Remaining strength of schedules

Power Rankings: Week 17

In this week’s Power Rankings, we look at unsung heroes for all 30 teams.

1. Philadelphia Flyers… LW: 1
Andrej Meszaros leads the NHL in plus/minus (+28) and was a solid off-season pickup by GM Paul Holmgren.
2. Vancouver Canucks… LW: 2
Jeff Tambellini never lived up to expectations on Long Island, but he’s been a sneaky addition to Vancouver’s depth.
3. Tampa Bay Lightning… LW: 3
Is it me or is Nate Thompson having a nice year for Tampa? He had 10 points all of last year, but has 17 already. Plus he does a little bit of everything.
4. Pittsburgh Penguins… LW: 5
Residing in Kris Letang’s shadow, Alex Goligoski quietly has 26 points and a +21 rating.
5. Dallas Stars… LW: 4
Trevor Daley has made some forget about how average their defense is (talent wise). His solid start earned him an extension earlier this month.

The Week Ahead

With the NHL All-Star weekend out of the way, it is time for both teams and players to start thinking about their push towards the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In this week's installment of "The Week Ahead", I will take a look at three players and teams that need to do everything they possibly can to get into the playoffs come April. There is still a lot of hockey left to be played and as such, much to do to get in.

Raleigh brought its 'A-game'

This was my third trip to the City of Raleigh, and I come away more impressed with it than ever before. Everyone involved put their best foot forward during this All-Star Weekend. Between the Fan Fair and the events at RBC, I was impressed at how well-run and organized everything was (minus the internet!). Oh, and the hospitality was tremendous!

Top 5 plays of All-Star Weekend

1. Zdeno Chara's bomb breaks record

Team Lidstrom finishes strong, wins 11-10

For Team Lidstrom, it wasn’t how they started periods – it’s how they finished them. The men in blue watched Team Staal begin each period with a goal, only to have a response every time.

Nicklas Lidstrom and company wrapped up an 11-10 victory at RBC Center in the 58th NHL All-Star Game, hosted by the Carolina Hurricanes. Patrick Sharp took home the game MVP (and a car) with his standout three-point performance.

Morning Skate: ASG Edition

SuperSkills Results:
Team Staal 33, Team Lidstrom 22

My 3 Stars from last night:
1. Zdeno Chara (105.9 mph in hardest shot)
2. Daniel Sedin (4-for-4 in accuracy shooting)
3. Corey Perry (shootout winner; nice moves in breakaway challenge)
---

58th NHL All-Star Game
Team Lidstrom vs. Team Staal
4:00 ET… TV: Versus, CBC

Five intriguing storylines

‘Confident’ Yandle a deserving All-Star

When you think of the best defensemen around the NHL, the usual suspects come to mind – Nicklas Lidstrom, Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith… so on and so forth. One blueliner that is really making a name for himself in this league, though, is Phoenix's Keith Yandle.

The 24-year-old has really taken off in his third full season in the NHL, leading the Coyotes in points at the All-Star break. Drafted in the fourth round in 2005, I don’t think many expected him to be this successful so quickly – except for Yandle himself.

SuperSkills Quick Summary

Team Staal: 33
Team Lidstrom: 22


Fastest Skater
- Michael Grabner recorded the two fastest times: 14.061 and 14.238.
- Cam Ward beat Tim Thomas in the head-to-head goalie race as Thomas fell down.
- Kris Letang barely beat out Duncan Keith in the backwards race.
- Team Staal led Team Lidstrom 5-3 after the first round.

Honda SuperSkills Participants

Tonight's SuperSkills competition is one my favorite annual events. Everyone's skills are on display and the event is a lot of fun. Below is a list of participants, courtesy of NHL.com. The festivities begin at 6 pm et with a mascot game! The SuperSkills competition begins at 7 pm et.

NHL Fastest Skater
Team Staal
Michael Grabner, Islanders
Mike Green, Capitals
Ryan Kesler, Canucks
Marc Staal, Rangers
Kris Letang, Penguins
Cam Ward, Hurricanes
Team Lidstrom
Duncan Keith, Blackhawks
Taylor Hall, Oilers
Matt Duchene, Avalanche
Martin St. Louis, Lightning
Steven Stamkos, Lightning
Tim Thomas, Bruins

Five intriguing storylines for the All-Star Game

1. Henrik and Daniel split apart
For the first time in their careers, the Sedin twins will be playing against each other. Team Staal took the risk of selecting Daniel in the third round, only to see Henrik go next to Team Lidstrom. Henrik and Daniel is my favorite one-two combo to watch, and one of the best duos this league has seen in years. They have averaged a combined 159 points a season with Vancouver over the last four years, working wonders with their cycle. However, for two nights only, the twins that bring Canucks fans out of their seat on a nightly basis will be facing off as opponents.

Saturday Faceoff: Is Osgood a Hall of Famer?

Earlier this season, Chris Osgood claimed his 400th victory of his lengthy NHL career. Questions immediately arose about whether 'Ozzie' was a legitimate Hall of Famer or not. Patrick and Brian discuss the topic...

Osgood is a lock

By Patrick Hoffman

Over the course of his long NHL career, many things have been said about Detroit Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood:

- He allows soft goals at the wrong times
- If he wasn’t a goaltender with the Red Wings, his career numbers would not be as good
- He’s the product of a terrific system in Detroit

All-Star Festivities Quotes

Here are some various quotes I got last night in the media scrums that I felt like sharing…

Matt Duchene on being in the game in second year…
“It’s huge. It’s something that I set a goal for myself. It’s something that I really wanted to achieve, and to do that is great … I’ve had a long time to prepare for this. I’m glad it’s here because it was a bit of a distraction and guys started thinking about the break.”

