Greg Wyshynski’s Puck Daddy blog over at Yahoo! (which I highly recommend), has been running a daily feature throughout the month of August entitled “5 Ways I’d Change The NHL”.  He’s had hockey writers, retired players, coaches, and celebrities contributing lists of serious and not-so-serious suggestions for improvement in the league.  I’m a little late to the party (and couldn’t narrow it down to 5!), but I thought I would contribute to the fun.  In no particular order:

1. The Trapezoid — Get rid if it.  Am I biased as a fan of Marty Brodeur? Maybe a little.  But I think it was the worst of the rules instituted post-lockout, and I don’t think it’s done anything to “improve” the game.  If only a handful of teams get to benefit from their goaltenders’ puckhandling skills, great for them.  Brodeur has always been fantastic running the show behind the net, Marty Turco was, and still is, like a third defenseman for the Stars.  Let these guys flaunt their skills — I’m willing to bet guys will get better at handling the puck if they’re given more of an opportunity to do it.

2. Consistency — The handing down of punishments from the Colin Campbell and the rest of the higher ups in the league has to get more consistent.  Chris Simon’s stomp to Jarkko Ruutu’s ankle warrants a 30 game ban, but a stomp from Chris Pronger only gets 8 games?  Both have bad reputations including multiple suspensions (granted, Simon’s is much worse following the Hollweg incident last year), both incidents were fairly similar.  Why such a huge difference in punishment?  What sort of statement does this make for the players, for the public?  The league wants so badly to be seen in a positive light in the media, but it can’t even figure out it’s own suspension policy.  Figure out a system and hand things out as consistently as can reasonably be expected.

3. “The War Room” — Something needs to be fixed in the goal review process.  I saw at least two good goals get waved off in the playoffs this year.  The “war room” in Toronto has High-Definition cameras from every angle possible to view the goals and make a call conclusively in either direction, and they’ve still managed to bungle calls through this season and playoff year.  I don’t care how they implement it (one of the lists on Puck Daddy hit on this a little bit), but some sort of sensor system seems to be the answer.  Why have a bunch of guys staring at cameras when you can just have a sensor be set off as soon as all of the puck is over the line.  Half of the current goal review problems would be solved.  Then there’s just the problem of that damn “distinct kicking motion” rule.  But that’s a complaint for another day.

5. Marketing– I know Sidney Crosby is God’s gift to the NHL (with Alex Ovechkin running a close second), but there ARE other players out there that would be great marketing tools for this league.  Guys like Jerome Iginla, who is probably one of the classiest players in the game, should be used by the league for promoting the sport.  How about sticking Marty Turco or Vinny Lecavlier in some commercials?  So many of these guys have such great personalities — and do so much in the community, as well — and the NHL isn’t using it to their advantage.

Oh, and getting games on a network people actually have would probably help too.

6. Bettman– I know 75% of the lists on Puck Daddy said this, but its time for Gary to go.  The players don’t like him, the fans boo him everywhere he goes, and that’s not a good environment for the league to build on.  Move on.

Less than a month til preseason!

I hate August.  It’s hot, humid, and aside from my yearly trip to Maryland, rather dull. It’s also generally the most bleak month for hockey.  No more free agency buzz, rosters are pretty much settled — the majority of the NHL is in hibernation, lying in wait for training camp to start.  We have nothing to go on but our own imagination until preseason starts in late September.

In honor of hockey’s most boring time of year, I’ve compiled a list of the top 5 ways to keep yourself up to date and entertained during these last long weeks of summer.

5. Find other hockey-deprived people to talk to

This one is rather popular within my household.  We often sit and bullshit with each other on such things as “so when do you think Tampa Bay will release it needs to play defense too?” or “Approximately how quickly is Jay Bouwmeester headed out of Florida next year?” (I don’t think he’ll make it past the trade deadline).  Other topics include:

Who is Garth Snow tricking into taking over for Ted Nolan on Long Island?  And will it really make a difference?

Can the Thrashers make it to the cap floor?

Will Mats Sundin ever make up his mind?

How does Toronto plan to get better by signing guys like Ryan Hollweg? (Anyone with a logical answer to this one, please, enlighten me)

Will Sidney Crosby repeat the Zorro-stache next year?

The possibilities are endless.

4. Sean Avery

That’s right, a Devils fan promoting Sean Avery.  He’s out of my hair (and by hair, I mean conference) now so I can sit back and laugh instead of constantly wanting his face bashed in.  As much as he is a COMPLETE asshole, you can make the case that all of the constant publicity focused on him in the media circus in New York was probably a good thing for the NHL (in some cases, anyway).  This week, Sean made his debut in Dallas, and true to form, came out swinging for the fences.  In his introductory press conference he took shots at the Rangers new acquistions and joked that the team wouldn’t be as good this year.  He threw out the first pitch at a TEXAS Rangers game earlier this week, and was instantly good friends with Brendan Morrow and Marty Turco, who both spoke out rather harshly against Avery during the playoffs.

Nothing like a good dose of douchebaggery to brighten a hot summer day!

3. The Pensblog

As much as I’m a Devils fan and a lot of Devils fans would probably stone me for saying this, I have no probably admitting that I pulled for the Penguins pretty intensely after the Devils were eliminated from this years’ playoffs. Sid, Geno, and the rest of the Pens were just so much fun to watch.  Pensblog takes an incredible love for the Penguins and channels it into a hysterical daily blog.  Funny photoshops and videos, mockery of the entire league, and game recaps are just some of what you can expect from these guys.  Not recommended for Marian Hossa fans

2. Mats Sundin

If all else fails, Mats Sundin seems to be all the NHL cares about this summer.  He’s set at least two deadlines for deciding his future, politely declined a $20 MILLION CONTRACT from the Canucks.  As far as I can tell, is sitting on his ass in Sweden letting everyone in the hockey world hold their breath and wait for him to decide if and where he’s going to play.  At this point, I’m getting more entertainment from watching reports trip over each other to get the latest news all the while not realize just how ridiculous the whole situation has gotten (”Mats has decided today that he’ll decide a week from next Tuesday!”)than I think I’ll ever get from him deciding .  The funny thing is, I bet there’s a good chance, if he does decide to come back, he won’t be able to pull a Brett Favre and drag himself away from Toronto, no matter how awful they may be.  And all the hype will have been for nothing.

