Prospects

“Cap” The Night.

Some hard hitters from the last 24 hours.

– Alex Ovechkin wins the Pearson, Richard, and Hart…anything he didn’t win?

– Pavel Datsyuk takes home the Lady Byng and Selke.  Nick Lidstrom takes his 6th Norris.

– Martin Brodeur takes home his 4th Vezina in 5 years in one of the closest votes ever (7)

– Gordie Howe is the recipient of the first ever Hockey Lifetime Achievement Award.

Peter DeBoer is expected to be named the next Ottawa head coach later today.  This is according to a report from Spectors which states something will happen likely tomorrow…if not tomorrow but soon.  I did a little reading on DeBoer (the Kitchener Coach) and I have to say he will be a departure from Murray that is for sure.  That is a good thing.  What Ottawa really needs right now is someone who can coach and coach youngsters and vets alike well.  That youthful energy could be what Ottawa really needs…that and a buyout of Ray Emery but hey…one thing at a time.

Expect the Kings to go within and possibly name Mike Johnston their new head coach…timetable on this one…who really knows.  The Kings do not do anything like clockwork and their late firing of Crawford when everyone thought it would come much sooner not only makes me scratch my head but befuddles many NHL experts everywhere.  No wonder why the Kings fan feels such an ambivalence to their own organization.  How long will it be before Dean Lombardi is fired or they sell the team?  It makes you wonder.

With only a week till the draft..the draft talk will heat up some.  I am not the world’s greatest expert on the draft but I know a thing or two…so expect a little on the draft as I gear up for a much deserved vacation next weekend.  Till then….hope everyone enjoyed the Awards Show and good night!

The Wrath Of Krog!

Jason Krog capped off the 2007-08 season much the same way he started it….with a hot finish…a four point night including a hat trick in Chicago’s 5-2 win over Pittsburgh last night. The win gave the Calder Cup to Chicago for the second time in seven seasons. The scoring frenzy gave Krog an AHL high of 38 points in the playoffs (12 goals, 26 assists) in 24 games.

With that effort, it was a no-brainer that Krog would win the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy for being the most valuable player of the Calder Cup playoffs. Krog had already captured the AHL MVP award with an astonishing 112 points (39 goals, 73 assists) in just 80 games during the regular season. Here is the game winner….right here.

(empty_netters/flickr.com)

Krog has been an amazing mentor on this team.  Now granted it may seem weird that this success never quite translated on the NHL level but Krog is surrounded with talent that could be considered NHL caliber or damn close to it.  Ondrej Pavelec, the goalie, is only a rookie but there is talk that he may get a chance with the Atlanta Thrashers next season.  He is that talented!   Add in contributions from guys like Dennis Haydar and Joel Kwiatkowski (27 and 25 points respectively) and you have the recipe for a title.

Krog has guided the youngsters well…working with guys like Brett Sterling and Nathan Oystrick.  That really was his purpose in staying with Chicago….I am sure he could have gone up to Atlanta but I don’t think he really wanted to.  He is happy in the AHL but Atlanta top brass would be foolish not to try and coax him into playing for the big club next season.  Krog still has some talent left even at the tender age of 32 (he will be 33 at the start of next season).  Don’t be shocked if this is a springboard for several of these Wolves to show what they can do on the big club.

This former Hobey Baker award winner (98-99) from New Hampshire clearly has a considerable amount left in the tank and would be a great asset to the youngsters in Atlanta.  Question is…does Krog really want to try the NHL again as he seems to be very happy and content in Chicago?  Only time will tell on that one.

January To June In 60 Minutes

A rare and special simulcast from The NHL Arena Program…enjoy everyone…

Time to go from January to June in our unique way….via the blog of course.

We opened up the New Year with The Winter Classic. Crosby scored the GWG in the shootout and no one was really surprised. The LS Insider was on fire talking about Ribeiro and Savard among other things. We did some Mid-Year Reports on the tri-state area teams (Devils, Isles, Rangers). I even remembered to wish the wife a Happy Birthday. The blog turned one and we celebrated with The Blog Of The Year. There was some Arena Gathering in Phoenix…and an All-Star Game in Atlanta.

Then we counted down to the Trade Deadline with yours truly…with parts 1,2, 3, and more. There was a new column called Ask A Panelist where we let people ask us all sorts of questions. Thankfully Zednik was okay. Before the deadline, Pogo did a special for Injury Ninja Awareness Month (believe me its true…really). We all got antsy before the deadline…and then it came and went….then there was recapping.

