Clippings, Kings-obsessed and otherwise.
Dean Lombardi: Anze Kopitar Must Learn To Handle Success « Frozen Royalty
“[Kopitar] and Doughty—they’re only in average shape,” Lombardi lamented. “They went from being our [least] conditioned guys this year to average. So there’s a little bit of that in there, too. So for [Kopitar], you want to go to the top of the league in scoring and they’re going to come after you now? Now you’re going to learn that, next summer, you’d better be the top conditioned guy.” “When I talk about building a team, those subtle signs, our best player has got to get to the top of that list in the summer,” Lombardi stressed. “Those guys were at the bottom. They were our best players, but they’re our worst conditioned guys. This year, they made great progress, but they went from brutal to average, both Kopitar and Doughty.”
As head count rises, NHL quietly condones brain-jarring hits
A thinking person can no longer fail to connect the dots. Why do they keep doing it? Because they can. Because the National Hockey League, in its position of leadership, quietly condones their behaviour.
The Hockey News: Say What?!? – Jan. 21
“I was giggling a little bit. That’d have been nice if they’d just let us go there, but that wasn’t going to happen. Of course he’s going to act tough there, but he’s a good goalie and he played well, don’t get me wrong, but you know, you’re not going to fight me, let’s be honest.”
Here come the injuries | All Things Avs
It always seems to be this way for the Burgundy and Blue, doesn’t it? As soon as things start really going well on the ice, the injuries start happening. In the last two weeks, Adam Foote, Marek Svatos, Milan Hejduk and, now, Ryan Wilson have gone down with various ailments.
Flashback: NHL’s first helmet/visor | Habs Inside/Out
Canadiens great Elmer Lach had his jaw broken in 1948-49, one of three times he was so fractured during his career. So he invented a helmet/visor combination to protect himself, an invention that was banned from play by NHL president Clarence Campbell.
Jonathan Bernier and Sean Sullivan on Flickr
Jonathan Bernier and Sean Sullivan – and many other pics
Regan’s Rant: Jackson/Aschim practice with new team today
Collin Bowman and Geordie Wudrick were unable to participate because of injuries. Wudrick took a 30 minute skate prior to the team practicing, wearing nothing more than a helmet, gloves, skates and a Rockets track suit. Wudrick could return to the lineup in about two weeks.
Ian Clark’s Monarchs Insider: Mid-term marks pretty good – Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010
In breaking down the play of the three phases of the game, the head of the class is clearly manned by goaltenders Jonathan Bernier and Jeff Zatkoff. An All-Star, Bernier is 18-10-4 with a goals-against average of 2.01, a .931 save percentage and four shutouts. Backup Zatkoff has been good in his role, going 8-4-0 with a 2.22 goals against and two shutouts.
TEAM CANADA’S COLTEN TEUBERT WHL GAME WORN JERSEY !!!! – eBay (item 260540207806 end time Jan-23-10 20:19:35 PST)
In time for Valentine’s Day.
Canucks visit reeling Oilers
Patrick O’Sullivan has the hot hand in Edmonton, with four points in his last four games.
Muzzin becomes a King – Woodstock Sentinel Review – Ontario, CA
“Our organization is very proud of Jake and his accomplishments over his five years with the Soo Greyhounds,” general manager Dave Torrie said in a statement. “To know what adversities he has faced early in his career and to see him grow and develop as a young man and as a hockey player has been very rewarding. As an organization we are proud of the role we have played in helping Jake achieve his goal of signing with an NHL organization. Our coaches have done a great job of working with Jake to help him become the player he is today. We all look forward to following Jake’s progress and anticipate the day he realizes his dream of playing in the NHL.”
Canadiens to part ways with winger Laraque
“Jacques Martin doesn’t like me and doesn’t believe in toughness,” Laraque told TSN. Laraque added that Martin never shared any concerns directly with him and is furious with the Canadiens’ approach based on the emotional issues he’s dealing with following the devastating earthquake in Haiti and the impact this disaster has had on both him and his family.
KuklasKorner : Keep or Trade Turco
Who knows what’s going to happen in the next month or so? Maybe Alex Auld will take over, and the Stars will look to trade Turco. Maybe they will be right on the edge of the playoff race and will feel they have to keep both goalies. Maybe Turco will lead them to the Stanley Cup and re-sign a long-term deal. (Well, maybe not…) But the plan, it appears, is to find another goalie. Turco has been shaky for the past couple of years, and there is some concern that Turco does not have the athletic ability at age 34 to win a Cup.
