NHL playoffs: Let’s get this party started!
Posted by Thomas Conroy (04/15/2009 @ 6:24 pm)

There’s nothing that sounds quite like an NHL playoff game, except for maybe standing on the tarmac during a plane’s takeoff. The noise is constant from the pre-game skate to the final seconds on the clock. For the players and coaches, springtime means the start of the annual gauntlet run to the Stanley Cup.
This year, the Western Conference could provide more surprises in the early rounds than its Eastern counterpart. I have highlighted three series to keep an eye on for the first round.
Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens
An original six matchup — old Adams Division rivals will meet for the fourth time in the last seven postseasons. The Habs have won 24 of 31 all-time playoff series between the two teams, including the last three encounters (’02, ’04, ‘08). The key for the Canadiens is having a healthy D Andrei Markov back in the lineup. He led the team in scoring and was a key component at the point position on the power play. But they have sputtered since Markov went down with a lower-body injury on April 4th. The Big Bad Bruins have bullied the Canadiens in all six regular season contests, but they must refrain from taking stupid penalties. F Milan Lucic must control his emotions and play with his head on straight, as the referees will be watching him closely. What a banner season for the Bruins, as they had their best win total (53) since 1971-72 regular season en route to becoming the number one-seed in the Eastern Conference.
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Posted in: NHL
Tags: Adams Division, AHL, Andrei Markov, Bill Guerin, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Chris Kunitz, Dan Bylsma, Eastern Conference, Evgeni Malkin, Jeff Carter, Marian Hossa, Michel Therrien, Milan Lucic, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, NHL, NHL Playoffs, Nortwest Division, Olli Jokinen, Original Six, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ryan Malone, Sergei Gonchar, Sidney Crosby, Stanley Cup, The Habs, The Pens, Western Conference
Calgary Flames burn out phone lines at NHL trade deadline
Posted by Thomas Conroy (03/05/2009 @ 11:54 am)

This was a strange NHL trading deadline. I was a little disappointed in the lack of big name players changing uniforms. In total, 22 trades (involving 47 players) were completed. And the biggest name that was traded (Olli Jokinen) has never played in a playoff game in his 10-year career.
The Calgary Flames became a legitimate contender in the Western Conference after acquiring D Jordan Leopold from the Colorado Avalanche and Jokinen from the Phoenix Coyotes in separate deadline deals. Leopold is a great fit that could make their backline the most imposing in the league. Jokinen played his best hockey under current Flames coach Mike Keenan during their time together in Florida. He is a great scorer but not a great on-ice leader, though Calgary offers him a fresh start. It’s a veteran squad that will not ask Jokinen to provide leadership in the locker room, just puckss in the net.
A nice day’s work for Coyote GM Don Maloney, as his agenda yesterday was to cut payroll…
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Posted in: NHL
Tags: Blueshirts, Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Derek Morris, Dmitri Kalinin, Don Maloney, Florida Panthers, Glen Slather, Jacques Martin, Jay Bouwmeester, John Tortorella, Jordan Leopold, Mike Keenan, New York Rangers, NHL, Nigel Dawes, Nik Antropov, Olli Jokinen, Petr Prucha, Phoenix Coyotes, Slats, Stanley Cup, Wayne Gretzky, Western Conference
NHL Trade Deadline: Deal or no deal?
Posted by Thomas Conroy (03/04/2009 @ 1:05 pm)

With hours remaining before the NHL’s trading deadline at 3 PM (ET) today, hockey fans want to know…
Who’s buying?
Who’s selling?
Who’s going to be traded?
Rumors are running rampant, and it’s very hard to distinguish fact from fiction. 25 of 30 teams in the league have a realistic shot of making the playoffs, and nine of them are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. You can expect a number of trades today, as a combined 50 deals were executed at the trade deadline in the past two years.
Here are six likely candidates:
Chris Pronger – D, Anaheim Ducks
His immediate impact as an offensive defenseman could be very beneficial to any team that would acquire him. The Ducks are looking to make a major roster overhaul this off-season, and cannot afford to keep Pronger’s large contract ($6.25 million) on the cap next season. He is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after the 2009-10 season.
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Posted in: NHL
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Brian Burke, Chris Pronger, Colorado Avalanche, Eastern Conference, Florida Panthers, Jacques Martin, Jay Bouwmeester, Keith Tkachuk, NHL, Olli Jokinen, Phoenix Coyotes, Ryan Smyth, St. Louis Blues, Stanley Cup, Tomas Kaberle, Toronto Maple Leafs
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