All-Star Fantasy Draft Recap

Suffice to say, the draft lived up to expectations tonight. The event didn’t drag out like regular drafts in every sport. In fact, it didn’t even have a draft-like setup; it looked more like a game show than anything.

Here are the results of the draft with some thoughts from different players, along with my quick opinion of how the rosters shaped out.

Friday Night Fights

The best fights from the last week...

The Stage is Set

Weeks of intrigue and anticipation have led to this. The All-Star Game fantasy draft is ready to go tonight at 8 PM ET at the spacious Raleigh Convention Center. As you know, Captains Eric Staal and Nicklas Lidstrom will draft their teams in what promises to be an interesting evening.

Will the Sedins be split apart? Will Eric select his brother Marc Staal? Who will be ‘Mr. Irrelevant’? The anticipation is building!

We will have a live chat tonight during the draft, featuring Nashville’s bloggers row in the media room (we will have a link shortly). Make sure you come by and check it out!

Jeremy of Section 303 and I did a quick mock draft before tonight's festivities...

Team Staal (represented by RLDHockey.net)
Mike Green (A)
Ryan Kesler (A)

Team Lidstrom (represented by section303.com)
Patrick Kane (A)
Martin St. Louis (A)

1st pick
RLD: Steven Stamkos
303: Alexander Ovechkin

Bergeron overlooked for All-Star Game

With the NHL-All Star Weekend set to kick off tonight, I figured now would be a good time to talk about a player that was overlooked when it comes to not being selected.

That player would be Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron. In 50 games this season, Bergeron has 40 points (16 goals and 24 assists) and has been the team's leader on and off the ice this season.

With that said, it makes one wonder why Bergeron was not selected as he has a lot offer:

Trophy Tracker

Every other Friday, we bring you an updated look at the candidates for the major awards around the league…

HART TROPHY

1. Steven Stamkos
Stats: 51 GP, 38 G, 29 A, 67 Pts, +12
What is there left to say about Stamkos? Every team in the league knows his favorite spot on the ice to score goals, yet he is still successful and scores in other ways, too. He has scored seven goals in his last seven games, as well as 17 goals and 27 points since Dec. 10. Stamkos has also taken over the point race from the injured Crosby.

2. Sidney Crosby
Stats: 41 GP, 32 G, 34 A, 66 Pts, +20
Is Crosby losing his status as the MVP lock with his lingering concussion? You bet.

3. Brad Richards
Stats: 50 GP, 20 G, 37 A, 57 Pts, +7
The Sedin twins may cancel each other out, which opens up a lane for Richards to get consideration here.

Other candidates: The Sedins, Henrik Zetterberg, Eric Staal

Stamkos rising to elite status

After being drafted first overall in 2008, many were so quick to label Stamkos as a 'bust' when he struggled out of the gate. In an attempt to quiet his critics, Stamkos won the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy in his sophomore season with 51 goals -- an accomplishment not achieved by many.

Can Nashville keep the core intact down the road?

The Predators are sitting nice and pretty in the standings as we head into the All-Star break, residing in fourth in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. As the team continues to chase down its sixth playoff berth in seven years, there’s an off-ice issue at hand that is nearly impossible to ignore.

What if we had an Olympic point system?

Here is the fourth look of the 2010/11 season at the standings if there was a different points system. The most popular solution is to dish out three points per game (and the one I’m in favor of the most) like they do in the Olympics. A regulation win would be worth three points apiece, whereas an overtime/shootout victory will get you just two. The loser in extra time would still get a single point.

The tiebreaker at the end of the year would be total wins, followed by regulation wins. I’m a big fan of this system (which was used at this year’s Olympics), and did some ‘research’ as to what the standings would look like if this was indeed how we handed out the points.

It would create more excitement for the final two minutes of regulation in a tied game. Also, this eliminates all of the extra point crap when a game goes to OT, plus rewards teams for getting the job done in 60 minutes.

Here’s what this year’s standings would look like through last night’s action…

Morning Skate: January 27

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Bruins 2, Panthers 1
Hurricanes 4, Islanders 2
Thrashers 1, Capitals 0
Red Wings 3, Devils 1
Stars 3, Oilers 1
Coyotes 5, Avalanche 2
Flames 4, Blues 1
Canucks 2, Predators 1
Kings 3, Sharks 2 (SO)
Predictions record: 7-2

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Ondrej Pavelec, ATL (36 Saves, Shutout)… Pavelec possibly came up with his most clutch effort of the season, shutting out the Caps for a much-needed two points.
2. Eric Staal, CAR (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
3. David Moss, CGY (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
Close but no cigar: T. Thomas, BOS; R. Luongo, VAN; B. Morrow, DAL; K. Yandle, PHX; M. Kiprusoff, CGY; V. Filppula, DET; J. Stoll, LA
---
If the playoffs started today…
Eastern Conference:
1) PHI vs. 8) ATL
2) TB vs. 7) MTL
3) BOS vs. 6) NYR
4) PIT vs. 5) WSH
Western Conference:
1) VAN vs. 8) SJ
2) DET vs. 7) CHI
3) DAL vs. 6) PHX
4) NSH vs. 5) ANA
---
Video of the Day:


*You can follow us on Twitter @RLDhockey!
*Did you miss our radio show from Tuesday? No worries… you can always catch up on the archive!

Wednesday Game of the Week

All-Star 'snubs' to square off in Vancouver

If the NHL were to name the All-Star reserves today (and not back on Jan. 11), there is a good chance that at least one (maybe both) of the goaltenders facing off in Vancouver tonight would be headed to Raleigh. Nashville’s Pekka Rinne and Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo have been integral parts to their respective teams this year, especially of late.

