SB Nation - Noah Welch

Best (and worst) Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks from 2000-09

Hooks Orpik — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:18:01 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

7 months ago: Pittsburgh Penguins' Kris Letang celebrates his game-winning goal in overtime against the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series, in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, May 6, 2009. The Penguins won 3-2. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Puck Daddy, in celebration of the 2000-2009 "decade" is doing all sorts of lists and rankings, like this one on the best and worst draft picks of this period. A good idea that Japers Rink tweaked for their purposes. Why let them have all the fun (and watch another Penguins blog do it). That's right, only the finest second hand stolen ideas here for you, after the jump!

Keeping in-line, we won't include lottery picks -- so no Ryan Whitney, Marc-Andre Fleury, Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby or Jordan Staal to be found here. Let's get the unpleasant ones out of the way with the five worst Penguin draft picks from 2000-2009. It's unfair and too much of an exercise in hindsight to say the Pens SHOULD have drafted so-and-so, that's a little much. Still, judging who was on the board (especially when they got picked near the time of busts) is useful, even if somewhat painful.

#5 - Noah Welch (Defense, 2nd round, 54th overall in 2001)

Perhaps it's unfair to list Welch here, since he rose to be a fringe NHL'er, but he wasn't the surefire top six guy he was made out to be for Pittsburgh. Notable players drafted in this same neighborhood were: Jason Pominville, Jay McClement and Tomas Plekanec. Welch couldn't play his way into the NHL on a weak Pittsburgh defense that included Josef Melichar and Rob Scuderi (before he progressed into being "The Piece"). That disappointment lands him on this list.

#4 - Brian Gifford (Center, 3rd round, 85th overall in 2004)

Gifford was a swing and a miss, he never developed into an NHL prospect in a draft that featured several good players drafted around him. Gifford's a senior at Denver U now, but that he's not distinguishing himself there (and isn't on anyone's radar).

#3 - Ryan Stone (Winger, 2nd round, 32nd overall in 2003)

Stone may have hit his stride now in Edmonton, but there's no doubt he was a bust in Pittsburgh. Drafted in the talent rich 2003 draft (in the same round as Loui Eriksson, Patrice Bergeron, Matt Carle and Shea Weber), Stone was a whiff by Penguin management. He dredged through a few years in Wilkes-Barre and eight games in Pittsburgh on a 4th line before exiting quietly in the trade that brought Mathieu Garon to the 'Burgh. When you have the second pick in the second round in one of the deepest and most talented drafts ever, you'd like a little more than that.

#2 - Ondrej Nemec (Defenseman, 2nd round, 35th overall in 2002)

Drafting a European defenseman high in the second round, the Penguins thought they added a strong puck mover with good hockey sense. And perhaps they did, but we'll never know. Nemec never showed much desire in coming to North America -- though he did make a brief cameo in Wilkes-Barre at the end of the 2004 season. Then he disappeared back into the Czech wilderness, never to be heard from again. Adding to the sting, the player drafted immediately after Nemec turned into a legit NHL playmaking center (Jarret Stoll) and the next two defensemen selected after Nemec both are NHL regulars (Trevor Daley and Matt Greene).

#1 - Johannes Salmonsson (Winger, 2nd round, 31st overall in 2004)

Salmonsson was advertised as a pure "boom or bust" prospect, and unfortunately was a total bust. He landed on North American soil for 54 games in the WHL junior league in 2005-06, but injuries and a style of play more suited for Europe made that stay short. The first pick in the second round of a draft, more than an almost invisible blip should happen.

Dishonorable mention: Michael Gergen, Shane Endicott and Angelo Esposito

Notice a trend there? All but Gifford (and Esposito) were taken in the 2nd round, which hasn't been kind to Pittsburgh ever since they drafted Greg Malone way back when. Enough of the negative, let's take a look at the Penguins hits in the Top 5 picks of the draft.

#5 - Tyler Kennedy (Winger, 4th round, 99th overall in 2004)

Quick progression is a common place among good draft picks. 2 seasons after drafted, TK jumped to the AHL and less than a year after that he was in the NHL for good, carving a solid niche as an energy/checker with a knack for scoring important goals (10 of his 31 NHL goals are game winners).

#4 - Matt Moulson (Winger, 9th round, 263th overall in 2003)

Moulson was a scorer in college, but the Pens elected not to retain his rights. He spent a few years in LA's system (where he still showed goal scoring touch) before sticking now with the New York Islanders. Moulson (with 14 goals so far in 2009-10) doesn't look out of place on their first line with wonderkid John Tavares, which can only lead Pens fans to wonder how good he might have been alongside Crosby or Malkin.

#3 - Max Talbot (Center, 8th round, 234th overall in 2002)

The knack for scoring big goals applies to no one in the NHL more than Max Talbot. In the two years after his draft, Talbot won the playoff MVP in the QMJHL in both seasons. Proving he could be a regular NHL'er took a little longer, as Talbot bounced between the AHL and NHL for a season before establishing himself in PIttsburgh, which probably speaks to good development just as well as drafting. Surely no one knew Talbot was a surefire "gamer", or else he would have been drafted several rounds higher, but that Pittsburgh selected him is good enough for recognition.

#2 - Alex Goligoski (Defenseman, 2nd round, 61st overall in 2004)

30 spots after taking Salmonsson, the Pens finally broke their "curse" of second round picks. Goligoski, though small, could skate and had great offensive abilities, dug up in Minnesota by Penguin scout Chuck Grillo. Pittsburgh didn't know it at the time, but was the perfect post-lockout defenseman, chosen a few months before the lockout began. He spend time at Minnesota and the AHL getting up to speed, but is now a legit Top 4 defenseman that is good on the PP.

#1 - Kris Letang (Defenseman, 3rd round, 62nd overall in 2005)

In the serpentine 2005 draft, the Pens used one of their consecutive picks on a smooth skating, right-handed shot out of the QMHJL and Letang impressed almost immediately, nearly sticking in the NHL as a 18 year old, before serving a 10 game stint in Wilkes-Barre before jumping full time to the NHL. Not many defenseman can take that career pass and be successful. Letang did.

Honorable mentions: Luca Caputi, Robert Bortuzzo, Michel Ouellet

So there you have it -- some hits, some misses and some development along the way. There's no doubt the story of this decade for the Penguins are all the lottery picks that stocked the organization for Stanley Cup runs, but without filling in the pieces later in the draft, that run wouldn't have been possible.

Poll

Other than the lottery picks, what's the Penguins best draft pick over 2000-09?

