SB Nation - Bobby Ryan

Wingless Ducks Pay Canucks A Visit

Sean Zandberg — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:00:23 -0000

Ducks (12-13-7) vs Canucks (19-14-0)

GAME TIME: 7:00 PST

TV: TSN

THE OPPOSITION: Battle of California, Anaheim Calling

UPDATE (4:00 PM): Word is that Rypien will move up to the 3rd line to center Glass and Bernier.

UPDATE (1:15 PM): The Canucks are not taking the Ducks lightly, plus, Jonas Hiller will start in goal for the Quacks.

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You probably know this already, but Kyle Wellwood will be a healthy scratch against the Ducks. Alain Vigneault stated that he wants to ice a grittier team against the Ducks. So Darcy Hordichuk will most likely draw in. Wellwood said after practice on Tuesday that he isn't surprised he's riding the pine because he didn't have a great game against the Kings and was on the ice for their lone goal. Wellwood only played 9:38 and was a -1. I wonder where the Canucks' patience level is with him. Time is running out for the pint-sized slumping center.

The Canucks are looking to win 4 in a row for the first time this season. They seem to have found their groove back. Their home record is now a stellar 13-4-0. They have outscored their opponents 11-6 in the last 3 wins. Speaking of the number zero, their zero points in the overtime loss section continues to be an eyesore. They sit in 10th spot in the West while being 5 games above 500. Dallas, who has 10 overtime-shootout losses, sits in 9th.

More after the jump..

Detroit, who sits in 8th spot, 1 point ahead of the Canucks, has 5 OTL's. The Canucks' 104 goals for ranks them 3rd in the West. Their somewhat impressive 85 goals against ranks them 3rd best in the West. Their 19 wins ties them with San Jose, Colorado, Calgary, Nashville and Phoenix. That is a 6-way tie for most wins in the Conference. It's frustrating to look at, but it is what it is. They just have to continually plug away and get into the playoff hunt. These wins are going to count for something (like a tie breaker perhaps) towards the end of the season.

Speaking of madness: the Ducks' 12-13-7 record puts them at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, only 8 points out of a playoff spot. They have won 2 of their last 3 games after losing 5 straight. They have had 4 days off since beating Columbus 3-1 on the 12th.

Despite losing Teemu Selanne (broken hand) and Joffrey Lupul (back issues) recently, the Ducks may be turning a corner. They are finally getting scoring from the second line (sound familiar?), and at lot of that has to do with some guy named Dan Sexton, the Ducks' undrafted free agent signing who they recently called up due to the Selanne injury. He and Koivu are clicking. Sexton has 4 goals and 1 assist in his last 4 games. Koivu has 2 goals and 3 assists. Bobby Ryan has 1 goal and 4 assists. These guy have carried the Ducks over the past few games, as the top line has cooled off.

Jonas Hiller, who stopped 35 of 36 shots against the Blue Jackets last game, may get the start for the Ducks. However, he has been anything but stellar this season.

Corey (Canuck-Killer) Perry has 4 goals and 12 points in his last 5 games against the Canucks.

The last time the Canucks played the Ducks was October 30th in Anaheim: a 7-2 loss as poor Andrew Raycroft and Cory Schneider were hung out to dry. The Canucks had built an early 2-0 lead in that game and then completely crumpled. Time to make amends for that travesty!

COMPARATIVE STATS

GOALS PER GAME AVERAGE: Canucks 4th, Ducks 16th

GOALS AGAINST PER GAME: Canucks 8th, Ducks 25th

5 on 5: Canucks 3rd, Ducks 16th

POWER PLAY: Canucks 2nd, Ducks 4th (uh-oh)

PENALTY KILL: Canucks 21st, Ducks 24th

SHOTS PER GAME: Canucks 12th, Ducks 22nd

SHOTS AGAINST PER GAME: Canucks 10th, Ducks 27th

FACE OFF PERCENTAGE: Canucks 11th, Ducks 22nd

If you are new here, some of us predict the scores, winning team and winning goal scorer each Canucks game. The leaderboard is on the left sidebar on the main page. Bragging rights! And I got 'em so far!

Let's Talk About Sexy

Arthur from Anaheim Calling — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:33:13 -0000

ARTHUR:

Dan Sexton's NHL career is off to an eye-popping start. With goals in his last three games, the half-pint forward is serving crow to his naysayers, including your blogger (who short sold Sexton's ability to perform in a physical, defensive system but should have short sold Murray's desire to maintain a defensive system in the first place).

Big Sexy is doing something truly special for the Ducks, but eventually Teemu Selanne will come back. At that point, Sexton may have to play on a line with more physical responsibility, an assignment that usually defeats Anaheim's small forwards (Shannon, Ebbett) and even some regular-sized ones (Christensen). Daniel, is Dan Sexton playing well enough to stay in the lineup, maybe even the Top 6, when Teemu Selanne comes back from injury?

DANIEL:

Dan Sexton needs to stay here when Selanne gets back. I'm not going to bore people with an analysis of his talents. Yes, he's fast. Yes, he's great in the corners and great at finding the puck. And Big Sexy's ability to shoot from anywhere to generate instant offense is very Lupul-esque.

He needs to stay here because his enthusiasm right now reminds me of Bobby Ryan's last year, when Ryan was desperate to stay in the NHL. Big Sexy is excited to be here. He's seizing every opportunity with two hands, and he's absorbing hockey wisdom like a sponge (and from Saku Koivu, no less). His energy is starting to flow through the team. Sometimes, veteran teams fall into a lull, and a spark from a rookie who has a 'no surrender' attitude can get everyone's mind right.

Since Sexton's arrival, the Ducks are 2-0-3. Not a great record, but having watched the games, I think Anaheim has started to show more urgency and started to deliver close to 60-minute efforts. I don't think that has everything to do with Sexton, but I think that, just as Ryan did last year, he brings a new source of scoring and excitement to the team.

