The Hockey Herald

It’s that time of year again and we’re only 12 days from the trade deadline.

With that said we have compiled a list of the top 10 players who could become available by the 2011 trade deadline:

1. Tomas Kaberle D
Age: 32
Cap hit: $4.25 million
Teams interested: Sharks, Blue Jackets, Bruins, Canadiens, Rangers

2. Ales Hemsky RW
Age: 27
Cap hit: $4.1 million
Teams interested:  Rangers, Blue Jackets, Flyers, Kings, Thrasher, Penguins

3. Tomas Vokoun G
Age: 34
Cap hit: $5.7 million
Teams interested: Flyers, Blackhawks, Sharks, Capitals

4. Zach Bogosian D
Age: 20
Cap hit: $3.37 million
Teams interested: Oilers, Blue Jackets, Panthers, Sharks

5. Robyn Regehr D
Age: 30
Cap hit: $4.02 million
Teams interested: Lightning, Sabres, Canadiens, Ducks, Bruins, Thrashers 

6. Dustin Penner LW
Age: 28
Cap hit: $4.25 million
Teams interested: Kings, Canadiens, Predators, Hurricanes, Penguins

7. Stephen Weiss
Age: 27
Cap hit: $3.1 million
Teams interested: Kings, Blue Jackets, Wild, Bruins, Penguins

8. Jason Arnott
Age: 36
Cap hit: $4.5 million
Teams interested: Stars, Hurricanes, Rangers, Penguins, Canadiens, Lightning

9. Chris Phillips D
Age: 32
Cap hit: $3.5 million
Teams interested:  Sharks, Stars, Capitals, Canadiens

10. Bryan McCabe D
Age: 35
Cap hit: $5.75 million
Teams interested: Blues, Lightning, Bruins, Rangers

via Twitter:

Michael Frolik has been acquired by the #Blackhawks for Jack Skille

UPDATE:

via DarrenDreger:

Skille, jessiman and pacan for frolik, salak

Via WGR in Buffalo, here’s Miller on the hit:

“No matter how badly Hjalmarsson feels, it’s still an illegal hit. It still out our guy out and it’s still suspendable in my mind. So absolutely needs to be punished. I don’t care if it’s unintentional. That’s what we have to get away from hockey right now, is the culture of it; of I was trying to make a play, so therefore it’s not my fault.’

“The hockey hit is to separate a man from the puck. Not anticipating the puck getting there and hitting him from behind and driving him into the boards. You have two things right there: The puck wasn’t clearly there, there was anticipation of it, there’s no separation, and he was hit from behind.

“I don’t know if there was enough made of it, because Jason is walking out with just stitches. What if Jason had a fractured neck? We don’t even know what kind of impact it’s going to have with a concussion. So no matter how badly he feels, no matter if it’s unintentional, we have to change the culture of it if we’re ever going to change the situations we’re seeing, which is guys on the ice bleeding and missing time with concussions. It’s completely an unnecessary play. … More people should be a little more outraged.

“God, when he left the ice, he was surprised he got kicked out. It’s like, ‘Are you serious?’ I would have started skating towards the locker room if I were him. I’m glad he admitted to it, that he didn’t mean to do it. But you have to change the culture sometime. I hope the league wakes up and sets a precedent for the year. “

Later, Miller was asked about the players and influencing rules changes, and he was candid about the NHL’s “blindside hits ban” last season before the playoffs:

“The weirdest situation was last year was that we had a change right before the playoffs. Don’t even get me started on that. It was all PR by the League. We were talking about that for two years and all of a sudden it’s a good idea and … so, whatever.

“My job’s not to make rulings. It’s the League, it’s Colin Campbell. It’s up to him to set a precedent right now. No matter if the guy’s trying to make a smart hockey play, he made a dumb hockey play, and he should be suspended.”

via the Buffalo News:

“Everything happened so fast, but I thought it was a hit shoulder-to-shoulder,” Hjalmarsson said. “My intention, obviously, wasn’t to hurt him. Our doctor said he was up and walking, so that was a big relief. It’s never fun to see a guy lying on the ice like that. It’s good to know he’s up walking.”

