376 replies to this topic

[mikeford]

And yet Glen Sather... still employed. Doesn't really seem fair to ol' Tom.

Hopefully the interim guy doesn't right the ship over there. But then, I lean towards doubting anyone could right a ship captained by Scott Gomez, Chris Drury and Wade Redden.

It's a fantastic year to hate the Rangers.

[NYCSox]

And yet Glen Sather... still employed. Doesn't really seem fair to ol' Tom.

Shhh ... keeping Sather around is the best thing that could happen. And after he gives Zherdev a ridiculous contract he'll have only enough money left to put SOSHers on the last two lines and on defense.

Edited by NYCSox, 23 February 2009 - 01:39 PM.

[Nuf Ced]

Let the speculation begin on the name of the next Rangers coach. TSN's Bob McKenzie says it could be John Tortorella; NY Post says former New Jersey Devils' coach Jim Schoenfeld, who works in the Rangers' front office, could be the choice.

[FL4WL3SS]

Laviolette would be a good choice for them.

[Mad Johnny]

Laviolette would be a good choice for them.

Torts would be great just because he'd probably strangle a Post reporter at some point.

[MoGator71]

I know my pick...

bTT-7Su7iaY

Torts or Laviolette would be fine choices though, probably better fits than Schoeny...

[Nuf Ced]

Sather has confirmed that the Rangers have a multi-year deal with Tortorella done.

http://www.nypost.co...ella_156591.htm

Edited by Nuf Ced, 23 February 2009 - 08:38 PM.

[NomarRS05]

And in a flash the Flyers have jumped out to a 4-2 lead over the Caps. Bruins fans - don't worry about the Caps in the playoffs. They can't advance past round two as currently constructed. They simply don't have the ability to lock down an opposing offense or slow down the rush. God help them if they have to face Philly in a seven game series.

[mikeford]

Brodeur is back in net tomorrow against the Avalanche.

Clemmensen got shipped back to Lowell. Apparently he had been on emergency recall for the past 4 months. Who knew you were allowed to do that?

[MoGator71]

Funny how teams have each other's number. The Flyers seem to have the Caps' number, but when they play Pittsburgh the Pens play like it's last year all over again.

[PedroSpecialK]

Brodeur is back in net tomorrow against the Avalanche.

Clemmensen got shipped back to Lowell. Apparently he had been on emergency recall for the past 4 months. Who knew you were allowed to do that?

Pretty remarkable that he got sent back, even though he'll be back after the deadline. Probably the best performance in a while from a player up for that long to eventually get sent back to the A.

[PedroSpecialK]

Don't look now, but Georges Laraque is unhappy in Montréal.

C'est certain que le Canadien n'est pas allé me chercher et me donner un contrat pour me faire jouer dans les gradins à chaque trois ou quatre matchs. Si je ne suis pas important pour l'organisation, je pourrais l'être pour une autre équipe. Je ne sais pas quelles étaient les intentions du Canadien en venant me chercher, mais j'ai été laissé de côté seulement en finale. Je croyais que l'organisation voulait apporter un élément de robustesse à chaque match. Quand tu ne joues pas, tu t'attends à ce que l'équipe veuille faire des changements. », a affirmé Laraque à la suite de la séance d'entraînement, mercredi matin.

Georges Laraque affirme que son utilisation n'est pas celle qui avait été discutée au cours de l'été dernier : « Si les conversations avaient parlé d'une utilisation comme on fait de moi aujourd'hui, je ne serais pas ici. C'est frustrant. Je vois que c'est le genre d'entraîneur qui ne veut pas de mon type de joueur dans son alignement à tous les matchs. Avec mon salaire et l'utilisation qu'on fait de moi, je ne serais pas surpris de bouger. »

« Si tu ne joues pas en saison régulière quand il y a des blessés, ton utilité va être quoi en séries? Zéro.

=

"It's obvious that the Canadiens didn't sign me to only play me once every three or four games. If I'm not in the organization's plans, I could be for another team. I don't know what the Canadiens had in mind when they signed me, but they've left me on the sidelines. I thought the organization wanted to bring an element of physicality to each game. WHen you don't play, you wait for the changes a team wants to make." Laraque confirmed after practice Wednesday morning.

Georges Laraque admits that his current utilization by the Canadiens isn't what had been discussed over the course of last summer: "If the [contract] talks had mentioned using me the way I'm used today, I would not be here. It's frustrating. I can see that it's the type of coaching that doesn't want players with my type of game in his lineup in every game. With my salary and the way they use me, I wouldn't be surprised to be traded."

"If you don't play in the regular season when there are injuries, what will your use be in the playoffs? None.

