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Hurricanes Add More Depth, Sign Winger Nathan Gerbe To Two-Way Deal

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Forward Nathan Gerbe, who spent the past three full seasons with the Buffalo Sabres before being bought out this summer, has signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. He will earn $550,000 in the NHL and $150,000 in the AHL, with a guaranteed payout of at least $250,000. He would have made $1.85 million with the Sabres this coming season if he had not been bought out.

Gerbe, 26, has been the shortest player in the NHL since entering the league, measuring 5-5 according to his NHL.com profile page. Gerbe's best campaign was his first full NHL season in 2010-11, when he scored 16 goals and added 15 assists in 64 games with Buffalo. His production dropped off the last two years — he registered a total of 11 goals and 24 assists in 104 games the past two seasons. He was named the Frozen Four's Most Outstanding Player in 2008, leading Boston College to the NCAA title.

Gerbe will likely compete with several other young players for a spot in Carlina's bottom two forward lines, and joins defenseman Andrej Sekera— who was acquired in a trade this summer — as players from last year's Buffalo roster to join the Hurricanes organization. Here is the release from the team.

HURRICANES AGREE TO TERMS WITH NATHAN GERBE
Winger agrees to one-year, two-way contract

RALEIGH, NC – Ron Francis, Vice President of Hockey Operations for the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with left wing Nathan Gerbe (GUHR-bee) on a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay Gerbe $550,000 on the NHL level or $150,000 on the American Hockey League (AHL) level, with a guarantee of at least $250,000.

"Nathan has had success on the NHL level and should compete for a job with the Hurricanes during training camp," said Francis.

Gerbe, 26, netted five goals and added five assists (10 points) in 42 games for the Buffalo Sabres in 2012-13. The Oxford, MI, native was also one for two in the shootout, with one game-deciding tally, and averaged 12:30 of ice time per game in his fifth NHL season. Selected by the Sabres in the fifth round, 142nd overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Gerbe (5’5", 178 lbs.) has totaled 29 goals and 43 assists (72 points) in 188 career NHL games, all with Buffalo. He has appeared in nine Stanley Cup playoff games for the Sabres, earning four points (3g, 1a). Gerbe was honored with the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL’s most outstanding rookie in 2009, after netting 30 goals and adding 26 assists (56 points) in 57 games during his first professional season.

Prior to turning professional, Gerbe completed three seasons at Boston College, where he led the nation in goals (35) and points (68) during his junior season. He was named USA Hockey’s National College Player of the Year, a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and earned Most Outstanding Player at the Frozen Four after scoring eight points (5g, 3a) in two games to lead the Eagles to the 2008 NCAA championship. A product of the United States National Team Development Program, Gerbe has represented the United States in a number of international competitions including the 2004 and 2005 World Under-18 Championships and the 2006 and 2007 World Junior Championships.


Carolina Hurricanes Sign Nathan Gerbe To One-Year, Two-Way Deal

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Former Boston College forward Nathan Gerbe wasn't unemployed for very long ...

Less than a month after getting waived by the Buffalo Sabres, the Carolina Hurricanesagreed to terms with the left wing on a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay Gerbe $550,000 if he plays in the NHL and $150,000 down in the AHL, with $250,000 in guaranteed money.

"Nathan has had success on the NHL level and should compete for a job with the Hurricanes during training camp," Hurricanes vice president of hockey operations Ron Francis in a statement announcing the signing.

The Oxford, Michigan native had five goals and five assists in 42 games for the Sabres last season. Gerbe spent his first five seasons in the NHL with the Sabres after being selected in the fifth round (No. 142) of the 2005 NHL Draft.

In five years in the League, Gerbe has 29 goals and 43 assists in 188 NHL games, and has appeared in nine Stanley Cup playoff games, totaling three goals and four points. At Boston College, Gerbe helped lead the Eagles to the 2008 National Championship, earning Frozen Four MOP honors and finishing as a Hobey Baker Award finalist. In three seasons on the Heights, Gerbe registered 71 goals and 62 assists (133 points) in 123 career games.

The diminutive winger joins former Boston College teammate John Muse, currently playing for the ECHL's Florida Everblades, in the Carolina organization.

Best of luck to Nate in Carolina!

For more on the Carolina Hurricanes, check out Canes Country.

Quick Hits: Tootoo Heading Back To Nashville?

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Red Wings News

Despite injury-plagued 2013, Detroit Red Wings' Todd Bertuzzi, 38, has something to offer on ice | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
When he is healthy he is a solid guy on this team. Although I do think that he is very redundant.

A ‘source’ told three beat writers that the Red Wings may send Jordin Tootoo back to Nashville | The Malik Report

As Malik said "This all seems a little too convenient".

Jordin Tootoo To The Nashville Predators? - Octopus Thrower

The writing has been on the wall for a while now that Tootoo's time with the team may be up.

NHL News

Report: Board of Governors may approve Coyotes sale this week | ProHockeyTalk
The saga is nearly over.

Blake Wheeler signs with Winnipeg Jets for 6 years, $33.6 million - SBNation.com
With a $6.1 million AAV.

Hurricanes sign Gerbe to one-year, two-way contract | TSN
Small guy, big heart.

NHL ripe for expansion to 32 teams - The Hockey News
I wouldn't mind. A team in Quebec is obvious, but where will the other team end up? Toronto? Portland? Hartford? Kansas (bleh)?

NHL trade rumors: Maple Leafs looking to deal Cody Franson? - SBNation.com
He wants way more than what he is worth.

The death of the salary arbitration hearing | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports

I could see Bogosian going to his. I don't think that the Jets are willing to pay him what he thinks he is worth.

Columnist: Babcock approaches ‘patriotic minefield’ as Canada’s coach | ProHockeyTalk
Babs isn't the type of guy to crumble under pressure.

Maple Leafs, Fraser remain far apart in arbitration case | TSN

Is he even that good?

Columnist: NHL doesn’t have PED problem | ProHockeyTalk
One of the things that this sport can be proud of.

Let's Go Red Wings!

More from Winging It In Motown:

  • Weekend Errata/Open Thread: July 28
  • Getting to Know the CBA - Episode 7: Waivers
  • WIIM Summer Photo Caption Contest: July 24th
  • The Production Line's Pledge Drive is Live
  • Quick Hits: Red Wings' New Arena Financing Approved
  • 2014 Stanley Cup Odds: Bovada Discounts the Nashville Predators' Work

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    Sports book Bovada just released their latest odds for NHL teams to win the 2014 Stanley Cup, and based on how things have changed over the last month, it doesn't look like they have a very high opinion of the Nashville Predators' free agent signings, as their line has slipped from 40/1 on June 25 to 50/1 as of today.

    Personally, I can understand the lukewarm reaction. While I'm jazzed about Viktor Stalberg, and look at Matt Cullen as a reasonable addition to bring depth at center, the Hendricks & Nystrom additions left me underwhelmed and the backup goaltending situation looks like a leap of faith. But let's take a look at the overall situation:

    2014 Stanley Cup Odds

    06/25/201307/29/2013
    Pittsburgh Penguins 13/2Chicago Blackhawks 6/1
    Chicago Blackhawks 15/2 Pittsburgh Penguins 13/2
    Boston Bruins 9/1 Boston Bruins 10/1
    St. Louis Blues 12/1Los Angeles Kings 12/1
    Los Angeles Kings 14/1 St. Louis Blues 12/1
    Vancouver Canucks 14/1Detroit Red Wings 16/1
    Detroit Red Wings 16/1 Vancouver Canucks 16/1
    New York Rangers 16/1San Jose Sharks 18/1
    San Jose Sharks 16/1Edmonton Oilers 20/1
    Anaheim Ducks 20/1Minnesota Wild 20/1
    Toronto Maple Leafs 25/1 New York Rangers 20/1
    Washington Capitals 25/1 Anaheim Ducks 22/1
    Montreal Canadiens 28/1 Montreal Canadiens 25/1
    Carolina Hurricanes 33/1 Toronto Maple Leafs 25/1
    Edmonton Oilers 33/1 Washington Capitals 25/1
    Minnesota Wild 33/1Philadelphia Flyers 28/1
    New York Islanders 33/1 New York Islanders 33/1
    Ottawa Senators 33/1 Ottawa Senators 33/1
    Philadelphia Flyers 33/1 Carolina Hurricanes 40/1
    Colorado Avalanche 40/1 Colorado Avalanche 40/1
    Columbus Blue Jackets 40/1 Columbus Blue Jackets 40/1
    Nashville Predators 40/1Dallas Stars 40/1
    New Jersey Devils 40/1 New Jersey Devils 40/1
    Tampa Bay Lightning 40/1 Nashville Predators 50/1
    Winnipeg Jets 40/1 Tampa Bay Lightning 50/1
    Buffalo Sabres 50/1 Winnipeg Jets 50/1
    Calgary Flames 50/1Phoenix Coyotes 66/1
    Dallas Stars 50/1 Buffalo Sabres 100/1
    Phoenix Coyotes 50/1 Calgary Flames 100/1
    Florida Panthers 100/1 Florida Panthers 150/1

    From a positive viewpoint, the biggest move upward was by the Edmonton Oilers & Minnesota Wild, with each team moving from 33/1 to 20/1, while the Buffalo Sabres & Calgary Flames plummeted from 50/1 to 100/1 each.

    So, are you heading to Las Vegas this summer and would you care to place any bets? As far as teams that look undervalued, the Ottawa Senators might make a bit of a dark horse...

    More from On the Forecheck:

    2013 Fantasy Draft Rankings

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    The 2013 NHL Draft has come and gone and now what all of us fantasy junkies are trying to sort out is what type of impact these draft picks will have from a fantasy perspective... so below we offer you our 2013 Fantasy Draft Rankings. This is our top 10 draft-eligible players based on their long-term fantasy potential. Consider this a quick cheatsheet for your prospect draft or use this as a guide to grab some future stars in your regular fantasy league draft.

