Happy New Year

Wow, what a year it has been. From the lockout, to the cancellation of the season, to the almost un-cancellation of the season, to the eventual end of the lockout. Following that, we had a great entry draft, and of coarse an unbelievable offseason where we witnessed UFA madness. Finally, we are almost halfway through the season, and what a season it has been. Previous playoff teams like St. Louis and Boston are struggling, while teams like Carolina and the New York Rangers are showing more promise than they have in years.

2006 is going to be a great year for hockey. We have another great UFA season ahead of us, but not before the Olympics, and what promises to be a great couple of months of playoff hockey. I'm very excited for the NHL, and all of us who enjoy hockey.

Have a safe and happy new years.

Boston Fire Sale

The Bruins are struggling, and they really don't look like they are going to improve. As long as they continue to play sub-par, inside sources are telling me that Boston is likely to have a giant fire sale towards the trade deadline. Samsonov is the most likely to go, while Raycroft is another big name player the Bruins could likely move. I am hearing Brian Leech could very well end up back with the Rangers, while Glen Murray may also be moved. With Thornton gone, the Bruins are looking to rebuild, which would mean Murray and Samsonov's time with Boston is very close to being over.

The most sought after position in the NHL is currently goaltending. Vancouver, Tampa Bay, Edmonton and Colorado are all looking to address their goaltending problems. Several teams have more than one #1 goalie, which means we may see a lot of goaltenders being traded between now and March. Buffalo has Biron and Miller, Minnesota has Fernandez and Roloson, Phoenix has Boucher and Joseph, Pittsburgh has Thibault and Fleury, and Boston has Toivonen and Raycroft. St. Louis is also shopping Lalime, while once Lehtonen is back and 100%, Atlanta may shop one of the several goalies they've used this year. It will be interesting to see how all of this works out.

As I reported in the forums yesterday, the Coyotes have signed Vladimir Orszagh to a contract. He must clear waivers before reporting to the Coyotes, and I read an article today that said Orszagh is locked in a European contract and cannot join Phoenix until next season. I talked to a source today, and as far as he knew, Orszagh can join the Coyotes this season, but he still must clear waivers. I've heard whispers that Nashville and San Jose are both thinking about claiming him.

Though reports have the Leafs searching to make a deal due to their injury problems, don't count on it. Lindros, Antropov, Steen, Allison and Colaiacovo could all be back in the next week, and the Leafs' next two games are against New Jersey and Pittsburgh, who they have beaten during their current four game winning streak.

Thats all for now, email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com with any questions/comments.

We're back!

Finally, our holiday time is over, and Hockeyleaks is back in action. I have a lot to talk about, so lets get going!

First, Colorado's goalie situation is getting ugly. At this point, it doesn't look like either goalie can stop a beach ball! I am hearing from a good source that Colorado is having very serious talks with Buffalo about Biron, while another source says Colorado may be interested in Sean Burke. Finally, Brian Boucher is another name going around. No word on who Colorado is shopping, but you have to assume one of Aebisher and Budaj would be traded if another goalie was brought in. Don't believe the Theodore to Colorado rumours for a second...they are not accurate at all.

Speaking of goaltending, Kari Lehtonen is back for the Thrashers, which is great news for this hockey club. He has yet to start, but he is off the IR, and will play very soon. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Lehtonen is one of the NHL's top goalies. I really expect Atlanta to make a strong push starting in the next couple of weeks.

San Jose, who was doing very well after the Thornton trade, has started to collapse. They are in the market for a d-man, and I have heard a name that surprised me. Aucoin has been linked to the Islanders as of late, however, the Sharks definitely have the cap room, and apparently are very interested in Aucoin. We'll see where that goes...

I really liked the Coyotes picking up Pavel Brendl yesterday. I think this kid has a lot of talent, and it's been wasted over the past few years. I think Brendl will finally be in a place where he may get used, and Phoenix may finally discover some of this guy's potential.

The Leafs have hit some major injury problems over the last few weeks, and they are looking to add a body or two. I've even heard Ed Belfour is being shopped, however, at his age, he's a tough sell. The Leafs would love to add a scoring winger with speed, as this team really lacks in that position. However, even with the injuries, they've won three straight.

Ted Nolan has asked about the Devil's job, however, I have heard Paul Maurice may be the front runner. I don't believe this, as I honestly believe Maurice is happy with the Marlies, and is the eventual next coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Owen Nolan is getting closer to returning with each day that passes. I have heard Calgary and Ottawa, but I do not believe either of those. Ottawa would be interesting, as it would be Nolan's way of getting back at the Leafs. The most likely destination for Nolan would be San Jose, while Edmonton and Phoenix are two other teams that apparently have inquired about the UFA winger.

The Bruins are apparently trying to deal both Murray and Samsonov. Murray has been linked to the Flyers, Leafs and Predators, while Samsonov has been linked to the Kings and the Avalanche. It'll be interesting to see if either player moves. Samsonov is very likely to be dealt sometime this season, as the Bruins are going nowhere, and Samsonov is a UFA at season's end.

The site is still not fixed yet, so it will be another few days before regular updates are back on the site. Daily updates will resume on the blog though, and check hockeyleaks.com at least once a day, just to check if things are back up and running. Cdog will be helping us to update the site once it is back, which means you can expect more updates! cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com if you have any questions or comments. Also, I have been invited to Sportsnet to speak with several people and get a full tour, and this will take place in January. Expect a full report from that visit once it takes place. Enjoy your day, and I hope your enjoying your holidays.

Happy Holidays To Everyone

First off, I must apologize for this blog/site not being updated over the last few days. A combination of A LOT of shopping, and a few problems with both myself and Yick's computers, do not equal a lot of work getting done around here. A few new articles written by our writers are posted in the forums, so please check that out.

As for rumours, there isn't much out there, as this is the holiday season, and the rosters are frozen. Chicago is apparently looking at a few players on the Islanders, but it is not known who they are looking at. The Leafs are apparently trying to see what they could get for Belfour if they did decide to trade him.

Thats really all I have to say today. Everyone please have a safe and happy holidays. I will be away for the next few days, but once this whole holiday craze has died down, daily updates will return, and we're working on a few great surprises for the site for the start of 06'. I'll see you in a few days, and email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com with any comments or questions. Holiday wishes are always welcome ;). Enjoy the time with your families, and the few days off work!

Todd Bertuzzi

Nobody has been involved in more rumours this season than Todd Bertuzzi. Florida, LA and Anaheim have been teams apparently interested, but now you can add a pair of Canadian teams ot that list. According to sources, both Toronto and Montreal may be interested in the power forward. One rumour has Belfour going to Vancouver in exchange for Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi is a UFA after this season, while Belfour has a club option for next year, which the Leafs are almost sure to decline. The salaries are similar, and Vancouver needs the goaltending help. At this point, if the Leafs can trade the veteran goalie, they should.

Montreal, who is looking for a scoring winger, has apparently made calls regarding Petr Sykora and Todd Bertuzzi. Souray is one player who the Habs are apparently shopping, while they also have a surplus of youth that could be dealt. Speaking of the Habs, former Hab Donald Audette will be announcing his retirement soon. He had been talking to Boston and Toronto about a possible contract, but both fell through.

Scott Gomez is being shopped by the Devils. Calgary, Phoenix and Tampa Bay are three teams I have heard rumoured. Speaking of Tampa Bay, Brad Richards could be had for a high price. The Lightning may not have to part with him afterall, thanks to a rising salary cap.

A few days ago I asked what everyone thought of Crosby being named an assistant captain. The responses were all very similar, saying it was the wrong move. My favourite response? - "Why not make him co-owner while they're at it".

Sunday Rumours

With the roster freeze coming into effect tomorrow, things are very quiet on the rumour front. Here are a few things that I am hearing...

- After last nights 8-2 loss, things are not looking great in Toronto. Scouts have been following the Leafs as of late, and there may be a major trade in the works. Any trade made by the Leafs would address their defense, as the team currently has 7 defenseman that want to play everyday.

- Petr Sykora is still being shopped, with Montreal and New York being the two biggest threats to land him. Tom Poti and Steve Rucchin could be part of the New York deal.

- Olli Jokinen's name is floating around a lot, and so it should be, with Florida's stuggles. According to Eklund, he could be off to Calgary after the roster freeze ends.

- With Biron having won 13 straight games for Buffalo, something will have to give in Buffalo. When Ryan Miller returns, Buffalo will have two goalies who feel they are the #1 guy. One of them could be on the move. Remember, Vancouver could always use another goalie...

I always like posting readers comments on the blog, so here is today's question of the day. What do you think of Crosby being made an assistant captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins? Please email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com and let me know your opinion of it.

We have a few new writers, so please check out hockeyleaks.com to read some new articles. We are always looking for new writers, so please email me if you are interested. Also, the PPFL standings have finally been updated, so go take a look ASAP! Have a good day everyone.

Once Again, The Russians Lose

During the World Cup, we saw a lot of Russia's best players decline to play for their country. The team was not even represented by an NHL goalie. That trend looks to be continuing, as two major Russian forwards have declined invitations to play for Russia in Turin. Sergei Federov and Alexander Mogilny are the first of what could be many of NHLers who decide against playing for Russia. It will be interesting to see what Russian goalies decide to suit up for Russia. With Khabibulin's play as of late, you have to wonder whether he will take the time off to figure out what is wrong with his game...

The Pens fired Eddie Olczyk, and they should have. That being said, I don't think Michel Therrien is a good replacement. I think they should have found someone with more NHL experience. I don't really know who would have been a good replacement, but I don't see Therrien being any improvement over Olczyk. We'll see if he can prove me wrong...for the city of Pittsburgh's sake, I hope he does.

A lot of goaltender rumours are floating around. First of all, Biron has won 11 straight, which means he is not going anywhere. Noronen is the only goalie being shopped by the Sabres. Luongo, Aebisher, and Denis are the three best goalies on the market. All three could easily find new homes by the trade deadline.

Speaking of the trade deadline, the increased cap for next year should increase the amount of trade talk around the league. A team like Toronto or Detroit can now take on a player with a longer contract now, because they have more money to work with. If the Cap reaches 45 million, watch the big teams approach it.

Here are tonight's NHL Scores :

Vancouver 5 Philadephia 4
Columbus 1 Carolina 2
Dallas 2 Ottawa 0
Atlanta 3 New Jersey 2 (F/OT)
Detroit 2 Florida 3 (F/OT)
Chicago 3 Nashville 5
Boston 3 Minnesota 2
Montreal 3 Edmonton 2 (After 2 Periods)
Tampa Bay 2 Phoenix 0 (After 2 Periods)

I finally bought an Ipod today, and I must say I'm pretty impressed. It also brought me back to the idea of the Hockeyleaks crew doing a radio broadcast once a week, something in the form of an audio download/podcast. I'd love to hear feedback on this idea, so if it something you'd be interested in listening to, contact me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com.

