Coach Muller

Tuomo Ruutu

Coach Cooper

Martin St. Louis

Steven Stamkos

Coach Dineen

Quinton Howden

Tomas Fleischmann

Coach Kirk Muller

Eric Staal

Assistant Coach Lacroix

Martin St. Louis

Steven Stamkos

Coach Oates

Troy Brouwer

Brooks Laich

Mike Ribeiro

Coach Oates

Alexander Ovechkin

Nicklas Backstrom

Troy Brouwer

When: Friday, March 8, 2013

Time: 6:30 p.m. CST

Where: BB & T Center, Sunrise, Florida

Records: Winnipeg Jets (11-11-1 – 9th in East), Florida Panthers (7-12-5 – 15th in East)

Television/Radio:  TSN-JETS, FS-F/ TSN 1290

The Story: For the Winnipeg Jets, revenge might be a dish best served in Florida.

The Jets continue their four game road trip tonight with their second game in four nights against the Florida Panthers, who defeated the Jets 4-1 on Tuesday night. Winnipeg bounced back from that ugly loss and defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 Thursday night to get back up to the .500 mark for the second time in the last week.

Last night’s victory was significant for Winnipeg not only because it snapped a two-game losing streak but because of the individuals who played a key part in the win. Backup goaltender Al Montoya was given his first start since February 12th (Philadelphia Flyers) and the move paid huge dividends. Montoya was excellent against the high-octane Lightning, stopping 28 of 29 shots and improving to a perfect 3-0 record on the season. Montoya looked confident and made several key saves in the first two periods which allowed Winnipeg to maintain a one goal lead for the majority of the game.  Winnipeg’s first goal of the night was scored by winger Eric Tangradi, acquired earlier in the season from Pittsburgh. It was Tangradi’s first goal of the year and was assisted by Kyle Wellwood, a player who has been in Claude Noel’s doghouse for most of the season.  The fact that Tangradi and Wellwood have been such key players for the Jets has been crucial because of the recent struggles of Evander Kane and Olli Jokinen.

Florida enters tonight’s game on the heels of a humiliating 7-1 loss to the Washington Capitals last night. Rookie goaltender Jacob Markstrom was pulled after allowing two goals on two shots and the Panthers had no answer for Washington’s attack, led by Russian sniper Alexander Ovechkin, who had a goal and two assists in the game.

Depending on which way you want to look at it, the Jets will once again have an opportunity to take points off an inferior opponent tonight. Despite Tuesday’s result, the Jets are a better team than the Panthers this season, especially with all of the injuries Florida is currently dealing with (The Panthers currently have six regulars out of the line-up). If Winnipeg can put together anything resembling last night’s solid effort, they will have a very good shot at winning tonight’s hockey game.

Tonight’s game is the fourth of five meetings between the Jets and Panthers this year. The fifth and final meeting of the season between the two teams will be on Thursday, April 11th (7:00 p.m. CST) in Winnipeg.

Follow @IllegalCurve on Twitter leading up to today’s game.

Projected Jets line combinations (subject to change before game time):

Goalie:

Ondrej Pavelec

Forwards:

1st: Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler

2nd:  Evander Kane-Nikolai Antropov- Alexander Burmistrov

3rd:  James Wright– Olli Jokinen- Antti Miettinen

4th:  Eric Tangradi- Jim Slater - Kyle Wellwood

Defence:

Ron Hainsey- Zach Bogosian

Dustin Byfuglien- Grant Clitsome

Paul Postma- Mark Stuart

Offensive Leaders:

Florida Panthers: Tomas Fleischmann (5 goals, 12 assists, 17 points), Brian Campbell (6 goals, 10 assists, 16 points), Jonathan Huberdeau (11 goals, 5 assists, 16 points)

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (12 goals, 10 assists, 22 points), Evander Kane (9 goals, 9 assists, 18 points),  Blake Wheeler (7 goals, 10 assists, 17 points)

Injury Report:

Florida Panthers: Stephen Weiss (wrist, out for rest of season), Dmitry Kulikov (upper body), Jose Theodore (groin), Mike Weaver (lower body),  Scottie Upshall (ankle), Kris Versteeg (chest), Ed Jovanovski (knee)

Winnipeg Jets: Anthony Peluso (hand), Tobias Enstrom (shoulder), Zach Redmond (leg)

Who’s Next:  The Jets wrap up their four game road trip up on Sunday, March 10th against the New Jersey Devils (6:00 p.m. CST). Next week, the Jets have two games at home, Tuesday, March 12th against the Toronto Maple Leafs (7:00 p.m. CST) and Thursday, March 14th against the New York Rangers (7:00 p.m. CST).

When: Thursday, March 7, 2013

Time: 6:30 p.m. CST

Where: Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa Bay,Florida

Records: Winnipeg Jets (10-11-1 – 10th in East), Tampa Bay Lightning (10-12-1 – 11th in East)

Television/Radio: TSN-JETS, SUN/ TSN 1290

The Story: The Winnipeg Jets will be looking to stop a two game losing skid as they continue their trip through Del Boca Vista country tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Jets lost 4-1 to the Florida Panthers Tuesday night, in a pretty laissez-faire contest.  They needed to show that they could take it to the next level against an opponent, especially a division rival, and failed to do so. Coach Claude Noel was understandably upset after Tuesday’s game and you can bet he will have his troops ready for battle tonight against a Bolts team coming off a big victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.

Today’s game is the second of four meetings between the Jets and Lightning this year. The two teams will meet next in Winnipeg on Sunday, March 24th (7:00 p.m. CST). The fourth and final meeting of the season is in Winnipeg on Tuesday, April 16th (7:00 p.m. CST).

Follow @IllegalCurve on Twitter leading up to tonight’s game.

Projected Jets line combinations (According to Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press):

Goalie:

Al Montoya

Forwards:

1st: Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler

2nd:  Evander Kane-Olli Jokinen- Alexander Burmistrov

3rd:  James Wright–Nikolai Antropov – Antti Miettinen

4th:  Eric Tangradi- Jim Slater - Kyle Wellwood

Defence:

Ron Hainsey- Zach Bogosian

Dustin Byfuglien- Grant Clitsome

Paul Postma- Mark Stuart

Offensive Leaders:

Tampa Bay Lightning: Steven Stamkos (17 goals, 17 assists, 34 points), Martin St. Louis (6 goals, 24 assists, 30 points), Teddy Purcell (4 goals, 17 assists, 21 points).

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (12 goals, 9 assists, 21 points), Evander Kane (9 goals, 9 assists, 18 points), Blake Wheeler (7 goals, 10 assists, 17 points).

Injury Report:

Tampa Bay Lightning: Benoit Pouliot (upper body), Ryan Malone (lower body), Mathieu Garon (lower body)

Winnipeg Jets:  Tobias Enstrom (shoulder) and Zach Redmond (leg)

Who’s Next: After tonight’s game, the Jets head back to play Florida Panthers on Friday, March 8th (6:30 p.m.) in a back-to-back.  They finish off the road trip with a quick trip up to New Jersey on Sunday, March 10th (6:00 p.m.)

Host Michael Remis (filling in for Drew Mindell) and Analyst Richard Pollock break down the Jets play against the Capitals.

Coach Oates

Braden Holtby

Eric Fehr

Jonathan Huberdeau

Coach Kevin Dineen

Teddy Purcell

Steven Stamkos

The Canes were rowdy following a comeback victory over the Jets.  So much so that they were chanting “Jordan’s better” at Eric Staal in response to the Jets fans derisive chant.  You can faintly hear it at the beginning of the Staal audio.  Eric also said “Jordan’s good, but I’m not sure he’s better”.

Eric Staal

Cam Ward

Coach Muller

Tonight’s audio is pure gold.  Laich responds to Ezzy’s question about a developing rivalry with a comment about not liking the Jets and having a long memory.  Ovechkin’s response to the Crosby’s better chant is classic Ovie.  Brouwer gives the crowd some kudos.  Is anyone else wanting to jump to next Friday?

Karl Alzner

Alex Ovechkin

Brooks Laich

Troy Brouwer

Coach Hunter

Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images

The following analysis was taken from the show.

Columbus receives: Jack Johnson, a conditional first round pick

Los Angeles Receives: Jeff Carter

Tale of the tape:

Jack Johnson: age 25, under contract until 2017-18 at a cap hit of $4.35 million per season.

Jeff Carter: age 27, under contract until 2021-22 at a cap hit of $5.27 million per season.

This is a trade that must be looked at through two different perspectives. The first is looking at the trade as a single trade. The second view is to look at it on a whole, meaning, Columbus effectively traded Jakub Voracek and the 8^th overall pick (Sean Couturier).