    A few things to note:

    We're assuming that you're willing to take risks... the NHL Draft is such a bloody crapshoot, so you might as well swing for the fences... damn right you're gonna strikeout a bunch but considering only a few of these guys are going to become big time fantasy hockey contributors, its no time to play it safe.

    Don't be discouraged by where a player is picked... guys like Brad Richards (64th overall), Zach Parise (17th),Claude Giroux (22nd), Jordan Eberle (22nd), etc., were all underestimated by scouts due to their size or thought to be one dimensional or something stupid like that but their numbers leading up to the draft indicated that they had a lot of fantasy hockey potential.

    On the flipside, don't overrate players based on what the real scouts say... often scouts fall in love with guys because of their size or two-way ability or because they beat up on weak competition... a few names like Manny Malhotra (7th), Nikita Alexeev (8th), Benoit Pouliot (4th) and Jack Skille (7th) come to mind as guys who the scouts were wetting their pants over but we could have told you wouldn't be fantasy worthy based on their numbers.

    Here's our top 10 as I ranked them... the top 100 will be available in our Fantasy Prospect Rankings DB:

    #1 Nathan MacKinnon, C, Halifax (QMJHL), 44 GP 32+43=75

    • Plus: Projects as a goal-scoring, high-shooting C with dominant skating ability. Had no problem generating offence with over a pt/gm at even-strength this season. Has the desire to be the best and continue to improve as evidenced by his FO% jumping from 46% last season to 55% this season in the Q.
    • Minus: Played for a powerhouse team in Halifax (5.10 goals/gm) and was certainly aided by playing with Drouin, but how much? He struggled in a lesser role at the WJC and the Avs have plenty of young forwards so he likely won't be the big cheese right away.
    • ETA: Immediately but he may not play big minutes as a rookie.

    #2 Jonathan Drouin, LW, Halifax (QMJHL), 49 GP 41+64=105

    • Plus: Supremely talented and had a jaw dropping draft season with 2.14 ppg during regular season. He should team well with Stamkos for the next 10+ years.
    • Minus: Scored at will this year but his 23.7% sh% will be tough to duplicate. Projects as more of a playmaker, so may only be a contributor in A & PPP.
    • ETA: He's likely done with Jr. as there is nothing left to prove there and should benefit from the teachings of Marty St.Louis in Tampa.

    #3 Aleksander Barkov, C, Tappara (Fin), 53 GP 21+27=48

    • Plus: Only 17 but played 19 mpg for a top team in the SM-Liiga and was top 10 in league scoring this season.
    • Minus: The relative strength of the Finnish league is in question if a teenager can tear it to pieces. A serious shoulder injury ended his season early but he is expected to make a full recovery.
    • ETA: He is already signed and is physically mature, so he likely sticks.

    #4 Seth Jones, D, Portland (WHL), 61 GP 14+42=56

    • Plus: One of the best defensive prospects in years, should be an all-situation, big-minute dman for many years. Has put up points wherever he goes.
    • Minus: Was his production a cause or effect of the Portland offensive juggernaut? He was in on less than 20% of his team's goals, which is low for a top prospect. And then there is the Nashville factor, although dmen often do well under Barry Trotz.
    • ETA: Nashville is typically patient as each of Weber, Suter, Hamhuis & R.Ellis waited two years after being drafted before making their NHL debut. But Jones will be 19 at the start of the season and the Preds already seem confident that he is ready.

    #5 Elias Lindholm, C, Brynas (Swe), 48 GP 11+19=30

    • Plus: Played quality minutes (16 mpg) in the SEL this year and his draft year point total puts him in some lofty company amongst the likes of Forsberg, Backstrom & Sedin's.
    • Minus: Racked up a high ratio of points on the PP (13 of 30), didn't shoot much (just 1.6 spg) and didn't take a lot of draws (1.4 /gm). Scouting reports tout his two-way game so could he be destined for more of a defensive role?
    • ETA: Canes GM Rutherford said he'd be shocked if EL didn't make the team this year... so I guess we'll be shocked as well.

    #6 Sean Monahan, C, Ottawa (OHL), 58 GP 31+47=78

    • Plus: His size, smarts & two-way ability make him a sure-fire NHLer and he fills a desperate need for a C in Calgary. Played on a weak team but was in on nearly 44% of Ottawa's goals. Legend has it that he has never lost a faceoff in his life.
    • Minus: Had a low ESP/gm this year (.69) as nearly half his points came on the PP. Disappointed at Canada's WJC camp and was an early cut.
    • ETA: Flames GM Jay Feaster said he wanted a player who could play right away and Monahan should get a chance to play key minutes.

    #7 Hunter Shinkaruk, C, Medicine Hat (WHL), 64 GP 37+49=86

    • Plus: Had 49 goals in his draft-1 season and had a point on nearly 40% of The Hat's goals this year. He's a very hungry and driven player that I think will strive to improve.
    • Minus: He lacks size and his stock tumbled at the draft. His production dropped slightly from 2011/12 to this season.
    • ETA: Has one year left of Jr. and then he's likely to see time with the Canucks AHL affiliate.

    #8 Anthony Mantha, RW, Val d'Or (QMJHL), 67 GP 50+39=89

    • Plus: 50 goals, 37 at evens, and 323 shots (nearly 5 spg) this year gets my attention and Detroit will only help him develop.
    • Minus: The Red Wings will be patient, so you may not see him in NHL for 3-4 years. There are questions about his worth ethic & consistency.
    • ETA: He'll likely follow the Red Wings script, so another year of Jr. and then a season or two in the AHL.

    #9 Ryan Pulock, D, Brandon (WHL), 61 GP 14+31=45

    • Plus: Led all draft eligible CHL dmen by being in on 28% of Brandon's goals this year. Has a cannon of a shot which should allow him to make hay on the NYI PP.
    • Minus: His numbers dropped from his draft-1 season (.85 to .74 ppg) as Brandon was pretty awful this season. Something about him ending up with the Islanders makes me uneasy... maybe that's just me.
    • ETA: Regardless if he is ready or not, the Islanders will make the cheapskate move and leave Pulock in Jr. for another season and send him to the AHL next year.

    #10 Valeri Nichushkin, RW, Chelyabinsk (KHL), 18 GP 4+2=6

    • Plus: Has the physical tools - the size & speed to be a dominant player and showed flashes of his ability at the WJC, U-18s & in the KHL playoffs (six goals in 25 games).
    • Minus: Only played 8:22/gm during the KHL regular season this year so his low production is understandable but he did only register 1.1 spg and shot 21%. He was brutal in the junior league (MHL) last season with only 4+6=10 in 38 games. Also, there is "The Russian Factor" as the KHL is always an option.
    • ETA: He will either play in the NHL or KHL this year and Dallas sounds like they are going to rush him into the lineup, possibly to avoid any issues... but I can't see him playing much this season.

    If you want to evaluate how we did last year, you can check out our 2012 Top 10 list here.

    Meet the New Neighbors: The Caps and the Metropolitan Division

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    Gone are the lazy, hazy days of Summer in the Southeast – now that moving day has come and gone, it's time to scope out the new neighbors in the Metropolitan Division to see just what the Caps will be up against this season. There are some old evils-turned-division rivals (‘sup, Sid?), some who made the move right alongside the Caps (can’t quit you, 'Canes) and a brand new face on the Eastern Conference scene (love ya, ‘Lumbus).

    With training camp inching mercifully closer, let's take a look at the new digs...

    Carolina Hurricanes
    Key Players - Eric Staal, Jordan Staal, Alexander Semin, Cam Ward
    Former Caps - Alexander Semin
    All-Time Record vs. Washington [as Carolina] - 33-41-14
    Playoff Series vs. Washington - 0
    Offseason Additions - Signed Mike Komisarek (D) to a one-year deal; acquired Andrej Sekera (D) from the Sabres; signed Nathan Gerbe (F) to a one-year deal; signed Anton Khudobin (G) to a one-year deal

    Howdy, neighbor - The Caps may have shaken the rest of their Southeast pals in the division realignment, but darn it if those pesky 'Canes just won’t go away. The team that collects Staal brothers like hockey cards will get another go-round as a division rival after fourteen years in the Southeast, so there are plenty of familiar faces – including one particularly familiar one in Alexander Semin – to draw the ire of the Caps and their fans alike this season.

    Just like last year, the 'Canes are fairly loaded up front with Eric and Jordan Staal, Jeff Skinner, the surprising Jiri Tlusty and Semin - and just like last year, they'll be followed by a fairly weak defense (albeit minus Joe Corvo, which is the definition of addition by subtraction). The blue line has improved slightly from last season with the addition of Mike Komisarek and Andrej Sekera, and the bargain signing of Nathan Gerbe could turn out to be a good one (or at least a low risk one, compared with some other contracts they've thrown around recently...), but did they upgrade enough to keep pace with their new division? Tough to say.

    In net, as always, will be Cam Ward, who will likely have to play beyond his abilities (and stay healthy) just to keep his team afloat in a tougher division. He's not elite but he can certainly steal games, and we saw last year how closely the team's fortunes are tied to his availability - of course, if he should falter or fall injured, the pickup of Boston's discarded backup goalie in Anton Khudobin could also prove to be a key move by Jim Rutherford. Certainly an improvement over Dan Ellis...

    Columbus Blue Jackets
    Key Players - Nathan Horton, Marian Gaborik, Sergei Bobrovsky, R.J. "They play the wrong way" Umberger
    Former Caps - none
    All-Time Record vs. Washington - 4-6-4
    Playoff Series vs. Washington - 0
    Offseason Additions - Signed Nathan Horton (F) to a seven-year deal

    Howdy, Neighbor - The new kids on the block, the Blue Jackets enter the Metropolitan Division as something of an underdog on the rise... which is potentially a little unnerving for their new division rivals, especially since they're already used to fighting it out in a pretty tough division out west. A team that seemed to capture the hearts of everyone who wasn’t fighting with them for a playoff spot back in April, they’ve got a new general manager, a bevy of former Rangers on hand and a Vezina-winner in net - not to mention a much friendlier travel schedule than in previous years.