Thats all for now, have a good night.

Cloutier Out...Is Auld Ready?

Dan Cloutier is out for the rest of the season, as he will undergo knee surgery on Thursday. There is a chance he will make it back for the playoffs, but nothing is certain. This leaves Alex Auld as the number one goalie in Vancouver, with Ouellet as his backup. Apparently Vancouver is not looking to upgrade their goaltending at the moment, but if Auld starts to struggle, Vancouver will be forced to pick up someone, and quick. Thibault, Caron, Lalime and Prusek would be the easiest goalies to pick up, while Denis, Luongo and even Brodeur are other names that have been thrown around in the past couple of weeks.

On to tonight's games...Gaborik scored twice, and Daigle added three assists as the Wild beat the Islanders 4-3. In what was a wild finish, Chouinard scored the game winning goal with only three seconds remaining. The Islanders outshot the Wild 35-22 in the loss.

Matt Cooke returned to the lineup, and scored the game winning goal as Vancouver beat the New York Rangers 3-2. Ohlund added two assists for Vancouver, while Beruzzi and D. Sedin had the other Vancouver goals. Auld got the win for the Canucks, who will now be relying on him quite a lot.

Matt Cullen and Craig Adams each scored twice, as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3. Gerber picked up the win for Carolina, while Khabibulin continues to struggle in net for Chicago.

Atlanta beat Detrout tonight in an all out scoring war, winning 7-6. Stefan scored twice for Atlanta, including the game winner, while Vigier, Kozlov and Holik all had a goal and an assist for the Thrashers. Datsyuk led Detroit with two goals and an assist, while Shanahan added four assists.

Florida finally found the back of the net, as they hammered Nashville 7-3. Horton scored a hat trick for the Panthers, while Roberts added a pair. Perrault had a good night for the Preds, notching two assists. The Preds started third string goalie Finley in this one, as Vokoun is injured and will miss the next 7-14 days.

The Flyers continue to win dispite being bit seriously with the injury bug. Forsberg, Carter and Kapanen scored to give the Flyers a 3-1 win over the Blue Jackets. Esche got the win for the Flyers, while Hrdina scored Columbus' lone goal.

Montreal beat the red-hot Coyotes tonight, winning 5-2. Plekanec led the Canadiens with a goal and an assist. Montreal remains without captain Saku Koivu, as he is currently battling the flu.

Kozlov scored the shootout winner, as the Devils beat the Oilers 2-1. Matvichuk also scored for the Devils, while Cross had the lone Oiler goal. Ty Conklin looked good in his first game back with the Oilers, stopping 27 shots before the shootout.

With Lalime sent down to the minors, Sanford is the number one guy in St. Louis, and he looked good tonight, picking up a shutout in St. Louis' 3-0 win over Pittsburgh. Weight had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who are apparently trying to deal Lalime to anyone who will take him. After this loss, one must wonder how much longer Pittsburgh will wait before making a coaching change.

Player of the Night goes to Nathan Horton, who's three goals lifted the Panthers to a rare win over the Preds. Others considered were Shanahan(4A), Daigle(3A), Datsyuk(2G,1A) and Sanford(Shutout).

I am hearing a strong rumour that Brian Leetch could find himself back in New York. The longer the Bruins struggle, the more likely it is that Leetch could go back to the Rangers. The Rangers have the cap room, and are apparently very interested in bringing the veteran blueliner back for a good playoff run. Not sure what the Rangers would give up, but it probably wouldn't be too expensive.

Do not be shocked if the Leafs make a move this week. They don't play again until Saturday, and when Kronwall returns, the Leafs will have to make some sort of move, as they plan on keeping both Colaiacovo and Kronwall with the team. This likely means Czercawksi being placed on waivers, or Aki Berg being dealt. Apparently, according to a source close the Leafs, JFJ claims he's had offers of a 2nd round pick for Berg. If thats the case, pull the trigger now, as Berg isn't worth half that.

Thats all for now! Power Play Fantasy League standings will be updated tomorrow, so watch out for those! My Power Rankings will be up sometime tomorow was well. Check hockeyleaks.com for all of that. Have a good night everyone.

Predictions

I get a lot of emails where a reader will ask me how I think they're favourite team will finish. Though I am tempted to predict where I think each team will finish, I will save that for another. Here is a few of the teams I am most asked about.

Phoenix - After a rough start, the Coyotes are playing good hockey, and they should play themselves into the playoffs. They won't finish higher than 6th, but they will make the playoffs, and they will do well in them. Phoenix is one of the NHLs most dangerous teams, you don't expect that, but its true.

Boston - Boston will not make the playoffs, especially after dealing Joe Thornton. They will come close, but they won't make it.

Buffalo - The Sabres are red hot right now, and these wins now will prove to be huge in April. The Sabres will get back into the playoffs, in the seven or eight spot.

San Jose - They'll make the playoffs, and they'll be a top five seed.

Toronto - Somewhere between 4th-6th in the East...this is a team that will do well in the playoffs, as long as they somehow upgrade their D without loosing Allison or Lindros

Ottawa - This team is very good, and as long as they don't play Toronto in the playoffs, they could go all the way. Even if they do meet Toronto in the playoffs, the Sens are the team to beat

Detroit - After a quick start, they will cool down. They won't win the west, but they'll be top three.

Columbus - At some point this season, the Blue Jackets will go on a tear. Nash - Federov - Zherdev will light up the entire league. Wait till 06-07, and the Jackets will be in the playoff race.

Vancouver - Another strong season will be let down by poor goaltending...

Calgary - Ottawa/Calgary final is something I strongly believe in...

Edmonton - Will battle for the playoffs, will finish between 7-9 in the West.


Anyways, if you want an explanation on why I feel the way I do, or want to know how I think your team will finish, email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com

Scores from tonight :

Blackhawks 5 Thrashers 4 - Final (SO)
Coyotes 2 Bruins 1 Final (OT)
Devils 2 Blue Jackets 3 (OT)
Sabres 3 Wild 2 Final

Player Of The Night goes to Tyler Arnason who had three assists for Chicago today. Other's considered were Kovalchuk (2G), Savard (2A), Zherdev(2G) and Nagy (1G,1A).

One section of Hockeyleaks.com that has not been getting updated has been the fantasy page. None of us have had time to do it, and we are looking for someone to write a weekly hot and cold section for us. If you are interested, please contact me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. Expect some good rumours tomorrow.

Sharks Win Fourth Straight

When San Jose had lost ten straight, they made a deal to forever change their team, as they added Joe Thornton to their lineup. So far, it's paid off. Thornton added two assists, and Marleau had a three point night as the Sharks won their fourth straight game, beating Florida 6-2. Luongo remains in the doghouse in Florida, has he was sat tonight in favor of Mclennan, who replaced him midway through Wednesday nights game. Smith and Langfeld also had two point nights for the Sharks, who don't appear to be missing Sturm or Stuart too much.

J.S. Giguere returned to the net for Anaheim, but it wasn't enough as Buffalo beat Anaheim 3-2 in overtime. Afinogenov scored the OT winner 2:11 into overtime to get the win, while Vanek scored on a penalty shot earlier in the game for the Sabres. Lupol had two points for the Ducks.

Moreau scored twice as the Edmonton Oilers slid by the Flyers 3-2. Morrison got the win in net for the Oilers, as he faced a Philly team with a depleted defense. The Flyers have lost both Pitkanen (4-6 weeks) and Desjardins (8-10 weeks). Kapanen scored the Flyers second goal, it was his first since returning from knee surgery.

Columbus got a rare win last night, beating the Islanders 4-3 in a shootout. Federov scored his first goal as a Blue Jacket (Finally!) and Adam Foote scored in his first game as the Blue Jackets captain. Leclaire gets the win in net for Columbus.

Manny Fernandez adds a shutout to his stats sheet as the Minnesota Wild blanked the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-0 last night. Daigle had two goals, while Gaborik, Walz and Rolston also had goals for the Wild. Rolston, Gaborik, Daigle and Zyuzin all had two point nights. Thibault was in net for all five Minnesota goals.

Mike Sillinger and Keith Tkachuk scored twice each, but it wasn't enough as Tampa Bay beat St. Louis 5-4. Fedotenko scored twice for Tampa, while St.Louis, Taylor, and Modin also had goals for Tampa Bay. Sillinger and Tkachuk each had three point nights.

Prucha looks like the new Jagr, as the kid is on fire! Prucha and Rucchin scored twice, while Jagr had a goal and two assists as the Rangers beat up the Nashville Predators 5-1. Lundqvist got the win for the Rangers, while Vokoun takes the loss for the Preds. Mason replaced him in the second after Vokoun gave up two goals on eight shots.

Gerber stopped 35 of 37 shots, as Carolina beat the LA Kings 3-2. Erik Cole scored twice for Carolina, while Justin Williams added the other Carolina goal. Cowan and Belanger scored for the Kings.

Petr Sykora was held out of last night's game, possibly signaling a trade is about to happen in Anaheim. The Rangers, Devils, Bruins and Habs are all teams apparently interested in the veteran winger.

With Havlat gone for the rest of the season, and maybe the playoffs, rumour has Ottawa shopping for some scoring. I don't see it, as Bochenski seems to be fitting in just fine in Ottawa.

The Leafs may be looking to move Aki Berg and Mariusz Czercawksi. I heard a rumour of the latter going back to NYI, maybe even in a deal for a defenseman. Both players would be hard sells, and I don't expect to see either traded soon.

Thats all for now, still looking for writers, so if you want a chance to write for a hockey website, email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. Have a good day everyone

Something Is About To Go Down...

I am hearing a loud rumbling this morning that something big is about to go down involving Colorado. Colorado has called up goaltender Vitaly Kolesnik for tonight's game, which is odd because neither Aebisher or Budaj are injured. Could Luongo be on his way to Colorado? Something is up and I will try to stay on top of it.

CBS Sportsline is now the second source saying Glen Murray to Toronto for Antropov and Klee. If that happened, Murray would only add an extra 1.1 million to Toronto's salary, which would keep them under the cap.

There was a rumour late last night that Richards or Carter and Philly goalie could be off to Florida for Roberto Luongo, but don't believe this one. The Flyers really like the youth they have, and after dealing Sharp, they don't plan on dealing another young center.

I know my email service that sends the blog out has not been working, and I cannot seem to fix it. I am working on getting a new mailing list set up, so look for that in the next few days. You will have to re-sign up for this one, as the last one just doesn't want to work.

We added a few writers to our team yesterday, and I look forward to reading all of their stuff. Keep checking back for their articles! Email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com if you wish to write for us, or you want to leave me a comment or question. Have a great Wednesday everyone. The Bruins visit the Avalanche in tonight's game of the night...it could be interesting, especially if the Avs swing a deal...

