FTS - 3/6/09

TOP STORY
It's Christmas in March in Calgary

New Flames acquisitions Olli Jokinen and Jordan Leopold pay off in their debut in Philadelphia

(Photo Credit: AP)

Calgary Flames (39-19-6) over the Philadelphia Flyers (34-19-10) 5-1
Flames GM Darryl Sutter looks like a genius just one day after the trade deadline. New acquistions Olli Jokinen (two goals) and D Jordan Leopold (one goal) scored in the 1st period to help Calgary jump out to a 4-0 lead heading in to the 1st intermission. Winger Mike Cammalleri added a goal and two assists for streaking Calgary, 9-1-2 since a four-game losing streak early last month. The new Calgary top line of Jarome Iginla-Jokinen-Cammalleri combined for seven points last night. Miikka Kiprusoff had 35 saves to help the Flames increase their lead in the Northwest Division to 10 points over second-place Vancouver. Mike Knuble had the lone goal for Philadelphia. The Flyers remained fourth in the Eastern Conference after their third loss in four games. It could be a costly defeat for Philadelphia because forward Daniel Briere tweaked a groin injury that already forced him to miss 51 games this season. He'll be examined on Friday. Briere, a high-priced free-agent acquisition in 2007, just returned to the lineup Sunday after sitting out 36 games.

ACTION FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE...

Phoenix Coyotes (28-31-5) over the Boston Bruins (42-14-9) 2-1
Scottie Upshall scored in his first game with Phoenix (PPG), Steven Reinprecht scored the game-winner, and Ilya Bryzgalov made 25 saves to beat the top team in the East. Also in their first games with Phoenix was LW Nigel Dawes (1 assist), D Dmitri Kalinin (+1) and LW Petr Prucha (-1)

NY Rangers (33-24-8) over the NY Islanders (20-37-7) 4-2
Nikolai Zherdev and Chris Drury each had a goal and an assist, Markus Naslund scored in his 1100th NHL game, and Scott Gomez scored the game-winner in the final meeting against the Islanders this season. Henrik Lundqvist made 28 saves but gave up Isles D Jack Hillen's first career goal on a beautiful move. In their first games with the Rangers, winger Sean Avery was a -1 (he took a physical pounding), RW Nik Antropov had an assist, and D Derek Morris had a solid game on the blueline.

Toronto Maple Leafs (26-26-13) over the Washington Capitals (40-21-5) 2-1
This would be a tight game until the 3rd period when Lee Stempniak and Pavel Kubina scored 3:42 apart for the Leafs. Alexander Semin scored his 27th goal of the season late in the period while G Martin Gerber made 37 saves in his debut performance with the Leafs. Alexander Ovechkin missed only the fourth game of his four-year NHL career due to a bruised right heel, the result of a shot taken off his skate during practice on Wednesday

Ottawa Senators (24-29-10) over the Edmonton Oilers (31-27-6) 4-2
They weren't trade deadline acquistions, but recent additions Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli (PPG) scored as Ottawa defeats their cross-Canadian rivals from Edmonton. Sam Ganger scored both Oilers goals in the loss.

Pittsburgh Penguins (34-26-6) over the Florida Panthers (33-24-8) 4-1
Sidney Crosby returned to the Penguins lineup and scored his 24th goal of the season on a beautiful move to help the Penguins gain some ground in the Easter Conference standings. D Kris Letang scored twice and G Marc-Andre Fleury made 31 saves for the road win.

Nashville Predators (33-28-4) over the Columbus Blue Jackets (32-27-6) 4-2
Steve Sullivan scored the tiebreaking goal on a breakaway with 1:46 left in the second period to lead the Preds to their NHL-best sixth straight victory. The win put a team that was ranked 14th as of Feb. 3 into a tie for sixth, and holding the tiebreaker with Columbus thanks to one more victory than the Blue Jackets. Nashville winger Martin Erat scored his 100th career NHL goal.

Los Angeles Kings (27-28-9) over theDallas Stars (30-26-8) 5-4 OT
Kings C Michal Handzus capped off his 2nd career hat trick with the game-winning goal at 1:31 of overtime to help LA beat division rival Dallas. The Kings rallied late in the 3rd period to tie the game thanks to Handzus' 2nd goal at 16:42 and Anze Kopitar's goal (he also had two assists) at 19:46. Los Angeles snapped a four game losing skid while Dallas has now lost six of seven after a 10-3 stretch.

Minnesota Wild (31-27-5) over the San Jose Sharks (42-11-10) 4-3 (OT)
The Sharks jumped out to a 3-0 lead midway through the 2nd period thanks to 2 goals from Joe Pavelski and Ryan Clowe's 22nd of the season, but it wouldn't be enough. Mikko Koivu and Pierre Marc-Bouchard both scored late in the 2nd period and Marek Zidlicky would tie the game in the 3rd period. In overtime, Koivu added his 2nd goal of the game with :14 remaining to snap the Wild's four game winless streak. The Sharks have lost four of their last five games but have earned a point in 46 of their last 55 games.

OTHER HEADLINES

-Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke remained busy one day after the trading deadline by signing free agent forward Jeff Hamilton. The 31-year old Hamilton had been playing with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. In 50 games he has 16 goals and 37 assists. The Englewood, Ohio native has 142 games of NHL experience split between the Hurricanes, Blackhawks and Islanders.

