The following is a source-less trade idea, based only on the team needs and cap situations of the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers.

Boston currently holds the number two overall pick in the 2010 draft and it’s widely believed they’ll select Tyler Seguin after Taylor Hall goes to the Oilers. It is also widely believed that the Bruins need a sniping winger like Hall to replace Phil Kessel’s lost offense. The Bruins are loaded down the middle with Savard, Krejci and Bergeron — and there’s more talent coming down the pipeline in the form of Joe Colborne and Zach Hamill.

So there’s the immediate need in Boston for scoring punch on the wing, and also for another first-pairing defenseman. After all, Zdeno Chara shoulders the defensive load on the Boston blueline, and tagging along with him are Dennis Seidenberg, Dennis Wideman and Andrew Ference, followed by more unimpressive talent. Chara is the organization’s only true pillar on the blueline, so Boston should also be looking into strengthening that area.

Drafting Tyler Seguin would ensure a star-studded forward core remains dominant in Boston, but the better approach for Peter Chiarelli on June 25th would be to get in touch with new Panthers GM Dale Tallon and work out a swap involving the second and third overall picks.

Cam Fowler is the player Boston should most covet in this draft. He shows promise to one day belong in the Mike Green/Duncan Keith/Drew Doughty class of defensemen. He’s won the Memorial Cup and shone in the World Junior tournament. A quick transition to the pro game should be expected.

The Panthers are an organization stuck in the mud, who have been idling in the lower-half of the NHL for years. As emphatically outlined by ownership and new management, roster changes are imminent in Florida. The franchise isn’t devoid of talent, but they have been without a true top-line player since Olli Jokinen left (and it’s debatable whether his best seasons in the Sunshine State were of true substance or simply a mirage).

For this reason, the Panthers must set their sights on Tyler Seguin.

Here’s how a trade could be worked out to suit both teams:

- Boston trades the second overall pick to Florida for the third overall pick.

- The Panthers, who are known to be unhappy with Nathan Horton, include him in the deal to Boston to move up.

- In return, the Bruins give up Michael Ryder (same cap hit, only one more year on contract). This way, Boston gets a winger to help them compete now, while Florida gives themselves long-term cap flexibility. The downside for Florida is having to carry an underachieving winger for a year, but ridding themselves of Horton while moving up make the deal worthwhile.

- Boston includes prospect, RW Brad Marchand in the deal.

- Florida includes prospect, D Colby Robak in the deal.

The trade looks like this:

to BOSTON
3rd overall pick
Nathan Horton
Colby Robak

to FLORIDA
2nd overall pick
Michael Ryder
Brad Marchand

The deal doesn’t change Boston’s cap situation, as Fowler will play on an entry-level deal, while Horton and Ryder’s contracts cancel out. The Panthers use their pick to draft Seguin, and in doing so, acquire a true future top line star around which their team will be built.

Marchand has produced at nearly a point-per-game at the American league level, so the Panthers acquire a player who is close to stepping in to full time role.

Boston gets better in the short term, adding a talented goal-scorer to the wing and drafting a future #1 defenseman and powerplay quarterback. Fowler will likely debut this upcoming season and should be able to step right in and contribute.

Please give us your thoughts/criticisms/tweaks in the comments.

Had the Philadelphia Flyers pulled out a win in overtime to force a game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, it’s entirely possible that none of the following commentary would be written.

However, after falling short in what was a wide-open, offensive series, the Philadelphia goaltending discussion can be opened up once again.

Here is the major concern for the Philadelphia Flyers: heading into a deciding game in the Stanley Cup Championship series, the identity of Peter Laviolette’s starting goaltender remained unclear until hours prior to the tilt.

The Cinderella performances of Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher, which unfolded side-by-side in this year’s playoffs, helped Philadelphia advance to within a game of hoisting the Cup — but at day’s end, even Flyer fans understand that their recent goaltending successes won’t be sustainable.

Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher are cast-offs, protected by a talent-laden lineup and generally insulated quite well by Chris Pronger and co. Neither is thought to have much untapped upside, if any, or the ability to compete as a starter over a full season.

Leighton’s playoff numbers were impressive, but his allowance of soft goals — including the Stanley Cup winner — are to be expected from a lower tier goaltender.

The Blackhawks have captured the Cup in what was the third highest scoring Stanley Cup Final in history. They did it with Antti Niemi in goal, and the series was close all the way. If the Flyers had entered the dance with a legitimate top-15 goaltender, Philadelphia likely would have hoisted the Cup by now.

Fortunately, there is hope for the Flyers, as General Manager Paul Holmgren will have the opportunity to make contract offers to one of several quality UFA goaltenders, including Dan Ellis, Marty Turco, Antero Nittymaki, Evgeni Nabokov, and Chris Mason.

Of these ‘tenders, only Evgeni Nabokov is a true star, but all five would easily be an upgrade over Boucher and Leighton. (By the way, Ray Emery hasn’t been mentioned because it would be unwise for the Flyers to extend that experiment for another year.)

The best bet for Paul Holmgren would be to make a trade pitch for Carey Price. The 22-year-old former 5th overall pick is already a star and has lots of room to grow. With Jaroslav Halak cemented as a playoff legend in Montreal, it’s unlikely that the Canadiens will be able to retain both goaltenders. Both are Restricted Free Agents, and both will require salaries of at least 4 million dollars per season.

Philadelphia has so much talent up front that surrendering one of their stud forwards for Price wouldn’t hurt their roster much, if at all. After Ville Leino established himself as a premier playoff performer in the past couple of months, we can assume that Philly’s scoring lines will consist of Richards, Carter, Giroux, Hartnell, Leino, Briere and Gagne. That’s seven quality offensive players, without even mentioning future star James van Riemsdyk.

The Flyers can ship a talented scorer while retaining a formidable top-6, which would make a one-for-one swap involving Carey Price and James van Riemsdyk advantageous for both sides.

Surely, the Flyers envisioned van Riemsdyk as part of their core going forward, but with the development of Claude Giroux and the surprising step forward from Ville Leino, the idea of surrendering a former number two overall pick in exchange for a star goaltender makes a lot of sense for the organization.

