Photo Credit: Bridget Samuels

The kid who got “got beat up at the bus stop“ Larry Brooks of The New York Post reported today that due to a degenerative knee problem, the New York Rangers would not be able to buy out their captain, Chris Drury. While Drury remains one of the more respected players on the team by both fans and teammates alike, his expected honorable discharge was seen as a complete change in identity from the old reign of overpaid underachievers to a young, blue collar team.

That change may still happen and most likely it could happen even quicker with the addition of top UFA pivot Brad Richards.

Although conflicting reports have Richards signing anywhere from Los Angeles to Toronto and most stops in between, GM Glen Sather and company can now offer him a the very least $7.05 million since that would replace Drury’s cap hit and put the team much closer to using his cap space prior to the beginning of the season. If that last sentence threw you off, you can see Brooks’ concise explanation in how putting the captain on LTIR would require the Rangers to spend.

But in order to gain the full value of the $7.05 million exemption, the Rangers would have to go that far over the cap. In other words, if the cap is $62.5 million (an estimation before it is officially established by June 30), the team would have to get to $69.5 million (including Drury) before the season-opener in Stockholm to reap the full LTI benefit.

Of course, Richards is now coming off a contract where he was paid him an even $7.8 million per season. If he expects a raise — as the top UFA he certainly can name his price — then the Rangers monetarily become the perfect match for him. Furthermore they no longer need to buy out one of the most respected players in the League and their 25th captain in team history.

On the other hand, giving Sather cap space is essentially giving a drunk teenager car keys. He managed to sign both Drury and Scott Gomez to two of the worst contracts in the history of the post-cap era, only to be outdone by an awful contract extension for Michal Rozsival and the infamous six-year, $39 million deal handed to an aging Wade Redden. Even his mid-range signings like Ales Kotalik wound up backfiring as Nick Montemagno of Rangers Tribune stated, via Twitter, “New York seems to be a tough fit for many.” Tough fit is right.

Regardless, with free money that team owner James Dolan can clearly afford, the Rangers have the ability of adding some good scoring depth to a team that finished 16th in the League (one behind arch-rival New York Islanders) with 224. The young core, which begins with Henrik Lundqvist in net and then builds out with a solid young blue line could use some secondary scoring which would allow the team to offer a proven forward like Jussi Jokinen, Ville Leino or even former Philadelphia Flyer Simon Gagne a better contract than most. Again, most players don’t work out in New York but perhaps under a strict coaching staff with a direction and an improving blue-collar core this thought process could become a reality.

After learning about Drury not getting bought out, most speculation moves to buying out players like Sean Avery, Erik Christensen and even Wojtek Wolski. All three of these moves would add wasted cap space onto the 2012-2013 cap which currently shows all three as off the books so at this point none necessarily need to be moved off the team in such a manner. Sather needs to deal with re-signing the RFAs like Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Michael Sauer, Brian Boyle, Matt Gilroy and Artem Anisimov and should very well focus on their raises before worrying about making room. According to Cap Geek, the team currently holds $18.4125 million in space to deal with before the Drury report so these all seem like good problems to have for Sather.

With all this added cap space, or potential to make space rather, I open up the floor to our audience:

Photo Credit: Ranger Rick / Flickr

Earlier in the week, top free agent center Brad Richards formally announced he would not be re-signing with the Dallas Stars. Despite enjoying his time in Big D, the playmaking center simply felt uncomfortable playing for a team whose ownership situation remains muddled and whose budget still remains undeclared. Too much uncertainty forces Richards to test the open market and forces GM Joe Nieuwendyk to explore the option of trading his rights away, if Richards allows him to do so.

“Obviously I have to move on,” Richards told ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun. “I had fun in Dallas and I like the city. But the (ownership) situation is unclear so I really didn’t have a chance to stay there. I will move on and look forward to the opportunity to being a free agent. I’ve never had that chance in my career. It’s a real big moment in my life to say the least.’”

According to Kevin McGran of The Star, it seems like the frontrunners are the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and the Detroit Red Wings. The most popular writer in the blogosphere, Greg Wyshynski, also mentions the Buffalo Sabres and the Tampa Bay Lightning as two solid options. However, all 29 teams would likely want a crack at grabbing Richards, especially if he does not waive his NTC to a likely suitor; even if his rights are traded it seems like Richards would love to explore free agency for the first time in his career.