1. Puck Daddy’s Portraits in Heroism Contest

Greg Wyshynski’s blog over at Yahoo is worth a spot in your RSS reader of choice anyway, but this recent effort was particularly entertaining.  About 2 weeks ago the challenge was posted: make Commissioner Gary Bettman look heroic in whichever way you see fit.  The blog accepted entries until August 1st, and 230 hilarious entries later, Gary Bettman has been immortalized in ways that you will never un-see.  The contest winners are linked above, the full gallery can be seen here.

So, in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s not October yet, leaving us with lack of news on the hockey front now that the dust has mostly settled on free agency.  We’re stuck in those gloomy months of summer — nothing going down but the occasional low-key signing or coach being hired.

The withdrawal symptoms grow worse everyday.

Here’s the latest news to help ease your pain.

–Dallas Drake hangs ‘em up after 16 years in the NHL and his first-ever Stanley Cup victory this year in Detroit.

–Ryan Miller signs a 5-year contract extension with Buffalo, crushing the hopes and dreams of Red Wings fans convinced the Motown-native coming to play for his hometown team next summer.

–The NHL confirmed the 2009 Winter Classic for January 1, 2009, to take place at Wrigley Field between Chicago and Detroit.  I did a victory dance.

–Jonathan Toews was named captain for the Blackhawks for the upcoming season, becoming the third-youngest player given the honor.

–The Penguins gave head coach Michel Therrien a 3-year contract extension and increased his pay for the 2008-2009 season.

–Terry Murray was named head coach for the Los Angeles Kings.  God speed, sir.

–The Islanders “parted ways” with head coach Ted Nolan.  Its fun to watch the Islanders implode.

–Joffrey Lupul signed a 4-year extension with the Flyers.  Solid move for Philly.

–Mats Sundin signs with the Canucks.  Oh wait, no he didn’t.  Silly Swedish tabloids.

–The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) suspended Alexander Radulov and 5 other players while investigating their transfers between the new Russian Continental Hockey League and the NHL.  Radulov had 1 year left on his contract with the Predators when he signed a contract with the KHL, breaching the IIHF transfer agreement.

–For the second straight season, the NHL season will begin with games in Europe.  On October 4th and 5th, the Rangers and Lightning will face off in the Czech Republic while the Penguins and Senators compete in Sweden.  The Senators’ Daniel Alfredsson will get the chance to play in his home country.  I’m sure the NHL had hoped, in scheduling the Rangers in Prague, to have Jaromir Jagr playing on his home turf as well, but no such luck.

–And, the best news of the week — the 2008-2009 schedule has been released! 75 days until the season starts. (And 81 days until the Devils home opener!)

Let the countdown begin!

I have been quite the slacker in my hockey fan and blogging ways this week, having neglected to keep everyone up to date on the craziness of the first week of the NHL’s free agency period.  After Tuesday’s initial onslaught, the hits just kept on coming throughout the week, with some big signings still coming in late last night.  To catch up, I’ve compiled a list of each teams gains and losses since Tuesday, a graded each team.

