TOP STORY
Back on Broadway...
And this time it's not for an internship at a fashion magazine
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
The Rangers claimed controversial forward Sean Avery off re-entry waivers from the Dallas Stars on Tuesday in a move that was weeks in the making. For Avery, this might be his last chance to resurrect his NHL career. He could be in the lineup as soon as Thursday on the road against the rival New York Islanders. Avery spent the past month with the Rangers' Hartford AHL affiliate while remaining property of the Stars. He hasn't played in the NHL since he was suspended in December for making a crude remark about other hockey players dating his former girlfriends. Avery served a six-game ban and completed treatment in a league counseling program, but the Stars made it clear he would never play for them again. Dallas doesn't have an AHL affiliate, so Rangers general manager Glen Sather facilitated his move to Hartford. He was assigned there after all NHL teams passed on him during a first set of waivers. "He's really tried to help himself, and Glen believes in second chances," said new Rangers coach John Tortorella, who has been critical of Avery. "I think he's done his homework here and we'll see where it goes." The Rangers will be responsible for half of the money remaining on Avery's contract, which runs through the next three seasons with a salary cap hit of more than $3.8 million a year. "I think it'll be great," Rangers captain Chris Drury said Tuesday. "The only two things I need to know and I think the other guys in this room need to know, is that he wants to be here and wants to be a Ranger, loves wearing our jersey and loves living in New York; and secondly, that he wants to win a Stanley Cup. "What else could you ask for in a teammate?" Avery left the Rangers after last year's playoffs for a four-year deal worth $15.5 million with the Stars, who will pay the other half of the contract.
What do the Rangers have to lose at this point? They only won three games in the month of February and they were sinking in the Eastern Conference standings. Regardless of Avery's character in the locker room and off the ice, he does have a positive effect on the ice. He agitates other teams to the point of drawing penalties, he will go in front of the net and make life hell for goalies, he battles hard in the corners, all things the Rangers need right now. The question is if he has matured enough to not be a nuissance with his character. Sean Avery has always said, even when he was a King, that Madison Square Garden was his favorite place to play. Maybe a 2nd life after getting banished (unjustifiably, I might add) in his favorite place to play will get him back on track (at least for a little while)
ACTION FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE...
(Abbreviated due to deadline preparations)
-Philadelphia Flyers (34-18-10) over the Boston Bruins (42-13-9) 4-2
TOP PERFORMER = Flyers LW Simon Gagne - 2 Goals, 1 Assist (1PPG)
-Carolina Hurricanes (33-27-5) over the Washington Capitals (40-20-5) 5-2
TOP PERFORMER - Hurricanes C Matt Cullen - 1 Goal, 2 Assists (SHG, SHA, PPA)
-Florida Panthers (33-23-8) over the Atlanta Thrashers (23-25-6) 4-3
TOP PERFORMER - Panthers C Michael Frolik - 2 Goals
-Columbus Blue Jackets (32-26-6) over the Los Angeles Kings (26-28-9) 5-4
TOP PERFROMER - Blue Jackets C Manny Malholtra - 2 Goals, 1 Assist (PPA)
-Calgary Flames (38-19-6) over the Ottawa Senators (23-29-10) 6-3
TOP PERFROMER - Flames RW David Moss - 3 Goals (PPG, ENG)
-Pittsburgh Penguins (33-26-6) over the Tampa Bay Lightning (21-31-12) 3-1
TOP PERFORMER - Penguins LW Chris Kunitz - 2 Goals (1 PPG)
-New Jersey Devils (42-19-3) over the Toronto Maple Leafs (25-26-13) 3-2 OT
TOP PERFORMER - Maple Leafs G Vesa Toskala - 49 Saves
-Nashville Predators (32-28-4) over the Edmonton Oilers (31-26-6) 6-5 OT
TOP PERFORMER - Predators C Jason Arnott - 1 Goal, 2 Assists (GWG)
-Chicago Blackhawks (36-17-9) over the Anaheim Ducks (31-28-6) 3-2 OT
TOP PERFORMER - Blackhawks RW Martin Havlat - 1 Goal, 1 Assist (GWG)
-Detroit Red Wings (42-14-8) over the St. Louis Blues (28-27-8) 5-0
TOP PERFORMER - Red Wings LW Tomas Kopecky - 1 Goal, 2 Assists (SHG, GWG)
-Vancouver Canucks (33-22-8) over the Minnesota Wild (30-27-5) 4-2
TOP PERFORMER - Canucks LW Alexandre Burrows - 2 Goals
*Vancouver is 4-0-1 against Minnesota this season with one game remaining
-Dallas Stars (30-26-7) over the San Jose Sharks (42-11-9) 4-1
TOP PERFORMER - Stars C Mike Modano - 1 Goal, 1 Assist (PP-GWG)
OTHER HEADLINES
-Detroit Red Wings forward Marian Hossa was hospitalized for observation after crashing head-first into the boards after being checked in the first period of Tuesday night's game against the St. Louis Blues. Hossa, who leads the team with 34 goals and 27 assists in 62 games, did not lose consciousness and had feeling in his limbs, team spokesman John Hahn said. The game was delayed for several minutes while Hossa lay prone near the end boards in the Blues' end. In a text message to ESPN the Magazine's E.J. Hradek, Detroit GM Ken Holland said that Hossa will be traveling with the team to Denver Wednesday. "I don't think he's playing tomorrow but he's flying with us," coach Mike Babcock said. "They're doing a bunch of tests on him and everything looks real good." Hahn said a CT scan was negative. Babcock had no complaints about Roman Polak's hit, describing it as a "bump" while Hossa was on one leg following through on a shot.