And why not, Richards has played 772 games in the NHL without controlling his destiny. He re-signed with the Lightning right after winning the Stanley Cup and then was traded to Dallas while on that same deal. He likes to win and liked Tampa Bay but his loyalty forced his way into Texas.

Back in February, Steve Simmons of The Toronto Sun alluded to Richards wanting to play in Carolina, yet the Hurricanes look far off everyone’s radar. But why? There are several reasons why he would work on the Canes, let us discuss.

1. 2nd line center. Most of last season, the Canes struggled to find their second line center. Jussi Jokinen, Tuomo Ruutu and Jeff Skinner all alternated in that position throughout the season.  Ruutu, who took the third-most faceoffs on the team with 643, finished with a faceoff percentage of 41.2. Clearly Richards, who finished with a 50.6 percent success rate, would greatly improve their faceoffs.
2. Snipers. Skinner could easily be the best young sniper in the League. If you look at Richards’ career, he typically needed a sniper and was previously excellent while pivoting Loui Eriksson or Martin St. Louis. He also struggled to produce while toiling on the second line in Tampa Bay, which once gave him a supporting cast of Jan Hlavac and Michel Ouellet– neither of which is still in the NHL. For Richards to succeed he needs linemates who have a killer instinct. Skinner has that, top prospects Zach Boychuk and Zac Dalpe could do the same.
3. Location. We know Richards loved Tampa Bay and he alluded to liking Carolina as a location to play. If he was a member of the Canes he would a not only face his former team more than he would outside the Southeast Division, he would also enjoy the quiet ability to stay under the radar in the streets — something that would simply not happen in Toronto or New York. Carolina and Tampa Bay are relatively similar cities with regards to temperature and how their teams are regarded when they are winning.
4. Cap Space. With only five forwards actually signed for next season, the Canes hold the third-most cap space with over $29 million to spend. Yes, they need to spend some on that in retaining alternate captain Brandon Sutter and probably try to re-sign Chad LaRose, Erik Cole and Jokinen but none of their free agents are more talented than Richards. Which leads us to our next point…
5. Two Elite Centers. Adding Richards down the middle would give Eric Staal the perfect compliment. Considering the team opts to play Sutter in a defensive role, he would stay on the third line giving the team a perfect 1-2-3 in the faceoff circle. Aside from the Anaheim Ducks, every post-lockout Stanley Cup Champion had two excellent options at center which helped propel them. These two would rival Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, Ryan Kesler and Henrik Sedin, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, or even Vincent Lecavalier and Steven Stamkos.

Of course, things change quickly in hockey and the Canes have never really made a splash this big. Considering they are in the middle of their rebuild-on-the-fly they could opt to promote more youth. Or, they could take an aggressive look ahead at the team who forced them out of the playoff picture by taking the one that got away.

When training camp started, there were more open slots on the Canes’ roster than at any point since the lockout.  Not to say that six open spots are anything to write home about, but for a franchise that has for years assigned lines and roster spots in June rather than September this qualifies as news.  With four open spaces at forward and two defensive spots open, the competition was expected to be fierce. However, as we’ve gone through the preseason there have been some surprises, both good and bad, so with a week left in camp we look at the chances of the players on the bubble to stick on the roster when the regular season begins next Friday.

Note that the NHL allows teams beginning the season overseas to have an expanded 25-man roster until they return from Europe.  One of those extra slots will undoubtedly go to Justin Pogge, who will serve as the third goaltender, and the second will likely go to a defenseman.  For purposes of this discussion, we will limit it to a normal 23-man roster and assess the odds from that benchmark.

Already on the team, barring catastrophe
F (8): Eric Staal, Sergei Samsonov, Tuomo Ruutu, Brandon Sutter, Erik Cole, Tom Kostopoulos, Jussi Jokinen, Chad LaRose
D (4): Tim Gleason, Joni Pitkanen, Anton Babchuk, Joe Corvo
G (2): Cam Ward, Justin Peters (plus Justin Pogge, who will go to Europe but will almost certainly be sent to Charlotte after the team returns)

Competition for Forward Spots
Patrick O’Sullivan: Signed the day camp opened, O’Sullivan has been a revelation in camp and a spot is almost certainly his to lose.  He has been productive in all facets of the game, including a turn as a penalty killer that resulted in a shorthanded goal in the first preseason game against Florida.  O’Sullivan is a historically streaky player, so to expect this great play to continue through the season is unrealistic, but he’s more than earned a spot on the roster as he’s been the best player on the ice for two of the Canes’ four preseason games. Chance of making the team: 95%