I know the practicality of keeping him is rough. Personally, I think the most viable option is to put Selanne on the top line, and keep Sexton, Koivu, and Bobby Ryan together. Lupul is responsible enough to play on a third line with Marchant and Nokelainen, and that line's offensive plan can just be to get Lupul the puck. While breaking up Koivu and Selanne might seem like disrespecting Koivu's original purpose in coming here, I think Koivu is more interested in winning. And if Ryan, Sexton and Koivu keep playing like this, they shouldn't be broken up. It's also important to keep Ryan on a scoring line, just so that he doesn't develop more negative feelings that might have him walking at the end of the year. Lupul, on the other hand, is happy to be here and locked up contractually. He'll suffer on a third line if it means he can play in the Top 6 next year, when Selanne will likely retire.

ARTHUR:

I definitely agree that the key to keeping Sexton in the NHL is to NOT put him in the Bottom 6, but it's also hard to put Lupul there when he played so well after coming back from his back injury. He, too, was a source of enthusiasm for this team in recent games. Then again, with Loops suffering from a new nagging ailment every few games, a demotion might do him some good. We might get a longer stint out of him if he wasn't part of the overworked top line, and he's definitely gritty enough to play on a checking line, more so than Sexton, Selanne or even Ryan.

If Dan Sexton stays with the Ducks this season, he stays because he can create offense. Not just the shoot-first, look-into-pass-options-later offense that made a young Joffrey Lupul so good, but the sort of playmaking offense that can really frustrate the opposition. I've been clamoring for longer attack sequences this year, and Sexton and Koivu have been able to create that. Teams were weary of our heavyweight line last season, but now we have a welterweight line. They're making plays in the middle of the ice with a dangerous Bobby Ryan coming off the boards. Teams are in the ring with Manny Pacquiao when it's Sexton-Koivu-Ryan; they just don't know where the punches are coming from out there. And I can't imagine Carlyle will give up the option of sending Pacquiao over the boards when Ali comes back to the bench.

Of course, the coach has downplayed Sexton's success, noting that he sees it as the success of a line. And Carlyle has traditionally asked his rookies to earn their spot in the Top 6, regardless of size or playmaking ability, so why would Big Sexy be any different? But I think Sexton stays in the Top 6 because I see his quick NHL start as a sea change in the Ducks organization. Anaheim is finally playing a system where David McNab's undersized stars can shine. It would be a step backwards to put his playmaking ability on the backburner just because 'that's the way we've always done it.'

Game 32 Preview: Ducks in Columbus

Mike MacLean — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:59:05 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

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Sure, it sucked losing to the Preds, again. Tonight however the Ducks come to town. They are not playing to their level whatsoever, and the Jackets need to take advantage of that. That being said, so far this season the Jackets have failed for the most part in capitalizing on other team's woes. The Ducks always play the Jackets tough, so it will no doubt be a rough, physical affair.

The Jackets see the return of Freddy tonight, this will be his first game of the season. I am excited to see what he and Sammy can do together. Their chemistry on the international scene will hopefully translate to the Jackets. Murr-dog will sit tonight. There aren't any other major lineup changes from the last few games. Mase will get the start against Hiller.

Here's hoping that Nasher can keep putting the puck in the net, it was so good to see him score last game and he needs to continue to do that. If his line can produce, it will allow the other lines to get things going without having to face top checkers. I wouldn't put it past Boller to have a go with either Brown or Parros tonight, regardless of the coach's putting the leash on him.

Should be a good one!

Fearless Prediction: The Ducks aren't playing very well, the Jackets get a much-needed win. Will be a very physical game. Modin and Pahlsson show instant chemistry.

Game Time: 7:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: Anaheim Calling

Game Page: Ducks vs Blue Jackets Coverage

TSN Preview: Ducks vs Blue Jackets Preview

TV: FSN Ohio

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

Hitchcock, tongue in cheek, on Anaheim C Ryan Getzlaf: "I think we've done really well against Getzlaf. We've only allowed him five points in two games. We have to keep up that pace. If we keep it up, we'll only allow him 20 points."

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

Kristian Huselius	Antoine Vermette	Rick Nash
Jason Chimera	R.J. Umberger	Jakub Voracek
Fredrik Modin	Samuel Pahlsson	Jared Boll
Raffi Torres	Derick Brassard	Derek Dorsett

Fedor Tyutin	Anton Stralman
Mike Commodore	Jan Hejda
Kris Russell	Marc Methot

Mathieu Garon

Steve Mason

EXTRA: Michael Blunden, Mathieu Roy, Andrew Murray

INJURED: Rostislav Klesla

Anaheim Ducks

Kyle Calder	Ryan Getzlaf	Corey Perry
Bobby Ryan	Saku Koivu	Dan Sexton
Matt Beleskey	Todd Marchant	Petteri Nokelainen
Mike Brown	Kyle Chipchura	George Parros

Scott Niedermayer	Brett Festerling
Ryan Whitney	Nick Boynton
James Wisniewski	Sheldon Brookbank

Jonas Hiller

J.S. Giguere

Ducks Win 4-3 in Yet Another Stars Overtime Loss

Art_M — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:32:35 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

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Oh you sneaky Dallas Stars... I'm on to you now! I finally figured out what your modus operandi is for this season!

You see I have it on good authority that a grade six kid in Plano last year did a school report on the possibility of an NHL team going an entire season playing nothing but overtime games and if they could make the playoffs with 82 overtime and shootout losses. The kid then forwarded his report (it got a B-minus by the way) to Marc Crawford before the start of training camp, and Crow being the ever inquisitive mind, figured "Why the hell not? I have three years on my contract, I can waste one."

Of course you Dallas Stars have kind of messed it up with the odd win in overtime and even once in a while *gasp* an odd regulation win... But you've pretty much stayed true to form and you keep losing in overtime and shootouts.

