Monthly Archives: January 2013

Who is the best goalie in the NHL right now.

[yop_poll id=”10″]

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Could the Coyotes be on their way to Seattle?

Look for the team to move to Seattle if the sale of the Sacramento Kings to hedge fund manager Chris Hansen and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is finalized. The NBA team’s prospective new owners want to move the Kings to Seattle where they plan on opening a new arena in two years. Two teams in one building is better economics. Quebec, the former home of the Colorado Avalanche, has also been mentioned as a viable place for the Coyotes to go. It is. Quebec City has broken ground on a new arena. But NHL commissioner Gary Bettman wants the league to be coast-to-coast. And with Jets moving from Atlanta to Winnipeg last season the NHL doesn’t want its sponsors and U.S. television partner, NBC Sports, thinking the league is contracting geographically.

Forbes.com

Jamison deal to buy Coyotes about to fall apart.

Various sources are reporting that the potential deal for Jamison to buy the Coyotes is falling apart. Today he was denied a lease extention which indicates that he is having serious difficulty coming up the the funds to purchase the NHL team.

STREIT HIGH ON FLYERS, RANGERS WISHLIST

One of the most coveted defenseman via trade is 35 year old New York Islanders d-man Mark Streit, NHL sources say. The Islanders off to a strong 3-2-1 start, are already getting calls on Streit from teams who are making their interest known were GM Garth Snow to put the pending free agent on the trade block at somepoint this season.

Two teams with significant interest is Atlantic Division rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers.

Roberto Luongo perfect as Canucks shut out Avalanche 3-0

Roberto Luongo threw a little gasoline on the goaltending controversy with another strong performance Wednesday night. A surprise starter, Luongo turned aside all 24 shots he faced to record his 61st NHL shutout.

He’s now played more minutes this season than Cory Schneider, who had been anointed Vancouver’s new starter last spring.

Many expect Schneider will start Friday night against the Blackhawks, who are 6-0-1 after losing 3-2 in a shootout to the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night. But many observers also thought coach Alain Vigneault would start Schneider against the Avalanche.

Vigneault wasn’t saying anything about his Friday starter after the game.

Luongo’s save percentage this season is .938 and his goals-against average is 1.61. Both are fourth best in the NHL.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Roberto+Luongo+perfect+Canucks+shut+Avalanche+with+video/7896378/story.html#ixzz2JZSIizlK

Ted Leonsis says Alex Ovechkin ‘needs to play better’

Whether or not the biggest problem for the Caps thus far has been Nicklas Backstrom’s lack of production, or Brooks Laich’s injury, or adjusting to Adam Oates, or poor special teams, the headline will always be “Ovechkin has just one goal through six games.”

So it was that owner Ted Leonsis was asked about his team’s, and his captain’s, slow start on WTOP Wednesday morning.

“Well, we’re concerned too,” Leonsis said. “I’m not so sure that [team] scoring’s gonna be an issue, but it has been to date. And Alex is off to a slow start….He’s having to get integrated into this new system….He needs to play better. I don’t have the answers. Obviously I’m not running the hockey operations. If I knew what to do, I would go see George and Adam, but I don’t, so they’re gonna have to work it out.”

Leonsis said when he talked with Ovechkin during the first few days after the lockout, they mostly discussed the winger’s offseason engagement to tennis star Maria Kirilenko. But Leonsis said he also asked Ovechkin about his biggest concern transitioning from the KHL back to the NHL, and Ovechkin mentioned the significant difference in rink size.

“He gets double-teamed all the time [in the NHL], so he has to keep moving,” Leonsis said. “And that’s the one thing I’ve noticed: when he doesn’t have a good game, he seems to be more stationary, and video coaches show him that.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2013/01/30/ted-leonsis-says-alex-ovechkin-needs-to-play-better/

SUBBAN MUST ACCEPT NEW RULES BEFORE REJOINING CANADIENS

Before gets back on the ice with the Montreal Canadiens, he better be ready to buy into a new philosophy.

The defenceman joined his team Wednesday in Ottawa for the first time since signing a two-year $5.75 million contract, but was not in the lineup for their game against the Senators.

He took part in the team’s optional morning skate, and admitted he wasn’t sure when he would play his first game.

It appears Subban has been given a clear message and if he plans on playing an integral role with the team he’d better accept the new set of rules.

“The first thing and I did was sit down with (Subban) and explain our philosophy and he understood where we’re coming from,” Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said. “It was a good, honest conversation with P.K. and we just want to make sure everyone is on the same page.”

Lots of teams calling about O’Reilly

Devils were interested in Gomez

The Devils were interested in bringing Scott Gomez back after the Montreal Canadiens bought out his contract. However, Gomez thought it would be better to play on the West Coast and signed with the San Jose Sharks.

There was also some interest in unrestricted free agent Petr Sykora, who ultimately signed with SC Bern in the Swiss League. Sykora would be eligible to sign with an NHL club when Bern’s season is over and prior to the April 3 NHL trade deadline, but he’d have to go through waivers.

http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2013/01/devils_no_immediate_decision_o.html

Did PK Subban Agree to the Best Deal?

The Star is reporting that PK Subban, the young star defensemen of the Montreal Canadiens, finally accepted a contract to rejoin his team for the shortened NHL season.  Before the NHL lockout, Subban was one of the most sought after players in the game due to his strength on the blue line, his ability to move the puck, and maintaining a respectful shot. ““It was about getting a deal done that was fair to both sides.””

Due to his well-rounded skill set, the Canadiens weren’t the only team interested in Subban – though they did get the first opportunity.  Other teams felt the enforcing young defensemen would add depth to their blue lines, and the trade rumours enticed betting activity from sports bettors and bookmakers.  Websites such as Onlinecasino.org discussed the Subban trade saga, and these rumours were the focus of bets at various online casino and sportsbetting sites.

Could Subban have gotten a better offer if he asked to be traded from Montreal?

Loktionov available

Habs may be looking to move a defenceman for more offense

While the Canadiens currently rank eighth in the NHL in goals-scored per game in the early part of the season, Habs GM Marc Bergevin wouldn’t mind adding a top-six winger, and with plenty of teams in the market for help on the backend, he could package a defenseman in order to obtain more offense.

The Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes are among the teams in the market for a defenseman, but the Habs aren’t the only club with a surplus of them.