-The Minnesota Wild have locked up a big piece of their franchise as they have signed goaltender Niklas Backstrom to a four-year contract extension. The deal is worth $6 million per season and ends all speculation that the Finnish netminder would be on the move at the NHL's Trade Deadline on Wednesday. "My goal was to stay here and I'm really happy its possible," Backstrom told reporters Tuesday prior to the Wild's game against the Vancouver Canucks. "It's sort of like a second dream come true after you got a shot to play in the NHL. "Now I have a chance to stay here for years to come." In three seasons with the Wild, Backstrom sports a 84-39-18 record with a 2.19 goals against average and .924 save percentage. He was awarded the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award (Best save percentage) and the William M. Jennings Trophy (Lowest goals-against) in the 2006-07 season.
-The Vancouver Canucks agreed to terms with forward Alex Burrows on a four-year contract extension on Tuesday that will keep him with the club through the 2012-13 season. The four-year deal will pay him $2 million per season. The forward wasted little time celebrating his contract as he scored two goals in the Canucks' 4-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. "Alex plays with intensity and determination at both ends of the rink," said general manager Mike Gillis in a media release prior to the game. "He's a fierce competitor and a versatile player. We look forward to further growth and development in his game." The 27-year-old has set new career highs with 18 goals, 35 points (18-17-35) and 105 penalty minutes over his 62 games this season.
-A complete rundown of players placed on waivers yesterday (courtesy of TSN.ca)
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=269562&lid=sublink016&lpos=headlines_nhl
RUMOR MILL
-It's trade deadline day so there are way too many rumors to report on. That being said, a complete rundown of all of the trades will be posted here this afternoon after all the dominoes have fallen. You'll get complete analysis from Andrew Bogusch and myself.
Back on Broadway...
And this time it's not for an internship at a fashion magazine(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
The Rangers claimed controversial forward Sean Avery off re-entry waivers from the Dallas Stars on Tuesday in a move that was weeks in the making. For Avery, this might be his last chance to resurrect his NHL career. He could be in the lineup as soon as Thursday on the road against the rival New York Islanders. Avery spent the past month with the Rangers' Hartford AHL affiliate while remaining property of the Stars. He hasn't played in the NHL since he was suspended in December for making a crude remark about other hockey players dating his former girlfriends. Avery served a six-game ban and completed treatment in a league counseling program, but the Stars made it clear he would never play for them again. Dallas doesn't have an AHL affiliate, so Rangers general manager Glen Sather facilitated his move to Hartford. He was assigned there after all NHL teams passed on him during a first set of waivers. "He's really tried to help himself, and Glen believes in second chances," said new Rangers coach John Tortorella, who has been critical of Avery. "I think he's done his homework here and we'll see where it goes." The Rangers will be responsible for half of the money remaining on Avery's contract, which runs through the next three seasons with a salary cap hit of more than $3.8 million a year. "I think it'll be great," Rangers captain Chris Drury said Tuesday. "The only two things I need to know and I think the other guys in this room need to know, is that he wants to be here and wants to be a Ranger, loves wearing our jersey and loves living in New York; and secondly, that he wants to win a Stanley Cup. "What else could you ask for in a teammate?" Avery left the Rangers after last year's playoffs for a four-year deal worth $15.5 million with the Stars, who will pay the other half of the contract.
What do the Rangers have to lose at this point? They only won three games in the month of February and they were sinking in the Eastern Conference standings. Regardless of Avery's character in the locker room and off the ice, he does have a positive effect on the ice. He agitates other teams to the point of drawing penalties, he will go in front of the net and make life hell for goalies, he battles hard in the corners, all things the Rangers need right now. The question is if he has matured enough to not be a nuissance with his character. Sean Avery has always said, even when he was a King, that Madison Square Garden was his favorite place to play. Maybe a 2nd life after getting banished (unjustifiably, I might add) in his favorite place to play will get him back on track (at least for a little while)
ACTION FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE...