Off the ice, the reasons for trading Carter were about his contract, and his character, says Illegal Curve Hockey Show analyst Richard Pollock:

“I don’t think Columbus did as badly as I thought they would have, because there was no market for Jeff Carter. It was restricted by the fact he has ten years left on his deal, which restricted him to a couple of teams, and other teams were concerned about his character.”

“The market for him was very small, the fact they were able to get the first round pick, and Jack Johnson, who’s game I have concerns about, but does have potential, was fine work by GM Scott Howson on an evaluation of just this trade. If they can nail the draft pick, they can make it look like an all around good deal.”

“Jeff Carter is a good skater, a good stickhandler, he’s got a terrific shot, he can distribute the puck, but he’s not great at it. He’s good defensively, he can play in all situations, he’s an all around really good player.”

Host of the Illegal Curve Hockey Show Drew Mindell added, “he’s a regular 30 goal scorer, which doesn’t ocme easily.”

Pollock continued on Jack Johnson saying, “he’s as good of a skater as Zach Bogosian, good slapshot, good offensive talent, can join the rush. His hockey sense and defensive awareness leave much to be desired.”

In terms of contracts, Johnson’s is more favourable to Carter’s, as it is for less years and money, he is also younger, and defenseman tend to peak at a later age.

Pollock was not in favour of the deal overall, and would not pick a winner. It was a move of desperation for both teams.

Columbus receives: 2^nd round pick in 2012, conditional 5^th in 2013 and Curtis McElhinney

Phoenix receives: Antoine Vermette (age 29, under contract until 2014-15 at a cap hit of $3.75 million per season)

Off the ice: It is interesting to note that this is a salary dump by Columbus, who is assuredly losing money this season, to the NHL owned Phoenix Coyotes.

Antoine Vermette is a limited player offensively, he skates well, and can handle the puck, but is not a point producer (27 points in 62 games this season). Vermette is a player who is better defensively than offensively.

Columbus is shedding a bad contract, at $3.75 million with three years remaining is a lot for a guy who is not a point producer. The value that they are receiving in this deal is in the 2^nd round pick, as well as the removal of his contract on the salary cap. The Blue Jackets can fill the hole left by Vermette with players such as RJ Umberger, Derick Brassard and the return they get for Rick Nash (assuming he is traded before next season).

Curtis McElhinney is a throw in, a back up goalie who’s been injured all year. He is not the answer for Columbus’ goaltending situation.

From a Phoenix perspective, they are getting a player who fits well into their system. Phoenix loads up on veterans who buy into their boring trap style system. Vermette’s speed can create pressure on the opposition and he can play in all situations. He is a “tweener” a 2^nd or 3^rd line player, and on the Coyotes squad he will play a bigger role. He fits the veteran defensively responsible type player that coach Dave Tippett wants.

This is a good move for both teams.

New Jersey Receives: Marek Zidlicky (age 35, cap hit of $4 million until 2012-13)

Minnesota Receives: Kurtis Foster, Nick Palmieri, Stephane Veilleux, a 2^nd round pick In 2012, a conditional 3^rd round pick in 2013 (if New Jersey makes the conference finals this season or next).

New Jersey is filling a need by getting an offensively talented defenseman who can skate and move the puck. From watching New Jersey this season, it is easy to tell they are missing an offensive defenseman. Players such as Anton Volchenkov, Henrik Tallinder and Bryce Salvador are defensive types who can block shots and hit. They did not have a guy with the ability to lead the power play and move the puck out of the defensive zone well enough.

Zidlicky should have no problem fitting into the dressing room with fellow countrymen Petr Sykora and Patrik Elias. He’s signed for next season at $4 million, which is a lot, but offensive defenseman like Zidlicky don’t grow on trees.

Minnesota was in a situation where they were not playing Zidlicky, and he fell out of favor with Coach Mike Yeo.  They receive ex-Wild Kurtis Foster who’s contract comes off the books next season, he is a big body who can chip in with his point shot.

Stephane Veilleux , also an ex-Wild is 13^th forward and his contract expires after the season.

Nick Palmieri has the potential to be a 3^rd or 4^th line player for Minnesota.

Comparing the deal to the Hal Gill deal, the Predators gave up a 2^nd round pick and Blake Geoffrion for Hal Gill. Because the Foster and Veilleux contracts expire at the end of the season, the Devils gave up Nick Palmieri and a 2^nd round pick. If they do reach the conference finals, they will be happy to relinquish the 3^rd round pick.

This is an even trade for both teams.

Colorado receives: Steve Downie

Tampa Bay receives: 1^st round pick from Detroit.

Detroit receives: Kyle Quincey

While this was two separate trades by Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman, it should be looked at as one move.

The trades Yzerman has made leading up to the deadline show that the former Detroit Red Wing is ascending up the ranks as one of the top GMs in the NHL.  He is aware that his team is not a Stanley Cup Contender this season and is selling off assets in order to build for the future. As of February 26, 2012, Tampa Bay now has six picks in the first two rounds of the 2012 draft.  The net result of this trade is that Tampa Bay receives Detroit’s first round pick in exchange for Steve Downie.

Detroit adds depth to their defense in Kyle Quincey. Quincey who was drafted by Detroit in 2003 is a player who skate well, can move the puck, but isn’t the most physical. He is brought in to play the 3^rd defense pairing with Jonathan Ericsson, which should take some pressure off of rookie Jakub Kindl. He  fits into Detroit’s system,  and will be an RFA after this season so they will be able to retain him.

Colorado receives Steve Downie who gives their team some much added toughness. He’s a player who can get in your face, go to the net, hit, and move around in the lineup. While he doesn’t have great hands, he can provide 10-15 goals and 30-35 points. Ideally, he’s a 3^rd line right winger. Downey will be an RFA after this season.

A reasonable deal for all sides.

Philadelphia receives: Pavel Kubina

Tampa Bay receives: Jon Kalinski, 2^nd round pick in 2012 or 2013, 4^th round pick in 2013.

This is a depth acquisition by Philadelphia, which may not have been completely necessary, but he is a big body who fits in well with the Flyers team.

Steve Yzerman is stockpiling picks and building for the future.

The bottom line: An even deal.

Florida receives: Jerrod Smithson (age 33, under contract until 2012-13 for $800,000)

Nashville receives: 6^th round draft pick in 2012

Jerrod Smithson is a 4^th line centre who is better than incumbent John Madden. He is a depth acquisition, whose skill lies in winning draws, playing a defensively responsible and killing penalties. Smithson won’t be counted on to provide offense.

Nashville is a well run club and if hey are giving away players for 6^th round picks, this means they have no use for Smithson. His $800,000 salary will come off the books for next season, making this a quasi-salary dump. The Predators are looking to make a run for the cup this season, the trade also opens up a roster spot for additional moves.

This isn’t a significant move, that shouldn’t be overrated.

Tune in to TSN 1290 all day on trade deadline Monday for round the clock coverage. Drew Mindell and Richard Pollock of the Illegal Curve Hockey Show will be on from 12pm-4pm breaking down all the trades, as well as previewing the Winnipeg Jets contest against the Edmonton Oilers.

Martin St. Louis

Coach Boucher

Victor Hedman

Ryan Malone

Steven Stamkos

Coach Boucher

Kris Versteeg

Scott Clemmensen

Coach Dineen

It has been a whirlwind 8 months for NHL hockey fans here in Manitoba.  With the excitement of the NHL returning to Manitoba for the first time in 15+ years and the success of the season ticket drive we actually forgot that this Jets/old Thrashers team was still a young squad in development.  IC made pre-season predictions for both why the Jets would and would not make the post-season this year.

If you will recall the 2010/11 Thrashers were a surprise story of the NHL first half last season as they were competing in the Eastern Conference but faltered down the stretch and finished out of the post season.

But how do the Jets 2.0 compare?  While the December they just had was the best in franchise history was it enough to separate these new Jets from their predecessor Thrashers?

Interestingly the Jets and Thrashers have almost identical records after 41 games.

From game 42 to 61 the Thrashers went 5-11-4 and essentially fell out of the playoff hunt.  So what does this mean?  Are the Jets destined to falter in the same manner that Atlanta did last season?  How do the 2011/12 Jets to the 2010/11 compare to the Thrashers in other areas?

Taking a look at some other statistical categories you can see below that the Jets don’t give up as many shots as they did last season.  While their PP isn’t as effective they do have a better PK than the Thrashers.

Big Buff was well ahead of this season’s current points co-leaders Blake Wheeler and Evander Kane in terms of points.  Interestingly, according to Bill Tiller from the Atlanta Journal Constitution who wrote an article last year from which I was able to get the Thrashers first 1/2 season stats, both Andrew Ladd and Tobias Enstrom had 31 points at this point last year.