Zach Boychuk: No one on the roster has seen his stock fall faster in the first two weeks of camp than Boychuk, who had by all accounts been given every opportunity to make the team but has looked increasingly lost as camp has progressed.  He has been tentative on the puck, ineffective off it and has been by far the most disappointing player relative to his potential to this point.  The emergence of O’Sullivan has been directly at Boychuk’s expense, and while he may make the flight to Europe it will take a remarkable turnaround for him to stay on the 23-man roster.  There’s probably a decent (maybe 35%) chance of Boychuk being traded for defensive help in the next couple of weeks, although the team will never admit this, because his perceived ceiling (and therefore, his value on the trade market) is higher than anyone else on the bubble. Chance of making the team: 30%

Jiri Tlusty: A torn ACL in the AHL playoffs last year has prevented Tlusty from playing in any preseason games, but he may be cleared in time to play one of the final two games before the Canes leave for Russia.  There were never any promises for Tlusty this season, but the fact that he must clear waivers to be sent down (plus the one-way deal he signed this offseason, ensuring he will make NHL money even if sent down) will likely result in a roster spot. Chance of making the team: 70%

Drayson Bowman: Unusually for such a small player, if Bowman makes the team it will be as a defensive specialist.  Bowman has earned raves from the coaching staff with his attention to defensive detail.  He could use another season in the AHL to bulk up, and with the number of defensive forwards already on the roster (Sutter, Staal, Kostopoulos, LaRose, etc.) he will likely be squeezed to Charlotte.  It hasn’t been for a lack of effort, though, and he will probably be the first callup if he does head to the minors out of camp. Chance of making the team: 40%

Zac Dalpe: Dalpe’s chances of making the team took a serious hit Sunday when the team announced Jussi Jokinen would likely play center on the third line.  If Dalpe were to make the team, that’s where he would settle, so while he remains on the training camp roster it’s likely that he will not be headed to Europe.  While looking solid on the puck and generally making good decisions on both ends, Dalpe has made the predictable rookie mistakes, to no one’s surprise, and it wouldn’t hurt him to play top-six minutes in Charlotte rather than having a ceiling of 15 minutes per game with the Canes. Remember, he only signed his professional contract with nine games remaining in Albany’s season last year, so there’s still development that needs to occur. Chance of making the team: 15%

Patrick Dwyer: Dwyer is a known quantity, having played 58 games with Carolina last season, and while he would likely clear waivers (and has a minors-friendly two-way deal) it would take an other-worldly performance from either Bowman or Dalpe to knock Dwyer down to Charlotte.  Much like Chad LaRose years ago, who always seemed from the outside to have a shakier roster spot than the inside believed, Dwyer is a known quantity in an organization that values the known highly.  He’s virtually guaranteed a spot on the 23-man roster. Chance of making the team: 95%

Jeff Skinner: Even the franchise that valued him so highly that only the top two draft picks were above him on their board didn’t think the decision on whether Skinner would make the team was going to be this easy. If not for O’Sullivan, Skinner would be the story of camp.  He’s flown all over the ice, creating scoring chances out of nothing, and perhaps most importantly he teamed with Jokinen and LaRose on Friday night as part of the most effective line on the ice for either team.  That line is likely to remain intact when the season begins, and not only will Skinner make the opening-night roster, he will be on the roster for ten games, and his contract will be activated.  There’s no guarantee he will stay up for the entire season, but if he can play at this level all year, why wouldn’t the Canes keep him up? Chance of making the team: 90%

Likely to make the team: O’Sullivan, Dwyer, Skinner, Tlusty

Competition for Defense Spots
Jamie McBain: A spot on the 2010-11 roster has been McBain’s to lose since last year’s trade deadline, and he’s done nothing to relinquish that spot.   McBain has been solid if unspectacular in the preseason, but unspectacular in his case is a good thing.  He’s been smart with the puck and he doesn’t give up odd-man rushes often, so he is a solid defender in addition to being a valuable weapon on offense.  No question there will be some growing pains as he goes through his first full NHL season, but it would take a remarkable regression combined with someone else stepping up for McBain to play anywhere other than Carolina this season. Chance of making the team: 99%

