By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove Creative Editor

With the NHL Entry Draft in his home town of St. Paul, Minnesota just two days away, Paul Holmgren is indeed a very busy man.

Matt Slocum / The Associated Press

While the Philadelphia Flyers’ GM is still dealing with some of the same issues that have weighed heavily on the organization over the past couple of decades, he has been pro-actively working to rectify his club’s shortcomings thus far.

Bryzgalov and the Flyers’ Goaltending

Already having acquired the negotiating rights to pending unrestricted free agent goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov from the Phoenix Coyotes, Holmgren is said to be close to solidifying his spot between the pipes.

Following years of neglect – mostly prior to the time that he took over the GM position from Bob Clarke - Holmgren has taken positive strides over the past year to upgrade his team’s last line of defense.

His first major venture into improving his net minders was at the end of last May, when he was able to sign a highly sought after UFA named Sergei Bobrovsky.

The Detroit Red Wings, in addition to several others, were seeking to ink the Russian youngster to a deal.  That Holmgren made the 22-year-old Bobrovsky a priority spoke volumes about his commitment to elevate the quality of his goalkeepers.

After a blistering start to the 2010-11 regular season, Bobrovsky cooled off somewhat over the season’s second half.  Although he yielded just one goal in a 1-0 loss to Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres in the first game of the postseason, he was basically banished to the press box by head coach Peter Laviolette after giving up three early goals in Game 2 of the series.

It appeared Laviolette didn’t feel that Bobrovsky possessed the confidence in himself at the present time.

Despite the turmoil surrounding the situation, Bobrovsky came back into the scene when both Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton, who had played just one NHL game all season long after being so instrumental in leading the Flyers to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, faltered.

He got the start in Philadelphia’s final playoff game, Game 4 against the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.  He played well, holding his team in the contest until Boston broke open a 1-1 tie in the third period.

The fact that Holmgren would go after the premiere free agent goaltender available in Bryzgalov is a testament to what Ed Snider vowed would happen after the postseason rotating carousel of goalies.

Reports that the two sides have agreed upon terms for a deal is good news for Flyers’ Nation – but that only means that the 55-year-old GM’s job is about to get that much more difficult.

Before any deal can even formally be announced, Holmgren must first clear salary in order for his club to remain cap-compliant due to NHL tagging rules.  That is, no team can have more salary committed to a future season than what the cap limit is set at currently.

The Philly Trade Rumors

This has led to much speculation that a trade, or possibly multiple deals, could be in the cards – even with the realization that the upper cap limit will be raised beyond expectations to $64 million.

There have been many names that have come up in the rumor mill; forward Kris Versteeg ($3.083 million), and defensemen Matt Carle (just under $3.5 million) and Braydon Coburn ($3.2 million) have been the most-mentioned.  Perhaps not so coincidentally, all three will become UFAs next summer.

With the possibility of Bryzgalov being the main man in net for the foreseeable future, there has been talk that Bobrovsky ($1.75 million), the franchise’s acknowledged goalie of the future, may be dealt.  With the prospect of Bobrovsky seeing limited playing time and the probability that it will stunt his development, combined with the fact that he will have to clear waivers before being sent to the AHL’s Adirondack Phantoms, “Bob” may be moved.

Some of the more wild rumors have included Jeff Carter ($5.272 million), who has led the Flyers in goal-scoring in each of the last three seasons (to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Jakub Voracek and the 8th overall draft pick on Friday), and even the name of the club’s captain, Mike Richards ($5.75 million), has come up ( via TSN’s Darren Dreger on Twitter).

While neither is likely to leave town, the depth that Holmgren has built at forward will allow for someone to traded.  Scott Hartnell ($4.2 million) remains the best-case scenario, but possesses one of those pesky no-trade clauses that Holmgren gave out so freely early-on in his time as GM.  While Hartnell does hold the NTC card, just remember that long-time Flyer Simon Gagne also had one last summer – before being convinced by Philly management to waive it prior to being dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

With the benefit of having the excess room with the cap limit being higher than expected, there may be a chance to re-sign another pending free agent.

“There are some players that we have, Ville Leino, that are unrestricted and we want to keep in our mix,” Holmgren said via conference call on Monday.  “So, we are going to have to do some tinkering here.  It’s not like we are in a position where we absolutely have to move cap space or move people to make cap space.”

But Holmgren would love to keep Leino, who blossomed under Laviolette after being acquired from Detroit for Ole-Kristian Tollefsen last February.  With Leino on a line with Hartnell and Danny Briere, the trio formed one of the most-productive units in Philadelphia.

One of the good things about having to deal a higher-salaried player is that it could benefit the club in another area that it has experienced serious deficiencies in recent decades.

The Flyers and the 2011 NHL Entry Draft

Another general area of failure that Holmgren is reportedly attempting to recify is Philadelphia’s propensity for dealing away high draft picks.  The perennial win-it-all-now-at-all-costs philosophy that the organization has employed is always much appreciated in the Flyers’ community, but it often comes with a price tag.  The cost for the immediacy of their acquisitions usually comes in the form of the team’s top drafting positions.

The skeletal remains of this years picks is exhibit one which puts an exclamation point on that fact.  Here are the picks that Holmgren and his scouting staff possess at the present time:

3rd Round – #84
4th Round – #116
4th Round – #118 (From Tampa Bay)
6th Round – #176
7th Round – #206

“Look at where we are at this year, we have five picks right now,” Holmgren pointed out.  ”Next year we are missing a couple already.   Obviously we can’t continue to do that.  We need to, especially the higher picks – we can’t keep giving them up.”

He cannot honestly hope to replenish the pipeline of the system with the availability of players that will be left at the five picks he owns this weekend.

Holmgren says even though this is not the deepest of drafts, there are some interesting players that can play next year.

“There are drafts that have been better, think back to the draft of 2003,” the GM said.  ”It’s not looking like that but there are a lot of good players and I think there are some players that if they are drafted on the right team, they will have the chance to play right away.”

“It’s funny,” Holmgren continued.  ”You go back to last year’s draft and you look at guys that you think are going to go in the first round and you look at what came out of that round and played right away.  I don’t think anyone would have said Jeff Skinner was ready to play in the NHL, and he gets drafted by Carolina, they put him in and he makes their team and has a tremendous year.  You just never know.”

Holmgren was asked if he thought any one player impressed him as being ready to step right into an NHL lineup for the 2011-12 season.

“Gabriel’s (Landeskog) name comes up early because he looks like he is physically ready right now,” he said.  ”I think that is why people say that about him being NHL-ready.”

And there is an obvious incentive to want to move up.

“It’s a fairly good draft, there are some good top-end guys and as I mentioned from 17 down, you might get the same player,” the GM noted.  “They are all good prospects, so it’s a considerable draft.  We’re drafting at 84 (third round) right now and we’d like to move up, absolutely.”

When asked if he could envision the Flyers making a move to get a pick in the first two rounds, Holmgren was optimistic.

“I don’t think it is out of the question, but you never know what’s going to happen,” Holmgren said.  ”It’s something we are certainly trying to stay involved with just to see what people are talking about, more than anything.”

As for what he could be looking for in building at a certain position, Holmgren referenced his blue line.

“I think if you look at our team right now, we are very strong down the middle and I think our NHL team we have a couple older guys on the back end, Kimmo (Timonen) and Chris (Pronger),” said the GM.  ”But we do have some good guys that are fairly young, Braydon (Corburn), Matt Carle and (Andrej) Meszaros, are still all still fairly young if you consider their age, but I don’t know if there is any none, obviously we are going to try to draft the best player available regardless of the position.”

But even if he cannot get a pick in the first two rounds, Holmgren may look to acquire multiple choices.

“We probably need to strengthen all areas, and that’s kind of where the open mind comes in,” Holmgren added.  ”When we get to that point we’re not just going to try for one position. If you look on our reserve list we could probably add something in every category.”

Which makes the Flyers’ allowing the rights to expire for top-ranked goaltending prospect Joacim Eriksson – and to a lesser extent defenseman Simon Bertilsson, goalie Nic Riopel, and forward David Lebrecque – all the more confusing.

There is no doubt that this will be an eventful week in the NHL universe.  The NHL Awards Ceremony.  The NHL Entry Draft.  But it will be even busier if your name is Paul Holmgren.

Taking a Flyer:  The 2011 NHL Awards are tonight in Las Vegas, and the only representative of the Orange-and-Black is forward Ian Laperriere.  ”Lappy” is up for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the player that best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.  Laperriere goes up against two former-Flyers; goaltender Ray Emery of the Anaheim Ducks (returned after a grueling rehabilitation from surgeries to correct a degenerative hip ailment), and forward Daymond Langkow of the Calgary Flames (returned from a serious concussion that threatened his career).  Laperriere suffered two devastating concussions last year after being hit in the face with slap shots; the first by Buffalo’s Jason Pominville where he lost seven teeth and required 100 stitches to close up his face – and yet returned for the third period with a full face shield; and the second in the first round of the 2010 playoffs when then-New Jersey Devils’ defenseman Paul Martin’s slapper broke Lappy’s orbital bone.  Laperriere’s passion and dedication to his team saw him return – albeit, too soon – in the Eastern Conference Finals during Philadelphia’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals.  There is no doubt that both Emery and Langkow are very deserving nominees, but there should only be one possible winner tonight – and that is Lappy.