Aside from the matchup in the crease, tonight’s tilt will be a good test for both sides before heading into All-Star Weekend.

Morning Skate: January 26

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Panthers 4, Rangers 3
Penguins 1, Islanders 0
Ducks 3, Blue Jackets 2
Flyers 4, Canadiens 2
Sabres 3, Senators 2 (OT)
Lightning 2, Maple Leafs 0
Wild 4, Blackhawks 2
Oilers 4, Coyotes 3
Predictions record: 4-4

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT (29 Saves, Shutout)… ‘Flower’ only had one goal of support, but was able shutout the Islanders anyway.
2. Dwayne Roloson, TB (26 Saves, Shutout)
3. Jonas Hiller, ANA (35 Saves, 2 GA)
Close but no cigar: C. Pronger and C. Giroux, PHI; N. Backstrom, MIN; T. Selanne, ANA; T. Hall, EDM; R. Olesz, FLA
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Panthers @ Bruins, 7:00 ET
Hurricanes @ Islanders, 7:00
Capitals @ Thrashers, 7:00
Devils @ Red Wings, 7:30
Oilers @ Stars, 7:30
Coyotes @ Avalanche, 9:00
Blues @ Flames, 10:00
Predators @ Canucks, 10:00
Sharks @ Kings, 10:30

Games of the Night:
Washington Capitals @ Atlanta Thrashers
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Calder Trophy race heating up

As we sit here on Jan. 25, there really is no favorite for the Calder Trophy. By this time last year, Tyler Myers was the clear-cut favorite; the same goes for Steve Mason back in 2008-09. But there are a handful of Calder nominees worthy of taking home the hardware if it were decided today.

Talented forwards Logan Couture and Jeff Skinner, along with goalie Corey Crawford, seem to be in a dead-heat and heads-above-shoulders the rest of the candidates. Not to ignore the others in consideration, but let’s make a case for all three of them individually…

RLD Hockey Talk - Episode 45 Outline

You can listen to today's show HERE at 1 PM ET / Noon CT!
Note: It will likely only be a 30-minute show...

- Show Introduction
- Welcome in co-host Buddy Oakes, Preds On The Glass
- Welcome in guest Craig Custance, Sporting News
- All-Star Game
- Thoughts on changes
- No Crosby
- Calder Trophy race
- Vancouver Canucks
- Is this year different?
- Marc Savard’s future
- Peter Forsberg returning?

Morning Skate: January 25

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Hurricanes 6, Maple Leafs 4
Rangers 2, Capitals 1 (SO)
Flames 3, Predators 1
Avalanche 4, Blues 3
Canucks 7, Stars 1
Kings 2, Bruins 0
Predictions record: 4-2

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Jonathan Quick, LA (34 Saves, Shutout)… Quick stood tall with a much-needed shutout over Boston in L.A.’s second straight win.
2. Brandon Sutter, CAR (2 Goals)
3. Brandon Yip, COL (2 Goals)
Close but no cigar: R. Kesler and H. Sedin, VAN; M. Kiprusoff, CGY; M. Biron, NYR; T. Brent, TOR
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Panthers @ Rangers, 7:00 ET
Islanders @ Penguins, 7:00
Ducks @ Blue Jackets, 7:00
Canadiens @ Flyers, 7:30
Sabres @ Senators, 7:30
Maple Leafs @ Lightning, 7:30
Wild @ Blackhawks, 8:30
Oilers @ Coyotes, 9:00

Game of the Night:
Montreal Canadiens @ Philadelphia Flyers
7:30 ET… TV: VERSUS

Power Rankings: Week 16

1. Philadelphia Flyers… LW: 2
After Sunday’s win in Chicago in a finals rematch, it looks like this Flyers club is on a mission to avenge last year’s playoff exit.
2. Vancouver Canucks… LW: 1
The Canucks are 2-2-4 in their last eight games. Not saying these last two games before the break are ‘must-win’, but they may want to stop the bleeding.
3. Tampa Bay Lightning… LW: 9
NHL points leader Steven Stamkos and company kicked off their 12-game home-stand with a sixth victory over Atlanta, finishing off the season sweep.
4. Dallas Stars… LW: 4
Who’s the hottest player right now that no one is talking about? Mike Ribeiro. The 30-year-old has 15 points on his current 11-game point streak.
5. Pittsburgh Penguins… LW: 3
With Crosby and Malkin out, Marc-Andre Fleury has come up big in his last four starts (4-0, 1.75 GAA, .947).

The Week Ahead

In this week's installment of "The Week Ahead" I would like to focus on the NHL All-Star Game coming up next weekend at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C.

It should be an exciting weekend for the NHL and its fans so with that in mind, I am going to give you three players to focus on during the game in my "Players to Keep an Eye On" section while keeping my "Teams to Watch" section the same.

Players to Keep an Eye On
Obviously, every player selected to the All-Star team is extremely skilled and is having a terrific season. With that said, here are three players to keep a close eye on in the game.

- Jonas Hiller, Anaheim Ducks
Selected to his first All-Star game, Hiller is no stranger to facing a lot of rubber.

