SB Nation - Alex Pietrangelo

Thursday links: Happy Birth-day after edition

averagejoe — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:00:28 -0000

One year ago yesterday, this little blog left its humble Word Press home and joined SB Nation. It's hard to imagine a world without the "z" button and auto-refresh comments. Happy Birth-day after to everyone.

Blues news

Blackhawks top Blues via a shutout. Ugh. Classic letdown game. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Alex Pietrangelo may not have played last night — in fact, he was in Canada — but according one fan, he helped knock off the glass last night at the United Center. [Chicago Now]
Team Canada has named its World Junior Roster, and Jake Allen and Alex Pietrangelo are on it. Go Team Canada? [NHL.com]
With Jake Allen making Team Canada, his family will be doing some traveling. [Daily Gleaner]
Look, this year may be a bit of a downer, but the future is still bright in St. Louis. [The Hockey News]
Erik Johnson and the Blues are talking contract. Surprisingly, the Blues aren't talking to David Perron. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
If you see cats and dogs living together, you'll know why: Brett Hull and Mike Keenan have patched things up. [Belleville News-Democrat]

Hockey news

Results from last night. [Yahoo! Sports]
Hey look, the Blues aren't playing tonight. We can't lose! [Yahoo! Sports]
The NHL wants not one, but TWO outdoor games. One in the States and one in Canada land. [ESPN]
Speaking of Canada, the Canadian teams are no longer struggling to stay afloat. [ESPN]
More Canada: The league is looking at increasing exposure in the Great White North. [TSN]
Joffrey Lupul will be out 6-to-8 weeks with back surgery. Does he have any kids to lift so Ducks fans can chart his progress? [TSN]
Joining Lupul in the "out 6-to-8" club will be Jason Spezza. Spezza has a torn MCL. [TSN]
The NHLPA is looking for a new leader and five players have joined the search. [TSN]

Other links

A list of the 10 biggest memes of 2009. The drunk guy we featured twice? He's No. 1. [Ranker]
The best mugshots of 2009. There are some AWE. SOME. ones in here. [Buzzfeed]
Get someone really good? That's a burn. [Buuurn]
Remember earlier I said dogs and cats living together might be a sign of the end of the world? I meant bears, lions and tigers. [urlesque]

Video

I think we all could use something lighter with the struggles on ice. I present you singing Muppets.

Adios, bitches. Gametimelinks(at)gmail.com

Canada names world junior team

James Mirtle — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:41:06 -0000

More photos » by Ryan Remiorz - AP

Brayden Schenn was one of 22 players named to Team Canada today.

Browse more photos »

Name	Hometown	2009-10 Team	Pro status
Goalies
Jake Allen	Fredericton	Montreal (QMJHL)	STL '08 (2, 34)
Martin Jones	North Vancouver	Calgary (WHL)	LA '08 (FA/JA)

Defencemen
* Colten Teubert	White Rock, B.C.	Regina (WHL)	LA '08 (1, 13)
Travis Hamonic	St. Malo, Man.	Moose Jaw (WHL)	NYI '08 (2, 53)
Marco Scandella	Montreal	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	MIN '08 (2, 55)
* Ryan Ellis	Freelton, Ont.	Windsor (OHL)	NSH '09 (1, 11)
Jared Cowen	Allan, Sask	Spokane (WHL)	OTT '09 (1, 9)
Calvin de Haan	Carp, Ont.	Oshawa (OHL)	NYI '09 (1, 12)
* Alex Pietrangelo	King City, Ont.	St. Louis (NHL)	STL '08 (1, 4)

Forwards
Taylor Hall	Kingston, Ont.	Windsor (OHL)	2010 Dft/Rep.
Gabriel Bourque	Baie-Comeau, Que.	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	NSH '09 (5, 132)
Nazem Kadri	London, Ont.	London (OHL)	TOR '09 (1, 7)
Brayden Schenn	Saskatoon, Sask.	Brandon (WHL)	LA '09 (1, 5)
Adam Henrique	Burford, Ont.	Windsor (OHL)	NJ '08 (3, 82)
* Jordan Eberle	Regina, Sask.	Regina (WHL)	EDM '08 (1, 22)
Brandon McMillan	Delta, B.C.	Kelowna (WHL)	ANA '08 (3, 95)
Greg Nemisz	Courtice, Ont.	Windsor (OHL)	CGY '08 (1, 25)
Brandon Kozun	Calgary	Calgary (WHL)	LA '09 (6, 179)
* Stefan Della Rovere	Maple, Ont.	Barrie (OHL)	WAS '08 (7, 204)
Luke Adam	St. John's, N.L.	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	BUF '08 (2, 44)
Jordan Caron	Sayabec, Que.	Rimouski (QMJHL)	BOS '09 (1, 25)
* Patrice Cormier	Cap-Pelé, N.B.	Rimouski (QMJHL)	NJ '08 (2, 54)

As usual, Canada will have an exceptionally strong team in this tournament, and has a good shot at winning its sixth consecutive gold. With the event in Saskatchewan this year, Buffalo next and then in Alberta for 2012, it's going to be interesting to see how often they go to Europe in the future.

The world juniors has become so successful in this country, on the ice and in terms of profitability, that Canada really owns the thing. It'd be great to see more countries start to take an interest, but I'm not so sure that's coming.

In terms of this coming year's draft (i.e. you 'Canes fans out there), Taylor Hall is the man you'll want to watch. He has a chance here to solidify his spot atop the rankings just as John Tavares did in this tourney last year.

Tuesday links: Brett Hull night part two edition

averagejoe — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:00:35 -0000

Game tonight. Will the Blues show up?