[MoGator71]

Can Laraque still play? He always struck me as a guy who could actually play a regular shift on the checking line along with the extracurriculars, but I haven't seen enough of him with the Habs to say if that's still the case. I suppose another possibility is that he got comfortable once he got the deal from Montreal...

[cshea]

Can Laraque still play? He always struck me as a guy who could actually play a regular shift on the checking line along with the extracurriculars, but I haven't seen enough of him with the Habs to say if that's still the case. I suppose another possibility is that he got comfortable once he got the deal from Montreal...

From what I've seen, the answer is no. He's a fighter and doesn't bring any other attributes to the ice. He skates along asking guys politely if they'd like to fight. I wouldn't really even call him an enforcer. He's not overly physical and doesn't grind it out like, say, Shawn Thornton with a tough forecheck and good cycling in the offensive end. He won't jump a guy to defend a teammate (ex. Chara v. Valabik or entire Bruins team v. Ott and Avery). If you say "no thanks, Georges" then he skates away and is completely useless on the ice. Watch the 3rd Bruins/Canadiens game- Laraque shadowed Lucic the entire game, Lucic declined, and Laraque cruised along the ice with nothing to do.

Edited by cshea, 25 February 2009 - 07:44 PM.

[PedroSpecialK]

He's got nothing left in his game outside of fighting and occasional puck possession deep in the offensive zone. To be less useful as a forward than Peter Schaefer right now doesn't bode well for your NHL career, no matter how well you can fight.

[The Four Peters]

In the first 3 mins of the Leafs-Rangers game, TSN had no sound from the booth, but the rink mics worked, so you got to watch the game with only the sounds on the ice. I had forgotten how serene and peaceful the game can be when it's just sticks and skates you hear. Pretty cool.

Oh yeah, and Markus Nasland decided to get in a fight, with punches and everything. The Tortorella era has begun!

Edited by The Four Peters, 25 February 2009 - 08:13 PM.

[PedroSpecialK]

Rozsival doesn't look totally useless thus far, and Zherdev's really busting his ass.

I could see this being a great, great coaching change for NYR.

Edited by PedroSpecialK, 25 February 2009 - 07:58 PM.

[The Four Peters]

Wow, just saw something I've never seen before in all my time playing hockey (that's not to say it's never happened).

Domenick Moore, a left-handed shot, was taking a faceoff in his own zone to the right of Toskala. So, the normal draw would put his right hand on top, his left on the bottom, and the blade of the stick towards the middle of the ice, curve facing out. This is how everyone in the history of ever takes the face-off. Yet at the last second, he flips his stick around as if he's a right-handed shot taking the faceoff with a lefty stick. Left hand on top, blade towards the boards, curve facing back into the corner. This makes it infinitely easier to draw the puck back to the corner (the preferred spot), if you've practiced enough to become comfortable. Apparently he has, because he's won 2 out of 3 times doing it.

I found it fascinating, mainly because I can't believe no one's thought to do that regularly. Or if they have, I've never noticed.

[Sea Bass Neely]

Zetterberg with a pretty awesome short handed goal to put the Wings up 3-0 on the Sharks early in the 2nd period. Great game so far.

[JulE6]

Rozsival doesn't look totally useless thus far, and Zherdev's really busting his ass.

I could see this being a great, great coaching change for NYR.

Good God Wade Redden scored a goal.

[NYCSox]

Good God Wade Redden scored a goal.

And yet the Rags lose again. They may back in, but only because of Ryan Miller's injury and the Canes' horrific remaining schedule.

[cshea]

Posting via phone...per tsn.ca:

Ryan Whitney dealt to Anaheim for Chris Kunitz and Eric Tangradi.

Wonder if Pronger's on the move now? I like this on the Ducks side, a good buy low on Whitney.

[PedroSpecialK]

Was coming to post that, tremendous move for the Ducks. Kunitz is 29 and seems like he may have hit his ceiling - 25 goals and 50 or so points. Tangradi's a good prospect, but can be anywhere from a 2nd liner to career AHLer at this point - has the tools but isn't likely to put it all together. Whitney solves the problem of Beauchemin hitting the FA market for the Ducks, and they don't give up much to get him.

[Greg29fan]

well I love the deal for Pittsburgh. Talking about hitting a ceiling, Whitney is lost in his own zone and spent 3/4 of the playoffs last year at Forward. Kunitz gives them a guy to put with Sid and Tangradi is 2 points behind Tavares in for the OHL scoring lead.

[NYCSox]

The Pens badly needed help at forward. They mave have overpaid, but they were playing Chris Menard with Malkin on a few shifts. That's not going to get it done.

