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The high skilled, high profile, and high paid players of the NHL emerged last night in a big way... well most of them did anyway.
 In San Jose, the Sharks newest acquisition, super forward Dany Heatley finally delivered for his new club. During the Sharks home opener, Heatley joined the NHL Hat Trick club and helped lift his team to a 6-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joe Thornton tied a Sharks record by assisting on 4 of those goals.
In New York, the Rangers prized forward Marion Gaborik scored two quick goals and snatch a 4-3 victory from the Washington Capitals. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist also became the first to keep Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin off the score sheet.
The Buffalo Sabres forward Thomas Vanek scored a late power play goal to help his club to a 2-1 victory over the unstoppable Phoenix Coyotes.
 In St. Louis, the Blues opened at home for the first time and were defeated by the Atlanta Thrashers 4-2. Thrashers forward Ilya Kovalchuk scored his 300th career NHL goal, then later deposited his 301st. Kovalchuk now has two back to back two goal games to open the season... not bad for a guy in a contract year. Atlanta better lock him up now.
The Calgary Flames remained undefeated last night as they tied the Edmonton Oilers 3-3 with little more than a second remaining in the game, then went on to complete the comeback win 4-3 on an Olli Jokinen shootout goal.
Quick Shave:
The New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings picked up their first victories of the season, and the Pittsburgh Penguins shut down the Philadelphia Flyers handing them their first defeat of the season. The panic around the league, especially in Canada regarding the slow starts that some of their clubs have gotten off to is borderline hilarious. The Canucks, Red Wings, and Sharks all got off to horrendous starts, and many of the NHL's elite goaltenders have had games they'd love to forget. Speculation about what Steve Yzerman will do regarding Team Canada's goaltending because of the awful play of Roberto Luongo, Martin Brodeur and Cam Ward has many leaning towards Steve Mason.
I say to everyone... RELAX. The season is barely a week old. For you fans of teams that have stumbled out of the gate... it's ok... your clubs will get going. On the flip side, you fans of clubs who've rocketed out to a fast start.... don't get overly excited because it could come to a crashing halt. Enjoy your beer, and your hockey my friends, this is just the beginning.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 It's been a pretty good year for the Dallas Star's Mike Modano. Earlier this season he eclipsed Phil Housley's record for most points in the NHL by a U.S. born player.
Last night Modano potted the game winner on a 5-3 powerplay advantage late in the match to give the Stars the 2-1 win over the Phoenix Coyotes. The win was the seventh in a row for the Stars, a feat that they haven't accomplished in nearly a decade. The Stars have a commanding 6 point lead in the Pacific Division over the trailing San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks, and are second only in the league to the NHL leading Detroit Red Wings.
Quick Shave:
Rumor has it that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mats Sundin quietly agreed to waive his no-trade clause pending a trade to a short list of clubs (supposedly the Canucks, Ducks, and Red Wings were among the desired destinations) of his choosing. With Ottawa and Carolina making the first move yesterday with their four player swap, it's very likely that the floodgates will be open, and the trades will be flowing. Expect the rumor machine to kick into high gear.
Game of the Night:
Buffalo at Ottawa 7:30 PM
Perhaps a glance at the new-look Ottawa Senators? The Sens newest acquisitions, Cory Stillman, and MIke Commodore are expected to be in the lineup tonight as they welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Enjoy the games.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Atlanta Thrashers forward Ilya Kovalchuk received a one game suspension in addition for his game misconduct Tuesday night.
During the first period of the Thrashes game against the New York Rangers, Kovalchuk hit Rangers's defenceman Michal Rozsival from behind, forcing his head into the glass. Kovalchuk received a 5 minute boarding penalty for the hit, and a match penalty. Rosival returned to finish the game and the Rangers went on to a 4-0 win.
Kovalchuk will appear in the All Star Game this weekend, and is currently second in the league in goals scored with 37.
 The Phoenix Coyotes rewarded goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov for not only bringing stability to the organization, but for helping to thrust the club into playoff contention.
Aquired off of waivers from the Anaheim Ducks, Ilya Bryzgalov has been solid in net for the Coyotes
and is a big part of the reason why they are 4 points removed from the 8th and final playoff spot in the West. Since his aquisition, Brygalov has a 16-10-2 record and a 2.33 GAA. Phoenix signed Bryzgalov to a new three year contract worth $12.75 million.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
That didn't take long.
The Phoenix Coyotes claimed goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov off waivers early this morning and is expected to play for the Coyotes this afternoon when they face the Los Angeles Kings. The Coyotes will get a significant upgrade in net from their current tandem of Alex Auld and Mikael Tellqvist in Bryzgalov, and he in turn will get a shot at proving that he can be a legitimate number one goalie in the NHL.