TEAM	GAINED	LOST	GRADE
	Re-signed Corey Perry, signed Stu Bickel, Brendan Morrison	Marc-Andre Bergeron, Todd Bertuzzi, Doug Weight	Locking up Corey Perry was important and Burke got it done early. Morrison is a solid addition up front. No big splashes, but great adjustments to an already great team – now if Burke would shut his mouth we’d be all set. Grade: B+
	Re-signed Johan Hedberg; signed Ron Hainsey	Bobby Holik, Jesse Shultz	It’s hard to sign players who have no interest in playing in your town. Atlanta reportedly offered Brian Campbell more money and he turned them down. They are still $8 million under the cap floor and the biggest name they could bring in was Ron Hainsey. Don Waddell has his work cut out for him. Grade: F
	Signed Blake Wheeler, Michael Ryder, Petteri Nokelainen	Glen Metropolit, Alex Auld, Sean Curry	Michael Ryder is a great pickup. He had the best season of his career under Claude Julien in Montreal and surrounded by the young talent in Boston will look to repeat that. The B’s can only hope that Blake Wheeler will live up to the hype. Grade: B+
	Patrick Lalime, Craig Rivet	Dmitri Kalinin, Steve Bernier	Much better offseason for the Slugs this year. Craig Rivet can at least attempt to fill the hole left by Campbell, and Lalime will be a better backup for Ryan Miller. I wouldn’t be surprised to see another move up Regier’s sleeve, though. Grade: B-
	Re-signed Brandon Prust, David VanDerGulik, Mark Giordano, Jim Vandermeer; Signed Rene Borque, Ryan Wilson, Pete Vandermeer, Curtis Glengross, Todd Bertuzzi	Curtis Joseph, Eric Godard, Krisitan Huselius, David Hale, Owen Nolan	Lots of movement in Calgary. The locked in their core, tossed off those that weren’t working, and brought in some new talent and toughness to compete in the increasingly difficult Western Conference. I think we’ll see them do better than just barely scraping into the playoffs this year. Grade: A-
	Re-signed Anton Babchuk, Ryan Bayda, Tim Conboy, Wade Brookbank, Dennis Seidenberg; acquired Joni Pitkanen	Erik Cole, Darcy Hordichuk, Keith Aucoin	The deal with Edmonton came as a bit of a surprise – Pitkanen will certainly solve some of their defensive woes. Otherwise, not much change from a team that hasn’t made the playoffs in 2 years. Grade: C
	Cristobal Huet, Brian Campbell	Rene Borque, Patrick Lalime, David Koci	The Hawks were the talk of the town on July 1 – bringing Brian Campbell in with a monster deal. They have an interesting situation to sort out in net, but with their young core constantly improving and the solid blueline help, I think we’ll see the Hawks be a contender next season. Grade: A-
	Re-signed Wojtek Wolski; Signed Per Ledin, Andrew Raycroft, Darcy Tucker	Andrew Brunette, Jose Theodore, Kurt Sauer, Jeff Finger, Wyatt Smith	Disappointing moves thus far from Denver. Replacing Theodore with Budaj and Raycroft is gutsy, and the biggest signing thus far is Darcy Tucker. With the potential losses of Sakic and Forsberg, the Avs are going to have to do a lot better than that. Grade: D
	Re-signed Michael Peca; signed Raffi Torres, Mike Commodore, Kristian Huselius, RJ Umberger	Nikolai Zherdev, Dan Fritsche, Ron Hainsey	Columbus is doing a bit of an overhaul – and depending on team chemistry next year, they could be in good shape. Umberger was a steal, and Huselius is a great replacement for Zherdev. With Ken Hitchcock at the wheel, I think the Jackets have a shot at their first playoff berth this season. Grade: B+
	Re-signed BJ Crombeen, Mikhail Grabovski; signed Sean Avery, Maxime Fortunus, Garrett Stafford, Landon Wilson	Niklas Hagman, Nolan Baumgartner	Winners (or losers?) of the Sean Avery sweepstakes, Dallas’ asshole factor certainly increased. Hagman was great in the playoffs but can be replaced. We may see Hull & Co make another move before the summer is out. Grade: B-
	Re-signed Andreas Lilja, Brad Stuart; signed Ty Conklin, Marian Hossa	Garrett Stafford, Mark Cullen	The Hossa deal caught everyone by surprise and is a genius move by GM Ken Holland to improve his already stellar lineup. Conklin is a great replacement for Hasek after proving himself in Pittsburgh last season. Detroit will be seriously favored to repeat. Grade: A
	Gilbert Brule, Erik Cole	Joni Pitkanen, Raffi Torres, Curtis Glencross	Kevin Lowe made a serious play for Marian Hossa – clearing out cap space in the form of Raffi Torres and Joni Pitkanen to do it – and came up short. He’s been obviously quiet (well, he hasn’t signed anyone, anyway) since. He’s going to have to do better than just Erik Cole to improve this team. Grade: C-
	Re-signed Rostislav Olesz; Signed Cory Stillman, Keith Ballard, Nick Boynton	Olli Jokinen	Olli Jokinen (and all the bad attention he had begun to attract) is gone. Cory Stillman is a decent replacement, although at their best, Jokinen is probably the better player. Florida still has some problems to address, with the exception of Tomas Vokoun between the pipes. And with players like Jay Bouwmeester coming out and saying they want out of Florida, you have to worry about the state of the locker room. Grade: C
	Denis Gauthier	Patrik Hersley, Ned Lukacevic, Rob Blake, Ryan Flinn	When you’re rebuilding with a young team and bringing in a new coach after finish nearly dead last in the NHL, the last thing you want to do is drive away a veteran player like Rob Blake. Grade: F
	Re-signed Kurtis Foster; Signed Andrew Brunette, Marek Zidlicky, Craig Weller, Jesse Shultz, Owen Nolan	Ryan Jones, Todd Fedoruk, Brian Rolston, Aaron Voros	Losing Brian Rolston hurt. The impending departure of Pavol Demitra hurts as well (he’s rumored to be signing in Vancouver). A lot of toughness left with Fedoruk and Voros. Brunette’s a good signing, and Owen Nolan brings in some toughness and veteran leadership, but we may see Minnesota suffer like Buffalo did last year. Grade: C+
	Re-signed Andrei Kostitsyn; signed Alex Henry, Cedrick Desjardins, Georges Laraque, Marc Denis, Ryan Flinn	Mark Streit, Michael Ryder, Jann Danis	Locking up Andrei Kostitsyn, especially after his performance in the playoffs, was a great signing by Bob Gainey. Georges Laraque will bring some much-needed size and toughness to the small, fast Habs team. Marc Denis gives them some flexibility in goal by adding a netminder older than 23 — however declining he may be –  to their roster. Solid additions. Grade: B+
	Ryan Jones, Drew McIntyre	Alex Henry, Chris Mason	Pretty quiet in Nashville. They managed to retain the bulk of the core of their team, and after Dan Ellis’ performance in the playoffs, Chris Mason was expendable. Nothing spectacular but no great losses either. Grade: B-
