By Alexander Monaghan
President

Photo Credit: Jay LaPrete / Associated Press

Coach Scott Arniel is a well respected member of the hockey community. A veteran of 730 NHL games, the Kingston, Ont. native made the leap from player to coach relatively smoothly. He braved the ranks as an IHL player/coach, NHL assistant coach, AHL head coach and finally NHL head coach over the span of 15 years. Arniel makes for a great story when succeeding — like he did when he won the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as the top coach in the AHL.

Sadly, he has not worked out with the Columbus Blue Jackets. After taking over for Claude Noel at the beginning of the 2010-2011 season, Arniel led his team to a 34-35-13 record which placed the team last in the Central Division — a feat they have surprisingly only achieved four times over their team history but twice in the last two years en route to a third straight last-place finish. In short, the state of their team is in shambles just three seasons removed from their first playoff birth.

Their struggles have led to much speculation that President Mike Priest would replace both GM Scott Howson and Arniel. In fact, just weeks ago Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch reported the team would bring in Ken Hitchcock and Craig Button. Well, those changes still have not been made but the Blue Jackets continue their free fall as they sit dead last in the standings with only five points earned over 14 games.

Perhaps Arniel gets a chance to see what happens once Jeff Carter, Kristian Huselius, Mark Dekanich, Jared Boll and Radek Martinek all return. However, we don’t feel the bench boss will be given all that time. Let’s take a look at the candidates to take his job for the remainder of the season.

1. Todd Richards

Richards has experience as a head coach in the NHL, manning the Minnesota Wild for two seasons. He led his team to a solid but unspectacular 77-71-16 record even though the team failed to make the playoffs in both years. As a former assistant coach of the San Jose Sharks organization he knows how to handle talented players like Carter and captain Rick Nash. More importantly he would know the Western Conference very well. If the team is looking for a guy to keep them respectable for the rest of the season, selecting Richards would be a decent choice.

2. Dan Hinote

Hinote may be raw as he joined the team’s coaching staff in July 2010 but he would certainly make for a player’s coach. Howson brought him on following a successful playing career which included a Stanley Cup ring as an energy player. Although never the superstar on any of his many stops, the US-born forward coach bring a strong work ethic along with some much needed team discipline. Considering the club is still very young — their average age is 26 which includes 32-year-old injured goalie Curtis Sanford — a fresh look could go a long way.

3. Rob Riley

Typically when a hockey club fires a coach, they look for internal options. While Hinote and Richards may be solid options, the organization may think outside the box and select their minor league head coach Riley. A former scout in the organization, Riley is certainly familiar with the stable of young players on the team. Even though the Springfield Falcons failed to make the AHL playoffs last season — his first year as head coach — he has their current roster playing .500 hockey. More importantly, he would add a face the team currently does not see on an every day basis and promote a worthy internal option.

4. Marc Crawford

From internal to external, Crawford represents one of the more out-of-the-box options. A win-now oriented coach, the Belleville, Ontario native most recently coached for the Dallas Stars, failing to make the playoffs in either of his two seasons there. Before that he did the same over two seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. Nevertheless, he could work simply because this Blue Jackets team can probably win now and this coach has won with less. He motivated the Stars to be much better than their record last season, pushing them into their current direction. He may be able to do the same in Columbus if he gets bored of his cushy office job.

5. Davis Payne

As mentioned much earlier in the article, the team was rumored to be looking at Hitchcock. Well why not go after the guy he replaced? Payne would be motivated to go after the team that just spurned them and got solid efforts from veterans like Alex Steen, Jason Arnott and Jamie Langenbrunner as well as most of the blue line. If he could substitute those players in his system for Carter, Nash and Vinny Prospal while helping their depleted defensive corps, there could be some more notches in the win column. Also, it could be a way to stick it to Doug Armstrong, who supposedly stole Hitchcock at the 11th hour.

–

While we hate discussing a person getting the ax, these topics are the nature of the current media landscape. In these troubling economic times we can only hope nobody loses their job as unemployment rates skyrocket to the estimated 9 percent in the US. Regardless, should Arniel and Howson not be able to turn this season around, they likely both could be headed for analyst jobs or ‘advisory positions’ within the organization.

All the onus should not be solely on Arniel as Howson has assembled two of the worst teams in team history. Their expansion years were sadly more acclaimed simply because everyone expected much less from them. In fact, if you subtract a miraculous rookie season by Steve Mason, Ohio’s favorite hockey team could be looking at no playoff berths over their 11 year existence.

