|
|
| The Anaheim Ducks are looking for a center after dealing Andy McDonald to the St. Louis. His replacement, Doug Weight, is leaving on fairly bad terms after disputes over his playing time. |
Our View: Possible candidates include Markus Naslund and Brendan Morrison, who both played for Ducks GM Brian Burke during his time in Vancouver.
|
|
|
|
| Tim Thomas earned his second victory for Team USA, while counterpart Robert Kristan was phenomenal for the second game in a row. |
Our View: Anze Kopitar again had the lone goal for the Slovenes and was instrumental in keeping another game respectable for the '07 Division I, Group B champions.
|
|
|
|
| Jason Arnott has nearly recovered from the effects of his concussion. The Preds' veteran suffered the injury after scoring a goal against Detroit in Game 3 and his exuberant teammates jumped on him in celebration. |
Our View: Arnott fell backwards and hit the back of his head on the boards as he went down. He only played part of Game 4 before sitting out Games 5 and 6 before Nashville lost the series 4-2.
|
|
|
|
| When the Bruins invited Glen Metropolit to their training camp last September, they were impressed enough with his play to ink him to a one-year contract. After garnering a career high of 33 points, the Bruins apparently want him back. The Boston Globe is reporting the Bruins have given the veteran journeyman a contract offer that he is considering. He made $500,000 last year. |
Our View: With the emergence of David Krejci, and the return to health of Patrice Bergeron and Marc Savard, Metropolit may find himself on the fourth line if he decides to sign.
|
|
|
|
| Riley Cote may return to the lineup in the third round to help the Flyers combat the presence of the Penguins George Laroque, according to the South Jersey Courier Post. |
Our View: Cote is nothing more than a thug with zero offensive upside with only four points in 70 games on the year. Still, if the rough stuff gets going, Cote will likely be up for it given his 202 PIM on the season.
|
|
|
|
| Valtteri Filppula did not skate on practice because a re-aggravated leg injury, but he still expects to be ready to play for Game 1 against the Stars, according to the Detroit Free Press. "It happened in (Thursday's) game, third period," Filppula said. "My leg twisted a litlte bit, but I feel a lot better today. Hopefully I am ready to go Thursday." |
Our View: Filppula has five points and is a +6 through 10 games in the playoffs and add some nice scoring depth up the middle for the Wings.
|
|
|
|
| Chris Chelios, who missed Game 4 of the second round because of a leg injury, should be ready to go for Game 1 of the Conference Finals, according to the Detroit Free Press. |
Our View: Chelios, the leagues all-time leader in playoff appearances, brings so much more to the table than his on ice work, which by the way is still fairly substantial. Look for him to pester the Start forwards in Round 3.
|
|
|
|
| The Blackhawks signed 24 year old Finnish goaltender Antti Niemi to a contract on Monday though terms were not announced, according to TSN. |
Our View: Nikolai Khbabibulin and Patrick Lalime did a solid job in net last season, but it's clear that the team could move one of those two tenders if the right offer came along. Niemi won 29 games with a 2.35 GAA and .927 SV% for the Pelicans of the Finnish Elite League this season and will offer depth in net for the organization.
|
|
|
|
| Mike Ribeiro will lead the Stars into the third round of the playoffs against the Red Wings with three goals and 14 points in 12 games. More impressively, Ribeiro has nine of those points with the man-advantage. |
Our View: Ribeiro and Mike Modano have been a dynamic duo on the power-play (Modano has eight PP points). They will likely find the going more difficult against the Wings.
|
|
|
|
| Marty Turco stood on his head and made 61 saves for the Stars in their 2-1 four OT victory over the Sharks, according to the Dallas Morning News. |
Our View: Can we please put to rest those insane opinions that Turco can't get it done in the playoffs? Turco is 8-4 through two rounds with a 1.73 GAA and .929 SV%. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it you doubters.