I'm on to you Stars. Oh boy, I am so on to you guys and while I tip my hat for such dedication to a cause, if you don't mind I do have a bit of advice concerning your 'plan' as you all move forward:

STOP IT!! For the love of Baby Hockey Jesus please stop this madness!!

The Stars had a 3-0 lead for nearly two full periods... and they blew it! It was like they tried to out-pathetic themselves from the Edmonton game.

"Hey... you guys think tanking a 2-0 lead was bad? Wait til ya see what we got planned for tonight!"

(The gory details after the jump...)

They had a great first period again which has been pretty much par for the course the last couple of weeks... Got goals from Brad Richards and Mike Modano... Both were beautiful plays. Richards was great out there and James Neal who was returned to the Richards line was playing well also. The defense was making nice crisp passes out of their zone. Steve Ott was banging and flying out there and even though he got stopped on yet another breakaway we Stars fans kinda laughed it off.

"Oh those Stars, always failing on breakaways and penalty shots... Ha ha..."

The Stars ended the first period up 2-0 and looking better than they had in weeks. Even their good efforts against Detroit and Edmonton couldn't match how well this first period went for Dallas. Not to mention the Ducks - who were going through a December that ranked only slightly better than Tiger Woods' December - were playing so bad that you could have sworn they reverted back to their mighty purple and teal, lets let Guy Hebert try to win this by himself days.

And then the second period hap... No... Wait... Actually the second period wasn't that bad either! At least it didn't start that bad.

Sure the Ducks came with more pressure and sure the Stars seemed to lose a step and were playing on their heels a bit more, but it wasn't that bad a period. Brad Richards added a second goal on the night to make it 3-0 after some more nice work by Neal and Loui Eriksson. And hell, if not for a couple of strong plays made by the Ducks defense, Dallas could have added a fourth or fifth goal. Near the end of that period though the Ducks started getting too much of an advantage in terms of puck possession and shots on goal. The Stars young defense - made younger by the playing of Ivan Vishnevskiy tonight - were really starting to struggle in terms of getting the puck out and the rest of the team seemed to go into snooze mode.

A snooze that you thought they should have broken out of the moment Joffrey Lupul got out of the penalty box with no Star keeping him in check and picked up a breakout pass from Ryan Getzlaf and then proceeded to drill Marty Turco into his own net with a five-hole shot that Marty did stop with his pads, but sadly slid in behind the goal line anyway under those pads along with the rest of Turco.

(We can argue all day if Turco was actually 'pushed' into that net by Lupul's stick and I'd buy the argument he was, but at that point Marty was backing up pretty quickly himself so I'm pretty sure his own momentum carried him in, push or no push.)

But still, Stars up 3-1 after two... That's not so bad. The Stars can make adjustments and come out better in the third. Only, they didn't. It got worse. Much worse.

If you were one of those fans that couldn't bother to stay up so late for the game, kudos to you for having the forsight to avoid such a train wreck that was the Stars defending a lead in the third period.

They again played not to lose. (Remember what I said about that last time kids?) Ducks played like they had nothing to lose. The Stars defense couldn't hold on to the puck in their own zone. They refused to hustle for loose pucks instead allowing Anaheim to pick up scraps in exchange for not being the guy that may be out of position. The Stars forwards weren't any better as they either stood high in the zone and hope a puck floated to them or hopelessly chased Ducks around the ice.

Honestly, I've seen dogs chase down their tails better than the Stars did pucks in that third period.

And when the Stars did manage to get the puck once in a while, it was a case of getting the puck past center, dumping it in and then having one forward kinda go after it, but not really with any gusto.

Turco was the only reason the Stars made it to overtime.. And yet somehow with the third Ducks goal, a Dan Sexton wrister from an odd angle a shot that Turco should have easily stopped, Turco was the reason it went into overtime. Not that Turco was to blame for the entire game, in fact anyone who does blame Turco for this loss clearly just didn't watch the game. The simple truth is, when your team is outshot 14-2 in the third period and 21-4 when you put together the third and overtime periods, you don't deserve a win. Turco can not be expected to stand on his head and stop the Ducks shooting gallery from getting anything past him.

(A quick little footnote here: Dan Sexton was awesome in that third period for Anaheim. He at least had the right idea. Fire pucks from every angle possible. Nine shots in a game? Wow!)

The Stars did get a point... Hard to get worked up or feel good about it though. This is a game they shouldn't have lost. Personally. that third period was some of the worst hockey I've seen from the Stars in the last twenty years of me being a dedicated follower of this franchise.

Unless you're really hoping to find out if a team can keep losing in overtime like the Stars do and still make the playoffs, as a fan this game tonight from about the second period onward should leave you feeling at least a little ill. We can only hope it does the same for the Stars themselves and lights a fire in them.

Defending Big D 3 Stars of the game

1st Star: Dan Sexton (ANA) - Two goals - first two of his NHL career, nine shots... He was all over the place and giving the Stars fits.

2nd Star: Bobby Ryan (ANA) - Had a nice, kinda quiet game... Two assists, six shots, +2... Wasn't flashy but was very solid.

3rd Star: Brad Richards (DAL) - Two goals early and was one of the few that bothered to shoot the puck on goal in the second and third periods.

Minnesota Wild vs. Anaheim Ducks: Game Recap

nathaneide — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 04:27:08 -0000

More photos » by Tom Olmscheid - AP

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Minnesota Wild 5-4 (so) Anaheim Ducks

Sometimes teams dominate from the start, sometimes they have to claw their way back and hope for the momentum to swing in their direction as they do so. Tonight was definitely the latter for the Wild.

After the Wild spotted the Ducks a two-goal lead twice, each time it was the Antti Miettinen - Mikko Koivu - Andrew Brunette line who put the squad on their backs to keep the Wild in the game and force the extra session where the Wild won in the shootout on goals by Miettinen and Guillaume Latendresse.

