Atlanta Thrashers correspondent Laura Astorian looks at the recent Fredik Modin signing, which will possibly have more repercussions that intended.

The Thrashers recently signed free agent left winger Fredrik Modin to a one year, $800,000 contract.  Bargain basement prices – right around Maxim Afinogenov’s deal last year, as a matter of fact.  Like Max, Modin is a former 30 goal scorer.  Also like Max, he is known for being injury prone and a liability.

Apparently General Manager Rick Dudley is flashing back to the Modin he worked with in Tampa Bay, because he’s hoping the winger can replace Afinogenov’s 24 goals and 61 points.  Dudley was pegged as saying that he wanted to get a top scorer to replace the goals lost with the departure of Afinogenov and Kovalchuk – and he was also quoted as saying the kids will play this year.  The Modin signing makes both increasingly unlikely.  Modin is not a top tier scorer.  No word leaked regarding the Thrashers looking at signing a player of Lee Stempniak or Alex Ponikarovsky, but a player of that mold – as streaky as they are – would have been a better fix than someone who last scored 30 goals four years ago.

Bringing in Modin also will more than likely take playing time away from one of the up and comers – either Alex Burmistrov up at forward or Artus Kulda at defense.  Burmistrov, who had an encouraging prospect camp and who is said to be bulking up for the rookie camp that starts on September 13th, has been expected to make a run for a roster position.  Kulda played several games last season and looked ready to go as well – but if Modin fills in at forward it will more than likely bump Dustin Byfuglien back to defense – which will leave the position of 7th defenseman to be between Kulda and Boris Valabik.

It looks like more spaces than usual will be up for grabs at camp this year.

Laura Astorian
NHLHS Atlanta Thrashers Correspondent
lastorian@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @hildymac

Yes, the headline is a bit of eye-catching hyperbole that I actually don’t believe.  No, I’m not number 3,026,263,891 in the line of People Who Think Gary Bettman Is Really The Five-Foot Tall Antichrist, although that’s a whole ‘nother blog post (and that will eventually be forthcoming).  But if you’re a Sharks/Predators/Hurricanes/(your team here) fan who has seen one of your team’s players bolt for Russia over the past few years, you can thank two people: Gary Bettman and Alexander Medvedev.

Let me explain.

In 2005, when the NHL won the battle with the Players’ Association to include a salary cap in the new collective bargaining agreement, handing Bettman and his allies a substantial victory over Bob Goodenow and the PA, some forward thinking commentators noted that the eventual end result of a cap would be the stars getting their money, the pluggers making near-minimum wage finding jobs with relative ease, and the middle-class players finding themselves in a squeeze: too good to make the minimum, yet not good enough to make the big bucks.  Sure enough, this is exactly what happened.

Meanwhile, when Medvedev announced the formation of the KHL in 2008, backed by millions of rubles from oil and gas exploration, there was immediate concern that the KHL would immediately wave bags of money in front of NHL players, enticing them to come to Russia to play (and not pay taxes, by the way) and causing a major drain on NHL rosters.

By and large, that doomsday scenario never came to pass.  But what happened is a merger of the two seemingly separate storylines that indeed led to a steady procession of NHL players to Russia (and Belarus, and Ukraine, and so forth.)

For the most part, the KHL’s raid on NHL rosters neatly falls into two categories: (1) young players, usually arbitration-eligible restricted free agents, who head to Russia instead of biding their time in the NHL waiting for unrestricted free agency; examples include Nikolai Zherdev, Anton Babchuk and Jiri Hudler, and (2) older players, usually in their early- to mid-30s, who opt for one last payday in the KHL; examples include Evgeni Nabokov, Sergei Fedorov, Jaromir Jagr and Sergei Zubov.  (For purposes of this discussion, I’m leaving out players like Alexander Radulov, who bolted while under contract, and Nikita Filatov, whose hand was forced by his coach’s refusal to play him and for whom Russia was an option of absolute last resort.) But the two categories that the players fall into are quite possibly the only differences between the players.

Just about everyone who skated off to Russia is one of those middle-class players who were predicted to be squeezed by the salary cap.