(Abbreviated due to deadline preparations)
-Philadelphia Flyers (34-18-10) over the Boston Bruins (42-13-9) 4-2
TOP PERFORMER = Flyers LW Simon Gagne - 2 Goals, 1 Assist (1PPG)
-Carolina Hurricanes (33-27-5) over the Washington Capitals (40-20-5) 5-2
TOP PERFORMER - Hurricanes C Matt Cullen - 1 Goal, 2 Assists (SHG, SHA, PPA)
-Florida Panthers (33-23-8) over the Atlanta Thrashers (23-25-6) 4-3
TOP PERFORMER - Panthers C Michael Frolik - 2 Goals
-Columbus Blue Jackets (32-26-6) over the Los Angeles Kings (26-28-9) 5-4
TOP PERFROMER - Blue Jackets C Manny Malholtra - 2 Goals, 1 Assist (PPA)
-Calgary Flames (38-19-6) over the Ottawa Senators (23-29-10) 6-3
TOP PERFROMER - Flames RW David Moss - 3 Goals (PPG, ENG)
-Pittsburgh Penguins (33-26-6) over the Tampa Bay Lightning (21-31-12) 3-1
TOP PERFORMER - Penguins LW Chris Kunitz - 2 Goals (1 PPG)
-New Jersey Devils (42-19-3) over the Toronto Maple Leafs (25-26-13) 3-2 OT
TOP PERFORMER - Maple Leafs G Vesa Toskala - 49 Saves
-Nashville Predators (32-28-4) over the Edmonton Oilers (31-26-6) 6-5 OT
TOP PERFORMER - Predators C Jason Arnott - 1 Goal, 2 Assists (GWG)
-Chicago Blackhawks (36-17-9) over the Anaheim Ducks (31-28-6) 3-2 OT
TOP PERFORMER - Blackhawks RW Martin Havlat - 1 Goal, 1 Assist (GWG)
-Detroit Red Wings (42-14-8) over the St. Louis Blues (28-27-8) 5-0
TOP PERFORMER - Red Wings LW Tomas Kopecky - 1 Goal, 2 Assists (SHG, GWG)
-Vancouver Canucks (33-22-8) over the Minnesota Wild (30-27-5) 4-2
TOP PERFORMER - Canucks LW Alexandre Burrows - 2 Goals
*Vancouver is 4-0-1 against Minnesota this season with one game remaining
-Dallas Stars (30-26-7) over the San Jose Sharks (42-11-9) 4-1
TOP PERFORMER - Stars C Mike Modano - 1 Goal, 1 Assist (PP-GWG)
OTHER HEADLINES
-Detroit Red Wings forward Marian Hossa was hospitalized for observation after crashing head-first into the boards after being checked in the first period of Tuesday night's game against the St. Louis Blues. Hossa, who leads the team with 34 goals and 27 assists in 62 games, did not lose consciousness and had feeling in his limbs, team spokesman John Hahn said. The game was delayed for several minutes while Hossa lay prone near the end boards in the Blues' end. In a text message to ESPN the Magazine's E.J. Hradek, Detroit GM Ken Holland said that Hossa will be traveling with the team to Denver Wednesday. "I don't think he's playing tomorrow but he's flying with us," coach Mike Babcock said. "They're doing a bunch of tests on him and everything looks real good." Hahn said a CT scan was negative. Babcock had no complaints about Roman Polak's hit, describing it as a "bump" while Hossa was on one leg following through on a shot.
-The Minnesota Wild have locked up a big piece of their franchise as they have signed goaltender Niklas Backstrom to a four-year contract extension. The deal is worth $6 million per season and ends all speculation that the Finnish netminder would be on the move at the NHL's Trade Deadline on Wednesday. "My goal was to stay here and I'm really happy its possible," Backstrom told reporters Tuesday prior to the Wild's game against the Vancouver Canucks. "It's sort of like a second dream come true after you got a shot to play in the NHL. "Now I have a chance to stay here for years to come." In three seasons with the Wild, Backstrom sports a 84-39-18 record with a 2.19 goals against average and .924 save percentage. He was awarded the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award (Best save percentage) and the William M. Jennings Trophy (Lowest goals-against) in the 2006-07 season.
-The Vancouver Canucks agreed to terms with forward Alex Burrows on a four-year contract extension on Tuesday that will keep him with the club through the 2012-13 season. The four-year deal will pay him $2 million per season. The forward wasted little time celebrating his contract as he scored two goals in the Canucks' 4-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. "Alex plays with intensity and determination at both ends of the rink," said general manager Mike Gillis in a media release prior to the game. "He's a fierce competitor and a versatile player. We look forward to further growth and development in his game." The 27-year-old has set new career highs with 18 goals, 35 points (18-17-35) and 105 penalty minutes over his 62 games this season.
-A complete rundown of players placed on waivers yesterday (courtesy of TSN.ca)
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=269562&lid=sublink016&lpos=headlines_nhl
RUMOR MILL
-It's trade deadline day so there are way too many rumors to report on. That being said, a complete rundown of all of the trades will be posted here this afternoon after all the dominoes have fallen. You'll get complete analysis from Andrew Bogusch and myself.
TONIGHTS ACTION:
%Montreal @ Buffalo - 7:30PM
Detroit @ Colorado - 9PM
% = Game of the Night
^All Times are Eastern
*My weekly power rankings comes out Mondays and Tuesdays
~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch comes out on Thursdays
TO EMAIL FTS, write fromtheslot@gmail.com
%Montreal @ Buffalo - 7:30PM
Detroit @ Colorado - 9PM
% = Game of the Night
^All Times are Eastern
*My weekly power rankings comes out Mondays and Tuesdays
~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch comes out on Thursdays
TO EMAIL FTS, write fromtheslot@gmail.com
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