Keep your eyes and ears out for Niedermayer's return from semi-retirement to play for the Anaheim Ducks.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 What happened yesterday? Defense was thrown out the window and goaltending..... well there wasn't much of that to be found on the ice either.
Let's start off with the biggest shocker. Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils may have delivered the worst game of his life yesterday afternoon. The Carolina Hurricanes pounded the future Hall of Famer for 4 goals on 12 shots, and he was immediately pulled in favor of backup goaltender Scott Clemmensen, who allowed 3 more. The Hurricanes defeated the Devils 7-2 and moved into sole possession of the 7th seed in the East. The good news for New Jersey is that when Brodeur falters like this, he rebounds rapidly and for lengthy periods of time. Expect several shutouts next week.
 Tell me the New York Islanders aren't missing Rick DiPietro. Since he's been out with a neck injury the Islanders have allowed 18 goals in three games. Backup goaltender Mike Dunham gave up 6 goals on 33 shots last night to the Florida Panthers. Panthers keeper Ed Belfour didn't fare much better but fortunately for him, he only allowed 5. The Panthers won the game 8-5, as captain Olli Jokinen scored a pair in the third to break the game open and help his team into 12th place with 73 points, just 6 points out of the playoffs. The Islanders, unable to keep pace are now tied for 9th, with Toronto and Montreal with 78 points.
 At Madison Square Garden, the Bruins had a rough evening last night as well. They started off the game looking good, peppering New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist with 13 shots in the first.... till the wheels came flying off in the second. Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas was yanked after giving up three consecutive goals and was replaced by Joey MacDonald..... who let in four more, and was replaced by Thomas..... everyone got that? The Ranger defeated the Bruins 7-0 and took control of the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference. Henrik Lundqvist made 30 saves on the evening for his 6th career shutout.
I n Phoenix (thats pronounced PUH - HO - Nixx), Curtis Joseph was lit up for 6 goals as the Colorado Avalanche had their way with him and the Coyotes. Captain Joe Sakic scored two goals, as did rookie Paul Stastny, who is really starting to give Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Evgeni Malkin a run for the Calder Trophy. The Avalanche won the game 6-3 and continued their recent playoff push. They are now 6 points out of the playoffs behind the Calgary Flames.
 Dominik Hasek and the Detroit Red Wings had an off evening as well. Usually the Red Wings don't allow more than 20 shots, and in some case less than 15. The rest Hasek takes care of. The Vancouver Canucks launched 38 at the Red Wings keeper, and put three past him (wasnt' there a game earlier in the season where they were only able to put 11 shots in total on net the entire game?). The Canucks won the game 4-1 on a 33 save performance by Roberto Luongo and kept their control of the Northwest Division over Minnesota by 1 point. Detroits loss combined with Nashville's win dropped them back into 4th place in the West but still with the second best record in the League.
Game of the Night:
Ottawa at Pittsburgh 7:30 PM
The last time these two teams faced off it was awesome! Ottawa had the game in hand, so I turned it off. Pittsburgh of course waited till they knew I wasn't watching and came back to win the game in the shootout. I'd expect a similiar offensive treat. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The game winning goal. Without a doubt one of the most coveted of all stats in fantasy hockey. If one of your roster players pots one, you are almost certain to win the category. Get two, and it's in the bag. As of last night, Vancouver Canucks forward Markus Naslund lifted his club over the Phoenix Coyotes, by putting the game winner past Cujo late in the game......giving me my third game winning goal. Three game winning goals! I should have that column in the bag right?
Well I don't. The bastage I'm playing also has three game winning goals. Now I know that next week, when I need a GWG, no one on my fantasy squad will be able to provide one, because they all gave this week. The crappiest thing is, that we have 6 gwg's combined, and if neither one of us scores another, we get a blank for the category. What a waste. Ahhh....I need to move on.
So the Canucks have righted the ship after being stunned by the Blues the other day, taking on another trade deadline seller in the Phoenix Coyotes. They almost blew this one. Naslund's score late in the third period gave the Canucks the 4-3 win. Daniel Sedin had a pair of goals in the win and new arrivals Brent Sopel, and Bryan Smolinski added assists.
Quick Shave:
The New York Rangers cannot close the deal in the third this year. In 1999-2000, my buddy Jeff and I witnessed on many night at the Garden a phenomenon known only as the 'dreaded two goal lead'. On at least 10 different occasions (it very well could have been more....but by mid-season I had to drink my face off just to watch that team...jeff too) we saw the Rangers carry their 2-0 lead into the third, only to blow it, and lose 3-2. More often than not, they lost 6-2. My point to all of this? The Rangers did the same thing again last night, and it appears the dreaded two goal lead has returned. Leading 2-0 going into the third, the Rangers let the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied on a pair of short handed goals, forced OT and stole the game in the shootout thanks in large part to Sidney Crosby (who appears to be getting better at the shootout). What's funnier still. Jeff was at the game last night! Ryan Smyth contributed in his first game with the New York Islanders, by assisting on a beautiful goal to linemate Mike Sillinger.....but it was all for naught. The Isles fell to the St. Louis Blues 3-2 last night in OT. Let's take a moment to give a hand to the Blues, who after selling off their two biggest forwards, have now gone 2-0 against two playoff bound teams in Vancouver and New York. You have to love the heart of this club. Their jerseys are pretty sweet too.