Taking a look around the league – NHL – Yahoo! Sports
By far and away the best rental from the four teams will be Ray Whitney(notes). That guy still has it at age 37. He’s a clever top-six forward and very good on the point on a power play with a lot to give. He’s easy-going, has won a Cup and no commitment past this season. He’d be a great fit in San Jose, right where he started. Scott Walker(notes) could give a team looking for third- or fourth-line jam a playoff boost. Defenseman Joe Corvo’s(notes) hard shot will be attractive to someone. Aside from Jamal Mayers(notes), for much the same role as Walker would fill, the Leafs have nothing to offer. Although Garnet Exelby(notes) is an intriguing name, more so for the future. Can’t get too excited about that Edmonton roster, unless someone thinks Jason Strudwick(notes) can give you a good 10 minutes at No. 5 D. Didn’t think so. Raffi Torres(notes) jumps off the Blue Jackets’ roster. He’s be a good playoff pick-up. I see him in a Kings’ uniform. Dean Lombardi loves the guy, at least he did at one time.
Facebook | DAVEART.com’s Photos – NHL-masks I´ve painted
Zatkoff = cool.
Regan’s Rant: Jackson/Aschim practice with new team today
Collin Bowman and Geordie Wudrick were unable to participate because of injuries. Wudrick took a 30 minute skate prior to the team practicing, wearing nothing more than a helmet, gloves, skates and a Rockets track suit. Wudrick could return to the lineup in about two weeks.
Ian Clark’s Monarchs Insider: Mid-term marks pretty good – Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010
In breaking down the play of the three phases of the game, the head of the class is clearly manned by goaltenders Jonathan Bernier and Jeff Zatkoff. An All-Star, Bernier is 18-10-4 with a goals-against average of 2.01, a .931 save percentage and four shutouts. Backup Zatkoff has been good in his role, going 8-4-0 with a 2.22 goals against and two shutouts.
Higgins’ NHL Fantasy Index – Jan. 20 | Hockey | Sports | Toronto Sun
Los Angeles Kings: Attention GM, Dean Lombardi. Trade Anze Kopitar and goalie prospect Jonathan Bernier in a package for Thrasher, IlyaKovalchuk. Kopitar isn’t the guy you want to be paying over 6 Mill per year to, Kovalchuk is.
The Hockey News: Top 10: 2010 UFAs
3. Patrick Marleau, LW/C, San Jose Talk about rebounds. Marleau, 30, had the ‘C’ stripped from his jersey last summer and pundits and fans alike screamed for him to be traded. And what does he do? Oh, just go out and put up numbers that have him on pace for the best season of his career. He’ll play for Canada at the Olympics, is leading the league in goals, is 11th in scoring and is in the top 10 in plus-minus, game-winners and power play markers.
The Hockey News: Letters to the Editor — If Kovy’s in the cards, Hawks must deal
I understand that team chemistry is very important and that ‘Hawks management may not want to mess with a good thing, but when you consider that they have major cap issues to deal with in the off-season; the opportunity of solving those issues now and improving their chances of winning the Stanley Cup by trading players like Kris Versteeg, Cam Barker and Dustin Byfuglien to Atlanta for a ‘rental player’ like Kovalchuk may inspire them to adopt a new term: “Carpe Diem.”
Hiller’s price tag likely rising – Ducks blog : The Orange County Register
But as he keeps putting together victories and lowering his goals-against average and save percentage, Hiller’s price tag is likely rising as well for a big-money contract that he figures to get from his team — or someone else. Hiller, 27, is making $1.3 million this season and stands to make at least twice, if not three times that on the open market as he can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. With 12 victories in his 16 starts after Tuesday’s 5-4 win over Buffalo, the Swiss native has improved his overall numbers to 19-13-2 with a 2.85 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
NHLHeadlines”>Former Chicago Blackhawks star Jeremy Roenick isn’t sure the Hawks’ goaltending is good enough to win the Stanley Cup – ESPN Chicago
But Roenick isn’t sure that tandem can post 16 playoff wins to capture the Cup. “Can Huet bring them 16 games? I say no, I think he can probably get you through two rounds,” Roenick said. “To go 16 games, you need a goaltender that is going to stand on his head and is going to steal games. “And Niemi is a good goaltender too, don’t get me wrong, they just need that one little extra boost in goal that I think that would make the guys more confident in front of him. And if those guys are even more confident than they are right now, that team will be unbeatable. They are still two good goaltenders, but I don’t know if they could do it for the full 16 wins.”
Dean Lombardi: Jack Johnson Is Learning His Craft…Belatedly ” Frozen Royalty
“This guy has never had any coaching [at the University of Michigan],” Lombardi said. “Jack just did what he wanted.” “Michigan is the worst.” Lombardi added. “For hockey people, if you’ve got a choice between a kid—all things being equal—one’s going to Michigan and one’s going to Boston University, you all want your player [going to Boston University]. Michigan’s players—[head coach] Red [Berenson] doesn’t coach. It’s ‘do what you want.’ He gets the best players in the country.”
Bob Ford: With win, Flyers bail out petulant captain | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/20/2010
They put the captain’s C right there on the jersey, and in hockey, it is actually supposed to mean something. One thing it means is that when things aren’t going well, that letter becomes a bull’s-eye. The captain, more than the other players, has to answer for a team’s occasional failings. He has to take more responsibility for getting his teammates ready to play, as if that small block letter could actually accomplish it.