Nothing Can Go Wrong For Ottawa...

Martin Havlat separates his shoulder, and it finally appears that Ottawa may be brought back down a notch. Not the case, instead, they may be even better. No Havlat means Bochenski gets another chance, and it looks like he plans to take advantage of it. Bochenski scored three times, and added one assist as the Sens doubled up the Panthers 6-3. Varada added a goal and an assist, as the Sens continue to dominate the NHL. Luongo allowed all six goals, and looked everything but spectacular. I can hear the trade rumours already...

Martin Prucha scored twice, while Jagr added two assists as the Rangers beat the Wild 3-1. Rucinsky led the Rangers point-wise with three assists, as the Rangers have now won seven of their last eight games. Dupuis scored the only Wild goal...maybe that will help his trade value, as the Wild are apparently trying to move him.

Finally, in the third period, Atlanta leads Phoenix 2-1. Kozlov and Hossa have the Atlanta goals, while Johnson has scored for Phoenix. Garnett and Joseph are the goalies in this one. I will predict a late goal by Phoenix, with Phoenix winning in overtime. I'm probably wrong, but I really like the Coyotes.

With Thornton now in San Jose, it pretty much guarantees Owen Nolan will end up back in San Jose. AHA! Mara has just scored, 2-2 in Phoenix...

Speaking of Phoenix, the Coyotes tried to land Joe Thornton before the Sharks. I heard Nagy was offered, but I cannot confirm this yet...I will try. Mike Johnson has just scored, 3-2 Phoenix. Comrie now has three assists on the night...

Getting away from Phoenix for a second, according to Eklund, the talk between Toronto and Boston has heated up. Glen Murray to Toronto for Antropov and Pogge is what we heard yesterday...now we are hearing Ken Klee as part of the deal as well. Obviously this would leave Toronto weak on defense, so I would assume if this deal went through, Toronto would get some sort of d-man in return.

Patrick Marleau's six points this week earned him the NHL's offensive player of the week award, while Tomas Vokoun won the defensive award. Hockeyleaks Player Of The Night? Well unless Mike Johnson scores several more goals, Brandon Bochenski is the clear winner, after scoring his first NHL hat trick, and adding an assist.

Thats all for now...Yicks power rankings are up, mine will be up on Thursday. We are looking for new writers as well, so please email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com if you are interested. Have a good night!

Oh, and before I leave you, Michalek scores to make it 4-2 Phoenix...gotta love those desert dogs!

Sunday Morning Rumours

Trade rumours? I have plenty today for all you who love to read them! Lets start with Boston, who may be looking to deal Glen Murray. Murray signed with Boston in the offseason to play with Thornton, and with the big centre gone, Murray may be next. According to Eklund, Toronto could be where he ends up, with Antropov and a good pick/prospect going to Boston. Justin Pogge (Goalie Prospect) could end up in Boston as part of the deal.

With the acquisition of Joe Thornton, San Jose now has two #1 centres. This has led to speculation that Patrick Marleau could be traded for some defensive help. Calgary is one team that could be interested, as they need a #1 centre, and have a lot of defensive depth to work with. How about Van Ryn or Bouwmeister to San Jose for Marleau? You never know.

Tyler Arnason is apparently available. I don't see why the Blackhawks would try dealing him as he has a lot of promise, but desperate times call for desperate measures. No word yet on where Arnason may end up.

David Aebischer is apparently being shopped, though apparently there hasn't been much interest. Edmonton is one possibility, as they have had a lot of goaltending issues thus far. Vancouver is another possibility, as both Colorado and Vancouver would be open to a deal to shake things up.

If the Bruins do continue to struggle, Samsonov would likely be shipped out pretty quickly. With him becoming a UFA this summer, the longer the Bruins keep him, the less they'll get for him.

Roberto Luongo to Philly? Thats a rumour from the Boston Globe, saying the Panthers would love to get Gagne, Carter or Richards in return. I don't see any of those three leaving Philly any time soon...


Vladimir Orszagh, does anyone remember him? He wasn't signed as a UFA due to the serious knee surgery he had over the lockout, but his 12 points in 12 games in the Swedish Elite League mean he will be back in the NHL soon. The Preds are one of several teams talking to him.

Final rumour of the morning : Vaclav Varada to Phoenix. The Coyotes' tough guy Tyson Nash is out with an abdominal injury, which means Phoenix is looking to add some toughness to replace him.

Cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com with any questions, comments or rumours you'd like to add. Enjoy your day.

The New Guys Are Getting It Done

There have been several trades this season, some have worked, while others haven't had much of an impact. Tonight, several teams saw their new players lead them to victory, lets take a look shall we?

In his first game as a Flame, Huselius looked very strong, as he assisted on all three Calgary goals. Langkow added two goals for the Flames, and Reghyr notched two assists as they edged the Penguins 3-2. Crosby scored for the Penguins, who continue to struggle. Fleury was in net and takes the loss, while Kiprusoff gets the win for the Flames.

The Bruins picked up Tanabe recently in a trade with Phoenix, and he is really paying off. Tanabe scored the OT winner, and added an assist as the Bruins beat the Oilers 5-4 in OT. Brad Boyes had a good game for the Bruins, scoring twice and adding an assist, while Bergeron had a two point night. Pisani led the Oilers with two goals and an assist. Toivonen got his second straight win for the Bruins, who are 2-0 since trading Joe Thornton.

Joe Thornton has brought a winning attitude to San Jose, as the Sharks are 2-0 since picking him up. San Jose came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Maple Leafs 5-4. McCauley scored twice for the Sharks, while Patrick Marleau had a goal and two assists. Steen led the Leafs with two assist. Toskala got the win for San Jose, who is replacing the injured Nabokov. With the loss, Belfour failed to move into second place all-time on the wins list.

Other Scores From Tonight...

Rangers 1 Capitals 5 / Final
Wild 2 New Jersey 3 /Final (SO)
Kings 2 Canadiens 3 / Final
Blackhawks 3 Panthers 4 / Final (SO)
Flyers 3 Predators 4 / Final (SO)
Hurricanes 4 Coyotes 8 / Final
Thrashers 1 Ducks 2 / Final

Player of the Night?? Ladislav Nagy is the clear winner, as he scored three times and added two assists for a total of five points. His Coyotes doubled up the Hurricanes 8-4. Ovechkin is the runner up, as he scored once and added four assists in the Caps 5-1 win over the Rangers. That loss snapped the Rangers 6 game win streak.

Sebastian Caron was put on, and cleared waivers, in the last 24 hours. He will be sent to the AHL, leaving Fleury and Thibault as the two Penguin's goalies. The Vancouver Canucks acquired goaltender Maxime Ouellet from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2006 draft. Ouellet has a lot of promise, but has struggled in the Caps organization. Then again, other than Ovechkin, who hasn't?

As the Penguins continue to struggle, the rumour wire will heat up. Pittsburgh could have a huge fire sale at some point this season, with players like Palffy and Gonchar finding themselves being shopped around the league. Teams cannot afford to make mistakes with the new salary cap, and teams like Boston, Florida, Pittsburgh and Atlanta are teams that could shed a lot of salary if things do not go well. Another team who will have to shed some salary at some point? Tampa Bay...I'd be surprised if Brad Richards stays in Tampa past the trade deadline.

Brian Burke has his heart set on signing Bertuzzi this offseason, but he needs shed some salary in order to afford him. Keith Carney, Sandis Ozolinsh and Petr Sykora are all players he'd like to deal before the deadline. Toronto has shown interest in Carney, while Toronto could send Colaiacovo to Anaheim. Obviously there would be more to this deal, maybe an Antropov or Chistov involved. The Leafs are no longer shopping Ponikarovsky, but will still listen to offers.

The Panthers have played a little better over the past week, but that doesn't mean Keenan won't pull another deal. He got rid of Huselius (who looks great as a Flame), and another move should be made soon. The Islanders are looking to move a defenseman, while Carolina would like to add one. That being said, they won't deal with each other.

The Young Goalies Rule The Night.

In his first season as the full time back-up for the Toronto Maple Leafs Tellqvist has looked very sharp, and last night he looked like the future. Tellqvist stopped all 28 shots he faced as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Atlanta Thrashers 4-0. It was Telly's first NHL shutout. Tucker scored twice for Toronto, while Steen and Ponikarovsky also scored for Toronto. In three games this year, Toronto has outscored Atlanta 18-2.

Marco Sturm, welcome to Boston! Sturm scored a goal and an assist, and Hannu Toivonen stopped all 26 shots he faced as Boston beat the Ottawa Senators 3-0. Heatley was held without a point for the first time this season, ending his point streak at 22 games. Brad Stuart had one assist in his Boston debut.


Kondratiev scored his first NHL goal, and Marek Malik scored his first goal of the season as the Rangers beat the Penguins 2-1. Ryan Whitney scored Pittsburgh's only goal, while Henrik Lundqvist, another rookie goalie, was sharp stopping 35 of 36 shots. The Rangers are on fire, now having won six straight.

Florida got a rare win last night, beating the lowly Caps 3-2. Van Ryn had two assists for the Panthers, while Weiss, Horton and Jokinen scored the Florida goals. Muir and Cassels scored for Washigton, but Luongo made 37 saves to keep the Panthers in the lead. Brent Johnson gets the loss.

After falling behind 2-0, Tim Connolly led charge, and the Sabres faught back to beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in OT. Connolly had a goal and two assists, Drury and Campbell also scored for Buffalo. Martin Biron continues to show Buffalo that he's a #1 goalie, as he got another win. Buffalo has now won five straight.

Calgary fell down 2-0 early in the game, but they came back to beat Detroit 3-2. Langkow, Kobasew and Amonte scored for the Flames, while Langkow and Kobasew also added an assist each. Detroit's Jason Williams continued his great season, getting two assists in the loss.

In the battle of the NHL's basement, the St.Louis Blues beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1. Tkachuk is back and playing well, as he gave the Blues a little hope tonight, scoring once and adding two assists. Another bright spot for the Blues is that Patrick Lalime stopped 25 of 26 shots, and St. Louis had a total of 44 shots on goal. St.Louis about to make a comeback? Don't bet on it, as it was Columbus who they played...

Sullivan and Kariya were limited to a combined one assist, but Hall and Smithson's goals were all Nashville needed, as they doubled up Minnesota 2-1. Kurtis Foster scored his fourth of the season for the Wild, who started Dwayne Roloson in net. Vokoun picks up the win, and continues to play strong.

Finally, in an all Canadian battle, the Edmonton Oilers beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3. Stoll score twice for Edmonton, while Ohlund assisted on all three Vancouver goals. Torres continued to have a solid season, scoring once and adding as assist. Markkanen won his first start in two weeks, as Morrison got the night off.

