would not have been much to freeze-frame record from the Toronto debut of Gettin' Jiggy Wid It. That was the quietest SHHHHhutout in recent memory."
Avs rookie Duchene striking a chord
Comment
February 3
Denver Post
 columnist Dave Krieger
"When an 18-year-old Matt Duchene arrived in Colorado last summer to be a pro hockey star, his first big purchase was a Les Paul electric guitar. "I play a lot of Green Day, I play a lot of different country stuff," he said the other day. "Green Day was kind of the reason I got into playing guitar because I wanted to learn to play their songs. I know probably 10 or 15 of their songs." The kid is a quick learner, a trait that also has him quite suddenly leading all NHL rookies in scoring. That makes him a prime contender to be the Avs' second Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year. Chris Drury won in 1999. If you go back to the organization's days in Quebec, Peter Forsberg was rookie of ..."
Leafs out-devil the Devils
Comment
February 3
Toronto Star
 columnist Damien Cox
"In recent years, the Maple Leafs have perfected the art of the pointless late-season charge, a seemingly game attempt to snare the final Eastern Conference playoff position that always fell short and produced only a less desirable draft position and false expectations for the following fall. Well, the Leafs would sure welcome such a fruitless finish now. Indeed, given all that has happened in the 2009-10 campaign, a thundering close to the season that concluded just shy of a post-season berth would be the emotional equivalent of a first-round playoff victory to Brian Burke's club."
Abysmal offense foils Olli's debut
Comment
February 3
New York Post
 columnist Larry Brooks
"The faces change. The scoreboard doesn't. It was one game, the first with Olli Jokinen in the lineup, and thus the attempt to draw any far-reaching conclusions regarding the center's impact on the Rangers would be nonsensical. Still, the Blueshirts' inability to produce offense persisted here in last night's 2-1 loss to the Kings in which Henrik Lundqvist, back after missing two games with the flu, lost his fifth straight, yielding a two-on-one shorthanded goal to Anze Kopitar at 16:43 of the second when the Rangers had five forwards on the power play before being beaten from point-blank range by Ryan Smyth at 11:14 of the third. As usual, Marian Gaborik was the Rangers' offense, getting ..."
It's the Olli folly trade
Comment
February 2
Calgary Herald
 columnist George Johnson
"The day Olli Jokinen became a Calgary Flame, the adjectives were running thick and fast. Finally. That sizeable, strong, powerful beast down centre. A table-setter for Jarome Iginla. An untameable presence to make the middle of the ice his personal playpen. "It's a dream come true,'' stammered Jokinen, over a crackly conference-call line set up in the Ed Whalen Media Lounge on May 4, 2009. "I can't believe it. "It's a fresh start. Going to a place where there are high expectations and the people expect a 'W' every night, that's what you want. It's very exciting."
Calling Cooke an 'agitator' a disservice
Comment
February 2
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 columnist Ron Cook
"Their lockers are just a few feet apart in the Penguins' room, but Sidney Crosby and Matt Cooke might as well be from different planets. Crosby is well on his way to being one of the NHL's all-time superstars, the face of the league and soon to be the face of the Olympics. Cooke is, well ... How would you describe Cooke? I took a shot at it and used the term "agitator" Sunday after the Penguins' 2-1 shootout win against the Detroit Red Wings at Mellon Arena. Cooke smiled politely. But he clearly didn't like it. "I've always kind of been in that stereotype and I've always tried to get out of it," he said. "An agitator, to me, is someone who gets 10 points a year and does his job. I like to ..."
Toronto's Burke gets the trading ball rolling
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February 2
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Helene Elliott
"Leave it to Brian Burke to break open a trade market that had been stuck because it's so difficult to move huge contracts and because many general managers can't decide whether to buy or sell while their clubs are still in playoff contention. Burke, the Toronto Maple Leafs' GM, on Sunday ripped apart a roster that badly needed ripping. His acquisitions of defenseman Dion Phaneuf from Calgary and goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere from the Ducks fall into the category of reclamation projects, and those are always risky. Instead of rebuilding slowly around kids -- a strategy he has never had the patience to follow -- Burke took on two established players who have slipped from their peak and ..."