	Re-signed Bryce Salvador, Jay Pandolfo, David Clarkson, Barry Tallackson; signed Brian Rolston, Bobby Holik	Sergei Brylin, Arron Asham	The Devils needed scoring, and Brian Rolston (pursued by a whopping 17 teams) should be a big help, both at even strength and as a power play QB. Bringing back Bobby Holik will give them some toughness in front of the net and adds another true center. Locking up Salvador bolstered a weak defense, and Pandolfo was a must-sign. The team is close to the cap and has more bodies than roster spots. Look for GM Lou Lamoriello to move some players before the season starts, probably to acquire a defenseman. Grade: B
	Mark Streit, Jann Danis, Doug Weight, Mitch Fritz	Drew Fata, Ruslan Fedotenko, Miroslav Satan	The signing of Mark Streit was quietly one of the best signings on July 1. He’s young, still developing, and looked great in the playoffs for the Habs. Solid grab for the Isles. Doug Weight is rapidly declining, so the move is marginal. Losing Fedetenko and Satan makes room for some of the young forwards in the Isles farm system to make their debut – but who knows how well they’ll be able to carry the team. Garth Snow would be wise to to lock up some more veteran talent. Grade: D
	Re-signed Michal Rozsival, Paul Mara, Stephen Valiquette; Signed Aaron Voros, Patrick Rissmiller, Wade Redden, Markus Naslund, Nikolai Zherdev, Dan Fritsche, Dmitri Kalinin	Jaromir Jagr, Sean Avery, Martin Straka, Fedor Tyutin, Christian Backman, Mitch Fritz	The Rangers will be a very different team next year. With Jagr and Straka headed for Europe and various other players scattering around the league, Sather, in all his glory, threw a massive contract at Wade Redden and big contracts at Markus Naslund and Dmitri Kalinin. Nikolai Zherdev is a gamble, but could have serious upside if he shows up. The Rangers, as always, have the star power to be great – but if the pieces don’t fit they could struggle.Grade: B-
	Re-signed Shean Donovan, Alex Auld, Jarkko Ruutu, Jason Smith	Cory Stillman, Ray Emery, Mike Commodore, Wade Redden	Buying out Ray Emery’s contract was the first order of business and rid Ottawa of the locker room issues that plagued them all season last year. Alex Auld was brought in as a replacement backup goalie. Jason Smith is a solid defensemen and great leader, having captained his last two teams. Wade Redden is no great loss, as he was not performing well in Ottawa the last several seasons. The biggest test for Ottawa will be if they can overcome the internal issues of last year. Grade: B-
	Re-signed Jeff Carter, Riley Cote, Randy Jones, Patrik Hersley, Ned Lukacevic, Ossi Vaananen, Glen Metropolit, Nate Raduns, Arron Asham, Sean Curry	Denis Gauthier, RJ Umberger, Jason Smith	Gained a solid forward in Glen Metropolit. Arron Asham has the potential to be a solid 4th line man, but as a Devils fan, I will tell you he doesn’t always show up. Losing RJ Umberger in order to clear cap space for Jeff Carter will hurt if Umberger explodes this year. The team will miss captain Jason Smith in the locker room and on the blue line. Grade: B
	Re-signed Al Montoya, Brian McGrattan; signed Kurt Sauer, Todd Fedoruk, Mikkel Boedker, Viktor Tikhonov, Derek Nesbitt, Drew Fata, David Spina, David Hale, Olie Jokinen	Radim Vrbata, Craig Weller, Pete Vandermeer, Keith Ballard, Nick Boynton	Olie Jokinen is a great addition for the young Coyotes – a change of scenery will certainly help Jokinen and he can guide the young forwards on the team. Losing Ballard and Boynton is no great loss, as they sign Sauer and Hale in their place. Fedoruk adds toughness and some scoring. Grade: B+
	Re-signed Pascal Dupuis, Mark Eaton, Brooks Orpik Evgeni Malkin, Marc-Andre Fleury; signed Eric Godard, Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko, Janne Pesonen, Matt Cooke, Ben Lovejoy	Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, Adam Hall, Jarkko Ruutu, Marian Hossa, Ty Conklin, Georges Laraque	Everyone has been making a big deal about the Pens losses since the beginning of the free agency period, but their roster is still pretty strong. They’ve replaced Laraque with Godard, and brought in secondary scoring with Satan and Fedotenko (though neither are as strong as Hossa). Orpik, Malkin, and Fleury are locked up for the long haul. They’ll miss Gary Roberts in the locker room and Dany Sabourin is a weaker backup between the pipes. Regardless, this team will still be at the top of the pack next year. Grade: B+
	Rob Blake, Dan Boyle, Brad Lukowich	Brian Campbell, Patrick Rissmiller, Graham Mink, Mat Carle, Ty Wishart, Craig Rivet	San Jose lost Brian Campbell. So they turned around and signed Rob Blake, Dan Boyle, and Brad Lukowich. That’s one way to fill the gap on the blueline. They’ll be at the top of the pack again this year. Grade: A
	Re-signed Yan Stasny	Ryan Johnson	Quiet much? St. Louis is sticking by their current squad and letting them develop. That squad was a bottom feeder last year. GM John Davidson might want to consider bringing in some new talent. Grade: F
	Re-signed Ryan Craig, Janne Niskala, Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, Olaf Kolzig, Adam Hall, Radim Vrbata, Evgeni Artyukhin, David Koci, Matt Carle, Ty Wishart, Mark Recchi, Andrew Hutchinson, Brandon Bochenski	Marc Denis	Pittsburgh 2.0? After taking their pick of the Penguins free agents, Tampa moved on to add their pick of several other top free agents. Radim Vrbata is a solid pick, Ryan Malone will be a great winger for Steve Stamkos, and Gary Roberts can play “veteran leader” for another young locker room. But where’s the defense? Trading away the top pair hurt, despite freeing up cap space and bringing in a talented Matt Carle. Goaltending is a question mark. Can this be a better team than the NHL’s worst last year? Grade: B
	Re-signed Dominic Moore, John Mitchell, Matt Stajan; signed Curtis Joseph, Jeff Finger, Niklas Hagman, Wyatt Smith	Kyle Wellwood, Darcy Tucker, Andrew Raycroft	Out with the old, in with the new. New GM Cliff Fletcher has not been shy about letting old players go, and rumor has it more may be on there way out. The team needs an injection of fresh blood, but the current signings aren’t going to turn the team around. More movement will have to happen before the end of the summer. Grade: C-
	Kyle Wellwood, Darcy Hordichuk, Ryan Johnson, Curtis Sanford, Mark Cullen, Nolan Baumgartner, Alexandre Bolduc, Steve Bernier	Marcus Naslund, Brendan Morrison	Losing Naslund, Morrison, and Linden (retired) all in one shot hurts the Canucks. Reports say Pavol Demitra is close to signing, which would be a good replacement for Naslund. Wellwood is talented but injury-prone. Bernier is also a solid pickup. Grade: C
	Re-signed Mike Green, Tyler Sloan; Jose Theodore, Graham Mink, Keith Aucoin	Cristobal Huet, Olaf Kolzig, Matt Cooke	Theodore replacing Huet is going to be an interesting scenario for the Caps. Huet really carried them through the last half of the season, and you never know which Theodore is going to show up. Re-signing Mike Green was huge, as he is proving to be one of the best young defenseman in the league. If the goaltending works out, watch out for Ovie & Friends next year. Grade: B

