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Ryan Lambert | December 21, 2009

 

Hello, this is a feature that will run through the entire season and aims to recap the weekend’s events and boils those events down to one admittedly superficial fact or stupid opinion about each team. Feel free to complain about it.

Oh boy, Christmas has come early for me again this year.

On Saturday night, Johnny Boychuk(notes) knocked the ever-living crap out of Matt Stajan(notes), on his 26th birthday no less and soooooo: It’s another hit legality debate! Yayyyyyy!

Stajan was obviously cut open, but he was stitched up and returned to the game within a few minutes. No harm, no foul … except on Alexei Ponikarovsky(notes), who picked up a penalty for roughing on the ensuing dust-up.

Obviously this play was like the Batsignal for all the clowns who (a) don’t understand hockey and (b) want this to become a gallant and honorable sport in which no one is ever put in a position where they could be injured.

So here comes the hilarious part, in which, thanks to of the amount of coverage this "headshots" debate has gotten this year, those that would have these hits outlawed and the offending players pilloried have now taken a new approach: Act like you don’t know what you think.

(Coming Up: Detroit’s done with the Hossa stuff; Tomas Fleischmann(notes) is as good as Alex Semin, while Ryan Kesler(notes) is no Geno Malkin; the Habs meet the Basterds; the Wild go shopping; and Alex Ovechkin(notes) adds another beauty to the highlight reel.)

"Is This the Type of Hit the NHL Should Be Eliminating?" screams the headline on Adam Gretz’s FanHouse post from Sunday morning. "Boychuk check on Stajan expected to be reviewed," says Mike Zeiserberg’s article for Sun Media.

The problem is, of course, that the League is unlikely to review the hit since no one was hurt, no penalties were assessed and there’s absolutely nothing to review. Both of these articles — which go so far out of their way to say that they of course do not advocate that hitting be taken out of the game so as to convince you that the idiotic things they say next aren’t that idiotic — would have you believe differently.

Zeiserberg’s article ever so generously concedes that Stajan had his head down and the hit wasn’t late. "After that, well, the jury is out."

Out on what, exactly? Boychuk’s elbow was down and only hit Stajan’s head because Stajan’s head, again, was down at elbow level. So what’s the problem? Was Boychuk supposed to let Stajan fly past him to create a 2-on-none situation for Tuukka Rask(notes)?

Well, Wilson and Stajan thought Boychuk might have left his feet (they’re wrong, of course), so there’s all the evidence you need that the League should investigate Boychuk for his obviously premeditated attack on poor, defenseless little Matty Stajan, who probably saw the hit coming but took it anyway to spring Phil Kessel(notes) in alone on Rask. Any contact Boychuk made with Stajan’s head is entirely Stajan’s fault.

The best part, though, is that because Gretz needed to reinforce an asinine point, he did what everyone who has an indefensible stance eventually does: Resort to alarmism and the use of worst-case scenarios to illustrate his weak point. To wit: "…And this past week’s bombshell that former player Reggie Fleming had suffered significant brain damage at the time of his death … is only going to keep that debate going full steam ahead."

See guys, we can’t let these hits be legal because Matt Stajan is going to DIE some day!

Kudos. That’s audacity.

But Gretz asks, "At the risk being called a ‘granola cruncher’ by Mike Milbury for ‘wussifying the game,’ is this the type of hit the NHL should be working to avoid?"

Yes, of course it is Adam. Clean, open-ice hits need to result in penalties, suspensions and hearings before an international tribunal. That makes sense.

Claude Julien had the best take on the matter in his postgame presser:

"We are going to have to be careful about making accusations to guys who make open ice hits. We are going to have to be careful how we look at those. If every open ice hit is going to (ignite controversy), we might as well play no contact hockey."

I get the feeling some people would be cool with that.

What We Learned

Anaheim Ducks: Jonas Hiller(notes) probably wishes the League would go back to making division opponents eight times a year since his numbers against Phoenix are, well, ridiculous. He’s 8-0-2 in his career against the Coyotes with a 1.67/.953 line in their last three games.

Atlanta Thrashers: Kari Lehtonen(notes) is actually skating again. This weekend was the first time he’d done so since having two back surgeries in the offseason.

Boston Bruins: Apart from the one big hit, Boston was just awful on Saturday in Toronto. Part of that was injuries (Andrew Ference(notes) played over 28 minutes!) but most of it was a regular garden-variety crap game.

Buffalo Sabres: Ryan Miller(notes) on Olympic expectations, Vezina nominations and generally being the best goalie on the planet right now: "C’mon," he said, last week, rolling his eyes. "It’s like, 25 games into the season."

Calgary Flames: Know who had a great game for the first time this month on Saturday? Jarome Iginla(notes). Know who didn’t have a great game? Everyone else.

Carolina Hurricanes: While Bryan Rodney getting re-assigned to Albany is pretty much only news by the strictest of definitions; that at least means it’s likely either Tim Gleason(notes) or Niclas Wallin(notes) are good to go against the Rangers tonight. It’s more likely to be Gleason, though, so that’s something.

Chicago Blackhawks: Patrick Kane(notes) was left to pick up equipment after practice on Saturday because he lost in the team’s practice shootout. If I were Danny Bylsma, I’d be drafting a lawsuit against the Blackhawks as we speak.

Colorado Avalanche: No one sentence I read this week has made me laugh more than Jibblescribbits saying, "The Avs recently took their yearly trip to the Children’s Hospital in order to torment some sick little kids."

Columbus Blue Jackets: The Blue Jackets’ new plan for who pulls goaltending duty on a given night? "You win and you’re in." No joke. So what happens if they keep losing? (By the way, good job Puck Rakers for dumping the "you have to register to read" policy from last week.)

Dallas Stars: Play of the game on Saturday wasn’t one of Karlis Skrastins’(notes) two goals, or some kind of big stop by Marty Turco(notes). It was, instead, a blocked shot by Brenden Morrow(notes) on the PK inside of a minute to go. What you choose to believe about a team whose best play was a blocked shot… On a lazy slashing penalty… That happened on the opposite end of the ice from its own goal… By your star player… While up a goal on Detroit… Inside of two minutes left… That’s up to you.

Detroit Red Wings: Sorry, everyone in Chicago, the Red Wings won’t indulge your "You guys hate Hossa, right?" questions.

Edmonton Oilers: The Oilers have, not surprisingly, been the Grinch to all Edmonton fans’ Christmas season. "Speaking of Deslauriers, he’s gone from sitting for months between starts last season to making 111 straight appearances with Nikolai Khabibulin(notes) waiting for Santa to deliver a new spine. Anybody have a plan?" Outstanding.

Florida Panthers: Well Detroit fans, looks like I almost owe you an apology: it’s actually Florida that has the worst fans in the league.

Los Angeles Kings: The Kings are about to sign Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds overage defenseman Jacob Muzzin, who had NHL scouts lined up around the block earlier this season. Great get for the Kings here.

Minnesota Wild: The best thing about all the Wild’s equipment burning up was that Nick Schultz(notes) went into a Play it Again Sports in Ottawa and bought a new set of shoulder pads. That rules.

Montreal Canadiens: Snow on the East Coast kept the Habs in Long Island a bit longer than they wanted. But they got to watch "Inglourious Basterds," which is my favorite movie of the year so far, so it wasn’t all bad.

Nashville Predators: After missing Saturday’s game against the Flames, Jason Arnott(notes) is still questionable for tomorrow’s game in Vancouver. If he doesn’t go then, he’s going to play on Boxing Day for sure.

New Jersey Devils: Rod Pelley(notes) scored Saturday. Kind of a big deal. It was his first NHL goal since Nov. 23, 2007. Another guy that scored in that game: Dean McAmmond(notes). Twice.

New York Islanders: Official attendance on the Island because of the snow: Just 6,000. And, as Chris Botta points out, more than half of them were supporting Les Habitants.