2009-10 Tampa Bay Lightning season preview

John Fontana — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:00:17 -0000

SB Nation's NHL sites have been showcasing season previews for each of the 30 NHL clubs the past few weeks, leading up to the start of the new NHL season. James Mirtle has also reviewed each team over at From the Rink. Today it's the Tampa Bay Lightning in the spotlight.

Overview:

Upheaval and volatility are the first two words that come to mind when trying to summarize what Tampa Bay Lightning fans witnessed last season. The upheaval started in the forging of the 2008-2009 team by firing John Tortorella and replacing him with Barry Melrose – who hadn’t coached a professional hockey game in well over a decade. Add to it all the additions and subtractions during the 2008 off season, plus the laissez faire preseason and too-many-cooks-in-the-kitchen management of the team, and the Bolts were set up to either defy the odds or sink to the bottom of the league.

…And sink they did.

52 players suited up for the Bolts last season in a constant revolving door. Melrose was fired after 16 games and Rick Tocchet was named Interim head coach for the remainder of the season. From that point on, things only got worse as the injury bug was rampant in Tampa as a poorly conditioned squad, due to Melrose’s preseason expectations, was required to play a more physical game under Tocchet. One by one, players dropped like flies, and the only thing that was left was to wonder which of the top three picks they would receive in the June entry draft.

Looking ahead instead of behind, the Lightning’s 2009-2010 campaign is as heavy in promise as it is with caution. Optimism can be had from any number of aspects with this team, but it’s a very cautious optimism as the scars and issues that dogged the franchise last season are still present in one form or another.

Who's In?

The off-season movement for the club started at the NHL Entry Draft where the Bolts selected Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman with the #2 overall pick. To compliment and tutor Hedman, the Lightning have also added fellow Swede and NHL veteran Mattias Ohlund to the defense. Continuing the defense revamp, the Lightning also signed free agents Matt Walker (Chicago) and Kurtis Foster (Minnesota) to further bolster the blueline.

On Offense, the big prize addition is left wing Alex Tanguay (Montreal), who will be paired with Vincent Lecavalier this season. Other offensive additions include Stephane Veilleux (Minnesota), Drew Miller (via trade with Anaheim), and Todd Fedoruk and David Hale (via trade with Phoenix). As of this writing, Brett McLean (Florida) is on the roster as a camp invitee and may be signed with the club.

In the crease, the Lightning added former Flyer goaltender Antero Niittymaki to serve as backup to Mike Smith. Niittymaki certainly brings an interesting dynamic to the Bolts: his indominable record against Southeast Division opponents (record of all clubs, last one is Atlanta). Third in the depth chart at goal is Dustin Tokarski, formerly of the WHL Spokane Chiefs. If any injuries should happen to either goaltender, he would most likely be the first option out of AHL Norfolk.

Of course the fun and games don't stop there! The Lightning hired fromer Dallas Stars associate coach Rick Wilson to their coaching staff in hopes offurther bolstering the defense from the top down.

Who's Out?

Who isn't out? After suiting up 52 different players last season, the Lightning were not going to bring everyone back for this go around. Some of the names that are gone include Evgeny Aryukhin (via trade with Anaheim), Radim Vrbata (not that he played much with the Bolts anyway -- via trade with Phoenix), Matt Pettinger (UFA), Jason Ward (Philadelphia), David Koci (Colorado), Marek Malik (UFA), Josef Melichar (overseas), Cory Murphy (New Jersey), Richard Petiot (Chicago), Mike McKenna (New Jersey) and Noah Welch (Atlanta).

One of the more controversial subtractions from the roster was the departure of left wing and fan favorite Vaclav Prospal, who was bought out by the club in order to clear budget space for the addition of Tanguay. Meanwhile, another loss was goalie Karri Ramo, who joined the KHL. The Lightning still retain his rights in the National Hockey League, however.

Behind the bench, assistant coach Mike Sullivan departed the team and joined the staff of the New York Rangers as well.

Team Strengths:

It's really hard not to look at the Lightning's top lines and be wonderstruck at the possibilities offensively. Team captain Vincent Lecavalier paired with fellow QMJHL alumnus Alex Tanguay leaves one excited. The trio of Ryan Malone, Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis will be paired again on the second line and is equally, if not more, formidable than the Tanguay/Lecavalier line (as of this writing, the role of right wing on the top line was still in question). To round this out, they have a solid 3rd line in Stephane Veilleux, Jeff Halpern and Drew Miller. So now it’s an offense that is capable of hitting you on three of its four lines. That's an aspect the Lightning have been suspect with for the past four seasons, as the Bolts have remained top heavy. Too top heavy, in fact.

Meanwhile, a new found strength is potentially the Lightning defense. With a versed crew of veterans and youngsters rounded out by defensive specialist Rick Wilson on the bench, the Lightning blueline looks to rebound from the troubles it had in 2008-2009 into something much more formidable this time around. The team's depth on the blueline is also an asset – especially for a position that is normally subjected to the bumps and bruises of the season. The Bolts plan on carrying eight defensemen and employing a regular rotation between starters and reserves, with the intention of keeping the lineup fresh.

Between the pipes, goaltender Mike Smith is back, healthy, and now backed up by the very capable Antero Niittymaki. While this may seem pretty ho-hum to many, Smith’s stats (2.68 GAA and a 0.916 save percentage) were great behind a porous defense decimated by trades and injury. Meanwhile Niitymaki’s record versus the Southeast Division (27-6-4 lifetime, including a 13 game winning streak against Atlanta) is quite formidable to say the least. The addition of Niittymaki could prove to be the most overlooked signing in the division this year, particularly if he can keep up his dominance against divisional foes Washington, Carolina, Florida and Atlanta.

For all of the sideshow antics of the ownership fight, General Manager Brian Lawton getting sole say in calling most of the shots for the makeup of the team is paying off. Lawton has shown this off-season that he may be an executive who knows what he is doing. And as long as he continues to be unhindered by too-many-cooks-in-the-kitchen ownership meddling, the Bolts are likely to appear to be a much more stable and sane team regarding player personnel moves than they have in the immediate past.

Lastly, let me quote a former Tampa Bay athlete with thus: "I plan to become great, but how can you become great without experiencing the worst?" He’s got a point there, and those still with the club from last two seasons, the nucleus of this club, are well versed in the worst right now. The adversity of the recent past hasn’t killed or ruined talent on the Lightning’s roster, and odds are it could likely prove to be a motivating factor in the season ahead.

Team Weaknesses

The ownership circus is far from being settled. And, in fact, it has transitioned into a new phase as two potential billionaire investors – backed by separate bickering owners – are exploring the idea of buying into the club. What this means for the team when the dust settles is unclear, and should be looked at warily for a franchise that wants to return to respectability and competitiveness.