This was an exciting game to be sure, and it's great to get these kinds of wins, but wow, this defense needs to pick things up, and the blame certainly cannot be pointed at Greg Zanon and Marek Zidlicky. Zanon was a +1 in 29:32 and Zidlicky was a +2 with two assists and two PIM in 30:42. These two are feeding off each other very well. Wilderness writer mbennett and I were discussing these two tonight, and I think he had a great point.:

I think Zid is learning from Zanon (on positional defense) and I think the trust in Zanon allows Zid to go in on offense

I couldn't agree more. These two are feeding off each other, and with this pairing being so solid right now, it allows the forwards, especially the Koivu line tonight, to play deeper, forecheck harder and get more aggressive in the offensive zone. It clearly showed tonight, especially late in the game.

Please read the game recap over at Anaheim Calling

Hockey Wilderness Three Stars

Mikko Koivu (2 G, 1 A)
Antti Miettinen (2 G, 1 A)
Andrew Brunette (3 A)

Questions to Answer

Will this look like a battle of the cellar? Sloppy play, weak defense, but definitely not boring.
Can Latendresse and Ebbett continue to play with the chip on their shoulder? Lats had a simply fantastic shootout winner but no shots in 17:53. Ebbett was a -1 in 13:33 and had 4 PIM, but they worked each shift.
Does Martin Havlat bounce back? Who?
Will the Wild continue their "hot streak"? Well, we'll take the shootout win and points in the sixth straight game, but this defense needs to get it together. The offense is finally clicking, but the D is the big question mark right now.
Can the Wild keep Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Getzlaf off the scoresheet? Getzlaf had three assists, Bobby Ryan had two goals and Corey Perry had an assist. That line is simply fantastic.

Chicago Blackhawks 2010 Olympic Preview

Matthew Dirt — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:00:13 -0000

by Jeff McIntosh - AP

I don't think it's possible to take a picture of Toews on the ice without some stupid look on his face

View full size photo »

We've covered the Olympics on here a few times before and it's safe to say we're all a little concerned about them. All of the SBN Hockey blogs have once again teamed up though to give everyone a good glimpse at who on the teams they cover could be heading to Vancouver for two weeks in February to play for their countries. Please check out the other sites info on this page - it's a good read

We here are SCH are already pretty late with this preview so here we go..

Pack Your Bags

Patrick Kane (USA) - Kaner is an absolute no-brainer to play for the Americans. Kane is just one of the many young stars like Phil Kessel, Bobby Ryan, T.J. Oshie, Erik Johnson and maybe even James van Riemsdyk that could be leading the Men's team back to glory (or at least relevancy). As we've seen throughout this season, few players in the NHL (and therefore the world) can match Kane's vision and IQ out on the ice. It'll be an uphill battle for the USA team to get to any medal rounds but it's players like Kane that will give them a chance.

Marian Hossa (Slovakia) - According to NHL.com - there are only 12 skaters in the NHL from Slovakia that have played this year so my knowledge of who is going to be on this team is pretty damn limited. Regardless, from what we've seen in just 2 games, Hossa would be a lock to make any team in the country so Slovakia is sure to love having him.

Tomas Kopecky (Slovakia) - As I said above, there are very few players from Slovakia who have made it to the NHL - so somebody like Kopecky is pretty much a lock. While he wouldn't make other power house teams, or most teams really, he's a pretty good lock for the Slovak team.. so good for him.

Nearly A Lock

Jonathan Toews (Canada) - I debated putting Toews in the "pack your bag" category but since he's not a 100% sure thing, I thought he should go here. There's very little doubt that Toews will make the team, especially given Yzerman's fondness for Captain Marvel. The fact that Toews might not crack Canada's top 4 centers tells you how deep their team is going to be. With Toews' injury earlier in the year and not exactly lighting the world on fire so far, his stock may have dipped slightly but there's still very little chance we don't see Toews on the team.

Duncan Keith (Canada) - Keith is almost certain to join the team in Vancouver as well - we know that Keith is one of the best defenseman in the league and I'm sure Yzerman does too. Keith is 4th overall in points for d-man and 3rd overall if you take out the Czech Tomas Kaberle.. Keith logs big minutes against tough competition in all situations. It'd be surprising to see him miss the games.

Work To Do

Dustin Byfuglien (USA) - Buff rode an outstanding end of the regular season and even more impressive playoffs to get himself an invitation to the Men's Olympic Hockey Camp this summer. However it was pretty clear to anyone who went there that Buff was at least a step behind every other player in that camp. Brian Burke has an unexplained soft spot for tough guys who can't do much else (read: The current Maple Leafs) - so there's an outside shot that Buff makes the Men's squad. If he had played with the same intensity we saw late last year I think he'd be much closer to making the team but instead we've seen him revert to the player who takes games off at a time, only to have a shift or two of interest. Probably won't be enough for him to make the team but weirder things have happened before..

Brent Seabrook (Canada) - I don't know if Biscuit actually has much "work" to do but he's a dark horse at this point to make the squad. If he could be assured to play with Keith I think they'd obviously be a force during the games. It's not a stretch to say those two are at least in the top 5 of defensive pairs in the league and having a pairing with that level of familiarity could give the Canadian squad a major leg up over players that rarely ever get to play with their teammates for any extended periods of time. I'd think it'd be foolish not to take him but I'm biased...

Patrick Sharp (Canada) - Sharp got off to a red-hot start this year - 9 points in his first 6 games. He's settled down a lot though with only 12 points in the games since that start. Canada's absolutely loaded with snipers that are better than Shooter. He'd pretty much be a lock to make the US squad but the Canadian squad might just be a bridge too far.