-The AHL has suspended the Norfolk Admirals' forward Steve Downie 20 games for deliberately striking an official with his stick. Late in the third period of the Admirals' game against the Hershey Bears on February 28, Downie slashed linesman Mike Hamilton before a face-off. Downie was given a game misconduct at the time, and the AHL announced Thursday he was being suspended. 21-year-old Downie has developed a reputation for aggressive behaviour in his young career. In 2007, before he even played his first regular season NHL game, Downie was suspended 20 games for elbowing Ottawa Senator Dean McAmmond in the head in a pre-season tilt. This is not the first time the pesky forward has been suspended by the AHL either, having sat out three games for hitting an opponent from behind earlier this season. He has already served three games of the current suspension, and should be eligible to return on April 11. Downie was drafted 29th overall by the Flyers in 2005. In 29 NHL games with the Flyers and the Lightning this season, Downie has three goals and three assists.

RUMOR MILL

-The Rumor Mill is taking a vacation after the deadline.

TONIGHTS ACTION:
Calgary @ Carolina - 7PM
Phoenix @ Buffalo - 7:30PM
St. Louis @ Tampa Bay - 7:30PM
Montreal @ Atlanta - 7:30PM
%Dallas @ Anaheim - 10PM

% = 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

TWO GUYS AND A PUCK

(Welcome to the first edition of Two Guys and a Puck. Andrew and I will do sporadic chats about top stories in the NHL. Our debut edition talks about the moves at the trade deadline)

Will this be the home of the Western Conference Champions in Calgary?

Two Guys and a Puck w/ Andrew Bogusch and Adam Bernard

Adam Bernard: We'll start off on the Red Mile up in Calgary...the Flames acquire D Jordan Leopold from Colorado for D Lawrence Nycholat, D Ryan Wilson and a 2009 2nd round pick and they also acquire Olli Jokinen from Phoenix for Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust and a conditional 1st round pick...I know you're not as ga ga over this trade as everyone else is

Andrew Bogusch: I like it, Adam, to the extent that Calgary got itself a #1 center and a veteran defenseman who's been a Flame before; therefore, there shouldn't be any chemistry issues
What I don't like is Leopold isn't the same player he was during the Flames' Finals run. And more importantly, Jokinen in a big spot is a major question mark for me. A.) He's never been in the playoffs and B.) He was just not good when the Coyotes needed him most after the All-Star Break.

Adam: I think bringing Leopold back is gravy for Calgary because they already have a steady group of defenseman and this gives them a solid puck-mover, even if he isn’t the player he was from 5 seasons ago. I like the addition of Jokinen because their top line now (Iginla, Jokinen, Cammalleri) might be the best top line in hockey now AND they already were a tough match-up for San Jose...this makes Calgary-San Jose a more intriguing series than San Jose-Detroit

Andrew: And that top line can go up against any other top line in the Western Conference. But Jokinen is an unknown to a certain extent. Maybe all the bad teams he was on
was more his fault than we think.

Adam: that’s a valid point, but how often was Jokinen on a playoff contender in his career? He's never had much help....plus Mike Keenan will light a fire under his ass if nothing else

Andrew: He was his best under Keenan, that's for sure. And Iginla will handle all the leadership things. I just need to see what Jokinen does when the spotlight is truly on him for the first time.

Adam: If I'm a Coyotes fan, I'm happy with what they got from the Jokinen deal. A 1st round pick is always good, Prust is a young player with a lot of potential, and Lombardi is a good all-around player

Andrew: And what they got for Derek Morris and Dan Carcillo. They had an odd mix of forwards -- it was hard to balance those lines, at least in my opinion. Now they have some depth at both wing spots.

Adam: Petr Prucha is a player that thrives on consistency, and playing two games, sitting four, playing one, sitting seven doesn't work well for him. Nigel Dawes can be an excellent scorer if he is on the right line. Scottie Upshall is another good all-around player, and they get back a 2nd round pick. Dmitri Kalinin is a non-factor for me, but maybe a change of scenery will get him playing a little bit better

Andrew: Now we have to hope they Coyotes exist past this season to see what this roster can do over 82 games.

Adam: And Shane Doan is the glue of that team and he sets a good example for all of the younger players on the roster now. Bryzgalov is a quality goalie. We saw what Phoenix is capable of at the end of 2008 and they can be a playoff team next year if they stay healthy. Staying in the Pacific, an interesting deal between two rival teams in San Jose and Anaheim. San Jose gets Travis Moen and Kent Huskins for three guys I don't know much about in F Nick Bonino, G Timo Plemeier and a conditional 4th round pick. The only question on San Jose's blueline is who becomes the 7th Defenseman now, Lukowich or Huskins?

Andrew: Clearly, Ducks GM Bob Murray didn't like this roster. Moen and Sammy Pahlsson were moved yesterday. They were two-thirds of Anaheim's best line in their Cup year. This team won't do much in the playoffs (if they it gets there). I think Lukowich or Huskins will be a nightly question, depending on opponent since they bring different things to the ice.

Adam: I think Anaheim will be left out come mid-April by the way...they got cold at the wrong time. I know you were a big fan of the Moen addition

Andrew: Moen's a good player, the type of player you need to have to win a Stanley Cup. There will be nights where you don't notice him too much, but with Roenick and Lemieux old, and Torry Mitchell trying to get healthy, Moen will come up big for SJ.

Adam: what I like about the San Jose moves is that they were already close. You don't want to rock the boat too much and they added quality depth...staying with Anaheim, they send out Sami Pahlsson, D Logan Stephenson and a conditional 09 pick and they get back Petri Kontiola and D James Wisniewski...I'm a big Wisniewski fan...the few times I saw Chicago this year, he was a solid two way D-Man

Andrew: They've certainly prepared themselves for losing Pronger and Niedermayer. Not that Ryan Whitney or Wisniewski are that quality of D-man, but they're NHL regulars.