Morning Skate: January 24

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Flyers 4, Blackhawks 1
Devils 5, Panthers 2
Sabres 5, Islanders 3
Lightning 7, Thrashers 1
Predators 3, Oilers 2 (SO)
Predictions record: 4-1

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Jeff Carter, PHI (2 Goals, 1 Assist)… Carter scored two big goals in the Flyers’ win in Chicago, including a great hand-eye coordination tally.
2. Ilya Kovalchuk, NJ (1 Goal, 2 Assists)
3. Simon Gagne, TB (2 Goals)
Close but no cigar: C. Giroux and S. Bobrovsky, PHI; M. St. Louis, TB; N. Gerbe, BUF; A. Sulzer, NSH
---
If the playoffs started today…
Eastern Conference:
1) PHI vs. 8) ATL
2) TB vs. 7) NYR
3) BOS vs. 6) MTL
4) PIT vs. 5) WSH
Western Conference:
1) VAN vs. 8) SJ
2) DET vs. 7) CHI
3) DAL vs. 6) PHX
4) NSH vs. 5) ANA
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Maple Leafs @ Hurricanes, 7:00 ET
Rangers @ Capitals, 7:00
Predators @ Flames, 9:30
Blues @ Avalanche, 9:30
Stars @ Canucks, 10:00
Bruins @ Kings, 10:30

Games of the Night:
New York Rangers @ Washington Capitals
7:00 ET… TV: VERSUS

Flyers On A Mission

Today the Philadelphia Flyers will travel to Chicago to face-off with their foes from last year’s Stanley Cup Final. As you know, the Blackhawks won that series and the Cup, leaving Philly with a sour taste in their mouth heading into the off-season.

Despite clinching their playoff berth on the last day of the season, the Flyers didn’t have the look of a seventh seed as their depth on offense and defense, along with clutch goaltending, got them all the way to the final.

Seven months later, the Flyers are on a mission and ready to go on another long playoff run.

Morning Skate: January 23

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Devils 3, Flyers 1
Blackhawks 4, Red Wings 1
Bruins 6, Avalanche 2
Capitals 4, Maple Leafs 1
Ducks 4, Canadiens 3 (SO)
Penguins 3, Hurricanes 2
Rangers 3, Thrashers 2 (SO)
Blue Jackets 5, Blues 2
Kings 4, Coyotes 3
Flames 4, Canucks 3 (SO)
Sharks 4, Wild 3
Predictions record: 4-7

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Corey Crawford, CHI (36 Saves, 1 GA)… Chicago’s young goaltender put forth another outstanding effort as the ‘Hawks got a big win in Detroit.
2. Alex Ovechkin, WSH (3 Goals)
3. Brad Marchand, BOS (2 Goals, 2 Assists)
Close but no cigar: M. Lucic and M. Recchi, BOS; D. Setoguchi, SJ; T. Kopecky, CHI; B. Holtby, WSH; M. Kiprusoff, CGY; J. Hiller, ANA; J. Hedberg, NJ; M. Fleury, PIT
---

Today’s Slate:
Flyers @ Blackhawks, 12:30 ET
Panthers @ Devils, 3:00
Sabres @ Islanders, 3:00
Thrashers @ Lightning, 5:00
Predators @ Oilers, 8:00

Game of the Day:
Philadelphia Flyers @ Chicago Blackhawks
12:30 ET… TV: NBC

Saturday Faceoff: All-Star Game Mock Draft

Possibly the most intriguing part of next weekend’s All-Star Game festivities in Raleigh will be the fantasy draft conducted on Friday. Eric Staal and Nicklas Lidstrom – recently-named captains – will draft their teams for Team Staal and Team Lidstrom.

Patrick and I recently did a mock fantasy draft of the 42 All-Stars (including the injured Sidney Crosby). Here’s how our draft played out, with Patrick getting the first pick…

Video: Koivu's days in Montreal

Former Canadiens captain Saku Koivu makes his return to Montreal tonight as his Ducks are in town. Koivu played 792 games with the Habs between 1995 and 2009. He left last summer when the team elected to let him go via free agency. However, it will be a great moment tonight when Koivu is recognized by the Montreal faithful. Here's a look back at some of his moments in Montreal...

Morning Skate: January 22

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Islanders 5, Sabres 2
Canadiens 7, Senators 1
Lightning 2, Panthers 1 (SO)
Flames 7, Stars 4
Predictions record: 2-2

My 3 stars of the night:
1. David Moss, CGY (2 Goals, 1 Assist)… Moss chipped in two goals and three points as Calgary ran away from Dallas.
2. Tomas Plekanec, MTL (2 Goals)
3. Dan Ellis, TB (29 Saves, 1 GA)
---

Today’s Slate:
Devils @ Flyers, 1:00 ET
Blackhawks @ Red Wings, 2:00
Bruins @ Avalanche, 3:00
Capitals @ Maple Leafs, 7:00
Ducks @ Canadiens, 7:00
Hurricanes @ Penguins, 7:00
Rangers @ Thrashers, 7:00
Blue Jackets @ Blues, 8:00
Kings @ Coyotes, 8:00
Flames @ Canucks, 10:00
Wild @ Sharks, 10:30

Games of the Day:
Chicago Blackhawks @ Detroit Red Wings
2:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Friday Night Fights

The best fights from the last week...

Kings' Lombardi in hot water

The Kings are fighting for their lives on a night-to-night basis. With only 35 games to play and still five points behind the eighth-seeded Colorado, GM Dean Lombardi is finding out how things can change in a matter of a year.

After being considered a team on the rise, much like Chicago and Pittsburgh were before their Cup wins, the Kings have yet to find the progression from some of their young difference makers that they had hoped.

Will anyone claim Nabokov on waivers?

When it was first reported yesterday that Detroit was the likely destination for Evgeni Nabokov, I thought there wouldn’t be any way he would get picked off on waivers, especially if the Wings were to give him a $2-plus million deal.

However, GM Ken Holland is reportedly attempting to sign ‘Nabby’ to a $570,000 (pro-rated) contract. It’s almost like he’s setting everything up for one of the other 29 teams.