Speaking of Mason, a good deal of their problems could be blamed on him as well. The great Greg Wyshynski, via Twitter, explained that Mason allowed a goal in the first 1:38 twice this season in only 13 starts! Last year he allowed a goal in the first 2:11 of the first two games as well, helping them get off to awful starts in the early going.

This team is broken and needs some fixing. The first likely solution will be Arniel’s firing as they try to give this team some possible life. Trading for pivot Mark Letestu was a decent hockey move but the team will need a bit more help to get back to respectability.

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove Managing Editor

Davis Payne was relieved of his duties as head coach of the struggling
St. Louis Blues late last night and was replaced by Ken Hitchcock.

Payne had taken over as interim head coach when Andy Murray was fired last January.  After the team had finished the year on such a positive note with a 23-15-4 mark, he was made the permanent bench boss.

With expectations increased for the new season, the Blues had gotten off to a disappointing 6-7 start in their first 13 contests.

Hitchcock returns to an NHL bench for the first time since February of 2010. (Photo credit: Jamie Sabau / NHLI / Getty Images)

A news conference will be held on Monday to officially announce the hiring of Hitchcock with GM Doug Armstrong, who has a bit of history with Hitchcock.  The two were in the exact roles at the same time with the Dallas Stars, and both have worked together for Team Canada in international competition.

Of course, Dallas is where Hitchcock experienced his greatest triumph, winning the Stanley Cup in 1999.

In a telephone interview with the Associated Press, Payne said he was blind-sided by the decision:

“It’s shocking and it’s disappointing, but in the end, you’re responsible for all the areas of your hockey team.  There were pieces that weren’t firing on all cylinders and it’s under my umbrella of responsibility.”

One of Hitchcock’s first orders of business will be to try to get those cylinders firing again.  Specifically, a couple of Blues that were being counted on for big contributions, but have slumped mightily in the season’s first month.

Jaroslav Halak was acquired last year to become the franchise goaltender and after a promising 2010-11 season, has been terrible in the new campaign.  Halak is just 1-6-0, witha  3.35 goals-against average, and an awful .856 save percentage.  Backup netminder Brian Elliott has played well in relieving the laboring Halak, posting a 5-1-0 record, with a 1.72 GAA and .941 save percentage.

Winger Chris Stewart was picked up from the Colorado Avalanche last February in exchange for franchise defenseman Erik Johnson, and was expected to be a key goal contributor.  After scoring 15 goals and 23 points in 26 games with St. Louis down the stretch following his acquisition, Stewart has gotten off to ahorrendous start this year with just two goals and three points in the 13 contests.

By making the move and hiring Hitchcock now, the Blues locked the coach away from any other teams that may have been eyeing his services.

There was much speculation in the Wells Fargo Center press box in
Philadelphia on Saturday night that Columbus head coach Scott
Arniel was in danger of losing his job, and that Hitchcock would be brought back as coach as the Flyers trampled the seemingly disinterested Blue Jackets, 9-2.  Arniel’s troops basically were sleep-walking through the first two periods of the game, and in the end very much looked the part as the NHL’s worst team. 

With a 2-11-1 record and four days off prior to the Jackets next game – at home against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night – the train of thought was this would be the perfect time for the club to make a move before the entire season was lost.  And the perfect man for the job?  Why not the one that they were still paying since his dismissal in February of 2010?

That’s right.  Hitchcock.  So if the Jackets wanted to bring “Hitch” back, it would have been a done deal, so to speak.

Columbus is already struggling to put fans in the seats, and financially, Hitchcock would have been a good choice – since they were already paying him.  But Jackets brass must have felt that Hitchcock just wasn’t the right fit for the club.

After picking up what the team felt were key building blocks in forward Jeff Carter and defenseman James Wisniewski during the summer, talk of Columbus making a playoff run was coming from everyone in the organization. 

That’s what makes their start that much more disappointing.

If the Blue Jackets are to make a coaching change – which many feel will be the case – they will look elsewhere to find Arniel’s successor.

For the past few off seasons, the New Jersey Devils seem to replay the same story over and over again. Since the lockout the Devils have not held onto a coach for longer than two seasons.

General Manager Lou Lamoriello tried coaches Larry Robinson, Claude Julien, Brent Sutter, himself, Jacques Lemaire and John MacLean without any success.

The draft came and went without a coach. July 1^st came and went without a coach. But now it seems like the Devils might hire a new head coach relatively soon.

Guy Carbonneau recently stepped down as head coach of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the QMJHL and could be a potential candidate. As a player, Carbonneau exemplified defensive minded hockey. In 230 games as head coach for the Montreal Canadiens, Carbonneau recorded 124-83-23.