New York Rangers: Hey, Matt Gilroy(notes) got recalled in a hurry. I wonder who the slowest guy on the Hurricanes is, and if he’s going to blow Gilroy’s doors off en route to an overtime winner tonight. Oh, here’s some bad news: Wade Redden(notes) is probably going to play tonight. 

Ottawa Senators: Big 22-save performance by Brodeur in a 4-1 win by the.. Senators? Oh, Mike Brodeur(notes). Okay I get it now.

Philadelphia Flyers: "This is about making the playoffs. This is about the Philadelphia Flyers playing a brand of hockey that you can be proud of. And I don’t know how anyone could possibly be proud after the first, two periods. It’s completely unacceptable." Fun quiz: Which game is Peter Laviolette talking about?

Phoenix Coyotes: Watch out for Phoenix in the next few weeks. Three points out of a tie for first in the Pacific, which crazily puts it just seventh in the West, but has the benefit of playing six of its next seven games in Glendale. The Coyotes are 12-5-0 there this year.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Brooks Orpik(notes) is not cool with the NHL changing the names of its various trophies (nor should he be). Sid Crosby on the other hand? "I don’t think you can go wrong either way, to be honest with you. If they are to rename them, you’re talking about trophies being named after Mario and Gretzky. How can you argue with that? They are, arguably, the best players ever to play." Weak, Sid. Weak. He’d change his tune if his landlord wasn’t one of the guys that’d be on the new trophies.

San Jose Sharks: How many times has Jamie McGinn(notes) been recalled this season? A hundred? Isn’t THIS circumventing the salary cap (or at least operating in violation of its spirit) just as much as some stupidly long-term contract?

St. Louis Blues: Larry Pleau’s working the phones like an operator on the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, but the Blues are probably not going to make a trade any time soon.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Lukas Krajicek(notes) is done with the Lightning for sure. Says GM Brian Lawton: He "won’t be on re-entry (waivers) under any circumstances." Cold-blooded.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Jonas Gustavsson(notes) wasn’t tested much by a punchless Bruins side, but a first NHL shutout is a first NHL shutout, isn’t it? Good work by the kid.

Vancouver Canucks: Know who the Vancouver media loves is Ryan Kesler. You can tell because they write sentences like this in reference to Kesler potentially being one of the best second-line centers in the league: "After Friday’s game, Sidney Crosby(notes) and Evgeni Malkin(notes) — easily hockey’s best one-two punch at centre — had combined for 77 points. Henrik Sedin(notes) and Kesler had 75." Of course Malkin missed six games and Crosby one. And Ryan Kesler also is not anywhere in the same stratosphere as either Crosby or Malkin. That too.

Washington Capitals: Would you believe Tomas Fleischmann has as many goals as Alex Semin? Because it’s true. And, unlike Ryan "Malkin" Kesler, he’s actually played fewer games than Semin.

Play of the Weekend

This is why Alex Ovechkin is Alex Ovechkin.

Great use of speed and ability to recognize opportunities, and then he buries a rebound that’s still sizzling from some ridiculous angle on his off wing. This kid’s okay.

Gold Star Award

Andrei Markov(notes) played his first game since Oct. 1 on Saturday. And scored twice. That’s pretty awesome. So awesome, in fact, that I will ignore that the goals came against the Islanders.

Minus of the Weekend

Brent Sutter, what are you doin’ to me, dogsie?

The Flames have lost three of their last four and have just three wins in December. Teams they’ve beaten: San Jose, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Teams to which they’ve lost: Phoenix, L.A., Minnesota (in OT), Colorado, St. Louis, Nashville. Showing up to play well even against the crap teams? That’d be nice.

Perfect HFBoards trade proposal of the week

There are a lot of ways you can win PHFBTPOTW (I gotta get a better acronym), and calling Lubomir Visnovsky(notes) a "world-class defender" sure is one of them. Well done to you, user "Smooth Skating!"

To EDM:

Andy Sutton(notes)

Brendan Witt(notes)

To NYI:

Shawn Horcoff(notes)

Lubomir Visnovsky

New york gets a world class defender in Visnovsky and a veteran center that can take take some of the pressure off the kids.

Signoff

Don’t call it that.

Ryan Lambert publishes hockey awesomeness pretty much every day over at The Two-Line Pass. Check it out, why don’t you? Or you can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter if you so desire.

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Greg Wyshynski | December 20, 2009

Please recall the harsh criticism "Hockey Night in Canada" bloviator Don Cherry received from the venerable Dr. Charles Tator, a Toronto neurosurgeon, who said Cherry was a "negative influence" on hockey and that the "aggressive, lack-of-respect hockey that he preaches" is a catalyst for head injuries.

As a hockey commentator, Tator’s a heck of a neurosurgeon: Cherry has been consistently a "player responsibility" guy when it comes to reckless hits, discussing either the hitter or the victim.

So Cherry was offended when Tator’s criticism became front-page news in Canada, and he used his Coaches’ Corner bully pulpit to strike back last night:

(Note: Full video at CBC Sports, which doesn’t allow its video player to embed on other sites.)

As usual, Cherry’s response to public criticism is more shtick than anything else, but his point is take: Tator was criticizing Don Cherry in theory rather than reality, and the reality is that Cherry has been more active in discouraging dangerous hits than his critics believe.

Naturally, Cherry transitioned into a controversial commentary about head shots, claiming Mike Green(notes) of the Washington Capitals deserved responsibility for an injurious cheap shot by David Koci(notes) of the Colorado Avalanche because (a) he should have known Koci was on the ice in a blowout and (b) he left himself vulnerable behind the net.

Blame Green? Does this push Bruce Boudreau closer to joining Team Tator?

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Tags: Canada, Charles Tator, Colorado Avalanche, David Koci, Don Cherry, head injuries, hockey, hockey commentator, Hockey Night in Canada, Mike Green, neurosurgeon, player, Toronto, video player, Washington Capitals

Greg Wyshynski | December 19, 2009

The Minnesota Wild were told last night that the NHL will not postpone tonight’s game at the Ottawa Senators despite much of their equipment going up in smoke in a van fire on Friday afternoon. (No cause for the blaze has been given yet; we’re probably not alone in really hoping to hear one.)

The plan to secure new gear as of yesterday, from the Wild’s official Web site:

[Assistant Equipment Manager Brent] Proulx, Assistant Equipment Manager Matt Benz and Chris Pietrzak-Wegner will gather replacement equipment and load it onto a plane bound for Ottawa at 5:30 AM [Saturday] morning.

The plane that will carry the trio and the equipment is scheduled to carry the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks home from Cleveland following their game [Friday night]. The plane was originally scheduled to fly from Milwaukee to Ottawa [Saturday] night. It will now fly to the Twin Cities [Friday night], and then quickly turn around and head to Canada [Saturday] morning with the replacement equipment in tow.

There was a theory floating around last evening that the game could be postponed because of safety concerns, and those concerns are legitimate; not just breaking in stiff equipment but the fact that medicinal items like knee braces were torched in the blaze. As Michael Russo of the Star Tribune noted: "How do you just throw a new knee brace on a player without making sure it fits properly?"

The answer is that a professional training staff had over 24 hours to accomplish that, just like the equipment staff had 24 hours to secure new gear from home or other sources. This was an easy call for the NHL; but it would have been interesting to see the League’s response had faceoff been scheduled for Friday night, roughly five hours after the fire started.

One interesting development on the story: Russo reports on Twitter that AHL Houston Aeros goalie Anton Khudobin(notes) is flying to Ottawa in case either Niklas Backstrom(notes) or Josh Harding(notes) don’t feel comfortable playing in new equipment. Who starts? Can Minnesota play well in unfamiliar gear? Fire up Center Ice tonight and find out. (OK, pun intended. We’ll cop to that.)

