Okay, so you have almost assuredly seen the above hit and as linked in the Papers, there is still some ill-will over said hit.  Having said that, my question today is: Will this game actually serve to motivate the Flyers?

It seems odd that that is the question I am presenting, but stay with me.  The Panthers have actually been playing well lately.  As under the radar as the team is–even in its own home market–the Panthers have posted a record of 13-9-6 since the Mike Richards/David Booth incident.  That record is pretty darn good, especially considering the loss of Booth also marked the loss of arguably the team’s best player.  Moreover, the team has succeeded without veteran and locker room leader Cory Stillman.  So, the Panthers are quietly surprising the NHL–but that isn’t the topic for today.

What about the Flyers?

How many articles have been written recently in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News and Delaware Daily County Times about the team’s struggles?  About the need for a shake up or, on the other hand, a need to stay the course? Simply, the Flyers are a team in disarray.

The reasons for the team’s struggles are a plenty.  Ray Emery was playing hurt; some speculated about a locker room rift and others mentioned the lack of solid coaching.  Regardless of the reasons for the team’s struggles–and let’s be straight, emotion has certainly been a factor–may tonight’s game be the perfect tonic for the aimless club?

A coaching change certainly did not unite Philadelphia, in fact, it may have sent them in a further downward spiral.  So what is left for the Flyers to cling onto?  Many speculate a trade is in the offing but tonight may be the tell-tale sign for just that.

If we are looking for a sign that things may get messy tonight, look no further then the fact that the Panthers has recalled Steve MacIntyre and Mike Duco for tonight’s game–although it should be noted that tonight’s roster has not yet been announced.

Look, the Flyers are 10-15-1 since this incident.  That is bad.  We know that the Panthers are almost certainly going to come after Flyers captain Mike Richards.  Will the Flyers unite because of that?  Will they stick up for their captain and use this night as a motivational tool moving forward?

The Flyers clearly lack cohesiveness.  If you have watched a Flyers game that fact is easily noticeable.  Will a trade fix that?  Who knows?  But tonight, to me, is the sign of whether the Flyers will be the same group going forward, or if changes need to be made to the roster.

If the Flyers unite tonight, this may be the start of what most analysts expected–a run for the Cup.  If nothing changes tonight, don’t be surprised if something changes roster-wise once the Christmas roster freeze is over.

On our flight to Phoenix from Denver, I was sitting next to a young couple from Calgary.  They were also going down to Phoenix to catch Thursday night’s game against the Flames.  She was actually carrying her Calgary Flames jersey with her in her carry on.  Unfortunately, we weren’t so wise and packed our Jets jerseys in our luggage…..low and behold, our bags didn’t show up until after the game.  Thank you for flying United Airlines….

On Thursday night, we asked the concierge about getting a cab to the rink.  He told us it would cost $60.  About an hour later, his shift had ended and we asked the night concierge about taking a cab to the rink and he said it would be $36.  Fine.  We ended up negotiating the price down to $30.  First and foremost, our cab driver got lost.  I suspect this might indicate just how often he drives guests to the rink.  During the car ride, we asked him about the state of the Phoenix Coyotes.  He responded with, “isn’t that the team owned by a hockey player?”  We suggested he was referring to Wayne Gretzky.  He said no and was quite adamant that he had never in fact heard that name before….

We showed up to the arena and met the person we found on Craigslist who was selling us 2 centre ice box seats for $40 each.  Yes, $40 a ticket for centre ice box seats to an NHL game.  As it turns out, the couple who sold us the box actually own it and used to take their clients, but would now prefer to try to recover some of the cost of the box by selling individual seats online (FYI – Jan 2^nd game vs Detroit, entire box 18 seats for $900…see Craigslist).

We finally entered the rink just before the anthems and I was shocked at what I saw – the arena was empty.  There may have been 4,000 fans.  Eventually as the 1^st period progressed, fans did filter in….but not many.  There were, without question, way more Flames jerseys than Coyotes jerseys.  Just to put things in perspective of how few people there were at the game, we bumped into the couple I sat next to on the plane during the 2^nd intermission.  I must admit it was very difficult to “get into the game” as it seemed as if there really was no emotion in the arena.  I could have quite easily been watching basketball on TV in the suite and not have known there was a hockey game going on below.

After the game, we went to one of the bars located right next to the rink.  Needless to say it was all but empty, aside from a few Flames jerseys.  I went up to the bartender and ordered two beers.  I thought the bartender had said, “25 bucks.” I figured 12 bucks a beer at the bar next to the rink isn’t totally ridiculous.  As it turns out, it was actually 5 bucks; $2.50 a beer (would have been $2 each if I had ordered Bud…no thanks).  I would suggest (based on the pricing and ghostly attendance in the bar) that it is not only the team that is losing money but also many of the nearby businesses.

We also bought $40 centre ice box seats for Saturday’s game…which actually turned out to be a pretty close game.  Again, lots of Canadians in attendance, the majority of those wearing Sen’s jerseys.   We saw 5-6 Jets jerseys (2 of which were ours).  A couple of Jets jerseys of note were the Selanne and Hawerchuk jersey.  I am sure many of the fans in the arena were just as surprised to know that there was a Selanne in the NHL, let alone that he at one point played for the Jets.   Obviously only a few, if any, would have ever heard of Ducky…

As for the game, the Sen’s were down 3-0 with less than 5 minutes to go.  With about 4 minutes to go in the 3^rd, the Sen’s scored.  Now 3-1 Coyotes, less than 3 minutes to go and people (obviously not the Sen’s fans in attendance) started to leave.  How crazy is that?  And it gets worse…..With just under a minute to go in the 3^rd, the Sen’s scored another goal now making the score 3-2 Coyotes.  If you can believe it, fans still continued to leave the rink.  Did they not realize there was a close hockey game going on right before their eyes?   I am not sure why, but many Coyotes fans were still walking out.  Unlike the old Jets games, it is not like they were going to have to deal with any traffic jams seeing as how there couldn’t have been more than 5,000 in attendance.  It is not like they announced the official attendance at either game, so this is merely my rough estimate.