By Peter Levi

Continuing my look at the NHL going into the 2010-11 season.  Today I take a snapshot of the Central division.  Conference rankings are listed in brackets next to the team.

Detroit (5th)
Roster losses: Jason Williams (UFA, 44-15), Brett Lebda (UFA – Toronto, 63-8), Andreas Lilja (UFA, 20-2), Brad May (UFA, 40-1)
Roster additions: Mike Modano (UFA Dallas), Ruslan Salei (UFA Colorado), Jiri Hudler (KHL)
Prospect signings: Joakim Andersson (55-18 SEL), Ilari Filppula (58-49 SM-Liiga), Brendan Smith (42-52 NCAA), Brian Lashoff (58-27 OHL), Trevor Parkes (66-47 QMJHL), Brent Raedeke (72-56 WHL), Mitchell Callahan (72-47 WHL), Willie Coetzee (72-81 WHL)
Forwards: Pavel Datsyuk (80-70), Henrik Zetterberg (74-70), Tomas Holmstrom (68-45), Todd Bertuzzi (82-44), Valtteri Filppula (55-35), Dan Cleary (64-34), Darren Helm (75-24), Patrick Eaves (65-22), Kris Draper (81-22), Johan Franzen (27-21), Drew Miller (80-19), Justin Abdelkader (50-6), Mike Modano (59-30), Jiri Hudler (54-54 KHL)
Defence: Nicklas Lidstrom (82-49), Brian Rafalski (78-42), Niklas Kronwall (48-22), Brad Stuart (82-20), Jonathan Ericsson (62-13), Derek Meech (49-6), Ruslan Salei (14-6)
Goaltenders: Jimmy Howard (2.26, 0.924, 63-37-15-10), Chris Osgoode (3.02, 0.888, 23-7-9-4)
Injuries: Derek Meech, Todd Bertuzzi, Kris Draper, Patrick Eaves
Strengths: scoring, depth
Weaknesses: aging roster, goaltending
Analysis: without the compressed schedule the Wings should have a healthier upcoming season.  The addition of Jiri Hudler gives them three scoring lines–depth few teams in the NHL can match.  The main concern is the age of the roster and the lack of a solid goaltender behind Jimmy Howard.  Still, the Wings should be able to climb back to the top of the division.

Chicago (2nd)
Roster losses: Kris Versteeg (T – Toronto, 79-44), Andrew Ladd (T – Atlanta, 82-38), Dustin Byfuglien (T – Atlanta, 82-34), John Madden (UFA – Minnesota, 79-23), Colin Fraser (T – Edmonton, 70-19), Kim Johnsson (UFA, 60-17), Ben Eager (T – Atlanta, 60-16), Brent Sopel (T – Atlanta, 73-8), Adam Burish (UFA – Dallas, 13-4), Antti Niemi (UFA – San Jose, 2.25, 0.912)
Roster additions: Ryan Potulny (UFA Edmonton), Fernando Pisani (UFA Edmonton), Viktor Stalberg (T Toronto), Jeff Taffe (UFA Florida), John Scott (UFA Minnesota), Marty Turco (UFA Dallas)
Prospect signings: Marcus Kruger (38-31 SEL), Mathis Olimb (55-34 SEL), Igor Makarov (51-9 KHL), Brandon Pirri (39-42 NCAA), Jeremy Morin (58-83 OHL), Shawn Lalonde (58-56 OHL), Chris DiDomenico (12-22 QMJHL), Philippe Paradis (63-44 QMJHL), Ryan Stanton (59-40 WHL), Kyle Beach (68-86 WHL)
Forwards: Patrick Kane (82-89), Jonathan Toews (76-68), Patrick Sharp (82-66), Marian Hossa (57-51), Troy Brouwer (78-40), Ryan Potulny (63-32), Tomas Kopecky (74-21), David Bolland (39-16), Viktor Stalberg (40-14), Fernando Pisani (40-8), Bryan Bickell (16-4), Jeff Taffe (21-2), Jack Skille (63-49 AHL)
Defence: Duncan Keith (82-69), Brian Campbell (68-38), Brent Seabrook (78-30), Niklas Hjalmarsson (77-17), Jordan Hendry (43-8), Nick Boynton (49-8), John Scott (51-2)
Goaltenders: Marty Turco (2.72, 0.913, 53-22-20-11), Corey Crawford (2.67, 0.909, 45-24-16-2 AHL)
Injuries: Nick Boynton, Brian Campbell, Mathis Olimb
Strengths: defence
Weaknesses: top end depth, goaltending
Analysis: nine regular roster players are gone and the Hawks simply can’t afford to replace them; the thinning forward group will make it hard for Chicago to win the division and impossible to win the conference.  The loss of Niemi has been understated, as Turco’s abilities are an open question at this stage.

