Category Archives: HTR Feature Article

Oil Spill, NHL's Cap for 2008-2009, Weekend of the Rat

Oil spill in the NHL, what should Kevin Lowe really do.

NHL’s cap for 2008-2009; where it should be and why.

Weekend of the Rat! A great day in South Florida.

Free Agent aquisitions, good or bad?

Here’s just a little outlook of what has occurred in the 2007 Off-Season and just how improved teams are now, heading into the 2007-08 NHL season:

Western Conference Outlook

Since the East has been done now, let’s take a look at the west.

Central Division

Detroit Red Wings- Continue to be a dominating force in the Western Conference. Although they lost Schneider, they gained a mirror image in Rafalski. Now that they landed Hasek, expect them to challenge for the conference once again. Although they lost Lang, and Bertuzzi, it shouldn’t be a huge deal. 

Eastern Conference Outlook

Now that the draft is over and the major part of free agency concluded, it’s a good time to take an early look at how the Eastern Conference is shaping up. This isn’t a prediction of where teams will finish necessarily, but just a look at how teams will fare in the upcoming season.

Zubrus Inks 6-Year Deal with Devils

Top story of the day: The New Jersey Devils have signed centre Dainius Zubrus to a 6-year contract worth $3.4M a season.

Also, the Devils have signed former Ranger defenseman Karel Rachunek to a one year deal, $1.5M, accroding to RDS.

Analysis: July 1

You hear that? The sound of cash registers….

Who's Left?

Here are the best UFA’s still available, courtesy of Globe and Mail’s James Mirtle blog.

FA Market in Three Days, Balsillie Loses, Rumor Monger Scout

It’s that time of the year again where the GMs play and the players relax, at least…most of the players. It must be quite a feeling to be a player…say of Ryan Smyth’s caliber and just sit on the couch, looking at the date and say to yourself “Man, in three days I will be destined to become a millionaire.” How about that huh? Anyway, some teams to look at.

Jim Balsillie is apparently losing the bid. Sure, the NHL will risk moving to Kansas City, but who gets the blame?

And….someone replies, via e-mail, from a rumor monger’s Web site. I’ll call him the rumor monger scout who scouted my articles. Geee, I wonder where he came from.

Some rumors are just getting out of hand. Some are possible, it’s best to just speculate.

Free Agents 08-09

While the focus of a lot of the teams golfing is which free agents will we sign this summer? Well, maybe you should wait till next summer to make a big splash, as its a much better crop:

Congratulations Anaheim DUCKS!

Congrats to the Anaheim Ducks and their fans for winning the 2007 Stanley Cup championship. Sorry Canada, it’s not coming home yet again for at least another year.

It was a great series as far as officiating, goals, physical play, and skill. Congrats to Chris Pronger and Selanne for winning it their first time ever. Congrats to GM Brian Burke who took this team and turned it into a winner in just two years.

It’s been a great season and another great season here on HockeyTradeRumors.com. You, the members, rock and we’ll continue speculation excitement in about two weeks with the Entry Draft.

Congrats all, CHEERS!

Wings Will Need Help to Stay Near the Top

The Detroit Red Wings were close, but close is definitely not good enough in Hockeytown. Nothing less than a championship will suffice in Detroit. Well the fans will have to wait another year for another crack at it after losing out to the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference Final.

Playoffs Hockey, Non Playoffers Part Deux, Bettman

Hello fellow hockey fans and happy new week to the year. It’s playoffs hockey, but before I get to that, I think the non-playoff teams from the West deserve some very general coverage. Besides, I’d like to hear what those fans think of their teams as well.

Playoffs hockey is the real talk, though, and now that a couple of games have been played there is no need for me to act like an “expert” in analyzing the obvious as others do on TV before the playoffs started.

Annnnnnd……….. Gary Bettman. Yes, this is going to be quite controversial and I dare you to read!

Postseason – East Preview

While Toronto and the N.Y. Islanders have yet to decide which of them will get into the postseason, the other seven teams have been decided. Let’s take a look at the teams in the East and what to expect in hockey’s second season…

While the Colorado Avalanche may have something to say about it, the Western Conference is pretty much set. Let’s take a look at some of the teams and what to expect in hockey’s second season…

Two Weeks 2 Go! ***Revised for NYI

Two weeks to go and a good look at the East, yet the West is starting to give something interesting as well.

New Super Arena, Same Super Ownership

On the heels of the announcement that the Pittsburgh Penguins would be staying in the Steel city thanks to a new $290 million arena in the works, it was announced today that Mario Lemieux has taken the Penguins off the market, and he and his partners have no plans to sell the team.

When this season got started, Evgeni Malkin was the runaway winner for the Rookie of the Year Calder trophy, this article is in no way trying to take away from what Malkin has done this year, he is fantastic. I am simply trying to shed light on an amazing player that has come out of nowhere: Paul Stastny.

Raycroft is not Cujo or Belfour…get that through your head

Fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs have put WAAAAAY too many expectations on Raycroft and I would like to hear your reasons why.

Just for your information…