Blues news

Blues vs. Flames tonight. Will the bed stay poo-free tonight? [Sporting News]
Brett Hull and his Dream Team will be honored tonight. [The Canadian Press]
Like the Blues, the Flames are talking about hitting each other, too. [Toronto Sun]
Reminder: No T.V. for tonight's game. It's 2009, why do the Blues keep fucking up with T.V. First Dish, then High School football and now Brett Hull night. Get your shit together, Blues. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
For those of you salivating over Andy Murray getting fired if the Blues lose on Brett Hull night, John Davidson says that's not likely. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Alex Pietrangelo reported to a very cold Regina for the World Juniors. [The Globe and Mail]
Some of the Blues went to Cardinal Glennon to cheer up some sick kids. I hope they didn't show them Friday's game. [Blues]

Hockey news

Last night's results. [Yahoo! Sports]
Blues are just one many teams playing tonight. [Yahoo! Sports]
Brian Burke says U.S. Hockey roster is nearly done. [CTV Olympics]
Jason Spezza may be hurt. Well ... he is, but we don't know for how long. [TSN]
Is it a little early to look at the 2009 free agent signings? Yes. That doesn't mean we still won't [TSN]
Speaking of the Flames, Olli Jokinen is playing terribly. [ESPN]
The Wild(s) are having struggling with head injuries.[ESPN]

Other links

I have a feeling this is going to be a big story. [New York Times]
Here are 50 great headlines for 2009. [Buzzfeed]
Wanna see some ass tattoos? Not tats of asses, tats ON asses. [City Rag]
Holy shit this does not look good. [eating the road]

Video

It's Brett Hull night. Here are some videos.

I think it's pretty cool Hull got 500 with a hat trick goal.

Thursday links: Staying up late to watch hockey edition

averagejoe — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:00:24 -0000

Late-night West Coast games are the worst. I remember being a kid and only being able to watch the first period and being forced to go to bed without knowing who won. Glad I'm all grown up and can stay up past 10 p.m.

Blues news

Blues vs. Sharks tonight. Never forget 2000. [CBS Sports]
The Blues are helping out with Big Brothers Big Sisters program. [Blues]
Alex Pietrangelo is a victim of his youth. [Belleville News-Democrat]
The Blues power play coaching duties are being passed around to everyone on staff. Why not have Al MacInnins offer a few tips? [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Keith Tkachuk explains a comment he made about the Blues effort against Columbus. Is this the leader I've heard so much about? [STLtoday.com]
Alex Pietrangelo will be playing for Team Canada in the World Juniors. [NHL]
Four others will join Pietrangelo at the World Juniors. [Blues]

Hockey news

Big night in the NHL on Thursday. [Yahoo! Sports]
Your results from last night. [Yahoo! Sports]
From Gallagher: A documentary on the 1960 U.S. Olympic hockey team — it looks pretty bad ass. [Forgotten Miracle]
Several NHL teams celebrated Movember. Zach Bogosian looks awesome. [Puck Daddy]
The Canadiens have traded Kyle Chipchura (who?) to the Ducks for a fourth-round draft pick. [ESPN]
The Rangers claimed Erik Christensen off of waivers and placed Steve Valiquette on waivers. [ESPN]
How cool is Tomas Vokoun? He's not mad at all with Keith Ballard and joking about his injury. [TSN]
The Blackhawks are expected to announce the signings of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith soon. Didn't this happen already? [ESPN]
Jonas Gustavsson is out of Montreal, will see a cardiac specialist in Toronto. Not good times for Leafs fans. [TSN]
Alexander Ovechkin says he won't change his style — in fact, he's going to play harder. [TSN]

Other links

Christmas Vacation is a holiday classic. Here's why. [I-Mockery.com]
Restaurants shouldn't skimp on hiring copy editors. [Bad Menu]
Ever wanted a branding iron? Have $38.00? Now you can turn your lighter into a 5-character branding iron. [Shapeways]

Video

From Cozmcphsish comes a video that made me laugh way, way too hard.

Risky Business Fail

Game night tonight. Come back for the Game Day Thread.

gametimelinks(at)gmail.com

Canada names world junior camp roster

James Mirtle — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:58:03 -0000

More photos » by Ryan Remiorz - AP

Team Canada hockey players Zach Boychuk, from left to right, John Tavares, P.K.Subban and Cody Hodgson show off their championship rings for Team Canada winning the 2009 World Junior Hockey Championship at a news conference in Montreal.

Browse more photos »

Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League announced on Wednesday that 36 of Canada's top junior-aged hockey players (born in 1990 or later) have been invited to take part in Canada's National Junior Team selection camp from December 12-16, 2009 in Regina, Sask.

Of the 36 players invited, seven are returning players - having won gold medals at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa. Thirty-one of the players named to the selection camp roster were drafted in either the 2008 or 2009 NHL Entry Draft, including fourteen first-round selections and six second-round picks.

The NHL's St. Louis Blues have confirmed that they will loan defenceman Alex Pietrangelo (King City, Ont.) to Canada's National Junior Team, and he will be at the selection camp in Regina.

Hockey Canada may still add additional players prior to the opening of the selection camp on December 12, in the event that any other NHL teams loan Canada's National Junior Team junior-aged eligible players currently playing in the NHL.

>> team release

Here's the list:

Name	Born	Hometown	2008-09 Team	Pro status
Goaltenders
Jake Allen	7/08/90	Fredricton, N.B.	Montreal (QMJHL)	STL '08
Matt Hackett	7/03/90	London, Ont.	Plymouth (OHL)	MIN '09
Martin Jones	10/01/90	N. Vancouver, B.C.	Calgary (WHL)	LA '08
Olivier Roy	12/07/91	Causapscal, Que.	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	EDM '09

Defence
Jared Cowen	01/25/91	Allan, Sask	Spokane (WHL)	OTT '09
Calvin de Haan	9/05/91	Carp, Ont.	Oshawa (OHL)	NYI '09
Nicholas Deslauriers	02/22/91	St-Anicet, Que.	Rouyn-Nor. (QMJHL)	LA '09
* Ryan Ellis	3/01/91	Freelton, Ont.	Windsor (OHL)	NSH '09
Brandon Gormley	02/18/92	Murray River, P.E.I.	Moncton (QMJHL)	2010 Dft/Rep.
Travis Hamonic	08/16/90	St. Malo, Man.	Moose Jaw (WHL)	NYI '08
Shawn Lalonde	10/05/90	Orleans, Ont.	Belleville (OHL)	CHI '08
Dylan Olsen	3/01/91	Calgary, Alta..	Camrose (AJHL)	CHI '09
* Alex Pietrangelo	01/18/90	King City, Ont.	Niagara (OHL)	STL '08
Marco Scandella	02/23/90	Montreal, Que.	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	MIN '08
* Colten Teubert	8/03/90	White Rock, B.C.	Regina (WHL)	LA '08
Patrick Wiercioch	12/09/90	Maple Ridge, B.C.	Denver (WCHA)	OTT '08