Playoff Beard Note:
I was explaining to my other buddy Jeff why I gave the Beard of the Month to Trent Hunter rather than Zetterberg yesterday. The BOTM award is performance based, but not on hockey performance. Facial hair performance. That is the key. All HZ has to do this month is let the soup catcher grow (not like Savard's....that thing is creepy) and he will earn his accolades! Honestly, with the work Garth Snow did over the last two months as GM of the Islanders I was going to award him the BOTM..... but his chin is clean (as far as I know)...... my runner up for February was Scott Parker of the Colorado Avalanche, formerly of the San Jose Sharks.
Game of the Night:
Ottawa at Atlanta 7:30 PM
San Jose at Anaheim 10:00 PM
Atlanta needs the game pretty bad, and taking it from the Senators will be no easy task. The Thrashers really are on the ropes, and if they don't put this in drive soon, they will be done. Not just for the season, but perhaps in Atlanta. There really is no reason why this team shouldn't be in the playoffs......but I think I spoke highly of them early in the season and cursed them. Its' the only explanation. San Jose will look to get some revenge on the Ducks after a loss earlier this week, and they will also showcase their new top liner Bill Guerin. Should be a fun game to watch. Enjoy the games my friends!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The dogs of the desert have been making some noise lately and slowly sliding up in the standings. Last night's 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars marked the Phoenix Coyotes seventh win in a row, and brought the team to a .500 record for the first time since the beginning of the season.
Shane Doan scored two goals (his 12th and 13th) and converted one of two power play goals that moved the Coyotes past the Stars. Travis Roche had had a goal, free agent acquisitions defenceman Ed Jovanovski had a goal and an assist, and forward Owen Nolan helped round out the scoring. Coyotes goalkeeper Mikael Tellqvist made 29 saves on the night.
The Coyotes sit in 11th place in the Western Conference but now are only 3 points from a playoff spot. As I said yesterday, the West is already in playoff mode, as every team is still in it. We can look forward to late March with the possibility of 10 teams battling for the final three playoff spots in the conference, and the Phoenix Coyotes are in the thick of the hunt. Lord Gretzky has his boys playing big time hockey right now.
 Quick Shave:
I have to hand it to the New York Islanders. They own, and I mean own the New York Rangers. For the 4th time this season, the Islanders handily defeated their cross-town rivals 5-3. Coming off a four (maybe five) game losing streak, the Islanders woke up to put an end to the Rangers winning streak. Rick DiPietro made 28 saves for the win and Mike Sillinger had two goals on the evening. On a positive note, Jagr and Shanahan finally broke their goal scoring streaks. The Nashville Predators took advantage of the Pronger-less Anaheim Ducks last night. Tomas Vokoun returned from IR for the Predators, and while shaky resumed his winning form by making 27 saves for the 5-4 overtime win. The Montreal Canadiens still battling the flu, battled back from a 2 goal defecit to defeat the Atlanta Thrashers 4-2. Michael Ryder scored two goals and goaltender Cristobal Huet made 28 saves to complete the comeback win. The Philadelphia Flyers flew to another loss last night as they were pummelled by the Washington Capitals 5-2. Alexander Ovechkin scored two goals on the same night that he and Sidney Crosby were elected to their first ever NHL All Star Game. Crosby became the youngest player ever voted to the game. Unfortunately the Pittsburgh Penguins did not respond like the Caps did, and lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. While Crosby did score for the Penguins he was outshone by Martin St. Louis who scored and added two assists. Mikka Kiprusoff recorded his 100th career victory in style as he made 26 saves to lift the Calgary Flames to a 3-0 win over the Minnesota Wild by way of shutout. The Carolina Hurricanes shutdown the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 on a strong 29 save performance by Cam Ward. The Ottawa Senators (unlike the Rangers) found a way to beat their nemesis (nemesis's? nemesises?)Boston Bruins last night 5-2. Ahh the NHL All Star Game.... for a while it looked as though Vancouver defenceman Rory Fitzpatrick would have his day but it just wasn't to be. The first team all-stars were announced yesterday and are as folllows:
Eastern Conference
Sidney Crosby - Pittsburgh Penguins - Forward
Alexander Ovechkin - Washington Capitals - Forward
Daniel Briere - Buffalo Sabres - Forward
Brian Campbell- Buffalo Sabres - Defence
Sheldon Souray - Montreal Canadiens - Defence
Ryan Miller - Buffalo Sabres - Goal
Western Conference
Joe Thornton - San Jose Sharks - Forward
Joe Sakic - Colorado Avalanche - Forward
Jonathan Cheechoo - San Jose Sharks - Forward
Scott Niedermayer - Anaheim Ducks - Defence
Nicklas Lidstrom - Detroit Red Wings - Defence
Roberto Luongo - Vancouver Canucks - Goal
Aside from Jonathan Cheechoo (who's having a marginal year in comparison to last season) there aren't too many surprises here. Buffalo's play this season is a big reason why they have the largest representation, and while Sakic's nod is definitely because of his popularity, you can't argue that he is having another great year with 45 points (18 goals, 27 assists).