|
|
|
|
| Evgeni Nabokov played one of the best games of his life on Sunday night but it wasn't enough as the Sharks fell to the Stars 2-1 in quadruple OT. Nabokov stopped 53 of 55 Dallas shots and finished the playoffs with a 2.18 GAA. |
Our View: Nabokov did his part but his mates were only able to slide one puck past Marty Turco. Nabby wasn't always great in these playoffs but when the Sharks needed him most he stopped 95 of the last 99 shots he faced.
|
|
|
|
| Joe Thornton finished the playoffs as the Sharks leading point producer with 10 points in 13 games, but that is a far cry from the player who has averaged 1.36 points per game in 222 outings in Teal. |
Our View: Thornton played solid hockey and to be fair the vast majority of his points are accrued off his deft passes. But still, the Sharks need more from their superstar than two goal and eight assists in the 13 games if they ever want to considered serious contenders for the Cup.
|
|
|
|
| Brian Campbell won't be remembered for the game-high 56:23 of ice-time he had in Game 4, he will likely be remembered for his penalty that led directly to the Stars game-winning power-play goal in the fourth OT of the NHL's eighth longest game ever, according to the San Jose Mercury. |
Our View: Campbell experience highs and lows in these playoffs, but its a shame that this will be the lasting memory we will have of the offensive minded defensemen. Perhaps the bigger question is why did the referees chose that point of the fourth OT to make a penalty call? Campbell certainly committed a tripping penalty, but it's not like the refs didn't let 43 other penalties go in OT (only two were called in OT).
|
|
|
|
| Simon Gagne, who was limited to only 25 games this season due to a concussion, will not return for the Flyers in the playoffs no matter how long they continue to play, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. "He hasn't done anything in terms of fitness," GM Paul Holmgren said yesterday. "I don't see him being an option no matter how long this thing goes. |
Our View: Too bad cause the Flyers could really use their high scoring winger in what figures to be a possible offensive explosion with the Penguins in the third round.
|
|
|
|
| The Panthers and Wade Belak agreed to a two-year contract on Monday, the Ticker confirms. Belak came over from the Maple Leafs in a February trade. |
Our View: Belak rarely finds his name on the scoring sheet, but the big fella is typically a good bet for over 100 PIMs. His one-sided line makes him nearly worthless in fantasy leagues.
|
|
|
|
| The Panthers have re-signed center Kamil Kreps to a two-year contract, the Ticker confirms. Financial details were not confirmed. "Kamil is an example of the strong and young talent that we have developed within our organization," Panthers general manager Jacques Martin says. |
Our View: Kreps appeared to get more comfortable as his rookie season went on, and we expect his goal and assist numbers to rise in 2008-09. He could turn into a decent, low-end center option
|
|
|
|
| Brendan Shanahan offered no statements regarding his future, now that the Rangers season has ended on Sunday night (against Pittsburgh), according to FamNation. Shanahan refused to discuss whether he plans to play hockey next season or retire after an excellent 20-year career. |
Our View: Shanahan registered 23 goals and 23 assists over 73 games this season, and still has a little bit left in the tank if he decides to return for his 21st season.
|
|
|
|
| Sidney Crosby helped close out the series for the Penguins, as he dished out two assists in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Rangers in Game 5. Crosby did not score a goal in the series against New York, but he chipped in six assists. |
Our View: Crosby racked up 14 points through nine playoff games this season.
|
|
|
|
| Brenden Morrow scored an OT goal in Sunday's 2-1 win against the Sharks in Game 6. Dallas won the series 4-2, and Morrow's heroics helped avoid a Game 7. |
Our View: Morrow scored a goal in back-to-back games against San Jose, and scored four in the series, with one assist.
|
|
|
|
| Antti Miettinen scored the first goal against the Sharks in Sunday's 2-1 win in Game 6. Dallas ended the series 4-2, and Miettinen contributed two points over the six games. |
Our View: He didn't score any points in the series against Anaheim.
|
|
|
|
| Ryane Clowe scored the lone goal for the Sharks in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Stars in Game 6. Dallas won the series 4-2, and that was Clowe's first point over the six games. |
Our View: Clowe notched eight points against Calgary, but faded back into obscurity against the Stars.
|
|