Nabokov and Zherdev are perfect examples of this. In Nabokov’s case, he obviously believed that he could be a starting goaltender in the NHL, and Zherdev will never be confused with a top scorer anywhere other than his own mind.  But here’s the problem that NHL teams faced when dealing with both players, who were both free agents: do you pay them based on prior performance, based on predicted future performance, or do you attempt to slot them into a specific salary hole?

Most teams today, the Hurricanes being a perfect example, have a salary range that indicates what players in certain positions on the roster should earn.  Unless you’re, say, going to guarantee Zherdev (at least) second line minutes and, accordingly, second line dollars, the cap dictates that you don’t have a lot of flexibility.  The days of the Red Wings playing Hall-of-Famers earning millions of dollars per year on the fourth line simply because they could are gone, and as long as the cap is in place they’re never returning.

So these players hit the road to the KHL, where they immediately become key members of a KHL team’s roster, make more money than any NHL team was willing to pony up and perhaps use their performance in what is indisputably an inferior league to earn a big payday back on this side of the Atlantic. (Think contract-year superstars like Sergei Samsonov, who always seem to earn big contracts thanks to stellar performances in their walk year.)

But as was predicted, the players who deserve superstar pay will get it, even under a cap system.  This is why Ilya Kovalchuk was never really a threat to head to the KHL, and why you’ll never hear Alex Ovechkin or Evgeni Malkin booking flights to Moscow for any reason other than a vacation.  The superstars, now and in the future, will want to play in the league best fitting their talents, and that league is indisputably the NHL.  To that end, look at the KHL scoring leaders from last year. If you think a league in which Sergei Mozyakin, Maxim Sushinski and Alexei Yashin are the top three scorers is a league for superstars, you’re clearly either an ambitious agent or an employee of Alexander Medvedev.

Entering the third season of the KHL, it’s obvious that the doomsday predictions of Eastern European superstars fleeing the NHL en masse are never going to come to fruition.  The KHL is a convenient option for players looking for leverage against their current teams and/or other NHL suitors, and a realistic choice for players who might be squeezed out of an NHL contract and deserve more than they’d get from an NHL team.  Under the salary cap, teams don’t have the luxury of paying underachieving middle-class players market value for contracts, so they’d better perform or else they will be sitting around in August wondering why they don’t have a contract.

So the next time you’re wondering why Maxim Afinogenov can’t find a roster spot while Patrick Rissmiller takes one up, just remember that it’s Gary Bettman’s fault.  Or, more to the point, it’s the salary cap, stupid.

As we have arrive upon Day 14 of the NHL Free Agent period, we step aside from one name that remains to be the culprit to the lack of activity from around the league.

Instead, we will break down the list of the remaining free agents that we feel can provide a team with an adequate player to help fill out their roster heading into next season.

Goaltenders:

Marty Turco: Age: 34 GP: 53 Record: 22-20-11 GAA: 2.72 SV%: .913
The problem with Turco seems to be money. This could very well turn into a case along the lines of Martin Biron from last seasons UFA period. The Philadelphia Flyers were said to have offered $6 million over 3 years but Turco turned that down.  Are you scratching your head the same way I am right now?

Jose Theodore: Age: 33 GP: 47 Record: 30-7-7 GAA: 2.81 SV%: .911
Many feel that Theodore was a product of the Washington Capitals powerful offense last year.  With a 2.81 goals against average, that is hard to argue however, his .911 save percentage leaves one to think otherwise.  It is a worthy debate but Theodore would make a fine #1a goaltender for a team who have confidence in their current starting netminder but wouldn’t mind adding some security. Nashville, Philadelphia and San Jose could all be teams who could possibly reach out to Theo’s camp and inquire about what they are looking for in a contract.

Defensemen:

Lukas Krajicek: Age: 27 GP: 50 Points: 3 (1g, 2a)
At 27, Krajicek can still be a solid addition to a team who are desperately in need for a d-man. Struggled much of the season last year and lack of playing time, Krajicek was brought in by the Philadelphia Flyers and showed that he still can play at the NHL level.  If no offers come for Krajicek, this could be a KHL or Euro league signing before the summer is out.