Game of the Night:
St. Louis at New Jersey 7:30 PM
Why? Well the St. Louis Blues are one of the bottom feeding teams in the West that have been feeding on everyone they play as of late, and are also a team that I believe can still make a playoff push. What better way to test their credibility than against one of the East's best in the New Jersey Devils? There you have it.....Bosh is good...Bosh is wise. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
NY Islanders at NY Rangers 7:00 PM <
Our very own Playoff Beard of the Month Winner for December, Rick DiPietro, puts his perfect record on the line once again as he and the New York Islanders face off against the New York Rangers. The Isles have hit the skids recently dropping 5 in a row (it could be six, but who can count that high) but this season, always bring their best stuff when playing the Blueshirts. Alexei Yashin should be back at full steam after a very public benching by Coach Ted Nolan. For the Rangers, all eyes will be on Jaromir Jagr, who left during the second period of the game against Montreal on Saturday afternoon with a groin pull. Will he be back in the lineup? Will he be able to score (something he hasn't done in several matches)? Will the Rangers be able to beat the Islanders?
 Anaheim at Nashville 8:00 PM
The Ducks are injured but they are still good. They ended their losing streak with a solid effort against the Detroit Red Wings and now look to test their mettle against the Nashville Predators. The Predators are without a doubt the most disrespected team in the NHL. They are a dominant force in the WEST, and no one talks about them. Right now they sit atop the Central, and are just 5 points behind Anaheim for the Western Conference lead. Beginning to see why this game is so big? The Predators have an opportunity to make a big push for the top seed and it begins tonight.
 Phoenix at Dallas 8:30 PM
The Phoenix Coyotes could be for real after all. Six wins and counting as they visit the Dallas Stars who are fighting through the injury bug as well lately. A win by Phoenix tonight would bring them within 3 points of a playoff spot, and more importantly solidify my respect for them as a team.
Quick Shave:
Everyone should stop and take a look at the current standings in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. Notice anything? Aside from the Philadelphia Flyers, every team in the NHL has a shot to make the playoffs. It's that close. The Florida Panthers (currently 14th in the East with 39 points) are just 5 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs who hold the 8th and final playoff spot in the East with 44. Between them are the Boston Bruins (43 points), the Pittsburgh Penguins (43 points), the Washington Capitals (43 points), and the Tampa Bay Lightning (41 points). And in the West....its anyone's game as far as I'm concerned. The St. Louis Blues (who hold the 15th spot in the West with 33 points), are 12 points behind the Minnesota Wild who sit in the 8th and final playoff spot with 45 points. Among them are the Colorado Avalanche (44 points), the Edmonton Oilers (44 points, thanks to the 2-1 OT win over the Kings last night), the Phoenix Coyotes (40 points), the Los Angeles Kings (38 points), and the Columbus Blue Jackets (36 points). So what does all of this mean to us? The playoffs will be starting just a little bit early this year.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
What a game. Unfortunately for us, the boys from the North beat us again. Both teams played outstanding, and forced overtime, and an eventual shootout. The final showdown lasted seven rounds (the international version of the shootout is 3 rounds, then after all three players shoot, if the game is still a draw, the original three may shoot again). Jonathan Toews scored the game winner. Canada will play the winner of the Russia vs. Sweden game (later today) for the gold-medal. For more on this visit TSN.ca.
The L.A. Kings have themselves quite a player to look forward to in Jack Johnson. That kid is something special.
In NHL news, the Ottawa Senators who after missing out on Petr Nedved (who was claimed by the Oilers), acquired forward Mike Comrie from the Phoenix Coyotes for Alexei Kaigorodov. Comrie could be in the lineup for the Sens tonight when they play the Sabres if he passes his physical. Comrie was planning on testing the free agent market this summer, and the Coyotes pursued trade options rather than lose the player for nothing.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 If I were to tell you that the Phoenix Coyotes not only beat the San Jose Sharks last night, but scored 8 goals on them, their goaltender Curtis Joseph stopped all 40 shots he faced, and Jeremy Roenick scored 3 of the Phoenix tallies to join the NHL Hat Trick club.....you'd say Bosh, crack open another Labatt Blue. I would of course be happy to do so.