    Along with their ex-Ranger contingent, the biggest piece they added this offseason was Nathan Horton, who signed a long-term deal earlier this month, but it remains to be seen whether he can stay healthy and take a larger role after being a good complementary piece (but hardly a star) on the Bruins. If not, it could be a long seven years.

    On the blue line, the Blue Jackets are still fairly young (or in the case of James Wisniewski, massively overpaid) and not that scary. Plus there's no guarantee that Sergei Bobrovsky maintains his Vezina-winning, post-Flyers euphoria through a full season (although let's be honest, there's no chance a Columbus goalie follows up a great half-season, award-winning performance with a dud... right?). But while they might not be in line to challenge for the division title just yet, one gets the sense that Columbus could keep pace with the Caps this year for those final playoff spots.

    New Jersey Devils
    Key Players - Ilya Kovalchuk, Travis Zajac, Jaromir Jagr, Patrik Elias, Martin Brodeur
    Former Caps - Dainius Zubrus, Jaromir Jagr
    All-Time Record vs. Washington [as NJ] - 72-77-9
    Playoff Series vs. Washington - 2
    Offseason Additions - Signed Michael Ryder (F) to a two-year deal; signed Ryane Clowe (F) to a five-year deal; signed Jaromir Jagr (F) to a one-year deal; signed Rostislav Olesz (F) to a one-year deal; acquired Cory Schneider (G) from the Canucks

    Howdy, Neighbor - Kovalchuk and David Clarkson are gone. Martin Brodeur suddenly has some legitimate competition for the top goaltending spot. And our old pal and well-known mercenary Jaromir Jagr is headed to Newark. Changes abound in the Garden State, with the Devils looking less and less like the one that made a surprise run to the Final just over a year ago.

    Coming off of a less-than-stellar 2013 campaign and a tumultuous (to say the least) offseason, the Devils are something of a wild card – they still have talent, and suddenly have cap space to burn now that Kovalchuk's taken his mammoth contract off the books, so there's a chance they could add a few more pieces and surprise. That said, their lineup is littered with aging veterans past their prime, from Devils lifers like Patrik Elias and Martin Brodeur to newcomer and 41-year-old Jagr, in a division with loads of young talent.

    Could be another tough year in Jersey.

    New York Islanders
    Key Players - John Tavares, Matt Moulson, Travis Hamonic, Lubomir Visnovsky
    Former Caps - none
    All-Time Record vs. Washington - 86-84-23
    Playoff Series vs. Washington - 6
    Offseason Additions - Acquired Cal Clutterbuck (F) from Minnesota, signed Pierre-Marc Bouchard (F) to a one-year deal

    Howdy, Neighbor - The Islanders were the playoff darlings this past spring as they made the Pittsburgh Penguins work for the series win in the first round before ultimately falling in six games. Thanks in large part to a stellar (and MVP finalist-worthy) performance by John Tavares, the Islanders seemed to regain a bit of credibility after years of wallowing at the bottom of the conference.

    Content to go forward with the young core they have in place, the Isles made just a couple of offseason addition - trading for Cal Clutterbuck on draft day and signing Pierre-Marc Bouchard to a one-year deal - but tweaked little else (unless you count finally buying out Rick DiPietro's monster contract). So it's hard to say that this is a team poised for greatness, as beyond Tavares and maybe one or two others in their core group there aren't too many "stars" on this roster. If they want to take the next step they may need to upgrade in net - but ownership doesn't seem to be in a rush to go on a spending spree and until that changes (or ownership changes) they'll at least be a team that's a pain in the rear to play. Which is something, at least.

    New York Rangers
    Key Players - Henrik Lundqvist, Ryan McDonagh, Rick Nash, Derek Stepan
    Former Caps - none
    All-Time Record vs. Washington - 87-86-24
    Playoff Series vs. Washington - 8
    Offseason Additions - signed Dominic Moore (F) to a one-year deal; signed Benoit Pouliot (F) to a one-year deal; acquired Justin Falk from Minnesota

    Howdy, Neighbor - After meeting them in the playoffs three of the last four years, the Caps clearly weren't sick enough of playing the Rangers... so now they get to play them even more as newly reacquainted division rivals. But with John Tortorella given the boot earlier this summer, the Rangers team the Caps will be facing this year may not look exactly like it has in years past.

    The task now falls to new bench boss Alain Vigneault to take on a team with a few big names and a lot of role players, and attempt to turn them into a Metropolitan Division powerhouse. They've still got all of the pieces they acquired from Columbus at the deadline for sniper Marian Gaborik, and Nash can certainly score when he feels like it, and Brad Richards... is also there. Neither of their big money forwards stepped it up during the playoffs and Richards appears to be getting one last shot at redeeming himself, but if they can lock up underrated stud Derek Stepan, that may not matter. And while they may lack some depth on the back end, the Rangers do have a couple of guys who are more than capable of shutting down the high-flying offense this division boasts - particularly in newly re-signed defenseman Ryan McDonagh.

    But as usual the Rangers begin and end with the man between the pipes, and regardless of the game plan Vigneault puts in place one imagines it will ultimately boil down to "wait for Henrik Lundqvist to make the save." As it should.

    Philadelphia Flyers
    Key Players - Claude Giroux, Scott Hartnell, Vincent Lecavalier, Sean Couturier
    Former Caps - none
    All-Time Record vs. Washington - 102-67-25
    Playoff Series vs. Washington - 4
    Offseason Additions - signed Lecavalier (F) to a five-year deal; signed Mark Streit (D) to a four-year deal; signed Ray Emery (G) to a one-year deal

    Howdy, Neighbor - Another summer, another offseason of the Flyers Flyering all over the place. Surprisingly enough, they did make one good move by signing of Tampa exile Lecavalier, which filled a need for Philadelphia (albeit at a bit more money and term than was warranted). But because they're the Flyers, that was preceded by a four-year deal for one-trick pony (and 35-year-old) blueliner Mark Streit... a deal which required them to buy out not one but two of their preexisting ridiculous contracts, as they cut Danny Briere and Ilya Bryzgalov loose. That's $26 million for two guys not to play for them, for those of you keeping track at home.

    The Flyers could be poised to possibly bounce back from an early tee time last season, with some pretty talented forwards on the roster. Giroux's off-year last year was probably an anomaly, and between him and Couturier and Lecavalier the Flyers have some decent scoring punch up front.

    Of course, the blue line is another story as the roughly 27 defensemen they have on their roster could probably combine to equal 2.5 legitimate NHL defensemen. And behind them is a goaltending tandem of Ray Emery and Steve Mason (although at least this time neither one is locked up for a million years, so that's... something). Looking around the division, offense appears to be much stronger than goaltending and defense - but if you're the weakest of the bunch in that department, you could be in trouble when the Sidney Crosbys and Alex Ovechkins come to town. And they plan on visiting a lot.

    Pittsburgh Penguins
    Key Players - Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, James Neal
    Former Caps - Tomas Vokoun
    All-Time Record vs. Washington - 96-83-21
    Playoff Series vs. Washington - too many 8
    Offseason Additions - signed Rob Scuderi (D) to a four-year deal

    Howdy, Neighbor - Ah, the Penguins. In a division full of teams and players to hate, this bunch tops the list in both categories - but they're also the team to beat in the division, unfortunately (which may say more about the division than the team itself but that's a different issue...and let us not forget that they got swept by a team that was almost ousted by Toronto in the playoffs). There's no question that the Penguins have some pretty decent talent up front, particularly at center, with Crosby and Malkin providing a potent one-two punch that really is unmatched in the division and likely will be for the foreseeable future. James Neal continues to put up big numbers, while Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kunitzcashed in big time for being a Crosby winger provide some secondary scoring for a team not exactly lacking in that area.

    Behind them, of course, is where it gets a bit more interesting. Kris Letang is a talented offensive defenseman but had some of his weaknesses magnified in the playoffs, which a team with a rough defense to begin with couldn't really afford. The blue line was shored up a bit with the (re)addition of Rob Scuderi, but whether "The Piece" can make that much of a difference remains to be seen.

    And let's not forget the circus in net that is Marc-Andre Fleury... at times brilliant, at others incredibly leaky (and hilarious) and most of the time merely average, he lost the starter's job in the playoffs but allegedly will have it back to start the season. If he can't hold it, Tomas Vokoun is, as we all know, a perfectly viable back-up - but if he's unable to rescue Fleury (or can't stay healthy, a bigger issue for him in his career), the Pens could have trouble maintaining the torrid pace they set last year.

    ***********

    So there you have it, the Metropolitan Division (which will never not be weird to type) in a nutshell. We'll delve deeper into the fun new twists and turns of this second coming of the Patrick Division over the next few weeks - but for now, take a look around, explore the sights, and get ready for what should be a pretty entertaining season in our new 'hood.

    Saturday Morning Open Thread: Still Not Much Going On

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    171052272

    Well, we're getting to the point in the offseason when there's literally nothing to talk about. Here's the top three things upcoming for the New York Rangers in terms of news:

    1) Derek Stepan's negotiations/contract talks.

    2) The lineup for the Traverse City tournament.

    3) Did I mention Stepan's negotiations, yet?

    Of course there's also the Henrik Lundqvist extension we're hoping to see sometime soon, and maybe a hint or comment on some of the prospects or kids the Rangers are expecting to see next year. Personally, the Traverse City lineup is really interesting for me. Especially since the Rangers allegedly had an agreement with prospect Sergei Tolchinsky that he would play for them in the tournament.

    Remember, the Rangers didn't sign him to a contract after prospects camp, and he did go to the Carolina Hurricanes. So both the Rangers and Hurricanes can offer him a contract. We'll see what's happening here sooner rather than later.