There you have it.  The rich get richer, as San Jose and Detroit come out stronger than ever, and bottomfeeders like St. Louis, Atlanta, and LA have done very little to improve.  In any case, the NHL will have many teams that look very different next year, and it should make for some very entertaining hockey.

Is it October yet?

In approximately 1 minute (from the time I am writing this), the floodgates will open.  The NHL’s free agency period will begin!  Keep it here for updates and commentary throughout the day (most recent transactions will be at the top).

10:07PM: Boston signs forward Michael Ryder to a 3-year deal worth $12 million.

This is a great pick up.  Ryder had a slow season in Montreal, but with a change of scenery we could see him return to form.  I think he’ll fit in really well in Boston.

10:07PM: New York Rangers re-sign goaltender Steve Valiquette.

8:18PM: New York Islanders sign defenseman Mark Streit to a 5-year contract worth $20.5 million.

8:04PM: Minnesota signs forward Craig Weller to a 2-year contract worth $600,000 a season.

7:51PM: Tampa Bay signs forward David Koci to a 1-year, two-way contract worth $525,000.

7:38PM: New York Rangers sign Wade Redden to a 6-year contract worth $6.5 million a year.

7:23PM: New Jersey signs forward Bobby Holik to a 1-year contract worth $2.5 million.

6:52PM: Toronto signs forward Niklas Hageman to a 4-year contract worth $12 million

6:45PM: New York Rangers re-sign defenseman Michael Rosival to a 4-year deal worth $20 million

6:45PM: Vancouver signs forward Darcy Hordichuk to a 2-year deal

6:45PM: Philadelphia signs forward Nate Raduns to a 1-year deal

6:45PM: Philadelphia signs forward Glen Metropolit to a 2-year deal

6:32PM: New Jersey signs forward Brian Rolston to a four-year deal worth $20 million.

Great signing for the Devils. Rolston is a great scorer, great penalty killer, and will aid their power play immensely.

6:32PM: New York signs forward Patrick Rissmiller.

6:10PM: Philadelphia signs defenseman Ossi Vaananen to a 1-year deal worth $1 million

6:07PM: Columbus signs defenseman Mike Commodore to a 5-year deal worth $18.75 million.

5:44PM: Chicago signs defenseman Brian Campbell to an 8-year deal worth $56.8 million.

Chicago wins the first big prize of the day in Campbell, the best defenseman on the market this year.  The second fantastic move by the ‘Hawks today.  Watch out for this team next year.

5:19PM: Buffalo signs goaltender Patrick Lalime to a 2-year deal worth $2 million.

Chicago clearly didn’t need 3 goalies, and Lalime is probably a more solid backup for Miller than Jocelyn Thibault.

4:31PM: Ottawa signs goaltender Alex Auld to a a 2-year deal worth $1 million.

4:17PM: Tampa Bay signs goaltender Olaf Kolzig to a 1-year deal worth $1.5 million plus bonuses.

Step in the right direction for the ‘Bolts, who had some serious problems between the pipes last year.

4:05PM: Vancouver signs RFA forward David Backes to an offer sheet worth $7.5 million over 3 years. St. Louis has 7 days to match or accept a 2nd round pick as compensation. UPDATE: St. Louis has matched the offer.

Barely 4 hours in and we already have our first offer sheet! Let the games begin.

4:05PM: Colorado signs forward Darcy Tucker to a 2-year deal worth $4.5 million.

Not where I expected Tucker would end up.  Solid signing, regardless.

3:47PM: Chicago signs goaltender Cristobal Huet

Guess that answers the questions about the Theodore signing earlier.  GREAT pickup for a young Chicago team that just barely missed the playoffs this year.

3:47PM: Florida signs forward Cory Stillman to a 3-year deal worth $10.6 million.

This will fill in some of the void left by Jokinen’s departure. First solid move made by the Panthers all summer.

3:47PM: New York Rangers sign forward Aaron Voros.

3:47PM: Pittsburgh signs forward Eric Godard.

3:39PM: Tampa Bay signs forward Adam Hall to a 3-year deal worth $1.8 million.

I am once again forced to ask — where is Tampa finding all of this money?

3:31PM: Toronto signs defenseman Jeff Finger to a 4-year deal worth $3.5 million a season

3:31PM: Toronto signs goaltender Curtis Joseph to a 1-year deal worth $700,000

3:15PM: Phoenix signs Todd Fedoruk to a 3-year deal

3:15PM: Detroit signs goaltender Ty Conklin to a 1-year deal worth $750,000

Solid backup for Osgood now that Hasek hung ‘em up.  Great signing by the Wings.

3:15PM: Montreal re-signs forward Andrei Kostitsyn to a 3-year deal worth $3.25 million a year

3:09PM: Colorado signs goaltender Andrew Raycroft to a 1-year deal

This is a questionable move.  With Budaj left as their starter and the horrible season Raycroft posted last year, Colorado is left with a bit of a question mark between the pipes.

TRADE: Los Angeles acquires Denis Gauthier and a 2nd round pick in 2010 to Philadelphia for Patrik Hersley and Ned Lukacevic

2:55PM: Washington signs goaltender Jose Theodore to a 2-year deal

I guess this means Huet is on his way out? Interesting decision by the Caps. Have to wonder if they hit a stumbling block in their negotiations and wanted to be sure they locked up a bonafide starter.

2:53PM: Phoenix signs defenseman Kurt Sauer to a 4-year deal.

2:14PM: Penguins sign defenseman Marc Eaton to a 2-year deal worth $2 million.

TRADE: Calgary acquires Rene Bourque from Chicago for a future second round draft pick

1:55PM: Minnesota signs Andrew Brunette to a 3-year deal worth $7 million.

1:33PM: Vancouver signs forward Kyle Wellwood to a 1-year deal worth $997,500.

TRADE: Minnesota acquires Marek Zidlicky from Nashville in exchange for Ryan Jones and a second round pick

12:55PM: Boston signs forward Blake Wheeler to an entry-level contract

12:52PM: Tampa Bay signs forward Radim Vrbata to a 3-year, $9 million contract.

Where is Tampa finding the money for all of this?!  Also, might they consider finding some defense? With Dan Boyle rumored to be heading out of town, all of this scoring won’t help them much if they don’t focus on building their blueline ASAP

TRADE: Edmonton sends forward Raffi Torres to Columbus for Gilbert Brule, and defenseman Joni Pitkanen to Carolina for forward Erik Cole.

Clearing out cap space, much?

12:04 PM: Anaheim re-signs Corey Perry to a 5-year deal worth an average of $5.325 million a year.

Solid signing for Anaheim. Perry was probably their best forward last year.

11:58 AM: Pittsburgh re-signs forward Pascal Dupuis to a 3-year deal averaging $1.4 million a year.

This signing will fly completely under the radar, as did Dupuis’ half of the Hossa deal, but he was a solid contributor for the Pens in the playoffs, even if it didn’t show on the scoresheet. Depending on how badly dismantled they get today, this could be a huge move for them.

11:58 AM: Detroit re-signs defenseman Brad Stuart on a 4-year, $3.75 million a year deal.

11:35AM: New Jersey re-signs forwards Jay Pandolfo, David Clarkson, and Barry Tallackson.  Declines option on forward Sergei Brylin.

A great signing of the core of the team at the last minute for the Devils.  As much as it hurts to see Brylin go, he was past his prime and will make room for some fresh blood.

10:21AM: New Jersey re-signs defenseman Bryce Salvador to a four-year deal worth $2.9 million a year.

8:45 AM: Washington re-signs defenseman Mike Green to a four-year deal worth an average of $5.25 million a year.

This kid is the real deal.  Nice move by Washington to avoid crazy offer sheets.