Morning Skate: January 21

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Sabres 4, Bruins 2
Maple Leafs 5, Ducks 2
Devils 2, Penguins 0
Capitals 2, Islanders 1
Flyers 6, Senators 2
Hurricanes 4, Rangers 1
Lightning 3, Thrashers 2 (SO)
Red Wings 4, Blues 3 (OT)
Predators 5, Avalanche 1
Stars 4, Oilers 2
Sharks 2, Canucks 1 (SO)
Coyotes 2, Kings 0
Predictions record: 8-4

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Ilya Bryzgalov, PHX (36 Saves, Shutout)… His team was out-played and out-shot by 21, but that didn’t keep Bryzgalov from shutting out the desperate Kings.
2. Mike Richards, PHI (2 Goals, 2 Assists)
3. Martin Brodeur, NJ (23 Saves, Shutout)
Close but no cigar: A. Niemi, SJ; R. Luongo, VAN; S. Stamkos, TB; P. Rinne, NSH; R. Miller and T. Vanek, BUF; M. Grabovski and C. MacArthur, TOR; K. Lehtonen, DAL; J. Skinner, CAR; N. Backstrom, WSH; J. Hudler, DET
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Islanders @ Sabres, 7:30 ET
Canadiens @ Senators, 7:30
Lightning @ Panthers, 7:30
Stars @ Flames, 9:00

Game of the Night:
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Florida Panthers
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

'Do or die' time for slumping Kings?

It wasn’t even (American) Thanksgiving and we were crowning the Kings as early favorites in the West and legitimate Cup contenders. My, how things can change in a matter of two months. The view of this team has taken a 180-degree turn as they are currently tied for 12th place in the conference with Columbus.

The next 34 days could tell the tale of the 2010/11 Kings, who came into the year with so much promise after returning to the postseason last spring. Between now and Feb. 23, Terry Murray’s gang will play 14 games (11 of which are away from home). For a talented team trying to relocate its identity, they must get into playoff mode immediately.

With Dubinsky out, Gaborik needs to shine

When it comes to injuries this season, there has been no shortage of them for the New York Rangers.

Unfortunately for the Blueshirts, one of their best players in Brandon Dubinsky will be out for the next three to four weeks with a stress fracture of the fibula in his left leg. For a team that is struggling to score goals, this certainly came as bad news for the team and its fans.

Morning Skate: January 20

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Rangers 7, Maple Leafs 0
Blue Jackets 3, Panthers 2 (OT)
Wild 6, Flames 0
Predictions record: 2-1

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Marian Gaborik, NYR (4 Goals, 1 Assist)… Gaborik delivered a much-needed clutch performance for the Rangers, scoring four goals and adding a helper.
2. Martin Havlat, MIN (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
3. Niklas Backstrom, MIN (37 Saves, Shutout)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Sabres @ Bruins, 7:00 ET
Ducks @ Maple Leafs, 7:00
Penguins @ Devils, 7:00
Capitals @ Islanders, 7:00
Senators @ Flyers, 7:00
Rangers @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Lightning @ Thrashers, 7:00
Red Wings @ Blues, 8:00
Predators @ Avalanche, 9:00
Stars @ Oilers, 9:00
Sharks @ Canucks, 10:00
Coyotes @ Kings, 10:30

Games of the Night:
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Atlanta Thrashers
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Lightning (27-15-5) … Thrashers (23-18-7)
Last Ten: Lightning (6-4-0) … Thrashers (4-5-1)
Away/Home: Lightning (13-11-3) … Thrashers (11-9-3)
Season Series: 4-0 Lightning

Video: Gaborik scores four

Marian Gaborik stepped up in a big way and came to the forefront for the Rangers tonight. Gaborik netted four goals against Toronto, almost matching his five-goal performance with the Wild back in 2007. With Brandon Dubinsky going down to injury, the Blueshirts needed this kind of effort from 'Gabby'...

On pace for how many points?

We’re over half-way through the season, and some teams’ point totals are still deceiving despite what the overall standings look like. Through Tuesday’s action, here’s how many points each team was on pace to accumulate this season. (Decimals were rounded up).

Atlantic Division
Philadelphia Flyers (65 pts in 46 gms)… On pace: 116 points
Pittsburgh Penguins (62 pts in 47 gms)… On pace: 109 points
New York Rangers (55 pts in 47 gms)… On pace: 96 points
New York Islanders (35 pts in 44 gms)… On pace: 66 points
New Jersey Devils (29 pts in 45 gms)… On pace: 53 points

Thinking Out Loud

- I don’t think the All-Stars could have selected a better pair of captains than Eric Staal and Nicklas Lidstrom. Staal is going to be the star of the weekend in Raleigh, while Lidstrom could be in his final year and is one of most respected players in the league. Will Staal choose his brother Marc? Will Lidstrom choose his country-mates, Henrik and Daniel Sedin? There’s already some intrigue!

Morning Skate: January 19

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Flyers 3, Capitals 2 (OT)
Penguins 4, Red Wings 1
Bruins 3, Hurricanes 2
Sabres 2, Canadiens 1 (OT)
Ducks 2, Senators 1 (SO)
Lightning 3, Blue Jackets 2 (SO)
Blues 2, Kings 1
Avalanche 4, Canucks 3 (OT)
Predators 5, Coyotes 2
Wild 4, Oilers 1
Predictions record: 6-4

My 3 stars of the night:
1. J.P. Dumont, NSH (3 Goals)… Dumont’s first hat trick since 2001 came out of left field. His performance lifted the Preds to a big win over Phoenix.
2. Tim Thomas, BOS (43 Saves, 1 GA)
3. Steven Stamkos, TB (2 Goals)
Close but no cigar: M. Hejduk, C. Anderson and D. Jones, COL; J. Hiller, ANA; M. Fleury, PIT; P. Rinne and P. Hornqvist, NSH
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Maple Leafs @ Rangers, 7:00 ET
Blue Jackets @ Panthers, 7:30
Wild @ Flames, 9:30

Game of the Night:
Minnesota Wild @ Calgary Flames
9:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Deep, talented blueline lifting Penguins

What’s the first thing that strikes you when you think of the Pittsburgh Penguins? Sidney Crosby? Other talented forwards like Jordan Staal and Evgeni Malkin? What about backstop Marc-Andre Fleury?