Bobby Sanguinetti: It’s no surprise that the Canes are giving Sanguinetti an extended audition while sending potential roster-spot competitors Casey Borer and Bryan Rodney to Charlotte.  While the Canes know what they’re getting with the likes of Borer and Rodney, Sanguinetti is still something of an unknown quantity.  Unfortunately for him, Sanguinetti’s play has been shaky in the preseason.  He has been caught out of position somewhat regularly, and his offensive exploits have been pretty much nonexistent.  Even though Sanguinetti will be in camp for longer than most other hopefuls, he probably won’t even be the first option as a callup, especially when considering that Sanguinetti is exempt from waivers and has a two-way deal. Like Bowman, Sanguinetti will likely head to Europe but will be in Charlotte after the Canes return. Chance of making the team: 30%

Brett Carson: A non-factor to the point of being invisible thus far, Carson is nonetheless a known quantity which increases his chances of sticking on the roster. The Canes know what they have with Carson, who proved last year that he can handle regular shifts, and he’s probably going to be in a rotation with Jay Harrison (see below) as the sixth or seventh defenseman on any given night.  Note that Carson’s chance of staying put on the NHL roster will drop quickly if the Canes pull the trigger on a deal for more defensive depth. Chance of making the team: 60%

Jay Harrison: By any reasonable account Harrison has done nothing to deserve a roster spot.  So why is only McBain listed with a higher probability of seeing the roster? Simple: Harrison has a one-way deal, and the Canes are in no mood to pay him NHL money to play for Charlotte while paying a two-way player like Carson or Sanguinetti to play NHL minutes.  Harrison has been frighteningly bad, and the ill-fated pairing with Anton Babchuk in Friday’s game was a logistical nightmare.  After Bryan Rodney left with an injury, Harrison was mercifully moved from Babchuk’s pairing onto a unit with Tim Gleason, which only proved that Gleason can compensate for Harrison’s shortcomings.  There is no reasonable hockey reason Harrison should have a roster spot, but the budget being what it is you can safely expect Harrison to hold down a roster spot. Chance of making the team: 80%

Likely to make the team: McBain, Harrison, Carson (unless a trade is pulled off)

We’ll know by Wednesday who makes the team. The Canes have one more cut to get down to 25, but since the budget is a consideration there’s a decent chance the Canes will cut more players and only take 23 or 24 to Europe.  In any case, by the time the team comes back to the USA after the games in Helsinki the roster will almost certainly have no more than 21 players.

Who will they be? We’ll find out soon enough.

Brian LeBlanc
NHLHS Hurricanes Writer
bleblanc@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @puckdrops

As the draft selection begins to wind down, here is my initial look at which prospect each team would take barring any trades.  Keep in mind this article is the first possible selections and will change as the playoffs begin to wind down.  Keep an eye out for us taking an even deeper look into the 2010 NHL Draft as the draft day comes closer.