If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove NHL / Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent

It doesn’t seem that long ago that Patrick Kane somehow squeezed a bad angle shot through Philadelphia Flyers’ goaltender Michael Leighton in overtime of game six at the Wells Fargo Center last June.  Kane’s goal gave the Chicago Blackhawks their first Stanley Cup championship in 49 years, and kept the Flyers drought going at 35 seasons.

The two clubs have had their problems at different times during the current season.

Chicago struggled through much of the regular season, possibly due to a combination of ”Stanley Cup hangover” and the fact that the team had a completely different look after being dismantled because of salary cap issues over the summer.  There tends to be a certain lack of chemistry when nine players are stripped from a club’s winning makeup, including an impact defenseman (Dustin Byfuglien) and the Cup-winning goaltender (Antti Niemi).

Despite their up-and-down year, the Blackhawks backed into a spot in the postseason on the last day of the regular season, courtesy of a loss by the Dallas Stars to the Minnesota Wild.

Philadelphia was breezing through their 2010-11 schedule, battling the Vancouver Canucks in a see-saw joust for the overall NHL lead in points.  But their play fell off significantly as the calendar flipped to February, and the Flyers saw the Eastern Conference crown slip away in the last weekend of the campaign.  As a matter of fact, the team limped badly down the stretch and had to pull out a 7-4 victory over the New York Islanders on the final day of the season just to take the Atlantic Division title away from a bruised-and-battered Pittsburgh Penguins squad.

Even though it was two very different paths taken by the 2010 finalists to this season’s playoff dance, both found themselves in a very similar predicament on Easter Sunday, as Chicago and Philadelphia each faced elimination games.

Both teams had to rally from third period deficits to send their respective contests into overtime, and both found the resiliency within to gut out a triumph in the extra period to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The Blackhawks knew their series with the Vancouver Canucks would not be easy.  The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Canucks were a well-oiled machine throughout the course of the entire regular season, and despite Chicago’s history of defeating Roberto Luongo and Vancouver in past postseasons, raced to a 3-0 games lead.

Just when it looked like the champions were set to face extinction, they suddenly came back to life in game four.  The ‘Hawks blitzed the Canucks for seven goals and chased Luongo on the way to a 7-2 drubbing at United Center.

The victory just happened to coincide with the return to the lineup of center David Bolland – who has helped to confound the Sedin twins in the past – and the resurgence of defenseman Duncan Keith, who had a rough start to the series.  Keith has three goals and five points in the last three contests.

A last hurrah for the home crowd, perhaps, or was there a detectable heartbeat coming from Joel Quenneville’s team?

Game five back in Vancouver provided a resounding answer to those questions.  The Blackhawks stormed out to a 3-0 first period lead and chased Luongo in the second period again, on their way to a 5-0 white-washing of the Canucks.  The champs were not only pulling themselves up off of the mat, they also looked ready and willing to defend their title.

Yesterday’s game six was a thriller.  After defenseman Kevin Bieksa had given Vancouver a 3-2 lead in the first minute of the third period, Chicago once again found themselves on the brink of elimination.  But less than a minute and a half later, Michael Frolik was tripped on a breakaway by Dan Hamhuis and awarded a penalty shot.  Cory Schneider,  who received the start after it was reported that Luongo suffered an ”injury” in game four, was injured in an attempt to stop the subsequent penalty shot goal by Frolik.  It appeared that he either pulled something in his right leg or groin area, and into the game came Luongo with a 3-3 score.

Reuters / Frank Polich

With the chance to redeem himself Luongo stopped the first 12 shots he faced, but surrendered the game-winner to Ben Smith at 15:30 of overtime to take the loss.

In addition to Bolland’s defensive play, he has also contributed two goals, six points, and a +6 rating in the three games since his re-insertion into the Hawks’ lineup.

A year after Philadelphia pulled off the unthinkable by coming back from an 0-3 series deficit to beat the Boston Bruins – the first time that feat had been accomplished since 1975 – the Blackhawks are poised to make history in game seven on Tuesday night in Vancouver.

Speaking of Tuesday, there will also be a game seven played on that night in the Flyers – Buffalo Sabres series.

After Buffalo took a 3-2 series lead with an overtime win Friday night in Philadelphia, things looked very bleak for the Orange-and-Black yesterday.

And there was some history that didn’t bode well for Philly.  The Flyers had lost their previous two meetings to the Sabres in six games, and both ended with very ugly losses in the elimination contest.  In 2001, game six in Buffalo was an 8-0 pounding at the hands of the Sabres.  In 2006 the sixth game was played in Philadelphia, but had an almost-identical finish, as Buffalo trounced the Flyers in front of their home crowd, 7-1.

Game six yesterday had an early feel like the Sabres were primed to duplicate the process of annihilation in an elimination game against Philly.

Like much of this series has proven, the Philadelphia goaltending was once again in a very-giving mood.  Leighton curiously got the call to start for Peter Laviolette’s club, then proceded to yield goals on some pretty ordinary shots that staked Buffalo to an early 2-0 lead, and a 3-1 lead after one period.

It didn’t look like a “History Will Be Made” moment as much as it wreaked of history repeating itself.

Even though he would see just 4:33 of ice time – and all on the power play unit – defenseman Chris Pronger returned and provided inspiration for his teammates after missing 21 games with a broken hand.

As they had much the same way from an 0-3 hole in game five, the Flyers scratched and clawed their way back to tie the game at 3-3 midway through the second period.  But when mighty-mite Nathan Gerbe beat Brian Boucher – who had come in to replace Leighton after the first period - with a shot past his waving glove hand late in the second, it appeared Philadelphia was out of gas.

There were several factors working against the Flyers heading into the third period trailing by a goal.

The team that scored first in each of the first five games of the series had gone on to win that contest.  With Buffalo scoring the first two goals on Sunday, the Flyers would have to do a tremendous amount of work to reverse that trend.

Also in the mix was the reality that Philadelphia had lost in the first round the last three times in the year immediately following a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals (1986, 1988, 1998).

While these two statistics left nothing set in stone about Sunday’s tilt, it does seem that history has a way of repeating itself.

Ryan Miller, who had twice shutout Philadelphia by 1-0 counts earlier in the series, was still providing an amazing goaltending display for the Sabres.  Going into the third he had stopped 28 of 31 Flyers’ shots, many of the quality scoring chance variety.  Philadelphia hasn’t been able to muster much in the way of offensive firepower for the better part of the last two months, and the prospect of getting even just one past Miller in the remaining 20 minutes would prove to be a tall order.

With only 9:17 left in regulation and just four seconds after a Buffalo penalty had expired, Scott Hartnell was able to shovel a Mike Richards pass into the open Sabres’ net as Miller unsuccessfully tried to scrambled to get back in time to make the save.

The game headed to overtime.

Just 4:43 into the extra session, Ville Leino was able to knock home the game-winner on his second whack at the puck to grab the win for the Flyers and stave off elimination.

AP Photo/David Duprey

There would be no hand shakes following the Easter Sunday games involving the 2010 Stanley Cup finalists, but there will be after both game sevens on Tuesday night – in both Philadelphia and Vancouver.

Looking ahead to those games, there seems to be a tremendous amount of momentum garnered by both the Blackhawks and Flyers.

Chicago has a chance to match what Philadelphia pulled off last year against Boston, and something that has been accomplished only three times in NHL history.  Don’t think for a second that this won’t be on their minds when the puck drops Tuesday.

Add in the leadership of captain Jonathan Toews, the fact that rookie Corey Crawford has greatly outplayed Luongo in goal, the balanced postseason scoring attack (six Chicago players have five points or more; Vancouver has just two), and the determination of a proud champion, and all signs seem to point in the direction of the ‘Hawks.

Daniel Sedin leads all players in scoring in the series with five goals and seven points, but has just two goals and is a -6 in the last three games.  Twin brother Henrik has only one assist and is a -7 in those same three contests.

Call it the “Bolland affect”.

And Ryan Kesler, who tied Daniel for the Vancouver lead with 41 goals during the regular season, has just three assists in the series.

But the Canucks will not go quietly.  Having fought so hard during the season to build a strong foundation for success in the playoffs, Tuesday night will be all-out gorilla warfare.

In the City of Brotherly Love, game seven will also be a hard-fought affair.  There has been no love lost between the two clubs, and a war of words has erupted in both cities.