The Sharks have now lost four of their last five, and appear to be finding adversity for the first time this season. Adversity delivered a pizza to them last night in the form of the Phoenix Coyotes, and this one came with all the trimmings. Cujo made 40 saves for his 48th career shutout, and tied Jacques Planted for fifth on the all time wins list with his 437th victory.
On any other night, the big story would have been Jeremy Roenick. Demoted to fourth line duty on some nights, and more often that not a healthy scratch, Roenick is spitting distance from retirement. His words not mine:
-from TSN.ca
Asked if he thought he had a hat trick left in him, Roenick said, ''I didn't think I had a goal left in me. 'There were times there when I was wondering if I had many games left. My confidence has been shot for a while. It doesn't help when you're on the fourth line and you're a healthy scratch.''
Perhaps this old dog does have a few new tricks left?
The Coyotes finished the evening 8-0, chasing Sharks keeper Evgeni Nabokov who allowed 3 goals on 6 shots (and the fantasy owner I'm playing this week started him! WOOOHOOO!!!), and Toskala was pounded for 5 more. Phoenix is now only 8 points out of playoff spot, and like their counterparts down under in Columbus and St. Louis, they are beginning to put some wins together and climb in the standings.
Quick Shave:
The Vancouver Canucks have rediscovered the art of scoring goals, and their most recent victim was the Edmonton Oilers. Daniel Sedin was at it again, scoring two goals and an assist to lift the Canucks to the 6-2 win. Martin Brodeur is still the man. The New Jersey Devils goaltender shutout the New York Islanders 2-0 by making 29 saves. It was Brodeur's 6th shutout of the season, and the 86th of his career. Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro actually had a solid night in net as well making 36 saves on the evening. The New York Rangers fought their way to their first win in 8 games. Literally. Brendan Shanahan dropped the gloves with Donald Brashear in the third period after he got tired of him taking liberties with Jaromir Jagr all game. In a very physical match, the Rangers clawed and scrapped their way to a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Nashville Predators backup goaltender Chris Mason (still covering for the injured Vokoun) shutdown, and shutout the Boston Bruins by stopping all 38 shots he faced. The Predators won the game 5-0. The St. Louis Blues are back! As I mentioned earlier, they, the Jackets and the Yotes are attempting to turn their seasons around, and thus far appear to be doing it. The Blues Manny Legace made 33 saves to shutout the Colorado Avalanche 2-0 last night.
Game of the Night:
Anaheim at Minnesota 6:00 PM
Chicago at Columbus 7:00 PM
Los Angeles at Detroit 7:00 PM
Edmonton at Calgary 8:00 PM
Philadelphia at Carolina 8:00 PM
San Jose at Dallas 8:00 PM
What game prior to a New Year's Bash isn't great? I give you the entire card for the evening, and I'll let you decide which ones to watch for the final day of 2006.....although if you need any help deciding....Edmonton vs. Calgary looks juicy to me. Have a great New Years Eve folks! Thanks for an amazing year!
Oh and Forsberg will net 3 and become the final HTC member of the year.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Phoenix Coyotes still don't know what hit them last night. Meeting the Detroit Red Wings at home in Joe Louis Arena, the Coyotes were dismantled by defenceman Mathieu Schneider who exploded for 3 goals and a assist.
The Wings also recorded goals from Mikael Samuelsson, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Jason Williams, and Tomas Holmstrom (i think i got a goal too). The Red Wings defeated the Coyotes (who have looked horrible since their opening night win over the Islanders), by the final score of 9-2.
Quick Shave:
As predicted in the Game of the Night, the Atlanta Thrashers, and their fans welcomed Marc Savard and his new club, the Bruins home in style. The Thrashers who have been anchored by superb goaltending from Kari Lehtonen, went on to beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 last night. Whats going on with the Champs? The Carolina Hurricanes can't buy a win this year. Relieving goalie Cam Ward, John Grahame (transplanted from Tampa Bay) was lit up by the Florida Panthers who went on to defeat the reigning Stanley Cup Champs 6-3. Is Aebischer the Habs new #1? I really hope not, because I've banked on Huet in a few fantasy leagues....however, it's hard not to give this guy credit. David Aebischer shut down the Philadelphia Flyers stopping 27 shots and helping the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-1 win. Rough road trip for the Islanders to open the season. Rick DiPietro recieved a break after being shelled in his first three games in favor of backup Mike Dunham.....who likewise was shelled last night by over 50 Anaheim shots. However Dunham, was able to stifle the Ducks in the shootout where the Isles took to the game 5-4 on a goal by Mike York. This is one team that can't wait to get home.
