2013-2014 Florida Panthers...

what do Tomas Kopecky,and Tomas Fleischmann have in common? they are teammates on the Florida Panthers... the Panthers are a team who have very few stars,except for Jonathan Huberdeau,who is a phenom on skates,but the Panthers have a blue collar core of gritty players... Sean Bergenhelm,Scotty Upshall,and Kris Versteeg,who won a Stanley Cup,with the Chicago Blackhawks,in 2010,are the offensive core of the team... on defense,they have Ed Jovanovski,their captain,Dmitry Kulikov,who is a young speed demon,on skates,but not with hands like Huberdeau(but who does?),Alex Petrovic,and Brian Campbell,who also won the Stanley Cup,in 2010,with Kris Versteeg,in Chicago... the goaltender is Scott Clemmensen,a good backup for New Jersey,behind Martin Brodeur,so,at least,he had good tutoring,but at 36 years old,can he hold up,throughout the 82 game season??? when your team hypes a game,against the Tampa Bay Lightning,as a BIG game,you are going to be an interesting team to watch this season...

2013-2014 Tampa Bay Lightning...

how do i describe Steven Stamkos??? answer:a goal scoring machine... two seasons ago,he scored sixty goals,and the Tampa Bay Lightning have some interesting pieces of the team... in the front office,they have Hall of Fame member,and general manager Steve Yzerman,who spent years learning the trade under Red Wings' general manager Ken Holland,who is the best general manager in the NHL(my opinion)... they have rough and tough Victor Hedman,on defense,Martin St. Louis,and a former Red Wings' player,in Valtteri Flippula,on offense... they have three serviceable goaltenders,in Ben Bishop,Anders Lindback,and Mathieu Garon... Garon has the most experience,but at age 38,it is risky to put him in net... Bishop,and Lindback have the most talent,but both have very few games,in their NHL careers... both have won games in net,in the NHL... Bishop is 6'7",and Lindback is 6'6",and both cover the net like a cat... Bishop,or Lindmark,has the upper hand,in net,so flip a coin,but also do not surprised,if Garon starts in net,opening game... offensively,they can put the puck in the net,but can they stop the puck from going into their own net... it takes better team defense than a huge goaltender,because pucks have to be stopped,and shots need to be blocked... i am afraid that high scoring games will be the normal thing to see,in Tampa,this season...

NHL news...

Joe Pavelski,and the San Jose Sharks agreed to,and signed,a five year,$30 million contract extension...

the 2013-2014 Boston Bruins...

with new additions of Loui Eriksson,from the Dallas Stars,and Jarome Iginla,from a cup of coffee with the Pittsburgh Penguins,and most of his career,with the Calgary Flames,the Boston Bruins have a team that went to the Stanley Cup Finals,against the Chicago Blackhawks,and lost in six memorable games(should have been seven games),the Bruins are the best team in the Atlantic Division... only weakness of the Bruins is in goal,and yet,Tuukka Rask had a career year on statistics,in goal,but the best goaltenders have very good numbers,year after year... with Zdeno Chara,and Johnny Boychuk,on defense,and with Patrice Bergeron,Milan Lucic,David Krejci and Brad Marchand on offense,the Bruins will be the team to beat,going into the 2013-2014 NHL season,in the Atlantic Division... Rask's numbers(19 wins,10 regulation losses,with 5 overtime/shootout losses,with five shutouts,a 2.00 goals against average(G.A.A.),with a save percentage of .929),are his second best of his NHL career,except in 2009-2010 when he was backup to Tim Thomas... his playoff numbers were very good:in 22 games,he had 14 wins,8 losses,a goals against average of 1.88,with a save percentage of .940,with three shutouts(and he lost)... great numbers,but can he repeat those numbers year after year???

comments...

i truly miss NHL hockey right now... the offseason in NHL land really sucks,period... i will be back into giving a breakdown of the Atlantic Division(very odd to even type that),the division that the Red Wings landed in the Eastern Conference,starting tomorrow... sorry,i have felt very tired,and worn out the last few days... i will be pumped up getting closer to the 2013-2014 NHL season,but right now,zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!

tough guys play hockey...

talk about being tough... Michal Handzus,of the Chicago Blackhawks,played in the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals,against the Boston Bruins,with a broken wrist,and a torn medial collateral ligament(MCL)...

commentary...