	Taylor Hall takes the number one selection after defeating Tyler Seguin in the playoffs.  With Jordan Eberle already on board in Edmonton, the Oilers will reunite the tandem which almost singlehandedly won the gold medal in this year’s WJHC.
	Cam Fowler will bring a franchise defenseman to Boston after Hall leaves the map.  With Zdeno Chara now 33-years-old they need a blue liner to take over in a few years and can be patient with second Windsor Spitfire to go in the draft.
	Erik Gudbranson will bring another solid young defenseman to the Panther blue line.  Even though this team continues to struggle in the scoring department, they still need to build a team from the blue line out and will add to a solid core of Jason Garrison, Keith Ballard and Dmitry Kulikov.
	Tyler Seguin looked like he could take the number one spot but falls in the Blue Jacket’s lap due to organizational needs.  Although a natural center, he likely will flank Rick Nash on the opposite wing for years to come and solidify the top 6 forward corps of their struggling offense.
	Nino Niederreiter would look great on a team with another great Swiss player in Mark Streit.  The talented left wing could be the best offensive player to come out of Switzerland and would give the Islanders another identity.
	Brandon Gormley makes the perfect compliment to Victor Hedman.  With the Tampa Bay blue line looking increasingly porous, this mobile defenseman out of the QMJHL will fit in well with other alums of the Quebec league and solidify a young defensive core.
	Mikael Granlund looks to be the top pick out of Finland this season so the Hurricanes should select him based on their recent success fitting into their system.  The young left wing would fit in well with Tuomo Ruutu, Joni Pitkanen and Jussi Jokinen in their core.
	Vladimir Tarasenko will be the first Russian selected in the draft.  Which better team to mold a Russian superstar than the one which just traded away Ilya Kovalchuk.
	Derek Forbort grew up in Duluth, Minnesota making him the logical pick of the Wild.  Last year they took Nick Leddy, another local boy but traded him to Chicago in the deal which landed Cam Barker.  Taking another local kid seems like their MO.
	Alex Burmistrov fits the mold of the past Rangers selection as he certainly possesses the highest upside of the players left on board.  With Artem Anisimov already playing a full season and Evgeny Grachev waiting in the wings, this playmaking center will fit right in when he comes to the Big Apple.
	Ryan Johanson comes out of the WHL, where the Stars have found success drafting young forwards.  With most of their blue line young, they search for more help in the scoring department.  Johanson plays that role and can replace either Brad Richards of Mike Ribeiro down the road.
	The Ducks alternate taking a forward and a defenseman every season, so this season they are due to draft a defenseman.  At this point Mark Pysyk seems like the logical selection.  He comes out of the WHL, where the team selected Ryan Getzlaf, Joffrey Lupul and Brendan Mikkelson from in the past.
	Brett Connolly falls to the Coyotes after spending the majority of the season injured.  The talented left wing fits the same profile of current captain Shane Doan so he should fit right under the veteran’s wing.  He may be the steal of the draft at this point and makes the Olli Jokinen trade look that much better.
	Jack Campbell will be the first goaltender selected in the draft and to no better team.  Chris Mason and Ty Conklin will not stay for too much longer making the Blues need even that greater.  Campbell will make a great addition other US born players like David Backes and TJ Oshie.

Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Senior Editor
amonaghan@nhlhotstove.com
@NHLHotStove

Keith’s point per dollar averages out to be $27,830.20 per point. As a defenseman, and a possible Norris Trophy candidate this season, Keith’s cost efficiency should not surprise many.

Keith developed into an offensive threat, while still defending his zone (often playing against the league’s best players every game).

The sturdy reliable defenseman broke his career (goals) high in January. He now has eleven goals; however, his real ability remains setting up his teammates for goals.

Although the Blackhawks resigned Keith to a 13-year ($72 million) contract this past December, his cap hit this year remains $1,475,000. The young defenseman will (most likely) finish his career with the Blackhawks, but his cost per point will become more expensive next season. For now, Keith sits among the league’s best producing players.

Even though Alexander Ovechkin, Henrik Sedin, and Sidney Crosby are the top three in the league in points, two of them (Crosby and Ovechkin) are in the bottom ten for points per dollar.

Meanwhile, the Blackhawks appear very cost-efficient (Patrick Kane ranks 11^th for points per dollar, while Jonathan Toews sits behind Kane at 12^th and Patrick Sharp comes in 19^th). Overall, at least up until this point in the season, Chicago reins supreme.

Back in November, Rich Peverley of Atlanta ranked as the best cost effective player in the league. His cap hit of 487,500 (even though he signed a new contract this season) caused his points per dollar to be $21,195.65. Now, his points per dollar status is $11,079.50, but he sits in the 66^th spot in points in the league.

As this article focuses on the top fifty scorers, Keith remains the most cost-efficient scorer.

Katlyn Gambill

NHLHS Featured Writer
kgambill@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @freezethepuck

Atlantic Division

• The Devils’ postgame dressing room was empty. Just like the net behind Senators goalie Brian Elliott. Even when they were missing some of their key players because of injuries early in the season, the Devils did not get shut out in their first 46 games. It’s been a struggle to score goals ever since. “I think you can obviously see that,” captain Jamie Langenbrunner said. “We haven’t scored a lot of goals of late. It is a problem. You have to score some goals to win in this league and we haven’t done that.”
• There is no cool, new statistic that can revolutionize the game of hockey. There’s no OPS or WHIP, like in baseball. So for Scott Gordon, the most insider-ish stat he consults is the very self-explanatory scoring chance. You get more scoring chances than the opponent, you’re probably going to win. You let them get more chances, and you get what the Islanders got last night.
• Re-assignments to the AHL of forwards Chris Conner and Nick Johnson on Tuesday were certainly not a reflection of their work while with the Penguins. And the moves might not indicate injured wingers Max Talbot and Bill Guerin will play Thursday against Ottawa at Mellon Arena.
• One day after they fell to Pittsburgh, 2-1, with all three goals scored on the power play, the Flyers worked on just special teams yesterday in a 40-minute workout at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. In a unique drill that coach Peter Laviolette introduced to the Flyers, the penalty killers strapped on special shinpads to protect against injury when getting in the way of slap shots and used sticks that had a blade half the regular length.
• There’s more to the Rangers’ paltry offensive numbers than meets the eye -- they’re even worse than they seem. The Rangers have lost three games in a row, scoring just 17 goals in their past eight games. But the numbers are inflated by an eight-goal and a six-goal game during the stretch — the Rangers were shut out in four of them. Of the 17 total goals, only three were scored on the power play, which explains why the team spent the hour-long practice yesterday practicing the man advantage.