Richards aired his grievances to the media regarding some penalties being doled out on his club -particularly an elbowing major he received in game three when he raised his arms to protect himself from a Patrick Kaleta charge - and the lack of calls on the Sabres.

Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff snapped back that “They’re doing a lot of whining“, and that the Richards comments was just posturing for upcoming games.  “That’s a bunch of crap,” Ruff said earlier in the series.  “That’s for the media.  That’s for the officials to read.  That’s ‘Here, let’s get the next call.’  That’s a bunch of crap.”

Things haven’t gotten any better since Richards’ push of Tim Connolly from behind that sent the head of the Sabres’ forward into the glass.  Connolly has had problems with concussions in the past and he will not play in game seven.

The injury may not even be his head at all but rather his shoulder.  But at any rate, Buffalo did a bit of posturing of their own after the game.  “That’s the kind of hit the league has been talking about is dangerous,” Miller told the Buffalo reporters after the game.  “They better seriously look at that one.  It’s unbelievable.”

“It’s something the league definitely is going to have to take a look at,” Ruff chimed in on the subject.

Seems getting the Philadelphia captain out of game seven is a priority, but the NHL evidently has decided to not take any further action against Richards for the hit, according to Rogers Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, by way of Philly.com’s Frank Seravalli.

Boucher – who has garnered all three Flyers’ wins in this series - will get the start between the pipes for Philadelphia.  Going against his usual silense on the matter, Laviolette made the surprise announcement in his post-game press conference yesterday.  “Yes, Brian Boucher will start game seven,” he said.

The Flyers’ big guns have been Claude Giroux (a goal, seven points, +4), ex-Sabre Danny Briere (five goals), Kris Versteeg (four assists, +5), and James van Riemsdyk (three goals, +2, NHL-leading 38 shots on goal).

Another key aspect has been offensive contributions from a pair of blue liners - Andrej Meszaros (a goal, five points), and Kimmo Timonen (goal, three points, team-leading +7).  The added dimension has helped Philadelphia generate more quality scoring opportunities as the series has progressed.

Buffalo has gotten the most out of Tomas Vanek (five goals, -6), Tyler Ennis (goal, four points, +1), and Tim Kennedy (goal, three points, +3).  But they are missing one of their leaders in Jason Pominville (goal, four points) after a scary incident in which he was cut along the back of his left leg by van Riemsdyk’s skate blade.

Ruff also added that Derek Roy would be taking Connolly’s spot in the Sabres’ lineup for game seven.

“He’ll (Roy) be ready, we’ll get him ready tomorrow,” the coach said.  “This team is going to battle to the bitter end.”

Depending on how game seven ends will determine just how bitter it ends up being for Ruff and the Sabres.

When the new “History Will Be Made” videos are made after tomorrow night’s contests, will they include a Blackhawks’ miracle comeback, as well as one by the Flyers?

That remains to be seen.  But for one day, at least, the 2010 Cup finalists were both able to avoid elimination and force a game seven in their respective series.

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If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove NHL / Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent

The Buffalo Sabres got the game-winning goal early in overtime from Tyler Ennis and goaltender Ryan Miller made 36 saves, as Buffalo moved to one win from eliminating the Philadelphia Flyers and going on to the second round of the postseason.

Playing in front of their home crowd, the first period could not have gotten off to a worse start for Philadelphia.

Ennis took a shot from the bottom of the left faceoff circle and about a foot from the goal line, and the puck ricocheted off of starter Brian Boucher’s left pad and through the five-hole for the 1-0 Buffalo lead just 2:24 into the game.  The Ennis shot from a horrible angle, which came on a delayed Flyers’ penalty, was Boucher’s first bad goal given up in the series.

The second would come just 1:27 later, as Tomas Vanek carried the puck behind the left side of the net.  From behind the goal line, he threw a bank shot towards Boucher, who was hugging the post.  The puck hit the outside of Boucher’s left pad and slid down and inside the post.

“Well the first one (Ennis’ first goal of the game), I was anticipating a pass and he shot it on net,” Boucher explained after the game.  ”The second one (Vanek’s goal), aside from maybe coming out and playing the puck before that, I don’t know if I would’ve played that any differently.  I mean the guy (Vanek) banked it off me.”

Just 3:51 into the contest, the Sabres held a 2-0 lead – on two goals that even Boucher would have to admit were horrific.

“I take full responsibility for it,” Boucher said.  ”I put my team behind the eight ball.  It was on me.  Those are goals that can’t go in.”

Buffalo held an early 10-2 advantage in shots, but the Flyers began to get their legs and recorded the next five shots.

As much as Lindy Ruff doesn’t want to hear it, the officiating has been questionable, at best, in this series.  And it would come into play once again late in the first.

Danny Briere was interfered with by Buffalo defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani from the boards behind the Sabres’ goal all the way out to in front of Miller.  As Briere tried to get into the slot area, Gragnani pushed him into Miller.

But it was Briere who would be given a minor, as he went off for goaltender interference at 14:50.

Buffalo took full advantage as they increased their lead to 3-0 just 46 seconds later, when Gragnani’s shot from the right wing faceoff dot got through Boucher for a power play goal.

Having stopped just eight of the 11 Sabres’ shots Boucher was lifted, making way for a familiar face to take his place in front of the Philadelphia net.

Michael Leighton – the savior of the 2009-10 Flyers’ campaign – would find himself between the pipes once again for the Orange-and-Black.

Appearing in just one NHL regular season game this season (December 30th in a 7-4 victory in Los Angeles against the Kings), Leighton came into the contest in much the same capacity as Boucher did in relief of Sergei Bobrovsky in game two of this series.

Much like Boucher did in game two, Leighton provided a calming affect on his Flyers’ teammates in front of him.  The 29-year-old netminder stopped the two shots he faced in the final 4:24 to close out the opening stanza.

“I think at that point, when it’s 3-0 we need to make a change,” said head coach Peter Laviolette after the game.

The second period would be a polar opposite of the first, as Philadelphia would take 13 of the first 14 shots.

As was the case in the Flyers’ miracle comeback from 3-0 down in game seven of the Easter Conference Semifinals against the Boston Bruins last year, winger James van Riemsdyk would provide the strike to get Philadelphia on the comeback trail.

Defenseman Andrej Meszaros took the initial shot, and van Riemsdyk picked up the rebound to Miller’s right.  As Miller came out to cut down the angle, van Riemsdyk skated towards the slot and tucked the puck around the Sabres’ goalie, tucking it into the net at the 8:12 mark of the middle frame.

The goal brought Wells Fargo Center crowd, which had been pretty much silenced after the rough first period, back to life and as a factor for the home team.  And they would have much more to celebrate just 1:45 later.

Meszaros would again be involved, this time doing the honors as the Flyers’ goal scorer.  His point blast made its way through a Mike Richards‘ screen and past Miller, drawing Philly back to within a goal at 3-2.

When Gragnani took a minor for cross-checking Darroll Powe less than four minutes later, the shots were already 13-1 in favor of Philadelphia.

The team was riding a tremendous wave of momentum up to that point, but the struggling power play unit would provide Buffalo the chance to get back on an even keel.

Not only did the man advantage not score yet again, the Sabres would outshoot the Flyers, 4-2, through the rest of the second period.

“We had our best period of the night, we were hard charging, trying to fight back in,” said Laviolette.  ”We felt like if we could win that period, we could win the game.”

With the knowledge that the club that scores the first goal of the game had won the first four games of this series, Philadelphia knew they would have their work cut out for them in the third.

But the prospect of pulling off a comeback victory became more promising early on, when Briere tied the game at 3-3 just 3:36 into the period.  Kris Versteeg won a puck battle behind the Buffalo net, and after falling to the ice, was still able to send a pass to Richards.  The Flyers’ captain sent a perfect pass to Briere at the far post, and the ex-Buffalo forward quickly deposited the puck behind Miller for his third marker of the series.

Nik Zherdev had a strong game on the right wing with van Riemsdyk and Giroux, and the threesome were a threat to score on nearly every shift of the night.  Zherdev drew a hooking penalty on Sabres’ defenseman Jordan Leopold with just 2:22 left in regulation time.

With such a golden opportunity for the power play unit to redeem itself for another fruitless effort – 0-4 up to this point for the game, and just 2-26 for the series – a goal would have surely quieted the critics of the man advantage futility.

The Flyers failed to capitalize, and game five would head to overtime.

In the extra period, Philadelphia had a chance to clear their defensive zone, but the failure to do so may have been one of the costliest of the entire season.

Zherdev had lost an edge and fallen just as the puck came to him at the Buffalo offensive right point.  Defenseman Steve Montador was able to keep the puck in at the line, then sent a pass over to partner Mike Weber at the left point.

Leighton made the save on Weber’s point shot, but the rebound was kicked out to right to Ennis, who had slipped behind Matt Carle.  Ennis had an open net and made no mistake, ending the contest at 5:31 of extra time with his second goal of the game.