March came in like a lion with some fantasy impact. The funny thing there was something about a six man tag in Hockey Around The Horn. Rick won the overall in professor-like fashion. The LSHL and Stevens’ leagues were going down to the wire. The Hockey Top 5 was indirectly introduced. Hockey Around The Horn went at it for a sixth time proving it never gets old. We paid a salute to my favorite drinks and went into more fantasy updates. Also, I wished a Happy Birthday to Mr. Hockey.

April came along with teams clinching already. There was an argument about snack foods. We saluted fantasy champs as the playoffs started with signs. The ladies went at it for the HATH and it was quite the experience. Round 1 rolled on by as the Devils and Senators were sent packing. We previewed Round 2 and introduced a Phanatic. The strangeness of the Habs-Flyers series took a backseat to the tale of Sean Avery. April was something else to say the least.

May showed us even more if that was possible. There was a pilot to bombadeer…and a beloved owner died. All hell broke lose with Versus, LS Insider, the Reaper, the final 4 was finally set after many hours, and Danada and Stevens fought over the Eastern Conference Final Preview. Toronto made a crash landing of sorts. I learned quite a lot in these playoffs and well the US felt cheated and I was humbled by Wings. The playoffs did start to bore us some admittedly but the Worlds saved us. The HATH part 8 snuck in with a new format. Russia struck gold and Danada felt bad for Canada.

Oh wait there was more playoffs to come. Then there was just waiting. But there were special interviews from the Wings and Pens’ sides of it in between a little Tamby face time. I made a prediction and angered an Ogre…sorta. Finally there was a Finals and Detroit made an initial whitewashing. Rick came in with The Cold War. I began to wonder when the finals were going to start…then things got interesting. Ogre took on Hockeytown and the Wings humbled me again.

Finally there was June. We were told to respect our elders, and that the Wings should win it in five. Unexpectedly the game kept going and going until Petr Sykora called his shot. I took a stand on diving and flopping then realized we needed more cider and a prediction. There was some relatively breaking news, and the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. The offseason started with a Brady-like bang! Then there was all sorts of offseason bizarre activity. We said goodbye to a legend, were amazed by Euro Power, and lastly the LWL took on all 30 NHL teams.

It has truly been an amazing run to the offseason. The funny thing about hockey is the hardest part is to say goodbye even for a few months. Off the ice so far, it has been as hot as it was on the ice…go figure! With the Awards, Draft, and Frenzy all coming up….there will still be plenty to talk about at The NHL Arena and here of course.

Wild One Just Outside Chicago…

For those of you who have The NHL Network in the US….there was a hell of a game tonight at the Allstate Arena outside Chicago…with the Chicago Wolves taking a hard fought 5-4 decision over Wilkes Barre-Scranton in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals (AHL).

Just for the record, I thoroughly enjoyed the NHL Network’s coverage of the game.  That and it didn’t hurt to love the up and down flow of the game.  Yes there were mistakes and some costly ones.   But the most enjoyable thing about watching minor league hockey is that familial crowd feel that you get watching any game.  You really do feel like you are right there at the arena with the fans.  It is that emotion that you don’t always get even in Stanley Cup Finals games that keeps you coming back for more.

This game had everything..timely goaltending, lots of great scoring chances and even a penalty shot.  Yes for the first time since 1998, there was a penalty shot in the Calder Cup Finals.  Sure it was missed but I was kind of rooting for it to go in…too bad it went just a bit high.  That is the type of hockey you like to see.  Shots on goal were 36-34 for the Wolves but the intensity is what made this a great Game 1.

The ebb and flow also helped.  Chicago went up 3-0…then Wilkes Barre stormed back to cut the deficit to 4-3 after two.  Unfortunately for them, Chicago had a little more in the tank when Bryan Little scored the eventual gamewinner in the third.  WBS scored to make it 5-4 but could not get the equalizer as it seemed Chicago and particularly Jason Krog was controlling the action.  Krog is an ex-NHL’er who is mentoring the youngsters in Chicago so they can make that next step into the NHL.  He was also a member of the 2002-03 Anaheim Ducks once upon a time ago.  His intelligence and on-ice x’s and o’s makes up for any deficiencies at least in the AHL.  His 112 pts in 80 games is an attest to that…and oh yeah he has 28 points in the playoffs (2 assists tonight).