Adam: I think we'll see Pahlsson win a Selke before his career is over, and with all of the speed Chicago has, this gives them a guy that can be matched against other team's top lines and be a hassle

Andrew: That was definitely one of the shrewdest moves Wednesday. You put Pahlsson next to Andrew Ladd and you have a nice checking line for a deep playoff push.

Adam: Lets go to the Ducks other move...acquiring F Petteri Nokelainen and sending D Steve Montador to Boston...I love the move for Boston...with Nokelainen, the jury is still out on him

Andrew: You can flashes of skill when you watch him, but this move is about Boston. Montador makes their blueline better. And Mark Recchi will help a lot. On top of the goals, his voice will be needed in that locker room in the postseason.

Adam: You're right...one thing Boston lacked is an experienced presence in their locker room. Chara is the captain and Kessel and Savard and Lucic are all great players, but Recchi brings an extensive resume...oh and his name is on the Stanley Cup...plus Recchi is still a threat on the power play. Staying in the Northeast, Buffalo and Toronto were both active teams. I like the Sabres addition of Dominic Moore...he will be a fan favorite at the HSBC Arena...he's a hustle guy that plays both ways and is having a nice year offensively.

Andrew: Moore has been very surprising this year and he'll play in all situations for Buffalo. Plus, he's insurance for the next Tim Connolly injury, which we know is coming soon.

Adam: Of all of the guys the Islanders let get away, Connolly was the only one that they were right about

Andrew: Yeah, but let's not pat them on the back for being right once in 25 trades

Adam: I like the addition of Mikael Tellqvist too. He's a guy that can start in stretches but gives you insurance on the bench. I find it pretty funny that Patrick Lalime had a great night against Montreal hours after the Tellqvist deal

Andrew: It's about time -- Lalime hasn't been good enough for them this year.
Tellqvist is an OK goalie, but Ryan Miller's ankle better get better in a hurry.

Adam: I agree. At the end of the day, unless Carolina hits the skids (we'll get to them in a moment), Buffalo will be the odd-man out in the East

Andrew: Yeah, I don't love the Hurricane roster, even with Eric Cole.

Adam: In Toronto, Brian Burke started the rebuilding process yesterday, acquiring a lot of draft picks (a 2nd round pick in the Moore deal, a 2nd round pick in the Antropov deal to the Rangers) and a 4th round pick in the Tampa deal that sent D Richard Petriot to the Lightning and they get back G Olaf Kolzig, D Jamie Heward and D Andy Rogers and they acquired G Martin Gerber off of waivers yesterday as well

Andrew: Which is a lot of moves, but I thought we'd see more from them. Kaberle's hand injury Tuesday was a big reason we didn't.

Adam: My only question is who is going to be Toronto's goalie next year...is it Gerber, Toskala, do they spent a year developing Pogge?

Andrew: Still, Burke did a good job because this organization has no talent on the horizon. He needs to use ALL of these picks very smartly.

Adam: I didn't think Kaberle was going anywhere regardless of the injury, I was shocked to not see Pavel Kubina go anywhere

Andrew: Gerber is probably the odd man out. He's done less than Toskala to prove he's a #1 guy. Apparently, Burke likes Kubina now.

Adam: Let’s talk a little about the Rangers and Antropov...I like this for the Blueshirts because it gives them a big body that can be a factor on the power play and maybe, just maybe can be the wing that Scott Gomez can play with

Andrew: Maybe that'll happen. But did you have to give up a 2nd round pick for a guy who was almost untradeable a month ago?. He was sabotaging himself until Burke publicly called him out...in a contract year! The Rangers needed size and he's big. But what if checks out mentally again?

Adam: In fairness to Antropov, he's been a name that's been on the trading block for months now on a team that everyone knew had no chance at the playoffs in September

Andrew: And he should've played as well as possible to be traded off that team. Or to cash in this summer. And that wasn't happening until his boss embarrassed him.

Adam: When Antropov has had talent around him, he's played well...and the Rangers have talent. Adding D Derek Morris yesterday addressed the Power Play QB/Puck Moving defenseman they've needed for 4 seasons...I know he's a little past his prime, and as you pointed out to me earlier, his PP point total is less than sexy, but the fact that Sather didn't try and build another video game team is a step in the right direction

Andrew: I've gone back and forth on both of these moves and I think, in the end, the best thing about them will be both players being UFAs this summer.

Adam: I guess the reason why I like the Rangers deals is because now they have two solid scoring lines, a hustle/energy line that can score and beat and bang, and their fourth line is the only thing that has been consistent for them the past two seasons

Andrew: They are better than they were last week, but I think PIT and BUF will end up in the playoffs ahead of them.

Adam: Staying in the Atlantic, the Isles send Bill Guerin to the Penguins for some hockey tape and a skate sharpener... or a conditional 2009 pick, whatever you want to call it

Andrew: Pretty shocking, right? Antropov and Moore land 2nd-rounders, while Guerin barely brings back anything. I'm not in love with the move, but it does make the Pens slightly better, especially if Guerin can keep up with Crosby or Malkin.

Adam: this is also another one of those locker room additions. Ask anybody that has played with Guerin and they'll tell you he's a great teammate on and off the ice.

Andrew: We'll see, though, how he handles that locker room since this is clearly Sid's team.

Adam: The first move of the day was with Ottawa and Columbus...the Blue Jackets get Antoine Vermette and they send back G Pascal Leclaire and a 2nd round pick. When Leclaire is healthy, he's a good goalie. I know Brian Elliott has been playing well for them, but this gives them a solid 1-2 punch heading in to 2010

Andrew: If Vermette clicks with rick Nash, this is a steal. The Blue Jackets need a better #2 goalie, but Leclaire was expendable. And now Ottawa adds another name to their starting goalie lottery.