Northeast Division

• All Ron Wilson needs now is a blindfold and a cigarette. More and more, the Maple Leafs coach has the look of a condemned man. His team is in another free fall. Tuesday night’s 5-3 loss to the big, young and fast Los Angeles Kings was Toronto’s fourth in a row, and the dream of making the playoffs has become one of those lottery deals, with the huge odds against. Toronto remains in 14th place in the Eastern Conference, with the last-place Carolina Hurricanes nipping at their heels.
• When the Bruins are playing their game, there’s a healthy dose of aggression and intimidation that complements their skill and proves fruitful. You belt an opponent’s defensemen enough, and it’s amazing how many more scoring opportunities materialize. Usually leading the way in that department is Milan Lucic.
• Game after game, the Ottawa Senators chip away at their nemeses. They couldn’t win on the road, then won four straight between Jan. 14-23. They couldn’t beat Tim Thomas and the Boston Bruins, then beat them twice last week. They couldn’t find consistency in their goaltending, then Brian Elliott emerged to become last week’s No. 1 star in the NHL. What is left to conquer besides continuing to secure a solid playoff position?
• Jaroslav Halak did everything he could to steal a point, but he didn’t get much help from his teammates as the Florida Panthers posted a well-deserved 2-1 victory over the Canadiens on Tuesday night. Shawn Matthias scored twice in the third period to spark the come-from-behind win by the Panthers who dominated the game from start to finish. Matthias scored the game-winner on a goalmouth scramble at 12:29. Wonder if the Habs have figured out who the #1 is the rest of the season?
• The Buffalo Sabres had an unwelcome addition to their charter flight home Tuesday. It was as annoying as rubber-gloved patdowns at the airport, as deflating as the nonstop rain they encountered on their Western swing. Losing is not easy nor fun for teams but the way Buffalo has lost its last four is purely frustrating.

Southeast Division

• Alexander Semin tallied twice in the first period, and the Capitals got goals from five others, including John Erskine’s first in 109 games, as they humbled the Islanders, 7-2, and extended their winning streak to a season-best seven games.
• Think of this for a moment: If the Lightning beats the Canadiens tonight at the St. Pete Times Forum, the team will have its first three-game winning streak of the season. Now think of this: Tampa Bay has not won more than two straight in exactly a year. Whom did it beat Jan. 27, 2009 at the Times Forum to win its third in a row?
• Here we are again. The night starts with the team ranked 25^th of 30 in the standings, the stands are half-empty and the talk leading to another trade deadline is not about the potential inbox but the likely outbox. This is not what the NHL banked on (pun absolutely intended) when it brought Atlanta back into the league. It is not what former owner Ted Turner intended when he spent $80 million for an expansion franchise that in 2009 was ranked 29^th in total value ($143 million), ahead of only the Phoenix Coyotes, who were in bankruptcy. It’s certainly not what the shrinking base of hockey fans in Atlanta deserves.
• Shawn Matthias scored two goals in his second NHL game ever. They pale in comparison to the pair he put up Tuesday night. The 21-year-old center beat Montreal goalie Jaroslav Halak on a penalty shot three minutes into the third period and then stuck in a rebound in traffic in front of the net.
• Jussi Jokinen is the kind of player who seems to be overlooked and at times underappreciated. The Carolina Hurricanes forward was overlooked when Finland’s Olympic team was chosen for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. The past few games, he has been generally overlooked as Eric Staal took over the team captaincy – and scored a hat trick against Atlanta in his first game wearing the “C” – and goaltender Cam Ward became the franchise leader in career wins.