The goaltender said he didn’t pick up Weber’s shot right away.  ”The defenseman has to go out and block the puck, and it kind of puts a little bit of a screen on me, and I just caught it through,” Leighton said of the play.  ”You know, it’s just a play that has to happen, the defense has to do that and it was just kind of a lucky bounce right on the guy’s (Ennis’) tape.”

Leighton stopped 20 of the 21 shots he faced, and Laviolette liked what he saw.  ”I thought Michael came in and he did a good job for us.”

“You’ve got to give Leights (Leighton) a lot of credit,” Briere said after the game.  ”He played one game in the NHL this year, and to come back with the way he played in the last 50, 55 minutes…”

Trailing in the series 3-2 the Flyers have their backs up against the wall, and there is no more room for error in game six in Buffalo on Sunday afternoon.

Laviolette stuck with his usual stance on his goaltending situation.  When asked who we could expect to see in the Flyers’ crease on Sunday, the coach said “I’m going to sleep on that one and probably give you nothing.”

Just call that the status quo.

Briere thinks the team deserved a better fate tonight, and just needs a better start out of the gate on Sunday.  ”We deserved to win that once again,” Briere said.  ”The chances were lopsided.  Bad start spotting them a three goal lead; I think it was ten to two in shots on net.  It was just a rough start, something we need to improve on.  We can’t hang our heads.  We were in a worse position than that last year, so if there is a group of guys who can do it, I believe in this group of guys here.”

Boucher summed up the task at hand for the Flyers rather perfectly, and what has to occur Sunday in game six.  ”If we play the way we did when it was 3-0, I think we should be in good shape,” the Rhode Island native said.  He then added a very important component that his teammates should take to heart.  ”But we are down 3-2 and the urgency should be at the highest level right now.”

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Taking a Flyer:  Defenseman Chris Pronger (hand) and forward Jeff Carter (knee) will miss the remainder of this series…Sabres’ forward Jason Pominville was injured in a freak incident when he went into the boards with van Riemsdyk.  The skate blade of the Flyers’ left winger went across Pominville’s left leg, and Pominville dropped his stick and gloves and went off the ice immediately…Buffalo blocked 29 shots, Philadelphia blocked just eight.  Every skater in the Sabres’ lineup had at least one block except for Patrick Kaleta…van Riemsdyk led all skaters with eight shots on goal, and Giroux had a game-high six hits…The Flyers finished the night 0-5 on the power play and are now 2-27 in the series…Buffalo was 1-3 on the power play…Philadelphia outshot the Sabres, 39-32, including 4-3 in overtime…Richards won just six of 16 faceoffs and Tim Connolly won seven of 23, while Paul Gaustad won 17 of 24.  Ville Leino, who won all five faceoffs he took in game four, lost all four draws he took tonight.

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If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove NHL / Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent

Game four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series between the Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres bore a striking resemblance to game one, as Sabres’ goaltender Ryan Miller posted his second 1-0 whitewashing of the Orange-and-Black.

What differed between the two shutouts was the quality of Philadelphia’s scoring chances in the two.  In game one Miller made 35 saves, but there wasn’t much in the way of traffic to take away his vision or any rebound opportunities for the Flyers.

It was similar early on in the contest tonight, but Philly had several incredible occasions to put the puck into the Buffalo net as the game progressed, but were thwarted by Miller.

The only goal of the game came at the 9:38 mark of the first period, as Rob Niedermayer made a nifty goal-mouth pass to Jason Pominville, who was able to tap it into the open side past Philadelphia starter Brian Boucher.

It was yet another game where the Flyers had golden opportunities in tight, but appeared to have an invisible barrier covering the opening of the opposition cage.

Miller finished the night with 32 saves.  Perhaps his two best came in the third period, on Danny Briere all alone in front and Mike Richards on a rebound in one of the many scrums around the Buffalo crease.

Speaking of deja vu, there was something else that was familiar tonight.  Leading goal-scorer Jeff Carter was injured when he was hit by a Chris Pronger slap shot in game four of the first round last year against the New Jersey Devils, and he suffered an injury in game four tonight.

As he skated across the slot area in front of Miller, gargantuan Sabres’ defenseman Tyler Myers was cutting out in front of the net.  It appeared that neither player saw the other as they collided, and both players were immediately dazed and went to their respective locker rooms.

Myers appeared to have taken Carter’s shoulder across his jaw and was stunned, remaining down on the ice for several moments.  He would return in the second period.

Carter’s issue appeared to be his right knee, which was tangled with Myers.  Carter did not return to the game, and is now being listed by the Flyers as “day-to-day”.  Seeing what that has meant for Pronger, it is unclear what type of time frame Carter is looking at to come back.

Philadelphia’s penalty killing unit again had a stellar night, squelching all four Buffalo opportunities with the man advantage.  Included was a five-minute major assessed to Richards with 2.8 seconds left in the second period.

Instigator Patrick Kaleta skated in to hit Richards up high, and the Flyers’ captain put his arms up to protect himself.  Richards’ elbow came in contact with Kaleta’s face, and the Sabre fell to the ice as if hit by a train.

Buffalo managed only two shots on goal during the five-minutes, and the kill seemed to give the Orange-and-Black a boost of energy as they picked up their offensive attack when the penalty time expired.

But Philadelphia could not solve Miller the rest of the way.

Even when the Flyers did beat Miller, his defense was there to cover up for him.  In the first period, James van Riemsdyk found himself with the puck on his stick with Miller and the Sabres’ goalie down and out.  But as van Riemsdyk went to deposit the puck into the yawning cage, Myers dove across to deflect the shot – which was a certain goal – out of play.

There were other chances – Darroll Powe chopped a shot through a mass of humanity in front of a screened Miller, only to have the puck clank off of the post.

When Miller was asked after the game if he felt that he answered some of his critics with tonight’s effort, he snapped “I really don’t care what people say that don’t know how to play goalie.  I really don’t give an…expletive.”  (And yes, he actually said the word “expletive”).

Boucher was excellent in his third consecutive appearance and second straight start.  The 34-year-old veteran stopped 28 of 29 shots, beaten only on a back door pass on a two-on-on-one down low that he had no chance to turn aside.

Philadelphia has to be encouraged by the fact that they could have won the game had a couple of bounces gone a bit differently.

But Miller poses a problem this team needs to solve, and fast.  The series now becomes a best-of-three the rest of the way.

Game five is in Philadelphia on Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

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Taking a Flyer:  The game held true to the formula of the rest of the series, as the team that scored first has won all four contests thus far.  It is also a league-wide occurrence, as the team netting the first marker in a game had won 21 of he 25 NHL postseason games heading into Wednesday night’s action…van Riemsdyk led all skaters with six shots on goal…With Carter out of the lineup for over two thirds of the game, Claude Giroux led Flyers’ forwards in ice time with 21:01, and Briere posted 20:11…Giroux also won 10-15 faceoffs…Tonight was just the fourth time in franchise history Philadelphia has been shut out more than once in a playoff series (1969 QF vs. St. Louis, 1973 QF vs. Minnesota, 1989 Wales Conference Finals vs. Montreal, 2002 ECQF vs. Ottawa).  In the Minnesota series, the Flyers were shut out in Games 1 and 3 and came back to win the series in six games…It was the first time in franchise history the Flyers have been shut out 1-0 twice in the same series.  The two shutouts are just the third and fourth 1-0 shutout losses in the playoffs in franchise history…Ville Leino won all five faceoffs he took tonight.

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If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

Today the NHL announced the suspension of Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan, who will sit out three games and forfeit $73,387.11 in salary. Doan suspension for a blind sided hit to the head on Dan Sexton (Anaheim Ducks) comes on the heels of a two-game suspension handed to Niklas Hjalmarsson of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Neither player plays dirty, yet they both suffered the consequences of illegal hits. Hjalmarsson caught Jason Pominville in a vulnerable state. Thus, Pominville suffered a concussion. Luckily Sexton did not appear injured on the play. It looks like the NHL will judge the play first and foremost instead of judging based on the result (injury or no injury).

Doan’s hit did not receive a penalty in the game and Sexton did manage to play in the remainder of the third period. Yet, Sexton released the puck well before Doan connected. Also Doan’s shoulder went directly into Sexton’s chin. Unfortunately with the new rules, the NHL needed to continue to set a precedent.

A three game suspension seems rather steep for a player who never once experienced a suspension in the NHL, but Doan’s hit does not count as safe. Simply put, the hit ranked high on the illegal chart. Though, the referees needed to deal with the play in the game and leave it at that. Sexton thankfully avoided injury, but Doan needed to receive a five-minute major with a game misconduct, and that is all.