What leaves a particularly bad taste in the mouths of Flyer fans is Michael Leighton’s less than adequate performance in game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. The winning goal was undeniably weak. Comparisons have already been made between Patrick Kane’s winner and Sidney Crosby’s Olympic winner. The difference though, was Crosby’s lightning-quick release and the proximity to the goal. Leighton was able to track Kane up the half boards and prepare for a shot. He failed to make the most critical save of his life.

This moment encapsulates the goaltending stuggles that have long been ailing the Philadelphia Flyers’ franchise.

And so, despite a few months of formidable goaltending from Leighton and Boucher, the biggest roster question mark for the Flyers is once again between the pipes.

What would your team’s GM have to offer Dean Lombardi to pry Drew Doughty out of Los Angeles?

In terms of trade value, would any player command more than Drew Doughty? There are handfuls of astounding young talent around the league that have put up huge numbers, but none of them hold as much promise as Doughty.

At just 20 years old, Doughty has received lofty comparisons to Hall-of-Famers such as Ray Bourque and Paul Coffey, and has just received his first Norris Trophy nomination.

He set a career high in goals, assists and points in 2009-10 with 16 goals and 43 assists for 59 points, good enough for third overall among NHL blueliners. His team vaulted from 79 to 101 points as he bloomed into a superstar.

His international resume is beginning to rival accomplished veterans, with a World Juniors Gold in 2008, a World Championship Silver in 2009, and an Olympic gold medal in 2010. Drew Doughty has exceeded expectations at every international tournament and will become a staple on the blueline for Team Canada into his late thirties.

Dominant defensemen barely removed from their draft years are incredibly rare in a league where even top defensive prospects aren’t expected to make an impact until their early twenties. Doughty’s other-worldly hockey sense and his ability to become better as the stakes mount are traits that belong to few defensemen.

Believed to be Steve Yzerman’s choice as Team Canada’s seventh defenseman at the Olympics, Doughty, along with Shea Weber, improved visibly over the course of the tournament, playing themselves into starring roles. Now imagine Doughty at the Olympics in 2018 as a confident 28-year-old in the midst of his prime.

No one is suggesting that Doughty would be traded, but if he were, he would garner the greatest return of any player in the league. Established stars such as Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin carry with them monstrous salary cap commitments, all upwards of 8.7 million. Not only is Doughty’s contract currently entry level, but he won’t become an unrestricted free agent for another five seasons, with next year’s contract still paying him pennies.

To obtain arguably the best defenseman in the NHL on an entry level contract, the minimum asking price would be three first round picks and a solid roster player, or something of equivalent value. If Phil Kessel goes for two firsts, and Chris Pronger goes for three firsts and Joffrey Lupul, then the price for Doughty would surely start at what Pronger went for and increase from there.

In just his second season with Los Angeles, Doughty helped propel the Kings into the playoffs, where they bowed out to the Canucks in a closely-fought series. Doughty scored at a better than a point-per-game clip, recording three goals and four assists in six games played.

Sidney Crosby’s first playoff appearance was in a losing effort to the Ottawa Senators in 2007. Since then, the Penguins have appeared in the playoffs each year, finishing stronger each time. Expect the Kings to follow a similar path with Doughty at the helm.

With Ryan Miller, Ilya Bryzgalov and Martin Brodeur as this year’s Vezina Trophy nominees, the balloting should be tight.

Everyone has their theory on who should win and why, but the numbers don’t suggest a single runaway winner.

Martin Brodeur, strangely, was considered a surprise by many to be nominated. His league-leading 9 shutouts, 45 wins, and 77 games played say otherwise.

Was any goaltender as vital to their team’s success this year as Ilya Bryzgalov? In addition to team success, his 8 shutouts, .920 save percentage and league-leading 8 shootout wins make a strong case for his chance to walk away with the prize.

Many believe Ryan Miller should be the runaway winner of the Vezina Trophy. Miller owns a better goals against average and save percentage than his colleagues, while also facing more shots and making more saves. A strong Olympic performance further cements the impression he’s made in ‘09-10.

Here’s a further breakdown of the Vezina nominees by the numbers…

RYAN MILLER
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Some observations on Miller’s numbers:

- He is in the top 8 league-wide in every non-shootout category

- Among the three nominees, Miller leads in four categories; neither Bryzgalov or Brodeur lead as many categories.

- Despite being the favourite for the award, he did not finish first overall in any single statistical category.

- With a sparkling save percentage and goals against average, Miller managed four less shutouts than Brodeur.

- He did not finish second amongst the three nominees in any category — he finished either 1st or 3rd.

- The three statistics most heavily focused on by voters are likely GAA, save percentage, and wins. Miller’s visual stat line of 41 wins, a 2.22 goals against average and a .929 save percentage look the best of the three nominees.

MARTIN BRODEUR
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Some observations on Brodeur’s numbers:

- Ranking outside the top-10 in save percentage hurts Marty’s chances considerably.

- An astounding 9 shutouts will likely garner a great deal of second place votes.

- In terms of nominee rank, Brodeur finishes first or second in all but one category (save percentage).

- Regardless of their final places in the standings, the Devils are widely regarded as superior to the Coyotes and Sabres at the time of voting. Will that factor in?

ILYA BRYZGALOV
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Some observations on Bryzgalov’s numbers

- With comparable numbers overall to Ryan Miller, Ilya’s 8 shutouts may have earned him some first place votes over Miller (5 shutouts).

- Owning the league’s best shootout record will likely be ignored by voters.

- As the Western Conference is unanimously considered more competitive than the East, will Bryzgalov’s numbers be more respected by voters? The Pacific Division is more respected for its competitiveness than the Northwest Division.

As we see it, the award should belong to Ryan Miller. The race comes down to Bryzgalov and Miller, largely because most believe the Coyotes and Sabres would have missed the playoffs if not for spectacular netminding. As the Devils showed last year without Brodeur for a substantial chunk of time, they are built well enough to sustain goaltending losses. The Sabres showed that without Miller they are a middle to lower tier Eastern Conference team.