All in all, this trip was a unique experience.  It was exciting to watch NHL hockey albeit the environment could have been a whole lot better.  I hate to admit it but going to an AHL game at the MTS Centre is much more exciting than watching an NHL game in Phoenix.  Obviously the quality of the game is nowhere near as good as the NHL, but the fans make the difference.  I really can’t imagine how opposing teams feel playing in front of fewer fans than their AHL counterparts.

Bettman and the ‘powers that be’ need to accept that this little project has failed.  Not only is this whole ordeal costing a fortune to operate, but it is both an embarrassment to the league and more so an embarrassment to the sport.    People in Phoenix do not care about hockey….period.  Phoenix is about football, baseball, basketball and guns.  Guns, you ask?  I was informed on Saturday that you can now carry a concealed weapon into a nightclub in Arizona and based on the feedback from numerous cab drivers, people are very excited about this.  We were often told that, “this was a good thing.”   Hockey in the desert, on the other hand, is certainly not.

For Illegal Curve, I’m Jordan Farber

To add to the picture above, the announcers at the game in Glendale did not publicly announce the crowd.  On top of that, apparently the crowd was hoping equally for Calgary/Phoenix, maybe even a majority in favor of the Flames.

Moreover, our friends who attended the game sat in center ice box seats for the price of $40 per ticket.  As well, apparently a number of other boxes were completely empty.

As many people know, Glendale is quite a ways from central Phoenix, and apparently the cab ride is about 30 minutes from central Phoenix–which ended up being a $30 cab ride.

With about 5,000 fans on hand to see the Coyotes and Flames play (both good teams mind you), how on earth does the NHL plan to sell this team to someone willing to keep this team in Glendale? 

If this team is slated to lose $50 million, as some have reported, it appears the Coyotes are not long for Arizona.  The question I have is: Which city do you think the NHL will end up in next?  Apparently Gary Bettman says the MTS Centre in Winnipeg is big enough.  What about Quebec City?  Is Kansas City still a realistic option?  Las Vegas?  Or do you think this team can sustain itself in Arizona?

With just some loose ends to tie up, Toews and Kane are expected to sign five-year deals worth $6 million annually, according to TSN in Canada.

Defenseman Duncan Keith will sign a 13-year deal, also according to TSN, for less money annually.

Thus the club will keep the potential restricted free agents long term.

Meantime, Tim Sassone of the Daily Herald voiced concern over the team’s ability to fit everyone under the salary cap:

Nobody wants to think about the potential financial problems that lie ahead.

The Hawks already have 12 players signed for next season with a collective cap hit of approximately $42.4 million.

Even if the cap hits for Keith, Toews and Kane were, say, $5 million each, and that’s low, it would put the Hawks over the present NHL salary cap of $56.8 million for 15 players.

The cap might go lower next season, or it could stay the same. There’s little chance it will go higher than $56.8 million.

So, where do the Hawks stand?  I have absolutely no issues with the team’s expected signings of Toews, Kane and Keith.  Kane is their most prolific forward, Duncan Keith is one of the best defenseman in the NHL and Toews will soon become a force in the NHL.

Let’s take a look at the team’s salary commitments for next season (prior to any extension announcements regarding the players above), courtesy of nhlnumbers.com:

Marian Hossa: $7.9 million (cap hit: $5.233 million)

Patrick Sharp: $4.2 million (cap hit: $3.9 million)

Dave Bolland: $3.375 million (cap hit: same)

Kris Versteeg: $3.083 million (cap hit: same)

Dustin Byfuglien: $3.0 million (cap hit: same)

Tomas Kopecky: $1.2 million (cap hit: same)

Troy Bouwer: $1.0 million (cap hit: same)

Brian Campbell: $7.140 million (cap hit: same)

Brent Seabrook: $3.5 million (cap hit: same)

Cam Barker: $3.125 million (cap hit: $3.083 million)

Brent Sopel: $2.0 million (cap hit: $2.33 million)

Cristobal Huet: $5.625 million (cap hit: same)

From this list, Cristobal Huet, Brian Campbell and Brent Sopel are basically untradeable.  Huet has two more years on his deal after this season and, unless the Hawks include prospects/draft picks along with him in a trade, no one will take that deal on.  If that contract looks untradeable, Brian Campbell is on the books for four more seasons.  I don’t even think anyone would take that contract on even with picks/prospects.  As for Sopel, where is his agent?  That man deserves a serious congratulations.  I mean, how did Sopel get this deal in the first place?  Regardless, the Hawks wouldn’t waste a prospect or pick to get rid of him, they’d probably buy him out first or send him to the minors.

That leaves the other nine players listed above.  The contracts to Brent Seabrook and Cam Barker are pretty fair market value.  It is funny to think the Hawks pay Seabrook half of what Campbell makes and you could argue he is two times the defenseman that Campbell is, but I digress.

The player I see most likely to be moved on this list is Kris Versteeg.  Remember, former GM Dale Tallon probably wouldn’t have given him that kind of money if not for the fax machine gaffe that essentially cost him his job.  Versteeg is only 23, so a number of teams would definitely be interested in his services and the Hawks would probably only want draft picks, not salary, in return.

I personally don’t see the Hawks wanting to trade Patrick Sharp, Dave Bolland or Dustin Byfuglien.  You could argue some of these players are paid more than their output, especially Byfuglien, but he is a beast on skates and when he wants–see: last playoffs against Vancouver–he can be a consistent physical and effective force.

Troy Brouwer and his $1.0 million salary doesn’t need to go anywhere, although you wonder why Tomas Kopecky was brought in for $1.2 million when the team knew money would be tight against the cap next summer.  I could see the team moving Kopecky if the right offer came along.