Niklas Hjalmarsson (Sweden) - I don't really know much about Olympic hockey squads - I enjoy watching it when it happens but don't follow the build up too far beforehand. So I don't know what Hammer's shots are but in my slight research on the issue, I've only seen Hammer's name thrown out there on message boards so I'm thinking he doesn't have the greatest shot to make the team for Sweden. The Swedes won the gold last year so their team is going to be tough to crack but we've seen how Nintendo has upped his game from the start of last year, especially in the playoffs. If he can play there I don't see a reason why he wouldn't be a great addition to the Swedish team.

Wednesday's news: Dan Ellis, saved

Dirk Hoag — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:07:22 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

In an interview on the 700 Club yesterday, Nashville Predators goalie Dan Ellis talked about the struggles he faced to put his life together and make it to the NHL.

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First of all this morning, I wanted to extend a hearty welcome to Anchor of Gold, SB Nation's newest addition, which covers the Vanderbilt Commodores. It joins this site and Music City Miracles on the Nashville sports scene. Head on over and check them out:

After the jump, however, we've got a feast of Nashville Predators and NHL news for you. There's speculation about a highly-talented winger that might be available on the trade market, an interview with goaltender Dan Ellis on his long road to professional hockey, and the admission by one Preds player that "streaking is fun."

Predators News

Dan Ellis: Saving Grace
Dan Ellis was on the 700 Club yesterday talking about the struggles he went through to make to the National Hockey League.

Streaking is fun - Predators Insider
It's nice that Dan Hamhuis is blogging over at The Tennessean, but somebody needs to teach him about headlines...

Game Night... and an HBR Preview - Paul McCann
Paul previews tonight's game and the latest edition of HockeyBuzz Radio this evening at 6:00. He's got a couple of hockey blog titans on his schedule, and in fine holiday tradition, a turkey as well!

Bobby Ryan on the trade block? Paging David Poile… | Section 303
Jeremy jumps all over the speculation that Anaheim's Bobby Ryan might be available on the trade market. While the Predators would have to clear significant salary to make it happen, there's no question he'd be a great addition to the team.

Road trip to Colorado comes at a good time for the Predators - Nashville Predators Examiner
Jim Diamond gets Barry Trotz's thoughts on making a quick road trip after the long home stand.

Admirals Win 3rd In A Row, Defeat Rampage 2-1 - Admirals Short Shifts
Milwaukee is on a bit of a roll, and it sounds like Chet Pickard is doing well in net.

Predators are solid with late lead - The Tennessean
Interesting stat from Bryan Mullen; the Preds are 7-0 when leading at the start of the third period.

Chicago Blackhawks soar to top spot in NHL Power Rankings - Allan Muir - SI.com
We all like to see the Preds get respect, but #2 in the NHL? That might be a bit much...

Around the NHL

The 10 best NHL players of the last decade - Puck Daddy
Puck Daddy certainly got #1 right... I'm sure there will be debate about the rest.

Game 23 Recap: Back to Back Nightmares - The Cannon
After getting stomped by the Rangers, Columbus traveled to Montreal last night and lost 5-3.

Shoe now on other foot for Wings - NHL.com
Paul Kukla wonders if the Red Wings are finally taking a significant step backwards this season. I'd wait until Johan Franzen comes back before coming to that conclusion, myself.

Nightmare on Helm Street: Sour Grapes: 11/23 vs NSH
Nice stuff by Animal Drew, taking comments from our Game Thread against the Red Wings as fodder for a "Sour Grapes" post from the Red Wings side. For the record, however, I'll stack my bad rhyming up against Drew's horrid spelling any time!

Andy Murray is longing for answers regarding Blues’ putrid offense - STLtoday
The Blues, who come to Nashville Friday, are foundering after a successful opening weekend in Sweden against Detroit.

The City Lost Its Best Friend " Teds Take
Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis writes about the passing of Abe Pollin, who sold the Caps to Leonsis 10 years ago.

SB Nation's 2010 Olympics Hockey Preview - SB Nation
Each day, 3 SB Nation blogs will provide a preview of which players on their team are likely to play in the Winter Olympics. Today's entries include Chicago, Colorado, and Columbus. Look for Nashville's over the weekend.

Former Habs suitor sets sights on Coyotes - The Globe and Mail
A new party steps up as a contender to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes.

Interview: What happened with the Habs and Latendresse? | Hockey From the Cheap Seats
Matt Reitz interviews Kyle Roussel to find out how a French-Canadian favorite wound up getting traded out of Montreal.

A little Wednesday morning trivia - From The Rink
Try your hand at this toughie that made the rounds on Twitter last evening.

DiPietro speaks after practice. And how are we feeling? - Lighthouse Hockey
Rick DiPietro finally returns to practice with the Islanders, and might be ready for conditioning in the minors soon. Will that force a trade of either Dwayne Roloson or Martin Biron?

The Push Hit MUST GO! - HockeyChats.com
Darren Pang highlights what he considers to be a dangerous practice that needs to be eliminated from the NHL; the two-handed shove that players dish out as they follow through on a check.

Long-rumored AHL outdoor 'classic' comes to Syracuse - Puck Daddy
A great idea for the AHL, an outdoor game to be played in February.

1984-85 Team - Walt Poddubny - Pension Plan Puppets
PPP's "Leaf of the Day" feature is notable today for spotlighting a retired star who passed away earlier this year.

CTV Olympics - Kiprusoff won't play in Olympics unless he starts
The starting goaltender job for Finland's Olympic team boasts a number of decent contenders, but now we have Miikka Kiprusoff saying that if isn't slated for the #1 job, then he'd rather just stay home. While he's off to a decent start, Kipper's performance has been in steady decline, and the Finns have plenty of good options include Nashville's Pekka Rinne, Minnesota's Niklas Backstrom, and Tampa Bay's Antero Niittymaki.

Which was Roloson's best save? There were only 58 of them. - Lighthouse Hockey
Dominik shares the best highlights from Dwayne Roloson's insanely great game Monday night against Toronto.