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Tags: AHL Houston Aeros goalie, Anton Khudobin, Assistant Equipment Manager, Brent, Canada, Chris Pietrzak-Wegner, Cleveland, Josh Harding, manager, Matt Benz, Michael Russo, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Minnesota Wild, NBA, NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, nhl, official Web site, Ottawa, Ottawa Senators, player, Proulx, replacement equipment, Star Tribune, stiff equipment, the Star, the Star Tribune, Twitter

Greg Wyshynski | December 18, 2009

Every airport has its Hudson News-esque shop filled with local keepsakes, overpriced beverages and the latest issue of every magazine except the one you’re looking to read.

The one I ducked into at Los Angeles International Airport this week was no different, prominently featuring swag from the local college and pro sports team … and yet nothing from the Los Angeles Kings.

Seriously, there were more "Star Trek" T-shirts than anything Kings-related in the store.

This isn’t to say that the Kings are invisible in that part of town. A giant billboard with the team logo, the word "PASSION" and ticket information casts a shadow over the freeway. Then again, it sort of looks like an ad for a designer men’s fragrance, and the slogan sort of misses the mark in the eyes of LA-based hockey blogger Dave Bartkowiak:

Here in LA, I see Kings billboards with one-word phrases like "Passion," "Pride" and "Believe". My first question is, what have the Kings done since the Gretzky era? I don’t think there has been much "passion."

There is now, of course, with this collection of hungry young talents meshing with cagey vets for what’s been a thrilling journey to the top of the Pacific Division, with 47 points in 37 games. (The San Jose Sharks also have 47 points, and are technically the top team in the division because they have two games in-hand.) They’ve got the passion, the fan base believes … so now the question is whether the rest of Los Angeles will once again take pride in its NHL franchise.

In our conversations with LA fans, it may not be anytime soon, for a variety of factors.

In the flawed and unreliable public attendance numbers for the NHL, the Kings are listed as averaging 16,325 fans per home game, good for 88.2-percent capacity. They’ve had a loyal following, a thriving blogosphere and the promise that years of building under GM Dean Lombardi were eventually going to lead to success.

What they haven’t had is buzz in a city were it’s mandatory for any media or cultural traction. You know the drill: Lack of chatter in local media; televisions tuned to hoops in most bars; and, as mentioned above, a lack of gear in airport newsstands (which is, of course, the ultimate barometer of a team’s success, right?).

In reading Stephen Brunt’s book "Gretzky’s Tears" about The Great One’s trade from the Edmonton Oilers to the Kings (hopefully reviewed here next week), it’s incredible to think how instantaneous the transformation of Los Angeles into a "hockey town" was upon his arrival. Brunt, on the massive interest and ticket sales after the trade:

"They were responding to Gretzky’s star power. They had bought into the idea of Gretzky — faster than anyone could have imagined. No one dismissed the phenomenon by suggesting it was just the Kings, it was just hockey, so it couldn’t possibly matter."

Right there is the issue for the 2009-10 Kings, from the conversations I had with Los Angelenos of all types: No matter their success in the standings, they are just the Kings. It is just hockey. And Anze Kopitar’s(notes) 38 points in 37 games does not a star make, let alone one that would bring Neil Diamond to hockey like The Great One did.

Bartkowiak, from his blog in October:

Although the California hockey market has continued to flourish thanks to Anaheim and San Jose, the Kings are all but forgotten. It’s a dead franchise lurching in the shadows of it’s two younger brothers – the Ducks and Sharks. LA is experiencing its own curse of The Great One.

In fact, the team has made the playoffs just four times since ‘93. They haven’t played a series since 2002, and they haven’t won one since 2000 – against Detroit. That is the one highlight of the last 15 seasons. The Kings have had seven coaches in the past 15 seasons. They’ve had a rotating roster of rejects and has-beens.

The best that could happen to the Kings would be another Gretzky figure. Someone like Alexander Ovechkin could save this team and this market. But what if there isn’t anyone to do that? This is where the Kings stand – without a savior and with little faith.

Here’s what I see now: A team with a bunch of young guys who have something to prove. This may be the first year since the ’90s the Kings have even the slightest chance at making the post season.

But that doesn’t translate to buzz. LA fans aren’t opening the paper, looking at the standings, seeing the Kings atop the division and calling their ticket broker.

It doesn’t work that way. The fans I spoke to said it would take a run — potentially as deep as the Stanley Cup finals — to turn the Kings into a must-see-and-be-seen event in town. That’s a hell of a marketing challenge.

Then again, so is a lack of media visibility. When the locals do open their paper, they might find NHL standings; they might not find any Kings coverage worth a damn, especially when the team travels. That’s why the Kings hired Rich Hammond as their own beat guy from the LA Daily News; he’s been dynamic for fans that follow the team, but the casual fan isn’t being exposed to the Kings through dwindling mainstream media.

Television is a problem, too. Mike Dark, a Kings fan in Long Beach, contacted us about a lack of TV coverage for the team, noting that at least 11 games won’t be televised from Dec. through April and that his cable system, Charter, doesn’t offer Center Ice. (DirecTV does … but then he loses Versus, of course.)

We asked Michael for his lay of the La-La land for hockey, and he passed along some eye-opening observations for fans outside of the Golden State:

The Kings haven’t made the playoffs in six years so the buzz is LOW. Really what buzz?  Locally, the media focuses on the Lakers, Dodgers, Angels and USC football. The Los Angeles Times doesn’t even have a beat writer that covers the Kings (or Ducks). The reality is that hockey is an after thought in LA. Since Gretz left things have gone down hill for the Kings and the media. It seems hard to sell a team that hasn’t won for several years, without a marquee player who has an American/Canadian surname. I don’t ever remember seeing Dustin Brown(notes) being thrust out in front of the media.

While the marketing of the Kings is a problem, I think that the greater problem is with the NHL. The NHL isn’t trying to market their product to LA. While we get the NBC game of the week, the hype isn’t there locally. Can I really get excited about another game that features Crosby? 

It seems to me that hockey players in general are very laid-back, cool guys from the farms of Canada. The interviews are honest, insightful and lack a lot of the ego that the NBA players carry. Can’t the NHL through the NHLPA make the players do more media junkets?

The national Fox radio drive time show features two LA guys, Petros and Money, who will talk hockey, but it seems that it is rare. Actually, tomorrow at 1830 EST, they will be talking some hockey but it seems rare. Jim Rome used to have great interviews with Ray Ferraro and other NHL guys but it seems that those are getting fewer and father between.

I really think that the NHL needs to sure up their TV contracts to resemble what the NFL has. All games need to be televised in all markets. All games have to be in HD. The local teams need to parade out the local talent as much as possible (think Reggie Dunlop). If the Kings could get people talking about hockey, good bad or otherwise, then more people would want to be a part of the buzz.

Can winning accomplish that? Perhaps, but it’s still a tough task in a town when it’s all about names above the title, and for a franchise that needed the best player in the history of pucks and skates (pipe down, Gordie and Orr loyalists) to enchant the locals.

Can marketing accomplish that? The Kings are trying to prove it can. They’ve served hockey fans well, from the hiring of Hammond to ticket deals to — let’s face it — one of the greatest team-produced commercials of all-time. Now, with the team contending, the focus expands; for example, the Kings’ new initiative to share advertising space with sponsors. From All Business:

One co-branded billboard with sponsor San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino has the tag line "Great Games," with logos for both. Kings executives said that the double meaning emphasizes the partnership.

"This is a great example of how we can go that extra step with one of our partners and go beyond just the elements of a contractual agreement," said Luc Robitaille, Kings president of business operations. "We like this strategy going forward and believe it benefits all parties involved."

It’ll take innovation to create buzz; sustaining it will be contingent on what the Kings do on the ice. The fans we’ve talked to said that there are scores of hockey fans who’d come out to support a winning product in LA; imagine who else would hit the rink if, say, the Cup was on the line?

And by "who" we mean "actresses who play indestructible cheerleaders on shows that set the bar way too high in Season 1":

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Ryan Lambert | December 18, 2009

NCAA Hockey 101 is a weekly feature on U.S. Division I college hockey. Stick around and you just might learn a thing or two.