Evgeni Nabokov offers perspective on Sharks' quest for Stanley Cup
Comment
February 2
San Jose Mercury News
 columnist Mark Purdy
"A cool story about Evgeni Nabokov this season is that where there could have been a story, there has been no story. This is his contract year. The Sharks goalie will become a free agent this summer unless he is signed to a contract extension. But I haven't heard a word from him, in Russian or English, about it. Neither have you. The reason? Nabokov and the Sharks have mutually agreed not to talk about any of that until we all see how this season's playoffs turn out. In the NBA or the NFL, that would never happen. Nabokov's situation, for a player of his stature, would lead to a full-blown season-long soap opera. Not in the NHL. "You can't compare hockey to other sports," Nabokov said with ..."
Here's how to brighten Avalanche home games
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February 2
Denver Post
 columnist Adrian Dater
"Let's say, for the sake of argument, I've been asked by Stan Kroenke to improve the game-night hockey experience at the Pepsi Center. Thank you, Stan. Here we go. Some of my first actions? I would buy a much bigger marquee to put out front to replace the one that is way too small and, as of Sunday night, had only two of three sides in working order. This marquee would be big and bright, flashing news about that night's Avs game and future events. I would also replace the dim 40-watt — or so it seems — light bulbs ringing the arena. Get floodlights in there to really lighten up the place. I now have a building that looks alive and inviting to the thousands of potential customers who drive ..."
Ruff's altered approach has Sabres thriving
Comment
February 1
Buffalo News
 columnist Bucky Gleason
"Lindy Ruff still has his moments. Last Monday, for example, he stormed down the visitors' corridor in GM Place in Vancouver and planted his size 11 shoe through a wall. He's punched a few holes in his HSBC Arena office over the years, too. Fist or foot? Whatever works. "I usually take turns," Ruff said with a laugh Sunday after a crisp workout in preparation for tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Igloo. Ruff is the same guy with the same general philosophies he had years ago, when he was a young coach trying to find his way. He still stops in the Buffalo Sabres' dressing room after losses and unleashes his sharp tongue. He can still undress players in ways that would ..."
Leafs didn't give up much
Comment
February 1
Toronto Sun
 columnist Rob Longley
"If one man's trash is another man's treasure, then Brian Burke fired a bunch of waste around the Western Conference on Sunday. In one busy morning, the weary Maple Leafs general manager scoured house, getting rid of almost one third of the Leafs roster for Saturday's epic collapse against the Vancouver Canucks. While the quality of players Toronto-bound in two separate deals is up for debate, the value of those on outbound flights weren't exactly blue chip. In fact, other than Ian White, it's difficult to imagine any of the six players on the move would be significant components of Toronto's long-term future. And in least one case, the Leafs' braintrust showed it no longer could ..."
Phaneuf is enough
Comment
February 1
Toronto Sun
 columnist Mike Zeisberger
"Finding a way to unload Jason Blake's albatross contract probably won't net Brian Burke the NHL's executive of the year honours when all is said and done. Maybe it should. At first blush, it would have been easier to work out the square root of pi by hand. Or, figure how they get all that caramel inside the Caramilk bar. Or, logically explain how Burke's Maple Leafs actually lost to Andrew Raycroft on Saturday night. But peddling the 36-year-old Blake and that inflated deal, one that will pay him $4 million US in each of the next two seasons? Talk about Mission Impossible. Yet, somehow Brian Burke found a way to do it Sunday. And after the Maple Leafs general manager had finished the ..."
The sudden impact of Brian Burke's moves
Comment
February 1
Toronto Star
 columnist Damien Cox
"In theory, it should have been the dreadful Maple Leafs panicking and being forced to shed a potential all-star player for immediate help or, at the very least, immediate change for the sake of change. This is a franchise, after all, that is historically well versed in the dark arts of blind, illogical panic. But in the case of Sunday's deal between the Leafs and the Calgary Flames that brings flashy, hard-hitting Dion Phaneuf east, it's possible, but unlikely, Toronto fans will ever regret this trade in the same way some whine and moan on a daily basis over the first-round draft picks sacrificed to acquire scoring winger Phil Kessel."