Nashville (7th)
Roster losses: Jason Arnott (T – New Jersey, 63-46), Dustin Boyd (T – Montreal, 78-24), Dan Hamhuis (UFA – Vancouver, 78-24), Denis Grebeshkov (UFA – KHL, 51-21), Dan Ellis (UFA – Tampa Bay, 2.69, 0.909, 31-15-13-1)
Roster additions: Matthew Lombardi (UFA Phoenix), Sergei Kostitsyn (T Montreal), Ryan Parent (T Philadelphia), Jamie Lundmark (UFA Toronto)
Prospect signings: Jonas Andersson (30-20 KHL), Linus Klasen (51-51 SEL), Anders Lindback (2.46, 0.912 SEL), Roman Josi (26-21 NLA), Jani Lajunen (46-15 SM-Liiga), Atte Engren (2.63, 0.912 SM-Liiga), Ryan Flynn (38-10 NCAA), Ryan Ellis (48-61 OHL), Taylor Beck (61-93 OHL), Michael Latta (58-73 OHL), Gabriel Bourque (55-52 QMJHL)
Forwards: Matthew Lombardi (78-53), Patric Hornqvist (80-51), Steve Sullivan (82-51), Martin Erat (74-49), J. P. Dumont (74-45), David Legwand (82-38), Joel Ward (71-34), Marcel Goc (73-30), Sergei Kostitsyn (47-18), Jordin Tootoo (51-16), Colin Wilson (35-15), Jared Smithson (69-13), Jamie Lundmark (36-12), Cal O’Reilly (31-11)
Defence: Shea Weber (78-43), Ryan Suter (82-37), Cody Franson (61-21), Francis Bouillon (81-11), Kevin Klein (81-11), Ryan Parent (48-3), Alexander Sulzer (20-2), Wade Belak (39-2)
Goaltenders: Pekke Rinne (2.53, 0.911, 58-32-16-5)
Injuries: Sergei Kostitsyn, Jamie Lundmark
Strengths: defence, defensive depth
Weaknesses: scoring
Analysis: many analysts are predicting doom and gloom after Nashville lost Dan Hamhuis, Jason Arnott, and Dan Ellis.  Fans have nothing to worry about–the Predators are so overstocked with top blueliners that prospects like Robert Dietrich (coming off a career year on the farm) had to return to Germany.  The team has produced goaltenders at a similar ferocious rate (from Tomas Vokoun to Chris Mason to Dan Ellis).  Lombardi is an improvement over Arnott and there’s hope that the roll of the dice on the talented but enigmatic Kostitsyn could work out.  For whatever reason Nashville has always been short on talented forwards, but they are good enough to challenge for a playoff spot.