Forwards
Luke Adam	06/18/90	St. John's, N.L.	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	BUF '08
Gabriel Bourque	09/23/90	Baie-Comeau, Que.	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	NSH '09
Jordan Caron	2/11/90	Sayabec, Que.	Rimouski (QMJHL)	BOS '09
* Patrice Cormier	06/14/90	Cap-Pelé, N.B.	Rimouski (QMJHL)	NJ '08
Philippe Cornet	03/28/90	Val Senneville, Que.	Rouyn-Nor. (QMJHL)	EDM '08
* S. Della Rovere	02/25/90	Maple, Ont.	Barrie (OHL)	WAS '08
Cody Eakin	05/24/91	Winnipeg, Man.	Swift Current (WHL)	WAS '09
* Jordan Eberle	05/15/90	Regina, Sask.	Regina (WHL)	EDM '08
Scott Glennie	02/22/91	Winnipeg, Man.	Brandon (WHL)	DAL '09
Taylor Hall	11/14/91	Kingston, Ont.	Windsor (OHL)	2010 Dft/Rep.
Adam Henrique	6/02/90	Burford, Ont.	Windsor (OHL)	NJ '08
* Cody Hodgson	02/18/90	Markham, Ont.	Brampton (OHL)	VAN '08
Nazem Kadri	6/10/90	London, Ont.	London (OHL)	TOR '09
Brandon Kozun	8/03/90	Calgary, Alta..	Calgary (WHL)	LA '09
Louis Leblanc	01/26/91	Kirkland, Que.	Harvard (ECAC)	MTL '09
John McFarland	2/04/92	Richmond Hill, Ont.	Sudbuary (OHL)	2010 Dft/Rep.
Brandon McMillan	03/22/90	Delta, B.C.	Kelowna (WHL)	ANA '08
Greg Nemisz	5/06/90	Courtice, Ont.	Windsor (OHL)	CGY '08
Brayden Schenn	08/22/91	Saskatoon, Sask.	Brandon (WHL)	LA '09
Tyler Seguin	01/31/92	Brampton, Ont.	Plymouth (OHL)	2010 Dft/Rep.

*- was on last year's team

The Trading Block: Who The Blues Could Move

gallagher — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:30:12 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

The trade of Lee Stempniak signaled to the Blues that it wouldn't be Andy Murray that would be held accountable for their slow start. Who could be this year's Stempniak?

Browse more photos »

On Nov. 23 last year the Blues were 8-8-2 and 13th in the Western Conference, dead-last in the Central Division. They'd suffered some odd injuries, including an emergency appendectomy to one of their players. Fans were grumbling about the coaching of Andy Murray and the lack of team scoring (just 55 goals in 18 games to that point).

The next day the team traded Lee Stempniak, considered by most followers of the team to be one of the franchise's youthful building blocks, to Toronto for Alex Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo. The deal was a classic sell-high, buy-low for the Blues, as Stempniak had a bit of a point streak going at the time (he had three goals and 10 assists in 14 games to that point) and had been a 27-goal scorer once before in his short career. Meanwhile, both Colaiacovo and Steen had long since worn out their welcome in the Center Of The Hockey Universe as underperforming former first round picks.

But the trade was more than a "let's get two-for-one" deal for the Blues; this was a direct message to the players that Murray would be staying and if their performance continued to be mediocre, it was they that would be a-going.

The team continued to struggle along through November and December before going 6-4-1 in January and then, of course, going on The Run that ended with the Blues in the sixth seed in the West.

With the exception of waiving Manny Legace on Feb. 6, the Blues made no other roster moves after the Stempniak deal. Considering the similar state of the team today and the recent comments made by team owner David Checketts that the time to move forward is now, if the team doesn't start to climb the standings soon, another move will be made to shake up the roster. For the sake of this argument, we're going to assume that Andy Murray will not be fired and that the team will deal with first quarter doldrums in the same manner that they did last year and trade someone.

But who fits the bill to be traded this year? Last year's trade of Stempniak was unforeseen and shocking to fans, media and presumably, the players. If a trade is to be made this year, it'd likely be designed to shake up the players who remain behind. The problem is identifying a player who is shocking to see leave and sends the message, but not be the type of player that goes on to make you regret his departure.

Similarly, the roster is full of players that fans might want to see traded, but simply cannot be moved for one reason or another.

We'll analyze the current roster to see who is tradeable and who is not, leaving the minor leaguers and prospects out of the discussion as we're not talking about specific packages or team needs at this point. In the end, we'll give our most likely candidates to be moved if the Blues decide to dangle one of their players.

David Backes

#42 / Right Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-3

Weight: 216

Born: May 01, 1984

G A P +/- PIM

2009 - David Backes 4 6 10 1 38

David Backes, RW: The Blues thought highly enough of Backes to match Vancouver's RFA offer to him before last season, agreeing to overpay him to the tune of $2.5 million a year. Backes paid back the Blues in spades last year with his 31-goal effort and his nightly physical domination. He became known as Chuck Norris around these parts and it was justly deserved.

But is he tradeable today? Backes' slow start made him an early candidate for consideration in a shake up trade, but his six points in his last four games has made him an even more potent trading piece. If the Blues were to trade Backes it would definitely shake up the roster and send the message that no one here is untouchable, but giving up on the 25-year-old could end up being seriously short-sighted. The return might be great, but what of the loss? Have we seen the top of Backes' game or is he just getting started?

Patrik Berglund

#21 / Center / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-4

Weight: 187

Born: Jun 02, 1988

G A P +/- PIM

2009 - Patrik Berglund 3 2 5 -4 2

Patrik Berglund, C: The former first rounder from 2006 enjoyed a great rookie season, becoming coveted around the league for his 21 goals and 47 points in 76 games, despite playing in twice as many games as he ever had in a season previously. This season, however, has been the epitome of the sophomore slump for the young TechnoViking. He is on pace for just 11 goals and 18 points. His minus-4 stands out when compared to his solid plus-19 from last year.