So, at this point you must be wondering, even if the Hawks dealt  say Versteeg and Kopecky and sent down Sopel to the AHL and ate the salary, the team would only be saving $6.283 million.

Well, that would take the team down to a cap hit of $36.117 million ($42.4 million (the cap hit Sassone reports for next season) minus $6.283 million).  Factor in the reported deals for Kane and Toews ($6 million each) and the report that Keith may make $5 million per season–that is $17 million.  This would bring the Hawks’ cap hit to $53.17 million for twelve players (taking into account the theoretical trades plus the reported signings).  There is no exact word on where the cap will be set, but rest assured, the Hawks fans better get used to some serious fillers in the lineup.

That being said, with the talent the team has up front and on the back-end, the Hawks will be arguably the best team in the NHL for years to come.  However, Hawks fans should have two main concerns: 1. With all this money on the roster, do we have a netminder that can take us to the promised land?; 2. What do we do if injuries hit?

As the above situation indicates, Stan Bowman doesn’t exactly have an easy job ahead of him, but I bet any GM would tell you, it is better to start off with a lot of talent and a salary cap problem than no talent and a lot of money to spend.  Hey, just ask Brian Burke.

Blue Jackets rookie forward Nikita Filatov, who has struggled to remain in coach Ken Hitchcock’s lineup, might be headed back to Russia, perhaps as soon as this week, according to sources within and beyond the NHL.

Jackets general manager Scott Howson would not comment on a potential agreement allowing the 19-year-old Filatov to return to his former club team, CSKA Moscow. Nothing has been finalized, however, and Filatov and the Blue Jackets are expected to talk again today about the possibility of staying in Columbus.

If Filatov returns home and begins to play in the KHL all bets are off on whether he would return to the Blue Jackets.  Once you lose a player to another league, there is no saying whether Filatov will feel far more comfortable playing in his home country and stick around there for at least a few years.  With that, Filatov would move closer to free agency without playing any substantial time with the team that drafted him in the top ten of the first round.

Some Blue Jackets fans were worried that Nikita Filatov would turn into the next Nikolai Zherdev and I didn’t think that was the case at the time.  I’m not so sure the situations are completely analgous, but the situation appears to be unfolding in the same way.  Zherdev, although traded to NY, is now in the KHL and who knows whether he will return or not?  Do the Jackets want to experience the same situation with their sixth overall pick?

At least with Zherdev, the Blue Jackets were able to get a useful asset in return–Fedor Tyutin.  In Filatov’s case, he appears to be considering heading to the KHL and nothing would comeback in return.  Sure he is really young, but his mindset may be that of staying at home for a prolonged period of time. 

There is too much risk involved here for Columbus.  Filatov has immense skill–maybe the second most on the Jackets to forward Rick Nash.  Sure he may not “battle” but he is 19 years old and will mature and develop throughout the next couple seasons.  What you cannot teach, is his skill and hockey sense.  This kid has hands of gold, can skate and is a future top notch NHL goal scorer. 

I know the Blue Jackets have lots of young talent, but playing in a market where the team routinely loses over $10 million per season, maintaining your own talented, cheap young assets is imperative.

Watch for GM Scott Howson to do everything he can to keep Filatov on this side of the Atlantic.

“That will be a CBA issue, but I am totally against it. Totally against. Absolutely. I have always been,” Lamoriello said yesterday, after GM meetings in Toronto following his enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame Monday.

“The weeks that we take out of the season are prime dates,” Lamoriello said. “Here were are coming off football and we have an opportunity to keep the fans going to the games, then we take a break for two weeks.

“I’ve always felt this way, and I’m stronger now because we’re going into a new CBA and it should be something that comes up. I know Russia is having it next time. This has nothing to do with where it’s going to be. It has to do with the philosophy of why and why not.

“I do believe in the Olympics. I just don’t believe in the timing.”

Read the entire article here.

What is wrong with going to the Olympics in mid-season? First off, the timing of the Olympics is never going to change, so if time is the only issue Lamoriello has with partaking in the Games, I just don’t think that is a significant enough reason.

In February, teams starting looking ahead to the playoffs and intensity increases but it is not as if the NHL cuts down its 82-game schedule in Olympic years. In 2009-10, the regular season just began earlier and the schedule will be more spread out to accomodate the break in February.

Sure that break kills teams momentum, but it also gives the majority of the NHL a break to rest up. I realize the game-breakers are playing a ton of hockey but that’s why they are paid the big bucks. The desire to win should outweigh being tired from playing an intense extra five, six or seven games.

Simply, the Olympics sell the game of hockey, sell the sport to those who have never seen it and provide viewers with best quality of hockey every four years. Moreover, it grows the game in whatever country the games are being played in.

The importance of the Olympic Games to the NHL cannot be understated in my opinion. Abandoning the Games due to scheduling concerns would be a short-sighted move in my opinion.

Then, on Tuesday, Coyotes stars scattered across Glendale with 150 free tickets, schedules and smiles for fans and hockey newbies alike to drum up support.

Five minutes after arriving at the Arrowhead Towne Center mall, left wing Taylor Pyatt and center Peter Mueller were surrounded by four teenage girls.

“I think he’s gorgeous,” one girl said of the muscular, tattooed Mueller. “Can we take a picture?”

Another, 17-year-old Sarah Meader, hung back. But she bubbled with giddiness at being near the players.

While some might question this as a desperate ploy, I think it is good marketing idea.  Getting the players out into the community more, having them interact with fans, is an important way to build up a relatonship.  It isn’t simply the NHL that is being “forced” to get innovative with ways in which to build up fan/team loyalty.

In the NBA, the New Jersey Nets had a promo which:

For $25,000, the Nets are offering four courtside tickets for 10 games, parking, access to a private lounge at the Izod Center with free food and beverages and something more — a one-hour appearance by a Nets player of your choice at your home, office, school or party.

