The Countdown to the 2011 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic™ Continues (via THW)

Pond hockey - Fairmont in Banff, AB (Photoree: Banff Lake Louise)

Excerpt:

For me, like many, outdoor hockey gets back to the true roots of hockey. Pond hockey has been played and enjoyed by many a hockey fan and player alike. There’s something about the atmosphere of a outdoor hockey game, no matter the venue and no matter the age, that brings out the untainted youthful enthusiasm and passion for the sport, and for life in general – even for just a little while.
Even if it’s for just one long weekend in February in a cool Rockey Mountain football stadium, this event will be something special to be a part of. As a spectator. As a member of the media (traditional and emerging media members). As a player. As a television viewer. As a radio listener.

Read on at The Hockey Writers...
http://thehockeywriters.com/countdownheritage-classic/ 

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Fleury Comeback With A Fury - Realistic, Fantasy or Ploy?

Fleury Comeback With A Fury - Realistic, Fantasy or Ploy?

My article on Theoren Fleury at The Hockey Writers (THW). Check out the great new makeover at THW. The site is growing exponentially as a destination hockey website, with an impressive array of hockey journalists covering all teams and all aspects of the hockey world.

Fleury's comeback attempt has since abruptly come to a halt, but even at that it was a success for the guy formerly referred to as the Little Rat Ba$t@rd. Fleury was more than respectable in the Flames preseason, averaging a PPG and was a plus 4. Couple that with an outstanding game-winning shootout goal in his first preseason game, and Fleury had a storybook finish - appropriate with his new tell-all book being released later this month.

He will now officially retire as a Flames and is now going out on his terms. Well done by Theo!

http://thehockeywriters.com/fleury-comeback-with-a-fury/ 

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Attack After The Hit - Hockey's Next Epidemic

My latest article at The Hockey Writers tackling the controversial subject after a player having to answer the bell after dishing out bone-jarring, but clean hits. Phaneuf's preseason hit on Okposo spawned me to finally write about a subject I am passionate about.

http://thehockeywriters.com/attack-after-the-hit-%e2%80%93-hockey%e2%80%99s-next-epidemic/

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Flames Prospect Development Camp Impressions: Part II

Sunday I posted Part I of my impressions from the Calgary Flames Summer Prospect Development Camp. I was at the Saddledome on Saturday and got a good viewing of what the future of the Calgary Flames might resemble.

Here is Part II, taking a look at the forwards at camp:

http://thehockeywriters.com/flames-prospect-development-camp-impressions-part-ii/

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Flames Prospect Development Camp Impressions: Part I

Here is my latest article at The Hockey Writers, written after I attended the last day of the Flames Summer Prospect Development Camp.

It was great to get down at the Saddledome again and get a glimpse into the Flames future.

http://thehockeywriters.com/flames-prospect-development-camp-impressions-part-i/ 

Tim Erixon (pictured right) looks mighty happy to be hauling on that Flames jersey! Click here for his detailed prospect profile I completed for my Draft Preview:
http://thehockeywriters.com/31-tim-erixon-%E2%80%93-the-hockey-spy%E2%80%99s-2009-nhl-entry-draft-rankings/

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Flames Vs Blackhawks: The "Real" Numbers Game

There's a number of web destinations out there that break down the hockey stats in ways you can't even fathom!

Hockey Numbers displays and breaks down goals scored for all teams at even strength, on the PP and on the PK.

NHL shift charts at http://www.timeonice.com does a great job of tracking just what it says.

Puck Prospectus looks at stats and numbers from angles you've never even thought of!

Puck Daddy has a superb analysis of the Flames-Blackhawks matchup.

Now that we're all mesmerized by those numbers, let's take a look at the "real" number that Flames fans care about!

"55" times the luck (Pardy - hey, everyone needs a token Newfie on their team - see Cleary on the Wings last season!)

"34" Saves! (Kipper)

"33" Wooden Slapshots (Aucoin still opts for a $30 wooden stick rather than the composite alternative and possesses the Flames hardest shot.)

"25" Bricks taken from the Bulin Wall (David Moss will hopefully be planting his behind in front of Khabibulin all series long)

"24" quotes! (Conroy is always up for an interview!)

"23" Unsung hero #1 (Nystrom: can he bring his Dad's Cup winning magic? Click here for video 1980 Cup-winning GOal!)

"22" times the heart and soul! (Langkow: hopefully his wrist injury is closer to 100%)

"21" "He shoots, He Scores!" (Jokinen gotta be pumped for his first playoff showing ever)

"20" times the speed! (Glencross: the fastest Flame will need his top gear against the speedy Hawks!)

"17" is back baby {in the words of George Costanza}!!! (Rene Bourque: It's no coincidence the Flames down-slide coincided with this even strength and PK specialist)

"16" Unsung hero #2 (Dustin Boyd - I just have a feeling Boyd is going to break through in a big way)

"13" One-timers! (Cammalleri! - 39 tallies in the regular season!)

"12" times the domination (Iginla will step it up the way only Iggy can and terrorize the Blackhawks "D"!)

"7" times the size and skill! (Bertuzzi: This is the time of year Sutter signed Big Bert for. He has been at times lackadaisical, but if he can play at the level he is capable of, the Flames will be extra dangerous!)

"3" Hits everything that moves! (Phaneuf: the Flames do need him to take his game to the next level, especially as long as Regehr and Sarich are out with injuries. This year has been a major disappointment, but he has the tools - if he can only locate the toolbox!) 

*Okay - admittedly, this is all borderline hallucinogenic optimism, but you have to believe in the "C" of Red!

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The Hockey Spy's NHL Awards Choices and New Trophies Revealed!

With the quest for Lord Stanley just underway, I thought it appropriate to look (revisited from my March article) at the leading candidates for select trophies, along with trophies I feel should be added to the mix to honour not only current players, but legends of the past as well.