Is he tradeable? Certainly. Would it be shocking? Absolutely. Would it be giving up on a talent who has not reached his final height yet? Probably. Depending on the return that could be gotten back, Berglund could find himself the target of a "needs a change of scenery" trade.

Brad Boyes

#22 / Right Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 195

Born: Apr 17, 1982

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Brad Boyes	6	9	15	-5	2

Brad Boyes, C/RW: In his short NHL career, Boyes has bounced from Toronto to San Jose to Boston to St. Louis. His talent is evident as he has scored 43 and 33 goals over the last two seasons, but his streaky nature and perceived lack of hard work has kept him on the move. He is on pace for 29 goals this year, despite a recent streak of nine points in his last 10 games. At just 27 years old, he is still an NHL commodity and would surely find suitors if he were on the Blues' trade block.

But can the Blues trade a guy who one could argue is the only real sniper on the team? The last person to score 33 goals in the Bluenote was Tkachuk in 2003-04. The last to score 43 was Brett Hull in 1995-96. Yes, Brett Hull. In 1996. He'd likely draw some talent back to the team, but scoring, even if it is streaky, is not a strength from which the Blues have a deep well to deal.

Eric Brewer

#4 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-3

Weight: 222

Born: Apr 17, 1979

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Eric Brewer	1	2	3	-8	11

Eric Brewer, D: Calm down, boo-birds. Yes, Brewer might find himself atop many fans' Trade Now lists, but the Robot Captain seems to still be respected within the organization. His statistics continue to track along his career normal, in that area around 20-29 points, but his glaring minus-8 will keep the fans letting him know, "Brewer You Suck!"

If he hadn't missed a calendar year of hockey with various knee and back surgeries and if he wasn't currently on the shelf with another 'lower body' injury, Brewer might have some value. But add to those red flags his current contract of $4.5 million for this year and next and it's unlikely Brewer is going anywhere anytime soon.

Carlo Colaiacovo

#28 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-1

Weight: 200

Born: Jan 27, 1983

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Carlo Colaiacovo	2	7	9	0	17

Carlo Colaiacovo, D: The beneficiary of last year's "change of scenery" trade, Colaiacovo has revived his career in St. Louis. The offensive defenseman, who never put up more than 24 points in an NHL season before, finished last year with 30 and is on pace for even more points this season, his contract year. He remains haunted by the injury bug, though he managed to play a career-high 73 games last season.

If the Blues think he can be re-signed and continue to be productive in a leading role for the team (he is only 26 now), he won't be traded. If they think he'll be squeezed out by upcoming defenders, Colaiacovo could be a prime trading piece.

Ty Conklin

#29 / Goalie / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 184

Born: Mar 30, 1976

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Ty Conklin	7	386	3	2			15	2.33	204	189	.926	1

Ty Conklin, G: Conklin has only been with the team for this season and played only seven games. he's been solid and (most importantly for a goalie) uncontroversial in the back-up goal. He fills a serious need for the team and he's paid appropraitely for this year and next.

There's no shock value to shake up the roster by trading Conklin and any trade involving him immediately opens a hole that has to be filled.

B.J. Crombeen

#26 / Right Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-2

Weight: 212

Born: Jul 10, 1985

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - B.J. Crombeen	1	3	4	2	63

B.J. Crombeen, RW: The Beej has a very specific role on this team and depending on the night, he either plays it well by hitting and checking and making life a nightmare for the opposition, or he decides he's needed on the ice and puts himself on the ice for a too-many-men penalty. Basically, he's a role player who can chip in some points and allow older fans to boast that they remember when his dad played here.

Trading B.J. wouldn't be much of a blow to the team. Some might say that it sucks, but not too many fans or players would choke on the trade if it were made. There wouldn't be much of a return on a B.J. trade either because most people would see him as a starter, not the main event in any exchange.

Barret Jackman

#5 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 203

Born: Mar 05, 1981

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Barret Jackman	0	4	4	5	13

Barret Jackman, D: The World's Angriest Defender (TM), owner of the best You're An Idiot (R) look in the NHL, Jackman is an original Blue, drafted in the first round back in 1999. He has had to re-learn the game as a defensive defenseman after the new rules were implemented after the lockout. Despite his inexplicable role as "the guy we hate when Brewer is out of the lineup", Jackman plays a steady if unspectacular game and while he has seen time on the power play during the less-offesnive days, he clearly doesn't relish the offensive role and is happier defending his own net.

Jackman's trade would definitely shake up the team and the fanbase, though the return would not be terribly flashy due to his unflashy role and large contract ($4.5 million this year and next, $3.5 million in 2011-12).

Cam Janssen

#55 / Right Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 210

Born: Apr 15, 1984

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Cam Janssen	0	0	0	-1	50

Cam Janssen, RW: It's almost superfluous to put Janssen's position in this description as all it does is designate where he lines up on face-offs. The local boy gone pro, Cam Smash, King of Eureka, spends his entire shift running around the rink looking for someone to run into or to punch. St. Louisans love their home-town products and Janssen is no exception. He plays a specific role and with his better skating and durability than heavyweight fighter D.J. King, Janssen has been useful to the team. Also, did we mention that the fans love him?

While his game has gotten better since he arrived here in February 2008, Janssen could be traded. The return would be low and the biggest shake up it would cause would be down I-55 south of 44, where they still need every body they can get to fill sandbags come spring.

Erik Johnson

#6 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-4

Weight: 219

Born: Mar 21, 1988

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Erik Johnson	4	14	18	6	16

Erik Johnson, D: Despite missing all of last year to a golf cart jousting incident (allegedly), the Eeeej leads the team in scoring, changes the way teams have to prepare for the Blues' attack, does a mean Napoleon Dynamite impression, isn't afraid to get down with your girlfriend in your car in Al MacInnis' driveway (allegedly) and is likely going to stage some sweet raid on Oshie's condo at some point to get his Elmo hat back.

How do you spell 'franchise'? Not sure, but it definitely has an E and a J in it. This kid isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Paul Kariya

#9 / Left Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 5-10

Weight: 180

Born: Oct 16, 1974

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Paul Kariya	6	5	11	4	12

Paul Kariya, LW: We owe Paul Kariya a bit of an apology. earlier this year we said something to the effect of, "The next time Paul Kariya takes a hit to make a play with be the first." Since that time, Kariya, who must have heard our admonishment through cyberspace, has been offering up his tiny, waif-like body to make plays. And, thankyouverymuch, it has resulted in Kariya's point totals rising, with points in each of the last three games.