St. Louis (9th)
Roster losses: Paul Kariya (UFA – injury, 75-43), Keith Tkachuk (retired, 67-32), Mike Weaver (UFA – Florida, 77-10), Darryl Sydor (47-8), D. J. King (T – Washington, 12-0), Chris Mason (UFA – Atlanta, 2.53, 0.913, 61-30-22-8)
Roster additions: Vladimir Sobotka (UFA Boston), Jaroslav Halak (T Montreal)
Prospect signings: Nikita Nikitin (43-43 KHL), Jori Lehtera (57-69 SM-Liiga), Ian Cole (30-19 NCAA), Anthony Nigro (61-62 OHL), Mark Cundari (63-54 OHL), Philip McRae (52-51 OHL), Jake Allen (2.20, 0.922 QMJHL), Brett Ponich (66-14 WHL), Tyler Shattock (72-78 WHL)
Forwards: Andy McDonald (79-57), T. J. Oshie (76-48), David Backes (79-48), Alexander Steen (68-47), David Perron (82-47), Brad Boyes (82-42), Jay McClement (82-29), Patrik Berglund (71-26), B. J. Crombeen (79-15), Vladimir Sobotka (61-10), Brad Winchester (64-8), Matt D’Agostini (47-4), Cam Janssen (43-0)
Defence: Erik Johnson (79-39), Carlo Colaiacovo (67-32), Roman Polak (78-21), Barret Jackman (66-17), Eric Brewer (59-15), Alex Pietrangelo (25-29 OHL)
Goaltenders: Jaroslav Halak (2.40, 0.924, 45-26-13-5), Ty Conklin (2.48, 0.921, 26-10-10-2)
Injuries: Carlo Colaiacovo, Andy McDonald
Strengths: goaltending, grinders
Weaknesses: depth in all areas
Analysis: just like Howson with Hitchcock in Columbus, GM Doug Armstrong waited too long to pull the trigger on Andy Murray, who historically drives his players nuts the longer he stays behind the bench.  The younger players saw a fall off in play which should be at least partially righted this year.  The Blues are very thin in all areas–their bottom two lines and depth blueliners can’t produce, so if there are injuries the pressure will fall on prospects in the system.  There’s also a question of what they will do if either Halak falters or gets injured.  The Blues won’t be bad, but they won’t dominate either.

Columbus (14)
Coaching change: Scott Arniel (80-40-33-7 AHL)
Roster losses: Nathan Paetsch (UFA – Florida, 21-2)
Roster additions: Ethan Moreau (waivers Edmonton)
Prospect signings: Gustaf Wesslau (2.29, 0.917 SEL), Ted Ruth (22-5 NCAA), Cody Goloubef (42-14 NCAA), John Moore (61-47 OHL), David Savard (64-77 QMJHL), Tomas Kubalik (58-75 QMJHL), Steven Delisle (64-29 QMJHL), Matt Calvert (68-99 WHL), Ryan Johansen (71-69 WHL)
Forwards: Rick Nash (76-67), Antoine Vermette (82-65), Kristian Huselius (74-63), R. J. Umberger (82-55), Jakub Voracek (81-50), Derrick Brassard (79-36), Chris Clark (74-20), Ethan Moreau (76-18), Samuel Pahlsson (79-16), Derek Dorsett (51-14), Andrew Murray (46-7), Jared Boll (68-7), Michael Blunden (40-4), Nikita Filatov (26-22 KHL)
Defence: Anton Stralman (73-34), Fedor Tyutin (80-32), Kris Russell (70-22), Jan Hejda (62-13), Mike Commodore (57-11), Rostislav Klesla (26-8), Marc Methot (60-8)
Goaltenders: Mathieu Garon (2.81, 0.903, 35-12-9-6), Steve Mason (3.06, 0.901, 58-20-26-9)
Injuries: Kris Russell, Jared Boll
Strengths: defensive play, grinders
Weaknesses: scoring, offense from the blueline
Analysis: it took GM Scott Howson a long time to realise what was obvious–Ken Hitchcock cannot coach young players anymore.  He drove all of the Jackets’ prospects nuts.  With Hitch gone players like Voracek and Filatov should blossom.  Columbus will be better, but their blueline core is thin and unproductive, nor do they have an established dominant forward outside of Nash–he can’t do it himself.  Unless prospects can really step up the Blue Jackets will be in the division cellar.

via ESPN:

An arbitrator set Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Antti Niemi’s salary at $2.75 million on Saturday.