The NHL actually just announced in March the Awards show is heading to Vegas - on a three year deal starting this year on June 18, with the post-season gala taking place at the Palms Hotel.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stated, "Las Vegas specializes in shining the spotlight on outstanding performers. Its innate energy offers an exciting setting for our celebration of excellence."

Current Awards (Top 3 candidates and The Hockey Spy's current choice):

Art Ross: Malkin, Ovechkin, Crosby
Winner = Malkin

Rocket Richard: Ovechkin, Carter, Parise
Winner = Ovechkin

Hart Trophy: Malkin, Ovechkin, Parise (Was the 1st NHLer this year to 40G-40A this season was also +30)
Projected Winner = Parise

Vezina: Tim Thomas, Steve Mason, Niklas Backstrom
Projected Winner = Steve Mason - put Chara and Wideman in front of this guy and his GAA would be <1.80 and he'd have 15 shutouts at this point. Mason makes the Blue Jackets a very dangerous playoff team.

Calder: Steve Mason, Bobby Ryan, Pekka Rinne
Projected Winner = Steve Mason - should be 1st guy since Eddie "The Eagle" Belfour to win Vezina & Calder in same season.

Selke: Datsyuk, Mike Richards, Mikko Koivu
Projected Winner = Mike Richards

Lady Bying: Pavel Datsyuk, Patrick Marleau, Dennis Wideman (like to see a d-man win this award)
Projected Winner = Patrick Marleau - to break Datsyuk's 3-yr hold

Jack Adams: Claude Julien, Joel Quenneville, Brent Sutter
Projected Winner = Claude Julien

Masterton: Phil Kessel, Craig Conroy, Rod Brind'Amour
Projected Winner = Phil Kessel - battled cancer and has had a major breakthrough offensive year proving naysayers wrong about his attitude and his zest for the game. Conroy is my darkhorse, taking less money to stay with the Flames.

Lester B. Pearson: Ovechkin, Steve Mason, Malkin
Projected Winner = Ovechkin

Norris: Mike Green, Niklas Lidstrom, Zdeno Chara
Projected Winner = Mike Green

The Hockey Spy's Proposed Awards:
Bobby Orr Trophy (Replace Norris Trophy, but find another way for the NHL to honour James Norris):
Projected Winner = Mike Green

Rod Langway Trophy (Best Defensive D-man - see Mirtle's interesting post for a stat-based analysis of this suggested award): Duncan Keith, Paul Martin, Nik Lidstrom
Projected Winner = Keith

Wayne Gretzky Trophy (Most Assists Per Game with >70% games played): Malkin, Crosby, Datsyuk
Projected Winner = Malkin

Mario Lemieux Trophy (Most Creative Offensive Player - as voted by NHL peers, weighted on goalie and d-man picks): Malkin, Datsyuk, Crosby
Projected Winner = Datsyuk (Malkin could easily take it home and appropriate since, of course, he's a Penguin).

Mark Messier Trophy (Most Effective Leader/Captain): Iginla, Mike Richards, Niklas Lidstrom
Projected Winner = Iginla

Sam Pollock Trophy (Best GM): Peter Chiarelli - Boston, Darryl Sutter - Calgary, Lou Lamoriello - New Jersey
Projected Winner = Chiarelli - Boston. Ken Holland of Detroit could probably win this award every year and would likely win this award in reality. I'm basing candidates on what they've done this year and more recently to shape current team. Chiarelli is deserving on multiple levels. Firstly, the signing of Chara and Savard a couple years back now look brilliant indeed, along with off-season signing of former Coyotes draftee Blake Wheeler. Secondly, drafting gems beyond the 1st round: Bergeron, Krejci and Lucic are all major contributors. Thirdly and lastly, even without blockbuster trades the Bruins have made very effective trades which shape the current team. Dennis Wideman for Brad Boyes has worked out for both teams, but Wideman emergence this year as an elite d-man gives Beantown the nod in this one. Bringing in Recchi and Montador at the trade deadline were not the blockbusters trade rumour generators alike were predicting, but should prove effective for the stretch run and post-season. Maybe the best decision by Chiarelli was a NON-move at the trade deadline. Not giving up Phil Kessel for Pronger was the right move!

Post your comments and award winners below!

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Top 10 Keys For The Flames If They Hope To Burn The Blackhawks

Behind Enemy Lines: My colleague Jim Neveau - Blackhawks Correspondent at The Hockey Writers (THW) states his case, listing his 5 Keys For Success For The Blackhawks.

Flames fans and hockey fans alike by now already know how futile the Flames attack has been against the Blackhawks. Amassing a paltry one point in four contests against Chicago this season, as Michael Cammaleri summed it up, (courtesy of Randy Sportak at calgarysun.com) "We're due!" Calgary lost by a combined score of 19-7 in the four games against Chi-town.

So...should the Flames even show up in the Windy City for game one? Is it a foregone conclusion the young gun Hawks will extinguish the already flickering Flames?

It's an old cliché - but that's why they play the games. As Herb Edwards (click for video clip) emphatically stated a few years back, "You play - to win the game!" Indeed, the Flames will show up, but if they have any chance of succeeding against a talented Blackhawk squad, here are 10 keys for Flames victory they will likely have to accomplish.

1. Tear down the Bulin Wall! Khabibulin has been a Flames killer throughout his career, posting a 22-5-2 record against Calgary. Toss in his win in the 7 game series Cup final in 2004 and you have a major psychological hurdle for Flames shooters to overcome.

2. Kipper to regain 2004 form. He has been good this year, but not as consistent as he will need to be if the Red Mile will be in fine form going well into the playoffs. At times, Kiprusoff has been outstanding, but with a depleted defense due to trips to the infirmary, the outstanding play will have to be more of a constant rather than sporadic.