Aaron Ward: Age: 37 GP: 77 Points: 13 (1g, 12a)
After splitting the season with the Hurricanes and Ducks, Ward was left to roam the free agent realm this off-season and, like many of the names you will read through here, has had his name come up – well, not much at all.  At 37 it could be that time that we see Ward call it a career.

Dennis Grebeshkov: Age: 26 GP: 51 Points: 21 (7g, 14a)
Unable to find his game with the Predators after being acquired from Edmonton, Grebeshkov was told to find work elsewhere this off-season. If he feels he is worth $3 million a season, his playing time in the NHL will have likely come to an end but if Grebeshkov is considering to take a pay cut, there are likely a few teams willing to take a chance on the offensive defenseman.

Willie Mitchell: Age: 31 GP: 48 Points: 12 (4g, 8a)
Do not let points be a matter of how to judge Mitchell.  He is a physical, shutdown d-man who has been hampered by injuries.  When healthy, a very serviceable blueliner who can hit like a truck.  Once medically cleared, which should come this week, expect Mitchell to find a home before the summer comes to an end.

Andy Sutton: Age: 35 GP: 72 Points: 13 (5g, 8a)
Like Mitchell, offense is not Suttons strong point but at 35 he is still one of the more recognizable d-men in the league. Do not let age fool you here as Sutton would be a perfect third pairing player to a potential playoff team. I’d expect Sutton to sign, like Mitchell, and find a home prior to the end of the summer.

Paul Mara: Age: 30 GP: 42 Points: 8 (8a)
Unfortunately for Mara, and the Canadiens, injuries took control of his season. Unsure of what the future holds for Mara, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the summer plays out after the “one we do not speak of” is signed and the dominoes fall.

Forwards:

Paul Kariya: Age: 35 GP: 75 Points: 43 (18g, 25a)
A decent season with the Blues, but it is obvious that at 35 Kariya’s game is starting to drop off. Still a valuable asset for a teams top six forward units means that Kariya is another name stranded in UFA limbo while other teams attempt to figure out cap issues and whatever other situations they are currently involved in. Yes, you can expect Kariya to sign and if Teemu Selanne makes it official that he will return to the Ducks next season I would expect Anaheim to make a push for his services.

Bill Guerin: Age: 39 GP: 78 Points: 45 (21g, 24a)
After scoring 21 goals last year it is obvious that Guerin can still perform even at 39 years old. It seems, like many, his asking price may be a bit too high for the liking of the Pittsburgh Penguins or any other team that has contacted the Guerin camp. What remains to be decided is if he will return to Pittsburgh, take a chance with the New York Rangers, or will another team offer up a decent salary on a one year deal to hope Guerin can provide a playoff push.

Alexei Ponikarovsky: Age: 30 GP: 77 Points: 50 (21g, 29a)
‘Poni had a difficult time adapting to life in Pittsburgh, and after a dismal playoff performance skated his way right out of the city. Although unlikely, if I had it my way I would re-unite Ponikarovsky with Antropov in Atlanta.  However, Rick Dudley likely views things on a much different level compared to the way I see it.

Lee Stempniak: Age: 27 GP: 80 Points: 48 (28g, 20a)
Stempniak finished the year with a bang, scoring 18 points in 18 games with the Coyotes. However, in seven playoff games was unable to find his offensive touch.  The fear with Stempniak amongst GMs is the question of which player they will obtain. Stempniak has score 25 goals or more twice in his short career in the NHL.  His first year as a pro and this year that just ended. The years in between have been ones he would likely want to forget. The New York Islanders have been rumored to be interested in his services.

Alexander Frolov: Age: 28 GP: 81 Points: 51 (19g, 52a)
Former two time 30 goal scorers who come off a not so productive season should not require a salary above $3 million. However, reports surfaced stating that Frolov is looking for a contract in the ranger of $4m – $5m. With that price tag, it’s more likely to be KHL or bust. Lower your demands Alex and a team will come calling.

John Madden: Age: 37 GP: 79 Points: 32 (10g, 13a)
Reports have surfaced liking Madden to the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Fresh off another Stanley Cup victory, he can still play the third line center role almost to perfection.  With Jordan Staal likely slated to move up to second line center in Pittsburgh, it is likely just a matter of time before the Penguins ink Madden at this point.