Game of the Night:
Calgary at Ottawa 7:30 PM
San Jose at Edmonton 10:00 PM
Thursday night in the NHL is almost as good as Saturday! We have a buffet of hockey tonight, but I recommend both of these games! Calgary, who still can't score, goes up against Ottawa who is still trying to prove they are last years juggernaut. High powered offence, versus stifling defense. The second game is another playoff rematch. The Sharks look solid this year, and are still unbeaten. I heard they are the largest team in the league, by and average of 10 pounds. That is impressive when you consider how fast they are. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Crosby and company came out tonight and made Bosh look pretty good in picking them to make the playoffs this year. Yes Sidney Crosby looked great and scored a goal and an assist in the 4-0 shutout victory, but the real hero of the evening was Marc-Andre Fleury.
The Penguins were outshot 40-21 in the game, but Fleury stopped them all and even killed of two, powerplays where the Flyers carried a two man advantage. I would say this kid thrives on adversity. Having all but lost his starting job to veteran Jocelyn Thibault, Fleury was named the number 1 goalie in the Penguins final pre-season game. Fleury responded with an amazing effort, and his team finished it for him and their new prospective owner, Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie, who was in attendence and had to love what he saw.
Eric Staal's younger brother and Pittsburgh's first round draft pick Jordan Staal made his NHL debut tonight and is expected to remain with the team at least until the return of center Evgeni Malkin is able to return.
 Shanahan scores his 600th in Ranger debut
The New York Rangers officially introduced forward Jaromir Jagr as the 24th captain in franchise history, and he responded by opening the scoring 29 seconds into the game. After that Shanahan made his presence known in his New York Ranger debut by potting two goals, his 599th, and 600th of his career. Shanahan becomes the 15th player to join the elite goal scorers club. The Rangers went on to defeat the Washington Capitals 5-2.
Luongo shines for Vancouver
Another debut, and another success. Roberto Luongo played his first game between the pipes for the Vancouver Canucks, stopping 27 shots and helping his new team defeat the Detroit Red Wings 3-1.
Havlat and Chicago defeat Nashville in goalfest
An evening of debuts that for the moment appear to be looking for the teams that have acquired them, continued in Nashville tonight. Chicago's newest forward Martin Havlat scored 2 goals and 2 asssist in his Blackhawks debut, and helped Chicago come from behind twice to defeat the Predators in a wild 8-6 win.
Islanders fall hard in Phoenix
Ok, not all debuts were easy one's tonight. Ted Nolan's return to coaching after nearly a decade is one he would probably like to forget. The Islanders $65 million dollar goalie Rick DiPietro was lit up early and often by the Coyotes who went on to defeat their New York counterparts 6-3. DiPietro was eventually pulled in favor of his backup Mike Dunham who started the third. Wayne Gretzky's team looked good at even strength and on the powerplay, and forwards Doan, Nagy and Reinprecht were all over the scoresheet.
The Late Game!
I don't want you West Coasters not to feel the love from the Bosher, so I stayed up and watched an unbelievable game between the St. Louis Blues and the San Jose Sharks. This match was back and forth with Mark Bell looking like he had sealed the game with a goal to make it 4-3 in the final minutes, but the relentless Blues kept up the attack, pulled Legace from the net, got a fortunate half-man advantage from Ville Nieminen's broken stick and tied the game on a Keith Tkachuk goal with seconds remaining. The match went to OT where Curtis Brown buried the game winner halfway through the extra period! What a game!
The first two nights have come and gone in the NHL, and I feel like the NHL Center Ice package has already paid for itself. If you haven't gotten it yet, they are running a free preview which I'm pretty sure is running till next week. Give it a look. If you are a hockey fan, this is the best investment you can make! If you order early, I think they will knock $20 off the price. Tell them Captain Bosh sent you (just so you can hear them say 'Who?').
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
TSN.ca is reporting that the Phoenix Coyotes and forward Owen Nolan are close to signing a one year contract worth $1.25 million.
Nolan is currently undergoing a series of physicals that began several weeks ago to determine if he is fit to play. Nolan had reconstructive surgery on his right knee over a year ago, and the Coyotes medical staff have been testing to see if he can perform and play pain free. If the doctors clear Nolan, the Coyotes could make an announcement about the signing as early as today.
If Nolan really is back to his old condition, he would provide a substantial amount of leadership as well as scoring. In his last full season Nolan posted 29 goals and 25 assists while playing for the Sharks and Leafs. If he remains healthy this will be a great pick up by the Yotes.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Jeremy Roenick has signed a one year deal to return to the Phoenix Coyotes, a team with which he spent 5 seasons. Roenick had a horrible year last season, plagued by injuries, but has been very vocal about rebounding. Hopefully he will do so, and help the Phoenix Coyotes make the playoffs. The Coyotes have been very quietly improving their team this off season. I would keep an eye on them.
Matt Barnaby a Star
Another recent casualty of the buy-out week, Matt Barnaby has found a home with Dallas. Barnaby has agreed to a one year deal worth $625,000.