NHL.com came up with the top ten games of the 2013 season,three games involve the Red Wings:February 10th:Detroit 3,then defending Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings 2:Kings scored with 40.1 seconds left in the first period to halve a 2-0 lead,but then Red Wings score with 4.5 seconds left in the period,to go up 3-1,after one period... May 2nd:Detroit 5,Anaheim Ducks 4,game two,opening round Stanley Cup playoffs:Red Wings go up 4-1,with about thirteen minutes to play in game,but Anaheim scored three goals,in 7:20,in game time,to tie game at four,but a slashing penalty by Sheldon Souray forced the Ducks to try to kill off a power play in overtime... they failed,losing 1:21,into overtime,as the Red Wings split game one and two,in Anaheim,to take an even series back to Motown... May 29th:Chicago Blackhawks 2,Detroit 1,game seven,Western Conference Semi-Finals:the Blackhawks,and the Red Wings fought into overtime,and then Brent Seabrook ended the Red Wings' season,3:55 into overtime... note:it is only time in their 87 year history that the Blackhawks won a series after being down,3-1,in games(hate to admit:it was impressive)... i have to agree that NHL.com got the top ten list right,this time...

respect Joel Quenneville...

the Chicago Blackhawks have extended their head coach Joel Quenneville's contract to the 2016 2017 NHL season... i have to give him props for his 222-106-44 record,including a 46-29 playoff record,with two Stanley Cups,in last four years... he has an overall coaching record of 660-389-162,best among active coaches,and sixth in NHL history... i do not like the Blackhawks,at all,but i would be a fool not to respect their head coach...

NHL news...

the Winnipeg Jets both signed Blake Wheeler to a six year,$33.6 million contract,and Bryan Little to a five year,$23.5 million contract...

commentary...

it was shocking on NHL Draft Day to see that the Vancouver Canucks traded goaltender Cory Schneider to New Jersey,but now general manager Mike Gillis says that he has full confidence in goaltender Roberto Luongo,after a three and a half hour meeting at Luongo's home in Florida... i honestly believe that it will be all right for the Canucks,but there was definite bad blood between the Canucks and Luongo,when Schneider was promoted during the Stanley Cup playoffs and throughout the season,and playoffs,there were rumors that Luongo was going to be traded,before Schneider,and the rumors were so strong that Luongo had honestly thought he was gone from Vancouver,and literally had said goodbye to the fans... now,Vancouver has a problem,in smoothing out real hard,and hurt feelings,between Luongo,and the team...

comments on a taxpayer soaking...

despite Detroit's bankruptcy,the Michigan Strategic Fund approved the Detroit Downtown Development Authority's request for funds for a new arena for the Red Wings... the arena will cost $450 million to build,and is supposed to be completed in 2017,and will be 58% publicly financed... my opinion:even though,the Red Wings really need a new arena,i am really upset that the taxpayers(how many are there?)of Detroit get really hammered... what a shame,Red Wings!!!!!!

NHL update...

the NHL do expect that the Scotiabank Saddledome,in Calgary,Alberta to be ready for preseason games,for the Flames,after the City of Calgary was flooded in a major flood,that actually flooded the first floor of the building(what a picture!!!!!!!)...

NHL news...

the Toronto Maple Leafs signed journeyman Paul Ranger to an one year,$1 million contract... he played for the Maple Leafs' American Hockey League Affiliate,the Toronto Marlies... he scored eight goals and had seventeen assists,for twenty five points,in fifty-one games,for the Marlies... he last played in NHL,with the Tampa Bay Lightning,in 2009-2010,in which he played in eight games...

NHL news...

the New Jersey Devils has signed Jaromir Jagr to an one year contract....

NHL.com oddities...

if you go on NHL.com right now,you find a few things,like Red Wings' head coach Mike Babcock being named Team Canada's coach for the 2014 Olympics,in Sochi,Russia,which was actually expected,but one thing that is on the website is not expected:the beginning of the 2013-2014 NHL season schedule,which oddly starts October 1st,2013,with an Atlantic Division matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs,at 7 pm.,east coast time-the very first game of the 2013-2014 NHL season... what is odd is that they have the first two days of the schedule-two and a half months early... Washington Capitals visit the Blackhawks,in Chicago,as they raise their Stanley Cup banner,and the Winnipeg Jets start their Western Conference schedule,against the Edmonton Oilers(the Jets had been in the Eastern Conference the first two years,after moving from Atlanta),also on October 1st... note:two teams moved from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference,at same time,as the Jets moving to the Western Conference:the Red Wings,and the Columbus Blue Jackets...

commentary...

the divisional names are just out:the two divisions,in the Eastern Conference are the Atlantic Division,which includes the Red Wings,and the Metropolitan Division,which includes the New York teams(Rangers,and Islanders),the Pennsylvania teams(Pittsburgh Penguins,and Philadelphia Flyers),the New Jersey Devils,Carolina Hurricanes,Columbus Blue Jackets,and the Washington Capitals... the Western Conference divisional names are exactly the same as last year:the Central Division,which includes the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks,and the Pacific Division,which includes the Anaheim Ducks,the Los Angeles Kings,and the San Jose Sharks... the 2013-2014 NHL season includes the fact that every team will visit every arena this season,which not always the case,because i believe the NHL wants to showcase the new schedule...