Who do you think deserves the Vezina Trophy? Have your say in the comments.

As we get set for the most exciting time of year in the world of hockey, there are predictions to be made and reputations to be had or lost…

Here’s our best attempt at prognosticating as we size up the Western Conference.

San Jose (1) def. Colorado (8) – in 7 games
Head-to-Head Record: Sharks 2-1-1
Bottom Line: This is the last chance for the Sharks take a serious bite out of Western Conference opponents in the post-season before the roster is dismantled. The acquisition of Dany Heatley was regarded as the shakeup to put this team over the top — this year’s playoff Sharks will be hungry and scared, while the Avs will be wide-eyed and exhausted from clawing their way into the post-season.

Chicago (2) def. Nashville (7) – in 6 games
Head-to-Head Record: Blackhawks 4-2-0
Bottom Line: While the Preds are an underrated group, who may in fact have the edge on D and in goal in this series, the Hawks have the best collection of forwards in the West and will blitz the Preds in a rather one-sided series.

Vancouver (3) def. Los Angeles (6) – in 6 games
Head-to-Head Record: Canucks 3-1-0
Bottom Line: There is great upset potential in this series, but the Canucks will prevail. Roberto Luongo and Ryan Kesler showed their big game ability in the Olympic tournament, which should take the pressure off of the Art Ross winning Henrik and brother Daniel Sedin, who are well-supported offensively.

Phoenix (4) def. Detroit (5) – in 6 games
Head-to-Head Record: Split 2-2-0
Bottom Line: You’d be hard pressed to find a more unanimous upset pick than Detroit over Phoenix, which many don’t feel will be much of a contest. Ilya Bryzgalov will put on a show while Jimmy Howard feels the playoff jitters. The Coyotes will play the defensive gameplan to a tee as they’ve done all season. After round one, the Coyotes won’t be taken lightly again.

Check out our NHL Playoffs Line Combinations Section for up to date even strength and powerplay lines throughout the post season.

As we get set for the most exciting time of year in the world of hockey, there are predictions to be made and reputations to be had or lost…

Here’s our best attempt at prognosticating as we size up the Eastern Conference.

Washington (1) def. Montreal (8) – in 5 games
Head-to-Head Record: Capitals 2-1-1
Bottom Line: This series will be decidedly one-sided. Ovechkin, Semin and Backstrom missed out on Olympic glory, while Mike Green was omitted from Canada’s roster. This will be a highly motivated group who should steamroll past Montreal. If the series goes more than 5 games it will be because of Jaroslav Halak.

New Jersey (2) def. Philadelphia (7) – in 6 games
Head-to-Head Record: Flyers 4-1-1
Bottom Line: Philadelphia dominated the season series between these squads on paper, but the goaltending discrepancy will put the Devils over the top. Just a year removed from a heartbreaking choke-for-the-ages effort against the Hurricanes, the Devils will be a more focused team.

Boston (6) def. Buffalo (3) in 7 games
Head-to-Head Record: Bruins 4-2-0
Bottom Line: Expect a low-scoring series, as these teams own two of the best statistical goaltenders in the NHL. The Sabres have been the better team offensively this year, but Boston’s go-to forwards will step up in round one, particularly David Krejci and Milan Lucic.

Pittsburgh (4) def. Ottawa (5) – in 6 games
Head-to-Head Record: Split 2-2-0
Bottom Line: The Penguins have proven they have a higher gear reserved for the playoffs, and have likely not shown us their best all season. The Sens boast a rather thin crew of defenders and a rookie goaltender — the Penguins have a deadly crop of forwards who will look to exploit both of these areas of weakness.

Check out our NHL Playoffs Line Combinations Section for up to date even strength and powerplay lines throughout the post season.

Alright poolies, it’s time to use all of your hard-earned knowledge from the regular season to pick your playoff squad. To do so, you’ll need to have a good idea of which teams will go deep into the post-season.

We suggest creating a playoff bracket, and mapping out how you think the post-season will unfold. Then, choose your players from the four teams you chose as Conference Finalists.

There are no right or wrong answers here; the playoffs are extremely hard to predict but that’s what makes them so enjoyable. So choose your top four teams, the best players from those teams, and hope that they are still playing by the middle of May.

FORWARDS

Here we rank the top 50 forwards from playoff teams. These rankings are based on point-per-game average as well as other factors. These rankings will fluctuate wildly based on who you predict to make it to the Conference Finals.




1. Alex Ovechkin
2. Sidney Crosby
3. Henrik Sedin
4. Daniel Sedin
5. Nicklas Backstrom
6. Evgeni Malkin
7. Patrick Kane
8. Alexander Semin
9. Zach Parise
10. Patrick Marleau
11. Daniel Alfredsson
12. Dany Heatley
13. Anze Kopitar
14. Jonathan Toews
15. Marian Hossa
16. Henrik Zetterberg
17. Ryan Kesler
18. Pavel Datsyuk
19. Ilya Kovalchuk
20. Paul Stastny
21. Joe Thornton
22. Johan Franzen
23. Patrick Elias
24. Tomas Plekanec
25. Alexandre Burrows
26. Jamie Langenbrunner
27. Travis Zajac
28. Wojtek Wolski
29. Patrick Sharp
30. Jason Spezza
31. Ryan Smyth
32. Mike Richards
33. Derek Roy
34. Mike Knuble
35. Jeff Carter
36. Brooks Laich
37. Mike Cammalleri
38. Jason Pominville
39. Tim Connolly
40. Brian Gionta
41. Patrick Hornqvist
42. Thomas Vanek
43. Tomas Fleischmann
44. Scott Gomez
45. Mikael Samuelsson
46. Patrice Bergeron
47. Daniel Briere
48. Chris Stewart
49. Simon Gagne
50. Dustin Brown

DEFENSEMEN

Solid defense is essential in the playoffs, but in a pool only points matter. So you’re looking for puck-moving defensemen, and these are the best of them.