How does the Jets #1 tender fare against himself one year later?  He sure has played a lot more hockey this season.  His save percentage, while quite high during his first 25 games last season, cooled off during the 2nd half of the 2010/11 season and finished at .914% in 58 total games.

What does this mean?  While each season is unique and players will say what happened in the past remains in the past, it is interesting to note the improvements and lack thereof from last season to the present.  Will the Jets finish the 2nd half in a similar manner to the Thrashers?  That is entirely within their control but it will be interesting to see how this team plays during the run up to the February 27th trade deadline (23 more games).

What stats, if any, jump out at you?  Let us know your mid-season grades.

Michal Neuvirth

Cody Eakin

Coach Dale Hunter

Alex Ovechkin

Alexander Ovechkin - Impact of Dale Hunter on team.  How he is playing under the new system.  Frustration with his game.  Talks about first two games against Winnipeg, mentions Pavelec’s success.   Atmosphere at MTS Centre.    

Nicklas Backstrom – Difference in Caps team under new coach.  Difficulty in learning new system?  . 

Jeff Halpern – Speaking about playing other southeast division teams and difference in coming to Winnipeg.    MTS environment.  Speaks about Jets and Winnipeg.  Keys to solving Jets team.  Changes in Washington systems.    

Cody Eakin -   Playing in his 1st season.  Transition to new coach.   Playing in front of hometown fans.  Who to lean on.

Coach Hunter – Transition to head coach.  What he likes about his team.  Top 3.  Scouting report on Jets.  Being back in Washington, leading the team.  Trying to turn the team around.  Caps goaltending.  Winnipeg fans.

Update:  We also have post-game audio from Neuvirth, Ovechkin, Eakin and coach Hunter.

Brandon Sutter

Jaroslav Spacek

Coach Kirk Muller

Post game audio from the Caps room:

Cody Eakin

Brooks Laich

Coach Boucher

Martin St. Louis

Eric Brewer

Steve Stamkos

Dwayne Roloson

Here are the postgame scrums from the Panthers dressing room

Jose Theodore

Brian Campbell

Ed Jovanovski

Kevin Dineen

Jason Garrison is off to quite the start for the Florida Panthers. Fourteen games into his third NHL season, the undrafted college free agent has already tied last year’s goal total. His five goals are the second most by NHL defenseman and tie him with three others for the team lead. The twenty six year old has seen an increase in icetime, playing in all situations, and has excelled thus far.

The Winnipeg Jets experienced it first hand in their last matchup, and his reputation is growing as a player with a howitzer. Garrison says it’s something he’s always had:

“Yeah, definitely growing up I’ve always had a hard shot. It’s (been) a little bit more fortunate this year that I’ve been able to use it a bit more, I’m just finding the way to the net.”

To him, a good slap shot, is about finding the balance between power and accuracy

“Over the years, you work on power, and then you get it harder and you lose the accuracy, and once you find that accuracy, you work on power. You want to make sure it gets through first and foremost, I think any shot on net is a good shot.”

In the pre-game skate, the Panthers defenseman gave the boards a thorough examination. They fired multiple pucks at them to test how much the it was able to rebound. Garrison says its common practice for the Panthers to give them a look-over before a game.

“The boards are lively for sure in certain areas, it’s something you want to come into an unfamiliar place and see how the boards play. They are bouncy in some areas for sure.”

“Every pre game skate you want to check what the boards do, it could help a team a lot knowing what happens. You kind of shoot pucks around and see what happens.”

Teams are looking for every advantage in order to score goals, Garrison and the Panthers defenseman were practicing some nifty trick plays that could catch the Jets off guard tonight.

One popular maneuver by teams these days is for the point defenseman to bank the puck off the end boards, and the puck bounces to the man in the slot for a scoring chance.

Teams also use variations of this play by having the defenseman bank the puck behind the net, which bounces to a player to the opposite side of the goalie for a chance.

I’d be curious to see if they try these against the Jets tonight.

Puck drops at 7:30pm at the MTS Centre

The Nigerian-born Aliu, who spent some formative years in Ukraine and speaks fluent Russian (would have likely been best-friends with Bryzgalov), has bounced around the AHL and ECHL since turning pro in 2009-10, with less than stellar results. Perhaps more well known for some on (tussles in training camp) and off-ice altercations (bar fights, etc.), Aliu was included in the Chicago Blackhawks-Atlanta Thrashers blockbuster deal.

Hockey-wise, Aliu is your prototype power forward. Standing 6’3 and tipping the scales at 225, Aliu possesses a lethal wrist shot (accurate with a quick release) and doesn’t mind mixing it up. His mix up of talent, size and grit suggest that he should be a top-6 forward, but until he erases the perceptions around him (un-disciplined, etc.) it is unlikely he will become a go-to option on any team.

The downsides to his game are so-so puck handling skills and poor on-ice awareness. Additionally, Aliu is a good straight-ahead skater, but some question his agility. Question marks aside, Aliu’s potential is such that one hopes the fresh start with the Jets will be the tonic Aliu needs to overcome the question marks surrounding him. If he can concentrate on hockey, Aliu could be a devastating force on the Jets right-side. If not, I would imagine the Jets waste little time in sending Aliu away, as this type of player does not seem to mesh with the Jets’ long term plans. Aliu is signed to a two-way deal through the end of this season, so the time for a decision will come quickly.

I would envision him as most likely filling a 2^nd (playing soft minutes against weak opposition) or 3^rd line role (if he can learn defensive awareness) but I can’t see why he wouldn’t be able to ride shotgun on the 1^st line or play a 4^th line energy role. He has the potential to a crowd favourite at the MTS given his penchant for big hits, etc., but the downside to this player is also quite extreme in that he could become a very unwelcome distraction/disturbance in the dressing room.

It is my hope that the fresh start and fresh surroundings offer Aliu the chance to tell his own story. I would be remiss if I were to forever paint a kid in a negative light just because he resisted being hazed. Granted, things went downhill pretty quickly after the incident and Aliu hasn’t helped his cause since then, but he is still a very young player with good years ahead of him.

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.

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.

Is this finally the year for the Washington Capitals?  Will the Stanley Cup that has eluded them since their inception in 1974 finally come to the U.S. nation’s capital? 

The questions that require answering by the Capitals as this upcoming season is about to get underway are the following, namely; 1) Does Alexander Ovechkin have enough of a supporting cast? 2) Will the goaltending situation sink the Caps chances for post season success? and finally 3) Can the improvements by their Southeast Division competition, knock them from the top, and prevent them from making the Stanley Cup Finals?

Forwards:

This Caps team that finished with 50 wins and 108 points saw some significant player changes during the off season.  Aging veterans Sergei Fedorov (KHL), Viktor Kozlov (KHL), and Donald Brashear (Rangers) are out and Brendan Morrison and Mike Knuble are in. 

Perhaps the biggest problem for the Capitals on forward is who they still have on the roster.  Michael Nylander, who they tried to move all summer, and his $4.875 million per season (3rd highest on team) is still on the team.  Despite not playing in most of the playoff games last season and no pre season games to start 2009/10, he remains a Cap. 

Not unexpectedly this team begins and ends with back to back winner of the Lester B. Pearson (outstanding player), Hart (MVP) and Maurice Richard (Most goals) trophies, Alexander Ovechkin.  This is his team and this is the year all the pressure is on him to win.

If there is one thing you take away from seeing him compete is that he doesn’t like to lose.  But possibly even worse than losing is being upstaged and right now he isn’t seen as the most dominant Russian player in the NHL. That title goes to his former rival turned quasi friend Evegeni Malkin of the Pens.  With Malkin and Crosby winning the Cup last season, expect Ovechkin to be playing with added incentive this season. 

The emergence of Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom has really allowed the Capitals to go from a one trick pony, to a team with a number of dangerous weapons on forward.  Probably the most important change to Semin’s game is he has gone from a -18 in 2007/08 to a  +25 in 2008/09.  Backstrom on the other hand is really developing nicely and should see an increase in his offensive totals this season.

Newly acquired Mike Knuble is expected to play with Ovechkin and Backstrom.  He adds some nice grit to this skill line but that isn’t to say that he is unable to find the net himself.  He’s had six straight 20+ goal seasons and brings some Stanley Cup experience to the team.  (he played for the Wings in 98 when they ironically knocked off the Capitals).

The second line should be comprised of Semin’s quick shooting, matched with Brooks Laich who will play a similar role that Knuble does and is not afraid of going into the dirty areas to produce points.  Centering this line will be long-time Vancouver Canuck Brendan Morrisson whose passing ability should be an asset to Semin’s scoring touch.