    Anyway, thoughts guys?

    Quick Hits: Remembering Shawn Burr

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    Red Wings News

    Former first-rounder Shawn Burr dies at 47 | ProHockeyTalk
    He battled leukemia for three years.

    Bob Probert: The Enforcer Of The Detroit Red Wings - Octopus Thrower
    Speaking about players whose lives ended tragically.

    Chris Chelios heading to broadcast booth, joins Fox Sports 1 as analyst - NHL - Sporting News
    So is he leaving the Wings or is this more of a part-time thing?

    Join Be The Match Marrow Registry as a potential bone marrow donor

    Help the cause guys. Do it for Shawn!

    Shawn Burr, who played 11 years for Red Wings, remembered as 'fun-loving guy' and 'solid player' | MLive.com

    Jimmy D on Burr: "He was a good guy, a pretty good player for us. Always an upbeat kid, good sense of humor. He was a good human being. He was too young.''.

    Former Detroit Red Wings player Shawn Burr passes away at 47 - NHL.com - News

    Cause of death is apparently massive brain trauma.

    Pat Caputo: Three Reasons Shawn Burr Was A Great Red Wing " CBS Detroit

    The only reason I decided to include this article is to show you guys how terrible Pat Caputo is. A two-year old could write a better article than this. #FirePat

    Mitch Albom: Shawn Burr's spirit shines even after his death | Detroit Free Press

    Albom hits the nail on this one: "I know no one lives forever. But this just feels unfair.".

    Doctor Who: A Red Wings Comparison – Part 1 – The Villains | Pucking Wings

    I've never watched this show, probably never will, but I am sure some of you guys have.

    NHL News

    Phoenix Coyotes sale finalized after NHL Board of Governors approval - SBNation.com
    I bet you something is going to happen to screw this up.

    Carolina Hurricanes, National Hockey League of Nations | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports

    PD continues their little League of Nations series.

    Poll: Is Martin St. Louis on a Hall of Fame pace? | ProHockeyTalk
    I'd say so. I still think that he needs another cup to be a sure-fire thing.

    Phoenix Coyotes nightmare ends as NHL approves sale, out clause and all | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
    See you in Seattle in 5 years!

    USA Hockey's junior evaluation camp spices up hockey's midsummer desert - SBNation.com
    August is the worst for hockey.

    Coyotes hold off on name change | ProHockeyTalk
    It will stay as the Phoenix Coyotes for at least this season.

    Sabres sign journeyman minor-league forward Jamie Tardif to 1-year contract - The Hockey News
    Tardif played 5 seasons with the Griffins.

    Iginla hoping to stay in Boston past this season | ProHockeyTalk

    I bet you that he said the same things about Pittsburgh.

    Let's Go Red Wings!

    More from Winging It In Motown:


    Quick Takes: Tim Wallace and Andreas Nodl Sign In Europe, Chad LaRose Next?

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    20130204_lbm_ss9_018

    Reports on Twitter Tuesday confirmed that Tim Wallace and Andreas Nodl will join former teammates Bobby Sanguinetti, Tim Brent, and Marc-Andre Bergeron in Europe this coming season.

    Wallace, who played in 28 games for the Hurricanes last season, signed to play in the Swedish Hockey League. Nodl played in eight games in Carolina last season. He will play in Switzerland.

    Brent said his goodbyes on Twitter last week after his new KHL team, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod announced his signing. The center was a huge disappointment last season as he failed to score a single goal in 30 games.

    Sanguinetti and Bergeron had previously announced their signings in Europe.

    _____

    Where will Chad LaRose sign?

    Luke DeCock had an interesting article in Sunday's paper which created quite a buzz about the rise and fall of Chad LaRose. In the article, DeCock says that LaRose did not answer texts or phone messages, meaning that the winger is looking to stay out of the media.

    Remember that Jim Rutherford threw the winger under the bus during his end of season press conference when he told local media that LaRose skipped his end of season interview.

    With most teams under severe salary cap pressure and with many free agents still on the market, LaRose could be hard pressed to get an NHL contract. Could it be long before there is an announcement of his signing in Europe?

    The Michigan native's numbers last season were not impressive as he scored just two goals and two assists in 35 games, but his average minutes of ice time per game dropped from a career high 16:46 in 2011-12 to 12:51 per game in 2012-13.

    _____

    Open Ice with Ryan Murphy

    The Carolina Hurricanes are keeping up some fresh content over the slow month of August. This week they posted part one of a behind the scenes look at Ryan Murphy's experience at development camp. Check it out here.

    The Metropolitan Division's Top 10 Goalies: 2013-14

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    168028417

    The start of a fresh new season is inching ever closer (and on time, too, wonder of wonders), and with it, thanks to realignment, comes a fresh new crop of division rivals. So it can't hurt to get a little refresher course on just who the Caps will be facing the most this season, and just how the Division's top players stack up against one another.

    As we've done in the past, we'll be counting down the top ten players by position - this time in the Metropolitan Division - as well as the top prospects from the eight teams. And to kick it all off, the guys between the pipes...

    Honorable mention: Martin Brodeur, Steve Mason

    10. Ray Emery, Philadelphia Flyers


    GPMINWLOGAGAASASVSV%SO
    2012-13 (CHI)2111161710361.94460424.9223

    Emery has been one of the NHL's better redemption stories in recent years, turning around a career that seemed destined to be sidetracked by injuries and off-ice issues before finally winning a Cup with Chicago this past spring. And this summer he returned to the place where that redemption story began, Philadelphia, to try and lend some credibility to a netminding situation that always seems to be lacking in that department. His numbers were sparkling last year as a 1A to Corey Crawford (including just one loss in 21 regular season games) and he's been solid overall throughout his career. That said, let's be honest... the road may be a bit bumpier this year than it was last year, because (understatement alert) the Flyers are not the Blackhawks.

    9. Evgeni Nabokov, New York Islanders


    GPMINWLOGAGAASASVSV%SO
    2012-13 (NYI)412475231171032.5011391036.9103

    Like the Flyers, the Islanders have had some turbulence in net in recent years - so if nothing else Nabokov provided them with some semblance of stability this past season. His numbers were decent but not spectacular, and there were times in the first round matchup with Pittsburgh where his team seemed to win in spite of him (or worse, lose because of him). Still, he played almost 2500 minutes, second only to Lundqvist in the Atlantic last year, faced the fifth-most shots in the NHL and posted three shutouts along the way.

    8. Michal Neuvirth, Washington Capitals


    GPMINWLOGAGAASASVSV%SO
    2012-13 (WSH)13723442332.74367334.9100

    Prior to the shortened 2013 season, Michal Neuvirth stated that Braden Holtby would be his "weakest competition yet"... which unfortunately still didn't assure him the starting goaltender job, as Neuvirth would play in just 13 games last year. Only four of those would be wins, as well (although some of that falls on his team, as those four wins were also the only four games in which they gave him any run support). That said, he saw his save percentage rise from the previous season despite getting less work and handled his light workload - complete with razor-thin margins of error - like a professional (despite his offseason chattering). And at just 24 he's still not quite in his prime; he may not have the starter's job (yet) but he's one of the Division's better backups.

    7. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins


    GPMINWLOGAGAASASVSV%SO
    2012-13 (PIT)3318582380742.39881807.9161

    When Marc-Andre Fleury is good, he is very, very good... but when he is bad, he is horrid. And that's what puts him just about middle-of-the-pack in the Division and the League, even after a pretty decent (statistically speaking) 2013 regular season. He probably takes a bit more flak than he deserves, particularly for someone who plays behind a defense that's not exactly made up of Nicklas Lidstrom clones. But he has a tendency to be a bit leaky, a fact which was on full display in the playoffs. The starter's job is apparently his to lose this season despite handing over the net to Vokoun prior to Game 5 against New York - whether he loses it or not remains to be seen.

    6. Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes


    GPMINWLOGAGAASASVSV%SO
    2012-13 (CAR)17929961442.84477433.9080

    On March 3, the night Cam Ward's season would end, the Hurricanes had a four-point lead in the Southeast Division. After that game the 'Canes would pick up wins in three of their next four before dropping 19 of their final 23 games, to say nothing of the Division title. Ward, like Fleury, is a decent but unspectacular goalie (in fact their career numbers are eerily similar) - but Ward lacks some of the leakiness of Fleury, and after last season it's hard to say that the 'Canes don't live and die with the success (or health) of their goalie.

    5. Tomas Vokoun, Pittsburgh Penguins


    GPMINWLOGAGAASASVSV%SO
    2012-13 (PIT)2010281340422.45519477.9193

    No one needs to tell Caps fans that when Vokoun is healthy and on, there aren't many who are better. And while we have the benefit of hindsight, it's hard to see the Penguins even getting out of the first round if he's not there to bail out Fleury in Game 5 against the Islanders. He'll be there to bail him out again if Dan Bylsma's decision to go back to Fleury this season backfires... that is, if he can stay healthy, and at 37 he may not respond in an 82-game campaign the way he did in a shorter, 48-game season.

    4. Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals


    GPMINWLOGAGAASASVSV%SO
    2012-13 (WSH)36208923121902.5811231033.9204

    It's probably fair to say that Braden Holtby stumbled a little bit last season, first at the beginning of the season and again (and more noticeably) in the playoffs. The Holtby who barely flinched when met with a stick-swinging Rich Peverley a year ago now seemed a bit more tentative, a bit sloppier, and his inconsistency was part of the reason the Caps fell to the Rangers in the first round. Having said that, he still had far more great games than bad ones - and Holtby is still young enough (he'll be 24 by the time the season starts) that a few hiccups are bound to happen. Those hiccups certainly haven't derailed his terrific numbers, either, whether it's regular season or playoffs. Time will tell with him, but he's off to a very good start.