trivia...

what team got the proverbial shaft in terms of travel,in the new divisional realignment in the NHL? answer:the San Jose Sharks who will travel some 57,612 miles,in their 2013-2014 NHL season...

odd day,and yet amazing...

sorry,folks,yesterday,i had a rather strange day... my brother beat me in a three-handed cribbage game(more on that later)... the apartment laundry room was a case of unplugged washers,and total idiotic frustration(my own-lost money to the machines),until i figured out what happened... even though,i was on online,i was fighting a nasty sinus headache that made my head throb most of the time... simply said,i was amazed by my brother's cribbage play... he just picked up the game basically this year,and he is still improving... i think that i helped to create a real monster(laughing)... he mentioned the simple fact that he gave away four points to someone,in the game,which means he is understanding the game of cribbage quicker than i ever did,and i have been playing the game for almost forty five years,which is very scary,period,because he could become very good at the game,and that is amazing,period... lucky for him,he has some great tutors for the game of cribbage,in his family...

Happy Birthday,Pavel...

Pavel Datsyuk,of the Red Wings,turned 35 years old,today...

Red Wings/Sharks games,this season...

Red Wings play Sharks twice:at Detroit,October 21st,2013,and in San Jose,January 9th,2014...

commentary...

CSKA Moscow had offered Pavel Datsyuk a very good deal to go back to the KHL,before he re-signed with the Red Wings,but according to CSKA Moscow general manager Sergei Fedorov,a old teammate of his for three years,in Detroit,Datsyuk told him that,"he still wanted to improve,and he(Datsyuk)thought he had a better chance,in the NHL to improve"... for a guy,who is regarded to be the second best player,on the planet(behind Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby),that is a real statement to make,folks...

NHL news...

the 2013-2014 NHL season schedule is being delayed because of the 2014 Olympics(and they are ironing an agreement),and the simple fact that the NHL wants to use their players in Sochi,Russia,which starts in February,2014,and means that the NHL schedule would have,at least,a two week break for the Olympics...

comments...

in Division "D",there are eight teams,consisting of the Carolina Hurricanes,Columbus Blue Jackets,New Jersey Devils,New York Rangers,New York Islanders,Philadelphia Flyers,Pittsburgh Penguins,and the Washington Capitals... more of a finesse division,except for the Flyers,who are known as a rough and tough team...

blog statement...

i have taken the day off... be back tomorrow...

comments...

in Division "C",the Red Wings are in a division with the Tampa Bay Lightning,Florida Panthers,Buffalo Sabres,Montreal Canadiens,Toronto Maple Leafs,Ottawa Senators,and Boston Bruins... this is to tell you what teams i will "despise" next year,along with the Chicago Blackhawks,and,of course,the San Jose Sharks(laughing)... note:they have not given a name to the divisions,yet...

Red Wings' news...

the Red Wings and Brendan Smith agreed,and he signed,to a two year $2.525 contract,today...

comments...

i will go through both conferences in my NHL rankings starting tomorrow the Red Wings are in the Eastern Conference,finally,and in a very rough and tough division,so they be better prepared...

hockey is boring,right now(i love the game,people;really do)...

this is the time of the year that the NHL becomes boring,because i love to watch hockey,and there is no hockey at all,which is too bad... note:the KHL,in Europe,starts training camp later on this month... however,right now,i do not like talking about salaries,over many years of contracts,and that is boring as can be...

news...

the Boston Bruins rewarded Patrice Bergeron with an eight year contract,worth $52 million... simply said,he is one of the toughest NHL players,period...

a shock in New Jersey...

New Jersey Devils' Ilya Kovalchuk has shocked the Devils by retiring,effective immediately... he has walked away from the rest of his $100 million contract... he wants to go back to Russia...

2013 Hockey Hall of Fame inductees...

Fred Shero-head coach of two straight Stanley Cup Champions in Philadelphia,with the Flyers,in 1974-1975,nicknamed "the Broad Street Bullies"... Scott Niedermayer, who won four Stanley Cups(three with New Jersey-1995,2000,and 2003,and with Anaheim,in 2007),two time Olympic gold medalist,2002,and 2010,with Canada,a World Cup of Hockey gold medal,and a World Championship gold medal,in 2004,a World Junior Championship gold medal,in 1991,and a Memorial Cup,with the Kamloops Blazers,in 1992... he is the only player to win every North American and international championship,in history... Brendan Shanahan who won three Stanley Cups with Detroit(1997,1996,and 2002),and is NHL director of player safety,Geraldine Heaney who won seven World Women's Hockey Championships(1990,1992,1994,1997,1999,2000,and 2001),a Olympic gold medal in 2002,and a Olympic silver medal in 1998,and with Chris Chelios,who i mentioned earlier in this blog...

blog statement...

have a bad headache,but will be fine... blog is on one day hiatus...

