Monthly Archives: January 2014
Major trades, coaching changes, teams playing spoiler and their possible impact on predicting wins
Over the course of the next month or so many hockey players are likely to change teams. Some of the players include Hemsky, Miller, Mike Cammalleri amongst others. One of the interesting things about player trades besides the fact that there are some teams gearing up for the cup and others selling players to make their team better is the notion of how trades may effect sports betting, hockey in particular.
Do you suppose would be trading partners noticed Ales Hemsky’s strong game in Chicago?
Edmonton Oilers’ winger Ales Hemsky has sat in a barber’s chair recently and his hair is so short you’d swear he was going for a job interview. Which, in a way, he is, although how his hands look might well be more important than how his hair looks to any rival general managers if they have a hankering to trade for the unrestricted free-agent.
As much as the Oilers have noticed the buy-in from Hemsky, who has had no gripes about being a third-liner this season, often playing with centre Boyd Gordon, with some second unit powerplay gravy, anybody watching Hemsky roar around the best defenceman in the NHL, Duncan Keith, Sunday night in Chicago, had to be impressed. Great rush, and a nifty tuck under the pads of Hawks’ rookie goalie Antti Raanta, who was flummoxed on the play.
Should the Jets trade a core player for a goalie?
It is GM’s Kevin Cheveldayoff’s mandate to improve Winnipeg’s goaltending. Ondrej Pavelec is under contract for three more seasons, but the 26-year-old Pavelec is showing no signs of changing who he is: an up-and-down goalie who undermines the three saves he shouldn’t make with the one stop he should. Winnipeg’s identity is high-tempo, offense-first skill. Mistakes will happen in those types of systems. Pavelec isn’t good enough to negate them. There are goaltending options.
Could the Habs trade Briere to the Devils for Volchenkov?
Randy Miller of NJ.com makes a case for the New Jersey Devils to acquire veteran winger Daniel Briere from the Montreal Canadiens, saying that Briere may not be happy with his playing situation in Montreal, could be a top-line centre with the Devils and would be closer to his sons who live in Haddonfield, New Jersey.
Wheeling and Dealing
Matheson also reports the Pittsburgh Penguins would like to acquire Winnipeg Jets winger Blake Wheeler to play with Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz on the team’s first line.
Avalanche GM Joe Sakic has a big decision to make with centre Paul Statsny before the March 5 trade deadline
Avalanche GM Joe Sakic has a big decision to make with centre Paul Statsny before the March 5 trade deadline.
Jets talking trade
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has been engaged in numerous trade discussions with several clubs, including the likes of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins, among others.
Could the Hurricanes look to move Cam Ward?
Would the Carolina Hurricanes ever consider trading goalie Cam Ward, who has two years left on his deal ($6.3-million salary-cap hit)? They like Russia’s Anton Khudobin and farmhand Justin Peters gave them good work when rushed into the net with Ward and Khudobin out.
Jets fire head coach Claude Noel
The Winnipeg Jets have fired head coach Claude Noel after just over two seasons behind the bench and hired Paul Maurice as his replacement.
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Calgary Flames-watchers anxiously awaiting Brian Burke’s next move
“We know we have a bunch of unrestricted free agents and Burkie will want to improve the team, that’s for sure. Burkie will make decisions — just like me, just like everybody else — for the best of the organization. Obviously, there is going to be some question marks. There is going to be some speculation.”
There is going to be — there has to be, right? — trades.
NHL Sunday Toronto Maple Leafs looking for help up front, could be willing to unload a defenceman
Dave Nonis is described as patient.
His is being put to the test big-time by the Toronto Maple Leafs. After falling out of a playoff position, league sources say the club’s GM has been working the phones hard trying to find some depth up front to help the struggling club.
Lots of big names on the trade block
On the block: Moulson Cammalleri Jokinen Setoguchi Boyes Gardiner Kadri. Habs need a 3D & big body RW. No cap space so must lose $ too.
— BrianWilde (@BWildeCTV) January 11, 2014
Leafs open to making a blockbuster trade
TSN Hockey analyst Bob McKenzie said on TSN Drive with Dave Naylor that he believes Nonis will trade forward Nazem Kadri or defenceman Jake Gardiner if Nonis acknowledges that head coach Randy Carlyle will not use those players. However, McKenzie notes that before the trading either Kadri or Gardiner the Leafs would have to be sure they are staying with Carlyle as coach long-term. McKenzie adds Nonis currently has no appetite for a coaching change but could make one if the Leafs continue to struggle.