Hat tip to the now defunct Illegal Curve for their permission in taking over this daily series.

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

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.

Having traded away some of their best home grown talent up front, Dallas looks pretty thin moving forward.  With the current crop of young forwards yet to prove themselves on any consistent level, the old guard only may only have a few years left.

The saving grace for Dallas in the draft has been defence.  With six of the top seven defensemen obtained through the draft still wearing a Star on their chest, Dallas looks promising on the backend. Do not go too far back, after Marty Turco retires in a few years, the cupboard is bare when it comes to scouted and drafted goalies, but the team did let a few promising candidates to replace him go.

Forwards:

Very experience heavy up front.  The young group of forwards has yet to produce at a consistent rate, relying heavily on the veteran players to carry the load.  With veteran leaders such as Jere Lehtinen, Mike Modano and Brendan Morrow having almost 3000 NHL games between them, the remaining 5 home grown forwards have less than 900 games to their credit.

Loui Eriksson – Jarome Iginla – Jamie Langenbrunner

James Neal – Jussi Jokinen – Antti Miettinen

Brendan Morrow – Mike Modano – Jere Lehtinen

Jamie Benn – Steve Ott – B.J. Crombeen

Bench - Tom Wandell

How good would that first line look in a Dallas Stars uniform?  With Langenbrunner and Eriksson setting up Iginla, this top line would seemingly score at will.  Unfortunately for fans in Big D, two thirds of this top line are no longer with the team, so the fortunes of the draft are left on Eriksson and Neal’s shoulders.  Being the only 2 young guns to consistently put up points, the future does not look good unless youngsters such as Benn and Wandell can start producing at a more consistent level.

Grade:  B+

Defence:

The back end is full of young players which can be both good and bad.  With the majority of the D having three years or less experience, they are still finding their game, without the safety net of a veteran leader to cover up any mistakes.

Trevor Daley – Nicklas Grossman

Mark Fistric – John Erskine

Matt Niskanen – Maxime Fortunas

Bench – Ivan Vishnevskiy

Defence seems to be a Dallas scouting strength.  Keeping 6 of their top 7 drafted defensemen in the organization bodes well for the scouting team.  Aside from first liner Trevor Daley, the corps is very green, with the remaining five players having no more than three years experience and two of those players with only a handful of games between them.  Look for big things from the defence in Big D in the next few years.

Grade: B-

Goaltenders:

How do you spell trouble in Dallas? G-o-a-l-t-e-n-d-i-n-g.  Marty Turco is having an admittedly off year.  Could that be caused by his young defence corps or by age becoming a factor, he’ll be 35 by the end of summer?  Either way, after Turco, there aren’t any goalies to elicit hope in the system.

Marty Turco

Dan Ellis

Mike Smith

Ellis seems better suited to play backup then Smith.  Sharing duties with Antero Nittymaki in Tampa hasnot fared well with Smith as his losing record this season would indicate.  Ellis on the other hand, has a winning record this season playing as backup to Pekka Rinne in Nashville, and better numbers all around.  That’s what you’re looking for in a backup goalie.  Someone who, after sitting for 5 or 6 games, can come and get a win.  This trio would have looked good if Dallas could have kept them together.

Grade: B

Jose Simoes
NHLHS Writer
jsimoes@nhlhotstove.com

The Sellers is a weekly column presented by NHLHotStove that will discuss all the rumblings and situations surrounding the teams that will most likely miss the playoffs.

Heading up to the March 3rd trade deadline, keep an eye out here for the bottom eight to ten teams in the league that will be known as “sellers”.

We have come to that time of year in the glorious 2009-10 National Hockey League season where general managers have some serious decisions to make.

In taking a look around the NHL there are currently two teams who could be in absolute sell mode. The one team we will touch on today is the Carolina Hurricanes who sit dead last in the Eastern Conference and are 16 points out of a playoff position.

In researching the roster, a few names automatically stand out.  Ray Whitney, Joe Corvo, Matt Cullen, Rod Brind’Amour and Scott Walker to name a few.

Keep in mind GM Jim Rutherford came on 99.9 The Fan recently stating 50 percent of this roster will change next season”.  This percentage would be a complete turn around from the on-ice product of this season. Rutherford’s words were recently analyzed by Bob Harwood Waeghe of Canes Country, in which they named players who could move before this trade deadline.