Rounding out a third, more defensive line would be Caps captain Chris Clarks (say that 4 times fast), David Steckel who was stellar as a member of the Hershey Bears and Quintin Lang.  Clark’s worth is felt as much on the ice, as in the room and there is a reason he wears the “C’ on this team.

Previously I had Lang on the 4th line but that was before the Caps put Chris Borque, son of hockey legend Ray Bourque on waivers (he was subsequently picked up by the Pens).  It looked as if the Caps were going to give him an opportunity but it appears that he is a casualty of the salary cap as Tarik El-Bashir reported;

The Caps plan to recall minor-league forward Boyd Kane to skate on the left side of the fourth line.

Coach Bruce Boudreau said Bourque was waived on Tuesday so that the Caps could squeeze under the salary-cap ceiling of $56.8 million.

But here’s the kicker: Bourque earns $577,500 and Kane earns $500,000. So that means the Caps were less than $77,500 over the cap yesterday.

The fourth line which under Boudreau doesn’t see a lot of playing time should be comprised of Boyd Gordon and Matt Bradley with Boyd Kane rounding out the trio.

Tomas Fleischmann remains sidelined indefinitely with a blood clot.  Winkler, Manitoba’s Eric Fehr could step into the line-up once he is healthy.

The Washington defence begins and ends with Mike Green.  Say what you will about his hair, it sure doesn’t affect his play on the ice.  His numbers have grown increasingly gaudy as he matures.  In his first full season in 2006/07 he played 70 games and scored just 2 goals.  He followed that up with 18 goals in 82 games in 2007/08 and then 31 goals in 68 games last season. 

Physical play will be necessary to keep the opposition forwards off Jose Theodore. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Erskine-Pothier and Sloan-Schultz were your third and fourth pairings at practice this morning.

Perhaps the biggest question mark facing the Capitals this season is who will emerge as the number one goaltender on the team.  Coach Bruce Bodreau has been unequivocal in his support of veteran Jose Theodore.   The question is can he return to the form that saw him win Hart and Vezina trophies in 2002. 

If the Caps are going to get through the East, Theodore is going to have to stop the Sideny Crosby & company. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

If the Capitals hope to compete then they are going to need that type of play from Theodore.  This means he will have to improve on last season’s 2.87 GAA (36th) and .900 save % (40th).  With a $4.5 million cap hit for one more season the soon to be free agent had best hope that he can return to form.

In case Theodore was to falter, his back-up will be last season’s playoff darling Simeon Varlamov.  He is the rookie sensation that took over in the playoffs for Theodore and looked great, until he was exposed by the Penguins.  Despite Boudreau’s shot of confidence don’t be surprised to see him give Varlamov an opportunity if Theodore falters in any way.  His 4-0 regular season record gave way to a seven wins and six losses in the playoffs.  He is going to need more regular season seasoning before he is given the reins, unless the wheels totally fall off for Theodore, and then he will be thrown into the fire.

Big expectations if Theodore fails in any way.

Finally 2006 Czech draft pick Michal Neuvirth took the team’s AHL affiliate Hershey Bears to the Calder Cup Finals last season, where he helped to defeat the Moose in six games, winning MVP honors.  He was limited to five games for the Capitals last season compiling a 2-1 record.

Class of Competition:

Which leads us to the final question for the Capitals this season; Can the improvements by their Southeast Division competition, prevent them returning to the top of the Southeast?

Carolina Hurricanes – This is the one divisional team that can challenge Washington.  This is a group that has developed together, Stall is still improving and they could challenge the Caps.  While I still expect Washington to finish 1st, I don’t anticipate the points differential being 11 as it was in 2008/09 between these two teams.

Tampa Bay Lightning –  As Rusty said in his preview their power play looks lethal, they can move the puck and the big guns look motivated.  Having Adam Oates to teach them PP skills should help.  I see them passing Florida and Atlanta but a lot really depends on goalie Mike Smith.

Florida Panthers – Young team without the scoring of Tampa.  Biggest question will be the play of goalie Scott Clemmensen.  We will find out if his win totals were a function of the Devils system, or his own talent.

Atlanta Thrashers– As I said in my Thrashers preview, the stars would need to align and Kovalchuk would have to play out of his mind for them to make waves this season.  Expect Evander Kane to be returned to Vancouver.  They will battle with the Panthers for the last spot. 

My Predictions:

Ceiling - This team should and could challenge for Eastern Conference supremacy.  As long as Alex the Great stays healthy, the surrounding cast steps up; there is no reason why these guys couldn’t compete for the Cup.  Expect a 1st place finish in the Southeast and 1st-3rd in the East.

Floor - Injuries to Ovechkin, Semin Backstrom or Green would severely cripple this team.  They aren’t one dimensional but with the loss of any of these four (especially A.O.) and the Caps offence would be extremely limited.  This could cause them to fall to 2nd in the Southeast and 6th in the East.

Capitals Blogger Thoughts:

In addition to the above analysis I thought it would be a good idea to get a quick thought from Caps bloggers.  Unfortunately their pens were mostly silent in response to my request.  Fortunately the #1 Caps blogger on the internet took the time to pass along his thoughts on the Capitals for this upcoming season. 

J.P. from Japers’ Rink said:
It’s easy to say, “It all comes down to whether Jose Theodore can rebound and/or Semyon Varlamov can prove he’s the real deal,” or “Their defense, as presently constituted, isn’t quite good enough,” and both of these assertions, to an extent, are true. But these are the same goalies and the same defense that won 50 games last year and that pushed the Champs to a Game 7… except they’re all one year more experienced, one year hungrier. 

As found at art.com

The Tampa Bay Lightning had a miserable 2008-09 campaign, finishing second to last just in front of the equally woeful New York Islanders. With an anemic 24 wins and 66 points, the one-dimensional Lightning were not scaring anyone.

General Manager Brian Lawton has performed very well over the summer, scoring the highly touted Victor Hedman with the 2nd overall pick in this June’s entry draft, and picking up a second first-rounder in Carter Ashton with the 29th pick. Lawton also signed a number of NHL veterans, most notably Alex Tanguay and Mattias Ohlund, to respectable deals. In making these signings, Lawton has transformed the Lightning from a one-line team into a well balanced squad with decent depth at all positions.

The additions the Lightning made should help them be, at the very least, competitive in the South-east division. With a very strong Washington team and the perennially overlooked Hurricanes to contend with, the Lightning will likely be hard pressed to win the division. That being said, if they get a few bounces and the team gels quickly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they at least put a scare into their foes down the stretch. The team went through a ton of skaters last season, and having a roster that is more or less set should really help in 2009-10. Lawton (pictured to the left in a tbo.com shot) has shown an aptitude for making the team better, and could find himself in a position to be a buyer at the deadline. Lets take a closer look at the team that will likely start the year in Tampa.

The Forwards:

As found at zimbio.com

The Lightning are led by a couple of all-stars in Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. Lecavalier has finally matured into the player he was touted as when he was drafted first overall, and St. Louis has made Tampa his team after bouncing between the NHL and the minors for several years. The Lightning also signed Alex Tanguay to a one-year deal this off-season, and he will provided immediate depth to the Lightning’s offensive arsenal.

Past these big three, the Lightning can also throw Ryan Malone and Steven Stamkos over the boards, thus forming the nucleus of a very strong top-6. Though it is unclear as of press time who the extra forward will be, coach Rick Tocchet does have several other players to choose from, including newly acquired Stephane Veilleux and the kinder and gentler Steve Downie.

Rounding out the forwards corps are: Adam Hall, Drew Miller, Jeff Halpern, Ryan Craig, Todd Fedoruk, Zenon Konopka,  and the newly signed Jamie Wright, who was very impressive throughout camp and in pre-season action. How the lines will shake out is yet to be determined, as the Lightning will likely finalize matters tonight in Atlanta. I would imagine they should shake out something like this:

Tanguay-Lecavalier-Downie

Malone-Stamkos-St. Louis

Veilleux-Halpern-Miller

Fedoruk-Craig-Hall

That would leave Wright and Konopka in the press box, should both stick around. The top unit of Lecavalier and Tanguay seems pretty well set in stone. They have developed excellent chemistry already and were lethal on the powerplay in my one viewing of the team. Finding a full-time right winger could be an issue here, but former bad boy Steve Downie has been well behaved all camp and has shown a willingness to play tough. With him riding shotgun, the two offensive stars should have plenty of room to operate.

The second line of Stamkos centering St. Louis and Malone appears just as lethal. An equally nice blend of size and finesses, this unit really provides a 1A option for the Bolts. Stamkos came into his own in the second half of last season as he started to assert his offensive talent. St. Louis looks to be re-energized by the new personnel and should have a good start as he looks to secure a spot on Team Canada. Malone is a good compliment here, as he adds some much needed sandpaper to the unit. Lets not forget though that he can also score when he wants to, thus providing Coach Tocchet with some wiggle room when other teams attempt to hard match lines.