Ohh, free agency.  The most frustrating time to be a hockey fan.  Weeks on end of biting your nails, waiting to see if your favorite players will be back, or if your team will suffer the fate of last year’s Buffalo Sabres. ( I, for one, am currently banging my head against the wall waiting for Lou Lamoriello to get his act together and sign Jay Pandolfo before the deadline. But that’s neither here nor there.)

In the week since the draft, the activity around the NHL has been typical of late June — contract buy-outs, big signings, qualifying offers, and everything in between.  With only 5 days left until the “big day”, here’s a round-up of the biggest headlines of the week.

*After a week of rumors that the Penguins were close to signing Marian Hossa, his agent announced this weekend that Hossa would be testing free agency.  Hossa is certainly going to be one of the most sought-after unrestricted free agents on the market, and will probably command over $7 million a year.

*Ottawa bought out Ray Emery’s contract, making him an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.  Given the problems he had in the locker room this year, it will be interesting to see who is willing to take a chance on him, and if the change of scenery improves his attitude.

*Los Angeles attempted to buy out Dan Cloutier’s contract as well, but because of his injury problems this season, Cloutier needs to get medical clearance before they can complete the process.

*According to Sean Avery’s agent, it seems highly unlikely Avery will be resigning with the Rangers, making him an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.  Rumored interested teams include the Kings and the Stars.

*Shea Weber signed a three year, $13.5 million contract to stay in Nashville, keeping him from being a restricted free agent.  The Predators continued to lock up the core of their team, having already signed Martin Erat, Ryan Suter, and Dan Ellis earlier in the offseason.

*Gary Roberts announced that he would not be retiring, but that he would also not be returning to Pittsburgh.  Roberts intends to test the free agent waters on July 1st, stating that he was aware of Penguins GM Ray Shero’s signing priorities.

*Barry Melrose was officially announced as Tampa Bay’s head coach. Though rumored since the end of the season, the Lightning held a press conference Tuesday afternoon announcing Melrose and the rest of his staff. The move has been heavily criticized (Melrose hasn’t been behind the bench in 13 years, instead taking his perfect mullet to ESPN as their resident NHL expert), but that’s a topic for another day.

*Mats Sundin will also be headed for free agency.  Montreal was granted the rights to speak with him before July 1st, and Bob Gainey actually flew to Sweden to meet with Sundin.  As of right now, however, it appears Sundin is going to wait and see what he can demand on the open market.

*Because losing Mats Sundin wasn’t enough of a change for the Maple Leafs, the team also bought out the contracts for Darcy Tucker, Andrew Raycroft, and Kyle Wellwood. (two links) Wellwood was picked up by the Canucks on waivers.  No one can accuse Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher of not attempting to make changes for this team.

*Vincent Lecavalier is reportedly signing a 9 year, $77 million contract (worth approximately $8.55 a year assuming he reaches the ninth season) to stay in Tampa for the rest of his career.  He would be 37 at the end of the contract.

*Joe Pavelski, Brian Boucher, and Jeremy Roenick were all resigned by the Sharks this week.  Roenick and Boucher were signed to one-year deals, Pavelski received a two-year contract.

*Contract talks between Jose Theodore and the Avalanche broke down, making Theodore one of the only true starting goalies available on the unrestricted free agency list, as Washington is reportedly close to a deal with Cristobal Huet.

*After meeting with Anaheim GM Brian Burke Thursday morning, Scott Niedermayer announced he will return for the final year of his contract. Will Teemu Selanne follow suit?

*The salary cap is being increased to $56.7 million, a $6.4 million increase from last season.

For a more detailed look at the goings on, check out the headlines over at TSN.  Check back Tuesday for all the free agency craziness!

Draft weekend has come and gone, and Steve Stamkos is officially the newest member of the Tampa Bay Lightning (even though he was pretty much assured a Florida address the day the ‘Bolts won the draft lottery).  Overshadowing Stamkos’ (and the rest of the draft class’) big night was the major trade activity all evening long.  By the end of the first round, 14 trades had been made — more than in the last 3 drafts combined.  Now that the dust has settled on the draft, let’s take a look at the players that have changed teams this weekend.

Mike Cammalleri –> Calgary
12th overall pick (originally Anaheim’s) –> LA
17th overall pick (originally Calgary’s), 28th overall pick (originally LA’s) –> Anaheim

Within the first half hour of the draft, the Kings and the Flames made a big splash, announcing the movement of Mike Cammalleri, who had been the topic of many potential deals (no matter how ridiculous) in the previous weeks.  I think this is a great addition for the Flames.  Cammalleri put up great numbers early in the year last year, and although there was a drop off in his production, he was still very consistent on a terrible Kings team.  Using him as replacement for Alex Tanguay in order to save cap space for Daymond Langkow is a great move by the Calgary management.  As for the Kings, it’s become painfully obvious over the past few years that they need to rebuild.  While I would have probably looked to acquire something more than a draft pick for a player of Cammalleri’s caliber, clearing that cap room could put the Kings in the running for some of the better UFAs, while stocking their farm system for the coming seasons.  A solid move by all clubs involved.

Alex Tanguay, 5th round pick –> Montreal
25th overall pick, 2009 2nd round pick –> Calgary

I touched on this a little bit in talking about Cammalleri.  Tanguay will be a great addition for the Habs — a solid veteran forward amongst the explosive young talent.  Tanguay didn’t have the strongest numbers this year  Calgary dumps his salary after adding Cammalleri in his spot, and gains some additional young talent.  Another strong move by both parties.

Olli Jokinen –> Phoenix
Keith Ballard, Nick Boynton, 49th overall pick –> Florida

This was probably the most criticized trade of the day, but I think Florida addressed a lot of their needs in acquiring two young defenseman.  That being said, I still tend to agree with the majority of those who think Phoenix got the better end of this deal.  Jokinen is a talented forward who has been putting up strong numbers in Florida, despite the lack of a supporting cast and his issues with the Panthers’ management.  A change in scenery can only improve his performance, and the young stars in Phoenix will absolutely benefit from having another veteran forward in their lineup.  Meanwhile, the Panthers certainly filled some holes on their blue line — but lost a LOT of scoring power, and don’t look to be filling that hole anytime soon.  While it was made very clear from the end of the season that Jokinen was on his way out, I think Jacques Martin could have found himself better compensation for the former captain.