On the rumour front? There isnt much, as everyone I talk to seems to only want to talk about the Thornton trade. Apparently the Sharks are not looking for a replacement for Stuart right away, and they plan on giving their young guys a shot before making any moves.

Huselius and Thibault may both be sent to the minors, and then placed on re-entry waivers. If this happens, I'd be surprised if both were not claimed. Thibault would be a bargain at half price, as would Huselius.

Other than that, I got nothing. Hopefully more happens throughout the day, and I can post an update later in the day. Power Rankings will be up today, so check hockeyleaks.com for the latest.

Reactions To Thornton Trade

First, Power Rankings for Dec.1st will be up tomorrow! Expect a full re-cap of tonight's games in the morning, complete with a Player Of The Night. Tonight I want to share with you two of the many emails I got with opinions about last night's trade. Enjoy, and feel free to continue sending your opinions and comments to cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com


Overtimegoal writes : I sit here stunned. I will say the Bruins get the advantage short term, however long term San Jose wins. It is easier to find a speedy left wing and a decent young defenseman than it is to get a point (at least) a game big man who can dominate in the playoffs.

while Josh writes : To be honest I have no idea what Boston was thinking when they pulled this deal off. Brad Stuart is a decent defenceman in the NHL but under the new rules he has struggled, Marco Sturm is a good player that will probably score his share of goals and Wayne Primeau is nothing just a throw in. But the thing that I find most unbelievable is how Boston thinks they are a better team after the trade. How can a team trade their #1 center and franchise player without getting one back. San Jose defiantly got the better of this deal and Boston well they should consider firing GM Mike O’Connell and Mr. Jacobs should sell the team to someone who wants to put a winning team on the ice because by the looks of things he doesn’t want to and I am not even a Bruins fan and I am saying this imagine what those fans are saying. Just to put things in a Leafs fans perspective which I am a huge Leaf fan. The Leafs trade Mats Sundin to the Calgary Flames for Jordan Leopold, Tony Amonte and Stephene Yelle now no disrespect to those guys but that is about the same trade as what Boston did last night and you can imagine how well that would go over in Toronto.

So obviously both of these readers (and most of the opinions I got agreed with them) that Boston lost this deal. I know it's two early to start saying who won this deal, but didn't Boston look great tonight? Sturm really played well, as did Primeau and Stuart. That being said, I expect Thornton to come out flying and score a hat-trick in his first game.

Full report on tonight's games will be up in the morning. Any questions or comments should be sent to cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. Enjoy your night.

Thornton A Shark

And there it goes...the first huge Blockbuster trade of the new NHL. The Boston Bruins have traded Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Brad Stuart, Marco Sturm, and Wayne Primeau. This deal is huge, and right now I'm struggling to pick a winner. I want to say Boston, because they get the defensive help they need, and they get two forwards that can put the puck in the net. San Jose, however, gets one of the leagues best players, and a guy that can really help them in the dressing room. Both of these teams needed to shake things up, but are both better now? Time will tell...

On to some action on the ice. The Flyers slid past the Devils, winning 2-1 tonight. Knuble and Sharp scored for the Flyers, while Pihlman scored for the Devils. Esche gets the win in goal, as he stopped 30 of 31 shots.

The Leafs scored less than two minutes in, but thats all they could score, as Tampa beat Toronto 2-1. St.Louis and Kubina had the Tampa Bay goals, while Antropov got Toronto's goal. Lecavalier had two assists.

With eight minutes left in the third period, Columbus leads Minnesota 2-1. Letowski and Westcott have the goals for Columbus, while Koivu has Minnesota's goal. LeClaire is in net for Columbus, while Fernandez is between the pipes for Minnesota.

After two periods, Chicago leads LA 3-0. Calder has two goals, while Ellison has the other. Mark Bell has two assists, while Khabibulin takes a shutout into the final period. Garon is in goal for LA.

After two periods, Dallas leads San Jose 2-1. Miettinen and Svoboda have the Dallas goals, while McCauley has responded for the Sharks. Nabokov and Turco are the goalies, while Joe Thornton is obviously not in the lineup for the Sharks...

Later tonight, Colorado visits Vancouver, and Phoenix visits Anaheim...

What I like most about the Thornton trade is that nobody saw it coming. I think it's the first of many surprise deals we'll see in the next few months. Big names like Luongo, Richards and Palffy could be traded at any time, without any warning. In the new NHL, teams can't afford to make financial mistakes, and if things are not working out with a player that they signed for big bucks, they have to try and move them. Remember, Joe Thornton signed a nice and big new contract with Boston in the summer...San Jose was willing to pick that up, but then again, what team wouldn't, this is Joe Thornton. Add Todd Bertuzzi to the list of players that could be move without warning...

Thibault and Huselius both cleared waivers today, and neither is expected to be sent down to the minors. Petr Sykora could be traded very soon, as Brian Burke is trying very hard to get rid of him. He has sent a memo to all 30 NHL teams alerting them that Sykora is available, and will return from injury this Saturday. The Rangers are interested, as are the Panthers.

Randy Robataille has just tied the Columbus game, so go watch it! I'd love to get your opinions on the San Jose / Boston trade! Please email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com and I'll post some of your opinions on the blog tomorrow! Have a good night.

Is Ray Emery That Good?

It appears Ray Emery will be Ottawa's goalie of the future. He is now 9-0 in his career, and he looked great tonight, picking up a 4-0 shutout win over Montreal. Spezza and Fisher led the offense for Ottawa, as they each picked up a goal and an assist. Emery stopped all 27 shots he faced for the shutout. Bad news for Ottawa : Martin Havlat separated his shoulder in this game, and is expected to miss 1-2 months.

Simon Gagne scored twice and added an assist as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the New York Islanders 4-3. Pitkanen and Sharp also scored for the Flyers, while Blake, Parrish and Satan scored for the Isles. Esche gets the win for Philly, while Snow takes the loss.

Kaberle scored early into overtime as Carolina slipped by Atlanta 4-3. Staal scored twice for Carolina, while Kaberle had a two point night. Savard led the Thrashers with a goal and an assist. Ward got the win for Carolina, while Garnett got the loss. Wouldn't it be funny if Atlanta claimed Thibault off waivers? Nothing like using a 6th goalie in November...

Alexander Mogilny scored late into the third to complete the comeback, as New Jersey beat Boston 3-2. Pandolfo and Gionta also scored for New Jersey, while Madden picked up two assists. Samsonov and Bergeron had the Boston goals. Brian Leetch made his return tonight and picked up one assist.

Ales Kotalik scored a power-play goal in the third to give Buffalo a 3-2 win over Pittsburgh. Martin Biron got the win, while Pittsburgh forwards Leclair and Recchi each had two points. Marc-Andre Fleury gets the loss for the Penguins.

The Flames offense just couldn't beat Tomas Vokoun tonight, as the Nashville Predators blanked the Calgary Flames 2-0. Fiddler and Hartnell both scored for Nashville, while Fiddler also added an assist.

Laperriere scored twice, while Laaksonen added two assists as the Colorado Avalanche squeezed by the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 tonight. Sakic scored the game winner, while Bergeron and Peca scored for the Oilers. Peca's goal was only his second of the season. Morrison allowed three goals on 17 shots, while Aebisher got the win, stopping 29 of 31 shots.

A lot more waiver activity today! The biggest names currently on waivers are Kristian Huselius (who I don't believe will be claimed) and Jocelyn Thibault (who will also likely slip through waivers). Colton Orr got put on waivers by Boston, and was claimed by the Rangers. Ron Hainsey was put on re-entry waivers today, and was claimed by Columbus. Waivers seems to be the new way to free up cap room in the new NHL.

A signing today! The Maple Leafs re-signed Karel Pilar today to a one year/one way deal. No financial information was released. It is unsure when Pilar will be able to play, as he has missed all of this season with a heart condition. He has been cleared to play, it's just a matter of him getting back into shape. He could be inserted into the lineup within the next week or two.

Thats all for now, keep the emails coming to cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. Have a good night.

More Waiver Action

The Bruins' have placed forward Shawn McEachern on waivers, and he has until tomorrow to clear. The forward is currently in the first year of a two year deal, worth $1 million a season. I don't expect him to get claimed.

Another rumour I am hearing is that Jocelyn Thibault has been placed on waivers, but I have been unable to confirm this. I can confirm that Fleury has been called up from the AHL, so this could be a situation to watch.

The Leafs won their second straight game, as they doubled up Florida 2-1. Tucker and McCabe scored for the Leafs, while Weiss had Florida's only goal. With the win, Ed Belfour is now tied with Terry Sawchuck for second on the all-time wins list. Belfour sits at 103 wins behind Patrick Roy for 1st, and I have a feeling that Roy is pretty safe.

Midway through the first Detroit and LA are tied 0-0. Howard is the surprise starter for Detroit, while Labarbera is in net for LA. I am going to pick LA to win this one, with Craig Conroy being the difference.

Nabokov's name has come up a lot lately, and if the Sharks continue to struggle, he will be shopped. Florida is very close to shaking things up, as is Boston. Both teams expected to win a lot of games this season, and neither team has played anywhere close to where they should. As we enter December, a lot of GM's are hovering over their panic buttons, and things are about to go nuts. Next player to be traded? Brenden Witt has got to be close...

Peter Forsberg will miss the next game or two due to an injured left groin. Mario Lemieux will miss his next game because of a stomach virus.

Thats all for now, don't forget to check hockeyleaks.com for all the latest updates. Also, feel free to drop me an email at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. I'd love to hear suggestions with who you would like to read a Q & A by. I'll do my best to get a hold of them and make it happen. Have a good night.

Busy Busy Sunday

Ilya Kovalchuk continues to give the Atlanta Thrashers hope, as he scored once and added two assists to lead the Thrashers over the Hurricanes 5-2. Peter Bondra added two assists, while Garnett got the win. Gerber picks up the loss, while Ladd and Ward had the Carolina goals.

Tampa Bay continues to play pretty well, as they beat the Penguins 4-1. Modin scored twice for the Lightning, while Prospal added two assists. Talbot scored the lone Penguins goal, while Grahame got the win for Tampa. Thibault continues to struggle for the Penguins...

The Sabres picked up another win, beating the Caps 3-2 tonight. Roy and Afinoganov each had two assists for the Sabres, while Vanek scored his fourth goal of the season. Biron got the win, stopping 17 of 19 Washington shots.

Chicago is back to loosing, after loosing to the Ducks 3-1. Selanne, Lupol and Rob Niedermayer scored for the Ducks, while Lupol also added an assist. Chicago did outshoot Anaheim 35 - 24, but Bryzgalov was the difference in this game. Bell had the lone Chicago goal.