Three games is too much for Doan, but as always, the NHL decides the rules and the punishments. Thus, the Coyotes will play without Doan this Thursday (October 21) against the Los Angeles Kings, Saturday (October 23) against the Carolina Hurricanes, and Monday (October 25) against the Montreal Canadiens.

Video of the hit: Coyotes’ Captain Shane Doan hits Dan Sexton of the Ducks

Katlyn Gambill
Phoenix Coyotes Correspondent
kgambill@nhlhotstove.com
@freezethepuck

As we’ve skated through the NHL preseason and have witnessed our first glances at most teams around the league to start the actual year, we will take a look at the potential top lines around the league that are likely to be the mainstay top line for their respective clubs.

There has been a decent amount of change around the league this off-season and here at NHLHS, we will break down how each lines production could pan out around the league.

Keep in mind that there will be line juggling to start the season as coaches will attempt to find the proper chemistry amongst the forward units to provide a competitive game scenario.  What we present to you below are projected lines to start the year.  Whether they were the way the lines finished the season last year, or what has come from initial reports out of training camps.

Anaheim Ducks:

Bobby Ryan – Ryan Getzlaf – Corey Perry

The boys are back in town.  After a summer long battle in Bobby Ryan camp, the youngster from Cherry Hill, NJ has finally agreed to a new contract extension with the club which will see him remain a Duck for the next five years.  The returns of Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne help the veteran presence and the second line situation, and allows for the top line to stick together and produce for another season, to say the least.  With Joffrey Lupul finally cleared to being training from his injuries, there is good news all around.  Surprising seasons from Dan Sexton and the trade that brought in Jason Blake will be hopeful helping additions to the top nine.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Ryan Getzlaf – GP G 28 A 43 PTS 71
Corey Perry – GP 80 G 32 A 27 PTS 59
Bobby Ryan – GP 78 G 31 A 34 PTS 65

Atlanta Thrashers:

Niclas Bergfors – Nik Antropov – Evander Kane

It will depend on chemistry, but this could be a deadly top line for the Thrashers this season. The second full season for Evander Kane will see him continue to grow in to a power forward and having Dustin Byfuglien to learn the ropes from will undoubtedly help him. Without the likes of Ilya Kovalchuk and Max Afinogenov, the Thrashers will lean heavily on Niclas Bergfors and Kane for goal production. It could really go either way in Atlanta, but the future is bright.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Nik Antropov – GP 80 G 24 A 49 PTS 73
Niclas Bergfors – GP 79 G 28 A 33 PTS 61
Evander Kane – GP80 G 24 A 27 PTS 51

Boston Bruins:

Milan Lucic – David Krejci – Nathan Horton

Injuries put a damper on the offensive production for Boston last season – both during the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs. This year, it seems as if there is a lot carrying over from last year.  Top line Center Marc Savard, who is still battling through post concussion symptoms and it is anyone’s guess at this point if he will start the season healthy with Boston, will be missed to say the least. The lack of production from Michael Ryder and company added to the issues for the Bruins.  This year, with a few newcomers on board and some new situations to attack since Dennis Wideman has been shipped out in favor of Nathan Horton, the Bruins will hope to be back among the eight teams heading into the playoffs in 2011.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

David Krejci – GP 75 G 26 A 35 PTS 61
Nathan Horton – GP 80 G 35 A 28 PTS 63
Milan Lucic – GP 74 G 23 A 35 PTS 58

Buffalo Sabres:

Jason Pominville – Derek Roy – Thomas Vanek

It’s not a secret that the Buffalo Sabres are a team that rely heavily on the netminding of Ryan Miller, but they do boast a few offensive weapons. The 2009-10 season saw a 12 goal drop for winger Thomas Vanek, who scored 28, and the Sabres need Vanek to return to form this year. The team did little update their roster in the offseason, which shows that management has faith in their squad. Derek Roy is once again going to once again be leaned on for steady offensive production. Jason Pominville did suffer an injury early in the season, but that shouldn’t stop him from reaching the 60 point plateau this year.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Derek Roy – GP 82 G 26 A 60 PTS 86
Thomas Vanek – GP 76 G 29 A 33 PTS 62
Jason Pominville – GP 75 G 27 A 40 PTS 67

Calgary Flames:

Alex Tanguay – Olli Jokinen – Jarome Iginla

After last seasons debacle out of Calgary, and the trades that called for GM Darryl Sutters head, the off-season signings of Olli Jokinen and Alex Tanguay can truly only make one person happy: Jarome Iginla.  To be fair, the chemistry between the group when they were once Flames players was fantastic however, Jokinen and Tanguay have since fallen off the map of talented skaters within the NHL.  This will be their year to bounce back.  If they can find what was once a dominant line within the league, it could provide to be one of the better top lines.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Olli Jokinen – GP 70 G 25 A 25 PTS 50
Alex Tanguay – GP 76 G 16 A 40 PTS 56
Jerome Iginla – GP 77 G 34 A 33 PTS 67

Carolina Hurricanes:

Jussi Jokinen – Eric Staal – Tuomo Ruutu

In hopes to forget the season that was 2009-10 and embark on 2010-11 in proper fashion, the Hurricanes were sent overseas for the NHL Premier games and Cam Ward put on quite a show in front of the crowd oversees.  In order for this Hurricanes team to make any noise this year, Ward will need to provide consistent goaltending and stay healthy. Though injuries have arrived in Carolina, and who is to place a time table on anyone’s return, you will likely see plenty of line juggling over the course of the first two weeks.  Eric Staal will continue to lead the way, and offensive production must be at a premium this year out of him.

Jussi Jokinen – GP 76 G 31 A 28 PTS 59
Eric Staal – GP 80 G 34 A 37 PTS 71
Tuomo Ruutu – GP 72 G 21 A 22 PTS 43

Chicago Blackhawks:

Marian Hossa – Jonathan Toews – Patrick Kane

What can be said about the talent that was kept on board by the 2009-10 Stanley Cup Champions other than adjectives that would all equal one simple word: Wow. Cap casualties Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Laad, Kris Versteeg, Ben Eager and a few other role players have all been sent packing from the Chicago organization.  However, when Marian Hossa, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp and Dave Bolland remain in tact good things will remain within Chicago.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Jonathan Toews – GP 82 G 30 A 55 PTS 85
Marian Hossa – GP 70 G 44 A 49 PTS 93
Patrick Kane – GP 82 G 34 A 50 PTS 84

Colorado Avalanche:

Chris Stewart – Paul Stastny – Milan Hejduk

The Colorado Avalanche surprised the hockey world in 2009-10 moving from the basement in to the eight playoff spot in the Western Conference. Led by Paul Stastny, who had his best statistical season, and youngsters like Matt Duchene and Chris Stewart leaves little to the pondering mind, outside of a sophomore slump, to say they can not achieve last years production.  Trade deadline acquisition Peter Mueller will start off the season on the injured list with a concussion, but his return will only add more offense to this team. Expect Stewart to play a bigger role, as well as veteran Milan Hejduk to be his consistent self. Youth is definitely served on this team with T.J. Galliardi and Ryan O’Reilly, who will have bigger seasons and the opportunity to move up the depth chart.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Paul Stastny – GP 75 G 29 A 54 PTS 83
Chris Stewart – GP 80 G 32 A 39 PTS 71
Milan Hejdux – GP 70 G 26 A 35 PTS 61

Columbus Blue Jackets:

Rick Nash – Antoine Vermette – Kristian Huselieus

When Rick Nash compliments your play you know you are doing something right. In an article posted this off-season on NHL.com, Nash was on record stating how good the chemistry between he and fellow line mate Antoine Vermette is. If this line can stay healthy and Huselieus can squeeze past his streaks, there could be potential for a very good year from them.  There could also be a disaster.  This is a washy situation in Columbus and we will have to hope for the best.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Rick Nash – GP 78 G 31  A 30 PTS 61
Antoine Vermette – GP 73 G 22 A 40 PTS 66
Kristian Huselieus – GP 68 G 25 A 30 PTS 55

Dallas Stars:

Loui Eriksson – Brad Richards – James Neal

The Mike Modano era is now over in Dallas, but let’s face it, that happened when Brenden Morrow took over as team captain in 2006. Brad Richards returned to form in 2009-10 with 67 assists which he added on top of scoring 24 goals to total 91 points. Wingers Loui Eriksson and James Neal both benefited from playing with Richards and another season will prove it was no fluke. Expect big things in big D from this trio as they will be relied on to carry the offense. The second line of Mike Ribeiro, Jamie Benn and Morrow should take some of the pressure off as well and could provide quite the top six for production out of Dallas this year.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Brad Richards – GP 79 G 23 A 58 PTS 81
James Neal – GP 82 G 31 A 30 PTS 61
Loui Eriksson – GP 76 G 27 A 34 PTS 61

Detroit Red Wings:

Pavel Datsyuk – Henrik Zetterberg – Johan Franzen

The timeless franchise may just be coming to an end. Boasting on of the oldest teams in the NHL, the Red Wings also have the most experience. Pavel Datsyuk is the best two-way forward in the league and after a statistically disappointing season last year, Datsyuk will look to capitalize on his scoring chances this year. A seasoned Jimmy Howard should allow the Wings to take a few more chances offensively and the scoring in Mo-Town should be that much better this season.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Henrik Zetterberg – GP 75 G 25 A 48 PTS 73
Pavel Datsyuk – GP 82 G 32 A 66 PTS 98
Johan Franzen – GP 70 G 28 A 30 PTS 58

Edmonton Oilers:

Dustin Penner – Sam Gagner – Ales Hemsky

Despite all the young and exciting talent that the Oilers boast, it is the veterans that will lead the way. Dustin Penner is out to prove that last year was, once again, not a fluke. While Oiler nation will finally see if Ales Hemsky is truly for real. Sam Gagner, as we all know, has all the talents to be a great center in the NHL and with two shifty wingers on his side, the time is now for the young man to break out.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Dustin Penner – GP 82 G 34 A 30 PTS 64
Sam Gagner – GP 70 G 18 A 38 PTS 56
Ales Hemsky – GP 74 G 23 A 28 PTS 51

Florida Panthers:

David Booth – Stephen Weiss – Michael Frolik

The young, rebuilding Florida Panthers will have a lot of adjusting to do this season.  When Nathan Horton was shipped to Boston in favor of Dennis Wideman and the 15th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, it left a glaring hole on the top line.  This hole has yet to be filled, and with a void this big, it leaves little to help the rest of the line up. Expect a long, possible painful season from the Cats in South Florida.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Stephen Weiss – GP 82 G 25 A 35 PTS 60
David Booth – GP 77 G 26 A 33 PTS 59
Michael Frolik  – GP 80 G 21 A 19 PTS 40

Los Angeles Kings:

Ryan Smyth – Anze Kopitar – Wayne Simmonds

The team who have been compared to the Chicago Blackhawks of last year most frequently are the Kings.  With Anze Kopitar getting better and better each year, youngster Wayne Simmonds proving his talent and Ryan Smyth being in the best shape of his entire playing career, there is potential to have one of the most dominant and productive top lines in all of the NHL. Of course, things will mix and match to start the season, as we have witnessed already from head coach Terry Murray but before you know it, all signs point to the creating of a very balanced top nine with a comfortable top six.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Anze Kopitar – GP 82 G 31 A 73 PTS 104
Wayne Simmonds – GP 80 G 22 A 29 PTS 51
Ryan Smyth – GP 79 G 34 A 32 PTS 66

Minnesota Wild:

Andrew Brunette – Mikko Koivu – Martin Havlat

Trouble in paradise. Unable to find a solution to the offensive production, considering Martin Havlat has yet to live up to his contract and no one else on the team has been able to find their scoring touch, the Minnesota Wild find themselves in a position to be one of the bottom teams in the Western Conference this year.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Mikko Koivu – GP 80 G 30 A 36 PTS 66
Antti Miettenen – GP 77 G 22 A 30 PTS 52
Martin Havlat – GP 72 G 20 A 28 PTS 48

Montreal Canadiens:

Brian Gionta – Scott Gomez – Michael Cammalleri

La belle province. The Habs are always an NHL team under the national spotlight and this season will be no different. Although the spotlight will not be on the offense. Carey Price is now the man in Montreal, but the likes of Mike Cammalleri, Scott Gomez and captain Brian Gionta will have to carry the offensive load for the team. Gionta is going to face the pressures of being the second American-born captain for the Habs, but that shouldn’t affect his offensive output, while Cammalleri will likely be depended on for scoring the majority of goals for the Canadiens.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Scott Gomez – GP 80 G 23 A 45 PTS 68
Brian Gionta – GP 82 G 27 A 49 PTS 76
Mike Cammalleri – GP 81 G 38 A 36 PTS 74

Nashville Predators:

Steve Sullivan – Matthew Lombardi – Patric Hornqvist

If history can repeat itself, Matthew Lombardi and Patric Hornqvist are setting themselves up to have quite the season in Nashville.  Though, chemistry and learning to play together will be the number one key to developing that chemistry during the first two weeks of play.  Barring health issues, and any other concerns from the black and white product, this top line does have what it takes to put up quite the points this year.  Nashville will rely heavily on secondary scoring, but with J.P. Dumont, Martin Erat, and the hopes that Colin Wilson will finally develop into a top six talent on board, it should be yet another fun seasons for Preds fans.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Steve Sullivan – GP 70 G 22 A 27 PTS 49
Matthew Lombardi – GP 80 G 27 A 44 PTS 71
Patric Horqvist – GP 82 G 32 A 36 PTS 68

New Jersey Devils:

Ilya Kovalchuk – Travis Zajac – Zach Parise

Also know as the “ZIP” line, this trio has the potential to earn themselves quite the surplus in points totals come seasons end. There is nobody that will benefit more from the addition of Ilya Kovalchuk than Travis Zajac. Look for the young centre to have a career season with not only assists, but also goals. Zach Parise is already in a league of his own, and being a part of this trio will continue to help him excel within his position with ease.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Zajac – GP 82 G 29 A 45 PTS 74
Parise – GP 80 G 34 A 43 PTS 77
Kovalchuk – GP 79 G 43 A 30 PTS 73

New York Islanders:

Matt Moulson – John Tavares – Nino Niederreiter

When John Tavares suffered a concussion to start the year, not only did it totally destroy the hopes of Isles fans across the hockey nation, it puts a damper on the development that everyone within the hockey community was looking forward to witnessing.  With Kyle Okposo, Rob Schremp and Mark Streit already on the shelf to start the year, doom and gloom awaits. Unless potential stud prospect Nino Niederreiter can step up and fill in on the top line upon Tavares’ return, it’s slim pickings at the Old Barn in Nassau County.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

John Tavares – GP 70 G 26 A 44 PTS 70
Matt Moulson – GP 80 G 27 A 22 PTS 49
Nino Niederreiter – GP 78 G 24 A 27 PTS 51

New York Rangers:

Marian Gaborik – Derek Stepan – Alex Frolov

For the first time in a few years the Rangers were not one of the most active teams on the free agent market. They did, however, land coveted free agent Alex Frolov from the LA Kings. Frolov will join Marian Gaborik on the top line, which should make for some flashy goals this season in the Big Apple. In his first season with the Rangers Gaborik played in 76 games (second highest total of career) and matched his career high with 42 goals. If the preseason was any indication, Gaborik and Frolov have found the chemistry and Derek Stepan could turn into the teams number one center in no time.  Brandon Dubinsky has found the perfect slot on the second line with Ryan Callahan and Artem Anisimov and with the chemistry they have, do not expect that line to be broken up any time soon.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Derek Stepan – GP 73 G 21 A 25 PTS 46
Marian Gaborik – GP 78 G 41 A 40 PTS 81
Alex Frolov – GP 79 G 22 A 42 PTS 64

Ottawa Senators:

Daniel Alfredsson – Jason Spezza – Alexei Kovalev

The Ottawa Sentators have a lot of work to do this season. They have some tremendous talents with Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza to go with veteran wit in Alexei Kovalev, but they are in a tough division and will need to play good team hockey if they plan on making the playoffs. Expect big numbers from the top line in Ottawa, but when it comes to offensive depth, the Sens are definitely lacking.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Jason Spezza – GP 77 G 23 A 50 PTS 83
Daniel Alfredsson – GP 60 G 20 A 30 PTS 50
Alexei Kovalev – GP 68 G 22 A 30 PTS 52

Pittsburgh Penguins:

Chris Kunitz – Sidney Crosby – Evgeni Malkin

What is there to say about the Penguins offense that hasn’t already been said. They are tremendously deep down the middle, but depend on second tier wingers to get the job done. Expect Evgeni Malkin to play the wing on the first and second line throughout the season while also dabbling as the second line centre. Big numbers will be put up by Sidney Crosby no matter who he plays with.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Sidney Crosby – GP 77 G 38 A 65 PTS 103
Chris Kunitz – GP 79 G 21 A 30 PTS 51
Evgeni Malkin – GP 79 G 33 A 68 PTS 101

Philadelphia Flyers:

Mike Richards – Jeff Carter – Dan Carcillo

The trio attempts to compliment each other.  With a surplus of Centers on the Philadelphia roster, someone will have to move to wing and it seems, at least to start the season, that Mike Richards will fill that role.  With that being said, the top line to start the season, as mentioned above, has the potential to be one of the better top lines in the NHL.