3. Keenan et al have to find the best solution to have Iggy and Olli coexist. It's not a personality conflict, but rather an on-ice mismatch. Both are shooters and have not found the chemistry everyone thought would develop when Sutter brought in the big Finn center on trade deadline day. We know how important Iggy is to the Flames {time to check out the Youtube hit video "Hey There Iginla" by a Calgary ophthalmologist} and his play seemed to pick up at the end of the season, even if the results were not there in terms of Flames victories.

4. The Blueline has to step up in the absence of Regehr and possibly Sarich. The two best defensive d-men are likely out of the Flames lineup. Phaneuf (reportedly a back injury) is also banged up. If the Flames have any hope of shutting down the likes of Kane, Toews and Havlat, the remaining blueliners will have to play out of their minds. The Flames have recalled Anders Ericsson, but that might just have the Hawks forwards licking their lips. Phaneuf, Leopold, Aucoin and Pardy will be key performers on the back end.

5. Intensified physical play! The veteran Flames must step up and play an aggressive, but disciplined physical game and show the young Blackhawks what playoff hockey is all about.

6. Flames forwards will have to try and solve the highly effective duo of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook patrolling the Hawks back end, and/or take advantage of other defensive pairings. The afore mentioned duo is quickly becoming one of the best shutdown pairs in the league. Keenan will have to work diligently to find ways to break through these guys. There might be holes back there to be found, however, as you think back to Brian Campbell's poor series against Calgary in last year's playoffs, when he was with San Jose.

7. Rene Bourque recovery from high ankle sprain and for him to regain his mid-season form. I'm sure he'd love to show his former club what they gave up on. Amazingly, only one of his 40 points (a PP assist) was not scored at even strength in his 58 games played. The valuable PK and 2nd line forward's absence was certainly felt when he went down. It wasn't a coincidence that Calgary's downward spiral coincided with Bourque's absence.

8. Solve the powerless PP. With the weapons the Flames have offensively, it's hard to fathom the Flames went the last 10 games without a PP marker (0-43 streak). Mix it up! Put some big bodies in front of the opposing netminder - Bertuzzi, Moss, Jokinen, even Phaneuf! The Flames need to be less predictable, but keep it simpler at the same time. I don't have to acknowledge how important special teams are in the post-season.

9. Keenan must unlock the optimum line combinations for his club. He's not likely to start now, but his juggling of the lines drives me insane. Although some of the best ever constantly did it, such as Scotty Bowman, I'd rather see some of the linemates be more constant. I think that added edge of anticipating where your teammate is going to be, not just where he is at the moment, makes a tremendous difference.

10. Without home ice advantage, the Flames must find the remedy for their road woes. They finished the season less than .500 away from the friendly confines of the Saddledome, but they'll have to take the Blackhawk Faithful in attendance in Chicago out of the game. As Scotty Bowman once said, "Every boo on the road is a cheer!"

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The Hockey Spy's NHL Playoff Predictions: Western Conference (Round One)

The Hockey Spy adds to the run of playoff predictions out there in cyberspace, tossing you his 20 pesos worth. If you missed it, here is my Eastern Conference First Round predictions. Read on for Western Conference coverage.

My colleague Greg Caggiano (G-Cagg) at The Hockey Writers has a great rundown in his version of playoff predictions.

The Two-Line Pass via Puck Daddy also has interesting take on the upcoming quest for Lord Stanley.

Let's now take a look at the Western Conference .

Western Conference (First Round):

San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Anaheim Ducks (8)

- Goalies: Nabokov > Hiller/Giguere
- Defense: Dead Even (Sharks depth likely gives them slight edge)
- Forwards: Thornton, Marleau and all the depth >> Getzlaf, Perry and Ryan

* Fearless Prediction: Sharks in 7 (But Ducks could surprise!)

Detroit Red Wings (2) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (7)

- Goalies: Mason >>>Osgood/Conklin
- Defense: Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, Stuart et al >> Commodore et al
- Forwards: Datsyuk, Zetterberg and the clan > Nash, Huselius, Umberger, Vermette et al

*Fearless Prediction: Blue Jackets in 7! (It will take a monstrous Mason peroformance, but Wings might just be ripe for the picking.)

Vancouver Canucks (3) vs. St. Louis Blues (6)

- Goalies: Luongo > Chris Mason
- Defense: Ohlund, Salo, Edler (Scandanavian trio) et al > Blues' Blueline (If only EJ wasn't hurt)
- Forwards: Sedins, Sundin (Swedish trio) et al > Backes, Berglund, Oshie et al (But give them a couple more years!)

*Fearless Prediction: Canucks in 6 (It was good while it lasted in St. Lou - they'll be better in the not so distant future)

Chicago Blackhawks (4) vs. Calgary Flames (5)

- Goalies: Bulin Wall = Kipper (Khabibulin's mastery over the Flames likely gives Chi-town the edge)
- Defense: Keith, Seabrook, Campbell, Barker et al > Injury-riddled Regehr (out), Phaneuf (back), Sarich et al
- Forwards: Iginla, Jokinen, Cammallari = Patrick Kane, Toews, Havlat et al (Both squads deep and Flames should have boost from return of Rene Bourque)

*FearlessPrediction: Blackhawks in 6.

Feel free to comment, criticize and post your own picks.

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Shots From The Slot: Around The Hockey World In 80 Seconds!

In a new regular feature, "The Hockey Spy" brings you Shots From The Slot: Around The Hockey World In 80 Seconds. Tune in and gain access to highlight goals, saves and performances along with great articles and inside news from all over this hockey world.