It is just a function of this economy that fans aren’t choosing sports as a place to spend their money, so it is good for the Coyotes that they are being pro-active in the community.  They need to continue this as well as come up with other innovative ways to continue building that relationship all season if they are to have any hope of getting fans to come out to games.

My only question is why limit it to 150 tickets?  Since the Yotes are only averaging 9,586, why not get a really big promo going?  The article doesn’t detail whether this was a surprise visit or an announced one, but the team could have gone a bit bigger to try and lure fans to the game.

So what do IC readers think of this latest idea by the Coyotes?  Good, bad or other?

Fully aware of the uproar created from his outspoken frustration about his backup status, Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere said he does not want a trade and only wants a chance to win back his starting job.

“I want to be part of this team,” Giguere said Wednesday. “I want to be a No. 1 here in Anaheim. This is the team I’ve been playing for the last 10 years. I absolutely love playing here. I think this team has great potential. I want to be here.”

Jean-Sebastien Giguere is known as one of the “good guys” in the National Hockey League but his comments over the past couple days don’t reflect well on him.  The fact is, he says he wants the top job in Anaheim and I don’t blame him for wanting that job back.  My issue is with the fact that he is openly stating his desire to reclaim the number one spot.  What good comes from that?  Maybe it serves to pressure the organization, but trades aren’t a real option for Bob Murray because of Giguere’s salary ($6 million this season and $7 million next season).

If Giguere wants to pressure management, I don’t have  a real issue with that because Bob Murray is far too smart to have that play a factor in any roster decisions.  Rather, my issue with this comment lies with the position he puts Jonas Hiller in.  Now Hiller has to answer questions about these comments, his job and how the two will get along in the future.  The Ducks have been struggling so far this season and this is the last thing the team needs.

Moreover, the stats from the last three seasons and this season dictate that Hiller is rightfully the team’s number one netminder.  Since 2007-08, Hiller has posted a .921 save percentage.  Over that same time period, Giguere has posted a .911 save percentage. 

The Ducks are going to ride Hiller, and with the 27 year old netminder closing in on UFA status, expect the team to sign him to an extension before too long.  Giguere may want his job back, but he should keep that desire to himself and improve upon his numbers if he wants a real shot at taking the starting netminding job from his talented teammate.

That, however, hasn’t prevented the former Maple Leaf goaltending star from doing some effective legwork for the club as a scout. In particular, according to GM Brian Burke it is Palmateer who deserves most of the credit for turning the Leafs on to Jonas (The Monster) Gustavsson last winter and starting a courtship that ultimately resulted in Gustavsson signing with the Leafs as a free agent in July.

“It’s nice for (Burke) to want to share the credit,” said Palmateer, who played eight NHL seasons before injuries forced him to retire in 1984 at the age of 30.

Brian Burke has received lots of criticism for how his Leafs team has played so far this season and maybe rightfully so.  However, Burke has never been one to steer credit away from the people in his organization that deserve it.  Remember when he dealt Sergei Fedorov to Columbus and received Francois Beauchemin back in return?  He always said Bob Murray, the current Ducks GM, was the reason behind that move.  It was Murray that suggested the inclusion of Beauchemin and Burke didn’t hog the credit for that move. 

It is the same situation this time around; Burke listened to Palmateer, but also deserves credit for working his rear end off to get Gustavsson to Toronto.  The fact that he is so willing to give credit to his scout demonstrates why players and front office people enjoy working for him.  I don’t think the importance of this type of attitude can be understated. 

Burke may be having a tough time with his team’s current record, but people and players in the organization have respect for their boss and that will most definitely help in the long run.

Robitaille was the heart of the Kings through good times and bad, for 14 of his 19 NHL seasons. From the day they drafted him as a throwaway, ninth-round pick in 1984 until he retired 3 1/2 years ago, he personified everything good about this game and the undying power of hope backed by tireless effort.

Instead of listening to the skeptics who said — with reason — that he was too slow to play in the NHL, he clung to the hope that practice and workouts would bring to his legs the vigor his mind already possessed. He chose to believe the one scout who saw something in him, the late Alex Smart.

Read the entire article here.

Was there a better guy in the NHL history than Luc Robitaille?  That is what the NHL is all about.  His work ethic, dedication and respect for the game exemplify what it means to be a hockey players. 

That is part of the bigger theme this weekend.  Steve Yzerman, Luc Robitaille, Brian Leetch and Brett Hull are all great examples of humility.  Yzerman is the epitome of a class act and always held the game above himself.  The manner which Robitaille carried himself on and off the ice is the reason he was, and still is, so loved by fans of hockey.  Leetch was a quiet, understated defenseman who never put himself before his team and demonstrated great loyalty to his teammates and organization throughout his career.  And for all of Brett Hull’s outspokenness and honesty, no one appreciated the chances he’s had and the game itself more than the Golden Brett.

This class of players was a tremdendously talented group on the ice but it was the way they carried themselves off the ice and the respect for the game they demonstrated day-to-day that makes this group so special. 

Considered an NHL outsider, and therefore a bit of a quirky fit when hired away from Providence in 1987 by then-Devils owner John McMullen, the Rhode Island born and raised Lamoriello turned a league laughingstock into one of the game’s most durable, consistent performers, almost perennially in the hunt to win the Cup. Long gone are the days when the Devils, now the pride of a downtown Newark renaissance, were the sorrowful, faceless vagabonds (nee Kansas City Chiefs) plopped at the side of Exit 16W on the New Jersey Turnpike. Dubbed a “Mickey Mouse’’ franchise by superstar Wayne Gretzky in the 1983-84 season – immediately following a 13-4 pasting by Gretzky and his Edmonton Oilers – the Devils under Lamoriello have become a standard for both professionalism and performance.