Darcy Tucker: Age: 35 GP: 71 Points: 24 (10g, 14a)
Tucker played a good veteran role with the Avs last year, and although his point and penalty minute production have dropped through the years, he can still provide a solid energy or grinding role to a team looking to add to their roster.  Unlikely he’ll bring anything more leaves us to wonder which team would take a chance on signing him.  Likely a one year deal for a team looking to fill some roster holes on their pro squad.

Mike Modano: Age: 40 GP: 59 Points: 30 (14g, 16a)
Detroit or Minnesota Mikey? What’s it going to be?  At 40 years old, Modano can still skate within the league and could be a solid power play addition to any team. Though his options are limited, unless he personally decides to retire, expect an announcement on his signing in the near future.

Pavol Demitra: Age: 35 GP: 28 Points: 16 (3g, 13a)
Demitra was hampered by injuries all last season but not enough to hurt the offensive output of the Vancouver Canucks. With the success the Canucks had without Demitra in the line up, they felt offering him a contract would be better for another team to do. Linked to the New York Rangers, if he’s healthy, would be a solid addition along side Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal.

Maxim Afinogenov: Age: 30 GP: 82 Points: 61 (24g, 37a)
Finally erasing the downfall of his career that began in his last two seasons with the Sabres, Afinogenov notched 61 points with Atlanta this season that just ended. A solid addition to any team looking for an offensive boost.  Is there fear of Afinogenov bolting the NHL? At this point only he knows the answer to that. Many of the Atlanta faithful hoped he would return for at least one more year after the seasons he had, but at this point that remains highly unlikely.

Honorable Mentions:

Steve Begin, Miroslav Satan, Marek Svatos, Raffi Torres, Aaron Asham, Ruslan Fedotenko, Eric Belanger

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

It is not everyday that a player with as much offensive talent as Ilya Kovalchuk hits the open market, free to be pursued by 30 NHL teams for a shot to have him play in their city.

Unfortunately, it is slowly becoming Mats Sundin v2.0.

Let’s take a walk through time:

The trade deadline was looming and the Atlanta Thrashers had a very difficult decision to make.  Throw the farm at face of the franchise Ilya Kovalchuk in hopes of him agreeing to sign a life long deal to stay with the team, or acquire the best possible package to help the team in moving forward.

Then GM Don Waddell attempted the former and settled for the latter.

Ilya Kovalchuk, after turning down an absurd amount of money thrown at him by the organization who drafted him, was shipped to New Jersey to help them in their quest for another Stanley Cup.

Unfortunately for the Devils, that quest was over before it started.  However, what they did not expect was further drama from the acquisition. Feeling as though they were an organization strong enough to capture another Cup within the time window known as Martin Brodeur, Lou Lamiorello figured it would be easy to keep the superstar in Newark, NJ.

But wait.

At that time, wasn’t it all but confirmed that once the season came to an end Kovalchuk would be packing his bags and taking his family to the lovely left coast of this fine continent known as North America?  No, not Calgary, Colorado or Vancouver, not San Jose or Anaheim, but Los Angeles?

It was assumed that Dean Lombardi did not want to throw away pieces to his future for a quick fix and that it would be easier to instead, throw a boat load of money in said players direction.

As of today, Kovalchuk remains unsigned to any team, whether that be within the NHL, KHL, or some unthinkable league on a different planet.

For Don Waddell, who has since been replaced as the GM in Atlanta by Rick Dudley, the return was glorious for in theory, Ilya Kovalchuk helped the Thrashers acquire Johnny Oduya, Niclas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier, Akim Aliu, Andrew Laad, Ben Eager and Brent Sopel.

And since we are in the free agent frenzy part of the season, the Thrashers have seen two contributors from last season depart in Maxim Afinogenov and Pavel Kubina.

To be quite honest, this writer would take the entire package of players over the two that have walked; leaving Kovalchuk out of this altogether.

So where do we stand?

It’s been a seesaw week within the NHL as reporters, agents, players and fans have all been engulfed in the Kovalchuk drama.  Many GMs who have potential trades or other free agent signings in mind are waiting for the dominoes to fall prior to finalizing anything that is currently pending.