Adam: At this point, if something happens to Steve Mason, their season is shot anyways. Vermette fits right in with the Ken Hitchock system. Before we get to the big non-trades, Edmonton was a busy team yesterday...let’s start with the addition of Ales Kotalik from Buffalo

Andrew: Another guy that could benefit from a change of scenery. Edmonton is very fast now with all those kids, Hemsky and Kotalik.

Adam: How deep can Edmonton go with this lineup in a top heavy west? They certainly are a fast team and could make one of the higher seeds work to get out of the 1st round

Andrew: Dwayne Roloson is capable of stealing a series. But I'm not sure Edmonton is tough enough or healthy enough (Ethan Moreau's eye) to knock off SJ, who'd they play in round one if the playoffs started tonight.

Adam: Edmonton has been a very Jekyll and Hyde team this year too. They also add another speedy guy in Patrick O'Sullivan

Andrew: I like O'Sullivan and I think he'll mesh well with Ales Hemsky. Edmonton hasn't always had the right guys around him. But you're right, they're too inconsistent to predict a major playoff upset.

Adam: The Justin Williams acquisition in LA confuses me. They give up O'Sullivan and a 2nd round pick for a guy who can't stay healthy

Andrew: Which no one really has discussed. It was an odd move, especially since Williams makes more money than O'Sullivan.

Adam: If Williams stays healthy, then he fits right in to LA's system (also another speedy team), but if not, they took a step back from the progress they've made this season

Andrew: On the flip side, and after saying I like O'Sullivan, he wasn't putting up huge numbers in LA. Maybe Dean Lombardi knows something we don't.

Adam: and finally in trades that did happen, we head to Carolina, they bring back Erik Cole. While I don't think this move makes them a lock to make the playoffs, it certainly can't hurt them to add him when all it cost them was O'Sullivan and the 2nd round pick they just acquired from LA and they get a 5th round pick in the deal too

Andrew: Eric Staal and Cole were at their best when together. That's the hope here, but it won't happen. Something's different about Cole since he hurt his neck -- something Staal can't fix.

Adam: at the end of the day, they are rolling the dice on something that has worked in the past for an injury prone player, I like what Jim Rutherford did. Now there's always the non-moves...my top 5 non-moves are Jay Bouwmeester (FLA), Jason Spezza (OTT), Vinny Lecavalier (TB), Marian Gaborik (MIN) and Montreal sitting on their hands

Andrew: I understand Bouwmeester and I never expected Spezza or Vinny to move. Gaborik I don't get it. The Wild can't re-sign him this summer. Why not get anything for him?

Adam: I agree on Jay-Bo...once Florida made their run in to playoff positioning, you can't alienate that fan base and trade the best player...besides, if they draw Washington in the first round, they could play them tough

Andrew: Word...they had to keep him and make the playoffs and try to convince him to stay. This team is legit -- David Booth and Keith Ballard are studs.

Adam: I also agree on Gaborik...but I thought Spezza was a lock to be moved. Vinny could have brought a King's ransom to Tampa and Vokoun is playing really well between the pipes for Florida.

Andrew: Vinny could be moved this summer at the Draft. Spezza too. Not giving away Gaborik was a mistake. But at least Doug Risebrough re-signed Niklas Backstrom

Adam: how about Montreal...if anyone needed to make a shake up, it was them. Getting Mathieu Schneider was nice, but they needed to do more

Andrew: And Bob Gainey has a lot of pieces to play with. He certainly checked in on Vinny. And hopefully he looked into Jokinen. But let's not forget that just because they didn't make a move means he didn't try. The other GM has to say yes, too.

Adam: I understand that, but other than Washington (who didn't really need to make a move for anything besides a backup goalie), Montreal was the only other team in the Top 10 in the East that didn't make a move to improve themselves...there had to be something out there. One waiver wire addition I liked was Dallas getting Brendan Morrison...while he doesn't fill the void of Brad Richards...it gives them some depth up the middle

Andrew: But you can't make a trade for the sake of making a trade. And Schneider was a nice pickup. We like Recchi and Montador in Boston, but the Bruins didn't add Marian Hossa and Chris Pronger. I'm over Morrison. I can't even believe he's on your radar.

Adam: Lol...we'll see about Morrison...any other moves or non-moves that were on your radar

Andrew: Did we mention Kevin (?) Lelande to Columbus?

Adam: how could we forget about the biggest deal of the deadline...there's the backup goalie they needed

Andrew: I'll take your word on that.

Adam: I know nothing about Lelande other than that his name is Kevin

Andrew: And he's now Blue Jacket property. Congrats to him and his family. Dreams can come true, kids...

Adam: lol...the same congrats go out to Andy Wozniewski in Pittsburgh and Danny Richmond in St. Louis

Andrew: Keep reaching for the stars, boys.


Our next edition will be in a few weeks when we do our playoff preview.

DROPPING THE GLOVES w/ ANDREW BOGUSCH & FTS - 3/5/09

A Happy Reunion

Olli Jokinen gets to play for his old bench boss Mike Keenan, this time in Calgary

(Photo Credits: AP/Canadian Press)

Trade Deadline Day 2009 finished with a flurry with a number of moves concluded after the 3pm Eastern deadline. There was no fire sale in Toronto, and Jay Bouwmeester and Marian Gaborik stayed put, but there is still much to discuss as we begin the final push towards the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Calgary adding Olli Jokinen and Jordan Leopold grabbed the headlines Wednesday, but we’re not putting the Flames on the same level as the Sharks and Red Wings in the Western Conference just yet. Let’s remember that Jokinen has played zero playoff games, mostly because he’s been on bad teams; however, the Coyotes have been playing pseudo-playoff games since the All-Star break, and Jokinen went 15 games without a goal while Phoenix fell out of contention.