Read the entire article here.

Part of the reason I chose this article for my Morning Papers Take is because it is just that good.  Dupont is one of the top writers in the business and he writes a tremendous piece detailing Lou Lamoriello’s rise to prominence in the NHL.  Dupont explains that Lamoriello always did things the right way and still does until this day.  The fact is, he has taken a struggling franchise and formed it into a perennial Stanley Cup Contender for approximately the last twenty years.  Think about it; when was the last time the Devils were considered a bad team?  It really has been that long. 

When people said the team wouldn’t be the same without Niedermayer or Stevens, the Devils just kept trucking along.  I bet you most hardcore hockey fans couldn’t name the Devils top six defense corps right now.  The thing is, no matter the names, Lamoriello always has a coach in charge that pays attention to detail and always assembles a roster that is smart and hard working. 

Another thing to take into account is Lamoriello’s penchant to stay away from free agency.  How many of his acquisitions were big free agent signings?  I can’t think of any off the top of my head.  His core players were always drafted or traded for.  Obviously credit is due to David Conte on the drafting side but Lamoriello rarely loses a trade.

Lou Lamoriello has been the king of GM castle for some time now and according to the morning papers, he isn’t planning on calling it a career anytime soon.  I’m sure Devils fans are quite thankful for that but hockey fans should be too.

Holland was emphatic when asked if bringing in a fresh face was a possibility.

“No,” he said. “We’re in a cap world. The plan is at some point in time to have a healthy team. If I start acquiring guys now, how do I get rid of money in March?”

Holland has been essentially a cap expert since the introduction of the salary cap after the lockout.  These comments continue to underscore the importance of Holland’s awareness of the salary cap and the importance of never being under the gun in that respect. 

The fact is, the Red Wings clearly miss Filppula, Franzen and are going to miss Williams but they can withstand these losses.  Even without the aforementioned players, the Red Wings still boast a top six of Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Holmstrom, Cleary, Bertuzzi and Leino.  Now, I know this isn’t exactly what Wings fans had in mind in the summer but let’s be honest here–Zetterberg and Datsyuk are still two of the world’s best players.  They are capable of carrying a team for a month or two. 

That said, the Wings are going to need/already have clamped down in terms of defensive responsibility.  Remember, the Wings still have their top-six defense corps in place.  When you have Lidstrom, Rafalski, Krownwall, Stuart, Ericsson, Lebda, Meech, etc. you can afford to play a defensive game.  In fact, I still believe that is the best defensive group in hockey.

Even with that top notch defense, the key for the Wings this season is really going to be goaltending.  Can Chris Osgood give them at least average netminding for the entire season?  If he can, the Wings will be fine and make the playoffs.  The team has exhibited the ability to slow things down, not pursue offense as much and pick their spots.  Additionally, their puck control is still terrific.  Unfortunately, the Wings don’t have the offensive weapons to come at teams in waves anymore.  Instead, the Wings need to play solid defense, lower scoring games and excel at special teams in order to win.

Mike Babcock has a difficult task this season but Ken Holland isn’t one to look short term at the expense of the future and good for him.  This season doesn’t look like it will be as successful as the past couple Red Wings seasons, but that doesn’t mean the future is dark in Detroit.  As Holland is demonstrating, patience is a virtue.

Ruff hasn’t undergone a total makeover, but the shift in his approach has been obvious all year. The little things don’t seem to bother him as much as they did in past seasons. He’s been quick to compliment his players in practice. He’s giving them more leeway rather than stand over them with a firm hand.

What caused the change isn’t clear. Ruff spoke earlier in the season about a parenting book that outlined the effects of positive reinforcement. Maybe he has a different outlook with his 50th birthday approaching in two months. Perhaps he learned a few things coaching at the world championships or spending time with Red Wings boss Mike Babcock, his partner on the Canadian Olympic team.

Gleason does a great job on this piece.  Lindy Ruff is a long-tenured head coach and, to be honest, these coaching style changes do not necessarily surprise me.  To be able to last this long in the National Hockey League, a coach cannot continue to hammer the same message, the same way time after time.  It is human nature, as Gleason points out, that players would eventually tune you out.  The key for Ruff, and many other long-tenured coaches, is adapting to your players. 

Just take a look at football.  The New York Giants pretty much had enough of coach Tom Coughlin the season before the team reached and won the Super Bowl.  The complaint was that Coughlin was too hard on his players and that the message had gone stale.  What did Coughlin do?  He changed his ways and lightened up a tad. 

The analogy here is that both teams mentioned don’t have an overly young base.  You probably won’t see too many head coaches of young teams give players freedom and continual positive reinforcement.  Instead, they want players to learn from mistakes through different types of teaching and disciplinary methods.  However, once the core of a team is a little bit older–and has grown with the same head coach (see: the Sabres with Ruff)–handing over the reigns to the players allows the coach to have an indirect influence.  The fact is, the players now leading the team are indoctrinated with Ruff’s principles and will lead the team using many of his philosophies.  The difference, of course is, the messenger. 

In the end, that is exactly what Ruff wants and exactly what Ruff needs to continue to do his job at a high level.  Kudos to him for not being stubborn in his ways.

The hardcore anti-Kelly group used the general apathy to get their way. (As the Bruins were arguing Andrew Ference’s role in all of this, one player said, “Maybe we should support the guy who did all this work while the rest of us were golfing this summer.” Most others thought Ference took advantage.)

However, there were two things they didn’t count on. First was Glenn Healy’s resignation. (Full disclosure, in case anyone reading this doesn’t know: We work together. But it should also be known he thinks I’m too easy on Kelly’s enemies.)

When Sean Avery ended a between-periods interview with Healy by saying, “We need you back,” (or something like that), it might have been the only time anyone in the league agreed with him. Healy was – and still is – a popular figure among players. It’s no surprise that his resignation became a rallying point.