The Bolts third line will be the key to their season, in my opinion. Last year, without a true shut down line, the Lightning had a hard time stopping other squads top guys. Veilleux is a bona-fide shut down guy that can chip in with some timely offense, and is a tough guy to play against. Paired with Halpern and the speedy Miller, this line should provide the Bolts and their coaching staff some reliable shut down minutes to give the top two lines a break. Though Miller might find himself a spot on the top unit as their right-winger, his speed and versatility will come in handy on this line.

The 4th line is a little bit of a superfluous situation, with Jamie Wright seemingly having made the team. Todd Fedoruk is the most likely left-winger, as he provides the team with an enforcer/banger that can skate with the team. Veteran Ryan Craig is the de facto choice as pivot on this unit, but newcomer Wright would look alright in that role as well. Adam Hall, one of the few natural right-wingers on this team, is the most obvious choice to round out the unit, but he too could find himself moved up the depth chart. Keep in mind that this configuration could end up being wildly different depending on how Tocchet wants this unit to perform. They are most likely destined to be an energy bunch, but should the team need some more offense, they could be composed of some guys that could outscore in a soft minutes role.

All told, this is a vastly improved group from last year. It has depth, balance and size and should be more than enough to compete on a nightly basis. Watch for Rick Tocchet and Co. to get the most out of this group.

The Defense:

Courtesy of fromtherink.ca

The Bolts defense also received a significant upgrade over the summer. Veteran Mathias Ohlund was signed to a long term deal to provide stability and a mentor to Victor Hedman. Kurtis Foster was also signed, and the bruiser Matt Walker was added to the fold from Chicago.

Of course the most hyped addition has been 2nd overall pick Victor Hedman, who has looked quite good in pre-season action. Hedman (pictured), who has been playing pro hockey in Sweden for a couple of season, seems physically and mentally mature enough to step in and compete immediately. He will likely line up on the 2nd pairing with Kurtis Foster on a unit that will be counted on to provide some offensive pop for the Tampa Bay team.

The aforementioned Ohlund should skate with Andrej Meszaros on the top unit, combining a healthy dose of size with some limited offensive upside. Both big men, the pair will have to provide Tampa with some reliable shut down minutes, as they should see the bulk of the work against the stars of the league. In addition to their top line minutes, these two should also see a lot of work on the power-play (2nd unit), where Meszaros’ big shot will be a useful tool to keep opposing penalty killers honest.

Rounding out the top-6 are Paul Ranger and Matt Walker. Ranger is thought to be nearly recovered from injury and should be ready to go soon (I believe he will play tonight versus Atlanta). Though Ranger was once a threat on the powerplay, his shoulder injury and the new talent has pushed him into this bottom pairing role. Walker, a right handed shot, will be counted on to provide the no-frills style he displayed in Chicago. Not a huge offensive threat, he still makes a good first past and is very responsible in his own end.

To recap, the pairings should go as follows:

Ohlund-Meszaros

Foster-Hedman

Ranger-Walker (sounds like a tv show)

The extras on the point are likely Lukas Krajicek and Matt Smaby, though I would expect both see at least spot duty this season. As with the forwards, this is a much improved group that will provide a big boost to the Tampa forwards and netminders.

The Goalies:

Tampa, true to form, had some movement in the crease over the summer. One-time goalie of the future Kari Ramo bolted for the KHL, and former Flyer Antero Niittymaki was brought in to compete for the top job with Mike Smith. While Smith is still the likely starter, I would imagine he spends most of the year looking over his shoulder. For the coaches, it will be nice to have a little stability in net, as the Lightning have had something of a revolving door for goalies the last couple of seasons.

Courtesy of goaliecards.net

It should be a slightly easier season for whichever netminder gets the call in Tampa, due to a much improved defense. Smith has looked good in pre-season, while Niittymaki has some good experience with the Flyers and can get hot for prolonged stretches. I would imagine the competition between the two should be good for everyone, and provide a high level of confidence to the team as a whole.

Former Spokane Chief Dustin Tokarski was sent down to Norfolk, and will be the likely candidate should a call-up situation arise. Riku Helenius is also available, but reports indicate Tokarski out played the Finn in training camp.

Like the rest of the team, the goalie situation is looking much better, and the possibility of a playoff berth is not out of the question should these two goalies be able to at least adequately hold the fort.

The Predictions:

There is no doubt that this is a much improved team, at least on paper. Having seen them once live, their power play looks lethal, they can move the puck and the big guns look motivated. I would put their ceiling as somewhere between 7th and 8th in the East. I don’t think they knock off either Carolina or Washington, but I bet they leapfrog both Florida and Atlanta. I would anticipate that they would need about 89 points to accomplish this feat.

As a floor, if the wheels come off and the injury bugs sets in, I would place this team no farther down the standings than 11th. They simply have too much depth up front to free-fall. The wild-card is the Olympics. With many Lightning players either on a team or on a bubble, how they perform before and after is going to have a huge impact. Should be fun to watch either way.

Having only seen the Oilers on a web feed so far this pre-season, I was excited to see them live in action. They easily fulfilled the “live” part, but the “action” was pretty sparse. Despite erasing a 2-0 deficit and holding a lead for about a period, the Oilers effort last night left me a little cold.

The first period was by far the worst, with several defensive miscues and about 9 forwards who seem to think they are irreplaceable in the lineup. The first Lightning goal featured a defensive breakdown of epic proportions, as Ryan Malone was all alone in front to tuck in a rebound. The Oilers penalty kill let them down on goal #2, as Martin St. Louis wired an Alex Tanguay feed to increase the deficit to 2-0.

The Oilers clawed back with a nice power play goal by Robert Nilsson, who is making a strong case to stay on the team. Andrew Cogliano converted a partial breakaway to make it 2-2 after being sent in on a stretch pass by Denis Grebeskov. Tom Gilbert buried the third goal on a wrist shot from the high slot after a nifty feed from Gilbert Brule, who picked a covvenient time to show up.

Holding the lead until the wee moments of the game, the Oilers passed up several chances to put the Lightning away on the powerplay, and the 5 on 5 play was mediocre at best, with only Ryan Stone and Robert Nilsson putting in consistent efforts. Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers, who was a little shaky on the St. Louis goal, effectively barred the door for most of the 2nd and 3rd, twice stoning Steven Stamkos from close range.

While I will comment on the power-play in a separate post, the Oilers penalty kill is worthy of a quick mention. While the penalty killers (Brule, Stone, Moreau, Reddox and even Penner) were not terrible, they had no answer for the puck possession and quick puck movement of the Lightning forwards. Furthermore, the Oilers continued difficulty in the faceoff circle would haunt them, as an ill-timed Steve Staios penalty in the offensive zone with 10 seconds to play in OT gave the Lightning the win. A quick face off win by the Bolts, followed by a heads up pass to St. Louis for a slap shot that he simply blew by Deslauriers ended the Oilers night.

The lines and pairings broke down as follows:

Cogliano-Gagner-Nilsson- Easily the best trio of the night. Ethan Moreau started out with this unit, but was very lacklustre and was soon replaced with Robert Nilsson, who had all kinds of jump. They provided most of the offense and clearly like playing with each other. They could use a little more size on the PP, but they move the puck well and Cogliano looks better on the wing.

Penner-Schremp-Eberle- All of them did some things individually and Penner played well in 4 on 4 situations with Brule. Schremp is trying way too hard and is a little snake bit. Eberle is talented but needs a little seasoning, and Penner needs Horcoff and Hemsky.

Moreau-Brule-Stone- The second best unit on the night, for my money. Moreau was mostly invisible save for one shot he rang off the iron. Stone was the best of this trio, and plays a rough and tumble game with some offensive upside. He hits a lot and that is skill that is rare on this roster. Brule showed some flashes, but also disappeared for stretches at a time. He did have a real nice pass to Gilbert for the 3rd goal.

MacIntyre-Stortini-Reddox- The 4th line bunch didn’t see the ice much, but they competed every shift. Reddox skates miles covering for MacIntyre, who often put himself out of position trying to kill someone. Stortini did ok in spot duty at centre, and was a bit of an agitator. Reddox also saw duty on the PK, where he did quite well.

Visnovsky-Smid- The de facto first pairing, they played a pretty decent game, save for their miscue on the first goal. Smid is developing into a pretty good shut down guy, and opposing players don’t get much when he is out there. Visnovsky was his usual smooth self, and really needed some help on the PP. The only one with a clue out there.