Finally, with less than 10 minutes remaining, Colorado leads Vancouver 4-2. Tanguay leads the Avs with two assists, while Svatos, Brunette, Sakic and Hejduk have the Colorado goals. Morrison and Allen have responded for the Canucks, while Naslund has two assists. Auld is once again in net, as Cloutier remains out with an injury. 7:34 left in this game. Update : Dan Hinote scores, 5-2 Colorado. Laaksonen gets an assist, giving him two on the night. Update#2 : Joe Sakic nets his second of the night, from Tanguay and Hejduk. That gives Tanguay three assists. 2 mins remaining in the third. Update #3 - Thats now a final, Avs win 6-2.

Player Of The Night goes to...Ilya Kovalcuk, who added three points to lead his team over the red hot Carolina Hurricanes. Others considered were Alex Tanguay (3A) and Igor Bryzgalov (34 Saves).

Speaking of Colorado, Steve Konowalchuk will miss the rest of the season due to a wrist injury. He will have surgery in the next few days, and will require six to seven months to recover. In 21 games this season, Konowalchuk has six goals and nine assists.

The Montreal Canadiens have recalled Christobal Huet from the AHL, and assigned Jan Denis to the AHL. I don't know if I like this move, as Danis has played very well for Montreal this year, while Huet is 0-4 in the AHL since returning from knee surgery. I guess the Habs are going with experience instead of performance at this point.

Both Yick's and my power rankings are up, so go check them out. Also, the Q & A with James Duthie is up, so go check that out, and feel free to comment on it in the forums. Email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com with any questions or comments! We are always looking for new writers, so feel free to contact me if your interested.

Crazy Night In New York

Marek Malik finally scored, as the New York Rangers beat the Washington Capitals in the longest shootout thus far in the NHL. The shootout went to the 15th round, where each team had three goals in the shootout each, but it was Malik's goal that finally broke the tie. The Rangers improve to 4-1 in the shootout this season.

Jason Blake continued to play great, scoring a hat-trick in the Islanders 4-2 win over the Flyers. Umberger was the Flyers best player, as he scored both of their goals. Mark Parrish also had a great game, notching three assists. Garth Snow got the win in goal for the Isles.

Mats Sundin scored his first OT winner of the season, as the Toronto Maple Leafs slid by the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in OT. Sundin and O'Neill each had a goal and an assist for Toronto, while Toronto outshot their opponent for the first time in a long time, edging the Habs 37-33 in the shot department. Belfour gets the win in goal, Theodore gets the loss.

Alfredsson and Spezza each had three point nights, as Ottawa doubled up Boston 4-2. Ottawa deserved to win this game, outshooting Boston 40-24. Isbister led Boston with a goal and an assist. Hasek got the win, Raycroft picks up the loss.

Florida continues to lose, as they got blasted by the Thrashers, loosing 7-4. Florida has now lost 13 of their last 14 games, including nine straight road losses. Marc Savard led the Thrashers with two goals and two assists, while Modry also had a good game, picking up three assists. Garnett got the win in goal for Atlanta, who with the win, snap a three game loosing streak.

Columbus snapped a seven-game loosing streak last night, beating the Blues 4-3. Vyborny and Malhotra each had two point nights, while Prusek got the win in goal for Columbus. Jackman was the Blues' best player, scoring twice in the game.

Niko Kapanen had two assists, while Dallas outshot Nashville 32-24, leading to a 3-1 victory. Lehtinen, Barnes and Miettinen scored for Dallas, while Legwand scored for Nashville. Turco gets the win in goal, Vokoun picks up the loss.

Curtis Joseph stopped 34 of 35 shots, leading Phoenix to a 2-1 victory over Vancouver. O'Donnell and Nagy scored for Phoenix, with Nagy also adding an assist. Carter had Vancouver's only goal, while Alex Auld gets the loss in net for the Canucks.

LA slipped by Chicago 3-2 last night. Frolov had a goal and an assist, while Demitra and Robitaille also had goals for the Kings. Garon got the win in goal for the Kings, who continue to play very well this season. Mark Bell led Chicago with a goal and an assist, while Kyle Calder had Chicago's other goal.

Detroit beat San Jose 7-6 last night in a game that featured a lot of scoring (ya, thats obvious I guess by now). Schneider scored a hat trick for the Wings, and Shanahan added two assists. Other big players for Detroit were Lang, who had three assists and Williams, who added a goal and an assist. McCauley had a goal and two assists for the Sharks, and Thornton had a goal and an assist. The two goalies were Osgood and Nabokov, who were responsible for all 13 goals last night.

Trade rumours? Things have been quiet, but we'll see what I can find. Steve Rucchin could be on his way back to Anaheim in a deal for Petr Sykora. Sykora is currently hurt, and won't be moved until he is healthy. Phoenix and San Jose are two other teams that I have heard are showing interest in the veteran winger.

San Jose could really start shaking things up soon if they don't start winning. Scott Hannan and Brad Stuart would attract a lot of attention, as would Nils Ekman and Marco Sturm. This could be a situation to watch very closely if San Jose continues to struggle.

Florida is about to explode, with every name from Weiss, to Luongo, to Jokinen, to Van Ryn being thrown around. Keenan is close to shaking things up, and it could be major. Colorado has expressed interest in Luongo, though the current belief is that Luongo is the only player Florida is not willing to trade. Maybe someone will take Roberts or Neiuwendyk off of Keenan's hands? No, nobody would.

Thats all for this morning, expect a recap of tonight's games later tonight. Q & A with James Duthie will be up today, as will my Power Rankings. Enjoy your Sunday.

Jagr The Great

Is there a better player in the NHL right now than Jaromir Jagr? If you look at the New York Rangers roster, it's pretty average. Thanks to Jagr, the Rangers are now on top of the East. Jagr scored once and added an assist, as the Rangers doubled up the Thrashers 6-3. Ward, Nieminen, Nylander, and Prucha all had two points for the Rangers. Weekes gets the win, however, he left during the third period with a leg injury.

The Kings attempted a late comeback, but the Preds held on to win 4-3. Sullivan and Zidlicky each had two points for Nashville, while Armstrong led the Kings with two goals. Vokoun gets the win in goal for LA.

After one period of play, San Jose leads Vancouver 1-0, thanks to Patrick Marleau's tenth goal of the season. Auld and Nabokov are the goalies. Dan Cloutier will miss Vancouver's next couple of games with a knee injury.

I had a problem with a file conversion for the Power Rankings, so they are finished, but they won't be posted until tomorrow. Expect a Q & A with James Duthie to be up this weekend. For any questions or comments please contact myself at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. Thats all folks, see you tomorrow.

Boston Wins, Florida...Not So Much

The Toronto Maple Leaf's lost for the first time in five games, thanks to Boston's first win in seven. Glen Murray led the way for the Bruins with two powerplay goals, while Zhamnov added two assists. Toronto's powerplay, which is 1st in the NHL, has now gone 0 for 10 in the last two games. Darcy Tucker scored Toronto's only goal, while Andrew Raycroft stopped 20 of 21 shots for the victory.

Florida lost their 12th straight game tonight, loosing 5-1 to the Devils. Rafalski led the Devils with three assists, while Gionta added a goal and an assist. Sean Hill scored Florida's only goal, while Brodeur stopped 24 of 25 shots for the win.

The Sabres edged the Islanders 4-3 in a shootout tonight thanks to Kotalik's game winning shootout goal. Kotalik also had a regulation goal, while Campbell had two assists. York led the Islanders with a goal and an assist. Biron got the win in goal for Buffalo.

Tampa Bay also won in a shootout, as they beat Washington 4-3. Prospal had the shootout winner, while Ovechkin was kept to a single point tonight. Andreychuk led the Bolts with two assists. Grahame got the win in net for Tampa Bay.

Columbus continued to struggle, as they lost 4-2 to Nashville. Hall led the Preds with two assists, while Federov had one assist for the Jackets. Chris Mason got the win in net for Nashville.

The Red Wing's had Fischer on their minds, and I'm sure they dedicated tonight's 7-3 win over Colorado to him. Samuelsson scored twice and added an assist, while Williams, Cleary and Lang all had a goal and an assist. Legace gets the win for Detroit, Budaj gets the loss.

Edmonton slid by Minnesota 4-3 tonight. Marian Gaborik made his return for the Wild, and scored once and assisted on another. It wasn't enough. Moreau scored with just 50 seconds left to give Edmonton the win. Morrison gets the win in goal for the Oilers.

Anaheim is back to loosing, as they fell 3-1 to Dallas. Arnott had two goals for the Stars, while Guerin had three assists. Selanne scored Anaheim's only goal. Turco grabs the win for Dallas.

Finally, still playing in the third period, Calgary leads San Jose 3-1. Hamrlik, Amonte and Regehr have the goals for Calgary, while Stevenson has San Jose's lone goal. This one is just about final, as there is only two minutes remaining.

Rumours? Things are very quiet. To be honest, I don't have anything new to report on. I wish I did, and hopefully I will for tomorrow, but right now I'm not hearing anything credible. According to Code, the Ducks, Rangers and Oilers are working on a three-team trade involving Sykora and Weekes, but this is the only source I've heard this from. Still, it could be something to keep an eye on.

Todd Fedoruk got three games for his hit on Petr Nedved last night. I thought he'd get five, and I don't think three was enough. Maybe it was just me, but that hit really looked ugly.

A little bit of site news...I'm still waiting on a Q&A from Eklund, hopefully we'll have that soon! James Duthie has also agreed to do a Q & A with us, so look for that in the near future. For those who love the Power Rankings, mine should be up tomorrow. Enjoy whats left of your Wednesday night.

Jiri Fischer Collapses

Jiri Fischer of the Detroit Red Wings collapsed tonight during a game against the Nashville Predators. He was the bench at the time. His heart stopped and he was given CPR. He is said to be in stable condition now, and is going to be alright. All of us here at Hockeyleaks hope Fischer a quick recovery and a future of good health. The Detroit/Nashville game has been postponed.

Two other games are on tonight. With just over ten minutes to go in the third, Calgary leads Colorado 2-1. Leopold leads Calgary with two assists, while Turgeon has Colorado's only goal. Former Colorado goalie Sauve is in net for Calgary, while Budaj is in net for Colorado. Note : Rob Blake scores, game tied 2-2 with nine minutes to go.

With nine minutes left in the third, San Jose and Edmonton are tied at one. Marleau has the San Jose Goal, while Reasoner has the Oilers goal. Nobokov and Morrison are the goalies in this game.

Anaheim claimed Todd Marchant off waivers today, and will be forced to pay all of his salary because of the move. The Ducks are not done, however, as they have sent a memo to all 30 teams saying that they plan on moving Sykora, who is set to earn 3.1 million this season. Ozolinsh and Salei are also said to be available.