    3. Cory Schneider, New Jersey Devils


    GPMINWLOGAGAASASVSV%SO
    2012-13 (VAN)3017331794612.11835774.9275

    The fact that someone could get traded to this division just a little over a month ago and instantly leap up to the top three probably speaks volumes about the goaltending depth/talent among these eight teams... but that's certainly not to take away from the fact that Schneider is a pretty decent goalie in his own right. His stunning trade to New Jersey on Draft Day didn't just blow the roof off of Prudential Center, it also set Schneider up as heir apparent to Martin Brodeur's throne. It's possible that Schneider and Brodeur will split the starter's job all season, but with the latter's performance starting to slip (as evidenced by his absence from this list), it wouldn't be all that surprising to see Schneider take over as The Guy by January... if not sooner.

    2. Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets


    GPMINWLOGAGAASASVSV%SO
    2012-13 (CBJ)38221921116742.0010841010.9324

    There's no question that 24-year-old Bobrovsky took a huge step forward in his career last season, shaking off the Curse of the Flyers to post a career-high save percentage (and second-highest in the League) of .932 and earning his first career shutout (plus three more) en route to a Vezina Trophy win (along with an award for best dressed). It was his performance that almost singlehandedly kept the Blue Jackets in the playoff race last season, keeping his team afloat until practically the last day of the season. Still, the sample size is a bit too small and the lockout-shortened season too full of anomalies to anoint him the class of the division just yet...

    1. Henrik Lundqivst, New York Rangers


    GPMINWLOGAGAASASVSV%SO
    2012-13 (NYR)43257524163882.0511901102.9262

    ...which brings us to #1. Posting characteristically great numbers (despite the fact that his team declined a bit overall from the previous season), Lundqvist remains one of the game's best. He played in all but five of the Rangers' 48 games last year and finished in the League's top five in wins, saves, shots faced and save percentage - all of which resulted in being named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy for the fifth time in his career. And of course we all remember what he did to the Caps in the playoffs...

    Until proven otherwise, Henrik remains the King.

    How the Nashville Predators Landed Seth Jones: Fox Sports Debuts "Driven: The South is on the Clock"

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    If you wanted to get a glimpse into the process which led to Seth Jones becoming a Nashville Predator, Fox Sports South is airing "DRIVEN: 2013 NHL Draft, The South is on the Clock" this month, a welcome bit of hockey viewing for fans trying to make it through the dog days of summer.

    A producer at Fox Sports was good enough to send me a DVD of the program, which provides a look "behind the scenes" as the Nashville Predators, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning all prepared for the 2nd-5th picks in the 2013 NHL Draft.

    Jones' Fall Was Nashville's Triumph

    Looking at this process through the rear-view mirror, knowing that Seth Jones fell to the Predators at #4, you can't help but get excited when you hear the top scouts from each of these southern teams rave about Jones as being not only an elite defenseman, but the type of individual whose maturity should help him make the transition into professional hockey.

    Of particular interest are the scenes in which we see the Predators staff knock heads together over draft strategy. Chief Amateur Scout Jeff Kealty calls out names to be put on the board to start the conversation - "Jones, MacKinnon, Drouin, Barkov". Was that their internal team ranking to start with? It seems reasonable enough, and later on he emphatically stresses that Jones is the top overall player. General Manager David Poile speaks to the necessity of walking through various scenarios, just in case the opportunity comes along to move up into a higher draft position, or perhaps move back a spot.

    When we get to draft time, the excitement builds not only for the players, but for the general managers. David Poile and Steve Yzerman keep an eye on the Colorado Avalanche, while Carolina GM Jimmy Rutherford talks about potentially moving back to #7, or up to #3 for Tampa's pick.

    As it turns out, of course, Jones lands in the Predators' lap, and Poile's enthusiasm is palpable as he makes the announcement. Analyst Pierre McGuirre raves about the absolute steal that Nashville is getting away with, and there are beaming smiles and back slaps all around, not the least of which comes from Seth's father Popeye Jones, who proudly notes that he's a Tennessee product himself, and is happy to see his son heading to Nashville.

    All in all, this makes for a nice glimpse into how individual teams not only prepare for the draft, but how their interaction can shape events on what is one of the most exciting days on the NHL calendar. If anything, it serves as a teaser for the type of programming that fans would eagerly soak up, much like Edmonton's "Oil Change" series.

    If you weren't able to catch the show when it premiered a few days ago (an Atlanta Braves post-game show ran late, pushing it later than expected), it will air again Friday, August 9 at 9:30 p.m. Central on Fox Sports South.

    More from On the Forecheck:

    Linus Omark "Has Something Going On"

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    Thanks to a tremendous amount of help from @Tsetse_fly I was able to translate and take some meaning from this Linus Omark article by Linus Norberg in Aftonbladet from August 2nd. Norberg spoke with both Omark and his agent Patrik Aronsson and laid out a scenario in with Omark is on the verge of returning to the NHL.

    Omark has considered offers from a number of teams and SEL Club Brynäs has pursued him in order to reunite him with past teammate Johan Harju. But Omark is determined to play in the NHL this season, and Aronsson is quoted as saying Omark is close to a deal with an NHL club, but it's not done yet, and he's not willing to name the team.

    Omark also told Norberg that the Oilers are "finally" willing to trade his rights.

    While there's been speculation that another team (the Coyotes and Panthers have been mentioned most frequently) may send Omark an offer sheet that would require no compensation, the way Omark and Aronsson tell it, Omark is attempting to negotiate his own sign-and-trade deal in order to play in NHL.

    Though Phoenix does seem like the most logical suitor, the Canucks, Blackhawks, Hurricanes and Capitals all have a need for scoring talent on the cheap.


    Canes With Questions In Bottom Six

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    The Hurricanes first line of Eric Staal, Jiri Tlusty, and Alexander Semin was one of the most lethal lines in the league last season. There is little doubt they will make every effort to keep that line together again this coming year.

    The second line is still up in the air, but if coach Kirk Muller decides to keep his next best three players of Jordan Staal, Jeff Skinner, and Tuomo Ruutu together, that does not leave much scoring experience within the bottom two lines.

    Patrick Dwyer had a good season last year, (8G 8A 16 points), and Nathan Gerbe has notched points in bunches earlier in his career, but after that, the Canes have no one with proven success in NHL scoring.

    At this time, here is the list of remaining players who will be fighting to fill the bottom six slots:

    Elias Lindholm, Riley Nash, Drayson Bowman, Zac Dalpe, Aaron Palushaj, Kevin Westgarth, Jeremy Welsh, Brody Sutter, (Victor Rask), and a few other players who signed two-way deals.

    The Hurricanes not only need a proven scorer, but they also need someone with penalty killing experience in this role as well.

    Brenden Morrow's name has been tossed out there as a possibility and he could bring what the Canes need.  But he earned $4 million last year and is most likely out of Carolina's budget.  It's the same story for another top level free agent, Mikhail Grabovski, who is also out of this team's price range.

    Who might be a more affordable option?

    Brad Boyes had a good year for the Islanders last season, (48 Games- 10G 25A 35P) and he can kill penalties.  He's been around a bit, but he's not too old to be effective and is usually a durable player.  Last season he signed a $1 million dollar deal for New York, but he is most likely looking for a bit more now.

    Daniel Cleary and Mason Raymond are also interesting options, although they earned $3 and $2.275 million last year, respectively.

    All of the above players might be out of reach, so don't be surprised if Carolina picks up someone along the lines of Chuck Kobasew, who the organization has liked for a long time.  Kobasew teamed up with Eric Staal in Lowell back during the 2004-05 lockout year to help form one of the best one-two scoring punches in the AHL at the time.  (The Canes shared the Loch Monsters with the Calgary Flames).

    The winger's best scoring days are behind him, but he brings a solid two-way game with him and he can help kill penalties.  If the Canes cannot free up some money, he might be a more realistic addition.

    We will have much more discussion about this in the coming days.

    2004-2009 Draft Success, Round 2 And Beyond

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    In his article about Teemu Hartikainen, Michael Parkatti made note of the Oilers' peformance in the draft after the first round:

    "...the Oilers haven't had a non-first round pick make it to 200 games in the NHL since Stortini & Brodziak in 2003.... players taken a decade ago."

    I followed up on that by looking at players drafted outside of the first round between 2004-2009 and total games played in the league, not specifically for the team that drafted the player. I summed those by team in the table below.

    Players drafted in rounds two and beyond, 2004-2009, to have played 200+ NHL games
    Drafted By# of players
    Boston Bruins6
    Montreal Canadiens6
    Nashville Predators5
    New York Rangers5
    Chicago Blackhawks4
    Columbus Blue Jackets4
    Dallas Stars4
    Detroit Red Wings4
    New York Islanders4
    San Jose Sharks4
    Toronto Maple Leafs4
    Vancouver Canucks4
    Buffalo Sabres3
    Colorado Avalanche3
    Los Angeles Kings3
    Pittsburgh Penguins3
    Anaheim Ducks2
    Calgary Flames2
    Minnesota Wild2
    Phoenix Coyotes2
    Atlanta Thrashers1
    Carolina Hurricanes1
    Florida Panthers1
    St. Louis Blues1
    Tampa Bay Lightning1
    Edmonton Oilers0
    New Jersey Devils0
    Ottawa Senators0
    Philadelphia Flyers0
    Washington Capitals0

    The Oilers are one of five teams who fall into this category. Jeff Petry will certainly surpass 200 games played if he stays healthy this season, but it's a longshot for anyone else in that group. Even noted player development hellhole Atlanta has a tickmark for.

    Note that Stu MacGregor was in charge of scouting for only the 2008 and 2009 drafts, But considering the players taken in those two classes: Cameron Abney, Jordan Bendfield, Kyle Bigos, Philippe Cornet, Teemu Hartikainen, Troy Hesketh, Anton Lander, Johan Motin, Toni Rajala, and Olivier Roy, it seems that only Lander has a chance of playing 200 games in the NHL at this point.