Chorney-Gilbert- The two former collegians played pretty well together, and Gilbert is showing an increased offensive acumen. As a former Chorney fan, and recent Chorney detractor, I was very pleased with his game. He is staying within his comfort zone and is thriving as a result. Skates well and making nice passes, he also did well on the PP. I have no problem with him as the 7th defender.

Grebeshkov-Staios- Steady Steve played a solid game and was pretty physical for an exhibition game. I still like how Grebeshkov plays, but he was really fighting the puck last night, which cost the Oilers a lot of precious time on the power play.

Deslauriers- I really have no idea about goalies, but found his performance adequate. He was suspect on the two St. Louis goals, which were stoppable in my opinion. The 3rd lightning goal was redirected, and the first one he could have used some defensive help. That said, he made up for these possible miscues with several big time saves. Looks like he wants the backup job in the worst way.

First off, I have to say that I am thankful that the Lightning dressed basically their entire regular season roster for the game.  In the lineup for Tampa Bay was Vincent Lecavalier, Alex Tanguay, Martin St. Louis, Steve Stamkos, Victor Hedman and every other significant Bolt you can think of.

Here are my thoughts on the Bolts’ forwards from last night’s contest:

• Martin St. Louis is the heart and soul of this team.  He never stops working, is always in the right position, is smart with the puck and makes everyone around him look better.  He is, in my opinion, a shoe-in for Team Canada.  In fact, when asked about St. Louis last night, Tocchet touched on how lucky Team Canada will be to have him in Vancouver.
• Playing center for St. Louis the majority of the game was Steven Stamkos.  Stamkos makes the game look easy with his fluid stick-handling and lethal shot.  It looks like his confidence has carried over from the second half of last season, just by the way he carries himself, both on and off the ice.
• Logging minutes with the aforementioned two stars was Ryan Malone.  First, I have to say how impressed I was with Malone’s willingness to compete and stir it up in an exhibition game.  He was intense from the outset and went to the net hard at almost every opportunity.  His presence was a nice complement with Stamkos and St. Louis.
• The “second” line on the Bolts was centered by Vincent Lecavalier.  He looks healthy, as compared to last season, and seemed visibly excited about the real games beginning.  Additionally, he has demonstrated some nice chemistry with Alex Tanguay and that secondary scoring should be a big boost for the Bolts.  “He’s a great player, great guy and I’m happy to have him,” said Lecavalier when I asked him about Tanguay’s addition to his left side.
• Speaking of Tanguay, he looked quite comfortable on Lecavalier’s left side last night.  “I can’t believe he was still available,” Lecavalier told me after last night’s game in reference to the Bolts being able to sign the former Hab late in the summer.  Tanguay’s addition now gives the Bolts two solid scoring lines for other teams to watch out for.  “He brings a lot of depth to the team,” explained Lecavalier.
• Playing alongside Lecavalier and Tanguay for a significant portion of last night’s game was Steve Downie.  Downie, as most people know, is a known head-hunter.  He certainly brings an energy to the table and can handle the puck a bit, but he needs to cut down on his racing around the ice for the big hit because it takes him out of position.
• Of the Bolts’ depth forwards, one player stood out to me and that was Brett McLean.  He was by far and away the most energetic player on the ice and sure looked hungry to make the team.  To me, he stood out more than any of the team’s other depth forwards–well, maybe aside from Todd Fedoruk’s monster hit on Tom Gilbert.

Here are my thoughts on the Bolts’ defensemen from last night’s contest:

• Victor Hedman has the poise of a ten-year veteran.  The 18 year old Swedish defenseman has a Pronger-esque presence on the ice and is confident in his decisions.  Coach Tocchett seems to be awfully impressed with the youngster (he discussed his ability to play both the left and right defense spots last night), although in his post-game interview he did stress that Hedman has to cut down on his risky cross-ice passes.
• Hedman’s partner Kurtis Foster was a great pick up by GM Brian Lawton.  He is not the fleetest of foot, but he possesses a lethal shot from the point (the main reason why he quarterbacks the power play) and makes generally smart decisions around the ice. 
• Andrej Meszaros has the talent to be a far better defenseman than he is.  He can skate, shoot and pass but lacks consistency.  He seems focused for a few minutes then makes a terrible decision or two under no real pressure from the opposition.
• Meszaros’s partner last night was Mattias Ohlund.  I will admit, I did not like the Ohlund signing in the summer (although most did) and I still don’t like it.  Ohlund has lost a step in my opinion and his speed, or lack thereof, may be a big trouble point for the Bolts during the season–as they try and ease in Hedman with second pair minutes.
• Playing the left side on the team’s third pairing was Lukas Krajicek.  Krajicek is a good skater and makes some nice outlet passes but does not bring too much else to the table.  I don’t seem him playing any significant minutes this season and he will probably find himself on the outside looking in more often than not.
• Rounding out the team’s defense was off-season acquisition Matt Walker who plays a rough and tough game and brings a nice physical edge to the blue line.  He isn’t as skilled as most of his teammates but he works hard and provides some much-needed toughness.

Here are my thoughts on the Bolts’ goaltending from last night’s contest:

• Mike Smith is a very athletic and solid netminder.  He positions himself well and does not appear to mind a big workload.  I asked Coach Tocchet about Smith’s willingness to play the puck even after last year’s concussion issues and he seemed happy that Smith did not seem to have concussion issues on his mind but hinted that he’d prefer Smith be a little more judicious when it comes to his puck-playing decisions.

Here are my thoughts on the Bolts’ coaching from last night’s contest:

• Considering this team has been on the longest exhibition road trip known to man, I was thoroughly impressed by the team’s work ethic all night.  These guys seem to like Tocchet and were playing hard for him.  There was also a bigger commitment to defense last night than I saw many times last season.  So, it looks like Tocchet has these guys moving in the right direction.

Here is an excerpt from my Panthers preview:

It was not exactly a storybook summer for the Florida Panthers. There was the pending sale of the team for fans to deal with and the team’s best defenseman, Jay Bouwmeester, was traded to Calgary on draft day because GM Randy Sexton knew he would not be able to sign the Alberta native to a long-term deal once free agency hit. Losing a player of Bouwmeester’s caliber would be a vital loss to any team, but will it be especially crippling for a Panthers team that did not spend up to the salary cap?

Read the entire preview here.

Here is an excerpt from my Hurricanes preview:

Was last season’s run to the third round a fluke, or are the Hurricanes primed to carry that momentum into next season? That is the question floating around the minds of hockey fans in North Carolina. Last season, the Hurricanes struggled through the first half of the season, but after a coaching change and the re-acquisition of Erik Cole, the team took off and did not stop its momentum until running into the eventual Stanley Cup champion Penguins in the Eastern Conference final.

Read the entire article here.

The IC picks across the board are:

The Florida Panthers actually only missed the playoffs by one point last season, but the fact remains that the last time the Panthers made the playoffs, Pavel Bure led the team in scoring and Robert Svehla was the backbone on defense.  Needless to say, Panther fans in Sunrise, Florida are getting restless.  Aside from the Sawgrass Mills Shopping Mall across the street, there hasn’t much action going on these days at the BankAtlantic Center in April.

With Jay Bouwmeester traded in the off-season to Calgary, and the Panthers having no free agent activity, improvement will have to come from within.  Expect another tough season in the Sunshine State unless the young Panther forwards can finally blossom and their defense can remain healthy.  Oh, and hiring a full-time GM isn’t a bad idea either.

Forwards:

Can Nathan Horton finally deliver on his potential? (Image from Flickr)

Up front, it will once again be a group effort to pop the goals in, leg by a young cast of characters with amazing potential.  Unfortunately, most of these youngsters have yet to bloom and mature.  Leading goal scorer David Booth is coming off of a very impressive 31 goal season, and will be counted on once again to be one of the leaders in the goal scoring department.  Nathan Horton took a bit of a step back last year, and will need to remain healthy and play a full 82 game schedule should the Panthers have any hope at a post-season berth.  Although experts have been saying Horton has the potential to score 40 goals, he has yet to fulfill this promise that had scouts drooling when he was drafted 3rd overall in 2003.  It’s safe to say the experiment of Horton playing centre is now officially over, after last year’s campaign.  Expect him to move back to his natural wing position this year.

The diminutive Stephen Weiss remains the Panthers’ top centre, another young player yet to deliver on his potential, although he did lead the Panthers with 61 points scored this past year.  New acquisition Steve Reinprecht will fit in nicely as a second line centre; however, he is more suited to a third line checking role.  His leadership presence on a young Panthers team is the intangible that he brings to the table.  Other top wingers include another up and comer Michael Frolik who had a phenomenal 45 point rookie season, along with aged veteran Cory Stillman.  The departed Richard Zednik’s leadership and speed will both be missed on this young team.