Speaking of waivers, several players were placed on them today. Florida placed defenseman Alexander Karpotsev on waivers today, and while he is expected to clear them, Florida will then send him to the minors, and then attempt to call him up, putting him on waivers again. This time, however, Florida and the team that claims him will split the salary, meaning somebody could get Karpotsev for less than 400,000. I expect someone to claim him on Wednesday.

Pittsburgh placed Rico Fata and Konstantin Koltzov on waivers today, and I would be surprised if both cleared. At least one should claimed, if not both. The activity in the NHL has begun!

The Fall Of The Hurricanes?

After a hot start, Carolina is starting to cool down, as they lost their second straight game tonight, loosing 5-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Five different players scored for the Lightning ,while Richards and Lecavalier each had two point nights. Cam Ward got the loss in net for Carolina.

The Ducks lost their eighth straight game tonight, as they fell 3-2 to the Vancouver Canucks. Sami Salo scored twice for Vancouver, while McDonald and R.Niedermayer had the goals for Anaheim. Trevor Linden also scored for Vancouver on a short-handed penalty shot.

Jagr continues to be the best player in the NHL, as he scored once and added two assists for the Rangers in their 3-2 win over the Bruins. Lundqvist gets the win for the Rangers, while Toivonen gets the loss for Boston.

Finally, Phoenix continues to win games as they beat up Columbus 5-1 tonight. Nagy led the way with a goal and two assists, while Mike Comrie had two assists. The lone bright spot for Columbus was Gilbert Brule, who scored in his first game back from injury. The question in Columbus is will they hang on to him, or will they send him back to junior. We'll know in the next two weeks.

Player Of The Night? Has to be Jaromir Jagr, as he got a point on all three Ranger goals, leading them to a 3-2 win over Boston. Others considered are Nagy(1G,2A) and Sami Salo (2G).

Todd Marchant is back on waivers, and this time he is likely to be claimed. Anaheim is the most likely, but do not be surprised if San Jose or Buffalo pick him up. We'll know by tomorrow at noon.

The Luongo rumours are everywhere now, with Eklund also mentioning Luongo to Colorado. He also threw in Vancouver, which makes sense for so many reasons, I just don't think Vancouver has the players to trade for a Luongo type player without throwing things off. If Luongo goes anywhere, Colorado makes the most sense.

Thats all for now, hockeyleaks.com for the latest. Yick's latest power rankings are up, so check them out. Also, email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com with anything you may have to ask or add. Have a good one.

Leafs Continue To Roll

The Leafs continued to have the Thrasher's number, as Toronto won their fourth straight game, beating Atlanta 5-1. Ponikarovsky and McCabe each had three point nights, while Antropov, Allison and Kaberle each had two points. Kovalchuk scored Atlanta's only goal, while Ed Belfour made 31 shots for the win.

The Bruins continued to struggle, as they lost 3-2 to Buffalo last night. Kotalik, Briere and Tallinder had the goals for Buffalo, while Thornton and Axelsson had the goals for Boston. Noronen got the win in net for the Sabres.

Montreal has struggled as of late, and things didn't go any better last night, as they got blown out by the lowly Capitals 5-1. Sutherby led the way for Washington with two goals, while Willsie, Laich and Clark also scored. Ovechkin was kept off the scoresheet. Ryder had Montreal's only goal, while Jan Danis was pulled after the second period after allowing four goals on 17 shots. Washington only had one shot in the third period, which Theodore allowed in.

New Jersey made it close, but it wasn't enough as the Senators beat the Devils 5-4. Brian McGratton scored his first NHL goal, while Mike Fisher had a two goal game. Ray Emery got the win for Ottawa, while Heatley's assist gives him a point in every game he's played in this season.

Gagne scored twice and added an assist, while Forsberg, Knuble, Richards and Handzus all added two points, as Philadelphia doubled up Pittsburgh 6-3. Palffy led Pittsburgh with a goal and an assist. Niittymaki got the win in goal for the Flyers.

Florida has now lost 11 straight, and I will tell you know Keenan is about to shake things up. Five different Islanders scored, as New York beat Florida 5-3. Jason Blake was the Islanders top point getter with two assists, while Jokinen led the Panthers with a goal and an assist. Luongo struggled, allowing 5 goals on only 28 shots. DiPietro got the win for the Isles.

Don't look now, but the Detroit Red Wings have lost four straight! Mike Sillinger had a goal and an assist, as the St.Louis Blues beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2. Sanford gets another win for St.Louis, while Legace picks up the loss in net.

Minnesota doubled up Nashville 4-2 last night. Koivu had three assists for the Wild, while Kurtis Foster scored his first two goals NHL goals. Zidlicky led the Preds with a goal and an assist, while Manny Fernandez got the win for Minnesota. The Wild ended a three game winning streak.

Chicago has now won 5 of their last 6, as they beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 last night. Rene Bourque continued to play well, as he scored twice, while Kyle Calder and Mark Bell also continued to contribute, each having three point nights. Horcoff led the Oilers with two points. Craig Anderson got the win in net for Chicago.

Pavel Demitra scored a hat trick, as the LA Kings continued to win, beating the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. Frolov had two assists for the Kings, while Garon picked up another win. Turgeon was Colorado's best player, as he had two goals and one assist.

Finally, Phoenix continued to play well, beating San Jose 4-3 in a shootout. Dave Scatchard scored in his Phoenix debut, while Geoff Sanderson scored the shootout winner. Dimitrakos led the Sharks with two assists, while Curtis Joseph gets the win in net. The Sharks have now lost five straight.

Player Of The Night? Wow, this is a tough one, as there was a three point night in just about every game, but I will have to give it to Pavel Demitra, who's three goals (including the game winner) led Kings to victory over the Avalanche. Others considered are Alexei Ponikarovsky (2G, 1A), Mark Bell(1G,2A) and Mikku Koivu (3A).

Yesterday Alexei Semenov was traded from Edmonton to Florida in exchange for a conditional draft pick. If anyone thinks this is the only thing Florida will you, you're in for a surprise. Things are not going well in Florida, and Keenan could blow the whole team up.

Strong rumours of Doug Weight going to Edmonton are floating around, but it's likely he won't be moved until the trade deadline, when he is more affordable. The Coyotes, who have traded 7 players already this season, are apparently shopping Mike Ricci. No word on any teams that would be interested.

San Jose apparently showed interest in Martin Havlat. If Ottawa got the right offer, I'm hearing they would move him. Todd Marchant could still end up in Anaheim, but I just don't see it. Anaheim now has lots of cap room, and it could be spent better elsewhere.

Owen Nolan will return in January, and when everything is all said and done, he'll be a UFA. Phoenix, San Jose and Calgary are the three teams I'm hearing, with San Jose being the most likely as he still owns a house and a restaurant there.

Thats all for now, more later if anything comes up. The PPFL standings are updated and up on hockeyleaks.com, so check it out. Remember, if you wish to make any changes to your team please email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. Also, we are always accepting new writers, so if you want your work on a site with thousands of hits a day, email me with a sample of your writing, and I'll get back to you in the next 24 hours! Have a good Sunday everyone.

Games Notes For Tonight!

For all you fantasy junkies, here are some news and notes, so you know who to start, and who to sit tonight.

-Ray Emery gets the start in net tonight for Ottawa against New Jersey
-Jan Denis gets the start in net tonight for Montreal against Washington
-Sergei Gonchar will not play for the Penguins tonight.
-Belfour and Berkhoel will be the goalies in the Toronto/Atlanta game tonight, while both Klee and Tucker will play tonight for Toronto.
-Dave Scatchard will play tonight, and I suggest you pick this guy up. He'll be playing between Shane Doan and Mike Leclerc
-Alexander Moginly (concussion) will be a game time decision. Sit him if you have other options.

Some afternoon action for you, as the Rangers currently lead Carolina 3-1 in the third period. Nylander has a goal and two assists, while Jagr has two assists. Staal has the only Carolina goal, while Kevin Weekes is net for the Rangers. Note : Rozsival just scored, 4-1 NYR. Make that three assists for Jagr, and a goal and three assists for Nylander. Could Nylander take the player of the night award? Check back later to see if anyone betters him.

Flames Winning Streak Snapped!

Mark Bell and Mark Cullen each scored twice, as the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Calgary Flames 5-2 last night. Calder and Bourque each picked up two assists in the win, while Khabibulin got the win in net. Kobasew and Hamrlik had the goals for Calgary, who had their eight game winning streak snapped.

Peter Bondra and Patrick Stefan both scored in the dying minutes of the third, and Greg De Vries scored the OT winner as the Atlanta Thrashers won for the fourth time in five games, beating Philly 6-5. Bondra finished the game with two goals, while Kovalchuk led the Thrashers with two goals and three assists. Branko Radivojevic led the Flyers with two goals and one assist. Garnett got the win in net for the Thrashers.

Brian Gionta scored twice and added a helper as the Devils upset the Montreal Canadiens 5-3. Scott Gomez also had a strong game, adding a goal and two assists. Koivu and Plekanec each had a goal and an assist for Montreal. Brodeur stopped 25 of 28 shots to get the win.

Bryan Berard scored twice for Columbus, and Federov notched his first assist as a Blue Jacket, but it wasn't enough as the Dallas stars doubled up Columbus 6-3. Arnott and Kapanen each had two assists for the Stars, while Jokinen and Lehtinen each had a goal and an assist. Marty Turco picks up the victory for Dallas.

Finally, Colorado slid by Anaheim last night, winning 3-2. Tanguay had three assists for Colorado, while Marek Svatos continued to play well, scoring the game winner. Budaj continues his bid to become Colorado's #1 goalie, as he stopped 31 of 33 shots to get the win. Selanne and Hedstrom had Anaheim's goals.

Player Of The Night goes to Ilya Kovalchuk, as he continues to set the league on fire. Two goals, thee assists, for a total of five points easily makes him the Hockey Leaks Player Of The Night. Others considered were Alex Tanguay (3A) and Brian Gionta(2G,1A).

I told you a few days ago that the Bruins were about to do something, and they have. The Bruins have traded forward Dave Scatchard to Phoenix in exchange for David Tanabe. This clears up about a million dollars for Boston, and it gives them a little more defensive help. How much will Tanabe help? I don't think he will change much, but the big thing is that Boston now has more cap room to work with, which could help them improve their team closer to the trade deadline. As for Scatchard, I think he will play well in Phoenix, as they lack depth at center.

Trade rumours? I reported before that Luongo could be shopped around, and now I am hearing Colorado is very interested. I am hearing Aebischer and Liles to Florida in exchange for Luongo. I think it's a long shot, and I think Colorado would want Luongo to sign a long term deal before they excepted the trade. This rumour is floating around, and it's something to keep an eye on.

Jozef Stumpel was a healthy scratch against Ottawa the other night, and his four assists this season is not impressing anyone. His 1.5 million dollar salary will scare most teams away, but a few teams still have some interest. San Jose and Minnesota are two teams I have heard that are shopping for a little more offensive depth.