The Stanley Cup champion Hawks have a 48-hour window to make a decision. They can walk away and make Niemi an unrestricted free agent immediately, or accept the decision and sign Niemi at that salary for one season. The Hawks could also accept the decision, sign and then trade Niemi.

The Forth Period is reporting that “Turco now a Hawk… signing is done. Niemi is now a free-agent”

via NHL Panthers:

Florida Panthers General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the club has acquired C Marty Reasoner from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for C Jeff Taffe.

“We are very pleased to have acquired Marty,” said Tallon. “He is a hard working, veteran center who is good on face-offs and can be counted upon to play in all game situations. We look forward to his contributions to our club.”

via Chicago Tribune:

Retired hockey enforcer Bob Probert, as adept with his fists as with a stick in a 16-season career with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, died Monday after suffering chest pains while boating with his family. He was 45.

“Bob lost the fight of his life this afternoon,” said Probert’s father-in-law, Dan Parkinson, a police officer who performed CPR before Probert was rushed to Ontario’s Windsor Regional Medical Center.

Probert was on a boat in Lake St. Clair with his wife, children and in-laws when he “developed severe chest pains” Monday, family friend Rich Rogow told a Monday evening news conference at the medical center.

In the coming days, the Flyers season, as well as the 2010 NHL season, will come to an end.  The fact that these two instances will occur simultaneously is proof of the one-hundred and eighty degree turn that this Flyers team has made from early December until now.  Standing on the precipice of  The Stanley Cup Finals, neither the Flyers, or their fans, are viewing the end as the steep slope it would seemingly appear to be.  Rather, the finish line is shining bright on the horizon.  The Flyers haven’t been this close to the Stanley Cup since 1987.  And being down three games to two heading into Game 6 at The Wachovia Center isn’t going to inhibit anyone’s optimism.

Game 6 doesn’t represent an end.  Instead, it is just another challenge.  In a playoff run that has seen this team overcome every obstacle placed in its way, there is no reason to be anything but optimistic.  The Blackhawks have certainly proven to be a formidable foe.  Some would say the toughest opponent the Flyers have faced.  However, the same can be said for Chicago.  No team that the Blackhawks have faced has pushed back quite like the Flyers have.  No team has faced the trials that the Flyers have faced this spring.  Their resiliency has been unmatched, their unwillingness to lose has become legendary.  But most importantly, when they are knocked down, they have shown that they will get back up and deliver the knockout punch that their opponent could not.  It happened in Game 3 against New Jersey; Game 4 against Boston; and Game 4, again, vs. Montreal.  Each game prior was a loss, None of those teams got a win again for the remainder of their respective series’.

Now Chicago has pushed the Flyers to the edge.  Not just the edge of their season, but the end of the NHL Season too.  The urgency of this moment is not lost on a team that knows what it means to stare the end of the season in the face.  After what the Flyers accomplished against Boston, there is no situation where they should feel they can’t triumph.  As long as there is time on the clock, or another win that their opponent must get; this team will fight.  And if they aren’t knocked out, they are going to win.

The Stanley Cup will be in attendance for Game 6.  It will make an appearance in each game the rest of the way.  The pressure is now ratcheted up a notch, the End Game is upon us.  All of this favors the Philadelphia Flyers.  Whether you choose to believe it or not is up to you.  But recent history has shown that the Flyers will get back up.  And they, not Chicago, will deliver the final blow of the 2010 season.

-Mike Tursi