Looking at the Panthers’ bottom six forwards, Rusty Olesz has the most talent.  After two sub-par seasons for a former 7th overall draft pick, he needs to get his act together this year.  Other forwards include youngsters Kamil Kreps, Michal Repik, and the highly-touted Shawn Matthias, previously acquired in the Todd Bertuzzi deal with Detroit a few years ago.  Look for Florida to give Matthias a shot as a second line centre early on (and move Reinprecht to the third line), along with some second tier power play time to get his NHL career in motion.  Given Matthais’ brutal AHL campaign (20 points in 61 games with Rochester), he has his work cut out for him.  Reports have suggested that Matthais dropped some pounds in the off-season, so perhaps he is finally ready to hit South Beach with avengence.  2009 top pick Dmitry Kulikov is most likley not ready for NHL action at this point either.  Other depth forwards are Gregory Campbell, and of course the ultimate Panther, Radek Dvorak.

Defense:

The loss of Jay Bouwmeester obviously creates a large void on the Panthers’ blueline, not to mention veterans Karlis Skrastins, and Nick Boynton who never got along with the Panther coaching staff and signed with Anaheim this summer.  However, there is still some optimism with this defense group with the likes of Bryan McCabe and Keith Ballard leading the troops.

Bryan McCabe will get top minutes now that Bouwmeester is out of the picture. (Image from the National Post)

Combined with Jordan Leopold, Bryan Allen, and Ville Koistinen, the Panthers’ boast a nice mixture of finesse, offense, and sandpaper from the backend.  If the Panthers want to even have a sniff at a post-season birth, their defense will need to limit the amount of rubber Tomas Vokoun faces, as this team is notorious for giving up a lot of shots against.  A healthy Bryan Allen and Jordan Leopold, both who have had injury troubles in the past, will go a long way in helping this process.  Christian Backman and Martin Skoula have both been invited to Panther training camp (opening in Halifax!) and Dennis Seidenberg is rumoured to be in in discussions with the team as well.   This sudden depth of the Panther D could mean blue chipper Keaton Ellerby will be hard pressed to crack the squad this season.

Goal:

After Craig Anderson’s breakout year, Vokoun must have initially been breathing a bit easier when his former counterpart signed with Colorado this summer.

Expect a heavy workload for Tomas Vokoun once again (Image from Sportsnet.ca)

However, new acquisition Scott Clemmensen will push Vokoun for playing time, and will provide some stiff competition.  Last year in relief of injured Martin Brodeur, Clemmensen managed 25 wins in 40 games – not too shabby for a career backup goaltender.  Vokoun looked out of it at times last year, and was likely warn out as the season progressed, so Clemmensen will provide Panther Coach Pete DeBoer with a nice option should Vokoun falter.

Predictions:

Ceiling – if the Panthers youngsters finally develop, Horton can pop 40 goals in, Booth continues is superb play, Shawn Matthias brings his game, and the backend holds up, the Panthers could be on the fringe of the playoff bubble and finish 9th in the East.

Floor – if Horton once again tanks, Stephen Weiss flounders, the young forwards provide no help, and the Panther D runs into injury trouble, then kiss the season goodbye with a 14th place Eastern Conference Finish.

• Landon Ferraro has impressed so far at Wings prospect camp.  It’s in the bloodlines, plus you always have to trust anyone that the Wings’ brass believes worthy of a high draft pick.
• Here is a look at Nikolai Khabibulin’s new Oilers helmet.  Nice looking mask.
• The Canucks don’t want this travel issue to affect the team’s already ridiculous travel schedule.  I see this situation getting worked out.
• Capitals prospect Joe Finley has apparently been injured on the first day of Capitals camp.  No word on the severity of the injury for the massive defenseman turned forward.

Here is an excerpt:

After a fairly disastrous 2008-09 season, the Tampa Bay Lightning can only move forward. For a team whose expectations were high prior to last season, a 14th place Eastern Conference finish, and a 29th overall finish in the NHL standings left much to be desired.

Over the summer, the Lightning did not make as many moves as it did last offseason, however, the moves the team did make were shrewder than last summer.

Moving forward, the Bolts have a 0.3% chance of winning the Stanley Cup (Puck Prospectus Rating) but there is certainly room to improve on a tumultuous first season under new ownership.

Read the entire preview here.

It’s amazing how a season can turn in the span of just a few seconds. Mere seconds away from a disappointing first round exit from the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the hands of the New Jersey Devils,  the Carolina Hurricanes went on a 180 degree emotional roller coaster from the agony of defeat to the thrill of victory culminating in an appearance in the Conference Finals before being eliminated by eventual Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Coming off such a successful season, let’s take a look at the Carolina Hurricanes entering the 2009-2010 NHL season.

Forwards

The Hurricanes, fresh off their conference finals appearance, appeared to go into the off season with a mentality (rightly so, I might add) that no big overhaul was needed, and instead focused on tinkering with a few of the depth players on their roster. That being said, there is always a risk in expecting previously disappointing players to replicate last year’s success. In short, the success of the ‘Canes (in my humble opinion) depends on if players like Sergei Samsonov, Tuomo Ruutu and Jussi Jokinen can match last year’s production.

The ‘Canes top line of Staal-Whitney-Brind’Amour will be counted on to produce the bulk of the Hurricanes offense. In addition to these big three, the Hurricanes get Eric Cole back for an entire year, having re-acquired him from Edmonton at last year’s trade deadline, and then re-signed him to a two year contract this off season.

The third and fourth lines, featuring quality depth players like Scott Walker, Tom Kostopoulous, Matt Cullen, and recently acquired Stephane Yelle, make the depth the Hurricanes have on forward one of the best in the entire National Hockey League. Factor in young players like Brandon Sutter, who is bound to improve from last year’s rookie season and subsequent concussing at the hands of Doug Weight, and Zach Boychuk, means the Hurricanes have youngsters on the horizon to keep their fan base tantalized with the taste of young potential.

Grade of Forwards: B+

Defensemen

The back end of the Carolina Hurricanes, very much emulates their team up-front in that there is no overwhelming superstar, rather the back end is just composed of solid defensemen, who know their roles and perform them at a very capable level.

The team relies on defensemen Joe Corvo and Joni Pitkanen to supply the offense from the back end. Both are capable, solid defensemen, who may not overwhelm you on the score sheet but at the same time they will not be defensive liabilities in the least bit (hello Mike Green!)

Tim Gleason and Nic Wallin, are also on the back end, and are counted on for a little offensive production. Gleason needs to shoot the puck a little more this year, as his 61 shots last season were the lowest total of his four year career. Much like Corvo and Pitkanen, they won’t overwhelm you offensively but when push comes to shove you can count on them to be productive and responsible all at once.

The grit on the back end is provided by recently re-acquired Aaron Ward and Andrew Alberts. Ward should fit in well back in Carolina, and assures that there is no lingering animosity between him and Scot Walker as a result of their altercation in last year’s playoffs. When both Ward and Alberts are on the ice, their opponents will be aware, as their offensive production will be minimal, but their bruising defensive style will leave opponents thinking twice about going into the corners, and will definitely leave them with some welts on their bodies.

The seventh defensive spot will be a constant battle between off season acquisition Jay Harrison and youngster Bryan Rodney. The team will miss the very much un-sung efforts of Dennis Seidenberg (30 points and a tremendous shot blocker) and the sixteen goals potted by Anton Babchuk.

Grade of Defensemen: B+

Goalie

The undisputed strength of the Hurricanes is between the posts, where only now after many years toiling in anonymity despite continued success, Cam Ward is being mentioned as one of the stars of the NHL’s goaltending class. Last year he posted 39 wins, after 37 the year before (definitely a positive trend), and with the team in front of him 40+ wins this season is not out of the question. Additionally, Ward should be extra motivated early in this season as with a strong performance he certainly has a good chance to be named to the Canadian Olympic team for Vancouver in February 2010.

Ward’s back-up, Michael Leighton, can certainly do a solid job for the 15 or so games he will start this year to give Ward a break. Not the best back up in the NHL, but Leighton seems to have found a comfort level in Carolina after a couple of rocky stints in Columbus and Philadelphia. If the ‘Canes can get 8-10 wins out of Leighton they will be pleased

Grade of Goaltenders: A

Overall

For a team that plays in an untraditional hockey market, the Canes have created quite a niche for themselves in Raleigh. Playing in front of their “Caniacs” for fans, the RBC Centre has become one of the toughest arenas to play in, especially for a visiting team come playoff time. Fortunately for the Canes (and unfortunately for their opponents), I see no way that they don’t secure themselves another playoff birth come April 2010.