However, the Devils’ troubles in the post-season the last few seasons are apparent. And Carbonneau has only won one playoff series.

He seems like a good fit, as do other speculated head coach possibilities, Ken Hitchcock, Michel Therrien and Mike Haviland.

Hitchcock has a similar coaching style to Lemaire. While coaching the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets, Hitchock won 13 playoff series.

While Therrien coached the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Cup Finals in 2008, he was fired the following season. His coaching style, much like Lemaire’s, is defensive-oriented. He, however, focuses on offense as well.

With players like Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk, their offensive prowess cannot be wasted completely on a defensive-minded team. Both players have become bettter in the defensive zone over the past few seasons, but they both need the freedom in the offensive zone to put up points.

Therrien could be an asset for the Devils, if they want to adapt to his system.

Then there is Haviland, a New Jersey native, who could be the best choice for the Devils. He was named the American Hockey League’s coach of the year in the 2006-2007 season before becoming an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks.

With the experience of the playoffs and a Stanley Cup victory under his belt, he could help the Devils get over their first round playoff hump.

The Winnipeg Jets had the opportunity to hire Haviland as their new head coach, but instead went with Claude Noel.

After three years of coaching under Joel Quenneville, Haviland seems ready to make the transition to head coach.

For now the speculation will continue as Lamoriello would not speak about who is and who is not a possible candidate to replace Lemaire.

Photo Credit: Bridget Samuels

In a somewhat shocking move, the Columbus Blue Jackets and GM Scott Howson sent former highly-touted winger Nikita Filatov to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for their third round pick — selection number 66. Considering Filatov brings the pedigree of a 6th overall pick, the trade looks like a landslide win for the Sens should their young Russian reach his potential as an offensive weapon at the NHL level.

Numerous outlets from The Score to the Ottawa Citizen commended the risk from a Senators perspective as the team acquires a potential top-6 forward. His international accolades deserve a mention, as Daniel Slater of Score Ottawa breaks down the news. “Filatov won 2 bronze medals at the World Junior Championships with Team Russia, as well as being named to the Tournament All-Star team in 2009.  A gamble that is well worth the risk.” Yes, the gamble was worth the risk; but the gamble does not necessarily require Filatov to dominate.

Even Howson noted that this trade was not a win for the Blue Jackets, according to Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch. ”It’s not a great move,” Howson said. “It’s not something you want to do. But I’m also a believer that we all make mistakes in this business. We move on from our mistakes.” Filatov wanted out of Columbus and the general manager obliged at a price he could live with. Sometimes players do not work out in certain organizations and Howson acknowledged that as a white flag of defeat.

For the Sens to win this trade outright, Filatov simply needs to become a NHL regular and fill in accordingly on the second or even third line. While we understand he holds the potential of a superstar player, he simply needs to serve his purpose. Even Howson noted that Filatov could become an impact player. ”I’m not in any way shape or form saying Nikita’s not going to play in the NHL. It just didn’t work for Columbus.” Sounds like next season will be a career-breaking year for the 21-year-old.

According to a study by TSN’s Scott Cullen, the average sixth overall pick winds up somewhere between an NHL regular and a top-nine forward. By comparison, the value of pick number 66 holds a 32 percent chance of even making the NHL as a regular, which is telling as to what the Sens can expect to happen with their pick. In theory, the third rounder in a decidedly weak draft is less valuable than a developing player with a high-end ceiling.

To become this NHL regular Filatov simply needs to improve certain aspects of his game. For one, both of his NHL coaches thought his defensive game held him out of the lineup. We understand the Ken Hitchcock criticism as he was known to destroy young careers but Scott Arniel deploys a different system in which he emphasizes accountability and hard work and Filatov’s work ethic simply was not there.

Furthermore, last year his production at both the NHL and AHL level was simply brutal. He was demoted following 23 goal-less NHL games and then followed those up with nine goals and 20 points through 36 injury-plagued AHL games.

Not only has his production slipped, his confidence waned as well which put emphasis on his struggles even more. Considering the Sens went out of their way to claim Marek Svatos off waivers last season, we imagine Filatov would fit nicely on the second line possibly next to sixth overall Mika Zibanejad. In fact, if he heats up he might even get a chance next to Jason Spezza. A healthy, confident and improved Filatov holds no limitations. The player we saw last year is the definition of limited. It is now up to him to decide what player he wants to be.

Did the Sens win this trade? According to sheer odds, yes but time will tell what Thomas Tynan will do at the NHL level.