    The Oilers have been the worst team in the league since 2006-07, yet they couldn't manage to find a regular spot for any of their 32 picks aside from Petry. The teams they're keeping company with have, at the very least, made the playoffs, which raises the question, which came first, the player development problem or the scouting problem?

    NHL Seattle Expansion Draft 2013: Who gets picked?

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    With the somewhat surprising rumblings emerging that there is a possibility of an expansion franchise being awarded to the city of Seattle we here at AIH chose to look at just who would make up that new team. Of course this is all hypothetical, as a draft such as this would occur in June before the draft or free agency occurred.

    Following the previous models of expansion drafts, most recently in June of 2000 when Minnesota and Columbus got the chance to pick a rag tag group of players from a list that their NHL counterparts had chosen not to protect. When Geoff Sanderson is the best of that bunch, you know that there's not a lot to choose from. Which is not meant to be a slight to Sanderson, who put in 355 NHL goals and was more than capable of contributing to his team, but is meant to show that there were no superstars available for the choosing.

    The reason for that was that each team was allowed to select players they would protect from being chosen. They had the option of protecting 1 goalie, 5 defenders and 9 forwards, or they could protect 2 goalies but that would mean they could only protect 3 defenders and 7 forwards. There were also stipulations on ensuring that some players with experience were left open to be chosen, such as a defender per team that had played 40 NHL games the previous season, or 70 in the previous 2. There is yet another stipulation protecting first or second year players.Only one player is to be chosen from any team.

    With these rules in mind, we looked at the current NHL rosters to try to determine who would be protected by each team, and then drafted a team from the remaining pool of players.

    So with the lists compiled, all that's left is to do the draft. Here's how the new team turned out:

    Screechowls_medium

    SEATTLE SCREECHOWLS***

    GNiklas BackstromMinnesota
    GBen BishopTampa Bay
    GBen ScrivensLos Angeles
    DRaphael DiazMontreal
    DScott HannanSan Jose
    DEd JovanovskiFlorida
    DAdam McQuaidBoston
    DDerek MorrisPhoenix
    DShane O`BrienCalgary
    DMichal RozsivalChicago
    DNick SchultzEdmonton
    DMark StreitPhiladelphia
    DMark StuartWinnipeg
    DHenrik TallinderBuffalo
    FJared BollColumbus
    FDave BollandToronto
    FErik ColeDallas
    FJason ChimeraWashington
    FPatrick DwyerCarolina
    FTanner GlassPittsburgh
    FMatt HendricksNashville
    FClarke MacArthurOttawa
    FMatt MartinNew York Islanders
    FCody McLeodColorado
    FDominic MooreNew York Rangers
    FMagnus PaajarviSt. Louis
    FMikael SamuelssonDetroit
    FJordan SchroederVancouver
    FDaniel WinnikAnaheim
    FDainius ZubrusNew Jersey

    So there it is. Naturally, the roster would be subject to the draft, so a Seth Jones or Nathan MacKinnon would be in there. You would also have free agent acquisitions like Brad Boyes, Peter Mueller or Ron Hainsey. Don't laugh: he'd easily make this team.

    Disagree? Of course you do!Let us know what you would have done differently in the comments section below.

    ***Editor's Note: With much love to Roy Macgregor and his Screechowls books.


    Metropolitan Division 2013 NHL Mock Expansion Draft

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    The Metropolitan Division may not have the most likable name in hockey, but the intensity of the rivalries should more than make up for the name. The former Atlantic Division is joined by Carolina and Washington from the Southeast, while Columbus makes the switch over to the Eastern Conference.

    Following the previous models of expansion drafts, most recently in June of 2000 when Minnesota and Columbus got the chance to pick a rag tag group of players from a list that their NHL counterparts had chosen not to protect. When Geoff Sanderson is the best of that bunch, you know that there's not a lot to choose from. Which is not meant to be a slight to Sanderson, who put in 355 NHL goals and was more than capable of contributing to his team, but is meant to show that there were no superstars available for the choosing.

    The reason for that was that each team was allowed to select players they would protect from being chosen. They had the option of protecting 1 goalie, 5 defenders and 9 forwards, or they could protect 2 goalies but that would mean they could only protect 3 defenders and 7 forwards. There were also stipulations on ensuring that some players with experience were left open to be chosen, such as a defender per team that had played 40 NHL games the previous season, or 70 in the previous 2. There is yet another stipulation protecting first or second year players.Only one player is to be chosen from any team.

    As close as these teams are geographically, it is the polar opposite for Seattle, who would be picking their players from a continent away. Here's how I think the players get protected:

    Large_medium

    CAROLINA HURRICANES

    The Hurricanes do not have a full roster right now, making it both easy and difficult to choose players. Assuming meets the requirements for leaving a veteran defender unprotected, he is the obvious choice, while the pickings at forward were also slim.

    ProtectedUnprotected
    G Cam WardG Anton Khudobin
    D Joni PitkanenD Mike Komisarek
    D Tim GleasonF Patrick Dwyer
    D Andrej SekeraF Kevin Westgarth
    D Jay Harrison
    D Justin Faulk
    F Eric Staal
    F Jordan Staal
    F Alexander Semin
    F Jeff Skinner
    F Tuomo Ruutu
    F Jiri Tlusty
    F Jeremy Welsh
    F Drayson Bowman
    F Jared Staal

    Large_medium

    COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

    Their drive for the post-season came up just short last year, and, even with an expansion draft, the Blue Jackets should be in contention to crack the post season again as part of the Metropolitan Division.

    ProtectedUnprotected
    G Sergei BobrovskyG Curtis McElhinney
    D James WisniewskiD Dalton Prout
    D Fedor TyutinF Jack Skille
    D Jack JohnsonF Mark Letestu
    D Nikita NikitinF Jared Boll
    D Tim ErixonF Derek MacKenzie
    F Marian GaborikF Blake Comeau
    F Nathan Horton
    F R.J. Umberger
    F Brandon Dubinsky
    F Artem Anisimov
    F Cam Atkinson
    F Nick Foligno
    F Matt Calvert
    F Ryan Johansen

    Large_medium

    NEW JERSEY DEVILS

    It feels like a sacrilege to leave Martin Brodeur unprotected, but it appears that the Devils have hitched their wagon to Cory Schneider for the foreseeable future. I doubt Brodeur would get picked though, or that he would really be all that willing to go if chosen.

    ProtectedUnprotected
    G Cory SchneiderG Martin Brodeur
    D Anton VolchenkovD Mark Fayne
    D Marek ZidlickyD Peter Harrold
    D Bryce SalvadorF Dainius Zubrus
    D Andy GreeneF Steve Bernier
    D Adam LarssonF Krystofer Barch
    F Travis ZajacF Jacob Josefson
    F Patrik EliasF Mattias Tedenby
    F Ryane CloweF Stephen Gionta
    F Jaromir Jagr
    F Adam Henrique
    F Andrei Loktionov
    F Michael Ryder
    F Rostislav Olesz
    F Ryan Carter

    Large_medium

    NEW YORK ISLANDERS

    Remember way back when I said the Panthers looked bad? Well...they do! The Islanders have the lowest cap hit in the league, and that includes over 2 million to Alexei Yashin, and they STILL look better than Florida. I guess that's a perk when you have John Tavares on your roster.

    ProtectedUnprotected
    G Evgeni NabokovG Kevin Poulin
    D Lubomir VisnovskyD Andrew MacDonald
    D Travis HamonicD Joe Finley
    D Matt CarknerF Casey Cizikas
    D Brian StraitF Matt Martin
    D Thomas HickeyF Peter Regin
    F John TavaresF Colin McDonald
    F Matt MoulsonF Eric Boulton
    F Josh Bailey
    F Michael Grabner
    F Kyle Okposo
    F Anders Lee
    F Pierre-Marc Bouchard
    F Frans Nielsen
    F Cal Clutterbuck

    Large_medium

    NEW YORK RANGERS

    I briefly considered leaving Brad Richards unprotected, but my name is not John Tortorella, and the Rangers would be wise to keep the centerman handy.

    ProtectedUnprotected
    G Henrik LundqvistG Martin Biron
    D Michael Del ZottoD John Moore
    D Ryan McDonaghD Justin Falk
    D Marc StaalD Aaron Johnson
    D Dan GirardiF Taylor Pyatt
    D Anton StralmanF Benoit Pouliot
    F Rick NashF Darroll Powe
    F Brad RichardsF Dominic Moore
    F Ryan CallahanF Arron Asham
    F Derick Brassard
    F Carl Hagelin
    F Chris Kreider
    F Derek Dorsett
    F Mats Zuccarello
    F Brian Boyle

    Large_medium

    PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

    The Flyers just signed Mark Streit as a UFA for big bucks and big term. That was stupid, so he's unprotected. Also Nik Grossmann, mostly because I don't see him as worth the contract he has.

    ProtectedUnprotected
    G Ray EmeryG Steve Mason
    D Kimmo TimonenD Mark Streit
    D Andrej MeszarosD Chris Pronger
    D Luke SchennD Nicklas Grossmann
    D Braydon CoburnD Bruno Gervais
    D Erik GustafssonD Marc-Andre Bourdon
    F Scott HartnellF Adam Hall
    F Vincent LecavalierF Zac Rinaldo
    F Jakub VoracekF Jay Rosehill
    F Wayne Simmonds
    F Claude Giroux
    F Brayden Schenn
    F Sean Couturier
    F Matt Read
    F Maxime Talbot

    Large_medium

    PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

    The Penguins do not feature the deepest team in the league, but they are so front loaded it barely makes a difference. The offseason reacquisition of Rob Scuderi made it possible for Engelland and Niskanen to go unprotected.