One thing that doesn’t hit you immediately is their sneakily good defensive corps, which is playing at a very high level and flying under the radar at the same time.

RLD Hockey Talk - Episode 44 Outline

You can listen to today's show HERE at 1 PM ET / Noon CT!

12:00 CT
- Show Introduction
- Welcome in co-host Buddy Oakes, Preds On The Glass
- Welcome in guest Rick Peckham, voice of the Lightning
- Tampa’s first-half success
- Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis
- Goaltending carousel
- Hockey market in Tampa


12:20/25 CT (roughly)
- Roundtable Discussion
- Predators success


12:30 CT (roughly)
- Welcome in guest Dennis Bernstein, The Fourth Period
- Los Angeles Kings
- Lousy home-stand
- San Jose Sharks
- Changes needed?
- Anaheim Ducks
- Jonas Hiller


12:50 CT (roughly)
- Roundtable Discussion
- ASG captains?
- Other various topics

Morning Skate: January 18

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Bruins 7, Hurricanes 0
Devils 5, Islanders 2
Sharks 4, Coyotes 2
Canadiens 5, Flames 4 (OT)
Thrashers 3, Panthers 2 (SO)
Stars 2, Kings 1
Predictions record: 5-1

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Zdeno Chara, BOS (3 Goals)… Big Z’s first career hat trick powered the Bruins’ rout of Carolina.
2. Bryan Little, ATL (1 Goal, 1 Assist, SO Goal)
3. P.K. Subban, MTL (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
Close but no cigar: T. Thomas, BOS; O. Pavelec, ATL; D. Heatley, SJ; B. Richards, DAL; M. Tedenby, NJ
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Capitals @ Flyers, 7:00 ET
Red Wings @ Penguins, 7:00
Bruins @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Canadiens @ Sabres, 7:30
Ducks @ Senators, 7:30
Blue Jackets @ Lightning, 7:30
Kings @ Blues, 8:00
Canucks @ Avalanche, 9:00
Predators @ Coyotes, 9:00
Wild @ Oilers, 9:30

Games of the Night:
Washington Capitals @ Philadelphia Flyers
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Top 5 Trade Deadline Targets

We are six weeks away from the trade deadline on Feb. 28, but we’ve already had some action in the league when it comes to trades; Dwayne Roloson, James Wisniewski and Jamie Langenbrunner all have new homes.

Who is the next to be dealt? Here are five names that will surely be floated in trade rumors before next month’s deadline.

Power Rankings: Week 15

1. Vancouver Canucks… LW: 1
Since Nov. 24, Roberto Luongo is 14-1-2 with a 1.85 GAA and .936 save percentage. The team survived their east coast swing and will close out with four home games before the break.
2. Philadelphia Flyers… LW: 2
Danny Briere has been on an absolute tear since Christmas, tallying eight goals and seven assists in nine games.
3. Pittsburgh Penguins… LW: 5
The Pens responded well to their collapse against Boston, with much credit going to Jordan Staal with five points in the last two games. But where’s Geno?
4. Dallas Stars… LW: 6
Marc Crawford’s bunch keeps winning and it sounds like UFA-to-be Brad Richards will be staying in Big D.
5. Detroit Red Wings… LW: 3
You know the injury bug that haunted Detroit last year? Yeah, it has returned. Pavel Datsyuk, Jimmy Howard and Tomas Holmstrom are among seven currently injured.

The Week Ahead

Welcome to another installment of "The Week Ahead", where this week I will look at three players who are heating up, two teams that are dealing with a lot of injuries and of course, some games to catch during the week.

Players to Keep An Eye On
The three players below are heating up and helping their teams win hockey games. Not much more you can ask for, eh?

- John Tavares, New York Islanders
On Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders' forward John Tavares went out and picked up his 16th, 17th, and 18th goals in a natural hat trick.

Morning Skate: January 17

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Capitals 3, Senators 1
Wild 4, Canucks 0
Flyers 3, Rangers 2
Blackhawks 6, Predators 3
Ducks 3, Oilers 2
Predictions record: 4-1

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Anton Khudobin, MIN (32 Saves, Shutout)… Khudobin’s 32-save shutout against Vancouver was a big one for the Wild.
2. Troy Brouwer, CHI (2 Goals)
3. Teemu Selanne, ANA (2 Goals)
Close but no cigar: D. Bolland, CHI; B. Boucher, PHI; J. Dumont, NSH; M. Neuvirth, WSH
---

If the playoffs started today…
Eastern Conference:
1) PHI vs. 8) ATL
2) TB vs. 7) MTL
3) BOS vs. 6) NYR
4) PIT vs. 5) WSH
Western Conference:
1) VAN vs. 8) COL
2) DET vs. 7) ANA
3) DAL vs. 6) CHI
4) PHX vs. 5) NSH
---

Today’s Slate:
Hurricanes @ Bruins, 1:00 ET
Devils @ Islanders, 1:00
Sharks @ Coyotes, 4:00
Flames @ Canadiens, 7:30
Thrashers @ Panthers, 7:30
Kings @ Stars, 8:30

Game of the Night:
Los Angeles Kings @ Dallas Stars
8:30 ET… TV: VERSUS

Time to can the All-Star Game

It's finally time the league did something about the All-Star Game, other than try to patch it up with quick fixes that fall flat on their face. The NHL needs to stop lying to themselves; the All Star Game has become a meaningless cash grab for sponsors, ridiculed around the hockey world on a regular basis. Get rid of it.