The 5-year trial is over: Scrub the shoot-out
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February 1
Detroit Free Press
 columnist Drew Sharp
"The shoot-out concept was cute at first. The NHL acquiesced to short attention spans after the owners' lockout five years ago, guaranteeing a quick resolution to regular-season overtime games. Turn 65 minutes of grinding endurance into a dazzling, gimmicky one-on-one skills competition for an extra point. There stood Jimmy Howard outside the crease Sunday, knowing that nothing friendly stood between himself and two of the NHL's most lethal stickmen -- Sidney Crosby on one rush and Evgeni Malkin on the next -- during the Wings' shoot-out against the Penguins. Both made splendid moves to score on Howard. Crosby went top shelf off his backhand, and Malkin patiently waited for Howard to commit ..."
Staal scores with defensive play
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February 1
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 columnist Kevin Gorman
"As if seeing Jordan Staal and Evgeni Malkin on the ice together for the opening faceoff wasn't daunting enough, imagine what was going through the minds of the Detroit Red Wings when Staal split their top defensive pairing for a shorthanded shot in the second period. Anyone have a flashback of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final? Detroit tends to bring out the best in Staal, who has tortured the Red Wings in their past nine meetings by scoring five goals, including a third-period hat trick in an overtime victory in November 2008. "I guess so," Staal said. "They're always big games and they're always tough. It's always exciting and challenging for any player out there." Staal didn't score a ..."
Raycroft grilled by media in Toronto — minus noose
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February 1
Vancouver Sun
 columnist Iain MacIntyre
"It was just like old times at the Air Canada Centre as the Toronto media rushed post-game to interrogate goalie Andrew Raycroft. Except this time nobody brought a noose. The Vancouver Canuck backup, whose miserable time in Toronto ended with a buyout by the Maple Leafs two summers ago, picked up an improbable win Saturday by stopping all 13 shots he faced after replacing starter Roberto Luongo for the final 40 minutes of a 5-3 victory. Raycroft, whose previous win was Nov. 5, inherited a 3-0 deficit. "I was very excited," Raycroft admitted. "It's very satisfying. It's great, a good story [beating the Leafs]. But I haven't played a lot; that's the biggest satisfaction. I've been working ..."
Calgary hopes trade lights a flame
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February 1
Philadelphia Daily News
 columnist Frank Seravalli
"The newspapers here in the Great White North dubbed Saturday night's "Hockey Night in Canada" clash between rivals Calgary and Edmonton as the "Battle of Al-brutal" instead of the usual Battle of Alberta. Before Calgary's convincing, 6-1 win, the two teams combined for 21 consecutive losses. Tonight in Calgary, when the Flyers begin their own battle through Alberta, they won't be facing the same Flames team that has won twice in 13 games. Calgary will have a whole new look after completing a blockbuster, seven-player swap with Toronto yesterday. They sent rugged defenseman Dion Phaneuf, forward Freddy Sjostrom and defenseman Keith Aulie to the Maple Leafs for scorers Niklas Hagman and Matt ..."
Former Devils winger Mike Danton pursuing a second try at hockey -- and life -- in Nova Scotia
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January 31
Newark Star-Ledger
 columnist Rich Chere
"It is no longer shocking when a professional athlete is implicated or convicted of a serious crime and serves time in prison. But there is the potential for a feel-good ending to the story of former Devils winger Mike Danton, whose NHL career ended abruptly in April 2004 when he was arrested for conspiracy to commit murder. After pleading guilty and serving five years and three months in prison, much of it in New Jersey, Danton was released this past Sept. 11 and is now pursuing a college education while enrolled at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Danton, 29, is also playing hockey for the Saint Mary's Huskies. A veteran of 87 NHL games with the Devils and St. Louis Blues, ..."
How much work is too much for Marty Brodeur?
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January 31
Newark Star-Ledger
 columnist COlin Stephenson
"Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick has played in 48 of L.A.'s 53 games this season, before the Kings' game tonight in Boston against the Bruins. Henrik Lundqvist has played in 48 of the 54 games the Rangers have played. San Jose's Evgeny Nabokov has played in 47 of 54 games for San Jose, the same as Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff and Phoenix' Ilya Bryzgalov. Ryan Miller, who missed a couple games with injury, has played in 46 of Buffalo's 53 games, the same as Roberto Luongo, who has played 46 of 53 for Vancouver. "Maybe back seven years ago I was the only one playing so much, but now you see a lot more goalies doing it,'' said Marty Brodeur, who has played in 51 of the Devils' 53 ..."