    ProtectedUnprotected
    G Marc-Andre FleuryG Tomas Vokoun
    D Kris LetangD Matt Niskanen
    D Paul MartinD Deryk Engelland
    D Brooks OrpikD Robert Bortuzzo
    D Rob ScuderiF Tanner Glass
    D Simon DespresF Joe Vitale
    F Sidney CrosbyF Matt D`Agostini
    F Evgeni Malkin
    F James Neal
    F Chris Kunitz
    F Pascal Dupuis
    F Dustin Jeffrey
    F Jussi Jokinen
    F Brandon Sutter
    F Craig Adams

    Large_medium

    WASHINGTON CAPITALS

    Decent depth at forward is overshadowed by a lack of current depth at D. The Capitals had better hope the limited help in the prospect pool pans out.

    ProtectedUnprotected
    G Braden HoltbyG Michal Neuvirth
    D Mike GreenD Jack Hillen
    D John CarlsonD Steven Oleksy
    D Karl AlznerF Jason Chimera
    D John ErskineF Aaron Volpatti
    D Tomas KundratekF Jay Beagle
    F Alex Ovechkin
    F Nicklas Backstrom
    F Brooks Laich
    F Martin Erat
    F Marcus Johansson
    F Troy Brouwer
    F Mathieu Perreault
    F Joel Ward
    F Eric Fehr

    Like what you see? Disagree completely? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

    Feast on the East, Part 2

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    Philadelphia Flyers: January 30

    Hiller vs. Emery? Hiller vs. Mason? Fasth vs. Emery? Fasth vs. Mason? The Flyers spin their goalie carousel faster than any team in the league, and because they missed the playoffs last year, their goalie situation is all anyone ever seems to talk about. Will veteran additions Vincent Lecavalier and Mark Streit provide enough of a boost to push Philly into the promised land? I frankly don't care. As long as they lose on January 30 (and October 29, when they host the Ducks), I'm happy.

    Columbus Blue Jackets: February 3

    Here's a team that I'd really like to see make the playoffs. I thought they were going to during the last coupled days of last season, but, well, add that to the list of grievances against the Red Wings. Now that they're in the East, I'm even more inclined to root for them, if for no other purpose than to prove to eastern fans and media that a middling team in the West is a good team in the East. But don't get me started on that. The Blue Jackets of last year surprised everyone, myself included, by managing to play some pretty good hockey, and then they grabbed Marian Gaborik before the deadline and Nathan Horton during the offseason. These aren't your daddy's Blue Jackets, no sir.

    Carolina Hurricanes: March 2

    What's the story here? Something about the Staal brothers? Elias Lindholm not being related to Hampus Lindholm? Will Cam Ward ever be good again? This is a team that has pretty much no connection to the Ducks, so when March 2 roles around, two points will be on the line, and not a lot more. This game will mark the beginning of a four-game stretch in which the Ducks will host four Eastern Conference opponents in a row. Which doesn't matter at all. So let's move on.

    Montreal Canadiens: March 5

    The last team ever to win the Northeast Division (barring another realignment that re-institutes the Northeast), the Habs figure to be about as good this season as they were last season. P.K. Subban is the reigning Norris Trophy winner (shoulda been Ryan Suter), Danny Briere decided to play in his home province, and Andrei Markov is as good as anyone on the power play. 2007 Stanley Cupchampions Travis Moen and George Parros aren't the Habs' gamebreakers, but hopefully they will both suit up on March 5. Parros has yet to play in Anaheim since leaving the team a year ago, and you can bet your tickets that he'll receive a standing ovation. If Brad Staubitz plays a single game this season, I want it to be this one, and I want him on the ice whenever Parros is. And I think we all know who we'd want to win that fight.

    Pittsburgh Penguins: March 7

    If any regular season victory could bring the Ducks to the national hockey media's attention, even if only for a night, it would be this one. The Penguins own the spotlight, and the only way to wrest it from them for even a moment is to beat them. This is one of those rare chances Ryan Getzlaf gets to show the world how he matches up against Sidney Crosby, and I'm hoping he does more than just make Crosby look immature— although that was fun too. Of course, this game will also remind us of one of the worst trades in franchise history, but we'll cheer for Chris Kunitz nonetheless. It wasn't his fault, after all.

    Toronto Maple Leafs: March 10

    Bobby Ryan, George Parros, and now Randy Carlyle will all return to Honda Center for the first time since their respective departures from the Ducks organization, and I am interested in seeing how our crowd will react to this last one. Every time PA announcer Phil Hulett introduces the coaching staff at the start of a game, the crowd is pretty quiet, as if nobody cares who's managing the team that they root for. Carlyle is, of course, a polarizing figure among Ducks fans, but since he was behind the bench on that day of days, June 6, 2007, he absolutely deserves a video tribute on the jumbotron, and the ovation that comes with it. As for Joffrey Lupul, Troy Bodie, and Jake Gardiner? Maybe a sign or two from someone in the nosebleeds.

    And speaking of head coaches matching up against their former teams . . .

    Washington Capitals: March 18

    On December 23, the Ducks will play in Washington, and Bruce Boudreau will get the chance to beat the team that fired him. In fairness, that game will be more emotionally important than the one at Honda Center, just because Boudreau will be greeted by an entire arena full of his former fans. But March 18 will still be the one opportunity for Ducks fans to see Alex Ovechkin and Co. try to take down their former coach. Two teams whose fans wish they had a bona fide second line center going at it, should be fun. Maybe they'll film a GEICO commercial. Why is it that all NHL GEICO commercials are about the Caps? Anyone ever figure that out?

    Florida Panthers: March 23

    Let's be honest, we don't care about the Panthers at all. They don't have any former Ducks on their roster, and if any team is a lock to miss the playoff this season, it's . . . well, it's probably the Calgary Flames. But I wouldn't want to be a Panthers fan this year either. Yes, Jonathan Huberdeau is an exciting young player. But this game will only be important because it comes about three weeks before the end of the regular season, and we all know what two points can mean that time of year.

    Analysis: Potential Rewards of "Keep the Red Out" Campaign Paper Over Core Issues

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    At the inaugural Predators Craft Beer festival, the Nashville Predators invited a slate of bloggers to join President and Chief Operating Officer Sean Henry to talk about upgrades to Bridgestone Arena, and a few other things. First covered by Kris Martel at the Predatorial, our pal Jeremy K. Gover over at the Cellblock had a nice little item about a new ticket sales scheme, which seems aimed at one of two mutually-exclusive outcomes: (a) preventing the obnoxious fans of the #ConferenceIII nemesis and reigning Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks from attending division games in Nashville, or (b) let those loudmouthed, Griswold wannabes through the doors for division games, conditioned on their purchase of a ticket to another game:

    "For Blackhawks games, we want to make sure that we preserve this building as much as we can for those who live in Smashville," [Preds president and chief operating officer Sean] Henry said.

    That's a great thought and all but how do they intend to do that?

    "The best way to buy a Blackhawk ticket is to have a season ticket, a half season ticket or a 15-game plan," Henry said. "But we also realize that we're still going to have to sell 3,000-4,000 single tickets for that game. What it's going to do by forcing another game is we'll almost direct it toward people that live in the general area, for the most part. And (for the pre-sale) only those in the zip codes that we unlock can buy the Blackhawk game and a second game. So we're breaking down every barrier we can to Keep the Red Out."

    That helps keep Chicago fans at bay, for sure. But what if Blackhawks fans really want to jump through hoops to see their team play in Music City?

    "They're going to have to earn it," Henry said. "And they’re going to help us continue to grow our roster by building our (revenue at the) gate. It’s that simple. In the end, we’re building something pretty special. If we have to do it off the backs of their fans a little bit, I’m not apologizing for it.

    "We don’t want to build those ticket grosses off of our core—our lifeblood—the season ticket holders. We want to build it off the single game buyers who only want to buy those games."

    --- Section303.com

    Be sure to read all of Jeremy's and Kris's pieces, and see Dirk's piece on the matter from earlier today.

    Jeremy concludes saying that, whether or not you think this is a good idea, the Nashville Predators deserve praise in the short term for trying something, and that we should reserve final judgments for a longer-term analysis. He's certainly right about the second of these two things, but I wonder if (a) this isn't a solution in search of a problem, or (b) if the Predators have diverted focus away from one of their historically bigger problems: underwhelming season ticket sales, particularly to area companies (in Henry's vernacular, not enough lifeblood).

    Before I get into the nuts and bolts of my thoughts on this, and setting aside the fact that pro sports ownership is less about profitability than it is about really wealthy sports enthusiasts playing with life-sized action figures, here are a couple of instant reactions:

    • In tempering our optimism (or pessimism) about this new scheme, Gover reminds that the ticket folks at 501 Broadway know what they're up to, especially since "...coming off of a lockout that should have driven fans away, they sold out 20 of 24" (emphasis mine). Er, not exactly. As Dirk pointed out earlier this summer, comped tickets per game skyrocketed (roughly tripling over previous years) during the months following the most recent lockout. It's one thing to say they packed the building, but another thing altogether to say they "sold" out their home games. As much as we all might really want to say the Nashville Predators have arrived (or are arriving) as a franchise, the team continues, in my view, to skate on thin ice.
    • It is great news that the Predators' point of sale ticketing system will allow them to manipulate sales by zip code. (Maybe that's not news, but I wasn't aware.) That we know of, the Predators organization is really the only game in town that has substantively and substantially polled middle Tennessee's hockey fan base to gauge sentiments on various questions. While I reject the notion that fans' expenditures on season tickets are interest-free loans to ownership to improve the team, the team can (and should) show entertainment value to various constituencies in various ways to various zip codes. Targeting rural, lower-income middle Tennessee/southern Kentucky/northern Georgia billing zip codes with 2-for-1 or 3-for-2 packages could do wonders in terms of both packing the building each and helping to develop more "lifeblood" by showing folks that on 41 nights a year, the Predators deliver, at significant personal cost savings, unparalleled entertainment that the Titans can offer, at best, only a dozen or so times per year, by getting exposure to those potential consumers. The same goes for rich folks, though the incentives might need to be different: targeting high-income billing zip codes with exclusive, intimate soirées, attended by players (think Nashvegas, but smaller, and with more drinks/catering -- they would probably have to host a couple of these to get all the buyers an opportunity to attend) in exchange for corporate purchases of blocks of 6, 8, 10, or however many seats with season or half-season ticket packages, could really help drive season ticket sales in an area that the Predators have always historically lacked.