For all the talent that the Lightning have amassed on forward lines, there is a gaping hole at right wing that has not been sorted out so far this the preseason, and likely will not be settled by the start of the season. Add to the fact that none of the right wingers have really stood out during the preseason, and one has to wonder just how shallow the talent pool for the Lightning is past Martin St. Louis and Adam Hall? While Carter Ashton has stood out at times and impressed coaching, and while Dana Tyrell looks to be a future star – neither are ready to make the jump to the NHL at this time. In fact, Ashton was back to juniors on Friday night. And while Steve Downie had a very productive off-season while also maintaining some very good discipline thus far in the preseason, one has to wonder if he can keep it up all season long? Can he keep up with the likes of Vincent Lecavalier and Alex Tanguay on the top line, and not let his emotions and impulsiveness get the better of him?

Mike Smith has not played a regular season NHL game since January 30th, 2009, due to the lingering effects of post concussion syndrome. Antero Niittymaki also has had several hip surgeries in the past 41 months. Both players are said to be healthy and feeling fine at this point, but it’s still a point of concern as it’s a long NHL season. The Lightning’s most experienced netminder in the system, Riku Helenius, has all of 7 NHL minutes to his name. That’s not an inspiring statistic when questioning durability of the top two goalies with the Lightning. While Dustin Tokarski has done very well this preseason, he is still a prospect directly out of junior.

With all the positive additions on the defensive corps, negatives linger. Defenseman Paul Ranger did not play until Friday night in a scrimmage against their AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals. That makes one wonder if Ranger is too brittle to contribute to this Lightning team. Add to it that Andrej Meszaros is also recovering from a shoulder injury that ended his season prematurely, and you have two liabilities as integral parts of the blueline for the Bolts. And while defensive depth for the Bolts is something that can be crowed about, it’s also very easy to label it a liability as well. With so many warm bodies, there are still only so many roster spots. The team is likely to leave one talent or another off the NHL roster come the start of the season and not have the luxury of recalling said player with thanks to the likelihood someone would snatch him up through recall waivers. Mike Lundin was a victim of that midway through last season.

Then there’s the burden of proof regarding Head Coach Rick Tocchet in Tampa. Despite being more involved with his team and being well liked by his players, he produced a lower winning percentage than Barry Melrose in 66 games. This is his first Head Coaching job in the NHL, so it’s still open for speculation if Tocchet himself has the skill to coach and succeed – particularly with the implosion of the squad under his full control last season. In his favor is the fact he’s in charge of a healthy roster from the very beginning this time around, and instituted a conditioning program at the end of last season to prepare the players for this season. He was the one handing out conditioning assignments for the summer, was in charge of the training camp regimen, and is the one who will ultimately be making decisions regarding the opening night roster. He didn’t have that luxury when he came into the job last November. How much of a difference this makes, however, remains to be seen.

And in a round about way, one of the worst weaknesses that will follow the Lightning around this season is the Olympics. The hype leading up to the Games in Vancouver this February will become a distraction as the season progresses and national rosters are evened out. The Lightning have already had a good contingent of players attending their camps for their respective countries during the summer. Who does or doesn’t make Olympic rosters has all the makings of a grand distraction, especially with Vincent Lecavalier on the bubble to make Team Canada’s squad. Then there are the actual Olympics and the ceasing of league actions for two weeks that could ruin the momentum the Lightning might have going into the final stretch of the season. Which may be a blessing in disguise, depending on the injury situation at that point of the season due to a condensed NHL schedule.

Depth Chart (estimated):

FORWARDS

Alex Tanguay - Vincent Lecavalier - Steve Downie
Ryan Malone - Steven Stamkos - Martin St. Louis
Stephane Veilleux - Jeff Halpern - Drew Miller
Todd Fedoruk - Ryan Craig - Adam Hall
Zenon Konopka OR Brett McLean (reserve)

DEFENSE

Mattias Ohlund | Andrej Meszaros
Kurtis Foster | Victor Hedman
Paul Ranger | Matt Walker
Matt Smaby | Lukas Krajicek (reserves)

GOALTENDERS

Mike Smith
Antero Niittymaki

Predictions

Other Predictions and Previews:

After finishing 30th and 29th the past two seasons respectively, the Lightning should be in store for a rebound this upcoming season... Yet, there is a lingering wait-and-see approach with the team. Fans and media are skeptical because of the sideshow of ownership and the hype of the 2008 off-season was much like the hype of acquisitions from this very off-season.

But is it justified? Specifically the Bolts being looked at firstly for ownership drama when trying to gauge just what the team will do on ice. It’s may be a mistake to overlook the retrofit of this team and the difference from the beginning of last season and this season.

Assuming the injury bug does not decimate the roster (with a total of 305 man games lost), rising in the Southeast Division should be a given. While fairly certain that the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes will be the ones battling for the division title, this Lightning roster could very well be in the hunt for a playoff spot. Things need to jell and distractions need to take a hike... But the team is capable of rising in the East and contending.

(special thanks JD Weakland, who took the Victor Hedman photo used on this preview. View more of his team photography here.)

Poll

Where will the Lightning finish in the Eastern Conference?

15

2 votes

14

3 votes

13

5 votes

12

5 votes

11

1 votes

10

12 votes

9

17 votes

8

26 votes

7

25 votes

6

18 votes

5

7 votes

4

5 votes

3

7 votes

2

5 votes

1

10 votes

148 votes | Poll has closed

ThrashersTraining Camp Job Battles Narrow

The Falconer — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:15:17 -0000

After two pre-season games the Thrashers have cut down their camp roster to 37 players who are still in the mix for NHL roster spots. I'm going to assume that these 9 forwards have NHL jobs: Kovalchuk, Kozlov, White, Antropov, Peverley, Little, Armstrong and Reasoner. So what does that leave?

Forwards: 4 starting spots and 1 or 2 bench slots.

Incumbents:

Challengers:

Thoughts: All of the incumbents have at least a one year NHL contracts and I would surprised if they failed to make the final roster. This last summer I wrote about the "myth of the best 4th line" and suggested that the Thrashers could find better players to flesh out the bottom of their forward ranks. But the Thrashers choose to re-sign Slater and Thorburn which indicates they think more favorably about that line than I do. If the incumbent 4th liners are all safe, that really leaves just one active roster spot and one or two bench slots available.