Winter break is upon us, and that means we are pretty much halfway through the season. So what does one do with these two bleak, empty, meaningless weeks before the holiday tournaments start?

Well, in the time-honored tradition of journalism using arbitrary dates as baselines to evaluate individual performances, I figure now is as good a time as any to have a look at the current favorites for the Hobey Baker award.

For those of you that don’t know, the Hobey is awarded to the nation’s most outstanding college hockey player. And it helps a lot if you’re a senior and, like most major sporting awards, your team doesn’t stink. Former winners of the award include guys you’ve heard of, like Ryan Miller(notes), Neal Broten, Jordan Leopold(notes), Matt Carle(notes), Chris Drury(notes), Paul Kariya(notes), Brendan Morrison(notes) and Matt Gilroy(notes). Other former winners include guys you probably haven’t heard of (or at least thought about in the past 10 years) like Tony Hrkac, Chris Marinucci, Jason Krog(notes), Junior Lessard(notes) and Scott Fusco.

THE Scott Fusco.

So who’s going to win it this year? Let’s have a look at what an impartial panel of judges (me) thinks.

5. Corey Tropp (Michigan State), junior forward

The argument for: Tropp, a Buffalo draft pick, seems a smart place to start since he’s the national leader in points (27) and goals (16). He has also helped the Spartans to an incredible turnaround. They went 10-23-5 last year, but they already have 12 wins this year and are second in the CCHA behind only No. 1 Miami.

The argument against: Yeah, he’s the national leader in points and goals, but he’s played 20 games, where most other players in the Top 10 max out at 19, and the average is about 17. His points per game is just 15th nationally.

4. Marc Cheverie (Denver), junior goalie

The argument for: When Cheverie is in net, he gives Denver an excellent chance to win. He started the season having allowed six goals in his first six games, FOUR of which were shutouts. He has a 9-2-1 record and both he and Denver would be in better shape stats- and record-wise if he hadn’t gotten hurt and missed three weeks of the season.

The argument against: His goals-against average is sixth in the country, and his save percentage is 11th. And that’s after allowing six goals on the first 179 shots he faced this year. Since coming back from injury he’s been considerably worse, allowing just about 21 goals in his last seven.

3. James Marcou (UMass), junior forward

The argument for: For starters, he is the national leader in points per game at 1.73. His 26 points in 15 games has him tied for second in the country in scoring despite playing at least two fewer games than everyone else in the top 12. He is the consummate setup man, dealing 21 assists to go with his five goals, and turning linemate Casey Wellman into a player you actually have to worry about, which is no small feat.

The argument against: There’s only one argument you can make. The old saying is that "Hobey likes goals." Having just 20 percent of his points come from goals isn’t going to cut it come voting time. No forward in the history of Hobey Baker winners has ever won it with such a low ratio of goals to assists. In fact, no forward has ever won it with less than 20 goals since Tom Kurvers did it in 1984 (he had 18).

2. Cody Reichard (Miami), sophomore goalie

The argument for: He leads the nation in goals-against (1.34!), he’s third in save percentage (.938, just .002 back of the national co-leaders, Notre Dame’s Mike Johnson(notes) and Ferris State’s Pat Nagle), he’s got tied for second in shutouts (three), he’s the No. 1 goalie on the best team in the country and as such he’s got only one loss in 13 decisions. It’s a pretty convincing resume, especially when considering his stats are right around what Ryan Miller’s were (1.32/.950) when he won it in 2001.

The argument against: Miami is the best team in the country by far. He’s got gaudy numbers, but how much of that is the team in front of him? Hell, backup Connor Knapp two shutouts are almost as many as Reichard’s despite playing five last games. Also, goalies almost never win the Hobey Baker. Miller and Robb Stauber are the only ones who have ever done it.

1. Brendan Smith (Wisconsin), junior defenseman

The argument for: He’s tied with Marcou and three other players for second in the country in scoring with 26 points, but he’s the only defenseman. He obviously leads all defensemen in points per game and points by a country mile. Lowell’s Nick Schaus and UNH’s Blake Kessel are second with 18 apiece. Smith also leads all defensemen in goals and is the bedrock of Wisconsin’s team D, which is sixth-best in the country at 2.11 goals per game.

The argument against: Matt Gilroy, also a defenseman, won it last year. As of right now that’s pretty much the only reason he wouldn’t get votes, so even if that’s not a good reason (and it of course is not) that will actually matter to the people that decide these things.

Pop quiz

In which I ask a blogger five questions about the team they follow. This week I got at the, let’s face it, geniuses behind Runnin’ With the Dogs, a blog about the No. 12 Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, and certainly one of the best college hockey blogs around. They know their team, they’re funny, and most of all they are unapologetically offensive (this counts big in my book).

1. How are you feeling about the first half?

It has been incredibly fun to be a Bulldog fan this year, and that’s how I measure a season. From Peanut Butter Hjelle Time! T-shirts and a banana suit to verbal altercations in the stands with Gopher students and St. Cloud state parents to beaking Brad Eidsness into losing his shutout and giving up an OT goal to Sieve-mas carols to running laps around the arena carrying a blowup doll… it’s been a bit of a good time. Oh, and the play on the ice has been stellar.

2. To whom would you compare Jack Connolly as a player?

First of all, I applaud your usage of "to whom," both for the correct usage of who/whom and also because you did not end your sentence with a preposition. Attention must be paid. I cannot overemphasize the importance of proper grammar. Or complete sentences…

Oh, I don’t know, Sidney Crosby(notes), Brett Hull, Gordie Howe… This is really not my strength here. I don’t really watch the NHL other than occasionally the Wild. My focus is almost exclusively on Bulldog hockey. I’m like a laser. So I can’t really list anyone who people have actually heard of or watched. Jack is the ultimate set-up guy, but with a small paradigm shift he could be a lot more of a goal scorer. Remember, if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. That’s good advice, Marty.

I’ve heard him compared to former UMD Bulldog and Conehead Mark Pavelich, but I can’t verify that.

I asked Bruce Ciskie, voice of the Bulldogs, and he said "St. Louis" which I assume to be Martin St. Louis(notes) and not former Michigan Tech Husky Justin St. Louis. I don’t know if I trust him because he is being a bitter bear that you chose me over him, and he might pick someone to make me look dumb. Which I can do on my own, thankyouverymuch.

3. Would you like to see Scott Sandelin use Kenny Reiter more or are you cool with Brady Hjelle leading the way in the second half?

Well, whether I like it or not, Sandy will be doing the goalie rotation. I am… well, always supportive. I would just like it if Kenny got more comfortable playing the puck in the crease before he started playing it outside the crease. I am a fan of goalie rotations because opponents have more tape to study, more information to absorb, and fewer looks at their playing styles.

4. Who is UMD’s most underrated player?

Kyle Schmidt. Pretty much every goal this kid scores is some kind of game-changer. Last Saturday I was in the Duluth News Tribune’s chat room following the game and I mentioned I had not heard Kyle’s name much that game and it was time for him to score. Guess who scored the go-ahead goal just a few minutes later? (Here are your choices A. Kyle Schmidt B. RWD, or C. Tyler Ruegsegger?) It’s a gift I have. He’s fast, he works incredibly hard, he’s great at killing penalties, he’s cute, and he is also a genius.

5. How do you think your Bulldogs have to improve to make the NCAA tournament?

Goaltending. This is not an original opinion of mine, but it’s not exactly groundbreaking. It’s like in baseball: pitching wins championships. Goaltending wins championships. UMD has two goalies who give them a chance to win every game if the team plays well. What they don’t have is a goaltender who will give them a chance to win those when they don’t play well. This is what’s known as A Serious Answer. Until I said that.

I charge by the word. That will be $2,760.