Now, what has been a reason of displeasure is that fact that Kovalchuk stated when the time arrived he would want to play for a potential Stanley Cup contending organization.

Well, if that was the truth why have we been left in the dark?  Why is it taking so long for Kovalchuk to put pen to paper and officially announce his future plans.

So now that we have played catch-up, let’s move into the beginning of this week.

Rumors have circulated like wild fire on destinations that include the Atlanta Thrashers, the New Jersey Devils, the Los Angeles Kings, the New York Islanders and even the New York Rangers as well as Russia’s KHL.

The best was the “report” of Islanders GM offering a 10 year $10 million deal to Kovalchuk, which has since been deemed false. Unfortunately for the Islanders, for a player of this caliber would have truly turned the franchise in a different direction, likely erasing most of the turmoil surrounding them.

Do you feel as if your eyes are playing tricks on you?

On Monday, Kovalchuk’s agent, Jay Grossman, tweeted that a decision could be made by the end of the day. As of today, after the Kings had supposedly backed out, there has been no decision and Dean Lombardi has gone public to state that the Kings were back in the thick of it.

This has turned into the saga of a superstar that is not needed with all the other turmoil surrounding the NHL.

Here is hoping that, no matter where he winds up, there is pen to paper before this week is up. And for what it’s worth, I truly hope Mr. Grossman has been able to sleep properly because with all that has gone on, his phone has to be ringing off the hook day and night.

Anthony Curatolo
NHLHS New York Islanders Correspondent/NHL Writer
acuratolo@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @HockeyGuy_AC

Welcome to Chicago South, ladies and gentlemen.  The Chicago Blackhawks absolutely needed to dump salary, and wanted picks, prospects, and cheap but useful players.  The Thrashers, well, we had a couple of extra picks left over from the Kovalchuk trade, we have a bunch of prospects, and God knows we have cheap and useful players.  Match made in heaven, huh?

The Atlanta Thrashers shipped Marty Reasoner and Jeremy Morin, as well as New Jersey’s 1st and 2nd round picks to the Chicago Blackhawks for Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager, Brent Sopel, and Akim Aliu.  Chicago was up against a wall and well over this year’s cap, and apparently someone read Falconer’s blog post on it and thought “Hey, these Atlanta guys seem like they have their stuff together, let’s dump our salary on them!  They have Dudley, too, so the guys’ll feel at home.

Atlanta this year will have no problem meeting the cap floor, as Big Buff will be making $3,000,000 next year, Ben Eager is an RFA due for a pay raise to probably a million and a quarter, and Sopel will be making $2,000,000.  They also will have plenty of space to fill a void if the team does go ahead and let Maxim Afinogenov walk.

Blackhawks fans and hockey pundits are decrying this trade as a bad one for Atlanta, and saying that the Thrashers got hosed.  Gaining three solid role players for Marty Reasoner, 2 picks that weren’t ours to start off with, and Jeremy Morin is not a loss.  The Thrashers do not need prospects.  We need solid locker room leaders who can play good hockey on the ice.  We just got three guys who won the Stanley Cup, one of whom played a HUGE part in said win.  Alou and Morin is a great flip because Alou is closer to the league than Morin is, and he’s also a good prospect.

If you look at it this way, the Thrashers have traded Kovalchuk, Salmela, Reasoner and Morin for Bergfors, Cormier, Oduya, Byfuglien, Eager, Sopel, and Aliu.  They finally have size, some sort of toughness, and even a few guys who can score.  There isn’t a big scoring 1st or 2nd line guy, but I’m sure that that’s on Dudley’s to-do list.  This probably just happened to present itself, and if we’re going to make a splash and actually re-build CORRECTLY, then this was a good start.  The team still needs to sign another goaltender, a 1st or 2nd line forward, and with these three added, that means that a couple of our current roster players are gone for sure – Armstrong and possibly Afinogenov.

This is a good step forward for Atlanta, and it probably bodes well for the Thrashers signing Torchetti as coach.  People might’ve been excited about last season’s potential.  Next year, well… maybe it’ll be a little better.

Laura Astorian
NHLHS Atlanta Thrashers Correspondent
lastorian@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @hildymac

In the nine years of Atlanta’s existence, only once did the team qualify for a playoff spot. This year, they look to make it for the second time.