1. Mike Green
2. Duncan Keith
3. Sergei Gonchar
4. Dan Boyle
5. Andrei Markov
6. Drew Doughty
7. Chris Pronger
8. Nicklas Lidstrom
9. Tyler Myers
10. Brian Rafalski
11. Brian Campbell
12. Zdeno Chara
13. Alex Edler
14. Christian Ehrhoff
15. Shea Weber
16. Alex Goligoski
17. Marc-Andre Bergeron
18. Filip Kuba
19. Ed Jovanovski
20. Paul Martin
21. Keith Yandle
22. Kimmo Timonen
23. Andy Greene
24. Niklas Kronwall
25. Jack Johnson

GOALIES

Picking a goalie is always difficult. Ideally, you want to choose the best goaltender available from the strongest team. There are no safe bets here, so go back to your Conference Final predictions. If you still have a goaltender by the time the Conference Finals roll around, consider yourself lucky.

1. Ryan Miller – Stellar in the Olympics, and as cool as they come, but do the Sabres have the offence to accompany him?
2. Martin Brodeur – Greatest goaltender of all time, but was a backup in Vancouver and may be showing his age.
3. Marc-Andre Fleury – Proven talent, but the Pens have played more games than anyone else in the last two seasons.
4. Roberto Luongo – Always solid, but has struggled since winning Gold in February.
5. Ilya Bryzgalov – Had a career year, should be Vezina and Hart Trophy candidate, but tough first round matchup vs. Red Wings.
6. Jimmy Howard – Solid rookie goaltender on a 5th seeded team that should have finished closer to 2nd.
7. Tuukka Rask – At only 23, can he lead the Bruins to the promised land and become the next Cam Ward?
8. Jaroslav Halak – Apparent winner of the goaltending controversy in Montreal, but if he slips, look for Carey Price to make an appearance.
9. Evgeni Nabokov – Sharks history of failure in the postseason doesn’t help his cause, neither does his brutal Olympic performance vs. Team Canada.
10. Jose Theodore – Excellent since the Olympic break, but was pulled in the opening round last season after a poor start.
11. Pekka Rinne – A key contributor to the best 1A-1B goalie system in the league.
12. Antti Niemi – Has earned the starter’s job, but will miss Brian Campbell and Kim Johnsson in front of him.
13. Craig Anderson – Strong start to the season, but Avs limped into the playoffs and will play a deep San Jose team.
14. Jon Quick – Another strong starter who has slowed considerably, causing some to wonder whether Jonathan Bernier will get the call.
15. Brian Elliot – Very risky to ride a rookie goaltender into the playoffs (especially against the Penguins) but he has outplayed Pascal Leclaire.
16. Brian Boucher – It’s been 10 years since Boucher took the Flyers to the Conference Finals, and goaltending is the number one weak spot on this team.

17. Wild Card: Semyon Varlamov – After taking over in Washington last season during round one vs. the Rangers, Varly showed signs of superstardom and carried the goaltending load until the Pens ousted the Caps in 7 games. If the Caps slip, Varlamov could potentially take the reigns and become a valuable asset in your playoff pool.
18. Wild Card: Cristobal Huet – The opposite scenario to Washington, the Hawks will enter the playoffs with an untested postseason goaltender with an able backup standing by. Considering the Blackhawks and Capitals are expected to enjoy lengthy playoff runs, Huet could be a valuable yet risky pickup.

As another eventful NHL regular season comes to a close, we examine this year’s most consistent teams according to the Power Rankings.

While it’s obvious who has been hot down the stretch, we’ve factored in rankings from every week of the season and come up with a list of the year’s most consistent clubs.

You’ll notice that there aren’t many surprises on the list; teams like Washington, Chicago and San Jose occupy the upper seeds while Carolina, Toronto and Edmonton occupy the basement.

The Montreal Canadiens are the only playoff team to finish out of our top 16, while the Calgary Flames are the only non-playoff team to finish in our top-16. Beyond those teams, the overall rankings advertise the importance of consistency.




1. Chicago Blackhawks
Average Rank: 2.6

2. Washington Capitals
Average Rank: 2.8

3. San Jose Sharks
Average Rank: 2.9

4. New Jersey Devils
Average Rank: 4.5

5. Pittsburgh Penguins
Average Rank: 5.8

6. Phoenix Coyotes
Average Rank: 8.2

7. Colorado Avalanche
Average Rank: 8.8

8. Buffalo Sabres
Average Rank: 9.0

9. Vancouver Canucks
Average Rank: 10.1

10. Los Angeles Kings
Average Rank: 10.5

MIDDLE 10

11. Nashville Predators
Average Rank: 11.5

12. Detroit Red Wings
Average Rank: 12.6

13. Calgary Flames
Average Rank: 12.9

14. Ottawa Senators
Average Rank: 13.4

15. Philadelphia Flyers
Average Rank: 14.3

16. Boston Bruins
Average Rank: 16.5

17. Dallas Stars
Average Rank: 17.8

18. Atlanta Thrashers
Average Rank: 18.9

19. Montreal Canadiens
Average Rank: 20.2

20. Anaheim Ducks
Average Rank: 20.3

BOTTOM 10

21. Minnesota Wild
Average Rank: 20.3

22. New York Rangers
Average Rank: 20.7

23. St. Louis Blues
Average Rank: 22

24. Tampa Bay Lightning
Average Rank: 22.1

25. Carolina Hurricanes
Average Rank: 23.1

26. Columbus Blue Jackets
Average Rank: 23.6

27. New York Islanders
Average Rank: 24.7

28. Florida Panthers
Average Rank: 25.8

29. Toronto Maple Leafs
Average Rank: 27.1

30. Edmonton Oilers
Average Rank: 27.5

In the last Fantasy Focus of the regular season, we bring you the Biggest Surprises and Biggest Disappointments of 2009-10. Check back at the end of the schedule for fantasy playoff previews.