RJ Umberger, 118th overall pick –> Columbus
19th overall pick, 67th overall pick –> Philadelphia

This move caught me by surprise.  After netting 10 goals and 15 points in 17 games in the Flyers impressive playoff run this year, I expected Umberger to be atop the Flyers’ list of priority signings.  Apparently, the 26-year-old didn’t quite fit into the club’s plans, and he was shipped to Columbus for a couple of draft picks.  For Columbus, this is a fantastic move.  Umberger is still fairly young, has shown he has the ability to be an explosive scorer, and that he can play well in the clutch moments.  He is an excellent addition to a club still seeking its first playoff berth.  For the Flyers’, this clears out the cap space they need to sign Jeff Carter to a long-term deal and prevent another team from snatching him away with an offer sheet after July 1st.  I can’t say I agree with letting a player of Umberger’s talent-level get away for mere draft picks, but in the salary cap era, more and more of these sort of moves are going to happen.

Steve Eminger, 84th overall pick –> Philadelphia
27th overall pick –> Washington

This move sort of snuck by unnoticed at the end of the night.  Eminger had a rough year with the Caps this season, playing only 20 games. He’s a solid defenseman and should fit in well in Philly.  Washington needs cap space to sign Mike Green and Cristobal Huet in order to keep the core of their team together, and as a young team still building for the future, the extra draft picks can go a long way.

Looking ahead, just over a week ahead from the July 1st free agency deadline.  Marian Hossa announced yesterday that he would not, in fact, be signing with the Penguins without testing the waters, likely making him the most sought after free agent on the market.  This week, I’ll be taking a look at the available UFAs, RFAs, and potential signings leading up to the big day.  Stay tuned!

Last night was the NHL’s annual awards ceremony. The evening’s big winner was, as predicted, Alexander Ovechkin. Here’s a breakdown of the award winners (and my pre-show predictions!)

Hart Trophy (MVP)

Predicted Winner: Alexander Ovechkin
Actual Winner: Alexander Ovechkin

What can you even say about this kid? 65 goals, 112 points — he’s just unbelievable. He never stops moving, seems to be a part of every play, and is one of the most passionate players I’ve ever seen. His leadership and determination was one of the major reasons for the Capitals late-season playoff push. While they ultimately didn’t make it past the first round, the team’s turnaround would not have been possibly without the presence of “Alexander the Great”. While Evgeni Malkin and Jerome Iginla’s contributions to their teams cannot be ignored, Alex was just too good this year.

Vezina Trophy (Best Goalie)

Predicted Winner: Evgeni Nabokov
Actual Winner: Martin Brodeur

That’s right, I’m a Devils fan and I picked against Marty. I thought for sure the voting would go in Nabakov’s favor this year. Both goalies have nearly identical numbers, played in front of struggling teams at the start of the season, and were unbelievable down the stretch. Apparently, the voters agreed — Brodeur barely edged out Nabokov, finished with 113 points to Nabokov’s 106. Making at least one Devils’ fan extremely happy, Lundqvist finished with a measley 13 points. You can’t argue that Marty kept the Devils in the game this year, so he is more than deserving of his fourth Vezina in the last 5 years, placing him second all time in career wins behind the recently retired Dominic Hasek, who won the award 6 times.

Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman)

Predicted Winner: Nicklas Lidstrom
Actual Winner: Nicklas Lidstrom

This award was a no-brainer. Lidstrom has won the award 6 times in the last 7 seasons. He is the best defenseman in the game right now, hands-down. You can’t beat his presence on the ice and his skill on both ends of the ice. The Wings are lucky to have had him on their bench for the last 15 years.

Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year)

Predicted Winner: Patrick Kane
Actual Winner: Patrick Kane

The three kids up for this award this year had absolutely unbelievable seasons. Kane and Jonathan Toews were part of the turnaround in Chicago that saw them on the brink of a playoff spot for the first time in years. Unfortunately for Toews, he spent a chunk of time this year injured, which most likely killed his chances at winning the award. In spite of the injuries, he still led all rookies in scoring — leading me to wonder what he would have been capable of if he had been healthy all year. Backstrom, playing on a line with Ovechkin, benefited from playing with one of the most talented players in hockey — but that makes his accomplishments seem less impressive. Kane — at 5′9″, 160 — was the best of the three. Finding a way to be productive at that size, and adjusting as quickly as he did, made him more than deserving of the award.

Lady Byng Trophy (Sportsmanship Award)

Predicted Winner: Pavel Datsyuk
Actual Winner: Pavel Datsyuk

Datsyuk has won this award in the past, and given his style of play, for him to take as few penalties as he does is truly an accomplishment. He plays the game the way it should be played — clean defense, not chippy. This award really could have gone to any of the three — St. Louis and Pominville play in a similar manner, but their numbers are not nearly as staggering, and I think that makes Datsyuk much more impressive.

Selke Trophy (Defensive Forward)

Predicted Winner: Pavel Datsyuk
Actual Winner: Pavel Datsyuk

I wanted John Madden to win this more than anything, but I knew it wouldn’t happen. Datsyuk was the runaway winner in this category, with Madden finishing second. 31 goals, 97 points, and +41. You just can’t beat those kind of numbers. He and Zetterberg were dominant this year on both ends of the ice, and were continually the type of pairing that opponents hated to play against.

Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year)

Predicted Winner: Bruce Boudreau
Actual Winner: Bruce Boudreau

Back in November, the Capitals were tanking. They’d only won a handful of games, and were in last place in the Eastern Conference. On November 22, management hired Bruce Boudreau to his first-ever NHL coaching job. Boudreau lead the Capitals to a 37-17-7 record, a Southeast Division title, and became the fastest coach to 20 and 30 wins in franchise history. I can’t think of a more deserving man for this award. Not to take anything away from Guy Carbonneau or Mike Babcock, but Boudreau’s record and the turnaround in Washington was amazing to watch. Congrats to him.

Masterston Trophy (Dedication to Hockey)

Predicted Winner: Fernando Pisani
Actual Winner: Jason Blake

I think both of these men deserve this award.  I think Blake won because people hear “cancer” and immediately assume the worst.  I have the utmost respect for Blake for playing every single game this year after his diagnosis with chronic myelogenous leukemia.  That is everything this award is about - perseverance and dedication to hockey.  However, I think similar can be said about Fernando Pisani.  He suffers from ulcerative colitis, and had a terrible flair up this summer.  He was in and out of the hospital, lost something like 30 pounds, and thought he may never be able to play again.  By December, he was back in game shape, and never missed another game.  To me, that’s just as impressive.  I think the dedication of both men is something worth being honored.