Ruutu to the Penguins
Former Vancouver Canuck forward Jarkko Ruutu has signed a 2 year deal worth roughly $1 million a season.
Blues sign Cajanek
The St. Louis Blues have re-signed Peter Cajanek to a multi year deal. Cajanek had success last season playing with Keith Tkachuk.
There still are quite a few big names still floating around out there. Here's a list of guys I think are worthy of the attention:
Brian Leetch
Mark Recchi
Glen Wesley
Brendan Shanahan
Radek Dvorak
Sergei Samsonov
Petr Sykora
Martin Rucinsky
Eric Desjardins
Jason Allison
Ed Belfour
Eric Lindros (if he would sign an incentive-laden contract)
Luke Richardson
Eric Weinrich
Jeff Halpern
There are a few guys above that I expect to see scooped up this week. The rest are either past their prime, but still able to produce at a high level, and a few that would be risky signings, but perhaps risks worth talking.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
I apologize for the downtime folks, I had some technical difficulties sponsored by the fine folks over at Verizon.
A lot happened on Saturday....here's a quick rundown:
Atlanta sent Patrik Stefan (a #1 pick years ago, and their first draft pick ever if I'm not mistaken) and Jaroslav Modry to Dallas for Niko Kapanen and a 7th round pick.
Kings traded Pavol Demitra to the Minnesota Wild for Patrick O'Sullivan and their 1st round pick. The Kings used the pick to draft Trevor Lewis...who apparently is a bad ass from the USHL. Demitra should help Gaborik offensively, but this was definitely the WTF trade of the day. When it was announced the entire arena gasped. I did as well.
The Avalanche traded Alex Tanguay to Calgary for defenceman Jordan Leopold, a 2nd round pick, and an conditional pick in 2007 or 2008. Iginla finally gets his wingman. I expect these two to put up some impressive numbers next year. Now they just need a center to get them the puck......
Blackhawks buy out Matt Barnaby and Curtis Brown. No surprise there. They should buy out the management there, which next to Boston and the previously the Islanders (before the purge) is the worst in the league....and perhaps in sports.
Canadiens resign Cristobal Huet to a 2 year deal, which I guess means David Aebischer is now on the available goalie list. Perhaps they should wait and see, in case Huet goes into a Raycroft like slump in his sophomore year. What a segue! Raycroft got traded Saturday, but I can't remember to whom...nor do I really care.
Same goes for Dan Cloutier who I think is making way too much money to be a backup, since he will most certainly be waxing the bench while watching Luongo start.
Phoenix just traded defencemen Paul Mara and a pick to Boston for Nick Boyton and a pick.
Pronger is apparently on his way out of Edmonton. Where and when is the question. What do the Oilers need, and who needs a solid blueliner that can 75 minutes a game? Not too many teams right!
More to come!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Head Coach Wayne Gretzky will be back behind the bench for the Phoenix Coyotes till 2011. The Coyotes will have a press conference today to announce the new deal.
The Coyotes finished 1 game under .500, but had a decent season that may have been slightly derailed by the distractions that surfaced mid-season. Cujo had a terrific season for the Coyotes and he will be back in net for them in 2007. Gretzky had a decent year as a first time coach. Not great, but no where near as bad as everyone predicted. The soft spoken player, looked like a real hard ass at times, yelling at refs, sometimes benching players
and in Nedved and Lundmark's case, shipping them out of town! I think he will be a great coach in time, and now with his new contract has the opportunity to show that.
For more on this report click here.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Calgary Flames acquire Jamie Lundmark from the Phoenix Coyotes for a draft pick.
Vancouver Canucks acquire Eric Weinrich from the Blues for a prospect and a pick.
Phoenix Coyotes acquire Oleg Kvasha from the Islanders for a third round pick.
Dallas Stars acquire defenceman Willie Mitchell and a 2007 2nd round pick from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenceman Martin Skoula and Shawne Belle.
Philadelphia Flyers acquire forward Nikos Dimitrakos from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a third round draft pick.
Colorado Avalanche acquire forward Jim Dowd from the Blackhawks in exchange for a fourth round pick.
Ottawa Senators acquire forward Tyler Arnason from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forward Brandon Bochenski and a pick.
Edmonton Oilers acquire forward Sergei Samsonov from the Boston Bruins in exchange for forward Marty Reasoner, a second round pick and a minor league player.
Atlanta Thrashers acquire defenceman Steve McCarthy from the Canucks in exchange for a condition pick in 2007.
Detroit Red Wings acquire defenceman Cory Cross from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a fourth rounder.
Nashville Predators acquire Brendan Witt from the Caps in exchange for a first round pick and forward Kris Beech.
New York Rangers acquire defenceman Sandis Ozolinsh from the Ducks in exchange for a third round pick.
Phoenix Coyotes acquire defencemen Jamie Rivers from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a seventh round pick in 2007.