The Blackhawks needed a center behind Jonathon Toews and Dave Bolland, and since Ottawa wasn’t going to move Jason Spezza, Anaheim’s Samuel Pahlsson is a nice player to settle for. There is a Stanley Cup on his résumé and he’ll come in handy against Pavel Datsyuk, Joe Thornton and Jokinen over a seven-game series.

General Manager Bob Murray jettisoned another key cog from the Ducks’ title team in Travis Moen. San Jose needed him, unable to stay healthy on its third and fourth lines.

The Blue Jackets will make the playoffs for the first time ever, but they needed more than Antoine Vermette at the deadline. The Columbus roster still lacks the right center to play with Rick Nash. As for the other half of the deal, Ottawa now thinks it has its starting goaltender in Pascal Leclaire – Brian Elliott must be super excited to hear that.

Boston was the only team among the Eastern Conference elite to pull the trigger on a trade Wednesday, acquiring veteran winger Mark Recchi and tough defenseman Steve Montador in separate deals. Recchi provides a solid dose of playoff experience to a rather young forward corps, while Montador strengthens the third pair on the Bruin blueline. But the Devils, who made a smart pickup in Nicolas Havelid, are still the best team in the East.

Surprisingly, Tomas Kaberle and Pavel Kubina are still in Toronto, but Brian Burke’s rebuilding project picked up a pair of second round picks by dumping Nik Antropov and Dominic Moore to the Rangers and Sabres, respectively. Antropov’s time with the Leafs was done and Moore wanted too much money, so getting relatively high choices for them was a nice day’s work for Burke.

Ranger fans shouldn’t miss Petr Prucha or Nigel Dawes too much, but that second-rounder on its way to Toronto for Antropov could’ve been useful for a team that lacks high-scoring forward prospects. Size was needed on Broadway, which Antropov addresses. Morris, however, was more useful a few years ago. With just one power-play point this season, he isn’t the remedy for an inexplicably poor PP unit.

Bill Guerin-to-Pittsburgh has us conflicted. We can see him firing in one-timers on the power-play and we can see him struggling to keep pace with Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz on the rush. And since Guerin has just 16 goals in 61 games, the latter may be closer to reality in the end.

How about that three-team swap between Los Angeles, Carolina and Edmonton? Patrick O’Sullivan and Ales Hemsky should be fun together in Alberta, while the Hurricanes gamble on a homecoming for Erik Cole. Hopefully, they’re prepared to lose. The 30-year-old Cole has just 16 goals and 27 points over 63 games – Eric Staal can’t restart that engine.

We are very excited to see Dan Carcillo in a Flyer uniform running around in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Kudos to Wild GM Doug Risebrough for signing goaltender Niklas Backstrom to a 4-year, $24-million-dollar extension Tuesday. The 31-year-old Finn is worth every penny – 89 wins, 2.19 GAA and a .924 save percentage over the last three seasons.

No kudos, though, for Sabres GM Darcy Regier’s 2-year, $9-million-dollar extension with center Tim Connolly. His talent isn’t the question – it’s the fact that he hasn’t played a full season since 2002-03. You cannot pay anyone $4.5 mill annually to maybe play on one of your top two lines. Regier balanced things out, though, with the acquisition of Moore for a second round pick. The journeyman center has finally established himself in this league. He is a Top 6 forward that will play on the power-play and the penalty-kill.

Finally, did anyone else notice how angry Pierre Maguire was during TSN’s coverage? Was someone making bald jokes in his ear throughout the broadcast?

* * *

The Shootout…With Sean Avery back in the NHL, let’s update Gary Bettman’s punishment scale: 6 games for “sloppy seconds” – 3 games for an on-ice racial slur – 2 games for biting an opponent’s finger – 1 game for eye-gouging an opponent during a fight. Still out of whack, right?

And Congrats to Jarome Iginla, who became the Flames all-time leading scorer (831 points) Sunday night, notching the 400th goal of his career in the process. Whether or not the NHL has done enough to market Iginla is something we should tackle in this space in the future.

As always, questions, comments, complaints, go to boguschhockey@gmail.com


Later on today, Andrew and I will post a chat with full recap and analysis from all the deadline deals.

ACTION FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE...

Buffalo Sabres (32-25-7) over the Montreal Canadiens (34-23-7) 5-1
Paul Gaustad and Derek Roy each scored twice (both had a PPG) and Patrick Lalime stoped 38 shots (perhaps in response to the Sabres acquiring Mikael Tellqvist from Phoenix) to give Buffalo a key win in the division over the struggling Canadiens. Carey Price remained winless on the road in the 2009 calendar year (0-7-1 in 10 games in 2009).

Detroit Red Wings (43-14-8) over the Colorado Avalanche (28-36-1) 3-2
Valtteri Filppula, Johan Franzen (26th of season), and Kris Draper all score for Detroit as the Red Wings take down their rivals from the late 90's. The Red Wings were without goal leader Marian Hossa on Wednesday night. He sat out with a sore neck and knee after he was injured the night before in St. Louis when he slammed into the end boards and had to be carried off the ice on a gurney. Although the 30-year-old Hossa was hospitalized for observation, he accompanied the team to Colorado and is listed as day to day.

OTHER HEADLINES

-The Pittsburgh Penguins assigned veteran forward Miroslav Satan to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Wednesday. Signed as a free agent from the New York Islanders in the offseason, Satan posted a modest 17 goals and 39 points in 65 games for the Penguins. The Slovakian native struggled in recent weeks, scoring just five goals with 11 points over 28 games in the last two months. The move comes just hours after the Penguins acquired another veteran forward, Bill Guerin, from the Islanders.