Morning Skate: January 16

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Penguins 3, Bruins 2
Flames 2, Maple Leafs 1 (SO)
Canadiens 3, Rangers 2
Islanders 5, Sabres 3
Hurricanes 6, Lightning 4
Panthers 3, Devils 2 (OT)
Red Wings 6, Blue Jackets 5 (OT)
Predators 3, Blackhawks 2 (SO)
Stars 6, Thrashers 1
Coyotes 6, Ducks 2
Kings 5, Oilers 2
Sharks 4, Blues 2
Predictions record: 11-1


My 3 stars of the night:
1. John Tavares, NYI (3 Goals)… ‘JT’ scored his second hat trick of the year in the Isles’ win over Buffalo.
2. Ray Whitney, PHX (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
3. Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT (44 Saves, 2 GA)
Close but no cigar: D. Heatley, SJ; J. Staal, PIT; T. Daley, DAL; D. Doughty, LA; D. Kulikov, LA; J. Jokinen, CAR; R. Nash, CBJ; D. Miller, DET; Nashville crowd
---

Today’s Slate:
Senators @ Capitals, 3:00 ET
Canucks @ Wild, 6:00
Flyers @ Rangers, 7:00
Predators @ Blackhawks, 7:00
Oilers @ Ducks, 8:00

Games of the Night:
Philadelphia Flyers @ New York Rangers
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Saturday Faceoff: What’s next in San Jose?

It is mid-January and the Sharks are, well, treading water. We haven’t seen this from them since before the lockout as Team Teal has been an annual playoff contender for many years. Right now, though, they’re on the outside looking in in the West. Is it time to change things up in the Bay Area? Patrick and I debate…

Morning Skate: January 15

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Canucks 4, Capitals 1
Blue Jackets 3, Red Wings 2 (SO)
Flames 3, Senators 2
Flyers 5, Thrashers 2
Devils 5, Lightning 2
Avalanche 4, Wild 1
Predictions record: 2-4

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Ilya Kovalchuk, NJ (2 Goals)… Kovalchuk had one of his better games this season by scoring twice in a win over the upstart Lightning.
2. David Moss, CGY (2 Goals)
3. Claude Giroux, PHI (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
---

Today’s Slate:
Penguins @ Bruins, 1:00 ET
Flames @ Maple Leafs, 7:00
Rangers @ Canadiens, 7:00
Sabres @ Islanders, 7:00
Lightning @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Devils @ Panthers, 7:00
Blue Jackets @ Red Wings, 7:00
Blackhawks @ Predators, 8:00
Thrashers @ Stars, 8:00
Ducks @ Coyotes, 8:00
Oilers @ Kings, 10:00
Blues @ Sharks, 10:30

Games of the Day:
Pittsburgh Penguins @ Boston Bruins
1:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Preds set for crucial home-and-home with Chicago

Under the current scheduling format where teams play six games within the division (compared to eight in the three years following the lockout), home-and-home contests have become more rare. However, there’s a pretty substantial one taking place in the Central Division this weekend.

Nashville and Chicago will play in each other’s barn on Saturday and Sunday in what sets up to be a crucial two-game swing for both clubs. Going into the weekend, both teams sit in the Western Conference playoff picture with home-ice in sight.

These two are budding rivals courtesy of last spring’s playoff matchup, where the ‘Hawks advanced in six games. The Preds have taken two of their first three meetings this season. Look for this home-and-home to have a playoff feel to it.

“When you play a back-to-back, you get under each other’s skin,” Colin Wilson said. “You remember stuff from the night before, so there will definitely be more of a playoff atmosphere.”

The first half of the back-to-back will be played in Music City on Saturday, followed by the tilt in the Windy City on Sunday.

“Playing Chicago, I think everyone has in the back of their minds what happened last year,” Pekka Rinne said. “The last few years against Chicago it’s been good battles, and you know… they don’t like us and we don’t like them. It brings a little bit more to the game.”

Nashville has been one of the NHL’s more streaky teams this season. After a five-game skid during the holidays, they won six in a row prior to Thursday’s loss in Florida. Wilson realizes how important it is to stop the bleeding quicker than they have earlier this year.

“It’s all about mindset,” Wilson said. “As soon as we lose another, some of the guys may go ‘Here we go again’. If we get a good win here, we’ll realize that we can turn it around pretty quickly.”

Since returning from his knee injury on Dec. 23, Rinne has compiled a 1.57 goals-against average and .944 save percentage in nine games. During the recent win streak, he had a .967 save percentage and surrendered five goals in five games. He is feeling healthy and is in that groove that Preds fans grew accustomed to seeing down the stretch the last couple years.

“Obviously it goes hand in hand with your team play,” Rinne said of his recent success. “Every now and then a goalie can steal a game, but we’ve been playing really well as a team and that reflects on the goalie, too.”

Aside from Rinne’s stellar play, the Preds have been scoring goals pretty consistently. Overall, the team has scored 26 goals in the last seven games.

Captain Shea Weber now leads the team in points with 26, courtesy of his current seven-game point streak (11 points total). Sergei Kostitsyn and Patric Hornqvist (5 goals and 3 assists each), David Legwand (7 points), along with Ryan Suter (6 assists, +13 rating) have also stepped up over that span.