Damn! A whole lotta action! I'll give you guys some breakdowns, plus winners and losers tomorrow!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The Phoenix Coyotes have just sent defenceman Denis Gauthier to Philadelphia for forward Josh Gratton, and two 2006 second round picks. The Coyotes also dealt Sean O'Donnell to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Details of what they received in return have yet to be disclosed.
Is this a prelude to the Coyotes trading goaltender Curtis Joseph? We'll know in two and half hours!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The San Jose Sharks have acquired forward Ville Niemene from the New York Rangers for a third round pick in the 2006 NHL Draft.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired defenseman Luke Richardson from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a fifth round pick and conditional fourth round pick.
The Los Angeles Kings have acquired forward Mark Parrish and defenceman Brent Sopel from the New York Islanders for defenceman Denis Grebeshkov, and forward Jeff Tambellini and a conditional third round pick.
BREAKING NEWS
Just heard on MSG, that the Colorado Avalanche have traded David Aebischerr to Montreal for Jose Theodore!. More to come on this.
The Capitals are not dressing Brendan Witt this evening. This is almost a certainty that he will be dealt in the coming hours.
Derrick Morris has signed a contract extension with the Phoenix Coyotes.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
There is a lot of speculation that Curtis Joseph of the Phoenix Coyotes will be traded prior to the March 9th deadline. Where he ends up is uncertain, but possibilities right now include Edmonton, Vancouver, and more recently Ottawa. With the injury of Dominik Hasek, the Senators may require help in net to help secure their chances of winning the cup. There has been speculation that they were looking to make a trade for Oli Jokinen of the Florida Panthers (who helped torch the bolts last night by the way) to ease the pressure on youngster Jason Spezza. Now, however the Senators may have to address other needs.
I think it is ironic, that Hasek, the man who came out of retirement 3 years ago and bumped Cujo out of the starting job in Detroit (really it was temporary, I think he only ended up playing 16 games for the Red Wings with the same gimpy groin he is suffering from now), may lose his starting job to Curtis Joseph. Joseph handled the situation in Detroit like a champ and that may be why he is being sought after prior to the deadline ( that and his low salary and great play this season). Playoff experience as well.....Joseph may be the answer for a few teams. Stay tuned to Spector's Hockey for more details and trade rumors around the league.
Last nights scores:
Montreal 5 NY Islanders 3 F
Washington 5 Toronto 3 F
Florida 8 Tampa Bay 2 F
Minnesota 2 Colorado 4 F
Vancouver 2 Calgary 1 F
Detroit 1 San Jose 5 F
Game of the night:
Philadelphia at New Jersey 7:30 PM
This should be a good game, but I'm really interested in watching it to find out the status of many of the NHL stars on these two teams. Simone Gagne is out for at least two weeks, will Forsberg be playing, what's up with Patrick Elias? These and many other unexplained phenomenon of the universe will be revealed tonite!! Stay tuned and enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
WAY TO GO DICK!
Rick Tocchet is facing criminal charges for running a gambling ring. Allegedly part of a group based in New Jersey (the crown jewel of the East Coast, and where yours truly currently resides) that processed over 1,000 bets in excess of $1.7 million over a 40 day period. To get the full details of the story visit TSN.ca.
Aside from Tocchet, their are also 12 NHL players and/or personnel involved. My only hope is that these individuals didn't bet on NHL games.
The last thing the NHL needed was this. After a lockout had thoroughly pissed off the fan base, the NHL was in my opinion rebounding nicely. The pursuit of new fans will be severely crippled because of this scandal.
What truly aggrivates me about this is the media coverage. Largely ignored by the press and tv news, the NHL has been fighting to get coverage. The NY Post hasn't given a back cover to the now 1st place Rangers all season (aside from Messier's retirement), instead they continue to let us know how much the Knicks suck. Ahhhh, but this morning, a lovely header entitled 'Betting Scandal Rocks Hockey". The TV news last night went as far as showing footage from Wayne and Janet Gretzky's wedding, also say that she may be involved. The media lives for this.
Whatever happens, I hope the NHL drops the hammer on all involved. Come clean, hard and fast. Honesty in this case will not be a panacea, but will definitely help begin the healing of this mess. Thanks again Dick.
Last nights scores:
Florida 5 Washington 0 F
Atlanta 1 Toronto 4 F
Buffalo 3 Montreal 2 F (OT)
Tampa Bay 4 New Jersey 7 F
Los Angeles 1 Minnesota 5 F
Edmonton 2 Colorado 5 F
Chicago 3 Phoenix 1 F
Game of the night:
Ottawa at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
2nd place Ottawa, and the 3rd place NY Rangers (whoever thought we would be saying that in February?). The Rangers will try to rebound after losing star rookie Petr Pruccha to a tough win against Philly on Saturday. Enjoy the game!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
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