-The Leafs have shut down starting goaltender Vesa Toskala for the remainder of the season. Toskala will undergo surgery on his ailing groin and will need at least four months of rehabillitation. He made 49 saves during an overtime loss to New Jersey on Tuesday night. Toskala was resigned to his fate. "We've been knowing what's going on for a while," Toskala told reporters. "That's it, we made the decision together. We need to start healing as soon as possible because recovery might take quite a long time. "This is best for me," said Toskala. "I'm going to get my surgery done next week. Obviously, I haven't been 100 percent."

-The Ottawa Senators have signed veteran defenseman Filip Kuba to a three-year contract extension worth $3.7 million per season. Kuba's new contract contains a no trade clause in the first year. The 32-year-old Czech blueliner was set to become an unrestricted free-agent this summer and had reportedly waived the no trade clause in his contract earlier in the week in anticipation that an extension could not be negotiated. Kuba is a power play specialist who was acquired by the Senators in the off-season, along with Alexandre Picard and a first round draft pick from the Tampa Bay Lightning for Andrej Meszaros. He has two goals and 27 assists in 54 games for Ottawa this season.

RUMOR MILL

-Amongst all the trades that happened, Blues winger Keith Tkachuk was not someone who had to book a flight yesterday. For a guy who was rumored to be on the move, St. Louis stood pat. "Apparently Tkachuk was hugging teammates and left the rink, was then told to come back, waited around and then told that a deal was not able to have been made. So, Keith is still a Blue." according to Andy Strickland of HockeyBuzz.com.

TONIGHTS ACTION:
Phoenix @ Boston - 7PM
NY Rangers @ NY Islanders - 7PM
Calgary @ Philadelphia - 7PM
Toronto @ Washington - 7PM
Edmonton @ Ottawa - 7:30PM
%Pittsburgh @ Florida - 7:30PM
Columbus @ Nashville - 8PM
Dallas @ Los Angeles - 10:30PM
Minnesota @ San Jose - 10:30PM

% = Game of the Night
^All Times are Eastern

*My weekly power rankings comes out Mondays or Tuesdays

~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch comes out on Thursdays

TO EMAIL FTS, write fromtheslot@gmail.com

FTS - 3/4/09

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.

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

HIGH 5/LOW 5 & FTS - 3/3/09

HIGH 5 / LOW 5

(Photo Credit: AP)

Chris Mason has been the dominant force in St. Louis' recent playoff push

High 5

New Jersey Devils {41-19-3}
If there has ever been a season where everything has gone right for the Devils, it's this year. They lose one of the best goalies of all time, and Scott Clemmensen plays as good as any other starting goaltender in the league in Brodeur's absence. A team that is normally offensively challenged has Zach Parise, who is 2nd in the league in goals scored. Brodeur comes back after not playing for four months, and shows no rust, posting shutouts in two of his first three starts back (the Devils won all three). New Jersey might be the best team in the East now with Brodeur back between the pipes.

Calgary Flames {37-19-6}
Before the loss to Tampa on Sunday, Calgary had won four in a row and is cruising in the Northwest Division. If the Flames get through their seven game road trip (starting tonight in Ottawa), they will be ready for a deep playoff run. Mike Cammalleri's 30+ goals has been a pleasant surprise and Jarome Iginla is hitting his stride in the 2nd half of the season.

Vancouver Canucks {32-22-8}
Since an eight game losing streak, the Canucks have rebounded big, winning ten of twelve games. Goalie Roberto Luongo has found his zone again. It will be interesting to see what additions the Canucks make at the deadline tomorrow.

Pittsburgh Penguins {32-26-6}
With the Penguins winning five of their past six, it looks like that Dan Bylsma has this team back on the path to where their talent level should have them. Pittsburgh's schedule the rest of the way provides them with a good chance to make up points in the East. If they can get someone to ride shotgun for Crosby and if Marc-Andre Fleury plays the way he did in the playoffs last year, uh oh...

St. Louis Blues {28-26-8}
Almost everyone (including myself) left this team for dead just a few weeks ago. Coincidentally, once goalie Chris Mason got a chance to be THE guy in St. Louis (18 starts in a row), the rest of the Blues began falling in to place (it all starts with goaltending, right?) The Blues have won six of eight and are 11-3-4 during Mason's streak. Good job John Davidson.

Low 5

Colorado Avalanche {28-35-1}
The Avs are back to the team we've seen out of Colorado for most of the season. They've lost five in a row and nine of twelve. I was at Colorado's loss to the Rangers on Saturday night and that might have been one of the worst games I've seen a professional hockey team play. Colorado will not improve until they take care of their goaltending situation.

Los Angeles Kings {26-27-9}
While the Kings aren't out of it yet and their bursts of great play were fun to watch, LA is coming back down to earth as we wind down the season. While I'm not writing off the Kings yet, because they have proven all of us wrong before, no matter what happens, this season has been a success in the Staples Center.

Dallas Stars {29-26-7}
After an incredible run that vaulted them right in to the middle of the Western Conference playoff pack, Dallas has lost five in a row and have only scored six goals in those give games. The one catalyst has been the loss of C Brad Richards, but he can't have that much of an impact on the team, can he?

Phoenix Coyotes {27-31-5}
Wayne Gretzky is hoping this team has hit rock bottom by now, but who knows at this point. They finished February with only three wins (1-0 @ Dallas, 4-3 in a SO vs. Atlanta, and 6-3 @ Los Angeles) and haven't scored more than one goal in a loss since Valentines Day against the Flames. Things don't get easier for Phoenix as they embark on a give game road trip with all of thegames in the Eastern time zone.