Currently, the Atlanta Thrashers sit two points out of eighth place, with four games remaining. However, only two points separate the Thrashers from ninth place and sixth place.

A quick note to begin: Chris Chelios is the oldest on the Thrashers, at age 48. However, when the rankings of the team averages were calculated, Chelios was not a member of the Thrashers.

With the departure of Ilya Kovalchuk, the offensive lines took a brutal hit. The trade caused many players to take on a new role, somewhat unfamiliar to them.

Vyacheslav Kozlov, the second oldest on the team at 37 years old, appears somewhat significant on the Thrashers’ roster. He contributes minimally, providing just eight goals and total of 25 points. However, on a team that suddenly lacks a powerful sniper like Kovalchuk, any added offense is helpful.

Although some contributions come from fourth liners, Nik Antropov (30 years) ranks first on the team in points.

With 66 points, Antropov sits behind only Rich Peverley in game-winning goals.* Regardless, Antropov missed only four games this season, and largely helped the Thrashers to compete for a playoff spot.

Another 30-year old making an impact offensively is Maxim Afinogenov. One of only three players to play every game this year (on the Thrashers), Afinogenov’s impact comes in right behind Antropov.

Injuries did not plague Afinogenov’s season this year, and the lack of injuries helped Afinogenov to have a career year.

In fact, the Russian could set a new career-high in goals with just one more goal in the remaining four regular season games.

Although he ranks third in total points, Peverley easily wins the biggest impact award (sans Kovalchuk). He ran away with the game-winning goals lead (seven goals). Actually,  Kovalchuk only scored three game-winning goals with Atlanta this year.

Neverthless, Peverley’s offense soared this year. He set career highs in every category, but with the departure of Kovalchuk, Peverley opened up (a little). He registered four goals and eight assists in the 23 games since Kovalchuk left.

Next season, Peverley could prove dangerous up front for the Thrashers. Peverley would test the free agency market this summer, but the Thrashers resigned him for two years.

Defenseman, Tobias Enstrom (25 years) comes in at fourth in points. Enstrom largely contributes with assists (as do many defensemen), but his offensive side of the puck developed this year.

He suddenly could help out more on the end of the ice that was an unfamiliar area to him.

Somewhat similarly, Zach Bogosian, helps out on the offense too. Though Bogosian seen more as an offensive defenseman, he did learn more as a sophomore.

Conversely, Pavel Kubina ranks behind Enstrom in efficency offensively this year, but Kubina finally found a niche. Unable to succeed in Toronto, Kubina came to Atlanta for a new start. He earned his playing time, but on a team that is minus 16 (goals scored minus goals allowed) his even rating appears fairly decent.

There are players that have better plus/minus ratings than Kubina, but only Johnny Oduya has a significantly better plus/minus rating back on defense.

With the Thrashers, Oduya registered a plus nine rating. His contributions remain small, but at the start of next year, Oduya may see regular ice time and an increase in confidence.

Finally, the youngest player on the team, Evander Kane, had a great season until he fractured his left foot. He scored 14 goals and only 11 assists in 62 games, but with the confusion and chaos this team went through, those statistics are remarkable.

When it comes to goaltending, Johan Hedberg and Ondrej Pavelec shared most of the games this year. Hedberg played in 44 games, registering 20 wins, 15 loss, and seven losses in extra-time. Meanwhile, Pavelec won 14, lost 17 in regulation and seven in extra-time.

The older of the two, Hedberg, may relinquish many games next year to Pavelec. Though, the Thrashers could refuse to resign the 36-year old Hedberg.

Pavelec may benefit next year with more games under his belt. The more experience and practice, the better he will become. At only 22 years old, Pavelec needs to carry the Thrashers next year.

Though injuries did significantly hurt the Thrashers this year, they remain in the playoff race as of right now.

Unfortunately, their remaining four games will prove difficult. Their three opponents already clinched playoff spots and will look to transition into the playoff intensity level soon.

The Thrashers need to look to players like Enstrom, Oduya, Kubina, Afinegenov, Peverley, and Antropov to push the team into the post-season.