Extra credit

• The College Hockey Blog runs down the top 10 college games of the decade. Sadly missing from the list is the UMass/Maine Hockey East final in 2004 that went three OTs and was awesome. [tCHB]

• Northern Michigan’s Ray Kaunisto was suspended one game for his reportedly brutal headshot against Lake Superior State last weekend. [Michigan College Hockey]

• Great commentary from Brian Sullivan on how the college game has changed, but not necessarily for the better. [USCHO]

• Boston College has shot up the rankings in the past few weeks and are now No. 5 in the country thanks to an 8-1-1 record in its last 10 games. Next up is a huge test in the Denver Cup, where the Eagles will most likely play No. 2 Denver. [BC Interruption]

• Here’s why Patrick Wiercioch was held out of the World Junior tryouts for Canada: he was playing through an MCL sprain. [Montreal Gazette]

• Dean Blais will not be behind the bench for Nebraska-Omaha this weekend against Mankato because he’s coaching the US World Junior team, which is scrimmaging against North Dakota. [PucKato]

• (Hey guys, I’m always looking for links here. If you have a college hockey post on your blog, please send it along to the address below.)

Ryan Lambert writes about college hockey weekly here at Puck Daddy. You can e-mail him here or follow him on Twitter.

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Greg Wyshynski | December 18, 2009

Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m. EST. It should be a mad house for the rematch between the state rivals after that 6-1 win for the Penguins in their fight-fest earlier in the week. Evgeni Malkin(notes) has his popcorn helmet ready to go. Huge game for the Flyers in front of their home heathens. Watch the Game Live Via Hockey Night on Y!

Preview: New York Rangers at New York Islanders, 7 p.m. EST. John Tortorella promised a shake-up, and the shake-up is making Wade Redden(notes) and Ales Kotalik(notes) healthy scratches. Expect a fresh round of "the Rangers are quitting on Torts" if they don’t come up with a stronger effort than last night’s dud. For the Islanders … well, even if they sweep the Rangers the conversation’s still about the Blueshirts. Such is life.

Preview: Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m. EST. Can Dan Sexton(notes) avoid the Dobber kiss of death? The big news here is Coach Todd McLellan starting Operation: Jump-Start Devin Setoguchi(notes) by breaking up the Heatley-Thornton-Marleau line. Instead, Heatley will skate with Joe Pavelski(notes) and Ryane Clowe(notes) according to Working The Corners. McLellan indicated it may not be permanent. Can’t blame him for trying, as the Sharks can ill-afford Gooch slipping into Jonathan Cheechoo’s(notes) enigmatic old skates.

Check out previews and updated scores for all of today’s games on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page.

Evening Reading

• Fines but no suspensions for the super-talented David Koci(notes) of the Colorado Avalanche and Jarkko Ruutu(notes) of the Ottawa Senators. [TSN]

• The Pensblog offers alternative uses for Mellon Arena after the Penguins leave. The "American Gladiators"-style Eliminator is full of win. [tPb]

• Pagnotta has a good column on what to expect from the Ilya Kovalchuk(notes) contract, wherever and whenever he signs it: "First off, a player’s salary cannot exceed 20% of the salary cap, which would make the maximum salary $11.34 million per season based on this year’s cap figure of $56.7 million. Secondly, several league executives don’t believe any player in the league will receive more than $10 million per season over such a long period of time — Alex Ovechkin’s(notes) 13-year deal with a $9.538 million annual salary currently leads the pack." [TFP]

• Hey, someone tell Balsillie there’s a new professional hockey league starting next season. [AP]

• Jacques Lemaire splits up Zach Parise(notes) and Travis Zajac(notes). [Devils]

• Dirk Hoag on the Nashville Predators vs. Sommet situation. [On The Forecheck]

Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: No contest – it’s "sticksidehigh" on the junior team that killed a bat on the ice:

The bat had every opportunity to fly away – right up until the moment of impact. I blame the bat.

Awesome.

Bold Prediction: Columbus cools off Phoenix and the Rangers earn the split with the Islanders.

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Dobber | December 17, 2009

("Sleepers, Keepers , Bench’em or Drop’em" is a weekly fantasy hockey column written by Darryl "Dobber" Dobbs, an honest-to-goodness expert on such matters and founder of DobberHockey.com. His column will run on Puck Daddy every Thursday in a non-holiday week.)

So the Brian Boucher(notes) call from last week has panned out about as nicely as Crystal Pepsi, but patience — he’ll still be the guy for the next six weeks and the Flyers can’t continue to be a losing team for that long.

Can they? With Boucher now in as my third goaltender, I was able to swap Jose Theodore(notes) for Brad Boyes(notes) and address my need for goal scoring. Until the Flyers snap out of it, I’ll continue to ride my other two horses and leave Boosh on the bench, though.

Injury replacement of the week: Dan Sexton(notes), Anaheim Ducks

I was going to stick him in this spot last week as a replacement recommendation for Teemu Selanne(notes), but goaltending is just so hard to come by in roto leagues if you don’t get them early, so I had to roll with Boucher. Now that Joffrey Lupul(notes) is out as well, it’s time to take a serious look at the 22-year-old Sexton.

Are you drunk?

Ah, beer. If I had a dollar for every ridiculous decision I’ve made at the draft table while under the influence, I would have enough to cover my entry fee. But I have looked closely at Sexton for the past week and I believe he’s a safe call. At worst, he’ll do what Andrew Ebbett(notes) did last spring (which was pretty damn good) covering for Selanne. At best, he’ll turn into something helpful long-term. Don’t be surprised if he gets as many as 17 goals and 29 points in the next 40 games. He has seven points in his last four.

The Keepers who are on fire…

Stephen Weiss(notes), Florida Panthers: Run the report generator over at DobberHockey’s Frozen Pool and you’ll discover that Weiss and linemate Nathan Horton(notes) are tied for third in NHL scoring over the past month. Weiss is on pace for 69 points, which would be a career high. He’ll get there, too — mark it.

Steve Sullivan(notes), Nashville Predators: That’s more like it. After a crummy five points in 17 games to kick off the campaign, Sully has come on strong with 18 in his next 17. He’s also a plus-9 in his last 10 contests. Now lining up with Jason Arnott(notes) and an equally hot Martin Erat(notes), Sullivan and the Preds are firing on all cylinders right now and I think he’ll get to 65 points come April.

Alexander Semin(notes), Washington Capitals: This guy’s streakier than a dirty windshield, but he’s definitely "on" now. When he really finds his zone, and we’ve seen it before, he is one of the five most prolific producers in the NHL. In seven games since his return from a wrist injury he has 11 points.

Sergei Gonchar(notes), Pittsburgh Penguins: After 12 games off (wrist), Gonchar needed three games to get his timing back. If you remove those games from his stats he has 18 points in 19 games this year, which is where we expect a high-caliber offensive rearguard to be as Sidney Crosby(notes) and Evgeni Malkin(notes) creep towards their prime. With Gonch in the lineup, Crosby has 28 points in 21 games, while Malkin has 27 in 22. Now that the Penguin stars have matured, Gonchar has become close to a point-per-game blueliner.

The Sleepers who are on the wire…

Robert Nilsson(notes), Edmonton Oilers: If Kent Jr. could consistently play with any kind of intensity, he’d be almost as good as Kent Sr. However, that has been a problem for Nilsson. With Ales Hemsky(notes) out and Patrick O’Sullivan(notes) on the latest milk cartons, the Oilers need production from somewhere and Nilsson is now getting the ice time. The 24-year-old has points in five of his last six games playing with Shawn Horcoff(notes) and Ryan Stone(notes). He’ll run hot and cold all season long, but currently he’s pretty hot.

Ruslan Fedotenko(notes), Pittsburgh Penguins: He’s another one of those guys who can’t score to save his life for about three or four weeks and then suddenly everything seems to go in. After just a point in 12 games, he has three in his last two, which generally indicates a hot run of some sort. Snag him, ride him for two weeks, and then dump him.