Buffalo Sabres {31-25-7}
This may be a bit of a pre-emptive Low 5, but they've played three games since losing Ryan Miller and have lost all three. Nothing against Patrick Lalime, but the Sabres go as Miller goes. This is the exact wrong time to go cold with Pittsburgh warming up and Carolina not going away. I wouldn't be shocked to see Buffalo make a deal for a goalie within the next 30 hours.

ACTION FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE...

-Ryan Smith scored twice for the Avalanche (once on the PPG) in a return visit to a place he called home for six weeks but it wouldn't be enough as the worst in the East (Islanders - 20-36-7 ) beat the worst in the West (Avalanche - 28-35-1) 4-2. Dean McAmmond, Bruno Gervais and Jeff Tambellini all scored for the Isles and Jesse Joensuu scored his first goal in his first NHL game. Islanders winger Jon Sim had three assists in the win.

OTHER HEADLINES

-The Atlanta Thrashers have traded defenseman Niclas Havelid and forward Myles Stoesz to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for blueliner Anssi Salmela. The 35-year-old Havelid is heading to his third NHL team in nine seasons, including five seasons with the Anaheim Ducks who drafted him in the 3rd round (83rd overall) in 1999. Scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, the Stockholm, Sweden native has two goals and 13 assists with a plus- 4 rating in 63 games this season. In 613 career games in the NHL, Havelid has 34 goals and 133 assists with a minus- 29 rating. Havelid's resume also includes being part of Sweden's gold medal effort at the 2006 Torino Olympics. He also helped Sweden capture the silver medal at the 2004 World Championships. Salmela, 24, signed with the Devils as a free agent on May 30, 2008. He is in his third stint with NHL club this season after being called up from the AHL's Lowell Lock Monsters on February 19. Salmela has three assists in 17 games with the Devils.

-The Edmonton Oilers received some good news Monday as the team learned that forward Ethan Moreau will not require surgery to repair a scratched cornea and bruised retina. "He saw the doctor again today and everything went well," head coach Craig MacTavish told reporters. "All the news so far has been really positive. It's hard to completely anticipate and project how it's going to go but everything to this point has really gone well." The 33-year old Moreau was taken to Edmonton hospital on Saturday night after he received a stick to the eye during the Oilers' victory over the Minnesota Wild. Doctors had to wait for the swelling and bleeding in the eye to come down before they could determine the best course of action. The team was encouraged by the fact that there was no serious damage to the eye and that surgery would not be required, but no timeline for Moreau's return was outlined. "Everything looks to be pointing towards a complete and full recovery," MacTavish said. "How long that is depends on the next few days with an obstacle every couple of days to get over." Oilers head medical trainer Ken Lowe stated that Moreau's vision is slowly returning and he will see the eye specialist again on Thursday.

-Forward Andrew Conboy, suspended by Michigan State University this season for an attack on a Michigan player, has signed a three-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens. Conboy opted to turn pro with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL, Montreal's top farm team, after he was suspended. The six-foot-four 200-pound left-winger has one assist and four penalty minutes in seven AHL games. The 20-year-old Conboy and teammate Corey Tropp, a Buffalo Sabres prospect, were suspended for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs by the Spartans on Jan. 26 after an incident with less than one minute to play in a 5-3 Michigan win. After Michigan's Steve Kampfer knocked Tropp down with an open ice hit, he was punched to the ice from behind by Conboy and Tropp then swung his stick at the Anaheim prospect's neck or head. Kampfer was taken to hospital with a sprained neck, but there was no concussion. Conboy, a Burnsville, Minn., native who was considered the Spartans enforcer, was selected 142nd overall by Montreal in the 2007 draft. He had three goals, two assists and 76 penalty minutes in 21 games as a freshman at MSU.

-The New York Rangers may well have cleared the way to allow Sean Avery to make his return to the Big Apple by assigning forward Mark Bell to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL on Monday. Avery was placed on waivers by the Dallas Stars' earlier in the day, with all signs pointing towards the Rangers willing to pick up the controversial forward for his second tour of duty in New York. By sending Bell to the AHL, the team has freed up some space under the salary cap. The 28-year old Bell was claimed off of waivers from the Maple Leafs last week after spending the entire season with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. In 56 games this season with the Marlies, Bell has 12 goals and 15 assists.

-Marian Gaborik is closer to a return in Minnesota:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3947112

-The Phoenix Coyotes recalled center Kyle Turris on Tuesday from San Antonio of the AHL. Turris, the third overall pick of the 2007 NHL Draft, recorded six goals and 10 assists in 50 games this season for the Coyotes before getting sent down to the Rampage. In an eight-game stint in the AHL, Turris tallied four goals and three assists.

RUMOR MILL

-With Nashville and Los Angeles being some of the few teams that can take on salaries, look for them to be very active in the next day or two.

-Don't expect Martin St. Louis to be leaving Tampa Bay. Vinny Lecavalier, on the other hand...

-The Flyers, who goaltending is always an issue, is looking at Predators goalie Dan Ellis.

-No big shock here but the Penguins are still fishing for someone to ride shotgun for Sidney Crosby.