In Atlanta, the age group that supports the team the most is the 25 to 32 year olds. The young guys are still need to develop and learn how to succeed in the NHL. Regardless, the veterans need to get the team into the playoffs.

*Niclas Bergfors ranks second with six game-winning goals, but only two occurred with Atlanta.

Katlyn Gambill
NHLHS Feature Writer
kgambill@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @freezethepuck

The title says it all.  This article will be no more than a comprehensive list of NHL (and some other players owned by NHL teams) players set to participate in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

For the sake of clarity we have sorted players by team.  Minor league players in red, injured players in blue.

Anaheim Ducks (8) – Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Scott Niedermayer, Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu, Jonas Hiller, Bobby Ryan, Luca Sbisa

Atlanta Thrashers (5) – Ilya Kovalchuk, Maxim Afinogenov, Ondrej Pavelec, Pavel Kubina, Tobias Enstrom

Boston Bruins (6) – Patrice Bergeron, Marco Sturm, Tim Thomas, David Krejci, Zdeno Chara, Miroslav Satan

Buffalo Sabres (4) – Toni Lydman, Ryan Miller, Henrik Tallinder, Andrej Sekera

Calgary Flames (3) – Jarome Iginla, Miikka Kiprusoff, Olli Jokinen

Carolina Hurricanes (3) – Eric Staal, Joni Pitkanen, Tuomo Ruutu

Chicago Blackhawks (6) – Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Tomas Kopecky

Colorado Avalanche (3) – Paul Stastny, Peter Budaj, Ruslan Salei

Columbus Blue Jackets (6) – Rick Nash, Jan Hejda, Samuel Pahlsson, Fredrik Modin, Milan Jurcina, Fedor Tyutin

Dallas Stars (4) – Brenden Morrow, Jere Lehtinen, Loui Eriksson, Karlis Skrastins

Detroit Red Wings (7) – Valtteri Filppula, Brian Rafalski, Niklas Kronwall, Nicklas Lidstrom,  Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Tomas Holmstrom

Edmonton Oilers (2) - Lubomir Visnovsky, Denis Grebeshkov

Florida Panthers (2) -  Dennis Seidenberg, Tomas Vokoun

Los Angeles Kings (5) – Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson, Jon Quick, Dustin Brown, Michal Handzus

Minnesota Wild (5) – Niklas Backstrom, Mikko Koivu, Antti Miettinen, Marek Zidlicky, Martin Havlat

Montreal Canadiens (6) – Tomas Plekanec, Yannick Weber, Jaroslav Halak, Andrei Markov, Sergei Kostitsyn, Andrei Kostitsyn

Nashville Predators (6) – Alexander Sulzer, Shea Weber, Marcel Goc, Ryan Suter, Martin Erat, Patric Hornqvist

New Jersey Devils (6) – Martin Brodeur, Paul Martin, Zach Parise, Jamie Langenbrunner, Patrik Elias, Johnny Oduya

New York Islanders (1) – Mark Streit

New York Rangers (5) – Ryan Callahan, Chris Drury, Henrik Lundqvist, Andres Ambuhl, Marian Gaborik

Philadelphia Flyers (5) – Chris Pronger, Mike Richards, Kimmo Timonen, Oskars Bartulis, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen

Pittsburgh Penguins (5) – Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Marc Andre Fleury, Sergei Gonchar, Brooks Orpik

Phoenix Coyotes (3) – Sami Lepisto, Zbynek Michalek, Ilya Bryzgalov

Ottawa Senators (6) – Jarkko Ruutu, Filip Kuba, Milan Michalek, Daniel Alfredsson, Kaspars Daugavins, Anton Volchenkov

San Jose Sharks (8) – Dan Boyle, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dany Heatley, Douglas Murray, Thomas Greiss, Joe Pavelski, Evgeni Nabokov

St. Louis Blues (3) – Eric Johnson, David Backes, Roman Polak

Tampa Bay Lightning (5) – Antero Niittymaki, Ryan Malone, Mattias Ohlund, Martins Karsums, Andrej Meszaros

Toronto Maple Leafs (6) – Jonas Gustavsson, Mikhail Grabovski, Phil Kessel, Tomas Kaberle, Mike Komisarek, Niklas Hagman

Vancouver Canucks (7) -  Roberto Luongo, Sami Salo, Christian Ehrhoff, Pavol Demitra, Ryan Kesler, Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin

Washington Capitals (4) Tomas Fleischmann, Nicklas Backstrom, Semyon Varlamov, Alexander Ovechkin

-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
amonaghan@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @NHLHotStove

Unfortunately this is not an actual news story but simply one man’s bold prediction.  Before you blast me for the headline, lets look at the facts so you can see my thought process.