Kariya is still on pace for a terrible offensive year, but that isn't the only reason that trading Kariya is a tough task. In fact there are 6 million reasons that other teams don't want to deal for Kariya. That hefty price tag, small offensive output and the final months of a contract owed to a notorious mercenary when it comes to free agency (just ask Anaheim, Colorado and Nashville) combine for a perfect storm of "hell no, we don't have interest in Kariya" among the rest of the NHL teams.

Chris Mason

#50 / Goalie / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 195

Born: Apr 20, 1976

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Chris Mason	19	1129	7	8			43	2.29	557	514	.923	0

Chris Mason, G: Mason is the goalie. He's not winning enough games because he's not getting enough help from the rest of the team. His personal stats are great (eighth in GAA and seventh in save percentage) and that's tough to do on a struggling team.

Trading Mason would happen if only one of two things were happening: 1. Tha Canucks called and said, "How about Luongo for that Mason fella straight up?" or 2. The Blues called a press conference and announced, "Screw this year, we love drafting high."

Jay McClement

#18 / Center / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-1

Weight: 201

Born: Mar 02, 1983

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Jay McClement	4	4	8	0	6

Jay McClement, C: Silent Jay, one of the original members of the Blues' post-lockout Kid Line (along with the traded Stempniak), has developed into a legitimate Selke candidate right before our eyes. His even plus/minus is all the more impressive when considering that he sees most of his minutes against other team's top lines. McClement is also locked up for two years after this season to a reasonable contract ($1.45 million per). Plus, his stock photo looks like he has a skelton's grin, which is awesome.

McClement's trade would shock the locker room more than the fans, especially casual fans who too often overlook his quiet, workmanlike contributions to team success. His contract, work ethic and skill set make him a perfect add for an opposing team. His trade wouldn't bring back the intangibles he adds. It could happen, but it would likely be shortsighted.

Andy McDonald

#10 / Center / St. Louis Blues

Height: 5-11

Weight: 183

Born: Aug 25, 1977

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Andy McDonald	6	8	14	-2	2

Andy McDonald, C: McDonald is struggling offensively this year but everyone has seen what he can do with the puck when he starts running hot. Plus, the Blues just locked him up for another three years after this year at an average of $4.7 million a year.

Trading McDonald would be the Blues saying that they made a mistake with a big contract and are having buyers' remorse. Which would put them on the 'sell low' end of the negotiations, the bad end to be on. The trade wouldn't shock fans or the locker room and the return would be less than impressive.

T.J. Oshie

#74 / Center / St. Louis Blues

Height: 5-11

Weight: 170

Born: Dec 23, 1986

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - T.J. Oshie	4	9	13	1	10

T.J. Oshie, C/W: Oshie only seems like he's in a the throes of a sophomore slump because his rookie season took the city by storm. Young Mister Furnace Face scored the NHL.com goal of the year, blew up Rick Nash so badly (twice) that the fans coined the phrase "Oshied", got voted by someone to be his or her mayor in an actual election and had his name chanted by over 19,000 people on multiple occasions last year. By comparison, a second season where he only tallies 50 points would seem like a let down.

Last year, even suggesting that Oshie be traded would be reason enough to go into Salman Rushdie-like hiding for a writer. This year, it would be like suggesting that Anheuser-Busch is better off being owned by a foreign company like Inbev. It's still fighting words in most places, but in others, well, whatever, they just drink Schlafly anyway. Which isn't to say that Oshie's trade wouldn't shock the team and the fans, beacause it certainly would. The problem is that Oshie can score, but his intangibles are worth at least as much as his points, so the return on him wouldn't match what the team would give up.

David Perron

#57 / Left Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 180

Born: May 28, 1988

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - David Perron	9	7	16	-1	14

David Perron, LW: Perron leads the team in goals, works his poutine-loving ass off on every shift (doing a great rookie Oshie impression) and has an early nod for selection for this year's NHL.com goal of the year. Despite what has happened between Perron and the coach in the past, he is newly mature and coming into his own. And he's only 21.

Despite the fact that he's coming into a contract year and will certainly be looking for a huge pay increase this summer, the day a competing general manager picks up his phone to learn that the Blues are calling to offer Perron in a trade is that GM's best day ever. David Perron is untradeable at this point, no matter the return (sort of insanity, which can happen in the NHL) because of his ceiling.

Alex Pietrangelo

#27 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-3

Weight: 206

Born: Jan 18, 1990

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Alex Pietrangelo	1	1	2	-9	6

Alex Pietrangelo, D: There's a rule in hockey that goes something like this: goalies hit their stride and their prime later than any other position. Defensemen hit their stride and their prime earlier than goalies, but still not until later in their careers. Forwards can be thrown into the league earliest at all because creativity, speed and their shot can compensate for other factors.

Pietrangelo isn't playing enough in the NHL for most observers and he's got nothing left to learn in junior, but that hardly makes him prime trade bait. The fourth overall selection from just last year going on the trade block would garner a ton of calls from around the league, but the fact is that the offers would almost always be "you take our busting project for your young defenseman who isn't playing anyway".

Roman Polak

#46 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-1

Weight: 227

Born: Apr 28, 1986

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Roman Polak	2	4	6	6	22

Roman Polak, D: He's 23, he's locked up for this year and next for a little over a million bucks each, plays solid defense, can contribute offensively and is fast enough to rush the puck and get back to protect his own zone. He's quiet and unheralded and he's the Jay McClement of the defense. Plus, his fake Twitter account is awesome. As is farting in teammate's helmets.

The shock value is high, his replacement is fairly easy considering the Pietrangelo, Junland, Rundblad, Cole pipeline and the return on him would likely be comparable, if not exactly earth-shattering.