“Each line has a little bit of the elements that you want,” Coach Barry Trotz said. “You’ve got some speed and smarts on every line. You’ve got a guy that is really hard on the puck, goes to the net and those hard areas, and then you’ve got a good playmaker.”

The Preds will be facing a streaky team in its own right. Coming into the year, goaltending was a question mark. Off-season addition Marty Turco has struggled, but Corey Crawford is picking up the slack. The 26-year-old rookie has a 15-8-1 record and 2.14 goals-against, and tallied his first two shutouts of the season in the last two games.

“Lately, they’ve been playing really well,” Trotz said. “They’ve been playing a strong 200-foot game, they’ve been getting good goaltending, the penalty kill is coming around and the power play is number one in the league. There’s not too many elements to their game that isn’t going well for them right now.”

Chicago is starting to come into their own by winning their last three games. Prior to that though, they dropped four of five and were outside the top eight in the West. They have also regained health as the likes of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa missed time in the first half.

“They have some individuals with high skill,” Rinne said. “Year after year it’s one of the top power plays, too. It’s not just the forwards – they have some really good defensemen. We have to play well defensively and get into their zone.”

“We got knocked out by them last year, so people won’t take them lightly,” Wilson said. “They’ve got a lot of stars on their team. With how close the division and the conference is, you have to win these games.”

The Preds come in with 52 points and in fifth place, with Chicago sitting one point behind at 51.

“They’re like playoff games,” Trotz said. “We can either get separation or they can jump over us – that’s how close it is. There’s virtually no separation. Either way, what happens this weekend – good, bad and different – there’s still a lot of hockey to be played.”

Photo credit: Getty Images

Friday Night Fights

The best fights from the last week...

Trophy Tracker

Every other Friday, we bring you an updated look at the candidates for the major awards around the league…

HART TROPHY

1. Sidney Crosby

Stats: 41 GP, 32 G, 34 A, 66 Pts, +20
Crosby’s concussion hasn’t put a dent into his MVP campaign, but you have to wonder how quickly he’s going to be able to come back.

2. Steven Stamkos
Stats: 44 GP, 31 G, 26 A, 57 Pts, +9
Stamkos has been the triggerman for the division-leading Bolts through the first half.

3. Henrik Sedin
Stats: 43 GP, 9 G, 46 A, 55 Pts, +18
Last season’s Hart winner isn’t having as big of an MVP-caliber season as last year. And something that went heavily in Henrik’s favor last year was that he played without Daniel for almost a third of the season. That said, Henrik is on a tear (31 points in last 23 games) and is proving to be very hard to contain once again.

Other candidates: Brad Richards, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Zetterberg

Morning Skate: January 14

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Bruins 7, Flyers 5
Sabres 3, Hurricanes 2
Senators 6, Islanders 4
Rangers 1, Canucks 0
Panthers 3, Predators 2
Coyotes 5, Maple Leafs 1
Blues 3, Kings 1
Oilers 5, Sharks 2
Predictions record: 6-2


My 3 stars of the night:
1. Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (31 Saves, Shutout)… King Henrik was a pillar in net for the Rangers last night, shutting out the surging Canucks.
2. Devan Dubnyk, EDM (41 Saves, 2 GA)
3. Steven Kampfer, BOS (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
Close but no cigar: T. Hall and A. Hemsky, EDM; R. Olesz, FLA; J. Halak, STL; C. Kelly, OTT; K. Yandle, PHX; D. Briere, PHI
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Canucks @ Capitals, 7:00 ET
Red Wings @ Blue Jackets, 7:00
Flames @ Senators, 7:30
Flyers @ Thrashers, 7:30
Devils @ Lightning, 7:30
Avalanche @ Wild, 8:00

Game of the Night:
Vancouver Canucks @ Washington Capitals
7:00 ET… TV: NHL Net. (US), Local Networks

Teams at Mid-season Crossroads

Over the last week or two, there have been a handful of teams to go through a bad stretch that has left everyone asking more questions than there are answers. Teams are scrambling to find those answers as coaches are rumored to be on the hot seat, general managers are rumored to be ready to make a move, and players are rumored to be on the verge of being dealt.

Which teams are pushing the panic button at the mid-season checkpoint? More than just a couple…

Video: Blues/Ducks Fisticuffs

Last night's contest between the Blues and Ducks got out of hand once the Ducks took a 6-2 lead. Four fights took place in less than four minutes. Here they are...

Morning Skate: January 13

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Penguins 5, Canadiens 2
Lightning 3, Capitals 0
Blackhawks 4, Avalanche 0
Ducks 7, Blues 4
Predictions record: 3-1


My 3 stars of the night:
1. Bobby Ryan, ANA (3 Goals, 1 Assist)… Ryan had a big night for the Ducks last night with four points and a hat trick.
2. Dwayne Roloson, TB (23 Saves, Shutout)
3. Corey Crawford, CHI (24 Saves, Shutout)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Flyers @ Bruins, 7:00 ET
Hurricanes @ Sabres, 7:00
Senators @ Islanders, 7:00
Canucks @ Rangers, 7:00
Predators @ Panthers, 7:30
Maple Leafs @ Coyotes, 9:00
Blues @ Kings, 10:30
Oilers @ Sharks, 10:30

Game of the Night:
Philadelphia Flyers @ Boston Bruins
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Tortorella for Jack Adams?

As I was listening to NHL Live! earlier today, host Don LaGreca mentioned that New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella should get some consideration for the Jack Adams Trophy as the league's coach of the year.

Believe it or not, Tortorella has been one of the best coaches in the league this year. Yes, guys like Craig Ramsey, Guy Boucher and Marc Crawford also deserve to get considered for the award; but before giving those guys the keys, let's take a look at why Tortorella should get some recognition for a job well done this season.