The second thing they didn’t count on was the agents.

Click here to read article.

Thankfully it has been awhile since we have heard about any more resignations/firings from the NHLPA but in case you were unaware of where the NHLPA currently sits, or how it got to this point, Friedman does an excellent job of outlining both the past and present circumstances of the PA.  It really is quite shocking the level of animus between some factions within the PA. 

What is also quite interesting is the current disparity between Goodenow’s iron fist rule and the apparent lack of power for anyone who is heading this organization.  As Friedman says;

The right approach is somewhere in the middle – polite, but firm.

If the players expect to get anything done for the next CBA they need to unify, but from what is being written it sounds like that is still quite a ways away. 

Every professional sports team in metro Phoenix, along with Arizona State University’s football team and the annual Fiesta Bowl, has had trouble selling tickets this year as growing unemployment and declining wages are keeping fans home.

Teams have been forced to try promotions once considered unthinkable as the drop in attendance cuts deeper into revenue and costs jobs. For example, the Phoenix Suns saw their 153-game streak of sellouts at US Airways Center end Nov. 1, and a few days later the team laid off about 10 percent of its workforce.

Now I’ve discussed the situation in Phoenix quite a bit.  The revelation that the economy is doing poorly and is adversely affecting sports teams isn’t shocking. However, when you see the really established, popular teams like the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and last year’s Super Bowl finalist Cardinals struggling with attendance woe’s it becomes apparent that the Coyotes, a team that isn’t in the top tier of Arizona sports is not going to have the immediate recovery everyone is expecting.  Sure the NHL “saved” the team from moving but when you consider the state of the economy, the location of the arena and the fact that even after 15 years in the desert, the Coyotes haven’t established themselves as a top tier team in this market it just doesn’t appear likely that the recovery time will be a anytime soon.

In that same article a local Phoenix ticket broker summed up the situation in the desert:

It’s always difficult to scalp tickets in this market when a team is playing poorly, but it’s even tougher now.

“The economy is terrible,” Fettman said. “Even if the team is good, people don’t have the money to go out and spend. . . . .”

Now people might say “too bad”, that they have had plenty of time to develop a base that could support this team, given the metro size of the area.  Some have called fans of the Coyotes fair weather and bandwagon hockey fans but with all of the above factors, coupled with a summer from hell, don’t they deserve some time to recover?  Or is it time to cut the losses and move the team somewhere else? 

Put another way, as the Coyotes continue this trek through the desert, which began in 1996, have they finally come to the Oasis which can sustain them or is this simply another Mirage which casts a false illusion?  If you have an opinion on what should happen to the Coyotes, share it here.

Renney led the Rangers to three straight playoff berths coming out of the lockout, after the team had missed the tournament seven consecutive years. He invested heavily in Jaromir Jagr and was rewarded for his faith. It is no surprise that Renney both stays in touch with No. 68 and is keenly interested in bringing him to the Oilers once the winger completes his second season with Omsk of the KHL and is able to exercise an out clause in his contract.

“Jags and I text back and forth. I talked to him about six weeks ago,” Renney said. “He’s on our radar. He has NHL years ahead of him. No question.”

I thought that was an interesting comment because I think that most people feel like Jaromir Jagr’s NHL days are behind him.  Now, David Staples of the Cult of Hockey floated this possibility last season and apparently it almost came to fruition.  However, another season has passed and Jaromir Jagr will be 38 in February.  His contract in the KHL expires after this season and if he were to choose to return to the NHL, I’m sure he wouldn’t come cheap.  Combine his age with his expected salary and there wouldn’t be many teams that would have room/willing to take Jagr on–especially because he will probably play two more seasons maximum.  Additionally, and maybe most importantly, Jagr is a different kind of guy in the dressing room.  He generally likes the team to be “his” and would want ice-time and the pressure that comes along with that.  Will a team make all those concessions for a player in his late 30s whose best days are clearly behind him?   I’d say most won’t.  But hey, he only needs one team that is truly interested. 

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Apparently, Avalanche fans are going to need a little more proof that their team is as good as its record before they start showing up in larger numbers.

The smallest crowd in Avs history witnessed Colorado’s Western Conference-leading 11th win and 24th point Wednesday night, a 4-1 triumph over the Phoenix Coyotes. The announced attendance of 11,012 was more than 2,000 fewer than the previous low crowd, but that didn’t stop the Avs from staying perfect (5-0) on home ice.

“Our job is just to go out and play hockey and our job is to provide entertainment for our fans,” Avs coach Joe Sacco said. “I think that we’ve done a good job of that this year so far.”

Terry Frei said just three days ago that the Avalanche’s early season success was a bigger story in Canada than it was in Denver.  Well, I guess it is fair to say that he wasn’t kidding.  That is all I could think of when I read Dater’s numbers that you see above. 

Now, attendance is a touchy subject, especially with the economy as it is.  You never want to tell people how to spend their hard earned money, but these numbers are extremely surprising.  First, the economy was bad last year, and the Avs were worse, yet last night’s crowd was the worst of all-time.  That boggles my mind; especially considering the Avs’ amazing start.  Sure Avs fans may not believe this team is for real, and in that respect they are not alone, but can’t at least 12,000 fans come out to cheer this team on?

After taking a look at the Avalanche’s ticket prices, you can get tickets in the upper deck for tomorrow’s game against the Hawks for $38.00 each.  Sure that isn’t cheap, but it isn’t outlandish for a hockey game. 

Is Denver a good hockey market?  I think so.  But this city needs to show its support for the team when it isn’t winning–and let’s admit, the area was spoiled with successful Avalanche teams for a long time.  If the Avs keep winning and the fans continue to stay away, that will be a big concern for the NHL.

Strangely enough, my colleague David chose the same issue to write his Morning Papers Take on.  Here is David’s opinion:

The Avs are a 1st place team but only drawing 25th overall with an average so far this season of 14,759 fans.