Rob Schremp(notes), New York Islanders:  It’s a bit of a long shot, but worth taking a flyer if you are in need of a depth forward with upside. ‘Don’t-call-me-Robbie’ Schremp is showing some great chemistry with Jesse Joensuu(notes) and Trent Hunter(notes), as they had points in three straight games before being shutout Wednesday against the Rangers. As a member of a third line, even a productive one, the best-case scenario would be three points for every five games, but that’s much better than Schremp’s earlier zero-points-in-65 press-box-appearances pace. In many roto leagues, a winger who can give you three for every five is worth owning.

Ryan Shannon(notes), Ottawa Senators: If you thought Schremp was a long shot, you probably thought I dipped back into the beers with this one. But the Sens are without Jason Spezza(notes) and someone has to benefit from that. Mike Fisher(notes) is already performing as well as can be, so it won’t be him. That leaves Shannon, a one-dimensional offensive talent who has performed in spurts, or Chris Kelly(notes), who had a very impressive hot streak back in 2006-07 when Spezza was hurt. The latter picked up an assist Wednesday, but I would wait another two or three games and see if one of them really steps forward. Then make your move.

In a slump, these boys are mired…

Brooks Laich(notes), Washington Capitals: With all the Capitals forwards back in the lineup, Laich is seeing his ice time dip, particularly on the power play. However, he has the Peverleyan ability to produce regardless of those things, but only when he’s in the zone. Zero points in his last five games hints that he is far, far away from said zone. Bench him.

Steven Reinprecht(notes), Florida Panthers: Whenever you see a team’s top scorers struggle, you often see the secondary scorers step up. Then when the big guns pick it up again, the secondary guys slip back to their normal role. Now that Frolik, Weiss and Horton are rolling, Reinprecht is back to being a 45- or 50-point player. He has just three in his last eight games. Drop him.

Dennis Wideman(notes), Boston Bruins: Wideman as a top-scoring defenseman just didn’t feel right. Like George Clooney as Batman, it just felt all wrong. Too inconsistent to be co-running the top power play, Wideman’s totals have been inflated over the last couple of seasons thanks to the Bruins not really having another option. Now they have Derek Morris(notes), who is seeing more PP time than Wideman. He’ll pick up his game, but don’t expect more than 35 points this year. Bench him.

Darryl Dobbs is the founder of dobberhockey.com, a fantasy hockey community with over a dozen columnists, a daily blog and in-depth fantasy player rankings. His always accurate opinions can also be found over at The Hockey News in their fantasy section.

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Greg Wyshynski | December 17, 2009

 

(No, the first decade of the 21st century doesn’t technically end until 2011. Save your bellyaching. But we’ve had nine NHL seasons and one stolen from us since 1999-2000, and Yahoo! Sports has decided it’s time to rank the best and worst of the last "decade." Enjoy, and snark freely in the comments.)

We know what you’re thinking: Will there be a separate list for the trades Mike Milbury wasn’t involved in?

Sure, the former New York Islanders GM appears multiple times on the following countdown of the most lopsided trades of the last decade. It’s also not exactly a spoiler alert to say that Joe Thornton(notes) appears on the list, too. But in looking back at the biggest fleecings of the 2000s, there were some epically wrongheaded moves that don’t ensure either Mad Mike or Jumbo Joe end up at the top spot.

In assessing these deals, we were looking at what was known about the players involved at the time; the motivations behind the trade; the impact on the respective teams and, in hindsight, the level of talent that actually changed hands.

For example, we were tempted to put the trade of Robert Lang(notes) to the Detroit Red Wings on this list because it resulted in the Washington Capitals getting Tomas Fleischmann(notes) and eventually drafting Mike Green(notes). But Lang had a couple of Lang-like years for Detroit while the Capitals found an all-star at the bottom of the first round. So it’s not the complete whiff some that some of these other gems are.

Here are the 10 most lopsided trades of the last decade …

10. Atlanta Thrashers trade Marian Hossa(notes) and Pascal Dupuis(notes) to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Angelo Esposito(notes), Colby Armstrong(notes), Erik Christensen(notes) and a first-round draft pick (Daulton Leveille). (Feb. 26, 2008)

There were plenty of questions about the Penguins giving too much here for a rental. Kevin Dupont, writing on NBC Sports, was weary of the deal:

They gave up a lot of equity, in terms of player talent, for what could be a very short-term rental. That’s right, all of 127 days from acquiring Hossa, and giving up the likes of Angelo Esposito, Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen and a first-round draft pick, the Pens could see him walk out of town for good, and for little more than a handshake as he gets into the cab to take him to the airport.

Well, Hossa ended up doing just that … but he also had 26 points in 20 playoff games to help the Penguins to the conference title. Dupuis is still thriving for Pittsburgh.

As for the Thrashers, they’ve seen Esposito bust with injuries, they traded Christensen and watched Armstrong become an offensive enigma. The pick, Daultan Leveille, is still playing for Michigan State.

9. Atlanta Thrashers trade Braydon Coburn(notes) to the Philadelphia Flyers for Alexei Zhitnik(notes). (Feb. 24, 2007)

Another masterpiece from Don Waddell, GM of the Thrashers. Coburn was a 21-year-old rugged defenseman who wasn’t getting solid ice time. Zhitnik, 34, started the season on the Islanders, was traded to the Flyers and shipped to the Thrashers.

Coburn would soon develop into one of the league’s best two-way defensemen, especially after being teamed with Kimmo Timonen(notes). Zhitnik was a mega-bust for Atlanta, tallying eight points in 65 games the following season before getting his contract bought out. He’s now the captain for Dynamo Moscow in the KHL.

8. Buffalo Sabres trade Chris Gratton(notes) and a 2004 fourth-round pick (traded to Edmonton, who drafted Liam Reddox(notes)) to the Phoenix Coyotes for Danny Briere(notes) and a 2004 third-round pick (Andrej Sekera(notes)). (March 10, 2003)

Gratton’s been passed around so much in his NHL career that he’s eligible to be the punch line of a Sean Avery(notes) locker room joke.

In 2002-03, he had 44 points in 66 games for the Sabres before the Coyotes came calling; he had one point in 16 games for Phoenix after the trade, followed up 29 in 68 games the next season. He was eventually traded to the Colorado Avalanche in a deal for Keith Ballard(notes) and Derek Morris(notes); Colorado also acquired a pick that would become Paul Stastny(notes). Ouch.

Briere went on to become a 90-point player for the Sabres, albeit briefly.

7. Philadelphia Flyers traded Patrick Sharp(notes) and Eric Meloche(notes) to the Chicago Blackhawks for Matt Ellison(notes) and a 3rd round selection in 2006. (Dec. 5, 2006)

Now, this could have easily been the Blackhawks stealing Kris Versteeg(notes) from the Boston Bruins in exchange for Brandon Bochenski(notes) in 2007. But Flyers Goal Scored By … offers compelling evidence that this is the bigger fleecing:

After two good seasons playing in Hockey East, Sharp turned pro and joined the Phantoms for what would have been his junior year in college. The next season he split time between the Flyers and Phantoms pretty evenly, and the during the lockout he helped the Phantoms win the Calder Cup with 21 points in 21 playoff games after a 53 point regular season. And then when Sharp finally looked ready for the big leagues Bobby Clarke made one of the bigger mistakes of his tenure and traded him away for a guy that is now in the KHL and a third round pick that we then traded to Montreal for two other picks, who turned out to be current Phantom Jonathan Matsumoto(notes) and busted goalie Jakub Kovar.

[...]

He’s exactly the kind of guy you want sitting next to you on the bench, which is the type of guy the Flyers have traditionally tried to acquire, not tried to deal away for a Guns ‘n Roses poster and half used phone card.

Especially when it’s a poster for "Chinese Democracy."

6. New York Islanders trade Roberto Luongo(notes) and Olli Jokinen(notes) to the Florida Panthers for Mark Parrish(notes) and Oleg Kvasha. (June 24, 2000)

There are going to be people who believe this trade should be much, much lower on the list, and we get that. But bear with us.