NHL news,and commentary...

today,someone will get "the call" from the Hockey Hall of Fame today... one player up for induction,and certain lock is the NHL legend Chris Chelios,who played for the Red Wings,Chicago Blackhawks,Montreal Canadiens,and a cup of coffee,with the Atlanta Thrashers,becoming the second oldest player ever to appear in a NHL game at age 48,behind "Mr. Hockey" Gordie Howe,who played into his 50's... he won three Stanley Cups(1986-Montreal,2002,and 2008,with Detroit)and won three Norris Trophies(best defenseman),in 1989,1993,and 1996... he played 1,651 games,fifth best among defensemen,all-time... a certain Hall of Fame member... one of the few players still loved in Chicago,and Detroit!!!!!! more players will be called but i love Chelios... they will be also noted,today... if not called,it will be the biggest robbery,since the robbery at Idlewild airport,at the Lufthansa terminal...

Red Wings' preseason schedule...

the Red Wings have eight preseason games:at Pittsburgh Penguins:September 16th,2013,at Chicago Blackhawks:September 17th,2013,at Boston Bruins:September 19th,2013,Boston Bruins:September 21st,2013,Chicago Blackhawks:September 22,2013,Pittsburgh Penguins:September 25,2013,and the Toronto Maple Leafs:September 27th,2013,and at Toronto Maple Leafs:September 28th,2013...

blog statement

adios folks... day off... too nice outdoors...

commentary...

the additions of Daniel Alfordsson,and Stephen Weiss means two things for the Red Wings:their team offense,and power play should be better,because Weiss is a very good passer,and Alfordsson played many times with Red Wings' captain Henrik Zetterberg on many Swedish national hockey teams,and the Red Wings focused on Weiss in free agency,and reports say that Alfordsson got the cold shoulder,in the financial matters,until it was too late for the Senators to make a substantial offer on opening day of free agency... he had talked to Boston and Detroit before free agency,in general terms,so both teams were on the radar for a free agent contract,but honestly,it was a shock,and a good surprise,for the Red Wings...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings signed Stephen Weiss to a five year contract... he played for three seasons with the Plymouth Whalers,in the Ontario Hockey League... Plymouth is near Detroit...

Red Wings' news...

Daniel Alfordsson has signed an one year contract with the Red Wings... Alfordsson has played his entire career with the Ottawa Senators,and was their captain for fourteen years... he played 1,178 games with the Senators...

NHL news...

NHL free agency starts at midnight east coast time/9 pm. west coast time,tonight...

blog statement...

HAPPY 237TH BIRTHDAY USA!!!!!!!!!! happy 4th of July...

NHL news...

the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes from the NHL to a private owner is one step closer to being done... last night,the Glendale City Council approved the arena lease agreement to Renaissance Sports and Entertainment,also known as IceArizona... the agreement needs a yes vote by the NHL Board of Governors,which is basically a formality... if Glendale had said no to the agreement the NHL had prepared to move the franchise to Seattle,or Quebec City,reports say...

Red Wings' 2013 NHL draft picks...

second round:Zach Nastasiuk of the Ontario Hockey League's Owen Sound Attack,whose father Paul won the Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts,in 1991;Tyler Bertuzzi,Guelph Storm,of the OHL,and nephew of the Red Wings' Todd... third round:Mattias Janmark-nylen,AIK,Sweden... fourth round:David Pope,West Kelowna Warriors,British Columbia Hockey League... all first four draft picks,and the seventh round draft pick,are forwards... fifth round:Mitchell Wheaton,Kelowna Rockets,Western Hockey League... sixth round:Marc McNulty,Prince George Cougars,of the WHL... seventh round:Hampus Melen,Tingsryd,Sweden Junior....

commentary...

talk about tough??? Patrice Bergeron,of the Boston Bruins,played game six of this year's Stanley Cup playoffs,with a cracked rib,and cartilage damage in his left chest.... he separated his right shoulder during the game,and later on the medical personnel found that he had a punctured lung... hockey is a contact sport,and the best of the players play through pain...

blog statement...

i will post the Red Wings' 2013 NHL Draft picks later on today,or no later than tomorrow morning... a migraine is coming on... sorry for delay...

NHL news...

2013 Vezina Trophy(best goaltender)winner Sergei Bobrovsky,and the Columbus Blue Jackets agreed to a two year contract,worth $11.25 million....