Now a number of Avs fans have come to their team’s defense suggesting that there were a number of factors involved in last night’s poor attendance, namely;   high ticket prices, it was a mid week game, possible World Series clinching game on TV, Phoenix Coyotes in town, ownership dumping salary in the offseason and finally these were the 2 worst teams in the Western Conference last season.

The average ticket price for Colorado is around $71.  While many are pleasantly surprised by the Avalanche’s current position, the fact of the matter is this was a 15th place team last season and Colorado didn’t factor that into their ticket pricing.  Combine that with the poor economy, poor season ticket sales as many expected this team to be re-building and you get an exciting, 1st place team with only 11,000 in the stands.  Ownership made a mistake not factoring same into its pricing structure this summer.

The Florida Panthers outlasted the Canes 3-0 on Wednesday night at BankAtlantic Center. Make it 10 straight losses for the Hurricanes, who played without center Eric Staal for the first time since 2004 and whose misery and frustration continues.

Good thing the Leafs and Hurricanes are playing tonight because one of these teams needs a glimpse of hope.  In reality, both teams have little, if any, chance at a playoff spot.  A couple days ago, I wrote about the Leafs’ chances at making the playoffs and today I felt like it’d be unfair if I wrote only about the Leafs’ struggles and not about the Hurricanes–a team that has actually played worse than Toronto. 

Simply, the Hurricanes are done.  The team has recorded seven points in fourteen games, just lost their best forward for two-to-four weeks and have lost ten straight games.  With 68 games remaining in the Canes’ season, the team would have to go 43-25 (not counting overtime losses) to reach last season’s playoff threshold (93 points for the Habs).  That means, the Hurricanes would have to win 63% of the team’s remaining games. 

You know what they say about the Stanley Cup, you can’t win it in October, but you sure can lose it.  The Hurricanes are evidence of just that.

Kesler now has 16 points in 16 games and leads all American players in the NHL.

It was just two training camps ago when he talked about taking a bigger leadership role. He’s done that, and can now dictate how the Canucks play.

“I think everybody in this locker room wants to go on the ice and wants to be a game changer,” Kesler said.

“Every time I step on the ice, that’s the only thing on my mind. A couple of seasons ago it was defence, defence, defence. Now, I’m trying to push that offence really hard.”

It was only last season that Ryan Kesler agreed with his teammate Alexandre Burrows that certain Canucks players would have to take less to keep the current core of the team together.  While I know Kesler somewhat backed off those comments, we will see how honest he was really being when the time comes this upcoming summer.  That is because Kesler is an RFA after this season and is only making $1.75 million in 2009/10.  With Willie Mitchell the only really other significant free agent next summer, the Canucks almost have $41 million already tied up for 2010/2011.  Clearly the team will do what it can to keep Kesler but the days of him taking less have probably passed by.  The rugged American center leads the team in scoring, and has improved in the points-per-game department in each of his six NHL seasons. 

The question is: How much is Kesler going to get paid?  The player that most comes to mind as a comparable for me is R.J. Umberger.  Both players are big American centers that are able to play a two-way game and are very physical in the process.  Over his career, Umberger has posted 171 points in 323 games; whereas, Kesler has posted 153 points in 335 games.  So, Umberger has a points-per-game of .529, while Kesler has a points-per-game of .456.  Taking into account the fact that Umberger signed his contract last summer, he was the same age that Kesler will be this summer.  Umberger currently makes $3.75 million (cap hit) per season on a four-year deal.  Something tells me that Kesler’s agent will be shooting for $4.00 million this summer.

Taking less sounds good when you say it, but not when you have a chance to sign that big contract.  Time will tell, but something tells me there is no way Kesler takes less.  And you know what, who can blame him?

Do not, however, hold your breath waiting for it to happen.

The notion among Canadiens watchers is that the Canadiens will go as far as Price will take them. At least, that was their feeling before the start of the season, and perhaps still is. However, he is not likely to take them anywhere with the goaltending he’s delivered in most of his games. You won’t find a goaltender … any goaltender … pround of an .883 save percentage.

Fisher is right about Price so far this season.  The youngster sits with a .883 save percentage which places him 35th overall in the National Hockey League.  His 3.64 G.A.A. is actually worse, placing him 37th in the entire NHL in that category.  So, it is clear that Price is struggling. 

The next question is, what is the team to do?  While it feels like he has been around forever, Carey Price is only 22 years old.  He is big, positionally sound when he has confidence and makes the game look easy.  Remember, it isn’t like he is without a track record–Price has won a World Junior Championship and a Calder Cup.  So, do the Habs ride Jaroslav Halak?  I personally don’t think so.  That is not an indictment of Halak, who has an .893 save percentage and 2.85 G.A.A., but rather a reflection on Price’s natural talent combined with the overall lack of talent on the Habs roster.  Halak is talented, but few would tell you he possesses more talent than Price.

At the end of the day, the Habs are basically a one line offensive team, playing without their best defenseman, and isn’t the object of playing the game to win the Cup?  If so, the Habs aren’t going to do that this year, so they might as well let Price go through some growing pains and the maturation process that most young players have to go through–even in Montreal.

Amateur psychologists and columnists, the worst kinds of those sorts, labeled Avery a misogynist. He was, don’t you know, the worst hockey person who had ever lived!

“I was back in New York almost immediately and except for the time I spent in counseling, I basically sheltered myself in the city for the next few months from everything that was going on in around me,” Avery said. “I called Elisha to apologize and explain myself, and she was great.

“She was cool about it. She’s great.”

Avery said he had neither spoken to Phaneuf in the aftermath of the incident nor has any intention of doing so. He laughed when asked if he had needed to call various former girlfriends to explain himself. “No, only [Elisha].