The other quirky story is Joel Kwiatkowski.  Given up for dead in NHL circles…he has made a comfortable niche in Chicago as well.  He bounced around alot in the NHL (Ott, Pitt, Wash, Fla, ATL) but had 50 pts this season for the Wolves and has 17 in the playoffs including 8 in his last 5 games.  That five game streak is a record for defensemen by the way.  With vets like these two, it is no question the Wolves are just three wins away from the Calder Cup.

Add in some solid youngsters and that is why I think ultimately when all is said and done…the Chicago Wolves will be raising the Calder Cup…hopefully nothing happens to the Cup itself.

There will be blood…..

Throw the records straight out the window…the stakes are just too high.  The crescendo that is the NHL season is building toward the playoffs.  In less than three weeks, we will know the seedings….where will your team be?  That is the question evey fan asks me.  I can tell you emphatically that it really is too early to tell.  This has been a season full of parity…a year where two teams were thought to be untouchable and it turns out the teams gunning for them may have a better shot at that silver cup.  Now to add some chum into the tank and throw some more blood into the mix.  Here we go……

How demented would it be if the Edmonton Oilers made the playoffs?   Now imagine the look of Brian Burke if the Ducks faced the Oilers in the first round.  Horrified yet?  Oh no, that’s nothing.  That first round pick that Burke was drooling over is rapidly turning into a mid round pick that won’t nearly be as good as he was hoping for.  So gaining Penner via the restricted route maybe wasn’t as big a gamble for Lowe as people thought.  Praise also goes out to Craig MacTavish…who has to be quietly considered for the Jack Adams (Coach Of The Year).  Not many thought after all the injuries and already depleted talent pool…that Edmonton would be anywhere near where they are now.  Sure enough, they are…and he is the reason.  Though I feel sorry for him for all the grey hairs he received this season…..the coach has managed to get Cogliano and all these young guys along with a resurgence from Dwayne Rolosson within an earshot of the playoffs.  Many will say Sutter, Julien, and maybe even Wilson are more deserving but MacTavish is getting my vote if the season ended today.

Another team left for dead by many is the Florida Panthers.   The past few years this team starts out slower than a 1928 Roadster and comes in screaming like a 2008 Porsche but it is entertaining how they do it.  This year was no exception…hovering right near or below .500 for most of the season before finding the groove and reeling off seven straight wins.  Tomas Vokoun (a star of the week with 3 wins and a jawdropping GAA) is finally playing like he did in Nashville and Olli Jokinen is back to giving teams nightmares.  Maybe it did take them awhile after all to get over the Richard Zednik incident…but here they are…just two points out of a playoff spot.  The kicker is even though they only have 8 games left….they are just five points out of the division lead.  Further proof that indeed with the parity in the NHL, anything is possible….even for a coach like Jacques Martin to get lucky…..who knew?

Time to throw in a knuclepuck so to speak.  Tonight’s Leafs-Islanders matchup will also mean something not in the standings so much….but these are two teams that detest each other.   More importantly for Isles fans…Kyle Okposo will make his debut.  At 195 pounds, his size doesn’t seem that impressive.  But alot like Zach Parise…his tenacity around the corners is his calling card.  He is not afraid to play tough and his 24 points in 29 games at Bridgeport (AHL) is impressive.  He is only 19 and this is more or less a nine game audition with the big club but he will make an impact tonight…at the very least in the stands.  The University of Minnesota standout may just surprise some people, including the Maple Leafs as he can definitely hit.  So expect a physical game on Long Island tonight with maybe a twist.

Pittsburgh travels to MSG to play the Rangers tonight in what is a must win for the Rangers.  Their brain fart in Florida may have cost them a top seed in the Eastern Conference.  The loss to Tampa was probably worse than the one to Florida as well they got shutout by a Tampa team that couldn’t stop Winnie The Pooh from honey in sub-zero cold.  So it is time for Henrik Lundqvist to step up again and hope he gets some goal support from what has to be the most enigmatic offense in the NHL.  The Pens come in at 89 points…right behind New Jersey with Marc-Andre Fleury in net who the Rangers have had some success against.  No Sidney Crosby again tonight as he is still nursing a swollen ankle…he may be back by the weekend or sooner but no one seems to really know.  One thing is for sure…I am surprised this game is not on Versus…that would be their normal motus operandi wouldn’t it?  At any rate…I like the makeup of this game for some reason…I will definitely watch it.  Expect a surprisingly physical contest from these two.