How might this race shake out? Personally, I've seen very little out of Dan Fritsche in practice or exhibition play, the guy looks like he's lost his mojo. Gratton is probably the only person really challenging Boulton for the tough guy slot, but I think the organization values Boulton's locker room presence enough that he keeps his spot. Machacek looks pretty good but he might still benefit from receiving bigger minutes in the AHL. Evander Kane has looked OK in pre-season but hasn't really amazed. I've already laid out the case for returning him to the WHL--the fact that he's not scoring in pre-season could make this decision easier.

That narrows it down to some veterans: Afinogenov, Crabb, Stapleton, Krog. Personally, I find Maxim Afinogenov incredibly frustrating to watch play. He has amazing stick handling skills and good speed but it seems like he rarely turns those attributes into goals. Still if he's willing to sign for a low price, it would be a low risk gamble with some upside potential. My guess is that if Evander Kane goes back to the WHL, Afinogenov might make the NHL roster if the price is right.

The other three guys--Stapleton, Krog and Crabb--are all AHL veterans who are no longer developing as prospects. They are all a bit undersized by NHL standards but have solid puck skills (Krog, Stapleton) or speed (Crabb, Stapleton). If the Thrashers were to keep Afinogenov and bump Peverley to the 3rd line, any one of these AHL veterans could step into 13th forward spot and it would not harm their development as it would a younger kid.

Prediction: My gut instinct is that Coach Anderson will give Jason Krog that 13th forward spot and one more crack at playing in the NHL. Krog and Anderson had some great seasons together in Chicago and if anyone knows what Jason brings to the table--it is Anderson.

Defense

The top four defensemen (Bogosian, Enstrom, Hainsey and Kubina) appear set and that leaves two starting positions and a bench slot up for grabs.

Incumbents

Challengers

I would cross Vernance off the list first. He looked totally out of his league in Nashville and I'm surprised that he survived the most recent round of cuts. I haven't seen Welch in game action, but like Dan Fritsche you have to really look hard to notice him in training camp. I'm a big Grant Lewis supporter, but he's clearly still recovering from his significant knee injury. Postma probably needs a full season in the AHL playing against bigger men.

That leaves 3 incumbents and 2 challengers battling it out for 3 slots. So far Kulda and Popovic both have played well and gotten the attention of Coach Anderson. I would not be surprised if either were on the team opening day. The biggest problem for Kulda is that he can be sent down that gives the Thrashers a quality first call up should injuries strike. With Popovic they have to fish or cut bait soon--which gives him more leverage in some respects.

The real question is who would they knock off? I can't see Valabik going anywhere. His size and physicality are badly needed on this roster. I do think that both Salmela and Oystrick could be vulnerable to losing their spot. Oystrick in particular looked very nervous and rough at times in the Nashville pre-season game. Perhaps, it was just initial nerves but if he continues to struggle in pre-season he could end up on the outside looking in. Salmela was ridiculously non-physical in Nashville allowing opposing forwards to do pretty much whatever they wanted. He can't continue to play like that and hold a NHL D spot.

Summary: If Oystrick and Salmela can play like they did at the end of last season, they should hold off Popovic. The next few games will be crucial.

Goaltender

The incumbent Lehtonen is hurt yet again and his lack of professionalism is irritating a team that needs someone reliable in the nets. The Opening Night starting job is a free for all. Ondrej Pavelec played a very strong game in Tampa on Friday. MacIntyre played a strong period in Nashville. Manny Legace is a NHL pro with a long track record. Johan Hedberg is the sentimental favorite of many, but is under heavy pressure this camp. The Thrashers have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs assuming they get solid goaltending most nights. If Legace looks better than Hedberg, the team would be wise to put keep him, skill not likability must determine this contest.

Expectation: Lehtonen starts the season on IR, with Pavelec and Legace on the opening night roster.

Atlanta Thrashers 2009-2010 Season Preview

The Falconer — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:58:40 -0000

More photos » by Gregory Smith - AP

8 months ago: Atlanta Thrashers left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, of Russia, celebrates a Thrashers goal against the Ottawa Senators during the second period of an NHL hockey game at Philips Arena, Saturday, March 28, 2009, in Atlanta. The Thrashers won 6-3. (AP Photo/Gregory Smith)

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2008-09 Season Recap Recap

It was a tale of two halves for the Thrashers. In the first half they went 13-23-5 and were on pace for 62 points and perhaps the #1 overall draft pick. In the second half, they went 21-18-1 and were on pace of 86 points which would have left them short of the playoffs, but in the hunt. It was a season of getting younger as veterans were traded away and young players stepped up their game. Perhaps, most impressive was how the Thrashers crushed the hopes of many teams hungry for playoff points in March. Down the stretch the Thrashers went 6-2 against playoff bubble teams. Were the Thrashers just "hot" or did they turn a corner last spring? The 2009-10 season will help answer that question.

Who's In

The Thrashers added NHL regulars Nik Antropov (via free agency) and Pavel Kubina (via a trade with Toronto). Two other players (Anssi Salmela and Rich Peverley) were acquired in the 2nd half and will have their first full season in Atlanta. Evander Kane was drafted 4th overall this summer and appears poised to make the roster. NHL veterans Jason Krog, Anthony Stewart, Joey Crabb and Dan Fritsche are in the mix for the final forward spots along with prospects Spencer Machacek, Angelo Esposito, and Jordan LaVallee. Noah Welch and Mark Popovic are battling Nathan Oystrick and Anssi Salmela for the final defense spots.

Who's Out

Eric Perrin was unhappy with his role last season, and after no team claimed him from waivers, he departed for Europe this summer. Rugged Garnet Exelby and Colin Stuart were sent to Toronto in the Kubina trade. Niclas Havelid and Mathieu Schneider were both traded at the deadline. Forward Jason Williams was dealt mid-season and Erik Christensen left at the trade deadline.

(more after the jump)

Team Strengths

This team can score in bunches. Last year the Thrashers finished 9th in Goal Scored--ahead of 8 other playoff teams. The Thrashers power play finished 11th in PP%--which was better than 9 other playoff teams. They scored 257 goals despite the fact that the 1st line severely under performed during the first half. Kovalchuk was passing too much, Jason Williams didn't play Coach Anderson's system and Eric Christensen left his confidence in Pittsburgh. Kovalchuk caught on fire after being named Captain and ripped off a furious 2nd half. Zach Bogosian and Tobias Enstrom thrived while playing with each other after their veteran partners departed. With the swap of Exelby for Kubina and the Nik Antropov replacing the Jason Williams/Rich Peverly combo, I would not be stunned if this team finished in the top 5 in team offense.