Inside the Minnesota Wild: Digital and Interactive Group - Hockey Wilderness
Nathan brings us a Q&A with the business side of the Minnesota Wild, and asks about how they are embracing the world of social media and blogs.

Great Ideas Courtesy of VERSUS " Puck The Media
Steve Lepore takes three good whacks at the decision-making at Versus over Monday's Predators/Red Wings telecast.

How Important are Playoff Wins? - Bird Watchers Anonymous
The Falconer looks at how big a factor playoff success is in building a successful NHL franchise.

Leclaire out with fractured cheek bone, will require surgery - Silver Seven
Will the injury parade never cease? Ottawa loses their starting goaltender due to an injury suffered while sitting on the bench.

Brian Duff’s Blog: One-year (deal) wonders
The NHL Network analyst leaves Francis Bouillon off his list (a glaring omission), but otherwise a good roundup of some bargain performers.

Latest Trade Adds Further Flux To 2005 NHL Entry Draft

Cory Lavalette — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:43:22 -0000

by Jeff McIntosh - AP

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jack Johnson, once considered a sure-fire No. 1 defenseman, is one of several 2005 first-round picks who find themselves playing for a team other than the one that drafted them. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jeff McIntosh)

View full size photo »

July 22, 2005.

I was sitting in my car, stuck in traffic on the bridge entering Carolina Beach, waiting to finally reach the surf with my family. My wife and I were eagerly anticipating our 2-year-old daughter’s first trip to the coast, to see what she'd think of the gritty sand between her toes, the crashing waves, and the pelicans, with their broad wings and oversized beaks.

But that Friday — the beginning to a long, memorable summer weekend for us, along with countless others in the Carolinas and beyond — was also a pivotal day in hockey history: the Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes.

It still is remembered that way. But for a lot of other players and teams, the 2005 NHL Entry Draft is about something else: loss and failure, untapped potential and wanton trades. The latest of which happened yesterday.

But back to that fateful day. Sitting on that bridge, I listened closely as NHL commissioner Gary Bettman read the results to the one-of-a-kind NHL Draft Lottery, an event different from any before. The names of each team were read in reverse order.

Tampa Bay at 30.

Calgary at 26.

Division foe Washington was 14th.

With each team and their corresponding selection, the stakes got higher. Vancouver at 10. Columbus — one of four teams with a high of three balls in the machine — went off the board at six. That left only Pittsburgh as a remaining favorite, with Anaheim, Minnesota, Montreal and, yes, Carolina with a shot at nabbing the top overall pick and the rights to select sure-fire star Crosby.

The Habs — a long shot with just one sphere rattling among 45 others — went next. Then the Wild. Final three. I gripped the wheel, and explained to my wife the significance of the moment. I knew that, regardless of the remaining results, the Hurricanes were in position to land a big-time prospect. But this was Sidney Crosby: The Next One.

The Canes’ run at Crosby ended there, with "Carolina Hurricanes" uttered by Bettman as this third overall selection. Pittsburgh — as we all know — beat out the Ducks for Crosby.

By landing the third pick, the Canes fell shy of getting Crosby, and even prized Michigan defenseman Jack Johnson seemed out of reach. That left Benoit Pouliot as the top-rated player likely to be on the board, along with the likes of Bobby Ryan, Gilbert Brule and Anze Kopitar. Personally, I was leaning toward Pouliot; a big, skilled forward out of Sudbury in the OHL.

Nine days after the lottery, the teams gathered for the draft. The Pens, of course, took Crosby. I waited for Anaheim to take Johnson so I could finally see who Carolina GM Jim Rutherford would select at No. 3. But Brian Burke, then the Ducks GM, threw the league a curveball and chose Ryan second overall. Rutherford — who has been reluctant to use his first-round picks on defensemen — had no choice but to choose Johnson, whose physical play coupled with offensive instincts had many penciling him in as a No. 1 blueliner for years to come.

Just 14 months and one day later, the Carolina Hurricanes — having stunningly won the Stanley Cup in 2006 — dealt Johnson, along with salary burden Oleg Tverdovsky, to Los Angeles for defenseman Tim Gleason and center Eric Belanger.

Yesterday, the Wild gave up on the fourth overall pick, Pouliot, sending him to Montreal for a second-rounder from the same year, Guillame Latendresse. Johnson was the second of the 30 first-round picks traded from that year's draft — Tuukka Rask was traded by Toronto to Boston on draft day 2006 for fellow goalie Andrew Raycroft — and Pouliot is the latest to find himself moving on to a new city.

Looking down the list of the first round picks from 2005, the Johnson trade still stands out as the blockbuster — and one that, despite early expert analysis suggesting Carolina was ripped off, leans toward Carolina's favor given Johnson’s struggles and Gleason’s growth.

Crosby and Ryan — the top two picks — have emerged as a superstar and emerging star respectively. Johnson, at No. 3, is with the Kings and, despite playing on a very good, young team, is a team-worst minus-11 with just two goals and four assists in 24 games (Gleason, on the other hand, is 4-2-6 and minus-1 in 18 games on the last place team in the league, plus a team leader). The teams who picked first, second and third are probably happy with how things panned out for them (though surely Johnson’s antics in not turning pro infuriated Rutherford at the time).

The rest of the league? Well, most probably aren't all that happy.