Seeing a bright future
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January 31
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 columnist Michael Russo
"Tommy Thompson, one of the Wild's two assistant general managers, is on the road so much, it's always good to touch base during the rare occasions he's in Minnesota. Monday, I had lunch with Thompson, and our conversation hit on several topics, from updates on the Wild's prospects to his reaction to a couple observations made lately by me in print. • In last Sunday's Insider, I noted the Wild has had four post-second-round draft picks play more than 56 games for the club in team history. On Monday, I mentioned that the Wild's increasing eyes in the college free-agent marketplace because of a previous void in coverage (four all-time signings). "If you're going to have a balanced picture, ..."
Inside the NHL: It's not too soon to start thinking about trades
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January 31
Buffalo News
 columnist Bucky Gleason
"The NHL will take a two-week break after Valentine's Day for the Olympics, allowing the superstars to slug it out for their respective countries in Vancouver and giving the wannabes an opportunity to ice their bumps and bruises after putting their sticks back in their holsters. For general managers, however, the 15-day retreat could, and should, be used to take an honest look at their rosters and start planning for the stretch run of the regular season. The NHL resumes play March 2, two days after the gold medal game and — whaddya know? — the eve of the league's trade deadline. The NHL has implemented a freeze on trades from Feb. 12-28. Several teams are looking for a playoff push or ..."
Trade talks slow, but will heat up
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January 31
Camden Courier-Post
 columnist Chuck Gormley
"Have NHL general managers fallen asleep at the wheel this season? Has the salary cap taken all the fun out of hockey? So far this season, only 16 NHL players have switched uniforms and one of them -- Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton -- was claimed off waivers. With the NHL Olympic break just two weeks away, trade talks have heated up, but many believe the wheeling and dealing will need to wait until the March 3 trade deadline. "I would say the conversations have picked up recently, but I really don't know," Phoenix Coyotes general manager Don Maloney said last week while scouting a game. "Generally speaking, the last hour before the deadline things get done. I think we'd all like to do ..."
Raycroft delights in beating Leafs
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January 31
Toronto Star
 columnist Rosie DiManno
"Forgive the gallows imagery: That rope, down which soldiers rappelled on Canadian Forces Appreciation Night, proved just long enough for the Maple Leafs to hang themselves. Not even the military, summoned to Toronto on this frigid evening – more than 360 troops present – could help dig the team out from a heap o' dung, self-shovelled under. It's not every day a team can rack up a three-zip lead and go home 5-3 losers, as the Leafs did against Vancouver Saturday. That takes some doing, though Toronto has done similar once before this season."
Stanley Cup Final rematch lacks sizzle
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January 31
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 columnist Rob Rossi
"Something is missing. A regular-season showdown between the Penguins and the Red Wings, teams that split the last two Stanley Cup Final series, should feel like a bigger deal. Sorry NHL and NBC executives, but of the three consecutive national games involving the Penguins, this Final rematch today is the least intriguing. Give me Penguins-Flyers from last week or Penguins-Capitals next week; I'm just not digging Penguins-Red Wings. What is going on here? The Penguins and Red Wings waged high-tempo hockey battles into June the last two years, 10 Final games decided in the third period or overtime(s); but the current state of both clubs leaves something to be desired, given the recent ..."
Pens inked script fans could learn a lot from
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January 31
Boston Herald
 columnist Steve Buckley
"Any day now, hopeful Bruins fans will start showing up at the Garden wearing "Pittsburgh Penguins: 2008-09 Stanley Cup champions" T-shirts. And why not? Last season's Penguins were gasping for air midway through the season, and looking more and more like a team that'd be going home come playoff time. They lost five straight games in late December and early January. By Feb. 15, they were five points out of playoff contention. You probably know the . . . rest . . . of . . . the . . . story. Injured players returned to the lineup. The Penguins made some late-season pickups, including Billy Guerin. The team also made a coaching change, replacing Michel Therrien with Dan Bylsma. Presto! The ..."