WHO’S HOT

F – Nicklas Backstrom – Last 4 GP, 2 goals and 5 assists
F – Dustin Penner – Last 4 GP, 5 goals and 3 assists
F – Tomas Holmstrom – Last 4 GP, 3 goals and 4 assists
F – Sean Bergenheim – Last 3 GP, 3 goals and 3 assists
F – Andy McDonald – Last 4 GP, 2 goals and 4 assists

D – Tom Gilbert – Last 4 GP, 6 assists
D – Alexander Edler – Last 4 GP, 1 goal and 4 assists
D – Sami Salo – Last 4 GP, 1 goal and 3 assists
D – Lubomir Visnovsky – Last 3 GP, 4 assists
D – Keith Yandle – Last 2 GP, 4 assists

G – Martin Brodeur – Last 2 GP, 2-0-0, 1.000 SV%, 0.00 GAA, 2 SO
G – Jaroslav Halak – Last 3 GP, 2-0-1, .972 SV%, 0.97 GAA, 2 SO
G – Henrik Lundqvist – Last 4 GP, 3-1-0, 1.46 GAA, .946 SV%, 1 SO

WHO’S COLD

F – Daniel Paille – Last 19 GP: 0 goals, 0 assists and a -4 rating
F – Blake Wheeler – Last 11 GP: 0 goals, 0 assists and a +3 rating
F – John Madden – Last 7 GP: 0 goals, 0 assists and a -2 rating

D – Wade Redden – Last 9 GP: 0 goals, 0 assists and a -1 rating
D – Kris Letang – Last 8 GP: 0 goals, 0 assists and a -4 rating
D – Joe Corvo – Last 8 GP: 0 goals, 0 assists and a -4 rating

G – Miika Kiprusoff – Last 2 GP: 0-2-0, 0.895 SV% and 3.07 GAA
G – Johan Hedberg – Last 3 GP: 0-2-1, .880 SV% and 3.33 GAA
G – Ty Conklin – Last 2 GP: 0-2-0, .867 SV% and 3.26 GAA




BIGGEST SURPRISES

Forwards

While Steven Stamkos was expected to be a superstar, nobody predicted it this soon. After finishing with 23 goals in 08-09, Stuttering Stamkos has 47 goals this season, and sits just one goal back of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin for the Rocket Richard Trophy. Amazingly, Team Canada won an Olympic Gold without him. It is scary to think about how good he will be by 2014.

The very last pick in the 2005 draft, Patric Hornqvist exploded onto the scene in Nashville this year. It’s too bad he played 28 games for the Preds in 2008-09, when he had only two goals and seven points. Had he played 25 games or less last season, he would be a front-runner for the Calder Trophy based on his team-leading 30 goals, 51 points and +18 rating.

Chris Stewart had just 19 points and was a gruesome -18 in 53 games last year for the Avs. Most analysts expected an improvement from him, but nothing like this. Playing on Colorado’s top line, he has 28 goals (including 5 game winners) and 64 points, and has taken 217 shots on goal.

Signed as a UFA by the basement-dwelling New York Islanders, Matt Moulson found immediate chemistry with 1st overall pick John Tavares. He has slowed down considerably in the second half, but his 27 goals put him in the top 35 goals-scorers in the league. Not bad for a guy who was drafted higher in the NLL draft than the NHL draft.

Vancouver Canucks speedster Mason Raymond has done exceptionally well on the most productive second line in the league. He more than doubled his career highs in goals (25), assists (26), points (51) and penalty minutes (48).

Defencemen

Another surprising Thrashers player, Tobias Enstrom netted six goals and 44 assists for a career high 50 points. His point total puts him 7th overall in defenceman scoring, and he’s only 25 years old.

Buffalo Sabres rookie Tyler Myers will surely be named a finalist for the Calder Trophy at season’s end. The 6-foot-7 Myers has 36 assists and 47 points, good enough for 11th in defenceman scoring. If he keeps this up, the 20-year old will be a perennial Norris Trophy candidate.

Rangers rookie Michael Del Zotto has surprised many with his offensive production in 2009-10. Del Zotto made the jump to the bigs out of training camp, and has put up 28 assists and 37 points. His +/- rating is less than desirable, but at 19, he has lots of time to improve.

Goaltenders

On pace for 40 wins Jon Quick has been a major contributor to the Kings’ return to the playoffs. After splitting time with Erik Ersberg and Jason LaBarbera in 08-09, Quick has stolen the starters spot this season. He might not be there for long, with prospect Jonathan Bernier knocking on the door.

Avs starter Craig Anderson has put up career numbers in 70 games played this season. His 38 wins and seven shutouts have vaulted Colorado into the playoffs after an ugly 2008-09 season. If he gets hot in the playoffs, look out for the Avalanche.

After taking the Red Wings to two straight Stanley Cup Finals, nobody expected Chris Osgood to slip in 2009-10. Well he did, and rookie Jimmy Howard has done an incredible job in his place. Howard’s 35 wins and .923 save percentage will keep him in Calder Trophy discussions.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS

Even when Rod Brind’Amour’s +/- rating was terrible last season, he still put up 50 points. This season, he has just 19 points and a brutal -28 rating. He was also stripped of the ‘C’ in Carolina, where it was deservedly handed out to Eric Staal.

Seven million dollar man Chris Drury saw his numbers drop for the fourth season in a row, to a mediocre 13 goals, 31 points and -10 rating.

You’ve all heard the stat on Brad Boyes. After scoring 76 goals in the last two seasons, he has just 14 in 2009-10, his lowest goal total since his sophomore season in Boston.

Sabres sniper Tomas Vanek has had a down year, tying his career-low total of 48 points set in his rookie year. He has just 23 goals, also a career low. He’ll need to be much better than that in the playoffs.

Defencemen

At $6.68 million per season, Jay Bouwmeester has been a major disappointment for the Flames. Jay Bo was skipped over by Team Canada, and has recorded a career-low 3 goals, 29 points and 46 penalty minutes.

A Flame for part of the season Dion Phaneuf’s numbers have declined for the third season in a row. The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t seem to mind, as they are expected to name him Captain in the off-season.