Here's today's issue:

• Turning Over a New Leaf :  "The Hockey Spy" is now also a staff writer and correspondent on The Hockey Writers, a fantastic new hockey online destination. Check out my latest posts - The Leaf Revolution:
  

- "Sour" Brian Burke Compares Missing The Playoffs To a "Kick In The Groin" and Some Othe Great Insights on the Leafs
- 10 Reasons For Leaf Fans To Be Optimistic About The Future
- Luke Schenn Demonstrates His Toughness Yet Again
- TML Sign Slapshot Jr. Christian Hanson - Son of One of The Hanson Bros.
- Latest News!!! Tyler Bozak signs with the Leafs.

• David Backes was the "Performer of the Night" with an outstanding 4 goal outburst to give him 30 on the year, as the St. Louis Blues continue to roll with a 5-4 victory over the mighty Red Wings to put themselves in the 8th playoff position in the West. The Blues have been on a tremendous run as of late.


• Johan Franzen with the "Goal of the Night":

• Raffi Torres of the Cloumbus Blue Jackets nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy: Victory Belongs to the Most Perservering. Great article, but I think this award belongs to Phil Kessel this year.


• Mikka Kiprusoff outstanding glove save as Flames regain first place in the Northwest (tied with Canucks, but they have the tiebreaker with more wins). This is going to be an amazing race for the stretch run! Start paying attention at the 1:30 mark of these highlights!

That's it for this edition of "Shots From The Slot". Stay tuned this weekend as "The Hockey Spy" finally reveals his 1st round "mock" draft of this June's NHL Entry Draft. The Hockey Spy has been working relentlessly behind the scenes to bring you up to speed on this year's crop of prospects.

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Olli "The Joker" Jokinen

I couldn't resist posting this pic!

The "Jok" in Joker has to be pronounced as you would Jokinen for full effect!

Thanks to poster inferno from Calgarypuck for the photoshop wizardry.

Also, check out this link on "How To Draw Olli Jokinen". It'll bring out the artist in us all.

To make it an official current event post, Jokinen was named second star for the week ending Mar. 15/09, with 6 goals and 2 assists.

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The Hockey Spy's NHL Awards Current Choices and New Trophies Revealed !

With the NHL heading into the home stretch, I thought it appropriate to look at the leading candidates for select trophies along with trophies I feel should be added to the mix to honour not only current players, but legends of the past as well.

The NHL actually just announced yesterday the Awards show is heading to Vegas - on a three year deal starting this year on June 18, with the post-season gala taking place at the Palms Hotel.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stated yesterday: "Las Vegas specializes in shining the spotlight on outstanding performers. Its innate energy offers an exciting setting for our celebration of excellence."

Current Awards (Top 3 candidates and The Hockey Spy's current choice):

Art Ross: Malkin, Ovechkin, Crosby
Projected Winner = Malkin

Rocket Richard: Ovechkin, Parise, Kovalchuk (who I think will surpass Jeff Carter)
Projected Winner = Ovechkin

Hart Trophy: Malkin, Ovechkin, Parise (The 1st NHLer to 40G-40A this season is also +27)
Projected Winner = Ovechkin

Vezina: Tim Thomas, Steve Mason, Niklas Backstrom
Projected Winner = Steve Mason - put Chara and Wideman in front of this guy and his GAA would be <1.80 and he'd have 15 shutouts at this point. Mason makes the Blue Jackets a very dangerous playoff team.

Calder: Steve Mason, Bobby Ryan, Pekka Rinne
Projected Winner = Steve Mason - should be 1st guy since Eddie "The Eagle" Belfour to win Vezina & Calder in same season.

Selke: Datsyuk, Mike Richards, Mikko Koivu
Projected Winner = Mike Richards

Lady Bying: Pavel Datsyuk, Patrick Marleau, Dennis Wideman (like to see a d-man win this award)
Projected Winner = Patrick Marleau - to break Datsyuk's 3-yr hold

Jack Adams: Claude Julien, Joel Quenneville, Brent Sutter
Projected Winner = Claude Julien

Masterton: Phil Kessel, Craig Conroy, Rod Brind'Amour
Projected Winner = Phil Kessel - battled cancer and has had a major breakthrough offensive year proving naysayers wrong about his attitude and his zest for the game.

Lester B. Pearson: Ovechkin, Steve Mason, Malkin
Projected Winner = Ovechkin

Norris: Mike Green, Niklas Lidstrom, Dennis Wideman
Projected Winner = Mike Green

The Hockey Spy's Proposed Awards:
Bobby Orr Trophy (Replace Norris Trophy, but find another way for the NHL to honour James Norris):
Projected Winner = Mike Green

Rod Langway Trophy (Best Defensive D-man - see Mirtle's interesting post for a stat-based analysis of this suggested award): Duncan Keith, Paul Martin, Nik Lidstrom
Projected Winner = Keith

Wayne Gretzky Trophy (Most Assists Per Game with >70% games played): Malkin, Crosby, Datsyuk
Projected Winner = Malkin

Mario Lemieux Trophy (Most Creative Offensive Player - as voted by NHL peers, weighted on goalie and d-man picks): Malkin, Datsyuk, Crosby
Projected Winner = Datsyuk

Mark Messier Trophy (Most Effective Leader/Captain): Iginla, Mike Richards, Niklas Lidstrom
Projected Winner = Iginla

Sam Pollock Trophy (Best GM): Peter Chiarelli - Boston, Darryl Sutter - Calgary, Lou Lamoriello - New Jersey
Projected Winner = Chiarelli - Boston. Ken Holland of Detroit could probably win this award every year and would likely win this award in reality. I'm basing candidates on what they've done this year and more recently to shape current team. Chiarelli is deserving on multiple levels. Firstly, the signing of Chara and Savard a couple years back now look brilliant indeed, along with off-season signing of former Coyotes draftee Blake Wheeler. Secondly, drafting gems beyond the 1st round: Bergeron, Krejci and Lucic are all major contributors. Thirdly and lastly, even without blockbuster trades the Bruins have made very effective trades which shape the current team. Dennis Wideman for Brad Boyes has worked out for both teams, but Wideman emergence this year as an elite d-man gives Beantown the nod in this one. Bringing in Recchi and Montador at the trade deadline were not the blockbusters trade rumour generators alike were predicting, but should prove effective for the stretch run and post-season. Maybe the best decision by Chiarelli was a NON-move at the trade deadline. Not giving up Phil Kessel for Pronger was the right move!