I want to go back to Luongo for a second, and add a thought. I know Tampa and Florida are in the same division, but if there was ever a trade to happen, I think these two would be good partners. Tampa Bay cannot hang on to all three of their top stars after this season due to cap restrictions, and Luongo doesn't plan on staying in Florida for too much longer. What about Martin St.Louis or Brad Richards and John Grahame to Florida in exchange for Roberto Luongo and maybe a mid-level player? It's just a thought, but it does make a lot of sense, more than most rumours you will hear about Luongo in the next few weeks.

Thats all for now, make sure to check Hockeyleaks.com often as it's updated pretty much everyday. The PPFL updated standings are ready, and will be up in the next 24 hours, so make sure to keep checking back to see how your doing. I believe I'm tied for second now, with 201 points. The leader is at 207, so check back to see who it is. Email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com with any comments or questions. Enjoy your Saturday.

This Just In : Scoring In The NHL Is Up!

It seems that one team scores at least four goals in every single game. We'll start in Boston, where the Leafs scored three times in the third to beat Boston 4-1. Allison, Lindros and McCabe all had two point nights for Toronto, while Brad Isbister scored the only goal for Boston. Tellqvist got the win for Toronto, who have now won three straight games.

Buffalo exploded for eight goals tonight, and they needed them in a 8-5 victory over Washington. Pyatt led the Sabres with three goals, while Connolly had three points. Ovechkin was held to only a goal and an assist, which may be a good sign for the Caps, as Ovechkin lately has been a part of 95% of Washington's scoring. Johnson and Biron both played full games in net.

Carolina continued to play well as they beat the Rangers 5-1. Kevyn Adams scored three times, while Gerber made 28 saves for the Canes. Nylander scored the Rangers' lone goal, while Jagr was kept off the scoresheet.

Ottawa scored four times in the fourth to beat Florida 4-1. Redden had three assists for the Sens, while Alfredsson had two goals. More on Florida in a few minutes...

Tampa Bay slipped by the Islanders 3-2 tonight. Martin St.Louis, who returned three weeks early from a broken finger, scored the game winning goal with less than two minutes to go in the third period.

Edmonton has scored three third period goals, to give them a 4-3 lead over Detroit. This game is in the third period. Horcoff has three assists, while Hemsky and Bergeron each have two points each for the Oilers. Osgood is in net for the Red Wings, who are coming off a loss last night against the red hot Flames.

Visnovsky has scored twice, and Demitra has assisted on both goals, as LA leads Vancouver 2-0 after the first period. Garon is in net for LA, while Cloutier is in net for Vancouver.

Ok, rumour time! Marchant cleared waivers today, which gives him a little more say in where he ends up. He has a no trade clause, and apparently wants to choose five teams he wants to play for. Apparently Anaheim may be one of them, but lets just hope he chooses a team that has the cap room for him. I'm still hearing San Jose.

The Rangers, who are looking to add some help, will have to look elsewhere as Brewer was placed on the IR today. Jackman is a possibility, as is Schneider in Detroit. The Rangers would love to move Kevin Weekes, as they feel Lundvist is their #1 goalie.

Speaking of number one goalies, the best goalie in the league should be considered on the market. Florida has now lost ten straight games, and Keenan wants to shake things up. With a lack of star power up front, he should soon start shopping both Bouwmeister and Luongo, with Luongo being the best guess. Luongo only has a one year deal, and contract talks are going nowhere. Lots of teams will show interest, and Florida may be able to get quite a load for him, as there is a huge need for goaltending right now. This is one story to watch very closely.

Power rankings are up!! So check them out at http://www.hockeyleaks.com. I know the email service isn't working right now, we are trying to sort things out so we can get it up and running ASAP. Finally, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. Enjoy your night.

Crosby Beats Flyers

Sidney Crosby scored twice, including the overtime winner, and added an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Pitkanen had both Flyer goals, while Forsberg picked up two assists. Marc-Andre Fleury played great in net to get the win.

The Thrashers three game winning streak came to an end, as the Islanders beat them 7-3 tonight. Jason Blake and Shawn Bates continued to play very well for the Islanders, as each had three points tonight. Peter Bondra was Atlanta's best player, scoring once and adding an assist. Atlanta's goaltending problems continue, as Berkhoel was in net for all seven goals.

Sergei Federov played tonight, but that didn't help Columbus as they lost to the Blues, who ended an 11 game loosing streak with the win. Sanford gets the shutout for St.Louis, and has been turning a lot of heads so far this season. Patrick Lalime could be in trouble.

A few games are still going on. Calgary leads Detroit 3-1 with only two minutes remaining in the third period. Amonte and Langkow both have two points for Calgary, who's winning streak will now reach eight games. Legace will get the loss in net for Detroit.

Mike Johnson and Marek Svatos have goals in Phoenix, as Colorado and Phoenix are tied at one entering the third period. Budaj and Joseph are the goalies in this one. Jason Arnott has scored to give Dallas a 1-0 lead over Anaheim, while San Jose and Vancouver are tied at 0's. Both of those games are in the third period.

Todd Marchant was placed on waivers by Columbus today, and is likely to be claimed. Chicago and San Jose are said to be the most interested, while Buffalo and Minnesota have also expressed some interest. Chicago is looking to land a number one center, and have talked to Philadelphia about Handzus. Jason Allison is another name floating around, but Toronto does not plan on trading him.

Bryan Berard could be the first offseason signing to be traded, as Columbus is trying to clear cap room, as they are 38 million with Marchant, and 35.5 million with him. Anaheim is shopping for another centre, and once again Handzus and Allison are names that I'm hearing. Handzus could be had for the right price, while Allison isn't going anywhere unless someone offers Toronto a solid defenseman.

Eric Brewer to the Rangers? I'm hearing that, while Kevin Weekes could be going the other way. Obviously there would be more to the deal, but it's a rumour I've been hearing for the past week, and it's getting louder. Something is about to happen with New Jersey as well, but I can't seem to get anyone to tell me what. If anyone was to make something happen, Lou's the guy. Anyways, thats all for now, check hockeyleaks.com for the latest. Power Rankings will be up tomorrow, they're done, just need to be put up. Cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com if you have any questions or comments.

Update : Richard Park has scored, 1-0 Vancouver leads San Jose. Svatos has scored another goal, giving Colorado a 2-1 lead over Phoenix. Calgary beats Detroit 3-1, that is now a final score.

Columbus Gets Their Center

Sergei Federov is the newest member of the Columbus Blue Jackets. It's been rumoured and disregarded for weeks, but it has finally happened, and Anaheim now has an extra 18 million to spend over the next three years. In return, Anaheim receives forward Tyler Wright and defenseman Francois Beauchemin. Columbus also received Anaheim's 5th round pick in 2006. I know this is 100% a salary dump, but I find it hard to believe that Anaheim couldn't have got more for Federov and a 5th round pick. I heard a rumour that Federov actually asked to be traded, but all I know at this point is that Federov already has flown to Columbus and will be in the lineup tomorrow night against St.Louis.

Lets get to tonight's games. We'll start with a battle of the best, as Carolina took on Ottawa. Ray Whitney and Mike Commodore scored for Carolina, and Gerber was outstanding as Carolina beat Ottawa 2-1. Alfredsson scored the lone goal for Ottawa.

Brodeur and the Devils continue to struggle, as they lost at home tonight to the Sabres 4-1. Chris Drury led the Sabres with a two point night, while Martin Biron looked sharp in net, stopping 21 of 22 shots.

Alexander Ovechkin continues to show why he's the early favourite for rookie of the year, as he played another great game tonight and led Washington to a 4-3 victory over Tampa Bay. Ovechkin scored very late in the third to tie the game at 3, and then finished the Lightning off with the only shootout goal. Cassels and Halpren also had good games, with each notching two assists.

Bryan McCabe scored twice, and Belfour played amazing, as the Maple Leafs defeated the Rangers 2-1. Jaromir Jagr scored his league leading 18th goal of the season. Only eight penalties were called in this game, which means maybe the refs are starting to ease up a bit. I guess time will tell.

Montreal blew a 3-0 lead in the third period, but Saku Koivu scored his second goal of the game with four seconds left in overtime to give Montreal a 4-3 win. Florida has now lost nine straight games.

Kariya and Timonen had a goal and an assist each, as the Nashville Predators slipped by the La Kings 3-2. Vokoun had a great game, stopping 35 of 37 shots. Eric Belanger continued to play well for the Kings, scoring a goal and adding an assist to give him a total of 12 points on the season.

Rumours? I think I have a few for you. This first one is pure speculation, but I don't think Anaheim is done. The Ducks still believe they can make the playoffs and compete, and they now have 6 million dollars to upgrade their team with. The Flyers currently have too many centers, and really love Bobby Ryan. I'm not saying a deal is going to happen, but maybe Handzus and a defenseman could pry Ryan away from Burke. Just a thought...

Now that the Blues are unsold again, the team may dump even more salary. Eric Brewer is one name that the team may try and move, Doug Weight is another. The Oilers have shown interest in bringing Weight back, but they don't have enough cap room, and St.Louis doesn't want any comparable salaries coming back to them. Pittsburgh is another team who I expect to shake things up a bit in the month, while I am hearing that the Rangers are looking to move Weekes.

Alexei Kovalev had successful knee surgery today, however, he may miss more time than expected. One report is suggesting that he could be out of the lineup for up to eight weeks. I am predicting that Montreal will fall back to earth without Kovalev, and will struggle.

Thats all for now, email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com with any questions or comments. Expect my new article (top ten stories of 05-06 thus far) and my power rankings. Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest.

Another Night...Another Hat Trick

Yesterday we had three hat tricks in the NHL, and we already have another one tonight. Vinny Prospal scored three goals as the Martin St.Louis-less Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. St. Louis broke his finger during practice and will miss 2-4 weeks. Vincent Lecavalier had three assists for the Lightning, while Kubina had two helpers. Prospal finished the night with four points. Forsberg had both Flyer goals.

The Penguins lost another game in OT, this time loosing 3-2 to the Islanders in a shootout thanks to Jason Blake's game winning shootout goal. Bates and Yashin had the two Islander goals, while Crosby and Christensen had the Pittsburgh goals.

Calgary won their seventh straight game tonight, thanks to three third period goals, giving them a 3-2 win over the Wild. Phaneuf started the comeback, while Langkow and Iginla also scored for the red hot Flames. Iginla added two assists to give him a three point night.

Finally, part way through the third period Edmonton leads Colorado 4-2. Morrison is in net for Edmonton. Pronger has finally scored his first goal of the season, while Hemsky has two assists. Blake has a goal and an assist for Colorado. Edit : Edmonton won by a score of 5-2.