The Thrashers defense has more skill than at any point in team history. Each member of the top four can make a good outlet pass. The addition of Kubina greatly upgrades the passing of the 2nd D pairing. Last season, smart teams pressured Hainsey and made him dish over to his partner Exelby who frequently just dumped the puck to center ice. The Thrashers are very likely to establish a new record for points from their defensemen in the coming season.

The Thrasher skaters have been unusually healthy. Star forward Ilya Kovalchuk has proven remarkably durable throughout his NHL career. Even small Thrashers players like Todd White, Rich Peverley and Bryan Little have missed very few games. Zach Bogosian was the only impact skater to miss a signficant amout of time. Are the Thrashers tough or just lucky? Injuries are not completely random events, some players simply have stonger bones and connective tissues which allow them to handle repeated stresses. If the Thrashers continue their healthy ways that will significantly aid their pursuit of the playoffs.

Team Weaknesses

How much better is the defense? Two summers ago the team added Ron Hainsey and cut Alexei Zhitnik and the Thrashers improved from 30th to 29th in the standings. If the addition of Pavel Kubina doesn't have a larger effect than that, the Thrashers season will end bitterly once again. Even if the offense ranks as high as 5th in the NHL, the defense must make major improvements. The biggest defensive problem is the Penalty Kill. Last year the Thrashers allowed 280 goals, nearly 1/3 of those came while short a man. Atlanta's PK was dead last for most of the year, and yet none of the roster additions were top tier PK players on their previous teams--a big source for concern.

What will they get out of Kari Lehtonen? When healthy Lehtonen is above average with moments of brilliance. He receives less help from his defense than many other NHL goaltenders. Backup Johan Hedberg is a great person according to all, but by any statistical measure (even shot quality adjusted SV%) he is far below average in net. The Thrashers really can't afford Lehtonen to miss a full month's worth of games yet again and they can't afford to have Hedberg start 20+ games. You have to wonder when the organization's patience with Lehtonen will be exhausted, the invitation of 6 goalies to NHL Training Camp may suggest that he is running out of time in Atlanta.

Can they play in the other team's end? Last season the Thrashers were one of the smallest teams in the NHL and they really struggled in terms of keeping continuous pressure in the offensive zone. When you look at measures of puck position such as team Corsi numbers and End-of-Shift Faceoffs, it is amazing to think this club finished 9th in goals scored. The Thrashers scored despite their lack of offensive zone puck possession at even strength. In particular, the Thrashers desperately need Kovalchuk's line to spend more time in the offensive zone. Will the addition of huge forward Nik Antropov lead to more sustained shifts in the good end of the ice?

2009 Atlanta Thrashers Organization Depth Chart

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Ilya Kovalchuk	Nik Antropov	Bryan Little	1st line
Slava Kozlov	Todd White	Rich Peverley	2nd line
Evander Kane	Marty Reasoner	Colby Armstrong	3rd line
Eric Boulton	Jim Slater	Chris Thorburn	4th line
Joey Crabb	Jason Krog	Anthony Stewart	depth
	Tobias Enstrom	Zach Bogosian	1st pairing
	Ron Hainsey	Pavel Kubina	2nd pairing
	Boris Valabik	Anssi Salmela	3rd paring
	Nathan Oystrick	Mark Popovic	depth

2009-2010 Predictions

Falconer: Jumping from 13th in the East to 8th (last playoff spot) is an enormous task. Can the addition of Antropov, Kubina and Evander Kane make up that gap? Can Zach Bogosian sustain the high level he showed in February and March? Can Coach Anderson motivate his troops to run through walls? The margin for error is small, but the answer is yes. Leave your mid-April calendar open Thrasher fans, golf season will just have to wait this year.

EvilMilkshake: Towards the end of the season, the Thrashers were on a surge that was sure fun to watch. Thing is, I think part of that had to do with the earlier season games and the overall standings in which the opposition approached the latter games like a cakewalk. Too bad for them. This season, the team will need to show consistency not just for a quarter of the season, but all 82 games. Playoffs? Yep, but it'll take health, defense, consistency, and will. In the order of 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D.

Aaron: To my eyes, this Thrashers season begins and ends with October. One home game, a five game road trip, and the back at home to face the Washington Capitals (twice!!) and the San Jose Sharks. Oh yea, let's not even think about the Ilya Kovalchuk Three Ring Circus & Big Top. The dancing elephants of the press will do their best to remind our boys it's Kovy's contract year. As long as the D can keep the opposing teams' shot count down, our forwards have proven they can find the back of the net. If these guys can prove to themselves they can win, your 2009-2010 Atlanta Thrashers are playoff-bound.

Tim: Our odds of re-signing Ilya Kovalchuk seem pretty good right now. Kovalchuk, Kovalchuk's agent Jay Grossman, and Don Waddell have all gone on the record to say that a deal should get done. This is not Marion Hossa pt. 2. Therefore, I think the biggest question for the Thrashers this year is whether the guys who had breakout years last year (Bryan Little, Rich Peverley, Zach Bogosian, perhaps even Todd White) can continue to play near or above where they were last year. For his part, Little has come to camp faster and stronger than last year with the goal of scoring *more* than 31 goals. I'm going to put our points for the season somewhere between 84 and 95, probably in the 91 or 92 range.

Sure, that may be optimistic, but do you remember how many games we lost in the 2008 - 2009 season during the last 5 minutes of the game? If we had just gone into overtime, we would have come out with ~1.5 points/game rather than 0. There were *many* of those games. If you assume there were 10 games like that (and I think there were more), the extra 15 points would have put the Thrashers at 91 for the season... a playoff bubble team.

So, Thrashers fans, that's where I think we'll be this season. Not a wholly different team, but much less apt to fall apart in the last 5-8 minutes of the game. We're going to be a much more confident team this year.

Another thing to watch: if we do indeed look bound for the playoffs, expect ownership to be willing to spend cash to acquire players at the deadline.

2009 Southeast Basement: fertile ground for ex-Panther rebirths?

Whale4ever — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:03:47 -0000

News hit recently that bought-out ex-Cat Brett McLean had landed a tryout in Tampa Bay's camp got me thinking: is the recent spate of former Florida cast-offs landing right back in the Southeast Division a coincidence? Of course it must only be thus, but the numbers are difficult to ignore. It's one of those fun but utterly meaningless points-of-discussion which the sport of hockey tends to specialize in (see Boyle, Dan).

With the McLean invite, the Lightning have now hit a total of four former Panthers up for service in Tampa Bay over the past eight months: McLean, Cory Murphy, Noah Welch, and Lukas Krajicek (five if Len Barrie's name is thrown in...and he could probably use the income right about now; what's his standing with the Players' Association pension fund again?).