The Philadelphia Flyers won the much-anticipated rematch of last June’s Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday by beating the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-1.  Philadelphia, which has now won five of their last six contests, did so in convincing fashion.

Even though there are many new faces donning the Chicago uniforms, the Blackhawks’ core still remains formidable.  Like the New Jersey Devils, who the Flyers lost to yesterday, Chicago was riding a 5-0-1 record in their previous six.  This included an impressive 4-1 victory over their division-rival Detroit Red Wings last night.

By virtue of the win, Philadelphia has once again moved to the top of the league standings with 69 points, so just qualifying for the postseason should not be an issue like it was last year.

There were many positives to take away from Chicago for the Orange-and-Black, and perhaps the most-promising was in the crease.

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves in winning his 20th game of the season, as he perhaps played the best game of his young career.  The rookie withstood tremendous amounts of Blackhawk pressure throughout the matinee and only yielded a third period penalty shot goal to Marian Hossa.

Bobrovsky owns a very impressive 20-6-3 mark on the year, and has played his way back into the starting spot after a good run by veteran Brian Boucher saw the first year netminder riding the bench.  Even though Boucher’s play has seen a very nice resurgence, there is no question as to who is the Flyers’ number one goalie.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Up front, Jeff Carter notched two goals and an assist, and was a +4 in earning Star of the Game honors.  Carter now has 22 goals on the year, just three behind team-leader Danny Briere.

NHL All-Star forward Claude Giroux picked up assists on all four Flyer goals, and also finished the afternoon with a +4.

The much-maligned Nikolai Zherdev, who has bounced back and forth between regular shifts and head coach Peter Laviolette’s doghouse for much of this  year, netted the eventual game-winning goal early in the third and added an assist.

It was Zherdev’s 15th goal of the season, not bad for having been a healthy scratch for seven of the team’s 49 games, and sometimes seeing limited ice time due to indifferent play.  He has demonstrated numerous times during the current campaign what a lethal weapon he can be when focused and interested, and today was a perfect example of what he can bring to the team.  His two points today were the first in the past six games, as the previous five were classic pattern of why he gave Ken Hitchcock fits while the two were with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

But the entire forward unit played responsibly in the defensive zone, back-checking ad nauseum in aiding the Flyer defensemen in protecting the Philadelphia net.

The Philadelphia defensive unit played well in front of Bobrovsky.  Kimmo Timonen led the way with a +3, while Chris Pronger and Braydon Coburn were each a +2.  Timonen, Pronger, and Andrej Meszaros all had three blocked shots, as the rear guards held the Blackhawks big four of Hossa (5), Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews (3 each), and ex-Flyer Patrick Sharp (1) to just 12 shots on the afternoon.   As a matter of fact, all members of the Kane-Sharp-Troy Brouwer line were each a -3.

The Flyers peppered Chicago’s starter Corey Crawford with 33 shots.  The 26-year-old netminder was excellent in keeping the Blackhawks in the game, but he suffered his first regulation in his last six decisions.

Another huge positive for the club all season-long has been their play on the road.  While possessing a decent 15-7-2 mark at Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers have posted a blistering 17-5-3 away from home, the best road record in the NHL.

This will no doubt prove invaluable come playoff time.

It was an excellent effort for the Flyers following a Saturday afternoon loss to New Jersey that could only be described as disappointing.  For those who wondered aloud how the team would respond, their performance spoke volumes.

_____________________________________________

Taking a Flyer:  James van Riemsdyk was a late scratch with a lower body injury, and is listed as day-to-day…with van Riemsdyk out, Dan Carcillo got into his first game since being a healthy scratch for the past six contests.  He played just under 10 minutes, and had a fight with Chicago’s Jake Dowell.  Carcillo held his own in the bout, but was cut in the tussle and required some stitches in the Flyers’ locker room…both teams were 0-2 on the power play, and Philadelphia outshot the ‘Hawks 34-31 for the game, including 19-9 in the second period.  ..the Flyers return home to play the Montreal Canadiens Tuesday night in their second attempt at recording their 1,000th home win in their illustrious franchise history.  When they do so, they will become the first expansion team to accomplish the feat.

_____________________________________________

David Strehle
NHLHS Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

For Philadelphia Flyers’ forwards Nikolay Zherdev and James van Riemsdyk, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. 

Their team had been playing well, but both were struggling.  As the club continued to improve and the number of wingers excelling grew, the two found themselves in head coach Peter Laviolette’s doghouse in separate visits.

Zherdev was the first to have the message sent to him by being asked to take a seat in the press box.

After scoring a goal in a 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on October 26th, Zherdev had just two tallies in the first nine games, and was a -1 in the plus / minus ratings.