After a career-high 37 assists and 50 points in 2008-09, there were big expectations for Dennis Wideman in 09-10. He has struggled this year, along with the rest of the Bruins, posting only 27 points in 73 games. Last season, he was second among NHL defenceman with a plus-minus rating of +32. This year, he is an abysmal -15, which ranks him 279th among blueliners.

Goaltenders

After single-handedly lifting the Blue Jackets into the post-season in 08-09 with 10 shutouts and 33 wins, Steve Mason has been the definition of a sophomore slum in 2009-10. Just 20 wins, an .899 save percentage and a 3.12 GAA doesn’t equal a playoff birth for a bubble team like the Jackets.

While Carey Price’s GAA and save percentage numbers are actually an improvement from last season, he has failed to get the win when they Canadiens need it most. He has 13 wins and zero shutouts in 41 games for the Habs this year, and has been thoroughly outplayed by Jaroslav Halak.

The Boston Bruins’ GM Peter Chiarelli likely regrets signing Tim Thomas to 4-year $20 million deal in the summer. Thomas’ numbers have regressed considerably, from a 36-11-7 record last season to just 16-18-8 this year. Tuuka Rask has played exceptionally well and has pushed Thomas from the starter’s job.

INJURY REPORT

Relatively new Duck Lubomir Visnovsky broke his right hand on Tuesday evening and will miss the rest of the regular season. With the Ducks missing the playoffs, he will have the summer to recover.

The Bruins will be without Dennis Seidenberg for their playoff run, as he had surgery on his left forearm to repair a lacerated tendon. Seidenberg was acquired at the deadline and was meant to be stabilizing force on the back end for the Bruins.

Tim Connolly has been extremely healthy this season in comparison to his other years in the league, but he will miss Buffalo’s last two regular season games. Connolly is out with a foot injury and is not yet close to skating.

Peter Mueller, who has a team-best nine goals since being acquired at the deadline, will miss the Avs final two games of the regular season with concussion issues. Mueller was blindsided by Rob Blake, and there is no timetable for his return.

Ryan Miller will likely win the Hart trophy this season, while Marian Gaborik may not get a nomination. But in terms of players who single-handedly elevate their franchise, Gaborik may be more valuable to his team than anyone.

Gaborik’s talent was never in question, but the contract he signed in the summer — 5 years and 37.5 million dollars — seemed like a bit much for a player with career-long injury struggles. At this point, Maid Marian looks to be worth the dollars, but he is helping to create the illusion that the Rangers are a healthy franchise.

Gaborik’s contract followed suit with Glen Sather’s July 1st spending spree tendencies, as the Rangers GM shells out big dough just about every year when UFAs become available. Without Gaborik, the talk surrounding the contracts of Redden (6.5, four more years), Roszival (5.0, two more years), and Drury (7.05, two more years) would be under the microscope more than they’ve been.

If you’ve glanced at New York’s cap structure, you know that a radical re-tooling is necessary for the health of the franchise. Beyond the gigantic contracts, the Rangers have little room underneath the cap and are being kept afloat by standout players on soon-to-be-expiring entry-level contracts. Marc Staal and Dan Girardi are two of the more trusted d-men on the Blueshirts, and both will look to at least triple their current salaries after this season. With the need for pay raises, the demotion of a sizable salary might be absolutely necessary.

You have to wonder how this season may have turned out for the Rangers if Gaborik had missed his customary 40+ games or if Sather had not signed him at all. If the Rangers wind up 9th or 10th in the East, will this mirage of a season be dampened by the fact that a single player elevated his team from what we can assume would be lottery territory to the cusp of the playoffs?

Since it’s been Gaborik along with the entry-level contracts who’ve saved this team, would Ranger fans trade a potential top-5 selection in exchange for the signing of Marian Gaborik? Does it hurt the Rangers faithful to know that their second highest scoring player is Vinny Prospal, a 35-year-old, recently bought out declining talent who will also need a raise this summer? Surely, those who follow the Rangers have many more questions.

Gaborik has scored 40+ goals and 80+ points this year while no other Ranger has cracked 20 goals or 60 points. His incredible production makes the Rangers one of the few teams who have signed their franchise player as a UFA (Boston being another). When you consider the money Glen Sather throws at free agents, it makes sense that here and there a signing will exceed expectations as Gaborik has. Should Ranger fans feel hopeful? Perhaps they should realize that for every Marian Gaborik Sather signs, he may sign two Scott Gomez’s.

Teams that finish just out of the playoffs are usually on the rise from the basement or on the decline and in need of significant change. The Rangers fall into the second category. Gaborik is a building block, and if surrounded by a few more pieces there may be some winning seasons in New York in the near future. With not much on the free agent market this year and a couple of key RFAs to sign, can Sather do enough in one summer to change the club’s fortunes?

As NHL teams gear up for the playoffs, you hear a lot of talk about “the stretch drive”, or the last 20 games of the season. Beyond determining playoff and draft seeding, the last chunk of games can also define a team going forward; if a club can’t play well in the last 20 games of the regular season, they probably won’t play 20 playoff games.

Taking a look back at the Conference finalists from the last two seasons, it is clear that the last 20 are crucial. In 2008, the Eastern Conference Finalists were the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Flyers posted a mark of 12-4-4 in their last twenty contests, with the Pens going an impressive 15-2-3. The Pennsylvania state rivals played three games against each other in the last two months of the regular season, but the Flyers were only able to beat the Penguins once. Their playoff series was very similar, with the Pens winning easily in five games.

The 2008 Western Conference Finalists were the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars, the Red Wings posting a 12-6-2 record, and the Stars a relatively lacklustre 9-9-2. The Stars and Wings each won a game against each other at the end of the regular season, but the Wings dominated in the post-season, taking a 3-0 series lead before winning the Western Conference Final in six games.