If you read the rest of the article, the first thing that comes to mind is how contrived his apology was last season.  He clearly provided the apology to appease those around him because he doesn’t appear to be the least bit remorseful.  Now, I’ll admit that the comments weren’t exactly harmful and that I’m sure Avery has said a lot worse (especially on the ice), but it was still unnecessary and uncalled for.  Not so much to Dion Phaneuf or Elisha Cuthbert, but as an NHL player who is supposed to set an example for kids.

My bigger issue is the alleged importance of Avery to the Rangers’ lineup–continually mentioned by Larry Brooks over the past couple years.  Now, I admit that his talent is masked by the fact that he seems to be the most hated player in the league, but under John Tortorella he is not exactly a gamebreaker (not that he was before either).  I mean, Avery has played 13:12 minutes per game this season and while he has quietly contributed nicely at even strength, can we finally put to bed his overall importance to the Rangers?  I’m pretty sure players like Gaborik, Lundqvist, Staal, Prospal and Girardi are more important to the club’s chances than a talkative player that hardly can make the team’s power play unit.

Let’s be honest, very few people are hoping that Dion Phaneuf doesn’t line Avery at mid-ice for a nice clean bodycheck.  Wouldn’t that be sweet justice?

Earlier Monday, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Redfield T. Baum approved the Coyotes’ sale to the NHL with the league intending to find a buyer committed to keeping the franchise in Glendale. The conclusion of the team’s bankruptcy proceedings didn’t help the Coyotes avoid a franchise-record low announced crowd of 5,855.

The season opener is starting to look more and more like an anomaly as the crowd size has significantly decreased almost every home game the Yotes have played since that opening night crowd of 17,532.  Since then the crowd’s have fallen off;

vs. St. Louis – 6,899

vs. Boston – 9,162

vs. Detroit – 11,938
vs.  Los Angeles – 7,968
vs. Anaheim – 6,495
vs. Los Angeles – 5,855

So right now the Coyotes are averaging 9,407 at home.  If you remove the opening night crowd from this total, the average nightly crowd to see a Phoenix game is 8,052.  Of course this is the announced crowd, which is generally not reflective of the actual crowds in attendance.

You have to wonder why they aren’t putting on 1001 different promotions every night in the desert.  I have to think that butts in the seats, even if the tickets are dirt cheap, would be better in terms of selling concessions as well as to give the city a bit of a psychological lift from the constant threat of relocation which has been hanging over their heads since the summer.

IC reader Ross laid out some of the problems the Yotes are facing;

Having been to every Phoenix home game, including pre-season, this year I will attest that attendance has been disappointing, but not unexpected. The summer of uncertainty, coupled with the fact that they were not even SELLING season tickets for about two months (from May 5th through late June), has greatly harmed ticket sales.

The best way to increase this, as has been said along, is to win games. It feels like there’s already a bit of a buzz going around the city. The team that everyone had written off is playing well to start the season! If they continue, you will slowly start to see attendance pick up, but it will take time–possibly even most of the season. That’s if they play well… 

However it is time to get past that.  They have a good, young product on the ice which is winning, and it is time that someone actually starts watching the games.  Judge Baum granted the Coyotes to the NHL and Commissioner Bettman will do whatever it takes to ensure they will remain in Phoenix. 

While the fans showing up to support the team doesn’t ensure that they won’t become a lame duck franchise, if they truly appreciate NHL hockey and want it to survive in the desert, they need to at least give it a chance and start attending some games. 

So while some may have already written the Leafs off as a potential playoff team, or already exiled them to an embarrassing last-place finish, the basic math of the NHL points system says neither is the case at all. In fact, improving just slightly on the pace of the past week in which five road games netted five points would see the Leafs improve on last season’s 81-point output.

Let’s put it another way.  The Leafs currently sit with a record of 1-7-4 which has earned them a total of six points in the standings.  Last season, it took 93 points to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.  So, while Damien points that the Leafs need to play slightly better than a point-per-game hockey in the standings from here on out, that isn’t true based on last season.  The Leafs have 70 games remaining, so even if the team recorded 85 points in the remaining 70 games, the Leafs would still sit with 91 points in the standings–two back of what it took to make the Eastern Conference playoffs last season.  Leafs fans shouldn’t fool themselves, this stretch of play has almost certainly cost this team a chance at a playoff spot.  To accumulate 87 points from here on out (or 93 points total), the Leafs would have to finish 44-26.  Obviously overtime losses will play a factor there, but does anyone in their right mind think the Leafs can play .630 hockey from today until the end of the season?  I’d bet the answer is  resounding no.

Here is an excerpt from the papers:

Which is why the Flyers are dispatching European scout Ilkka Sinisalo to watch Forsberg.

And why not? With Simon Gagne’s health up in the air, Danny Briere’s groin a minor concern that could possibly become major, and the rest of the offense sputtering, the Flyers could use an offensive infusion that a healthy Forsberg could supply.

No one doubted he was a great player. No one doubted his toughness, or his skill. What they doubted was his health, and rightfully so. Forsberg is notoriously fragile.

Read the entire article here.

I think this is great for hockey.  I realize that people have become sick of the Peter Forsberg news in hockey, just as people became sick of the Brett Favre news in football, but who are we to criticize these players for wanting to keep on playing the sports they love?  I mean, Forsberg, even when he returned two years ago, was the Avalanche’s best player.  To be honest, it wasn’t even that close.  The key with Forsberg is that he is a passer first and foremost.  Generally, scorers who rely on speed tend to slow down and have trouble adjusting when they become older.  With Forsberg’s vision and ability to protect the puck, I think he’d be tremendously effective upon a return. 

As for the injury concern, Forsberg at 80% is still better than most players at 100%.  While I realize it may be distracting, a veteran team is far more equipped to have him join the ranks than a young team.  That is why I think Philadelphia would be the perfect landing spot for the future Hall of Famer.