The team was sloppy in the win, which followed a horrifically lethargic effort in a 2-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

A message needed to be sent, and Laviolette chose Zherdev as the vessel with which to deliver it.  The 25-year-old from the Ukraine was a healthy scratch for the next two contests.

When Laviolette decided to put him back in against the Carolina Hurricanes on November 1st, anyone who witnessed the versions of Zherdev before and after the benching could see a marked improvement.

Even though he did not score in his first game back, there was a noticeable jump in Zherdev’s skates that had been missing since the preseason, when he led the team in goals (5) and tied for the lead in points (6) with Jeff Carter.

Zherdev did score against the New York Rangers in his next game, and in two of his next three contests after that. 

Blessed with a wealth of natural ability and skill, this was nothing new for Zherdev. 

During his four years in Columbus and one season with the New York Rangers, Zherdev has often times been accused of coasting.  Former-Columbus head coach Ken Hitchcock probably still has nightmares about Zherdev.

One thing that Hitchcock harped on endlessly that Zherdev didn’t seem to want to understand back then is a commitment to defensive play.  But he has shown a determination in the defensive zone over the last eight games since being inserted back into the lineup.  On many occasions, Zherdev has been there on the back check to help the defense snuff out an opposition scoring chance. 

He is also generating scoring chances, recording 23 shots on goal in the eight games since his return.  Zherdev has scored goals in three different contests and has a +3 rating. 

Has he changed his ways for good?  It’s hard to break players completely of their bad habits, but Zherdev seems to get it. 

At least for now.

On the flip side of the coin, van Riemsdyk has had a rather dissimilar response to a very similar situation.

van Riemsdyk had to be hoping to avoid a repeat of the problems he faced after the first quarter in his 2009-10 rookie season (as has been mentioned previously.)

The nine goals and 17 points over the final 62 games of the regular season, and three goals and six points in 21 postseason contests are not the kind of numbers the team was looking for from the number two overall pick in the 2007 draft.

After the lessons learned last year, van Riemsdyk viewed the offseason as a time to get ready for the rigors of an 82-game NHL season.  He developed his upper body, and cut his body fat percentage from 13 to just seven percent.

After picking up three assists in the Flyers’ first four games this season, van Riemsdyk was held to just one assist in his next nine contests.  Granted, the team was still winning, but it was obvious that the 21-year-old New Jersey-native was slumping mightily.

After Philadelphia’s 4-1 victory over the Rangers on November 4th, Laviolette had seen enough. 

van Riemsdyk had not only not been involved in recent game scoring, he wasn’t even getting scoring chances.  Including the November 4th contest, van Riemsdyk had managed just five shots on goal in the previous seven games.

JVR’s multiple shot games were M.I.A.  Gone were the long, graceful skating strides on confident rushes with the puck.  But perhaps most disturbing was van Riemsdyk’s seeming unwillingness to go to the net.

He sat out the Flyers’ four contests from November 6th through November 13th, and the team went 3-0-1 in those games.  What was worse yet is that fellow youngsters Andreas Nodl and Adirondack Phantoms call-up Eric Wellwood had badly outplayed van Riemsdyk.  They had even combined to score the game-winning goal  in the third period on Long Island in a 2-1 victory over the Islanders on November 6th.

When JVR was put back in against the Ottawa Senators this past Monday, he still looked very tentative, but did manage to register two shots on goal in 16:15 of ice time.

In Tuesday’s 3-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, van Riemsdyk was barely noticeable in less than 10 minutes of ice time.  He recorded one shot on goal and was a -1.  There was much special teams play in the chippy affair, and he only was on ice for 11 seconds of power play time.  The only really notable incident JVR was involved with was when Canadiens’ defenseman Hal Gill tripped him into goaltender Carey Price.  The hard-luck van Riemsdyk drew a two-minute minor for goaltender interference.

What Laviolette needs to see is a much more involved JVR.  He needs him to play a much more physical game, and to go to the net with a reckless abandon.  There will be bad calls from time to time, but van Riemsdyk will need to use his size to his advantage to be effective in the NHL.  He has the frame and the skills to be a power forward.

How he responds in the next few weeks may determine where he fits in with the organization.  There are players who are showing they are hungry for a chance, and Laviolette may opt to have them in the lineup if van Riemsdyk’s play does not improve soon. 

With the recent coaching change in Adirondack, it may be a much more stable situation with which to expose van Riemsdyk at this time.

Two benchings, two very different reactions.