    None of this is to say the Predators haven't sliced their data this way, but rather to say that it's always worth kicking around creative ideas, even publicly. Anyway, back to the "Keep the Red Out" campaign: the story has yet to be written, but I'm not so sure the positives outweigh the negatives here. Put another way, doing something shouldn't deserve praise if it doesn't accomplish the right thing. It's quintessential Predators management, though, no doubt.

    There are two major potential upsides to this scheme:

    1. Blackhawks fans will complain, the Windy City bloggers and reporters will mock us (by the way, check out our SB Nation pals at Second City Hockey), and the Predators will be able to market a rivalry with the heirs to the Predators' Most Hated Division Opponent™ title (previously held by the Detroit Red Wings) to new and existing hockey fans in the area.
    2. The Predators will actually sell additional tickets that they wouldn't have otherwise sold, and they'll be able to reduce the average number of comps per game they hand out/boost the bottom line/[insert financial goal of your choice here].

    But it seems like this new tactical approach to the overall strategy of continuing to build a profitable enterprise (something with which the team has struggled) misses the mark on a number of fronts.

    First, by effectively doubling the price raising the price* of attending Blackhawks games for everyone (not just for Chicago fans), the Nashville Predators have now ensured that there are some people who just won't buy the tickets -- because they can't. That's bad news for Nashville businesses, particularly if Chicago fans spending money on complementary goods like Nashville hotels, downtown restaurants, and tourism in the Music City say "Eh, we'll go to St. Louis this year instead." Saying "no" for people who might be on the fence about coming down to Broadway to take in a game in person is bad business, plain and simple.

    Second, it's no secret that the Chicago Blackhawks will be the new standard by which the Predators judge themselves. Jon Garcia gave the Blackhawks five of five potential Weber smashes for rivalry potential post-realignment. The demand will be high for these games without the Predators having to artificially restrict access to the seats. But if you condition the sale of a ticket to a Blackhawks game on the additional purchase of a ticket to a game against, say, the Florida Panthers, which is sure to be a real snoozer of an outing,  does it make sense for anyone to pay double to see one game they really want to see, and then be stuck with a ticket to another game that they (and probably lots of other people) couldn't care less about seeing? And what's wrong with pricing games differently, according to demand for those games? The price point -- in economics, where supply meets demand -- is still the most effective and efficient way to clear markets. I have lived in the Washington, DC area since 2009, and the Washington Capitals tier their single-game tickets in three price ranges. Tickets to games against the Pittsburgh Penguins cost more than tickets to games against the Carolina Hurricanes, for the same seats, even though the Canes have been a Caps division opponent for years. That's because the Capitals are comfortable pricing their tickets according to market demand. Mark up the Blackhawks tickets 50%, and mark down the Panthers tickets 25-30%. You'll fill the building both nights, and capture the increased demand for Blackhawks games.

    Third, the possibility exists that the Predators simply won't sell the tickets they otherwise wouldn't have sold, and the seats remain empty unless they keep up with the current pace of comped tickets per game. That's kind of a worst-case scenario, but the Predators leadership would be fools to not consider the possibility, and do what they can to mitigate it. Seth Jones was an exciting draft choice, but (a) the Predators were lucky to be able to draft him at all, and (b) his full marketing potential in Nashville won't be realized until he's able to grow into his full hockey potential. People in Sicamous knew what a bad mamma-jamma Shea Weber was when he was drafted, but did people in Antioch know? Of course not. The Predators had to take a financial hit to fill the building last year, and I'm not sure that overpaying a handful of third- and fourth-liners will really help make the on-ice product that much more entertaining as it has been in recent years (especially if nobody is willing to slay the sacred cow that is Barry Trotz's insane defense-wins-championships "puck luck" system).

    Finally, and this gets to the real underlying issue here, is that this gimmick does nothing (or infinitesimally little) to build more corporate support for the Nashville Predators organization. I say "infinitesimally little" because the modern entertainment business model is built upon selling access to you and your eyeballs. Whether it's a high-traffic website charging nice premiums for digital real estate for banner ads (or access to its email lists), or twenty minutes of teasers and previews shown to a packed movie theater on a Friday night, organizations profit by selling advertising opportunities to third parties. Even if the Predators capture an increase in paid ticket sales to non-Blackhawks games this year as a result of this gimmick, that will amount to a paltry three games with increased paid sales, out of a possible 41 home games. Are the Predators kidding with this "we're going to build ticket grosses" off the backs of out of town fans, who may or may not pay for tickets to three stinking games? Look, every penny counts, no doubt, but will increasing paid attendance at less than 10% of your home games really matter to potential corporate partners or sponsors? Do the potential corporate partners and/or sponsors even care about whether or not the eyeballs at the game to whom they get an opportunity to market their widgets even paid to be there? Or do they just care that they're there, and that they (the sponsors) will get advertising opportunities?

    I don't want to knock the Predators for trying to get creative in either their ticket sales or marketing strategies. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, for now, and see how this pans out. My point is that the doubt here is pretty substantial, and while in-game promotion nights are developed over the course of a season, and the marketing department had to move pretty quickly following the announcement that the lockout had ended, a look back at last year's promotions calendar reveals a mere two corporate partners -- McDonald's and Taco Bell -- neither of which are headquartered in Nashville. Where is our Cracker Barrel Biscuit in the Basket night? Jack Daniel's No. 7th Man night? The Philadelphia Flyers were able to sign Shea Weber to a blockbuster offer sheet because that organization has the Comcast-Spectacor's fortunes as its tailwinds -- Comcast-Spectacor actually owns the team! The Predators' "lifeblood" might be made up of individual season ticket holders right now, and to some extent, because civic pride is part of the median Nashvillian's character, individuals will always buy tickets to Predators games in whatever packages the team serves up. To become a profitable venture, however, will require a much more concerted effort to bring corporate money in the door. This "Keep the Red Out" redux is likely to fail to contribute to that goal, so I'm not ready to pat them on the back for just trying something, any more than I'm ready to pat them on the back for overpaying for mediocre on-ice talent.

    * UPDATE: J.R. Lind observes correctly that it isn't fair of me to say that conditioning the purchase of a Blackhawks game ticket on the addtional purchase of a non-Blackhawks game constitutes "doubling the price." That phrase has been stricken, and the sentence updated to reflect this fact.

    More from On the Forecheck:

    Inside the Division: Link Round-Up

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    Here is your Saturday Morning "In the Division: Link Round-Up" open thread. I am not sure if this will become a regular segment we do here at the Banter but I wanted to give it a shot and see how you guys like it. Most of these stories are a few days old but all of them are worth discussion and your attention. Have any stuff from inside (or outside) of the division you want to talk about? Share it in the comments.

    In the Division

    Columbus Blue Jackets- The Cannon

    Carolina Hurricanes- Canes Country

    Washington Capitals- Japer's Rink

    Pittsburgh Penguins- Pensburgh

    New York Islanders- Lighthouse Hockey

    Philadelphia Flyers- Broadstreet Hockey

    New Jersey Devils- In Lou We Trust

    Hope you all enjoy your weekend! Let me know if you guys like this kind of piece and would like to see more of it or not, it is a pretty popular thing around SB Nation and I was thinking we should give it a go at the Banter. Have at it in the comments!

    Let's go Rangers.

    Nathan Beaulieu guilty, but does it matter? (and other links)

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    A lot has been made of Nathan Beaulieu and his father pleading guilty to assault, and you can read the story of what went down here. Something sounds a little off in that retelling, as I really can't imagine that being the whole truth of the matter, but it's not like they didn't assault anyone, they pled guilty. This has led to a lot of speculation that that Beaulieu could be on his way out of town, but that really makes no sense.

    Yes, we know that Marc Bergevin is obsessed with character to the point where it's annoying to even hear the word anymore, but he's also not an idiot and is unlikely to trade a key prospect and their lowest point of value. Beaulieu was the MVP of the Hamilton Bulldogs last season, looked better than every other defensive call up while in the NHL, and he was given a real number by management during the summer camp, abandoning 40 for number 6. The Canadiens rarely give a number like that to a prospect, a number last worn by veteran Jaroslav Spacek, but made famous by Canadiens legend Toe Blake. The Canadiens have big plans for Beaulieu, and they don't include a trade.

    Habs Links

    Maxim Lapierre begged the Habs to sign him. [Pro Hockey Talk]

    Chris Boucher comments on how insane it is that Jeff Halpern is still unsigned. [Boucher Scouting]

    Boucher contrasts puck battles with obstruction penalties. [Boucher Scouting]

    Get to know new Bulldogs center Martin St. Pierre. [Bulldogs]

    Ben Prentiss trains Max Pacioretty and other NHLers, to a lot of success. [New Canaan News]

    Therrien is confident that Carey Price and David Desharnais will have bounce back seasons. [TSN]

    Puck Daddy's League of Nations for the Montreal Canadiens. [Puck Daddy]

    Around SB Nation

    A great series on getting to know the new CBA [Winging it in Motown]

    Todd Little examines whether the NHL is thinking expansion a bit too soon. [Litter Box Cats]

    The Sens are still talking about Alfie, they're even pretending it was smart now. [Silver Seven]

    The Hurricanes have some depth issues. [Canes Country]

    An introduction the Blue Jackets for the Eastern Conference. [The Cannon]

    A few messages for the new owners of the Devils. [In Lou We Trust]

    The latest from PGI, which should be enough to make you click. [Lighthouse Hockey]

    A sad story as Ian Laperriere's concussion symptoms have returned. [Broad Street Hockey]

    Derek Zona examines the obsession with power forwards. [Copper & Blue]


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