Here are the other players who are either no longer with the team that chose them in the first round in 2005:

No. 4 — Benoit Pouliot, Minnesota: Traded yesterday (Nov. 23, 2009) to Montreal for Guillame Latendresse. Career stats: 65 GP, 9-9-18
No. 6 — Gilbert Brule, Columbus: Traded July 1, 2008, to Edmonton for Raffi Torres. Career stats: 178 GP, 20-28-48
No. 10 — Luc Bourdon, Vancouver: Killed in a motorcycle accident May 29, 2008. Career stats: 36 GP, 2-0-2
No. 13 — Marek Zagrapan, Buffalo: Signed with Severstal of the KHL May 9, 2009. No NHL games played.
No. 14 — Sasha Pokulok, Washington: Was not tendered a qualifying offer June 29, 2009. Currently in the ECHL. No NHL games played.
No. 15 — Ryan O’Marra, Islanders: Traded Feb. 27, 2007, to Edmonton along with Robert Nilsson and a first-round pick for Ryan Smyth. Career stats: 1 GP, 0-0-0
No. 16 — Alex Bourret, Atlanta: Traded Feb. 7, 2007, to Rangers for Pascal Dupuis and a third-round pick. Then traded June 21, 2008, to Phoenix for a third-round pick. Was not tendered a qualifying offer June 30, 2009. Currently playing for Brno in the Czech league.
No. 18 — Ryan Parent, Nashville: Traded Feb. 15, 2007, to Philadelphia along with Scottie Upshall, a first-round pick and third-round pick for Peter Forsberg. Career stats: 67 GP, 0-6-0
No. 21 — Tuukka Rask, Toronto: Traded June 24, 2006, to Boston for Andrew Raycroft. Career stats: 14 GP, 9-3-2-2 record, .919 S%, 2.33 GAA
No. 22 — Matt Lashoff, Boston: Traded March 4, 2009, to Tampa Bay along with Martins Karsums for Mark Recchi and a second-round pick. Career stats: 58 GP, 1-14-15
No. 30 — Steve Downie, Philadelphia: Traded Nov. 7, 2008, to Tampa Bay along with Steve Eminger and a fourth-round pick for Matt Carle and a third-round pick. Career stats: 82 GP, 11-14-25

(Note: Andrew Cogliano, the No. 25 pick by Edmonton, was part of a package that would've sent Ottawa’s Dany Heatley to the Oilers. Heatley nixed the deal by refusing to waive his no-trade clause. He was later dealt to San Jose, while Cogliano — still mentioned in trade rumors frequently — remains in Edmonton.)

That's 12 of 30 players drafted just four years ago who are no longer with the team who originally held their rights. Only two players from the 2006 draft (Phil Kessel and Ty Wishart) have been moved. The 2004 draft was also volatile (13 players traded or not with their original team for another reason), but 2003 has just nine even though we're six years removed from that draft.

The Rask and Johnson deals were the first of many involving this group. The Hurricanes and their fans have embraced Gleason, a throwback blueliner whose toughness, blunt honesty, defensive acumen and emerging offensive skill make him one of the franchise cornerstones. Johnson — who was, once upon a time, supposed to be that player — is overshadowed by 2008 second overall pick Drew Doughty, arguably the best young defenseman in the game.

Sure, the 2005 draft will always be remembered as the year Crosby — the youngest captain to hoist the Stanley Cup — went No. 1 overall. But for several other first-round picks that year, the path to NHL stardom has been more like my car stuck on that bridge: the headlights pointed at the distant sea, the inhabitants of the vehicle wishing, hoping to make memories that will last a lifetime.

For some, the bridge will eventually be crossed. For others ...

Tuesday Morning Fly By: BSH Radio LIVE Tonight at 7 PM

Travis Hughes — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:51:56 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Browse more photos »

Your daily dose of Philadelphia Flyers news...

Last night's NHL scores... Avalanche 5, Flyers 4 - NSH 3, DET 1 - NYI 4, TOR 3 (OT) - NYR 7, CBJ 4 - OTT 4, WSH 3 (OT) - PIT 3, FLA 2 (OT) - BOS 4, STL 2 - DAL 2, CAR 0 - EDM 4, PHX 0 - ANA 3, CGY 2 (SO)
Recaps of last night's loss to the Avalanche from the AP, NHL.com, the Inquirer, Daily News, CSN Philly, Bucks Co. Times, Courier-Post, Bill Meltzer, the Denver Post, and Mile High Hockey.
Matt Carle won the Hobey Baker Award playing for the University of Denver. His brother, David, is involved with their hockey program, so the two had the chance to catch up. [DN]
Meet Chris Pronger, your leading candidate for the Norris Trophy. [THN]
Cherry Hill native Bobby Ryan could be used as trade bait in Anaheim. [Puck Daddy]
Minor trade yesterday, as Montreal and Minnesota swapped struggling forwards Benoit Pouliot and Guillaume Latendresse. Copy editors in NHL cities around North America are furious about it. [Hockey Or Die]
The Panthers added a baby blue third jersey. How un-Florida of them. [Uni Watch]
The Flyers face off against the Islanders tomorrow night, and the team from New York will be fresh off a win. They beat the Leafs in overtime last night after Dwayne Roloson made 58 (!) saves, and despite being outshot 61-21. God really does hate the Leafs... [Lighthouse Hockey]
Remember, BSH Radio goes live tonight at 7 PM. We'll be joined by Dominik Jansky of Lighthouse Hockey as we preview a suddenly important game tomorrow night on the Island. We'll also take your calls (for real this time). Just hop back to BSH around 6:45 and we'll point you in the right direction.

2010 Winter Olympics Hockey: Anaheim Hopefuls

Arthur from Anaheim Calling — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:13 -0000

ARTHUR:

Anaheim calling to the hockey world...

Welcome to the Anaheim edition of SBN's look at the Olympic roster hopefuls across the NHL. Site Managers were provided with the following rubric, but as the resident noob, your blogger is the only one who will likely take them seriously.

"Pack Your Bags"
"Nearly A Lock"
"Fairly Safe Bet"
"In A Battle"
"Work To Do"
"Moving Up"
"Moving Down"

TEAM USA

Bobby Ryan

#9 / Right Wing

Height: 6-2

Weight: 208

Born: Mar 17, 1987

GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG PCT

2009 - Bobby Ryan 21 9 6 15 1 14 4 0 0 0 69 13.0

"Nearly A Lock"

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Bobby Ryan	21	9	6	15	1	14	4	0	0	0	69	13.0

The Cherry Hill native has plenty of skill, but he's also developed a physical game, giving him the blue collar credibility that Brian Burke wants on this year's squad. Then again, the Team USA GM has made the decision to cut Ryan on more than one occasion.