For a team looking for a playoff push any of the aforementioned would make quite the acquisition. However, when you listen to Rutherford’s words, there will be more names involved.

Stephane Yelle, Niclas Wallin and Aaron Ward could also make to be beneficial names for experience and role players that are needed to solidify a clubs playoff appearance.  Walker, Whitney and Wallin have no-trade clauses and would need to approve any move the Hurricanes try to make. Wallin already exercised his right to veto a trade last summer.

Let’s break down the value of the players and what a team could potentially acquire.

Ray Whitney: LW – UFA – 37 As an unrestricted free agent at seasons end, and coming at a discount with a pro-rated salary from his $3.550 cap hit could make for that playmaker on the left side a lot of top lines around the league would benefit from. Whitney has 27 points in 39 games played this season.

Scott Walker: RW – 1 year- 35 At only 35 years old and with one year remaining on his contract, the affordable and experienced winger could slide into a team’s top six. Currently injured, Walker only has 5 points in 32 games. Although his scoring is down in Carolina this year, his playoff and veteran experience would be a welcome addition to many clubs around the league.

Joe Corvo: D – UFA – 32 Known for his power play abilities on the blue line, Corvo makes for a good puck moving d-man.  Corvo has 12 points in 27 games played but is also currently injured.

Matt Cullen: C – UFA – 32 Cullen plays the power play point for Carolina, and is a very responsible two way forward.  He can win crucial faceoffs in both the offensive and defensive zones. A cap hit of $2.875 might seem high now, but remember, as March comes closer that number changes significantly.  If the New York Rangers were able to acquire Andrew Hutchinson, Joe Barnes and a 3rd round pick in 2008, a similar return for Carolina this year is not far off.

I would not expect to see Jussi Jokinen, Erik Cole, Joni Pitkanen and obviously Cam Ward as well as the youth core of the team moved.

In conclusion, you can look for the teams sitting in the top nine or ten positions in each conference to give a boost to their lineups. Some teams will use it as an opportunity to gain experience to head not only into the playoffs but make a run for the cup.

The only teams that would be left out of this equation would be the cap strapped teams like the Philadelphia Flyers or  Chicago Blackhawks who should shy away from making a substantial moves for some of the bigger available names.  Even Ray Whitney with a pro rated salary would still be too expensive to acquire in monetary value.

Remember, in a seven game series anything is possible.

Anthony Curatolo
NHLHS Senior Writer
acuratolo@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @ACHockeyGuys

TSN’s Bob MacKenzie reported a trade of former first rounders.  The last place Carolina Hurricanes moved their most recent first round selection, Phillipe Paradis, to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Jiri Tlusty.

The Hurricanes get an NHL ready player who can be inserted in their lineup immediately.  Similar to their deals last year for Jussi Jokinen and Eric Cole the team gets a player who has shown flashes of offensive ability but fallen out of favor with their teams.  Considering that Tlusty is only three years removed from his 13th overall selection giving up a young prospect like Paradis does not hurt as much.

Held scoreless in his two games with the Leafs, the 21-year-old put up 15 points in 18 games with their AHL affiliate.  In 66 games last year in the A, the Czech native averaged a point per game with the Marlies.  At his age, his production at the AHL level translates to the ability to hold a regular shift.  Partner that with familiarity with coach Paul Maurice and the youngster should make a seamless transition to the Canes

Currently playing on the Shawnigan Cataractes of the QMJHL, the Hurricanes clearly saw Paradis as a project a few years away from the NHL.  Drafted with the 27th overall pick this past June, he is a top prospect in their system but expendable with Eric Staal and Brandon Sutter already on the roster.  See his full scouting report here.

The move should also show that Carolina thinks they can still contend and thus temporarily alleviating speculation over who they will trade away.  With Cam Ward expected back soon the team would still be two defensemen short of last year’s cup contenders.

Bruce “Malkin to Kings” Garrioch reported yesterday Aaron Ward is on the block with the Blue Jackets interested. If this proves correct it would be entirely contrary to the move made today.  In response to some rumors, Aaron Portzline stated yesterday GM Scott Howson did not make any calls and is not actively pursuing a deal leading us to believe this is simply a bunk rumor from someone with a reputation to do so.  Although the Blue Jackets remain in need of a defender they seem willing to wait out their injuries and see how kids like Kris Russel and Anton Stralman will adapt to added playing time.

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-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com