Another (lesser) oddity: Atlanta has been not quite stockpiling but no question opening their eyes to the idea of Florida having given up prematurely on a few young Cats, most notably prospect-for-life Anthony Stewart, but also taking a peek at the aforementioned Welch (who I'm personally pulling for, which has nothing to do with my desire for his signature on a particular puck above my desk to rise in value). Maybe it's not quite an oddity; we're only talking two players, but to ignore the innate rubbernecking which Florida fans will inevitably lavish on Stewart after oh-so-many failed starts would be foolish: we'll always have an interest.

Anyone else in recent history come to mind?

Training Camp Preview: Position Battles Among AHL Veterans

The Falconer — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:49:06 -0000

NHL Training Camp is still about six weeks away from beginning and hockey news is rather sparse. So I decided to put together a table that looks at the AHL stats of F, D and G who will fighting it out at camp for NHL jobs. I tried to include everyone who played in the AHL last season or the season before that (Oystrick, Stewart) who is under contract with the Thrashers.

My table does not include Evander Kane or Angelo Esposito who both played junior hockey last year. I did include Rich Peverly and Bryan Little in the table--even though both those guys have locked up a roster spot, I found it interesting to see how their stats compared to other players.

First up we have the Forwards. I have chosen to list them in the order of their age (except for Bryan Little who I added after I listed all the other forwards). Age is extremely important since a 20 or 21 year old player is MUCH more likely to take a dramatic step forward and a guy at age 25 is close to being a physically mature prospect.

Forwards

Player	Age	08-09 NHL Games	08-09 AHL Games	Career NHL Points Per Game	Career AHL Points Per Game	Career NHL Plus/Minus	Career AHL Plus/Minus
Spencer Macheck	20	0	74	.00	.43	0	+8
Riley Holzapfel	20	2	77	N.A.	.60	N.A.	+10
Jordan LaValle	23	2	64	.50	.48	+1	-15
Anthony Stewart	24	59	0	.11	.51	-4	-19
Brett Sterling	25	6	52	.21	1.04	-5	+17
Joey Crabb	26	29	42	.31	.49	-2	+24
Tim Stapleton	26	4	70	.25	1.06	-3	+15
Josh Gratton	26	19	21	.07	.33	-13	+13
Rich Peverley	27	39	27	.49	.95	+16	+14
Jason Krog	33	4	74	.29	1.19	+5	+41
Bryan Little	21	79	0	.53	.74	-7	+1

A few things jump out at me when I look at these numbers. Peverley was very hot in the 2nd half and that led to his NHL plus/minus being better than his AHL numbers--I expect him to come back down to Earth a little bit next season. Riley Holzapfel is two months older than Spencer Macheck, but the younger player has the better statistical profile. Gratton is a fighter who comes from a tough organization (Flyers). I'm all in favor of signing tough guys rather than using a draft pick on one. In my mind there simply isn't enough difference between a NHL and AHL tough guy to merit using a draft pick that could potentially land an impact player.

LaValle's NHL scoring rate is higher than his career AHL scoring rate--and since the AHL rate has a larger sample size it is probably a better indicator of LaVallee's true NHL offensive skill level. I'll be shocked if Jordan keeps up that half a point per game pace. On average AHL players who make the NHL only keep about 45% of their AHL scoring rate when they move up. Crabb and LaVallee head to camp competing for the same checking line job. The stats suggest that LaVallee has more offensive upside than Crabb, but the plus/minus indicates Crabb has the better two way game. (Plus/minus is not good measure of defensive ability--but it is a good measure of Even Strength Goal Differential which is very important to winning hockey games.)

Anthony Stewart is a mixed bag. On the one hand, his AHL scoring rate suggests he has slightly underachieved offensively in the NHL, but his ugly AHL plus/minus numbers suggest he wasn't much of an impact player in the minors. One year Stewart had a bad plus/minus on a weak team, but the other year he finished nearly dead last in plus/minus on a roster where most players were a slight plus.

Four players (Sterling, Peverley, Stapleton and Krog) have all averaged around a point per game in the AHL. That suggests that they all have sufficient NHL puck skills to play at a high level. Of that group, Peverly and Krog have gotten some real opportunities to make the league. Sterling has never really gotten the long audition he should have received in my opinion (such as last year) and Stapleton might also just need an extended NHL trial to prove himself. Peverley has a NHL job, but the other three might earn one out of camp or have a chance to impress with a mid-season injury call up.

Defense

Player	Age	08-09 NHL Games	08-09 NHL Games	NHL Career Points Per Game	AHL Career Points Per Game	NHL Career Plus/Minus	AHL Career Plus/Minus
Arturs Kulda	21	0	57	N.A.	.26	N.A.	+10
Chad Denny	22	0	40	N.A.	.22	N.A.	-2
Boris Valabik	23	50	11	.09	.17	-16	+41
Scott Lehman	23	1	50	.00	.13	0	-8
Grant Lewis	24	1	54	.00	.39	0	+33
Anssi Salmela	26	26	40	.23	.60	+1	-8
Nathan Oystrick	26	53	0	.23	.54	-2	+8
Noah Welch	26	40	7	.12	.48	-4	+25

Kulda was a top defensemen for Chicago all last year. He's the youngest guy on this list. I think he will become a NHL player, it just a question of when. Chad Denny on the other hand struggled to get into the lineup in the AHL and was even tried as a forward--he's yet another example of a string of busted draft picks to come out of the QMJHL (more on that in a future post).

I know some posters on the official boards are down on Valabik--and he is still rather raw in his decision making at times. But he is still just 23 with some time to take another big step forward. Lehman on the other struggled to suit up in the AHL last year is simply not a very good player. Lewis is 24 but injuries have cost him a year of development, I thought he looked fine in his one NHL game last year.

Salmela, Oystrick and Welch are all fighting for the last few defenseman roster spots and none of them can be considered prospects anymore at they are 26 now. All three players averaged roughly half a point per game in the AHL at age 25 or 26. None are considered outstanding defenders but all three fit into Coach Anderson's offensive minded system and have the puck skills necessary to play with NHL level forwards. Whether they have the hockey IQ or the defensive skills to hang with NHL forwards is the big unknown.

Goalies

Player	Age	08-09 NHL Games Played	08-09 AHL Games Played	Career NHL Save %	Career AHL Save %	Career NHL Goals Against Average	Career AHL Goals Against Average
Ondrej Pavelec	21	12	40	.890	.912	3.42	2.69
Peter Mannino	25	0	50	.885	.900	4.51	2.94
Drew MacIntyre	26	3	34	.864	.918	2.95	2.36

None of the three AHL Veteran goalies have really torn it up at the NHL level. Pavelec has the major advantage of being just 21 at a position where many goalie don't hit their stride until their mid 20s. He has already put up a career AHL SV% close that of MacIntyre who is 5 years older than him.