Alexander Steen

#20 / Left Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-1

Weight: 205

Born: Mar 01, 1984

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Alexander Steen	1	1	2	-1	6

Alexander Steen, LW: Steen has been a staple on the McClement line almost since his arrival in St. Louis and he has also shown flashes of the offense that caused him to be drafted in the first round by Toronto back in 2002. But unlike his trade-mate Colaiacovo, Steen hasn't exactly made himself a more desired commodity around the NHL. he plays an important role for the team, but his role can be filled by plenty of similar players in Peoria who would love the opportunity.

No one nose what value Steen might have around the NHL, but we smell a boring trade if he's the tip of any deal because he's at the end of his contract and has likely reached his beak.

Darryl Sydor

#44 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-1

Weight: 211

Born: May 13, 1972

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Darryl Sydor	0	4	4	6	10

Darryl Sydor, D: Sydor's best days are well behind him. He's lucky that he happens to have a skill set that allows him to be paid premium dollars (a cool million for this season) to act as 'mentor' and not really be expected produce much offensively. Sydor's only value in trade would be at the deadline as a depth/veteran presence guy. As for shock value in trading Sydor at this point, it's unlikely there would be much shake up in the locker room after the initial "I couldn't believe he took Pronger's number in the first place" discussion.

Keith Tkachuk

#7 / Center / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-2

Weight: 232

Born: Mar 28, 1972

G A P +/- PIM

2009 - Keith Tkachuk 5 8 13 -3 22

Keith Tkachuk, LW/C: The days of trading Tkachuk for a big return are probably long gone. If the trade deadline were looming, there might be a ~~sucker~~ general manager or two out there who might still fall for the siren song of "big body, proven goal scorer, veteran presence" for their playoff run, but as for a trade today, there won't be many takers around the NHL.

Tkachuk is on a short, NHL-cheap contract and does have a strong locker room presence... which is exactly why the Blues want him and will be unlikely to trade him. It'd shake up the roster, but the return at this point wouldn't be worth the exchange.

Mike Weaver

#43 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 5-9

Weight: 182

Born: May 02, 1978

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Mike Weaver	0	1	1	5	8

Mike Weaver, D: Small but steady, Weaver doesn't get mentioned much because he is a defensive defenseman who does his job effectively. Not being mentioned much is a compliment for defensive defenseman.

As for trade value, Weaver has virtually none. There'd be little shock value to the team due to his journeyman status and zero shock value to the fans (have you ever seen a Weaver 43 jersey worn by a fan?) and the return would be the definition of infinitesimal.

Brad Winchester

#15 / Left Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-5

Weight: 228

Born: Mar 01, 1981

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Brad Winchester	0	2	2	1	24

Brad Winchester, LW: It's hard to believe that a guy who stands 6'5 tall and weighs nearly 230 pounds could ever be described as invisible, but Winchester has done just that and in the process has proven how a guy who is taken 35th overall in the NHL draft (2000) can muster only 200 NHL games and 36 points in the following nine years.

Yeah, this is about trade value and shake up of the roster, neither of which describe Winchester.

***************************************

So where does that leave the Blues if they are looking to make a trade? Here are our best guesses, by category.

Untradeable Due To Value:

These guys aren't going anywhere because they are too important to the team now and/or in the future.

Erik Johnson. If the trade documents came to the NHL offices, even those numbskulls would void it based on sheer stupidity. Wayne Gretzky got traded, sure, but not when he was 21 and the best player on his team.
Chris Mason. What do you need the second you trade Chris Mason? A top-10 ranked starting netminder. Whoops!
Jay McClement. Much like Mason, if you trade McClement, you suddenly need a guy just like McClement.
T.J. Oshie. Oshie's intangibles outweigh anything the team would get for him unless some other GM was eating peyote and then firing up the Blackberry to offer up some ridiculous package for the kid. The P.R. hit alone would making trading the Teej a huge mistake.
David Perron. The kid will be worth three first round draft picks to some RFA-contract-offering idiot this summer, so if the Blues are willing to lose an emerging talent like Frenchie, they should wait until then to do it.

Untradeable Due To Lack Of Value:

These guys aren't going anywhere because the return is too small.

Eric Brewer. The Robot is too broken and expensive to warrant interest from another team.
Paul Kariya. It isn't 1996 anymore. Kariya costs too much, is too close to unrestricted free agency and is producing far too few points to be of any interest to any but the drunkest of general managers.
Andy McDonald. We have no doubt that McDonald will be valuable again one day, but right now he too closely resembles the guy who was easily required for a virtually worthless Doug Weight two seasons ago.

Untradeable Due To Role:

Unless these guys are a problem in the locker room, and there's no reason to think they are, no possible advantage can be gained from trading them.

Ty Conklin. This guy gets traded and has to immediately be replaced by a guy who plays like him, gets paid like him and has the same demeanor as him.
Cam Janssen. Add in the hometown bump you get for having this guy in the lineup, the team would have to get something special to let go of the P.R. advantage Janssen brings. No GM in the league is about to overpay for Janssen.

Could Be Traded For Low Impact:

These guys could get traded, but the return will be small and the shock to the team won't likely be enough to cause significant change.

B.J. Crombeen. Swapping a role player for a mid-to-late pick or another role player isn't going to have the impact the team is looking to get. Plus, why ruin a whole season of blow job jokes if you don't have to?
Alex Steen. The worst thing that can happen to a player is to get injured and then have someone step into your role and make everyone forget you were gone. Steen has played 11 games this year. Seems high, doesn't it?
Darryl Sydor. "Oh no! They traded a 37-year-old depth defenseman they brought in for one year and would have been gone in six months anyway! I guess they are serious; anyone can be traded!"
Mike Weaver. Seriously, how many people really know Mike Weaver is on the team right now anyway? Impact of trading him: all of his immediate family have to update their mailing address for him. As if anyone mails anything anymore.
Brad Winchester: "So we have an offer for 228 pounds worth of hockey pucks. We lose maybe one more fight but we do save about $200 in souvenir costs."

Are You Kidding Me? Seriously. Are You Kidding Me?:

You want shock value? You want some return on your exchange? These are the guys the management and staff are going to argue about trading and the guys who, if traded, would make you call your friends liars when they told you about the trade.