Although the acquisition of Nikolai Zherdev, even with all the knocks on Zherdev and his lack of defensive abilities, his offensive production will compliment the play of his responsible two-way teammates.  Jeff Carter, who has scored 30 or more goals in each of the previous two seasons, has two gifted line mates to play with as well.  Sitting at 99 goals in his NHL career, Zherdev will reach a milestone, barring injury, this season with Philadelphia – even as part of the 3rd line.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Carter -  GP 76 G 38 A 30 PTS 68
Richards – GP 80 G 32 A 51 PTS 83
Carcillo – GP 72 G 16 A 12 PTS 28

Phoenix Coyotes:

Lee Stempniak – Wojtek Wolski – Shane Doan

A surplus of moves out of Phoenix seem to be counteractive as they attempted to replace what they lost. Matthew Lombardi and Zybnek Michalek have since found new teams but Phoenix will look to some familiar faces as well as the addition of veteran Ray Whitney to help the offensive situations as a whole. With skaters like Wolski and Stempniak – as long as they can progress in the same instance as the season prior to this, there could be enough firepower among this Coyotes group to lead them directly into the playoffs once again this year.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Wojtek Wolski – GP 80 G 24 A 37 PTS 61
Lee Stempniak – GP 82 G 30 A 34 PTS 64
Shane Doan – GP 82 G 28 A 42 PTS 70

San Jose Sharks:

Dany Heatley – Joe Thorton – Patrick Marleau

What can truly be said about one of the top offensive units in the game today?  Outside of the playoff knocks on the Sharks cast, regular season play is dominant year in and year out.  Simply stated, when ‘Jumbo’ Joe Thorton is your top line Center and you can dish the puck off to a sniper like Dany Heatley or a very solid goal scorer like Patrick Marleau, there is no reason any of the three – slumps included – should not be able to earn at least 65 points or more this upcoming season. We know, they did not start the season together, but it is only a matter of time until things return to normal.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Joe Thorton GP 75 G 21 A 63 PTS 84
Dany Heatley GP 80 G 35 A 33 PTS 68
Patrick Marleau GP 76 G 31 A 33 PTS 64

St. Louis Blues:

David Backes – Andy MacDonald – David Perron

The Blues are one of the youngest teams in the league and this season we will really get to see what kind of talents they boast. David Perron and David Backes are big parts of the organization and they will have to produce in order for the team to win. The addition of Jaroslav Halak should allow the forwards and defenseman to have a little more freedom on the offensive side of the puck, which should lead to more goals.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Andy MacDonald – GP 77 G 25 A 25 PTS 50
David Backes – GP 80 G 30 A 36 PTS 66
David Perron – GP 81 G 23 A 45 PTS 68

Tampa Bay Lightning:

Simon Gagne – Steve Stamkos – Martin St. Louis

It’s hard to believe that Vincent Lecavalier would ever be the number two center on the Lightning, but the emergence of Steven Stamkos has moved him to that position. The Lighting are stacked on the offensive side of the puck and should have no problems scoring this season, their biggest question is between the pipes. But leaving goaltenders out of the equation, St. Louis, Stamkos and likely newcomer Simon Gagne can surely provide the offensive pop needed to make some noise within the Southwest Division.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Steven Stamkos – GP 82 G 55 A 55 PTS 110
Martin St. Louis – GP 77 G 23 A 60 PTS 83
Simon Gagne – GP 60 G 27 A 25 PTS 52

Toronto Maple Leafs:

Kris Versteeg – Tyler Bozak – Phil Kessel

Say what you will about Tyler Bozak being too young and too far off for a top line Center role.  Then, watch the magic that will be created between Versteeg and Kessel to help propel Bozak and his point production to match that of the weakest top line Center from around the NHL. The Leafs are looking to make a statement this year and it’s playoffs or bust at that.  In what has already started out as a surprising but promising start of the season in Toronto, one can only hope that they continue to rise and play consistent hockey all year long. Here, we aren’t hoping we are projecting this to happen.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Tyler Bozak – GP 82 G 22 A 25 PTS 47
Phil Kessel – GP 81 G 42 A 29 PTS 71
Kris Versteeg – GP 76 G 27 A 33 PTS 60

Vancouver Canucks:

Daniel Sedin – Henrik Sedin – Alex Burrows

Even without his twin, Henrik Sedin led the league in points last year proving that, as fantastic as a player combination the brothers are, Henrik can handle all situations when called upon. Yes, Alex Burrows has missed the start of the year due to the injury bug but once he returns, the Canucks truly have one of the most dominant top lines in all of the NHL. The twins and Burrows will lead this organization to the promise land sooner than one may expect.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Henrik Sedin – GP 82 G 33 A 43 PTS 76
Daniel Sedin – GP 78 G 32 A 47 PTS 79
Alexander Burrows – GP 68 G 27 A 35 PTS 62

Washington Capitals:

Alexander Ovechkin – Nicklas Backstrom – Mike Knuble

Does anyone truly expect to see a lack of production from one of the greatest Center/Winger combination’s in the entire league? Forsberg Jr., or as we know him Mr. Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Ovechkin make for one of the most dangerous offensive attacks the game has ever witnessed. With young Backstrom developing with every shift in every game, and only getting better, as well as Ovechkin being the pure goal scorer he is, this lethal top line duo along with veteran Mike Knuble will be atop the statistical charts come April.  The only question that needs to be answered is if the offensive output will be enough to help the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup appearance in 13 years.

Projections for the 2010-11 season:

Nicklas Backstrom – GP 80 G 35 A 89 PTS 124*
Alexander Ovechkin – GP 78 G 86 A 53 PTS 139*
Mike Knuble – GP 80 G 22 A 28 PTS 50

Nicklas Backstrom – GP 80 G 35 A 63 PTS 98
Alexander Ovechkin – GP 78 G 52 A 45 PTS 97
Mike Knuble – GP 80 G 22 A 28 PTS 50

With those projections, and the general consensus over ruling any other ideas we had in mind, the top three to round out the league this season are:

#3 - San Jose Sharks

#2 – Vancouver Canucks

#1 – Washington Capitals

Honorable mentions:  The New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers sure have some fire power that will be tough to contain throughout the course of the season. Though not cracking the top three, we feel the would absolutely be among the top five if we had decided to go that far.

Who would be the best first line in your opinion?

*For the haters.

Anthony Curatolo
NHLHS NHL Writer
acuratolo@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @HockeyGuy_AC

Brandon Macdonald
NHLHS Editor
bmacdonald@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @bMacdonald8

The Chicago Blackhawks notched their first win of the season Monday night erasing an early two-goal deficit en route to a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.  Aside from the defensively chaotic first several minutes, the Blackhawks played a solid game and took the game over after the rough start.  Patrick Kane netted his first goal of the season in his hometown, Marian Hossa bagged a pair to continue his torrid pace, and even newcomer Nick Leddy notched his first career NHL goal in the contest.  Even when you include a Sabres goal in the first twenty seconds, all those accomplishments pale in comparison to the controversial hit by Chicago’s Niklas Hjalmarsson on Buffalo’s Jason Pominville.

Buffalo Sabres by Brandon Augienello

Not many people in Buffalo would disagree with you, if you were to suggest Ryan Miller is the MVP of the National Hockey League in this 2009-10 season.

Simply put, he was the best goaltender in the league and carried this franchise on his narrow shoulders wire-to-wire. Most people that don’t get the chance to watch him day in, day out, saw just how locked in he truly was all season, when he proudly wore the colors of his country during the Olympics.

Out of many stars playing in the men’s ice hockey portion of these Winter Games, his star was simply the brightest, carrying Team USA to an improbable silver medal performance. No surprise here, if you watched this man play all season like many of the Buffalo faithful did. He simply has been the standard in goal and the true backbone to this team.

But as much credit is heaped upon #30, none of this would be possible if it weren’t for Lindy Ruff being the kind of coach that he has been ever since he stepped behind the Buffalo bench, almost thriteen years ago. He has overseen a team that quite simply overachieved and stunned a lot of skeptics along the way.

Even with nobody scoring at a point per game clip, the Sabres still managed to rank within the top ten in goals for. That is the truest sign of the kind of year they had. With an unexpected down season from elite goal scorer Thomas Vanek, teammates such as Tim Connolly and Derek Roy picked up the slack.

They along with Drew Stafford, Jason Pominville and newly acquired Raffi Torres will need to lift their games in the playoffs, where everyone is going to need to contribute against an extremely stingy Boston Bruins defense.

As far as the Sabres blueline is concerned, all eyes will be on rookie sensation Tyler Myers, as he will be up against, whom many are comparing him to be one day, Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. While the comparisons are drawn mainly because of their respective tremendous physical stature, Myers is ahead of Chara, as far as his development is concerned. Already blessed with agility and foot speed, Myers will look to outshine the reigning Norris trophy winner in this series.

He will have to, because the rest of Buffalo’s defense leaves a lot to be desired.

If the season series competitiveness carries over into the opening round between the two divisional rivals, we should expect a low scoring and tight checking affair. Buffalo isn’t the only team here that has an impressive netminder starting for them, as well. Finnish sensation Tuukka Rask wrestled away the starting job from last year’s Vezina trophy winner Tim Thomas. I think that is all you need to know about this youngster’s impressive play this year in Beantown.