Luongo was 20 years old and had played 24 games for the Islanders at the time of the trade, which is to say he wasn’t ROBERTO LUONGO yet. Jokinen was 21, on this second NHL franchise and hadn’t cracked 30 points yet. Trading both players were egregious errors in judgment that will haunt Mike Milbury’s career as an NHL executive. But the real mistake was committing to Rick DiPietro in the draft when there was already a goalie many felt was a future star in the system.

But the reason this isn’t closer to Numero Uno is that Parrish and Kvasha weren’t exactly Matt Ellison-level busts for New York. Parrish became a 30-goal scorer during five productive seasons on the Island. Kvasha was a serviceable player for five seasons, too. In hindsight, it’s ridiculously lopsided. But in context, it’s not as bad as any of the top five.

5. Boston Bruins trade Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks for Marco Sturm(notes), Wayne Primeau(notes) and Brad Stuart(notes). (Dec. 1, 2005)

Like this trade, for example. Thornton was bitter after becoming a scapegoat for the team’s disappointing play in 2005, traded to the Sharks after signing a contract extension with the Bruins. Nothing like anger as a motivator: He had 92 points in 58 games for the Sharks that season, winning the Hart Trophy and establishing himself as an elite center during his time in teal.

There’s no question Sturm (27) and Stuart (26) were important pieces for the Sharks. But Bruins GM Mike O’Connell failed to get an impact player on the level of Thornton or a blue-chip prospect; settling for a bunch of complementary pieces at a lower cost.

In the interest of equal time, Eric McErlain’s post on the post-Thronton Bruins; resurgence puts the real impact of this trade in a different light:

Consider for a moment that Thornton hadn’t been traded. Without the deal, there’s no free agent cash for Savard and Chara, and in the case of the latter, perhaps we should ask Boston goalie Thomas what sort of contribution the 6′9" Slovak defenseman makes to keeping the team’s goals against per game the best in all of hockey (2.00).

Normally, I’m not a fan of trading a quarter for two dimes and a nickel, but you have to be impressed with how the franchise parlayed the return from the Thornton trade into a number of serviceable players. For starters, ex-Shark Marco Sturm is the same player he’s always been, a steady two-way forward good for nearly 30 goals per season.

Fair points. But still a bum deal.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins trade Jaromir Jagr(notes) and Frantisek Kucera to the Washington Capitals for Kris Beech(notes), Michal Sivek, Ross Lupaschuk(notes) and future considerations. (July 11, 2001)

The hindsight on this one is interesting, as Jagr requested a trade from then-General Manager Craig Patrick for the betterment of the franchise, as he felt the team could use the salary they spared to sign other vital players like Alex Kovalev(notes). He also thought he was bluffing.

Patrick didn’t, evidently.

But no matter how Jagr was traded, the return for arguably the biggest star in the League at that point was nothing short of putrid. Beech became a journeyman. Sivek played 38 games in the NHL; Lupaschuk played three.

Still, Craig Patrick remained high on these bums even after Jagr moved on to the Rangers. From the Post Gazette:

Beech — "He’ll have a good career ahead of him. … He understands the game defensively a lot better than he did when he first turned pro."

Lupaschuk — "I think he’s doing fine. … I like the way he’s coming along. He’s got a great skill level."

Sivek — "His progress has been stunted a little bit, but we definitely see him as a prospect to play in the National Hockey League."

Not everyone who has followed the pro careers of Beech, Lupaschuk and Sivek shares Patrick’s upbeat perspective. In Wilkes-Barre, the talk is of Beech’s inconsistency, of the way Lupaschuk’s offensive game has deteriorated while his defensive work remains suspect, of Sivek’s lackluster work ethic.

Score one for the downbeat. Now, there will be some who believe the 2004 trade of Jagr for Anson Carter(notes) belongs here, too. But that was a cash dump that freed the Washington Capitals from Jagr’s sullen mood and contract while helping the Rangers. From CBC Sports:

Speculation had New York and Washington close to completing a trade last July, then resuming talks in November. At the time, however, Jagr reportedly was reluctant to waive the $11 million US option year on his current contract.

Under the terms of this deal, the Capitals will pay $20 million of the $44 million remaining on Jagr’s seven-year, $77-million contact. The Rangers will pay the rest.

Not nearly as lopsided a deal that the initial trade was, no matter Jagr’s output in D.C.

3. New York Islanders trade Zdeno Chara(notes), Bill Muckalt and first-round pick in 2001 Draft (Jason Spezza(notes)) to the Ottawa Senators for Alexei Yashin(notes). (Nov. 9, 2001)

From CBC Sports:

Islanders GM Mike Milbury, meanwhile, has made a deal that could salvage his managerial reputation, which has been damaged by a series of ill-advised trades, in landing an elite impact player entering the prime of his career – or he could have saddled himself with a big headache while passing up on one of the best prospects to come out of Canada in some time.

If you guessed ‘B’, congratulations.

Senators fans had turned on Yashin after he demanded a trade and sought to renegotiate his contract after seemingly every season. The franchise no longer considered him a cornerstone. Chara was a hulking defenseman with raw talent. Spezza was as blue-chip a prospect as they come.

The Islanders? They decided to build around a player with undeniable offensive flourish (40 goals, 88 points in the season before the trade) but one whose attitude could rightfully be questioned. Then they gave him a contract that still counts against their cap while he toils in the KHL.

Forget the transfer of talent between the teams; the Islanders’ misguided commitment to Yashin earns this a lofty place on the list.

2.  Calgary Flames trade Marc Savard(notes) to the Atlanta Thrashers for Ruslan Zainullin. (Nov. 15, 2002)

The placement of this trade on the list can be summed up in two words: "Ruslan Zainullin."

Forget that Savard became one of the best pivots in the NHL, collecting assists like frequent flier miles for the Thrashers and the Bruins. The fact is that the Flames moved a promising, NHL-level asset for a player originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning who never left Russia for the NHL. 

Granted, the Flames were in a tough spot because Savard had been feuding with Coach Greg Gilbert. Then again, Gilbert was fired two weeks after the trigger was pulled on this deal. Whoops.

1. Florida Panthers trade Roberto Luongo, Lukas Krajicek(notes) and a sixth-round pick (Sergei Shirokov(notes)) to the Vancouver Canucks for Alex Auld(notes), Bryan Allen(notes) and Todd Bertuzzi(notes). (June 24, 2006)

A trade made on the eve of the NHL Draft, it’s the worst deal in the history of hockey.

That’s not our assessment. That’s what then-Florida Panthers GM Jacques Martin said about the trade in a 2007 radio interview, a claim he refused to back down from. Who are we to argue with that expertise?

Again, there were no illusions about the goaltender Roberto Luongo was at that time or the one that he would become. Just like there were none about the miles on Bertuzzi’s body as a 30-year-old power forward, who ended up playing an astoundingly bad seven games for the Panthers as the centerpiece of this trade.

No contest: It’s the most lopsided trade of the decade.

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Greg Wyshynski | December 17, 2009

Here are your Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

• Rumors chat at 1 p.m. Trades of the Decade later today; stupid flight delays messed with our production schedule.