Vinny Prospal is the Hockeyleaks Player Of The Night, as he scored three times and added an assist to give him a four point night. Runner up is Jerome Iginla, who scored the game winning goal in Calgary, while adding two assists.

The Boston Bruins apparently have shown a little interest in Tom Poti, but talks have broken off as there is no way Boston can afford him. Columbus is looking to bring in a number one center, but a lot of the names going around are not accurate. Allison and Weight are not likely to end up in Columbus as some reports are saying. Toronto has held discussions with Columbus, however, I am hearing they involved Nik Antropov. Columbus has shown interest in bringing in Handzus, as well as Mike Comrie. Phoenix's asking price is too high, and Comrie won't be moved until the trade deadline, if at all.

Pittsburgh is apparently shopping Ziggy Palffy, and as crazy as this sounds I've heard Allison and Kronwall/Colaiacovo for Palffy. The numbers would be about equal as far as cap space goes, and the Leafs were very interested in Palffy this summer. This could be one to watch.

LA goalie Jason Labarbera has gone home to attend family matters. No word on when he will return to the Kings. Garon will get all the starts until he returns. Alexei Kovalev will have knee surgery tomorrow and will miss at least a month. This is not good news for Montreal, as Kovalev has been a key part to their success.

Thats all for now, a lot of rumours are coming in lately, so expect a lot more updates from me. Check hockeyleaks.com for the latest, and don't forget to email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com for all the latest. Have a good one.

Holy Hat Tricks Batman!

I don't know what I was thinking with that title, but what a game we had this afternoon. Craig Conroy and Alexander Frolov each had a hat trick, as the Kings beat the Blue Jackets on the road, winning 8-2. Frolov finished the game with four points, while Conroy went home with 5. If I were a Columbus fan attending this game, I'd demand my money back.

Chicago beat Edmonton today, winning 3-1. Mark Bell scored twice, while Duncan Keith had two points for the Hawks. Pisani scored the lone Edmonton goal.

After two periods of the play, the Dallas Stars lead the Anaheim Mighty Ducks 3-0. Boucher, Lehtinen and Guerin have the goals, while Turco takes a shutout into the third period.

One late game tonight, as Vancouver plays host to the red hot Detroit Red Wings. Will anyone beat Craig Conroy for player of the night? Not likely, so I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Craig Conroy will be tonight's Hockey Leaks player of the night, thanks to a five point (3G,2A) performance.

Janne Niinimaa's days with the Islanders are numbered. I'm hearing Minnesota is very interested, but they arn't offering anything that New York wants. The Oilers are also said to be interested, and I heard from a very close source tonight that Boston is preparing to make an offer. I am also hearing that rumours of Detroit having interest are false.

Colorado is another team that you will see move a defenseman shortly. I've heard Boughner and Sauer as possibilities, but there have not been any offers worth taking. Expect Colorado to move a top 4 d-man as part of something bigger.

Today is Sunday, which means you probably can expect a site update sometime tonight from Yick. Check hockeyleaks.com often for all the latest updates. Email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com with all suggestions, comments and questions. Have a good night!

Take That Carolina!

Atlanta scored nine times, and Carolina was shutout, as the Atlanta Thrashers crushed the Carolina Hurricanes, ending Carolina's franchise record nine game winning streak. Savard had four assists, while Hossa and Bondra each had a goal and two assists. Kovalchuk remained hot, scoring twice. Carolina only had 19 shots on goal, while Dunham and Berkhoel split the shutout. Dunham left after the first period because of a soar groin. Early reports say it's not serious.

Jeff O'Neil scored with less than a minute left in OT to give Toronto a 5-4 win over Montreal. McCabe had three points for Toronto, while Koivu, Kovalev and Allison all had two point nights.

Short on time this morning, so here are the rest of yesterday's scores..

Washington 2 New Jersey 3
Buffalo 1 Ottawa 6
Boston 2 New York Islanders 5
Florida 4 Philadelphia 5
New York Rangers 6 Pittsburgh 1
St. Louis 1 Nashville 3
Anaheim 1 Phoenix 2
Colorado 3 Calgary 5
Dallas 3 San Jose 2

Player of the night goes to Jaromir Jagr who scored a hat trick last night, giving him 17 goals for the season. I am the only one who picked him in the Power Play Fantasy League, and it's paying off! Others considered include Marc Savard (4A), Bryan McCabe (1G,2A), Peter Bondra (1G,2A) and Marian Hossa (1G,2A).

Not many rumours out today so far. Doug Weight is being shopped and could end up in Columbus. Jason Allison and Nik Antropov are apparently two forwards being shopped by Toronto in hopes of getting a defenseman in return. St.Louis is apparently interested in one of the Columbus goalies, while Tampa Bay is looking over their options, as they would really like to improve their defense.

Thats all for now, expect more later tonight

Canes' Win Again!

Carolina continues to play very good hockey, as they won there ninth straight game tonight by a scored of 1-0 over the Florida Panthers. Eric Staal had the lone goal for Carolina, while Martin Gerber recorded his second shutout of the season. The Panthers have now lost seven straight games.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored four times, while Hossa added a goal and an assist as Atlanta beat Tampa Bay 5-2. Savard had three assists for the Thrashers, who have now won two straight. Fedotenko and Prospal scored for the Lightning. Berkhoel got the start and the win for Atlanta.

Edmonton snapped a two game loosing streak by beating the Blue Jackets 3-1. Pisani scored mid-way through the third period to break a 1-1 tie, while Dvorak scored an empty-netter to finish Columbus off. The games first star? Jussi Markkanen, who turned away 29 shots, while playing in his 13th straight game.

Detroit continued to win tonight, beating Minnesota 3-1. Jason Williams continues to be the NHL's surprise of the year, as he scored once again for the Wings. Legace got the win for the Wings, as he only faced 17 shots.

A late third period charge led the Buffalo Sabres over the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight, as they won 5-2. Connolly scored twice for Buffalo, while Grier, Vanek and Drury also had goals for the Sabres. Steen and Lindros had the goals for Toronto. Biron gets only his second win of the season.

Finally, LA doubled up Chicago 4-2. Belanger led the way for the Kings, scoring a goal and an assist, while Frolov, Conroy, and Cammalleri also had goals for LA. Seabrook and Holmqvist had the Chicago goals, while Garon got the start and win in goal for LA.

Ilya Kovalchuk is easily tonight's player of the game, as his four goals gives him a new career high. Other's considered are Jussi Markkanen, who is the main reason Edmonton won tonight, and Tim Connolly who scored twice against Toronto, one of the goals being the hockey leaks highlight of the night goal (make sure to check out his second goal on Sportscenter tonight). Thats all for now, there may not be a blog tomorrow, but if not there will be one Sunday morning. I am gone pretty much from 9 am till 12 am, so I won't be home at all. Enjoy your Saturday!

Afternoon Excitement!

First, I want to say sorry for no recap of last night's games. I was planning on getting on a computer around 11 am this morning and I couldn't get to one, so I will just make a few notes about last night : Crosby's SO winner was amazing and it shows just how bright the future of the NHL is. Secondly, the Hockeyleaks' Player Of The Night last night was Steve Sullivan, as he scored 4 of Nashville's 5 goals last night.

In an afternoon game today, Martin Brodeur returned and beat the Washington Capitals 4-3. Grant Marshall led the way for the Devils, scoring once and adding two assists. Ovechkin had a goal for Washington, who started third string goalie Cassivi.

Not much game note news today...Todd White will play tonight for Minnesota, while Gaborik will miss his ninth straight game. Carlo Colaiacovo is not expected to play tonight for Toronto, while Aki Berg may return to the lineup after missing a game with a knee injury.

Expect an update tonight with a full re-cap of all of tonight's games. Email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com with any questions or comments.

Are The Hurricanes The Real Deal?

It sure looks like that way, after the team won it's eighth straight game last night, beating Buffalo 5-3. Erik Cole led the way by scoring once and adding two assists. Cory Stillman also had a good game for Carolina, notching three assists. Tomas Vanek led the way for Buffalo, scoring twice and adding one assist. Martin Gerber had a great game for the Canes', stopped 41 of 44 shots.

The Penguins continue to struggle, loosing to Atlanta last night 5-0. Marc Savard had a goal and two assists, while Bondra, Kozlov and Hossa all had a goal and an assist. Mike Dunham gets the shutout in goal for Atlanta. Kovalchuk had two assists.

Rucchin, Straka, and Moore scored in regulation, and Prusha scored the only shootout goal as the New York Rangers beat the Florida Panthers 4-3 in a shootout. Weiss, Jokinen, and Stewart had the Florida goals. Henrik Lundqvist was back in net for the Rangers, as Kevin Weekes had the night off.

The Blue Jackets got a rare win last night, beating the St.Louis Blues 3-1 last night. Vyborny scored twice for the Jackets, while Zherdev and Malhotra each had two assists. Marc Denis got the win for Columbus, while Patrick Lalime continues to struggle in net for the Blues.

Finally, Detroit beat LA 5-4 in overtime thanks to a Robert Lang game-winning goal. Holmstrom scored twice for Detroit, while Dan Cleary added two assists. Frolov led the way for the Kings with two points. Manny Legace got his first start in net since going down with a knee injury a week and a half ago.

The Hockey Leaks Player Of The Night for November 9th is....Erik Cole! Not only did he get three points last night, but he is the first player in NHL history to have two penalty shots in the same game. He went 1/2.

Alexander Mogilny was recently a healthy scratch because of a lack in performance. New Jersey is looking to make a trade, and they may make one sooner rather than later. I don't expect Mogilny will be dealt, but someone like Kozlov could be on his way out of New Jersey. New Jersey is one of about five teams whose base salary is over the cap.

How about some daily game notes? Dan Cloutier could possibly return to Vancouver's line up tonight, however, he will likely be backing up Dan Cloutier. Cloutier should get his first start since suffering a concussion on Oct. 29th this weekend. Boston will get two big players back for tonight's game against the Senators, as Andrew Raycroft will return from injury, and Alex Zhamnov will make his season debut. I'm going to go out on a limb and pick the Bruins to take this one.

Martin Brodeur will not play tomorrow, but expects to be back in goal for Saturday. Antero Niittymaki is expected to start tonight for the Flyers, as they play host to the Islanders. Carlo Colaiacovo was sent down to the AHL yesterday by the Leafs, however, I have been told he will be called back up and will likely start both Friday and Saturday for Toronto.

Game of the night? Make sure to watch Montreal travel to Pittsburgh, as there is two stories to watch here. First, Sidney Crosby will play his favourite team. Crosby grew up watching the Canadiens, and will definitely be looking to make an impact against them. The other story : the struggling Jocelyn Thibault will start against his former team. This is a game Pittsburgh really wants to win, especially after being shutout last night.

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