Post your comments and award winners below!

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Up In Flames: Don't Engrave The Names In Lord Stanley Just Yet

So...of course, unless you're busy scouting out the leading contestants for the Vancouver 2010 Men's Figure Skating medal round, you're probably aware the Calgary Flames landed Olli Jokinen and Jordan Leopold at the trade deadline. Now you know the honeymoon is officially over!

So...we don't have to start engraving the names of the Flames on the Stanley Cup just yet, but Flames faithful need not jump off the bandwagon either!

After a promising start to this 7 game road trip with 2 wins against Ottawa and Phili, the Flames have dropped 3 in a row. Last night they happened to lose to a netminder who just happens to be now only 3 wins away from surpassing St. Patrick Roy as the NHL's all-time win leader. You might've heard of him - one Marty Brodeur! Yeah - admittedly Miikka hasn't been that impressive in 2 of those losses (McElhinney getting the smackdown in the other loss), but he's been unbelievable for the past 3 to 4 months.
Of course, the Canucks are chasing the Flames for 1st in the NW division - now 8 points behind with 2 games in hand. Still...I'm not worried.

The Flames arn't the only top-performing team with 3rd quarter troubles.
- Devils lost to the lowly Islanders 7-3 this past Saturday.
- Red Wings lost Blue Jackets 8-2 the same day.
- Black Hawks lost the Avs 5-1 on Sunday.
- Bruins are 3-6-1 in their last 10 and have lost 2 in a row.
- Capitals are 4-5-1 in their last 10
*The Flames are still 6-4 in their last 10.

David Moss is back after the passing away of his grand-mother. Langer (Daymond Langkow) is back, albeit not yet 100%. Unfortunately, his other linemates, Rene Bourque (and his 20 even-strength goals!) and Bertuzzi are still out for extended periods. The injuries have finally caught up with the Flames, but they do have to fight through it and other guys have to step up. Langkow getting completely healthy will be a huge boost.

Jokinen and Leopold still have to acclimatize to their new surroundings and linemates. By the time this road trip is over, or even sooner, the Flames will be over this bump in the road. As many have said before, "the season is a marathon, not a sprint". It's definitely better to have a hiccup now, then during the playoffs!

Up In Flames will be another regular column for coverage of the Calgary Flames by The Hockey Spy. The Hockey Spy is MVN's correspondent covering the Flames in addition to the NHL in general.

The Hockey Spy

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The Flame is Finally Out: Gary Roberts' Career Has Come to an end

My fondest memories of Roberts were, of course, as a valuable power forward for the Flames. He was an integral part of the team that went to the Cup finals in 1986 only to lose to the Habs, as well as the 1989 Cup winning dominant Flames team. Roberts is known as one of the fittest guys to lace up the skates and as Bob McKenzie mentions (see below), he actually retired previously in 1996 due to back problems, but after undertaking an extremely intense conditioning program he was actually able to return the next season.

Bob McKenzie had the following report courtesy TSN: "Roberts' retirement is expected from the Lightning.

Gary Roberts' NHL career is over.

Unclaimed on waivers on trade deadline day, the 42-year-old veteran will not play another game with the Tampa Bay Lightning this season. He had already announced that he would retire at the end of this season. 

A formal announcement of

Roberts' contract worked against him being picked up on waivers. His cap hit was more than $2 million and he has a bonus package that pays him $10,000 for each game he plays.

Roberts was Selected by the Calgary Flames 12th overall (1st round) in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft.

He went on to win a Stanley Cup with the Flames in 1988-89.

In 1996, at the age of 30, Roberts announced his retirement from hockey due to injuries, but he underwent an intense re-conditioning program and returned to the NHL after the following season.

In 1224 career NHL games with Calgary, Carolina, Toronto, Florida, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay, Roberts had 438 goals and 471 assists for 909 points, adding 2560 PIM."

 

A fearless leader, I've got to believe coaching or training is in Gary's future.

All the best, "Scary" Gary!

The Hockey Spy

 

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Trade Deadline Aftermath: The Winners, The Losers and The Miserable Failures

When the D-Day shakedown was all said and done, there were 22 trades involving 45 players. Throw in the 2 waiver pickups on D-Day (as well as 2 the day before), and the average of 25 trades for the previous 3 seasons post-lookout was almost duplicated. Some experts thought it might be a lull this year, with less transaction with the uncertain fiscal future.



The Winners:
• Flames: Holy Jokinen!!! The obvious choice here, but, even surprising for me as a Flames fan, GM Sutter makes a major splash by throwing Jokinen a life-preserver to stop Olli from drowning in the desert. Darryl also managed to bring back Jordan Leopold to solidify the "D", giving the Flames an additional solid 2-way top 4 d-man. With 2 goals from Jokinen and 1 from Leopold tonight against the Flyers in Phili, the trade has had an instant impact. However, there's a lot of hockey to be played and we don't know yet how Jokinen and 1st yr Flame Mike Cammalleri will perform in a Cup run, since neither have yet to see post-season play. With the writing now certainly on the wall that Cammalleri won't be resigned in the off-season (not because of the Flames don't want him, but economics), the Flames brass are obviously showing they want to go for the Holy Grail this season!