Tomorrow is the real cap to the deal as the Rangers play the Devils for the 6th time this season.  Yes the Rangers have taken the first five but you have to feel the Devils gear up for this time of year and this type of schedule.  Like someone sevrely scorned, this will be INTENSE!  There will be much coverage on The NHL Arena, Battle of New York, 2 Man Advantage, and all the usual suspects.  Brodeur Vs. Lundqvist….Pandolfo Vs. Jagr….Gomez, Avery, and a cast of characters all will be at The Rock tomorrow night…don’t miss it!

Coming soon will be Hockey Around The Horn’s 6th episode…the banter of four people entering and only one emerging victorious.  It should be up and ready in the coming days at The NHL Arena.  So the blood will be shed this week and heading throughout the playoffs.  Now the intensity ramps up and it is for keeps!!  Good fight…..good night!!

Trade Deadline Fun!!!

The deed has been done…they day is now over…here is what happened.

TRADES AND SIGNINGS THAT HAPPENED TODAY!!

– Mike Comrie resigned 1 year…4 million with the Isles.
– Actual Trade: Bryce Salvador to New Jersey and Cam Janssen goes to St. Louis.
– Wade Belak goes to Florida for a 5th round 08 draft pick.
– Defenseman Brian Campbell to San Jose for Steve Bernier and a 2008 first round pick.
– Brad Richards goes to Dallas…also going with him will be goalie Johan Holmqvist…Tampa gets goalie Mike Smith, center Jeff Halpern and winger Jussi Jokinen and a 4th round pick.
– Goalie Cristobal Huet has been traded to Washington for a second round pick in the 09 draft.
– Andrew Ladd has been traded from the Canes to the Blackhawks for Tuomo Ruutu.
– The Colorado Avalanche have acquired Ruslan Salei from the Panthers for Karlis Skrastins and a third round pick.
– Chicago has moved Martin Lapointe to Ottawa….Chicago return a 6th round 2008 pick.
– Colorado acquires Adam Foote from Columbus…for a first round conditional pick and more.
– Sergei Fedorov has been traded to Washington…..for defenseman Ted Ruth.
– Rob Davison has been traded to the Isles from the Sharks for a 7th round pick in 08.
– Washington traded Matt Pettinger for Vancouver’s Matt Cooke.
– Toronto trades Hall Gill to the Pens….. for a 2nd rounder and 5th rounder in 09.
– Backman to the New York Rangers….Blues get a 4th rounder in return.
– WOW! The big one. Hossa and Pascal Dupuis to the Pens….for Erik Christensen, Colby Armstrong, Angelo Esposito, and a first round 2008 pick.
– Chris Simon to the Minnesota Wild for a 6th round pick.
– Brad Stuart has been traded to the Detroit Red Wings…Kings get back a 2nd and 4th rounder.
– Chad Kilger has been traded to Florida for a third round draft pick.
– Sjostrom, Leneveau and Josh Gratton going to the New York Rangers for Al Montoya and Marcel Hossa.
– Marc-Andre Bergeron has been traded to the Ducks for a 3rd round pick.
– JS Aubin has been traded for a 7th round draft pick to the Anaheim Ducks.
– Joe Motzko has been traded from the Thrashers to the Caps for Alexandre Giroux.
– Jan Hlavac was moved to Nashville for a 7th round pick.
– Brandon Bochenski traded to Nashville for future considerations.

ANALYSIS OF TRADES:

– Devils bolster their defensive depth with stay at home defenseman Salvador while Janssen goes home to St. Louis to add some grit to the Blues lineup.
– Florida finally gets a fighter that they need to add some physicality to the mix.
– Campbell does indeed get dealt and the San Jose blue line gets that much stronger with a QB on the Power Play. Buffalo gets a good forward with upside and a much coveted first rounder in this year’s draft.
– Dallas gets the center of attention they feel they need and a decent backup in Holmqvist…they do give up on Smith and Jokinen though. But you have to give to get something in the trade deadline.
– This is a precursor for bigger things in Montreal but you have to give major points for Washington in securing a #1 netminder with very good upside. And they only gave up a second rounder to boot.
– Carolina wanted more grit well they got it and Ladd provides Chicago with a little punch.
– The Avs get bigger on defense but they do get a little slower while the Panthers make a pretty smart trade in getting a vet like Skrastins.
– Ottawa gets a little stingier with Lapointe and for next to nothing…not bad.
– Colorado gets the old boys together as Foote helps them out on the defensive end….but pays for it with a conditional first rounder. An 08 if Avs make playoffs and an 09 if they don’t…plus Columbus gets another pick if Foote resigns with Avs…not as good of a move as it first looked to be.
– Fedorov provides a bit of veteran leadership to Washington as they try to win the Southeast…and trade not much for him.
– Isles needed defenseman help….and get a bit here. Just some depth to help the injuries mounting on the D side.
– Cooke provides the Caps with a little grit…it makes me wonder why the Canucks would do such a deal.
– The Pens get a big physical d-man but for a couple picks…a curious price to say the least but he will help in his own end.
– Rangers get a pretty good one with some upside….and the Blues get a decent pick.
– The Pens make 2 trades..the second one being an even bigger risk than the first one will be interesting one way or the other for Shero. Hossa will provide them with undeniable offensive punch…but trading away some of these character guys may hurt the Pens in the long run. A very curious move and if you are Montreal, why trade Huet now? But that is second guessing.
– Why Minnesota why? That is all I will say. I do not get it at all.
– Stuart gives the Wings some much needed defensive depth given all the injuries the Wings have sustained.
– A bit of a curious move for a third rounder but Florida does get a pretty good vet.
– Maloney had to give up a bit to get Montoya…hopefully he thinks it is worth it because I think Sjostrom could be pretty darn good.
– Isles did not like Bergeron of late but maybe the Ducks can turn him around…Bergeron will help some on the Power Play.
– I don’t get this one at all Burke….I just don’t.
– Another trade that seemed just a trade for trade’s sake.
– Hlavac will help the Preds just a little bit but the Preds seemed content to stay out of the fray on this trade deadline.
– I guess Bochenski was just interchangeable parts for Burke.

Flyers bulk up on D.

Well the Flyers needed help on the defensive end and today they got some.  They sent a third round draft pick in this year’s draft to Los Angeles for Jaroslov Modry.  Modry is 6 foot 2 and 220 lbs.  He will turn 37 on February 27th.

I am honestly surprised the Kings got a third round pick for Modry.  Modry is on the downside of his career professionally and is physical but he is starting to show signs of slowing down.  I don’t expect that the Flyers are done here by a long shot.  They have multiple moves in mind no question and this is just the beginning.

The Kings on the other hand are starting yet another rebuilding process.  Expect in the next week to see more players traded off to contenders as the Kings try to stockpile picks and prospects.  After all, one of these years it has to work…right??

The Kings may trade even Frolov at this point….nothing is certain.  While the Flyers have Tomas Kaberle locked in their sights provided they can provide the right price for him.  Expect them to have considerable competition in that sweepstakes as New Jersey, Detroit, and others are also believed to be interested.  Stay tuned…the bumpy ride is just beginning.

Sorry Folks….

Hello everyone….when you’ve been sick for a couple weeks…things start to slip a bit.  Trying to work everything in….I notice that you tend to forget things that are important sometimes.  Today is the first day of the NHL GM Meetings.  This is usually the time where trades are worked on and consummated.  Now, for the most part, the trade doesn’t happen till right before the deadline but if the fire is going to smart…it has to start smoking right here…right now.

One thing that is for sure is Peter Forsberg is not coming back to the Flyers or the NHL this season.  Thank you TSN for the confirmation.  His agent said the following.

”The prospect of Peter having enough confidence in the foot-skate issue to commit to being able to play in the NHL this season isn’t where it needs to be at this moment,” Baizley told TSN. ”As a result, teams are being told it is unlikely he will be able to commit to return to the NHL this season.”

I had been saying this for awhile.  Even when his little 14 second video came out, I just wasn’t that blown away by it.  It is for the best that he has decided not to give it a go this season and avoid risking further injury.  Of course now, this has led to further speculation (as it always does) that Forsberg may now retire.  I say never say never, especially with him as I don’t even think Forsberg knows what Forsberg is going to do on a day to day basis.  His dad will be relieved I am sure.