Conclusion

It is far too early to try and figure out who will win those last roster spots coming out of camp. However, it is August and this is a blog. So let's imagine one of you kidnapped my cat and forced me to make a prediction about the NHL Opening Roster--my guesstimate appears below.

I suspect the competition for the last two forward spots is going to be just brutal. I can imagine LaValle or Crabb sneaking in under the wire too. I'm guessing Evander Kane goes back to the WHL, he might get into a few NHL games. This also assumes no waiver wire pick ups as well. Among the unknowns there is also training camp injuries which often open up a spot.

F1 Kovalchuk-White-Antropov

F2 Kozlov-Peverley-Little

F3 Macheck-Reasoner-Armstrong

F4 Boulton-Slater-Thorburn

D1 Enstrom-Bogosian

D2 Hainsey-Kubina

D3 Valabik-Oystrick

G1 Lehtonen-Pavelec

Bench: Stewart, Hedberg, Salmela

The Lightning defense - the 09-10 edition

Cassie McClellan — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:23:18 -0000

More photos » by John Dunn - AP

Browse more photos »

Defenseman Matt Smaby avoided arbitration and signed a two-year deal worth $1.05 million ($500,000 for the first season, $550,000 the second) with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

For much of last season, Smaby helped anchor down a blue line that was decimated by injuries, waivers, and trades. And he wasn’t the only one. Last season’s defensive corps looked vastly different from the beginning of the season to the end. On opening night of the 2008-2009 season, the defense included:

Matt Carle, Jamie Heward, Andrej Meszaros, Vladimir Mihalik, Janne Niskala, Shane O’Brien, Paul Ranger.

For the last game of the season, the defense included:

Matt Lashoff, Josef Melichar, Vladimir Mihalik, Kevin Quick, Matt Smaby, Noah Welch.

By now, we all know the story of how that came to pass. And we have all painfully winced at the number of defensemen that were used last season – a grand total of 22. It might’ve been more, but Mike Lundin was stuck in the minors due to the fear of being taken by another team as he cleared waivers to come up to Tampa Bay.

At this time, the Lightning have on their official team roster nine defensemen:

Kurtis Foster, David Hale, Victor Hedman, Lukas Krajicek, Matt Lashoff, Andrej Meszaros, Mattias Ohlund, Paul Ranger, and Matt Walker.

Other defensemen not currently on their website roster are:

Mike Lundin, Vladimir Mihalik, Kevin Quick, Matt Smaby.

All but Hedman have played in the NHL. Some played because they deserved it, and others because their team was desperate due to a lack sufficient personnel, for whatever reason. Such is the way of team sports.

So the 64 million dollar question is, who will be playing with the Lightning on opening night of the 2009-2010 season? Some are obvious – such as Hedman, Meszaros, Ohlund, and Ranger – but others not as much. Who would you like to see fill in the last two starting positions on defense?

Poll

Which of these on-the-bubble D-men would you like to see make the team?

Matt Smaby

75 votes

David Hale

15 votes

Mike Lundin

42 votes

Vladmir Mihalik

15 votes

Matt Lashoff

50 votes

Kevin Quick

13 votes

Ty Wishart

22 votes

232 votes | Poll has closed

Former Panthers first-rounder Anthony Stewart signs with Atlanta

Whale4ever — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:14:29 -0000

Anthony Stewart

#13 / Center / Florida Panthers

Height: 6-2

Weight: 239

Born: Jan 05, 1985

And so ends completely the frenetic roller-coaster ride which was Stewart's tumultuous seven-year "try out" with the Cats.

Few first-round (25th overall in 2003) talents have been given so many chances to make good on the initial scouting reports. New Thrashers GM Rick Dudley has seen fit to lend a hand to the big forward in a depth move - which says a lot about Atlanta's forwards. Dudley, coincidentally, was Florida's general manager when Stewart was picked.

Less than a year later, Mike Keenan had usurped him.

All that size, and an above average skill set, should have paved the way to a promising second-line NHL career. Alas, it was fourth or Rochester.

Eerily, Dudley also saw fit this afternoon to sign free agent defenseman Noah Welch, otherwise known as "What we got for Gary Roberts". No matter now...we'll get to see these two six times next season.

Personally, I'm half-tempted to believe Jacques Martin may have drugged Habs GM Bob Gainey into taking a run at Stewie. JM has been Stewart's biggest defender for three ~~long~~ years.

Can we expect Cory Murphy to be next?

What are your thoughts on Anthony Stewart and what went wrong with his development? The wrist injury four years ago? The personal issues? His Commitment? And was it time to call it quits?

Related blog: Bird Watchers Anonymous (ATL)

Poll

Stewart: good for the Thrashers?

Yes...they are so short on depth in the forward ranks almost any spine will do

18 votes

No...his numerous issues will continue; he's effectively done

38 votes

56 votes | Poll has closed

Petiot Signs with Blackhawks and a Lightning UFA Assessment

John Fontana — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:17:17 -0000

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

Richard Petiot (50) signed a one year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Browse more photos »

Richard Petiot, who was acquired in a salary-dump trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2009 NHL trade deadline, inked a one year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks. Petiot played a total of 11 games with the Bolts before being felled by a season ending injury, he had 3 points and 21 penalty minutes.

While the 2009 Lined-Up Update has been brought up to speed with daily acquisitions and departures, I had thought it was noteworthy only two UFA Bolts have been picked up by other teams in the first 10 days of free agency. This does not include KHL signings of restricted free agents Karri Ramo and Radek Smolenak. It does seem like a testament of how low the quality of the Bolts were at the end of last season.

Matt Pettinger was a waiver pickup, as was Cory Murphy. Josef Melichar was acquired in the Jussi Jokinen trade with Carolina, Noah Welch was picked up in the Steve Eminger deal with Florida at the deadline... Jason Ward, admittedly one of my personal favorites with the Bolts, was stuck in the AHL for most of last season. Mike "Mac" McKenna was cut loose by the team after being thrust into the NHL with thanks to injuries tot eh goaltender ranks. Then there's Marek Malik. Janne Niskala.

They're all on the market.

None have been signed.

David Koci was the only UFA who played with the Lightning last season and was signed on July 1st. Petiot is the 2nd, 10 days later.