David Strehle
NHLHS Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

With the start of the NHL season approaching, yes fans time hasn’t frozen, there are still many unanswered questions surrounding the league. Questions ranging from the state of the NHLPA and of course the contract controversies.

In the NHL version of Let’s Make a Deal, the New Jersey Devils and the NHL have gone back and forth on the Ilya Kovalchuk contract dispute. If you have been under a rock for the past few months, the NHL rejected the original deal that would have seen the Russian sniper in a Devils sweater for the next 17 years. It is rumored that there is now a deal in place that has been approved by all involved camps and is expected to be a 15-year contract that will pay him around $100 million.

The NBA had The Decision, the NHL has Kovy-Gate.

After years of turmoil it seems that the NHLPA is looking for stability in the role of Donald Fehr. Fehr, who served as the head of MLBPA for 26 years, brings a lot of knowledge to the table and will not be pushed around. Although the deal has not gone through yet, he needs to be approved by a panel of players; it seems to be inevitable he will be leading the NHLPA in to their next CBA discussions.

The Kovalchuk contract being denied left a bad taste in many players’ mouth and adding Fehr would bring no-guff attitude to the players association.

Contracts really have been the talk of the NHL’s offseason and it hasn’t been about the new contracts signed. The NHL decided it should look in to the contracts that were previously signed, and approved, that were similar to the one signed by Kovalchuk.

Players like Marc Savard, Roberto Luongo and Chris Pronger are having their contracts looked in to. It would be an unprecedented turn of events if the NHL were to void the already approved contracts. Not only causing an uproar with the players and teams, but also the fans and media. Whether or not the contracts will be dealt with, a decision should be made clear before pre-season begins.

It’s also worth mentioning, talking about contracts, that former Columbus Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock was fired by the team in February is still under the contract with the team and Columbus mentioned that they will have work for him to do, in other capacities.

Looking at the Phoenix Coyotes, it seems that a new mystery buyer has stepped in and is showing interest in the team. The Phoenix Business Journal is reporting that an undisclosed wealthy buyer is leading a group and is interested in buying the team that the league has owned since last season. The identity of the buyer may not have been revealed, but ‘Yotes fans can rest assured that his name doesn’t end with sillie.

Time is ticking down to the regular season and although it has seemingly taken forever, hockey is on the horizon. Fantasy teams are being drafted and the big question is, who do you take first overall. I want to know whom you, the NHL Hot Stove readers, think is the consensus number one overall fantasy selection. Do you go with the goal scoring Alex Ovechkin or Canada’s golden boy Sidney Crosby? Or do you go with the reigning scoring champ Henrik Sedin? Send me an email or send me a message on Twitter with you would choose first overall and why.

Till next time, keep your stick on the ice.

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

The Philadelphia Flyers have officially signed Nikolai Zherdev. Per club policy, terms were not disclosed (via flyers.nhl.com)

When word got out via Teemu H. (@euroflyers) and Puck Daddy’s Dmitry Chesnokov (@dchesnokov) on Twitter that the Philadelphia Flyers were in the process of signing former-NHL right wing Nikolai Zherdev, it seemed a curious move by GM Paul Holmgren.

First of all, without being able to move any contracts, Holmgren will have massive issues in maintaining his salary structure within the guidelines of the upper cap limit.

Also, some would say that Zherdev and the Flyers are not a good mix…at all.  The 25-year-old native of the Ukraine has never had any questions regarding his abilities.  He is one of the most talented hockey players in the world.

The doubts are in reference to a lack of concern for the defensive end of the ice, and his commitment and willingness to compete at a high level on an every-night basis.

A year removed from the NHL, Zherdev played for Mytishchi Atlant of the Kontinental Hockey League in 2009-10.  The team consisted of such ex-NHLers as Jiri Novotny, Jan Bulis, Oleg Petrov, Oleg Kvasha, among others.  And Zherdev finished third in club scoring with 13 goals and 39 points in 52 contests.

The fourth overall selection in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, Zherdev had been an enigma thoughout his five seasons in the NHL with both Columbus and the New York Rangers.

Over the course of 365 NHL contests, Zherdev has recorded 99 goals and 239 points.  He has scored 20+ goals in three different seasons, with his career-high of 27 coming during the 2005-06 campaign.

But his mix of skill and nonchalance has driven coaches crazy.

In Columbus he clashed with then-head coach Ken Hitchcock, who is all about defensive responsibility, as many of the players that were here during Hitch’s tenure as head coach of the Flyers will attest.

When he was dealt to the New York Rangers prior to the 2008-09 season, he got to play for Tom Renney, and later John Tortorella after Renney was fired.