If you want run-and-gun and high scoring contests, you better change the channel.

Boston Bruins by Dave Strehle

The 2009-10 campaign was a struggle for the Boston Bruins, one that saw the team starving for goals.

Superstar center Marc Savard missed the last 18 games because of a concussion, courtesy of a blow to the head by Pittsburgh Penguins’ instigator Matt Cooke on March 7th.  The most important piece in Boston’s offensive game is still suffering from post-concussion syndrome and experiencing headaches.  Savard says there is no timetable for his return, and he hasn’t even been able to skate since taking the hit.

Patrice Bergeron, who knows something about what Savard is going through, and David Krejci tied for the team lead in scoring.  Only one player, Marco Sturm with 22, scored more than 20 goals this season.

The Bruins finished 4-2-0 against the Sabres this year, and it was because of Boston’s defense.  Hulking defenseman Zdeno Chara led the team with a goal and seven points, and Milan Lucic was second with just three points.

When asked by a reporter a couple of weeks ago to give a reason why Boston would make the playoffs, forward Mark Recchi simply replied:  “Tuukka Rask.”

2008-09 Vezina Trophy winning goaltender, Tim Thomas, muddled his way to a sub-.500 record, but luckily for Boston, they had Rask in the fold.  He was given a chance at the number one job and responded with a record of 22-12-5, a miniscule 1.97 GAA, a .931 save percentage, and five shutouts.  Included in those numbers were a 4-1-0 record against Buffalo, 1.43 GAA, and a .954 save percentage.

The real battle will be between two of the best masked men in the NHL, Rask and Sabres’ Ryan Miller.  It should be a tight, low-scoring series, and it may come down to if one netminder can outplay the other as to which team moves on to the second round.

Atlantic

• Martin Brodeur seemed relieved to win his 30th game of the season. The fact that it came with his seventh shutout of the campaign and 108th of his career made it even sweeter.
• The Islanders will be without physical defenseman Andy Sutton for the next two games after he was suspended by the NHL for hitting Penguins forward Pascual Dupuis last night in Pittsburgh.
• Here’s how the Rangers stand to benefit tomorrow night in Philadelphia from last night’s 8-2 rout of the Lightning in Manhattan: Henrik Lundqvist goes in fresh. The King played last night, all right, stopping 21 of the 23 shots he faced, but he was able to relax within the framework of the match that was 6-2 with 13:56 to play.
• Revenge is a dish best served when the weather is warm — as in the springtime Stanley Cup playoffs. Until then, the Penguins don’t figure to learn what the Washington Capitals discovered about winning from their excruciating postseason loss in a second-round showdown last year.
• Claude Giroux will remain at center Thursday when the Flyers host the New York Rangers in a key game at the Wachovia Center. Giroux had been playing right wing on Mike Richards‘ line, but he switched places with Darroll Powe in Tuesday’s 5-3 victory over Columbus.

Northeast

• While most of the veterans headed off the ice, Dennis Wideman stayed on for some extra work. After all, he needs it, writes Fluto Shinzawa. Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald writes that Dennis Wideman is an easy target, and Bruins coach Claude Julien slammed the defenseman with a broadside yesterday. It shows how important being placed Chara for an entire season is.
• There’s more to staying in the lineup than knuckles rapping on lumber. Jason Pominville wasn’t going to take any chances, though, considering his next game will be his 300th in a row.
• For the first time in a long time, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has reason to be thrilled about his hockey team. Speaking with reporters here on Wednesday, he said he “couldn’t be happier” with its performance on the ice, though there’s room for improvement in the stands.
• The Canadiens, who seem to enjoy playing hockey in 20-minute bursts, saved their best for last against the St. Louis Blues Wednesday night. After trailing for the entire game, Scott Gomez lifted the Canadiens into a 3-3 tie with 32.9 seconds remaining in regulation time. It was enough to get a point.
• The Leafs hoped to net six points from the eight that were up for grabs when they started their road swing in Nashville, but they now have to run the table in Florida to make that happen.

Southeast

• Tom Poti thought he had finally pushed the painful memory of the Washington Capitals’ Game 7 collapse against the Pittsburgh Penguins into the deep recesses of his mind. But about three weeks later, the veteran defenseman discovered he had not buried it deep enough.
• The Carolina Hurricanes have a new captain and it came as no surprise. The timing, maybe, but not the selection. General manager Jim Rutherford announced today that forward Eric Staal would replace Rod Brind’Amour as captain. Let the selling begin in Carolina. Re-visit the names on the block, confirmed by TSN.ca last night.
• Mark Bradley of ajc.com gives his grade of Don Waddell of the Atlanta Thrashers. Start date: June 1998. Recap: Two winning seasons, one division championship, one playoff appearance, no playoff victories.
• Who said low-scoring games are boring? For nearly 40 minutes, Wednesday’s taut battle between a hot Panthers team against the riled-up Devils, coming off a rare three-game losing streak, resembled an Old West duel.
• Tampa Bay Lightning coach Rick Tocchet didn’t come right out and say rookie defenseman Victor Hedman will be benched for Thursday’s game with the Maple Leafs, but it sure sounded like that is what will happen.

I previously skipped over the Sabres, so here they are.

Based on Matthew Pouliot’s series on Circling the Bases, I have decided restore the rosters for every NHL team. Like Pouliot, I have established some ground rules for my selections.

1. Each team contains players they originally drafted or signed before any other NHL team. This includes players drafted and not signed, as well as European free agents coming over at an older age.
2. I have chosen to leave retired players off the list, and lean toward players in the AHL rather than those deported (KHL, SEL, DEL, etc.).

Essentially I am choosing the best available players for a team to succeed in the current NHL season. All 30 teams will be covered, with grades assigned to forwards, defense and goaltending. After all 30 articles are written, they will be ranked in order. This series’ intent is to reward or shame NHL scouts.

The Sabres rely heavily on their drafting and development of young players in order to keep their payroll down. Due to their restrictions monetarily, the team has succeeded in producing a vast amount of NHL regulars as well as some well regarded players.  Overall, there really is no weaknesses to their lineup from the net on out.  A mostly young core, this team greatly resembles the team currently constructed but with more depth and much improved blueline.

The lineup for the Buffalo Sabres is as follows.

Forwards:

The forward core consists of a good mix of young players.  As these players continue to develop, the team will only get better and better much like the current roster.

Thomas Vanek – Derek Roy – Jason Pominville

Clarke MacArthur – Tyler Ennis / Nathan Gerbe / Tim Kennedy – Drew Stafford

Daniel Paille – Paul Gaustad – Maxim Afinogenov

Ales Kotalik – Wayne Primeau – Patrick Kaleta

Extra(s): Brad May, Andrew Peters, Mike Zigomanis, Mark Mancari

The only glaring hole is the second line center.  I chose to let three highly touted prospects fight it out for a spot.  Those three smallish centers are a large part of the future in Buffalo therefore we can see why some other players like Afinogenov and Paille are no longer with the organization.  Although their forward core may appear to be impressive, and by all means it is, in no way does it compare to the plethora of NHL defensemen the team drafted and developed.

Grade: B+

Defense:

The Sabres probably have the best defensive core in the league.  Although they drafted so many good defensemen, it is mainly the bottom of the depth chart that are still with the team.

Brian Campbell – Dennis Widemann

Tyler Myers – Keith Ballard

Cory Sarich – Henrik Tallinder

Extra(s): Nathan Paetsch, Jay McKee, Chris Butler, Andrej Sekera, Jan Hejda

Every defenseman listed is a capable NHL defender. One would be hard pressed to find a better top four around the league.  It is just unfortunate that three out of the top four are out of the organization.  Sadly Wideman elected free agency before playing a single game for the team while Ballard yielded Steve Reinprecht ironically a solid 2nd line center.  Traded for Steve Bernier and a first round pick (Ennis), Campbell moved to San Jose to play with his close friend Joe Thornton.  An honestly decent trade, one which helped the Sabres even more in the long run.

Grade: A+

Goaltenders:

The Sabres produced perhaps the best goaltender in all of hockey.  In fact, the situation with this team closely resembles the same roster as the team’s post-lockout team.

Ryan Miller

Martin Biron

Extra: Jonas Enroth

As of this writing, Miller leads all goalies with a 1.83 GAA, .939 SV% and four shutouts through 26 games.  He clearly is the best tender to represent team USA in the Olympics and a strong contender for the Vezina.  Biron is still the same goalie who led the Flyers to the ECF two years ago.  He can string together an impressive string of wins regardless of his playing situation as shown in the past.

Grade: A

Hope you enjoyed this version of Restoring the Rosters.  You can help NHLHS stay alive by visiting our sponsors to the left.

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-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com