Yeah, there are bigger fish out there in the free agent market, and of course some of the fan base is not thrilled to be losing Cory Murphy either (even after the Bolts upgraded their defensive core). But really, does the fact these guys are still out there tell us of the quality of the players Rick Tocchet had to work with at the end?

Potential Canucks Trading Partners

Sean Zandberg — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:51:40 -0000

There has already been enough speculation over what free agents are left for Mike Gillis to take a stab at to fill in the holes (especially in the top 4 defence pairings). But allow me to use NHL Numbers and analyze each NHL team to see where they are at with quantities at various positions and cap dollars spent. Maybe this can shed a bit of an idea as to another avenue for Mike Gillis to acquire 1 or 2 of the players needed. I'll add my personal opinion on proposals as well.

Anaheim

-Have enough forwards but are lacking about 3 defencemen.

-What are their plans with Jean-Sebastien Giguere if Jonas Hiller is now the #1 goalie?

-$12 million left in the bank.

-Proposal: No help to Vancouver.

Atlanta

- lacking in all areas. Still need to re-sign Kari Lehtonen.

Proposal: Let 'em rot.

Boston

-Running out of money and need another forward, defenceman and backup goalie. Kessel has not yet been signed.

-Proposal: Schneider for Kessel

Buffalo

-too many goalies and defencemen and not enough forwards.

-Proposal: Grabner for Rivet. Tellqvist may be heading back home to Sweden.

Carolina

-still need to sign Tuomo Ruutu..

-have one too many D-men. Hence one commenter saying Dennis Seidenberg would be a great option.

Proposal: Seidenberg for my nutsack.

Calgary

-The Flames look set. They're close to the cap limit but whatevs.

-Proposal: No, we don't want Bertuzzi. I will cut anyone's main artery who says they want him back in Van.

Chicago

-With the potential signing of Versteeg, the Hawks will need to trade a forward or 2 to acquire another defenceman (or 2) and a backup goalie.

-Proposal: Still interested in Versteeg? At the expense of not getting a valid top 4 d-man?

Columbus

-Way too many forwards and not enough defencemen.

-Proposal: Can't help them and they can't help us.

Colorado

-a clear case of too many defencemen and not enough forwards. They still have to re-sign several free agent forwards.

-Proposal: Wellwood for Preissing or Salei. Dream bigm Arnold. Dream big.

Dallas

-All kinds of question marks in Dallas. Do they re-sign Zubov and / or Sydor? If so, they have too many d-men.

-Proposal: I'd gamble on Sydor. Brendan Morrison anyone? I didn't think so. You get that feeling that Vancouver is the only place he belongs though. His body has worn down however.

Detroit

-Too many defencemen and not enough forwards. Plus, they are right under the cap and Hudler has not been re-signed yet.

-Proposal: Draft pick for Brett Lebda or Derek Meech.

Edmonton

-The Oilers have too many defencemen and are closing in on the cap max.

-Proposal: Draft pick for Ladislav Smid.

Florida

-Any takers on UFA's Nick Boynton or Steve Eminger? Other than that the Panthers look set.

Los Angeles

-So many holes to fill in L.A.

-Proposal: Would you take a chance on Frolov? Not me. Too pricey. How about Denis Gauthier? Exactly. Fuck it.

Jack Johnson however is an intriguing option. I just wonder what kind of $$$ he wants.

Minnesota

-Are these guys seriously in the running for Saku Koivu? The have about $4 million left to spend and haven't even signed Kyle Brodziak yet.

-Proposal: A stab at UFA Kurtis Foster wouldn't hurt my feelings. Marc-Andre Bergeron can suck a whale genital as far as I'm concerned.

Montreal

-Look at that shit show in Hab-land. UFA's: Robert Lang, Alex Tanguay, Saku Koivu, Francis Bouillion, Patrice Brisebois, Mathieu Dandenault. RFA's: Tomas Plekanec, etc. Talk about an overhaul.

-Proposal: Can't afford the forwards unless a trade happens to lose salary, even though Tanguay would look great on Line 2. Is Bouillion any good? I hate the Habs.

Nashville

-Wow. I didn't realize they had so many positions to fill. May they rest in peace.

New Jersey

-They are close to being in position.

-Proposal: Would you sign Niclas Havelid as a UFA?

Islanders

-A great-looking young team.

-Proposal: Don't see them doing much. Mike Sillinger and Dean McAmmond are UFA's. Any takers? I've always been a fan of McAmmond but he's not what we need.

Rangers

-Oh boy, Sather must be sucking back 50 cigars a day with this mess. So much work to be done there.

-Proposal: Fuck the Rangers...except...I still think Paul Mara would be a good UFA signing. Derek Morris can rot in obscurity for all I care.

Ottawa

-Yikes! Look at all those players there. The Sens have to move Dany Heatley because they are over the cap. But hey could move a defenceman and get under as well.

-Proposal: Go to hell, Heatley. How about Chris Campoli for a 3rd round pick? If Gillis ever signed Mike Comrie I'd probably poison my own drink.

Philadelphia

-Over the cap with holes to fill. They need to cut back on expensive forwards (Briere).

-Proposal: A few intriguing d-men in Philly. Rich Parent, Braydon Coburn, Matt Carle. The Flyers have to flog Daniel Briere first methinks. Good luck on that.

Phoenix

-Have plenty of money to sign free agents like Scottie Upshall and Nigel Dawes.

-Proposal: Any takers on UFA's Ken Klee or Dimitri Kalinin? I'd take Klee as a depth D guy.

Pittsburgh

-Need defencemen and a backup goalie and are very close to the cap max.

-Proposal: None. Satan, Sykora and Zigomanis are all UFA's. No bloody thank you. Send them to Europe.

San Jose

-Plenty of forwards to re-sign, a backup goalie, and too many defencemen.

-Proposal: Perfect trading partners! Mason Raymond for Brad Lukowich or Mark-Edouard Vlasic?

St. Louis

-Too many forwards and not enough defencemen means not good trading partners

Tampa Bay

-Unless you think Marek Malik or Noah Welch are good UFA signings, there really is nothing here.

Toronto

-Here's my fave trading partner. The Leafs need a bit of help up front and have a shitload of defencemen.

-Proposal: Michael Grabner or Mason Raymond for Ian White. I'm a big fan of Ian White.

Washington

-So much negotiating in Washington that needs to get done and not enough d-men that I would want.

So ther you have it. 3 hours of my life that I can't have back. I'm curious about your insights. Maybe I missed something. Maybe I'm full of shit. Feel free to voice your opinion, because face it... it is fair to say that Gillis is going thrift shopping over the next several weeks.