The 2009 Conference Finalists were similarly dominant in their final twenty regular season games. The Eastern Conference Final featured the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second straight year, and a surging Carolina Hurricanes team. The Hurricanes were on fire at the end of the 2009 regular season, recording four and nine-game winning streaks in their last twenty games. They beat the Islanders 9-0, the Lightning 9-3 and the Flames 6-1, and looked like a team ready for a long playoff run. Eric Staal stunned Martin Brodeur in the final minute of game 7, but when they reached the Eastern Conference Final, they ran out of gas, losing four straight to the eventual Cup Champion Penguins. Pittsburgh was 12-6-2 in the stretch drive, pretty impressive for a team that played until June for two seasons straight.

The Western Conference Finalists were the Detroit Red Wings (again) and the young Chicago Blackhawks. They posted identical 10-7-3 records in the final twenty games. In the final two games of the season, the Blackhawks dominated the Red Wings by scores of 4-2 and 3-0. The story was very different one month later when Detroit’s seasoned playoff veterans spanked the inexperienced Hawks in five games.

So based on the last twenty games, who will be reaching the 2010 Conference Finals? In the East, that would be the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres. Les Habitants have posted an 11-7-2 record over their last twenty games, which translates to a 0.555 winning percentage. The Sabres have posted an identical record, and have beaten and lost to the Canadiens in their last twenty games.

In the West, the best records during the stretch drive belong to the Detroit Red Wings (surprise, surprise) and the Nashville Predators. The Wings are 14-3-3 in their last twenty, while the Predators are 14-5-1. Just behind the Wings and Preds are the Phoenix Coyotes, who are 13-5-2 in their last twenty.

The final playoff matchups are almost set as the last two weeks of the regular season wind down.

The eighth seed is at stake in the West, with the Avs and Flames battling it out. While in the East, three spots remain and the race is extremely tight.

In the West, there will be at least three new teams in the playoffs (four if Colorado pulls through) compared to last year. The turnaround is one of the most dramatic in years.

The most significant risers this week are the Ducks and Predators who improve only three spots each, while the Thrashers and Flyers each take a four spot tumble. The Edmonton Oilers haven’t budged from 30th, as they’ve held that spot since the end of January.

1. Washington Capitals (no movement)
Record: 51-15-12
Last Week: 2-0-1
Alex Ovechkin may not take home the Maurice Richard trophy, but he has a firm grasp on the lead for best plus/minus rating with an astounding plus-41. His previous best in that category was plus-28.

2. Chicago Blackhawks (+2 spots)
Record: 49-22-7
Last Week: 3-1-0
The Blackhawks are just one win away from reaching 50 wins for the first time in franchise history. If Chicago can hoist the Cup, captain Jonathan Toews will just miss breaking Sidney Crosby’s record as being the youngest captain to win a Stanley Cup.

3. San Jose Sharks (-1 spot)
Record: 48-20-11
Last Week: 1-1-1
San Jose is on track to win their 3rd straight Pacific Division title. In the almost two full seasons under Todd McLellan, the Sharks have gone an incredible 101-38-21. In order to get over the 2nd-round hump, San Jose will need its Big Three to be a force throughout the playoffs.

4. Phoenix Coyotes (-1 spot)
Record: 48-25-6
Last Week: 1-2-0
The city of Glendale will host a playoff game for the first time in 8 years and the Coyotes will be happy to be home to start their first round matchup. Phoenix has been a terrific 28-10-2 at home this year, outscoring opponents 117 to 97.

5. Vancouver Canucks (+1 spot)
Record: 48-27-4
Last Week: 3-1-0
Roberto Luongo seems to be slumping at the worst possible time. His poor play since the Olympics have seen his stats diminish — 2.55 GAA and a .913 SV% are well below his career numbers.

6. Pittsburgh Penguins (-1 spot)
Record: 45-26-7
Last Week: 1-1-0
Since Oct.5.2007, the Pittsburgh Penguins have played 287 games, which is far more than any other team (except Detroit). If the Pens make a third straight appearance in the Stanley Cup, it will take incredible determination and endurance. The last team to appear in 3 straight Stanley Cup Finals was the Edmonton Oilers who did it from 1982 to 1985.

7. Nashville Predators (+3 spots)
Record: 46-28-6
Last Week: 3-1-0
Despite a low-payroll and expectations to match, the Preds have had a terrific season and will play post-season hockey after a one year absence. In their four previous appearances, they have not moved past the first round.

8. New Jersey Devils (-1 spot)
Record: 45-26-7
Last Week: 1-0-2
The acquisition of Ilya Kovalchuk has been successful so far, as the Russian star has scored at a point-per-game clip with the Devils. However, having only four playoff games under his belt (all losses), the Devils don’t quite know if they have a playoff performer in Kovie.

9. Detroit Red Wings (-1 spot)
Record: 41-24-14
Last Week: 2-1-1
Many suspected Detroit to surge when they got healthy, and they have with emphasis. The Wings are 14-3-3 in their last 20 games and are arguably the most feared team going into the playoffs. If they are unable to secure 4th place by the end of the season, it will be the first time in 10 years that Detroit doesn’t hold home ice advantage in the Conference Quarter-Finals.

10. Buffalo Sabres (-1 spot)
Record: 43-25-10
Last Week: 2-2-0
It looks all but certain, barring a massive collapse, that the Sabres will win the Northeast Division for the first time in three years. Last time around, they reached the Conference Finals, only to lose to the Sens in five games.





MIDDLE 10

11. Los Angeles Kings (+2 spots)
Record: 44-27-7
Last Week: 2-1-1
The Kings’ terrific early-season play has allowed them to play cold for a stretch while remaining in the playoffs. LA has made the playoffs for the first time since 2002, when Jason Allison, Adam Deadmarsh and Ziggy Palffy led the franchise offensively.

12. Ottawa Senators (-1 spot)
Record: 43-31-5
Last Week: 2-1-0
Ottawa clinched a spot in the playoffs and will return to the post-season after a one year absence. Jason Spezza has torn it up, recording 16 points in his last 10 games, including a four point effort against the Caps.

13. Montreal Canadiens (+2 spots)
Record: 39-32-8
Last Week: 2-1-0
Jaroslav Halak is the clear starter in Montreal heading into the playoffs. The stingy Slovak recorded back-to-back shutouts against the Flyers and Sabres this week, stopping 64 shots in total. His .927 save percentage ranks 3rd in the league behind Tuukka Rask and Ryan Miller.