Ryan Whitney

#19 / Defenseman

Height: 6-4

Weight: 219

Born: Feb 19, 1983

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Ryan Whitney	21	2	8	10	0	22	2	0	0	0	32	6.3

"Nearly A Lock"

Whitney was just one of a handful of 6'3"/6'4" defensemen at Orientation Camp, but the Boston-born defender has proven himself an ice-time gormandizer with the Ducks and should be a steady force on the red, white and blue line.

TEAM CANADA

Ryan Getzlaf

#15 / Center

Height: 6-4

Weight: 221

Born: May 10, 1985

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Ryan Getzlaf	21	3	22	25	3	29	2	0	0	0	43	7.0

"Pack Your Bags"

The Regina-bred centerman missed Orientation Camp after offseason hernia surgery, but he has looked tip-top opening the year in Anaheim. Canada will need his directly proportional size and skill up the middle.

Scott Niedermayer

# 27 / Defenseman

Height: 6-1

Weight: 195

Born: Aug 31, 1973

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Scott Niedermayer	21	2	12	14	-4	6	2	0	1	0	53	3.8

"Pack Your Bags"

Already packed.

Corey Perry

#10 / Right Wing

Height: 6-3

Weight: 209

Born: May 16, 1985

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Corey Perry	21	13	14	27	4	24	2	1	0	0	71	18.3

"Moving Up"

After a game with the Ducks, Sidney Crosby noted how impressed he was with the Peterborough product, who faked out the Penguins captain on more than one occasion. Perry's dominant performance so far this season makes him a contender for a spot at finisher, but Stevie Y may opt to go older in his final spots, even though he's generally noted a willingness to bring a young squad to Vancouver.

TEAM FINLAND

Saku Koivu

#11 / Center

Height: 5-10

Weight: 182

Born: Nov 23, 1974

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Saku Koivu	16	2	7	9	-1	14	1	0	0	0	31	6.5

"Pack Your Bags"

The stat sheet doesn't bear out Koivu's return to form, nor does a nagging lower body injury that sidelined him this month, but the Turku native has been the Ducks' most consistent player while playing almost two more minutes of ice time per game than he did in his last year in Montreal.

Petteri Nokelainen

#17 / Center

Height: 6-1

Weight: 191

Born: Jan 16, 1986

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Petteri Nokelainen	16	1	1	2	-4	8	0	0	0	0	18	5.6

"Moving Up"

Finland's camp this year was all about theory and gelling as teammates. That could be an advantage for the Imatra-bred Nokelainen, who has proven his value as a versatile role player with the Ducks .

Teemu Selänne

#8 / Right Wing

Height: 6-0

Weight: 200

Born: Jul 03, 1970

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Teemu Selänne	21	11	4	15	-8	12	5	0	2	0	61	18.0

"Pack Your Bags"

On pace for a 40 goal season, the sheen isn't fading from Helsinki's second Finnish Flash, and Selänne has no doubt been waiting for this day since he bitterly claimed the Silver in Turin.

TEAM SWITZERLAND

Jonas Hiller

#1 / Goalie

Height: 6-2

Weight: 193

Born: Feb 12, 1982

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Jonas Hiller	17	933	7	8			47	3.02	517	470	.909	1

"Pack Your Bags"

Cut in favor of Martin Gerber and David Aebischer four years ago, Hiller is dedicated to making the roster this time around. And after his playoff performance against the Sharks last year, the Felben Wellhausen product is the favorite to man the plumbing for the Swiss.

TEAM RUSSIA

Евгений Артюхин
(Evgeny Artyukhin)

#24 / Right Wing

Height: 6-5

Weight: 270

Born: Apr 04, 1983

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Evgeny Artyukhin	18	2	0	2	-3	27	0	0	0	0	13	15.4

"In A Battle"

His raw tools (size, speed and snarl) got him an invite to the team's Olympic camp, and a slightly slow hockey sense may be the only thing that could keep the Moscow-born mammoth from the final roster.

SB Nation - Bobby Ryan

Wingless Ducks Pay Canucks A Visit

Let's Talk About Sexy

Game 32 Preview: Ducks in Columbus

Ducks Win 4-3 in Yet Another Stars Overtime Loss

Defending Big D 3 Stars of the game

Minnesota Wild vs. Anaheim Ducks: Game Recap

Minnesota Wild 5-4 (so) Anaheim Ducks

Hockey Wilderness Three Stars

Chicago Blackhawks 2010 Olympic Preview

Wednesday's news: Dan Ellis, saved

Predators News

Around the NHL

Latest Trade Adds Further Flux To 2005 NHL Entry Draft

Tuesday Morning Fly By: BSH Radio LIVE Tonight at 7 PM

2010 Winter Olympics Hockey: Anaheim Hopefuls

TEAM USA

#9 / Right Wing

GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG PCT 2009 - Bobby Ryan 21 9 6 15 1 14 4 0 0 0 69 13.0 "Nearly A Lock"

#19 / Defenseman

"Nearly A Lock"

TEAM CANADA

#15 / Center

"Pack Your Bags"

# 27 / Defenseman

"Pack Your Bags"

#10 / Right Wing

"Moving Up"

TEAM FINLAND

#11 / Center

"Pack Your Bags"

#17 / Center

"Moving Up"

#8 / Right Wing

TEAM SWITZERLAND

#1 / Goalie

TEAM RUSSIA

Евгений Артюхин(Evgeny Artyukhin)

#24 / Right Wing

"In A Battle"

GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG PCT

2009 - Bobby Ryan 21 9 6 15 1 14 4 0 0 0 69 13.0

"Nearly A Lock"

Евгений Артюхин
(Evgeny Artyukhin)