But as was announced today, Zherdev has (finally) inked the one-year deal, believed to be worth between $2-3 million.

Zherdev has teased his former teams with flashes of what he could be if he reached his full potential.  And that’s where Philadelphia head coach Peter Laviolette comes into the picture.

Laviolette could be the perfect coach with which to extract the best from Zherdev moving forward.  His up tempo style fits right in with Zherdev’s skating abilities, and could be just what is needed to keep the 6′ 2″, 197 pound winger involved in the game.

Laviolette’s patience was a big key in helping struggling winger Scott Hartnell get his act together during Philly’s postseason run to the Finals.  The coach had a talk with Hartnell after game three of the Boston Bruins series, telling him that he needed more from him.  He kept Hartnell in the lineup, and was rewarded with arguably Hartnell’s best play of the entire season.  Hartnell was one of the best Flyers’ forwards in the Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks.

So we know the downside of signing Zherdev.  But what about the upside?

Simply put, Zherdev represents something that has not been present on the Orange-and-Black in years, a true game-breaking sniper on the right side.

Laviolette has had to move Danny Briere, Jeff Carter, Claude Giroux, Darroll Powe all natural centers, to man the wings.  Zherdev is a natural right wing and is more comfortable with the position than the transplanted centers.

Having another natural winger will allow those players to more at their more familiar position.

And with many wingers currently on the roster cut from almost the exact same mold, limited offensively and strong defensively, Zherdev’s offense is a welcomed addition.

Affect on Gagne

But it may mean the end of the line for Simon Gagne in a Flyers’ uniform.

Last week it was reported that Gagne had waived his no-trade clause, and there were rumors of trade talks with the Los Angeles Kings.

But yesterday, Gagne told RDS.ca that he never waived his NTC.

This led to speculation that Gagne may be waived if a trade is not readily available for the 30-year-old winger.  Darren Dreger of TSN reported as much via Twitter.

There is no doubt that the cap space that Holmgren had available to him has disappeared, and depending on the amount of Zherdev’s pact, are almost-certainly over the limit.  And there is still the matter of unsigned RFA Daniel Carcillo and UFA Arron Asham.

But is moving another natural winger like Gagne and his $5.25 million contract the best course of action?  It would seem that with the glut of centers (Mike Richards, Carter, Giroux, Briere, Betts, Powe), maybe dealing a pivot would be the better choice.

Holmgren is far from done in his summer of re-tooling his club, but it seems that with every move he makes, two more are needed.

Stay tuned…

Taking a Flyer: Coincidentally, Flyers defensive prospect Denis Bodrov also saw action in 12 games for Mytishchi Atlant last season before being brought over to North America, where he finished the year with the Adirondack Phantoms of the AHL.

David Strehle
NHLHS Flyers Correspondent / NHL Writer
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

• Patrick Kane knows he needs to grow up, as he addresses the media one day after scandalous photos of him and teammates surfaced.  ”For us, obviously, it’s not the way we want to represent the team.” Kane said.  As long as his play remains steady on the ice, I do not see what the big deal is.
• Despite losing by three goals the Blue Jackets held an optional skate with only Mathieu Garon and Milan Jurcina participating.  ”We were going to skate once, so we will skate tomorrow,” said coach Ken Hitchcock.
• The Red Wings win as they actually protect their third period lead.
• Five straight loses now for the Predators as they were simply outplayed by the Red Wings.  Both teams now boast 61 points.  ”We know we’re letting teams back in it,” defenseman Ryan Suter said. “We’ve got to get it turned around now or it will come back to haunt us down the road.”
• With the standings so tight in the Western Conference, the Blues lament their 2-1 record on this recent road trip.  ”Well, in hindsight (the 2-1 trip) looks fine,” coach Davis Payne said. “But the fact that we didn’t get points in Vancouver, to me, is something we’ve got to find a way to improve.“

Northwest

• The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames face off tonight.  One team has to break their winless streak.
• Terry Frei of The Denver Post writes a nice peice of Matt Duchene and his disappointment in losing a faceoff and a puck battle to veteran Mike Modano.
• The Edmonton Journal renames the Battle of Alberta the Battle of the Biggest Losers.
• Brent Burns wears the concussion-reducing M11 helmet after missing most of the season.  ”I think it’s more making sure I can do everything I can to help prevent another,” said Burns.
• Mason Raymond added a playmaking element to his game making him just that much more dangerous.  “He’s a good player and he could be even better, I think,” said Mikael Samuelsson.