14. Colorado Avalanche (-2 spots)
Record: 42-29-7
Last Week: 1-2-0
Colorado breathed a sigh of relief on Sunday as they beat the Sharks in OT to push 2 points ahead of the Flames for 8th spot in the West. Calder candidate Matt Duchene leads the Avs in power-play goals with 10.

15. Calgary Flames (+2 spots)
Record: 40-30-9
Last Week: 2-1-0
The Flames lost a crucial game to the Blackhawks on Sunday and failed to keep pace with the Avs. They now sit two points back with just three games remaining. Calgary is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2002-2003, when Roman Turek was their starting goalie.

16. Boston Bruins (no movement)
Record: 36-30-12
Last Week: 2-2-0
Some stats about the Bruins: 1) Boston is 2nd in the league in goals-against per game at 2.33. 2) Tuukka Rask has the best save percentage (.931) and goals-against average (1.97) of any goalie in the NHL. 3) Boston is still fighting for their playoff lives thanks to their league-worst 184 goals-for.

17. St. Louis Blues (+2 spots)
Record: 38-31-9
Last Week: 3-1-0
Brad Boyes has been a colossal disappointment this season. After scoring a total of 76 goals in the previous two years, Boyes has gone on to score only 13 this year on a team that desperately needed a scoring punch all season long. His projected goal tally of 14 will be a career low.

18. Philadelphia Flyers (-4 spots)
Record: 39-34-6
Last Week: 1-2-0
Many experts had assumed that the Chirs Pronger acquisition would tip the scales in Philadelphia’s favour and make them the team to beat in 2010. Those experts scratched their heads all year long and continue to do so as the Flyers sit in 8th without a true No.1 goalie (Ray Emery on the IR).

19. Anaheim Ducks (+3 spots)
Record: 38-31-9
Last Week: 3-0-1
Lubomir Visnovsky, who was acquired by the Ducks on deadline day, has been key in the Ducks chase for the playoffs, keeping them in the race to this point with his superb power-play ability. Visnovsky has 11 points in 15 games with the Ducks and gets a great deal of power-play time with Scott Niedermayer.

20. Dallas Stars (no movement)
Record: 35-30-14
Last Week: 2-2-0
Dallas will miss the post-season for the 2nd straight year, but they are not far off from becoming a contending team again. Their strong youthful core includes Jamie Benn (20), James Neal (22), and Loui Eriksson (24), with Scott Glennie on the way. These 3 young guns have combined to score 76 goals for the Stars this year and have been an integral part of their offense.

BOTTOM 10

21. New York Rangers (+2 spots)
Record: 36-32-10
Last Week: 3-0-0
Last week the Rangers were merely an afterthought in New York-area sports coverage, as their playoff hopes waned, but a strong run has returned them to playoff contention as they 2 points back of 8th with a game in hand. Henrik Lundqvist has been a force, recording 5 wins in his last 6 games, including two shutouts.

22. Atlanta Thrashers (-4 spots)
Record: 34-32-13
Last Week: 1-1-1
Atlanta let an important point slip away when they lost a heart-breaker in Pittsburgh this week. A bad penalty by Jim Slater led to the tying Pens’ goal in the final minute of regulation on the powerplay, while a softie on Johan Hedberg in OT sealed the Thrashers’ fate. Their playoff chances are slim now as they sit 3 points back of 8th with remaining games against the Caps, Devils, and Pens.

23. Minnesota Wild (-2 spots)
Record: 37-35-7
Last Week: 1-2-1
Currently sitting at 80 points witha few games left, the Wild are on pace for their worst-season since the lockout. This can most likely be attributed to personnel changes, including losing Marian Gaborik to free agency and the resignation of their only coach in franchise history, Jacques Lemaire.

24. Columbus Blue Jackets (no movement)
Record: 32-34-13
Last Week: 2-2-0
Although Columbus’ season didn’t go as well as they had expected, Rick Nash still had a great year statistically. Nash hit the 30-goal plateau for the 5th time in his career. His 6 game winning goals also put him in the top-10 in the NHL in that category.

25. Carolina Hurricanes (+1 spots)
Record: 33-36-10
Last Week: 2-1-1
The Canes deserve some credit for not throwing away the season when they sat deep in the league basement. On December 31st, 2009, Carolina had an abysmal record of 10-23-7, but have since gone 23-13-3 to avoid last-place and actually come fairly close to challenging for the 8th seed in the East.

26. New York Islanders (+2 spots)
Record: 33-35-10
Last Week: 2-1-0
As John Tavares is nearing then end of his rookie campaign, most will see it as a solid season for a young star in the making. His current stat line of 22-27-49 is not a far cry from Steven Stamkos’ rookie season, where his stats were 23-23-46.

27. Toronto Maple Leafs (-2 spots)
Record: 29-36-14
Last Week: 1-1-1
The Leafs were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention this week, although they’ve been out of the playoff discussion since november. College signee Brayden Irwin made his debut as well, in perhaps an audition for next season’s roster.

28. Tampa Bay Lightning (-1 spot)
Record: 31-35-12
Last Week: 1-2-0
After a promising start to the season, the Lightning are once again in line to land a top-5 pick at the NHL draft in June. In the five seasons since their Stanley Cup win, Tampa Bay has crawled into the playoffs twice, and been in the basement of the league the other three years.

29. Florida Panthers (no movement)
Record: 31-35-12
Last Week: 1-2-1
The Florida Panthers will miss the playoffs yet again this season. Their last appearance in the post-season took place in 1999-2000 and since then they have only recorded more than 90 points in a season once, which was last year.

30. Edmonton Oilers (no movement)
Record: 24-46-8
Last Week: 0-3-1
While Oilers fans would like to forget this season and look forward to the next, they can take solace in the fact that Edmonton will amass a staggering 500+ man games lost to injury, a figure not seen since the 2005-2006 LA Kings had over 600 man games lost to injury.