Lester B. Pearson Award (Player’s MVP)

Predicted Winner: Alexander Ovechkin
Actual Winner: Alexander Ovechkin

The players always say that this is the award they take the most pride in winning because it is voted on by their peers.  That they voted on Ovechkin as well came as no surprise to me.  As I wrote above, he had an unbelievable year and led his team farther than anyone expected from them.  It is only fitting that his peers recognize him for these accomplishments.

Additionally, Alex Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history to win the Hart, Pearson, Art Ross (most points) and Rocket Richard (scoring title) all in the same year. At 22 years old, that is quite an accomplishment.

Congratulations to all the winners!

I have returned from the wild world of Europe, and it sounds like I missed one hell of a series. Congrats to the Detroit Red Wings on being the 2008 Stanley Cup Champions.

I will be watching the games in the coming weeks, and will post a more detailed review of the series after I’ve watched them. As of right now, all I can say is that Detroit was simply the better team. Kudos to Pittsburgh for putting up one hell of a fight, and pushing the series as long as they did, but it seemed from game 2 that it was only a matter of time.

In other news, Dominic Hasek, Trevor Linden, and Mattias Norstrom all announced their retirements this week. After his collapse in the playoffs, it was only a matter of time before the announcement from Hasek. His level of play has been slowly declining over the past few season, but its hard to argue his contributions earlier in his career. He will certainly be a Hall of Famer.

Most of the Vancouver community knew Linden would not be returning, so his announcement was also not surprising. The team’s last home game ended in an uplifting tribute to the man who spent 16 of his 19 seasons with the club. He has always been one of the classier players in the game and I hope he continues to stay involved in the NHL.

The NHL awards ceremony is tonight at 7PM EST on VS. I’ll take a closer look at the winners tomorrow!

After a week-long layoff in action, Pittsburgh and Detroit will face off for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals tomorrow night at Joe Louis Arena. The teams haven’t met since October 7, 2006 - making this the third straight Stanley Cup Final between two teams that didn’t play each other during the regular season. Gotta love that unbalanced schedule — but that’s a rant for another day.

A breakdown of the match-up:

Offense

These two teams are arguably the two best offensive powerhouses in the league. On Detroit, you’ve got Datsyuk, Zetterburg, Franzen, and a group of second-tier scorers (guys like Tomas Holmstrom and Kris Draper) that crowd the net and find ways to score better than anybody. They move the puck amazingly well and their transition game is unbelievable. If the opposition isn’t picture-perfect, they’re going to find a way make you pay. Over in Pittsburgh, the list of scorers is intimidating. Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Sykora, Malone — all have been extremely effective in the playoffs. They move the puck about as well as Detroit and have an amazing amount of speed. The styles of play of these two teams are extremely similar, and I expect we’ll see a LOT of scoring, particularly in the early games of the series.

Defense

Detroit’s defense is the best in the NHL. Captained by Niklas Lidstrom, from top to bottom their defensive pairings are more than capable of not only preventing the opposition from gaining opportunities, but creating offense for the Red Wings. The Penguins will be at a disadvantage here, there’s no way around it. However, I think their defense has not been given enough credit for how well they have played throughout the playoffs. Sergei Gonchar, Hal Gill, and the rest of the Penguins defense corps have done a great job of shutting down the opposition when necessary — and I’m sure the Rangers and the Flyers would agree. They’re going to have to bring their A game to get it done against the Red Wings offense, but I wouldn’t count them out yet.

Power Play

Both of these teams have had an amazing amount of success with special teams thus far in the playoffs. Pittsburgh has an impressive 24.6% success rate on the power play, and Detroit’s not far behind at 21%. Their penalty kill numbers are identical, with both teams at an 87.3% success rate. A key to this series is going to be playing smart. Neither team is going to be able to afford giving up countless power play opportunities to the other - we’ve seen both teams repeatedly cash in on those kind of opportunities throughout the playoffs. I have a feeling that the team that can keep themselves out of the box and make the most of the man advantages they do get will be the team hoisting the Cup in 2 weeks.

Goaltending

Chris Osgood and Marc-Andre Fleury have both been unbelievable thus far. Osgood is the more experienced goalie, but coming into the finals on nearly identical records, Fleury’s youth feels much less relevant than it did at the start of the playoffs. Fleury is going to have to come up big in Game 1, and stand up to the same crease crashing treatment from the Red Wings that bested Marty Turco in the last round. If he can find a way to stop them, it will be a huge boost of for the Pens.

Injuries

For the most part, these teams are fairly healthy (as healthy as a team ever is this far into the playoffs). Johan Franzen will miss Game 1, but is expected to return later in the series. His absence didn’t appear to set the Wings back against the Stars, but the Penguins are a much higher scoring team than Dallas, and his firepower would certainly be helpful for the match-up. The sooner he’s back, the better. Gary Roberts missed the last game of the Eastern Conference Finals with pneumonia, and has been out with other injuries at various points during the playoffs. I have not heard either way whether he will return for this series, but the veteran presence would certainly be a welcome addition to the Pens lineup for this series.

Youth vs. Experience

The series has been touted as the “Young Pens vs. the Old Wings” on many NHL sites. The core of the Penguins is around 20 years old, a large number of the Red Wings are over 30. Along with age comes experience — many of the Red Wings have been here before, they know how to get it done and are eager to repeat. But on the flip side of that, the youth on the Penguins are eager for their first taste from the Cup. And their young legs are going to be feeling the effects of the grueling 2 months of playoff hockey a lot less than, say, 46-year-old Chris Chelios. The Penguins have already proven themselves to be for real and I think they’re going to have the edge.

As such, my prediction is Pens in 6. Every time they’ve been beaten they’ve turned around the next game, fixed whatever wasn’t working, and been 10 times better than they were the night before. I think their youth is going to prove difficult for Detroit to keep up with, and I think their defense doesn’t get enough credit. It’s not going to be easy for them, but look for Sid to be hoisting the Cup when the series is done.

I’m leaving for Germany on Sunday, and will not be around to blog about the series. I’ll be back the week of June 10th with my thoughts on the outcome and the impending free agency rush. Enjoy the Finals!