TONIGHTS ACTION:
%Philadelphia @ Boston - 7PM
Carolina @ Washington - 7PM
Florida @ Atlanta - 7PM
Los Angeles @ Columbus - 7:30PM
Calgary @ Ottawa - 7:30PM
Pittsburgh @ Tampa Bay - 7:30PM
New Jersey @ Toronto - 7:30PM
Edmonton @ Nashville - 8PM
Anaheim @ Chicago - 8:30PM
Detroit @ St. Louis - 8:30PM
Minnesota @ Vancouver - 10PM
Dallas @ San Jose - 10:30PM

% = Game of the Night
^All Times are Eastern

*My weekly power rankings comes out Mondays or Tuesdays

~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch comes out on Thursdays

TO EMAIL FTS, write fromtheslot@gmail.com

FTS - 3/2/2009

TOP STORY

27 For 100

(Photo Credit: AP)

Martin Brodeur makes 27 saves to earn his 100th career shutout

ACTION FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE...

-Jamie Lamgenbrunner, Brian Gionta, and Johnny Oduya each scored for the Devils (41-19-3) in the 3-0 win over the Flyers (33-18-10). The shutout was the second in three games since Brodeur returned Thursday following recovery from elbow surgery, and this one moved him within three of tying Terry Sawchuk's mark of 103. It was also Brodeur's 547th career victory, moving him within four of tying Patrick Roy's league record. The Devils assured themselves of a 17th straight season of .500 or better.

-If you stopped watching Blackhawks (35-17-9) - Kings (26-27-9) after the 1st period, all you missed was a late 3rd period power play goal by Dave Bolland in the 4-2 Chicago win. Jonathan Toew, Duncan Keith and Dustin Byfuglien scored the three Chicago goals in the 1st period while Jack Johnson and Anze Kopitar had the two L.A. goals. The very hyped Antti Niemi made 22 saves in his first NHL start for the Blackhawks.

-The Penguins (32-26-6) had a 4-0 lead midway through the 2nd period and never looked back in the 4-1 win over Dallas (29-26-7). Jordan Staal, Kris Letang, Miroslav Satan and Evgeni Malkin (PPG) scored the four Pittsburgh goals while Marc-Andre Fleury made 20 saves. The Penguins have won three consecutive games without captain Sidney Crosby while the Stars have lost five in a row.

-Stephen Weiss, Bryan McCabe and Jay Bouwmeester scored power-play goals in the first period, Florida held Alexander Ovechkin without a point until the final minute, and the Panthers (32-23-8) beat the Southeast Division-leading Capitals (40-19-5) 6-2 Sunday. McCabe finished with three assists, and Weiss had two. Florida's other goals were scored by rookie Michael Frolik, Richard Zednik and Jassen Cullimore. Washington broke a franchise record with its 11th consecutive sellout.

-Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and the Tampa Bay Lightning spoiled Calgary star Jarome Iginla's milestone night. Lecavalier and St. Louis each had two goals and an assist, and Mark Recchi had five assists to help the Lightning (21-30-12) beat the Flames (37-19-6) 8-6 in a rematch of the 2003-04 Stanley Cup Finals. Iginla had two goals and three assists to break the Flames' career scoring record. His second goal of the game, 14 seconds into the third period, was his 400th. Iginla has 834 points in 922 career games, all with the Flames.

-Sami Salo scored a power play goal with five seconds remaining in the 1st period for Vancouver and the Canucks (32-22-8) never looked back in a 3-1 win over the Blue Jackets (31-26-6). Ryan Kesler and Alexandre Burrows scored the other Vancouver goals while Rick Nash scored his 27th of the season for Columbus. The win gives Vancouver a four point cushion between 5th and 6th (Columbus) in the Western Conference.

OTHER HEADLINES

-Dallas Stars forward Steve Ott was suspended indefinitely without pay by the NHL yesterday pending a hearing for receiving a match penalty in a game against the Anaheim Ducks. Ott and Anaheim's Travis Moen got into a fight following the Ducks' 4-3 win over Dallas on Saturday afternoon. Ott was given a match penalty for attempt to injure as a result of the incident.

-The NHL has come down hard on Minnesota Wild tough guy Derek Boogaard as the veteran enforcer was handed a five game suspension Saturday for an elbow to the head of Flames' forward Brandon Prust. With just under two minutes remaining in the third period, the 26-year old Boogaard blindsided Prust with an elbow to the side of the head. Prust left the game and did not return. At Flames practice Saturday, head coach Mike Keenan suspected that Prust had been concussed on the play. One of the most feared heavyweights in the league, the 26-year old Boogaard has three assists and 85 penalty minutes in 47 games this season. Earlier in the week Islanders defenseman Brendan Witt received an identical five game suspension for a hit to the head of Maple Leafs' forward Niklas Hagman.

RUMOR MILL

-Avs winger Ryan Smith could be returning to Alberta, but this time it would be Calgary. He could provide the scoring punch that Calgary needs to hang with Detroit (we've all seen Calgary's ability to handle San Jose)

-Boston wants a puck moving defenseman, and they are the latest team to jump in to the Tomas Kaberle sweepstakes/

-We've seen the Antropov to Vancouver rumors, but Montreal is throwing their hat in to the ring now, too.

-Coyotes D Derek Morris didn't dress against the Blues over the weekend and probably won't dress until he is traded.

TONIGHTS ACTION:
%Colorado @ NY Islanders - 7PM

I need to criticize the NHL here. I know there are going to be nights where there is only one game, and I'm okay with that. But how do you have it that Colorado and the Isles are the only two teams in action and that THIS is a nationally televised game? I know there was no way to know Colorado would be this bad, but in a sport where we're trying to grow the game, you can't put the worst team in each conference on national television. MLB wouldn't attempt to have the Nationals play the Pirates on Sunday Night Baseball and the NFL wouldn't attempt to have the Lions play the Rams on Sunday Night Football, right?

% = Game of the Night
^All Times are Eastern

*My weekly power rankings comes out tomorrow (only one game on the schedule tonight)

~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch comes out on Thursdays

TO EMAIL FTS, write fromtheslot@gmail.com