A team that really could have used Forsberg was obviously the Flyers…they are hurting right now…their defense slowed down…and with Joffrey Lupul out again (ankle) for 2-3 weeks…they need some scoring punch to offset their below average defense.  Biron can’t carry this team like he did early in the season….so the Flyers did indeed call up Claude Giroux today….and that should make things interesting in Philly.  

Claude Giroux is only 5 foot 11 and about 180 pounds but has the speed and skill that Lupul brings to the table.   He has scored 12 points in his last 3 games for Gatineau of the QMJHL.  A number of Flyer fans that I have been talking to have been clamoring for Giroux for a couple months now.  I admit I am curious to see what he can do in a Flyers uniform and if he can make an immediate impact for a team that is in dire need of one.  The Flyers are now eight points out of first in the Atlantic Division….time to act.

Finally, I wanted to let everyone know that this month’s Hockey Around The Horn will center around the trade deadline.  We will have a 3 on 3 battle…single elimination…till first a team wins and then an individual.  I am wondering what the readers think as far as the big trade that is going to happen.  I still think the Devils will wind up with Prospal or Liles or both….unless Brian Campbell of the Sabres suddenly becomes available in the 11th hour.  All in all…eight days to go…and the train is starting to pick up steam!  Enjoy what’s left of the holiday folks.

Strange Days In Lowell Indeed….

Anyone who follows the Lowell Devils these days knows one thing and one thing well…expect the unexpected.  Granted their record of 8-11-2-1 hardly gives other teams fear….but they do play with heart night in and night out.  Now if only they could play Manchester (4-0-0-0) all the time…that would be great but not likely going to happen.  The Devils were victimized by the AHL playoff format last year with a 90 point season that should have got them in….but what can you do.  This year, they seem to play really well at times and then go into long stretches of moribund play that could drive any fan mad. 

When I moved away from New Jersey, I swore I would see more minor league hockey.  Laughably, the San Diego Gulls went belly up before I even got out here.  However, I have been to quite a few Ducks and Kings games…and also a few games in Vegas.  Alot of fun was had by all.  However, my favorite AHL team is still the team from Lowell.  Gotta stick with the colors you know.  There are players on the squad that might even find themselves with the big club in the not too distant future.  For example, there are 2 or 3 guys that I feel are almost ready to make that jump.

Stephen Gionta is one such player.  I know he only has 13 points in 21 games….but his 9 goals are worth noting.  His hat trick against Manchester on Sunday was an indication that he is making progress as a player down on the farm.  Each goal was a different type of shot…one was a tip in, one was a wrister, and one was a slapper.  Anyone who has seen older brother Brian play can see a lot of similarities.  The feisty work ethic around the net, the ability to pounce on an offensive situation, are things that Stephen specializes.  His only main weakness right now is the defensive end and that is even showing signs of being reversed.  That 2 way play is what is going to get him the big ticket up to New Jersey.  For now, he must learn not to get caught down low in the offensive end as that may be his biggest problem.

Petr Vrana plays center and is quite the passer.  His 16 assists lead the team but his playmaking and defensive ability may just get him a shot with New Jersey in the near future.  Yes it would seem New Jersey has too many centers but they always can use a secondary playmaker and Vrana would fit that role well.  There are nights where Vrana can thread needles better than most NHL players and his shot is deceptively fast.  Then there are the nights where he just withdraws from the game almost looking disinterested.  Right now…his game is right on.  Vrana has 1 goal and 7 assists in his last 5 games and a +3 with an increased zeal in his intensity toward hockey.  One never knows when the call may come.

Finally,  there is Jordan Parise, backup goalie on the Lowell Devils. His 2.89 GAA and .908 save percentage don’t seem very impressive in the minors.  Then again, Martin Brodeur wasn’t all that great stats wise in the AHL either but his fundamentals were there…and so is Parise’s.  He is the younger brother of Zach with just about the same work ethic.  Facing 31 shots a game is a rather difficult proposition in a league where defense is at a premium.  The scoring chances are always more plentiful in the AHL…and the goalies have to stand more firm than ever.  If there were an injury to Weekes, I could see Parise coming up just to get a taste of the NHL and the New Jersey Devils.  He may just surprise some people!

Well our next column will take us a bit into the college ranks to look at some of the candidates for the Hobey Baker….till then…..aloha!