David Backes. Sure, he's struggling. Sure he gets paid a lot for a guy his age. Sure it's been a long time since anyone here has vehemently compared him to Chuck Norris. But general managers in the NHL aren't as easily freaked out by slow starts as fans are. If Backes were made available, the list of teams with nice offers in hand would be long. Trading Backes shakes up the team, nets a good return and lets everyone know that no one is safe. The downside is that he almost certainly becomes a monster and regularly returns to haunt his former team.
Brad Boyes. Most fantasy hockey guys will tell you that the second you trade a great player you immediatley make yourself believe he was never on your team. Boyes can be streaky and frustrating and may always leave you wanting more, but when he's on your team he's a guy that can change a game. Trading him likely brings a nice return, scares the other players into focus and makes all of us go fantasy GM and pretend he never played here, because he's got at least a couple more great scoring seasons ahead of him.
Patrik Berglund. In five years we'll know what we had in Patrik Berglund. He's no Peter Forsberg, but is he going to become the shifty Swedish version of Pavel Datsyuk? Or is he on the fast track to becoming our next Jim Campbell? If he gets traded and blossoms into the slick playmaker with a nasty power play one-timer that we saw in glimpses next year, we'll be tasting our own vomit for the next 10-15 years. If he becomes the next great suburban Mite coach, we'll be applauding his trade like we used to talk about the Christer Olsson for Pavol Demitra deal.
Alex Pietrangelo. Classic giving up too early trade. The kid is 19-years-old and if not for a bout of mono in his draft year could have been drafted before Drew Doughty and Zach Begosian. If he goes away the Blues are counting on Jonas Junland or David Rundblad, both high-risk, power play specialist type of players, to round out their game and fill his spot as they swap him for a slumping scorer of comparable value like Columbus' Nikita Filatov.

On The Block:

These are the guys whose age, reputation, contracts and shake up value to the current roster make them the most likely players to become 'former Blues' should the team decide to go that way.

Carlo Colaiacovo. The guy is young and stepping into his game, but the crunch on the blueline, his contract status and injury history makes him a prime candidate to get dangled out there. His ceiling is probably ahead of him, but he's expendable from a P.R. standpoint, a talent standpoint and in terms of return.
Barret Jackman. This would be even more shocking than the trade of Stempniak last year, but his contract and the depth of the Blues' defensive pipeline makes this a 'head' move more than a 'heart' move. The return would likely be good, too, as Jackman's reputation around the league is excellent.
Roman Polak. How different is Roman Polak today from Dennis Wideman back when he was traded for Brad Boyes? When considering the current and future depth on the blueline, if the Blues could trade Polak today for another streaky sniper do you think they'd do it? Yeah, us too.
Keith Tkachuk. He's the vet with the good story because his family lives here and everyone sees him around town, but he's been rumored to be in the middle of more than one split locker room in his time as a pro. Sending Tkachuk away shocks the Blues' system, forces a younger guy to step up and likely results in a decent return. Short of a no-trade clause we don't know about, it could happen.

******************************

Trade rumors are always a risky proposition and the saying goes that when a team is struggling it's easier to change out one guy (the coach) than a whole team, the Blues have proved in the past that they're willing to change out one player to shake up the others.

Will this year be any different?

Tuesday Links: Who is R.J. Umberger and how did he score three goals edition

averagejoe — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:00:26 -0000

In my mind, the Blues should never lose to the Blue Jackets. Ever.

Blues news

Some dude named R.J. Umberger, whose name I can't hear without thinking of the Pink Panther saying Hamburger thanks to Brad Lee, scored a hat trick. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
The Blues didn't win last night, but they did injure someone. [Associated Press]
Killa Cam Janssen is not a fan of linesman breaking up fights. [Vancouver Sun]
The Blues explain why Jonas Junland, and not Alex Pietrangelo got the call with Carlo Colaiacovo on the shelf. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Speaking of Pietrangelo, there is a good chance he's going to play in the World Juniors. [CBC]
While the Blues are still not playing like they did last year, they have been playing better since Dave Checketts went off. [Belleville News-Democrat]
Andy Murray is on the hot seat. [Fanhouse]

Hockey news

Lots of action on Monday. [Yahoo! Sports]
Just four games for Tuesday. [Yahoo! Sports]
Ketih Ballard: Moron. Don't hit you own goalie with a baseball swing. [Puck Daddy]
Alex Ovechkin is, yet again, involved in a questionable play. Does he become the new Chris Pronger — the star who still gets disciplined? [Puck Daddy]
The Hockey Commissioners' Association will host the Ice Breaker Tournament in Oct. 2010. [Sports Illustrated]
Long live Jean-Sebatian Giguere. [Anaheim Calling]
A look at the Brian Burke Era after year No. 1. [TSN]

Other links

From NatetheGreat.: Hungry? Here's where you should go eat. [Consumerist]
It's Christmas Flash Games! [FHM]
Finally, Poor College Student comes through with the eBay find of the ~~day~~ month: A Blues Frankenjersey. I remember seeing this in stores. Ghastly. [eBay]

Video

Cam Janssen likes to fight. D.J. King, when he's not hurt likes to fight. What happens when they fight each other?

gametimelinks(at)gmail.com

Wednesday links: Eight is too much edition

averagejoe — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:15:16 -0000

Do the Blues still play hockey? I sure do miss them.

Blues news

You know those big books your parents used to use to look up "home" phone numbers? The Blues are on the cover of one. [Blues]
The Blues have eight healthy d-men. Don't think for one second that the team won't stay that way for a few games. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Kelly Chase talks about playing with Brendan Shanahan. I'm just going to go ahead and say it, the fans love for Shanny lasted way, way too long for how little time he spent here. People still wax nostalgic about a man who played just four out of 21 years wearing the 'Note. [NHL.com]
Alex Pietrangelo should stay, but the Blues are being tight-lipped about what will happen with the youngster. [Belleville News-Democrat]

Hockey news

Here is your schedule for tonight. [Yahoo! Sports]
Last night's results. [Yahoo! Sports]
Bob McKenzie on TSN is reporting on potential deals for Patrick Kane, Jon Toews and Duncan Keith. Second City weighs in. [Second City Hockey]
Things are not going good for our friends, the Leafs fans. [Pension Plan Puppets]
Everyone is hurting, which may cause some salary cap issues. [From The Rink]
Talented Blue Jackets forward Nikita Filatov is leaving the NHL for the KHL. [ESPN]
Filatov says hes leaving because the Jackets are not letting him play his style of game. [Puck Daddy]
Alex Ovechkin scores in his return from injury. [ESPN]
With the way the Blues are playing, let's look at the NHL draft! [TSN]
Caps goalie Jose Theodore has left the team for personal reasons. [TSN]
Markus Naslund will team up with Peter Forsberg — for free. [TSN]

Other links

I'm really kind of glad I haven't met this girl. She seems like a total bitch. [Craig's List]
Some people invent the weirdest things. [Totally Absurd]
Get to know some famous Captains, Eric Brewer not included. [Pixlmonster]

Video

So this video is going around the intertubes and I thought I'd share it with you. Seth MacFarlane has a formula.