• Oilers: Flipping underachieving Eric Cole for the young and talented - with the best yet to come from - Patrick O'Sullivan and eventually skilled forward with a great shot Ales Kotalik, GM Steve Tambellini impressed me in his 1st D-Day as Oilers GM. I really thought Edmonton would reel in a big fish yesterday, but this was a solid move nonetheless. Does it make them a Cup contender? No, but this is a very good hockey move.
 
• Bruins: No Pronger, no problem. The Bruins were likely expected to do more and a recent slide might have Bruins' Faithful nervous. However, Recchi still has some gas in the tank and brings his vast experience and great hockey sense which will be valuable in their quest for the Cup. Steve Montador is no Pronger, of course, but has been solid this year and has playoff experience, as a member of the '03-'04 Flames that took Tampa to a 7th game in the Cup finals. The Bruins have had a good thing going all year and a major shakeup was not the way to go, especially if it meant giving up Kessel to land Pronger.
 
• Lightning: Not for now, but some surprisingly (for me, at least) solid moves by GM Brian Lawton. Picking up talented young d-man Matt Lashoff and the promising forward Martin Karsums in the Recchi deal was well done indeed. Getting Noah Welch and a 3rd for Eminger was solid. I'm still a little confused by the trade for Petiot from the Leafs, but it looks like the suckered the Leafs into taking on salary. Hopefully, they'll continue to take baby steps to get that franchise back on track. • Senators: If Leclaire can be healthy for next year, the Sens likely have the best goalie the franchise has seen. Not sure how they convinced Columbus to add on a 2nd round pick for Vermette as well.
 
• Panthers: Sometimes the best move is the trade you didn't make. A lot would argue to the contrary, but holding on to Jay Boumeester is a solid non-move by the franchise. They're actually one of the hottest teams in the new year and need to make the playoffs to try and keep fans interested. From what I can see, J-Bo is enjoying himself and might just be inclined to resign with them in the offseason.
 
• Coyotes: The Jokinen Experiment was a surprising failure, but they made the most of it landing speedster Lombardi, who unfortunately often leaves you wanting more, spunky Brandon Prust and a 1st rnd pick. They also somehow convinced the Flyers to give them Scottie Upshall and a 2nd rnder for Carcillo.

The Losers:
• Canadiens: No moves from the Habs? Picking up Schneider before the deadline was a nice move, but it needed to be followed by a big name forward pick up. They're playing better as of late, but I'll be surprised if they go deep in the playoffs.

• Canucks: Not immediately, but I thought they could've used some depth on the blueline. With fragile d-men such as Salo and Bieksa, Canucks GM Gillis might be kicking himself as the gruelling playoffs get underway.
 
• Blue Jackets: I actually like the Vermette trade for them as well, but I think they really needed to land a Jokinen- type player - a true #1 center for Nash.
 
• Capitals: Strong team, but could've used a couple more horses for the playoff run. I really thought they'd make a stronger play for Derek Morris.

The Miserable Failures:
• Kings: The usually savvy GM Dean Lombardi brings in talented, but brittle Justin Williams for up and coming talented forward Patrick O'Sullivan plus a 2nd round pick.

• Rangers: Okay, so they added a couple of the better players available in Derek Morris and Nik Antropov...Unfortunately, the cancer they added the day before in picking up Sean Avery in the worst kept secret transaction of the NHL season. Yeah - so NYC is about the only place for Avery, I wish there'd be some GM Code in which a loser like this would simply be understandably never brought back to the big leagues. I wish I could sit down with Tom Renney and have a beer and watch the Rangers NOT make the playoffs.

"Rarely imitated, never duplicated!"
The Hockey Spy

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NHL 2009 Trade Deadline Crunch Time: 25 Trades That Make Sense

See a prior post for an explanation of Operation: T-Radar {The Hockey Spy's Trade Speculation System}

In the last three years post-lockout, there have been exactly 25 trades each year on trade deadline day, with an average of 43 players changing hands. These past 3 years are tied for the highest number of deals. Will Mar 4, 2009 surpass that number? Most "experts" seem to think not. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes either way. If some of the "seller" teams can accomplish what they may set out to do, we might even crack the elusive 30 trade plateau. With the likes of Gary Roberts, Brendan Morrison, Miroslav Satan being placed on waivers - the number of trades may be less as teams may seek to add without subtracting.

With great trade speculation coverage from TSN to The Fourth Period to Illegal Curve, I have no need to reinvent the wheel and re-hash what information is already out there. However, what I would like to do is to foreshadow 25 deals that make sense...at least make sense to The Hockey Spy! I don't have a crystal ball, I ain't no "Trade Whisperer", and don't even think about calling me a trade rumour generator! This is simply an exercise in speculating some reasonable trades that couple take place in the fading hours leading to the deadline. A vast majority of the ideas for the following deals are based on reports already out there in the hockey world.

I have previously posted trade articles on the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. I have also discussed the "Formula For Succes: Cup Winning Deadline Deals".