The latest from Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution states that the talks between the two are currently at a stand still.  However, Kovalchuk went on record to state, “he would like to stay with the same team his whole career. However, he understands that hockey is a business.”

Yes Ilya, hockey is a business.  You need to see that the business of the Atlanta Thrasher is Ilya Kovalchuk.  This team lives and dies by the blade of his stick.  The signings of Nik Antropov, Maxim Afinogenov as well as the acquisition of Pavel Kubina directly correlate to this team wanting to succeed with Kovalchuk.

So lets go over some facts.  The consensus rumors cite Kovalchuk wanting the league maximum over a ten year span, a total he certainly deserves.  By the CBA agreement, the maximum allows for 20 percent of the teams cap.  As the cap currently stands at 56.8 million and looks to stay within that range with our booming economy, our Russian star stands to make at least 11.36 million a year.

By my calculations even if Kovalchuk does sign at this maximum contract at the maximum cap hit, the Thrashers boast over 20 million worth of cap dollars left on their budget.  How many other teams can say they have this much room? Better yet, how many teams already have surrounded Kovy with teammates he thrives with due to both nationality and chemistry?

Granted a player like Kovalchuk on the open market forces a team to make room.  Last offseason we saw the Rangers trade Scott Gomez in order to sign Marian Gaborik, so something along these lines is not out of the ordinary.

Suppose the words coming out of his mouth are completely true and he wants to stay a life-long Thrasher.  This team does not need to be hamstrung by one player taking up over 20 percent.  If he really is that devoted he will take a ten-year contract which keeps him with the team through his 37th birthday.  A fine specimen like himself likely will play past that rip old age.

So my proposal to the Thrashers and to Kovalchuk: Agree to a contract worth 116.6 million over 13 years.  This gives Kovalchuk league maximum over 10 years while keeping his cap number to a more reasonable 8,969,230 which is roughly 1.5 million above the number Gaborik most recently received.  This cap hit would also allow the team to keep their young roster players like Zach Bogosian, Ondrej Pavelec, Bryan Little and Evander Kane in Atlanta.

So in short, my scenario would be a win-win situation for all parties involved.  In this climate, however, things change quickly and as Vivlamore points out Kovalchuk will be on the move if contract talks remain stalled.   For all we know these recent quotes could be merely pillow talk and the talented player could head home to make even more money.  Look for us to continue with the coverage as this situation plays out.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed our latest trade rumors feature. You can help NHLHS stay alive by visiting our sponsors to the left.

Follow me on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates

-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com

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.

Follow me on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates

-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com

Bob McKenzie broke the signing earlier today and announced the contract to be front loaded with a 4.2 cap hit over seven years.  With the playmaking center locked in, where does this leave the Bruins?

Surprisingly better than you would expect.

After this year, Boston has both goalies, seven forwards and three defenseman signed with over 12 million in cap space.  Assuming at least four million goes to keeping Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart that leaves them with 8 million to sign four forwards and two defensemen.  This would give the needed signings an average of 1.3 million per player.  If the team decides to use this space on young players on entry-level deals like Vladamir Sobotka (750K cap hit) or Brad Marchand (821,666 cap hit) then the team can spend up to 1.6 million on each player and so forth.  In the last free agency period, solid players like Vaclav Prospal and Maxim Afinogenov signed for around a million.

Trading Phil Kessel proved to be an invaluable move for the Bruins and is looking better every time the Leafs lose.  With Kessel they would have one more scorer while without him they are able to field an actual team.

Now with their superstar center signed way under market value, the Bruins can focus on winning.  For the complete salaries of the players discussed, click here. All research done courtesy of capgeek.com

Hope you enjoyed the article. You can help NHLHS stay alive by visiting our sponsors to the left.

Follow me on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates

-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com