Tuesdays With Hildy: Stay, or do we Pet him go?

hildymac — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:10:46 -0000

More photos » by Bill Boyce - AP

Is the Petro-dactyl in danger of becoming extinct for the rest of the season in St. Louis?

Browse more photos »

I'm horribly sorry for the pun in today's title. I am currently running on about four hours of sleep, had to talk about fascism *all day long*, and now I get to sit here until 5 (4 Central) listening to 7 high school boys yell at each other about policy debate. I know that's not a viable excuse for bad pun-age, but it is seriously the best that I can manage right now.

Anywho, for those of you who are not as sleep deprived as some of us, the title is in reference to our youngest defenseman, Alex Pietrangelo. The article in this morning's Post Dispatch raises a question for the Blues, the ownership, and the fans hanging in the balance - do we let half of our 2nd coming of MacInnis and Pronger go back to juniors?

The Blues are carrying eight defensemen right now: Brewer, Jackman, Polak, Colaiacovo, Johnson, Weaver, Sydor, and Pietroangelo. Steen is going to have to return here eventually, probably sooner than later, which means that someone on our roster is going to have to be moved. That, and the next game that he is on the ice for is the magic 9th game, after which the team needs to decide to keep him up here, or send him to his OHL team, the Ice Dogs (he is too young per AHL rules to be sent to the Rivermen). Despite being a scratch for the past three games, no one has had a negative thing to say, but would anyone say something bad about a 19 year old first rounder who is trying his hardest to stay in the league?

Let Him Go

You can make a valid argument for sending him back to Juniors, albiet it is focused more on the team and less on him as a player - we already have seven defensemen. Yes, one of them is the constant talk of 100111001 and whatnot, and the other is yelled at for every atrocious play on the ice regardless of if it's fault or not. But they're both serviceable and they have both paid their league dues. There is nowhere for them to go but a trade, but that trade'll get us probably a few forwards, and then we'll be having this discussion about one of our young kids.

If we can't move Brewer or Jackman, that leaves either Weaver or Pietroangelo to be moved. Weaver could be moved to the Rivermen, but has shown enough competency at the NHL level to warrant him staying put. Petro, if sent down, doesn't lose a year of contract eligibility, gets to hone his skills, and develop a little more for next year. That, and if all else fails and we need to call someone up, we could always call up Junland, though that would deprive Peoria of one of their top scorers.

One other thing is that Petro gets no ice time with his butt in the pressbox. How does he get better without practice?

Keep Him Here

Petro might still be learning the ropes and is prone to rookie mistakes, but would we rather see that from a rookie with room for improvement, or a vet who should just flat out know better? Petro has a tremendous skill set that can only improve with ice time if put out there. He has chemistry with Johnson, and quite frankly he's too good for the OHL.

Look at that. How do you justify a defenseman who can net 40 assists with his eyes blindfolded going back to someplace where he's going to stagnate? Very few people in that league have the skills to challenge him to raise his game - he gets that at the NHL level every night. Even when he's on the bench, he can still watch and learn. He's never going to get any better at the OHL level. Unfortunately, with his age, he can't go to the AHL, which is a skill set that could do him some good. His choices are either stagnate or work up to a new level, and Petro seems like he's a quick study.

Tuesday links: Ninja Turtles and Red Berenson: A match made in Heaven edition

averagejoe — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:00:36 -0000

Well, I think it is safe to say that my laptop is dead. We had some good times together.

Blues news

Norm Sanders takes a look at the putrid offense. UPDATED with working link. [Belleville News-Democrat ]
Know your history: Before there was the Red Berenson Cowboy, there was the actual Red Berenson, one of the most exciting players in franchise history. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Alex Pietrangelo is in limbo. With the Blues carrying 8 defensemen, a decision is forthcoming on where he finish out the season. [STLtoday]

Hockey news

Here are your Monday winners. [Yahoo Sports!]
A look at what is going on tonight. [Yahoo! Sports]
Our old friend Brandon at Defending Big D, you know the guys who love Steve Ott, is going to be in charge of the hockey coverage at SB Nation. I for one welcome our new blogger overlord. [Defending Big D]
Old hockey head James Mirtle weighs in on the goings on in Phoenix. The Coyotes are still bankrupt, in case you forgot. [From the Rink]
A Murray on the hot seat? Now where have I heard that? Anaheim Calling debates if the Ducks should fire GM Bob Murray. [Anaheim Calling]
The Leafs are still trying to figure out who is the No. 1 goalie: Jonas Gustavsson and Vesa Toskala. [TSN]
Peter Forsberg is staying in Sweden. For now. Until he decides otherwise in two-to-three weeks. [ESPN]
Cha-cha-changes in Florida Panthers. New owners for the franchise. [ESPN]
Alex Ovechkin should be back tonight. [TSN]
Nikita Filatov might be heading back to Russia. He's struggling with his confidence and declining ice time. Patrik Berglund could not be reached for comment. [The Columbus Dispatch]

Other links

Reminder: Vote for Atlanta and Carolina. [ESPN America]
I found out this weekend that a friend of mine had a rat tail in high school. I can only hope it looked like this. [The Daily What]
The only thing I hate more than children? Old people. Senile old people. [This is why we love them]
Holy shit, this is the best way to get out of late fees. [Blockbuster Employee of the Month]

Video

Ever wondered what would happen if Quentin Tarantino made the Ninja Turtle movies?

gametimelinks(at)gmail.com