Without further ado, let's now uncover Operation: T-Radar 2009, in no particular order:

1. Jay Boumeester lands in the City of Brotherly Love, with the Flyers sending Joffrey Lupul , Matt "The Wanderer" Carle and Ryan Parent back to the Panthers. We will soon find out if J-Bo is on the move. Florida his hot these days, and it ain't just the weather! Is it just me or does J-Bo look happy playing there. Two weeks ago, I would've said the Panthers would be crazy not to try and get a great return for him, but now with the way they're playing, I finally see the light as to why they would simply keep him. The Flyers might just be the ones to sweet talk the Panthers into sending J-Bo their way. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Canucks land J-Bo either.
2. Steve Sullivan and a conditional draft pick to the Flames for prospect Kris Chucko. Sullivan is high risk, high reward acquisition, but if he can stay healthy (big if!) he'd be a solid pickup for the Flames. Chucko is only this year giving any indication as to why Flames brass made him a 1st round pick a couple years back, but he is still a ways away from making any impact at the NHL level.
3. Chris Pronger to the Bruins for Matt Hunwick, Joe Colbourne and a 1st round pick. Having one of Chara or Pronger on the ice for more than 90% of each and every game is too much to pass up for GM Chiarelli to pass on. If the Ducks hold out for Phil Kessel, the deal gets iced. If that's the case, a similar deal would land Tomas Kaberle from the Leafs. Another factor here is the Blues surprising interest in Pronger - Don't do it!
4. Pascal Leclaire to the Sens for Antoine Vermette. The speedy center has had a down year and could use a change in scenery. Columbus should be a good fit and he might get some consideration to play with Nash. Leclaire injury-riddled year has been disappointing as well and, of course, the emergence of Steve Mason. The Sens, with Leclaire and Elliott think they finally solved their goaltending woes - guess again!
5. Martin St. Louis to the Oilers for Robbie Schremp and Taylor Chorney. I just see the Oilers making a big splash with owner Darryl Katz on board.
6. Tim Connolly to Blue Jackets with Christian Backman and a 3rd round pick headed to Buffalo. Another big "IF", but Connolly if healthy, gives the Blue Jackets that center to play with Nash. Vermette still fits, just not on first line.
7. Mark Recchi to Pittsburgh for 2 third round draft picks in the next 2 years going to Tampa. Recchi playing great lately and further revitalized for a last stand in Steel Town.
8. Milan Hejduk to Pittsburgh with Alex Goligoski and Eric Tangradi heading to Colorado. Yes - GM Shero has already added Kunitz and Recchi, but he wants that true compliment for SC87 - Hejduk fits the bill!
9. Keith Tkachuk to Boston for a 2nd round draft pick going to St. Louis. They are on the cusp, and there are talks of the Blues being buyers. If this is the case, the Bruins may target Bill Guerin.
10. Mike Fisher to the Sharks for Logan Couture. I think Fisher (Mr. Carrie Underwood!) needs a change of scenery and he would flourish in San Jose. This is one proposed deal that I've hauled out of left field. No reports or rumours anywhere else allude to such a deal. A more likely scenario is Chris Neil going to the Sharks, with the Senators receiving a 2nd and 4th round draft picks.
11. Nik Antropov to Vancouver for a 1st round draft pick. This would give the 'Nucks some much needed depth at forward, despite what they may say or think. I'm just glad my Flames didn't trade for St. Nik.
12. Filip Kuba to Vancouver for Michael Grabner add a 3rd round pick. The Canucks defense are more fragile than a dozen eggs, especially Salo and Bieksa. Kuba gives them depth and adds a solid puck-moving d-man.
13. Derek Morris to the Capitals with prospects Oscar Osala and Sami Lepisto heading to the desert. Morris brings a solid 2 way game and I could see his game being elevated with the explosive Caps.
14. Scott Clemmenson to the Sabres for prospect Denis Persson. Short-term solution with Miller out. Lou rewards Clemmenson for his excellent fill-in play for Marty, by trading him to keep him in the NHL.
15. Marty Reasoner to Chicago for a 3rd and 6th rnd picks. Reasoner would be that solid depth forward, with experience and very good on the PK, that the Hawks could use.
16. Pavel Kubina (waive No-Trade clause) and Matt Stajan to the Rangers for prospect Bobby Sanguinetti, Artem Anisimov , a 1st and 2nd round draft pick. If Burke can somehow convince Kubina to fly to Broadway, the Leafs could include Stajan as well to get this deal done. Burke ends up keeping Kaberle, who should have plenty gas in the tank and can build the "D" around him and Schenn.
17. Olli Jokinen to the Habs for Chris Higgins and prospect Ryan McDonagh. The Canadiens want to make a splash and do just that. "The Joker" Jokinen should regain form with the presence of fellow countryman Saku Koivu. The Coyotes bid good riddance to a trade gone wrong. One would've thought Jokinen would've excelled under the tutelage of The Great One, but Olli found a way to drown in the desert.
18. Bill Guerin to the Capitals for a 2nd round pick. The Capitals could use Guerin's experience. You have to know what you're getting here though and it's not the Guerin of old. The Isles simply want to cash in on what few assets they have.
19. Michael Nylander to the Black Hawks in exchange for Dustin Byfuglien to the Capitals. With Patrick Sharp out, the Hawks are in the market for a 2nd line center. Byfuglien gives the Capitals more of a physical presence and shown some intriguing upside for a big guy. Conditioning and drive continue to be issues for him.
20. Dominic Moore to Washington for Chris Bourque and a 3rd round draft. Moore provides solid center depth for the Capitals and should be a valuable component for their playoff run, while the Leafs continue their rebuilding process, getting the son of the great Raymond Bourque.
21. Jay McKee to the Rangers for 3rd and 4th round draft picks. The Blues have been looking to move McKee and his pay cheque and have found takers in the Rangers and their leaky "D".
22. Jeff Halpern to the Panthers for Michal Repik. The Panthers add solid 2-way forward Halpern who should prove valuable for the franchise's much needed playoff push.
23. Ian Laperriere to the Canadiens for prospect d-man Mathieu Carle and a 3rd round draft pick. Laperierre will instantly be a fan fav in Montreal. Carle, in the minors, had requested a trade apparently.
24. Jamal Mayers to the Devils for a 3rd round draft pick. The Devils simply want to add some depth with this move.
25. Brendan Witt to Columbus for 4th and 5th round draft picks. The Jackets take on some salary, but get physical crease-clearing vet d-man who should make life easier for rookie Steve Mason.