Pacific

• The Ducks found their secret weapon on the shootout: James Wisniewski.  ”I’m riding a hot streak,” said Wisniewski.  ”They’re going with the big Polish righty.”
• Modano scored two goals last night for the first time in two years. “I’ve been feeling much better lately,” Modano said. “I think it’s just a combination of some valuable time off that [coach] Marc [Crawford] has given me, and just being able to rest up and primarily focus on the games.”
• Defenseman Jack Johnson is questionable for tonight’s game, but if this were a playoff game he would play.  ”It’s going to take a few days before I feel good again. Hopefully it feels good sooner than later,” said Johnson.
• Coyotes leading scorer Scottie Upshall will be re-evaluated for a lower-body injury.  Depending on the extent of the injury GM Don Maloney will need to find another offensive weapon. “Number 1, we’re just waiting to see if this is something significant, long term, then we probably have to dial up our search for another offensive player,” Maloney said.
• The Sharks may have more problems on defense as Marc Eduard Vlasic and Dan Boyle could miss tonight’s game. “We don’t anticipate it being serious,” Sharks coach Todd McLellan said.

Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Editor
amonaghan@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @NHLHotStove

• The Blackhawks defeated the Sharks in overtime on the second goal of the night from Troy Brouwer.  ”We had exactly the right start that we wanted,” Brouwer said. “We had a little hiccup in the middle of the game, but we were able to fend them off and pull it out in overtime.”
• Blue Jacket fans reminded the team that the game lasts 60 minutes as Columbus fell to Los Angeles 4-0.  ”This is painful,” left winger R.J. Umberger said. “We heard the boos, and rightfully so.”
• After climbing their way back into the playoff picture, the Red Wings fail to keep a solid foothold on their position with only one win since mid-January.  ”Lately we’ve been finding ways to lose instead of finding ways to win,” captain Nicklas Lidstrom said.
• The Predators and coach Barry Trotz claim no fear when facing the Red Wings tonight.  ”We’re not afraid of the Detroit Red Wings and we haven’t been in a number of years,” Trotz said. “But we respect them because they have been so dominant as a team and organization for so long.”
• Alexander Steen scored his twelfth goal of the year to push the Blues past Edmonton 2-1.  ”We didn’t want the game to go any longer than it needed to, but you’re not going to knock a team out, especially when we didn’t feel that we were at our best,” Blues coach Davis Payne said.

Northwest

• Another shootout loss brings the Flames losing streak to nine games. “We know shootouts can go either way but these are two road games where we were playing two good home teams so we’re going to stick with it and keep going,” said captain Jarome Iginla.
• The Avs bored themselves to a 1-0 loss against the Wild.  ”They always seem to play a boring trap game,” Chris Stewart said. “They just want to keep it close and hope you make a mistake and capitalize. We let that happen tonight.”
• Even though Gilbert Brule and Mike Comrie returned to the lineup the Oilers lost. “Maybe the addition of guys will make the team play little bit on the defensive of the game and that will help us get a better result,” Oilers coach Pat Quinn said.  Too bad for Quinn the offense couldn’t muster enough to win.
• Wild backup Josh Harding persevered to give his team a 1-0 victory and the first road win of the new year. “If I was him, I know that I’d want the other guy to battle pretty hard, too. But the team made it easier on me than maybe it looked out there,” said Harding.
• Canucks Depth blueliners Nolan Baumgartner, Aaron Rome and Brad Lukowich need to dig deep for this upcoming road trip.

Pacific

• Despite his scars Teemu Selanne still puts a smile on his face as he practices with the Ducks.
• Mike Modano played with over 300 linemates in his illustrious 20+ season career.  This year is no different as he shifts from playing the top line to the fourth on a nightly basis. “He definitely has the experience where he can adapt his game,” said captain and on-and-off linemate Brenden Morrow.
• The Kings won four in a row now with their recent drudging of the Blue Jackets. Although out shot in the first ten minutes of the game, defenseman Matt Greene fired one in and changed the game.    ”The whole game changed,” Columbus Coach Ken Hitchcock said. “The energy changed and we didn’t grab it back.”
• Robert Lang scored the game winner in shootout, putting one past fatigued netminder Miikka Kiprusoff.  ”You’re either gonna beat him, or you don’t,” Lang said. “Everybody has their moves. He likes to poke-check and likes to be aggressive in the net, I saw him getting ready, and I froze him a little.”
• Even though the final score appeared close, coach Todd McLellan believes their poor start contributed more to their loss.  ”The start was unacceptable,” McLellan said.  ”We’re all going to talk about how hard we fought and that we worked our way back into the game, but that start was unacceptable.”