• Look, Evgeni Malkin(notes) knows you want to see Canada vs. Russia for the gold. But you ignore Sweden at your own peril. [Russia Today]

• Gary Bettman and the BOG talk about those pesky long-term contracts at their Pebble Beach meetings, with Bettman saying that it’s difficult to comment on an "ongoing investigation," adding: "When you get to the punch line and you know what the answer is, then there’s something to talk about." We applaud his use of "punch line" to underscore what a joke this investigation is. [ESPN]

• Bettman continues to charm the pants off the Canadians who loathe him, following his love for Southern Ontario and Quebec City as future NHL homes with the pledge of a second Winter Classic featuring Canadian teams. [Chen; full Q&A with Bettman here]

• New slogan for the St. Louis Blues: "Consistently Inconsistent." Is the Andy Murray watch on or off? [Frozen Note]

• Philadelphia Flyers Coach Peter Laviolette has not asked Paul Holmgren for a trade to shake up the roster, but wouldn’t hesitate to do so if the team is still tanking under his regime. [Philly.com]

• Are younger players tuning out Columbus Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock during their struggled? Better question: Are there actually Jackets fans who, as this story infers, want to strip Rick Nash(notes) of the ‘C’? Seriously? Either way, Hitch has the backing of management, as the "Hitchcock style of hockey is the Blue Jackets style of hockey." [Columbus Dispatch]

• The search committee for the new NHLPA executive director: Ryan Getzlaf(notes) (Anaheim Ducks), Jamie Langenbrunner(notes) (New Jersey Devils), Brian Rafalski(notes) (Detroit Red Wings), Brian Rolston(notes) (New Jersey Devils) and Mathieu Schneider(notes) (Vancouver Canucks). Good to see at least one player under 25 on that list. Lots of Americans, too. Interesting. [NHLPA]

• Craig MacTavish becomes the first man in the history of time to defend the hockey prowess of David Koci(notes). And yes, we’re including David Koci in that sample. [TSN, via Japers]

• Mike Green(notes) will look to play in the Washington Capitals’ next game after that Koci hit. [Capitals Insider]

• If you’re a Los Angeles Kings forward, Michal Handzus(notes) is your best friend. [LA Kings Insider]

• Scathing take on Darcy Hordichuk(notes) of the Vancouver Canucks and why he’s basically worthless: "He’s a role player, and his role is supposed to be an enforcer. If he’s not enforcing we don’t need him. He’s not fighting, he’s not hitting, and we don’t need a floater." [Canucks Hockey Blog]

• Jason Spezza(notes) is out of the lineup for the Ottawa Senators, but their cap crunch is going to prevent them from replacing him. [Sun Media]

• More chatter about Ice Edge bringing a Phoenix Coyotes AHL franchise to Thunder Bay. We had a back and forth with Jeff Marek from HNIC on Twitter this morning, and we’ll say this: If the Ice Edge group is putting the minor league team in Canada and urging fans in Saskatoon to convert to the Coyotes because they’ll see a handful of home games … well, good luck selling the Glendale locals that you’re something more than Canadian carpetbaggers.  [Slam Sports]

• The San Jose Sharks anticipate that they’ll probably open next season in "a Scandinavian country or western Europe" in the next wave of NHL international play. [Sharks]

• Advocating the return of The Wizard to the Blue Jackets. [The Cannon]

• From the desk of Yahoo! Sports’ own Matt Romig comes what is, perhaps, the worst bobblehead doll of all-time. That’s Jarome Iginla(notes)? Wow.

• Coolness: Video of Howie Morenz playing for the Montreal Canadiens in 1934. [Eyes On The Prize]

• Free Webcasts of WHL games later this month. Invite some friends over to watch the Everett Silvertips hosting the Tri-City Americans on your laptop. [WHL]

• The NAHL welcomes Dawson Creek to its ranks. Do they skate out to Paula Cole songs? [NAHL]

• Chris Stewart(notes) is one sophomore who isn’t slumping this season, playing well for the Colorado Avalanche. [Mile High Hockey]

• Lede of the day: "There aren’t many Blackhawks who are as picky about their equipment as defenseman Brian Campbell(notes)." [Chicago Tribune]

• Mark Stuart(notes) of the Boston Bruins suffered a broken sternum Monday night and will miss 4-6 weeks. Ouchy. [Bruins Blog]

• Cycle Like The Sedins puts together a list of hockey blogger feuds. There’s a better chance that Rick DiPietro(notes) plays the next three seasons healthy than that site failing to receive an email from a "HockeyBuzz.com" address in the next three days … [CLtS]

• Hockey Fights: You had us at Sergei Brylin(notes) vs. Chris Campoli(notes). [HockeyFights.com]

• The 10th image in this slideshow for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers is probably not a Pens fan telling Dan Carcillo he’s No. 1. [Tribune Review, NSFW; stick tap to Puck Buddy Emily]

• Finally, and staying with the Penguins and Flyers, this Pittsburgh fan’s inspired Max Talbot(notes) "shhhhhhh…" tribute may not actually be a Jersey Foul when used for game warm-up prop comedy. [Thanks to Puck Buddy Matt, who is actually the man with the sweater.]

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Sean Leahy | December 16, 2009

Puck Treasures looks to find those hidden hockey treasures from the past and give them their proper remembrance. Seen an interesting piece of hockey apparel? Send us an email at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com.

Merchandising is huge business in sports. From t-shirts to hats to jerseys, fans want to show off their support for their team in as many ways as they can. When it comes to championship merchandise, that’s when the wallets open up faster than a Dan Cloutier(notes) five-hole and bank accounts are dumped clean. Championships don’t happen often for most teams, so when your team wins one, you’ve got remember it in as many items as possible.

Stanley Cup merchandise has evolved over the years from simple t-shirt and hat designs to technological pieces of art that bring in millions of dollars per year for the NHL and its teams. It’s easy to see the evolution of championship merchandise by scouring eBay and that’s what we did to find some vintage Cup goodies. Come along for the journey won’t ye?

Thanks to stores like Lids and every single New York Yankee-loving rapper, hats have changed drastically over time and become more and more of an accessory for everyday fashion. Back in the late 1970’s, the Pittsburgh Pirates helped make the painter’s hat a cult-like fashion trend.

What consumers look for in a piece of merchandise that they want to plop their hard earned $25 for these days is something with a sleek look, good colors and more than 45 seconds of design work. Enter these two beauties:

Those mesh hats with the plain white front were much like the ones I sported during my Little League days. Obviously some designer in 1988 felt he could cash in by leaving off "Palumbo Liquors" or "Mangano Funeral Home" and instead promote the 1998 Cup final between the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers.

On the right is a celebratory piece of New Jersey Devils history commemorating their second Stanley Cup title in 2000. Somehow this hat was approved by the NHL merchandise people as proven by the official hologram on
the brim. Whoever designed the hat must have been a soccer fan as the shield-shaped logo and two stars surrounding the Devils logo signifying their second championship is a dead giveaway for a follower of footy.

Cereal boxes were a popular form of memorabilia that fans would love to collect as well. Companies such as Wheaties and Kellogg’s would produce regional boxes that would fly off supermarket shelves and can still be found online today. (Is eating old cereal much like eating old baseball card gum?) Through well-placed connections, I was likely the only kid on Long Island
eating the Pittsburgh Penguins edition of Wheaties in 1991.

Finally, t-shirts are probably the most popular item of the Stanley Cup merchandising bunch. They’re simple, the players wear them on the ice during the celebrations and everyone loves t-shirts. Why else would some arenas be louder during the t-shirt toss than the entire game?

During the 1994 playoffs, trying to drum up some support for their first run at a Stanley Cup in their new city of Dallas, the Stars released these shirts hoping their fans would catch on to the wordplay used:

And yes, the eight stars were a necessity to get their point across.

Dallas would end up bailing out of the playoffs in the second round to Vancouver and not make it past the first round until 1998 when they began a three-year run that ended in two Finals appearances and one Cup.

That one Cup title gave us one of the great player caricature t-shirts to hit the market.

Big heads on little bodies! It’s like NHL 3 on 3 Arcade on a t-shirt!

The Stars shirt only shows 17 players from the team, but if you ever wondered what Guy Carbonneau, Ed Belfour(notes) or Sergei Zubov(notes) look like in caricature form, it’s all there.

Two years prior, the Philadelphia Flyers decided on the caricature look after they advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals and showed Dallas that you can fit more than 17 players on a t-shirt, even Pat Falloon!

While the Flyers were looking tough with their arms folded as they celebrated an Eastern Conference championship, the eventual Cup winners that year, the Detroit Red Wings, made their own caricature shirt with a very important edit.

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