[PedroSpecialK]

well I love the deal for Pittsburgh. Talking about hitting a ceiling, Whitney is lost in his own zone and spent 3/4 of the playoffs last year at Forward. Kunitz gives them a guy to put with Sid and Tangradi is 2 points behind Tavares in for the OHL scoring lead.

I sold Tangradi short, my friend's a big Belleville fan and has an SJH on Thomas-level man-hate for him. Looking at his numbers, they're extremely impressive, but he also has Cameron and Subban on his squad. Anyhow, he's a good prospect, definitely better than the 7.5C given to him by HF right now - I'd probably put him at a higher boom/bust number, more like 8.5C or something like that. It helps even it out for Pittsburgh, but this to me reeks of a Pitkanen for Cole-type move from Edmonton's side.

[Greg29fan]

Whitney had his foot totally rebuilt in the offseason surgery he had; I don't know that he'll ever get back to what he was his first 2.5 seasons. He was already on a downward trend last year (like I mentioned, they moved him to forward against Detrot). It was embarrassing to watch him this year, like the game against washington, he just gave them the puck for their 4th goal.

The Penguins also have Alex Goligoski in the AHL now, but he had around 20 points with the big club this year and seemed to be better than Whitney in both zones already.

[PedroSpecialK]

So what does Pittsburgh's lineup look like now?

Kunitz - Crosby - Fedotenko
Satan - Malkin - Sykora
Dupuis - Staal - Kennedy
Cooke - Talbot - Godard

Orpik - Gonchar
Eaton - Letang
Scuderi - Gill

?

Whitney had his foot totally rebuilt in the offseason surgery he had; I don't know that he'll ever get back to what he was his first 2.5 seasons. He was already on a downward trend last year (like I mentioned, they moved him to forward against Detrot). It was embarrassing to watch him this year, like the game against washington, he just gave them the puck for their 4th goal.

The Penguins also have Alex Goligoski in the AHL now, but he had around 20 points with the big club this year and seemed to be better than Whitney in both zones already.

For the life of me I will never understand why they've been playing guys even like Eaton or Scuderi over Goligoski, who I thought brought a whole lot more to that blue line than either of them. If they were stalwarts in their own end, fine, but they're not so markedly better that they render Gogo's offensive output moot. He definitely deserves a look with Whitney gone.

Edited by PedroSpecialK, 26 February 2009 - 12:38 PM.

[Greg29fan]

So what does Pittsburgh's lineup look like now?

Kunitz - Crosby - Fedotenko
Satan - Malkin - Sykora
Dupuis - Staal - Kennedy
Cooke - Talbot - Godard

Orpik - Gonchar
Eaton - Letang
Scuderi - Gill

?

That's likely pretty close, other than Cooke usually plays with Staal and Kennedy.

[MoGator71]

Well if Laraque has slipped that much then he really doesn't have room to complain. I generally thought of him as more of an energy guy who'd give you some physicality and occasional crash the net style offense, but that was awhile ago.

Wow, just saw something I've never seen before in all my time playing hockey (that's not to say it's never happened).

Domenick Moore, a left-handed shot, was taking a faceoff in his own zone to the right of Toskala. So, the normal draw would put his right hand on top, his left on the bottom, and the blade of the stick towards the middle of the ice, curve facing out. This is how everyone in the history of ever takes the face-off. Yet at the last second, he flips his stick around as if he's a right-handed shot taking the faceoff with a lefty stick. Left hand on top, blade towards the boards, curve facing back into the corner. This makes it infinitely easier to draw the puck back to the corner (the preferred spot), if you've practiced enough to become comfortable. Apparently he has, because he's won 2 out of 3 times doing it.

I found it fascinating, mainly because I can't believe no one's thought to do that regularly. Or if they have, I've never noticed.

Believe it or not I used to take d-zone draws that way, albeit at club/rec league level. We had 2 goalies, and when the other guy played I took shifts all over. I played a bit of center, and as a right shot/left glove I'm pretty comfortable shooting left, so I'd take draws on the left side lefty which made it simpler to draw it back & away from my net. Probably explains why you see a lot of centers with less curve, or funny curves (Gilmour, Messier spring to mind)

I don't remember seeing Moore do that in the minors, though I didn't see him a ton.

[JulE6]

Flyers made a couple of moves today. They waived old friend Glen Metropolit. Who cares. The more intriguing move is that Ossi Vaananen was waived. I highly doubt he clears all the way to Boston, but Krejci damn would I love it if Chia brought him in for the Hnidy/Hunwick/Stuart spot

[Titoschew]

Flyers made a couple of moves today. They waived old friend Glen Metropolit. Who cares. The more intriguing move is that Ossi Vaananen was waived. I highly doubt he clears all the way to Boston, but Krejci damn would I love it if Chia brought him in for the Hnidy/Hunwick/Stuart spot

Wonder how this scene will play out in the movie re: Metro's life.