While probably not the class of the Southeast Division, I see it being closer than many would think, and the Canes should easily secure 2^nd spot in the Southeast, only a few points in arrears of the Washington Capitals. More so, I would not be the least bit surprised to see the Canes secure the 4^th playoff spot and home-ice advantage in the Eastern Conference. With a coaching staff headed by the perennially underrated Paul Maurice, and a front office led by Jim Rutherford, the ‘Canes have become a model franchise of stability and solid performances.

Final Prediction (ceiling): 2^nd in Southeast division, 4^th in the Eastern Conference, and (at least) two very happy fans.

(floor): 2nd in Southeast division, 8th in Eastern Conference

The Atlanta Thrashers were a dismal 13th place last season, 17 points out of the 8th and final playoff spot.  This is a franchise that has only made the post season once since its inception back in 1999-2000.  Will they be able to continue the success they showed as last season winded down?  Have they done enough this summer to help them get past the status of perennial non-contender or are fans in Georgia going to have to suffer through a long, uninspired winter?  (on a positive note for Thrasher fans is that the winters are quite enjoyable, temperature wise, in Atlanta).  The good news for the Thrashers is that the Southeast Division, unlike the Central Division, has been won by a number of different teams over the last few years.  The bad news is the Washington Capitals are looking like the class of the division, Tampa Bay has improved and Carolina behind a healthy Cam Ward looks to be in contention once again.  

Forwards:

The Thrashers are led by high flying captain Ilya Kovalchuk who becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.  The good news for Thrashers fans is he seems to score goals regardless of who he is playing with.  The past four seasons he has scored 40+ goals (twice) and 50+ goals (twice).  If the trend of 50, then 40, 50, then 40 continues, this season he should manage to score 50+ goals again this season.  The Thrashers are still looking to sign the star forward to a long-term contract although he has said that he wants to see Atlanta’s commitment to winning before he will sign an extension.  GM Don Waddell said “I feel very confident that at some point — I don’t know when that point will be — but at some point, we will get a contract done”. 

Probably the biggest question marks for the Thrashers forwards isn’t whether Ilya can score, but whether he can make the other players around him better and whether Atlanta has enough secondary scoring to make them competitive with the other teams in the East?  Apparently when discussing forwards he would like to see on the team, Kovalchuk said “someone like Antropov” (who he played with during the lockout) and fortunately for him they signed Nik as a free agent.  (Adam Proteau of The Hockey News labeled this the 3rd worst free agent signing).  The expectation is that with Antropov on the right wing, Kovalchuk at left, and the reliable Todd White at center (although he could easily be exchanged for Rich Peverley) this line should produce next season.   Antropov was written off, after he had such a heralded start, and if ever there was a time for Nik to produce, it is now.  Not surprisingly the Thrashers thrived on the powerplay (especially Kovalchuk) finishing 11th last season and with big Nik Antropov in front, they should likely improve in this area.

Looking to the issue of secondary scoring the Falconer over at Bird Watchers Anonymous has made a very strong case for why Colby Armstrong will be the most valuable forward during even strength play.  Slava Kozlov, despite his age, is still an asset.  Brian Little had an excellent sophomore season and it should be exciting to watch as his impressive skill-set continues to develop.  Expectations will be high on Rich Peverley who contributed almost a point per game when he arrived from the Predators last January (Don’t expect that pace to continue but he does have some nice offensive skill). 

The general consensus regarding the #4 pick in this past season’s entry draft, Evander Kane, is that he will be starting the season with the big club.  He will likely be duking it out for 3rd line, left wing spot.  Expect him to get around 10 games in and unless he proves to be the next Jordon Staal he will likely be sent down for some more seasoning. 

The Thrashers appear to be lacking that powerful second line that can form a deadly one, two punch for Atlanta.  They have some nice role players and until we see how Kane and some of the other young guns develop, the offence will likely not be enough to give the Thrashers the boost they require.

Young guns Enstrom & Bogosian will shoulder a big load this season. Can they handle it? (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NHLI via Getty Images)

Defence:

The other big acquisition for Atlanta was the team’s trade for Pavel Kubina from the Leafs.  At 32 years of age, the 11 year pro was brought in to add some stability and experience to the young Thrasher defence.  While I question his defensive awareness at times, he is certainly an upgrade over some, for the Thrashers’ back-end.

The lion’s share of minutes would be taken by 24 year old Tobias Enstrom and 19 year old Zach Bogosian.  These two would be followed by Pavel Kubina and Ron Hainsey.  Followed by the final pairing of Boris Valabik and Anssi Salmela.

And what will the primary responsibility of these defenders be?  A number of things; 1) Improving the penalty kill.  Last season Atlanta was second last in preventing power play goals.  (only the Leafs proved more futile).  2) Preventing shots.  The Thrashers stunk in this area last season and it showed as they finished a paltry 27th, averaging 32.7 shots per game against.  Hopefully the steady influence of vets like Hainsey and Kubina will be enough to help the tall task given these young Thrashers defenceman.  However, Kubina and Hainsey are not always the most reliable in their own zone.

All eyes will be on Kari Lehtonen as he needs to seize the reins and show Atlanta that he is a #1 goalie. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NHLI via Getty Images)

Goal:

The goaltending situation hasn’t yet been set by the Atlanta coaching staff.  There will be four goalies competing at training camp for three spots.  Kari Lehtonen, who had unexpected offseason back surgery and is recovering is expected to be the number one goalie of the Thrashers.  Lehtonen’s save % (.911) was significantly better than Johan Hedberg (.886) and Ondrej Pavelec (.880).  GM Don Wadell surprised Thrasher fans by adding Drew MacIntrye, a proven AHL commodity.  Now Lehtonen is signed to a one year ($3 million) deal, which is likely a test to see if he can stay healthy (the most NHL games he’s played was 68 back in 2006-07) and keep the Thrashers in the playoff hunt.  The other three netminders will be playing for the role of back-up.  If the defence can prevent the millions of shots that Thrashers goalies are subjected to and Lehtonen can remain healthy, the goalie position could be the real wildcard for Atlanta next season. 

My Predictions:

Ceiling- If the stars align and Kovalchuk clicks with Antropov, the defence plays above its head and Lehtonen stays healthy and remains effective, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a third place finish in the Southeast Division and an 8th-10th finish overall in the Eastern Conference.

Floor- The Thrashers are likely a few good drafts choices away from really competing as an elite team in the NHL.  If the defence is given time to develop and Lehtonen can establish himself as the unequivocal #1, these guys will be able to challenge for the Southeast division title and could make waves in the playoffs.  However I just don’t think they currently possess enough firepower to compete with teams like Washington, Pittsburgh and Carolina.  So if I had to predict a finish for Atlanta it would be anywhere from 12th-15th in the East.

Thrasher Blogger Predicition:

In addition to the above analysis I thought it would be a good idea to get a quick thought from Thrashers bloggers.  These guys follow Atlanta through the ups and downs of each season, so who better to get a quick hit from them then?

the Falconer from Bird Watchers Anonymous said:
“Should compete for the playoffs and if they stay healthy qualify. Finished 9th in goals scored last season and could finish even higher this year with Antropov replacing unproductive Jason Williams/Erik Christensen.  The critical factor will be the goals allowed.  The Penalty Kill was a disaster zone last season.  Defense should be better with Kubina for Exelby swap.  If the Kovalchuk line can spend more minutes in the offensive zone that will aid the defense considerably.”

Aaron from Blueland Outsider said:
“Two points of definition for this years’ Atlanta Thrashers: chemistry and defense.  The 08-09 Thrashers didn’t click until the last 26 games of last year when they went on a tear of 16-9-1 to end the season. In the run was a pretty amazing (for the Thrashers, anyway) 9-4-0 home record. If they can keep that chemistry alive, the rest of the East needs to watch out. Offense was never the problem – Atlanta finished 7th overall in Goals For. What killed them last year was a total and utter abandonment of anything that even remotely resembled defense. At the beginning of the year, the Atlanta defense looked pretty solid: Schneider, Hainsey, Enstrom, Havelid, Exelby and some kid named Bogosian. This year, three of those names are missing, and Pavel Kubina has been added. Will the D rise up? Or will our goalies look like they just left the wrong end of the shooting range? Only time will tell…”

For a more expanded thought on why the Thrashers will do better this season, be sure to read Aaron’s latest article, Four Reasons the Thrashers will do better this season“.

Lisa from The Thrashers 411 said:
“With the new acquisitions & returning players, I am excited to see how well they come together as a team this season.  With the way the Thrashers ended the season so strong, this has given all Thrashers fans a new sense of optimism.  With the mix of young talent and veterans on the team look fr the Thrashers to have a breakout season.”