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Red Light Disctrict: Iggy is Now Flames All-Time Leading Scorer!

Eric Duhatshek reports from the Globe and Mail:

"I've been blessed to play here in Calgary for a long
time," Iginla told Rogers Sportsnet, following the second-period
intermission. "Counting down, I tried not to think about it, but it's in
the back of your mind and it's nice to do it at home. The guys were great about
it, the fans were great about it - and I appreciate it."

 Iginla eclipsed former linemate Theoren Fleury, who
previously held the mark with 830 points. Unfortunately, Iggy's 5 point effort
came in a 8-6 loss to the Lightning tonight in Calgary. I was driving home
tonight from ball hockey listening to Peter Maher make the call on the FAN960 - The
Flames Faithful rocked the 'Dome after Jarome scored and you could hear chants
of "Iggy, Iggy, ..." Another tremendous milestone for the
Flames' Captain, and he also joined the 400-Goal club in this game as well - no
small feat!

Congrats, Iginla!

{Note: "Red Light District" is a regular column by The Hockey Spy featuring highlight reel as well as milestone goals. For previous Red Light District entries click here }

Keep your stick on the ice!

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T-Radar: Canada's Teams Trade Talk - Calgary Flames

{Note for an explanation of T-Radar, click here}

Just over 7 days to D-Day (Trade Deadline Day, that is!)

Calgary Flames: GM Darryl Sutter, like a seasoned poker player, likes to keep his cards close to his chest to go with his unreadable poker face. He also tends to like to close any deals well before the trade deadline. Before last week's contest against the Wild, the Flames were realistically only looking to fine tune the roster unless something to good to pass up fell into Sutter's lap. How things can change in a hurray! With breakthrough forward Rene Bourque and his 21 even strength only goals and Mark Giordano, the steady puck-moving defenseman, out for extended periods of time, Sutter's hands may indeed be forced to do more than he first intended. See my post from Feb 12/09 and my views have changed as well. Darryl has previously stated what he has on the farm are better options than what's available. The following week will put that theory to the ultimate test.

Needful Things:

Primary: Top 4 puck-moving d-man - Not only to make up for Gio's injury, but Flames could use help on the recently futile powerplay.

Candidates: Derek Morris (5/10), JM Liles (4/10), Jordan Leopold (4.5/10), Ryan Whitney(2.5/10), Jay Boumeester (1/10), Ville Koistinen (2.5/10)

Secondary need: Top 9 Forward - Most are calling for a top 6 forward, but I think the cost will ultimately be too high. The Flames have guys who can step up into a top 6 role with the likes of Curtis Glencross and Dustin Boyd. Sutter will likely want to have some depth in the event of another unforeseen injury.

Candidates: Chris Neil (6.5/10), Nik Antropov (2/10) {Please NO!}, Steve Sullivan (2.5/10), Olli Jokinen (0.5/10) {Never say never, I guess}, Mark Recchi (2.5/10)

*I don't think he will, but I hope Sutter doesn't sacrifice any youth, especially Mikael Backlund, other than Kris Chucko to make a deal.

Check out articles from The Fourth Period and the Globe and Mail for further insight.

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View From The Broadcast Booth: Peter Maher Honoured On Hockey Day in Canada

Unless you're from Calgary, live here or have lived here, you may not be familiar with the Hall of Fame radio broadcaster, Peter Maher, of each and every Calgary Flames's games."The Voice of the Calgary Flames" has not missed calling the action of a game and has over 2800 games under his belt. The Campbellton, New Brunswick native has mixed emotion today, as today Hockey Day in Canada is being celebrated by CBC from there, the host town this year. Peter stated earlier today:

"Everything is revved up to a fever pitch," Maher said, noting spirits are high despite the cold and snow that's greeted all on hand." I would say this is probably the biggest stage Campbellton has had from a national point of view. It's a great chance for people across Canada to see how passionate Campbellton is for its hockey."

Maher is one of the class acts of the world. Having moved from the East Coast myself 4 years ago, I was elated to discover the FAN960 and with it Peter Maher's broadcasts of Flames games. Having been a rare Flames fan in Newfoundland, I only wish I had discovered this radio network sooner! "Maher in the Morning" is featured every weekday morning on Mike Richards' morning show. He offers up valuable inside information on the Calgary Flames not even The Hockey Spy could uncover! He has great relationships with players, coaches and other media personnel, and is well respected by all.

In Peter's blog yesterday, he reflected on how he got his start in broadcasting in Campbellton, NB. Before the start of CBC's broadcast of the final leg of their coverage of Hockey Day in Canada, they interviewed Maher live. In a touching moment, while Peter was live on air, the folks of Campbellton, NB revealed they had honored Maher by renaming the press box in the arena the "Peter Maher Broadcast Booth".

I recall one hilarious story a couple of weeks back when Mike Richards of the Fan960 had Pete, Jim Peplinski (co-captain of the Flames 1989 Cup-winning team) on at the same time. "Pep" told the story of when they were on the road and at a restaurant when somehow a bunch of the team had Pete in the washroom and got Pete's pants off, while covering his "nether" region with paper towels. Maher, being the great sport he is, came out of the washroom and went up to the saloon style doors to the main part of the restaurant. He, of course, thought, he was covered by paper towels, but this wasn't the case and because of his stature, he was actually exposed to everyone in the restaurant! Needless to say, the restaurant patrons cleared out in less than 5 minutes!

"YEAH BABY!!!" and "You can put it in the win column!!!" are just a couple of Peter Maher's war cries that the Flames Faithful have come to love to hear, and look forward to hearing a lot more of in the future.

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Miikka Kiprusoff AMAZING Save [Multi-Feed] {Slo-mo}

From Ovechkin's "Goal of the Year" to Kipper's "Save of the Year"! Fan-freakin'-tastic!!!

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