Ossi is a cheap depth pick up for anyone ahead of the B's in priority, only $1m this season before UFA this summer. We can pray to Krejci he'll slip down.

[PedroSpecialK]

Kinda shocked Vaananen was waived, but not so much Metropolit. Would love to pick up Ossi for the stretch run as he would cost 0 assets.

[cshea]

Starting to pick up a bit...

per tsn.ca

Steve Begin headed from Montreal to Dallas for Doug Janik. Begin replace Avery as Ott's sidekick. I think Begin had asked out of Montreal, otherwise not sure what the Habs see in Janik. I suppose it clears a few dollars of he Habs cap, though.

Edited by cshea, 26 February 2009 - 06:20 PM.

[terrorshark]

I love Ossi Vaananen if only for the fact that his shot totals are hilarious. Don't really understand the move, though. Who replaces him? Sbisa/Kukkonen? Blech.

[MoGator71]

I wish they'd bring back Sbisa...but otherwise yeah, Kukkonen is lousy.

I'm guessing the Metro waive is clearing a spot for Danny Briere. I'm curious how the lines will shake out, but either way a guy who can actually play hockey will slide to the third line, always a good thing.

[PedroSpecialK]

I can't wait to see Janik on the Habs' blue line. I've been calling him the worst regular defenseman in the NHL for a while now - so glad to see he's going up to MTL.

[Titoschew]

Dandenault wants out, as well...

[jsinger121]

Brodeur is working on a shutout right now.

[mikeford]

Brodeur gets the shutout in his return.

In fairness, Milhouse tied to the net could've pitched that shutout, the Divealanche stink and were absolutely terrible tonight.

[jsinger121]

And he shutouts the Avalanche 4-0. He picks up where he left off. Thank god we are in the position we are in right now. I wouldn't want to face the Devils early in a playoff series.

[Spaulding Smails]

The Rags coughed up another game tonight, up 1-0 in the 3rd they give up 2 goals in the span of a minute to lose 2-1 to the Panthers.

[JulE6]

The Bruins probably won't know their playoff opponent til the very last day of the season. It's so bunched between Montreal (5th, 71 points) and Pittsburgh (10th, 66 points). NYR and Florida have 70, Buffalo and Carolina have 69. It'll be an interesting race for sure.

[NYCSox]

And he shutouts the Avalanche 4-0. He picks up where he left off. Thank god we are in the position we are in right now. I wouldn't want to face the Devils early in a playoff series.

Let the Devils and Caps go at it in the second round. At least we know someone will be eliminated.

[simonus]

I can't wait to see Janik on the Habs' blue line. I've been calling him the worst regular defenseman in the NHL for a while now - so glad to see he's going up to MTL.

you gotta figure the habs waive him down to the AHL. Begin deserves a chance to play a regular shift in the NHL - if the habs lose Janik on waivers, so what, otherwise he's good enough to help out the Bulldogs. Janik seems to have a 2-way contract, so he'd be cheap to play in the AHL and the Habs make a pretty decent cap savings for the deal

[PedroSpecialK]

This is a great point, I assumed Janik was on a one way deal. My dream is shattered.

[simonus]

This is a great point, I assumed Janik was on a one way deal. My dream is shattered.

just checked the Canadiens press release (http://canadiens.nhl...rticleid=411216):

The 28-year-old defenseman signed with the Dallas Stars as a free agent on July 6, 2006. Janik will join the Canadiens’ farm team in Hamilton (AHL) provided he clears waivers by Saturday at noon.

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Pretty remarkable that he got sent back, even though he'll be back after the deadline. Probably the best performance in a while from a player up for that long to eventually get sent back to the A.

I think this situation stinks, quite honestly. Clemmensen may well have saved their season by playing so credibly when The Franchise was out, and now he's shipped back to the A not because he can't play in the NHL, but for waiver and salary cap reasons.

It sucks.

[mikeford]

Well, he'll be in the A til he's traded or til next Thursday. If they don't move him at the deadline, they can bring him back up afterward without having to pass through waivers. So, it sucks for Clemmer, but it isn't like he is resigned to Lowell for the remainder of the season. He'll go down and work with Jeff Frazee for a week and a half and be back up in Newark after. Or traded to a team like Buffalo that needs a starter (Patrick Lalime... not so much).

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Thanks mike, that makes things a lot clearer. If it's only until next Thursday the move makes perfect sense.