Wednesday, November 30, 2005

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.

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

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.

Monday, November 28, 2005

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.

Sunday, November 27, 2005

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.

Thursday, November 24, 2005

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.

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

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.

Monday, November 21, 2005

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!

Sunday, November 20, 2005

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.

Saturday, November 19, 2005

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.

Thursday, November 17, 2005

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.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

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.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

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.

Monday, November 14, 2005

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.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

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

Friday, November 11, 2005

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.

Thursday, November 10, 2005

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.

Thats all for now. Please check out hockeyleaks.com for daily updates, and don't forget to email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com, I respond to every email and I always appreciate suggestions on how to make hockeyleaks better. We have lots of ideas and are hoping to continue to expand our features.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

A Night Of Comebacks!

No lead is safe in the new NHL. That is something we have learned over the first month of the season. Last night was a great example, as many of last night's winners had third period comebacks to win their games. Lets take a look shall we?

The Flyers scored twice in the third period, and won it in overtime, as they beat the Bruins 4-3. Pitkanen scored the game tying goal, as well as the game winning goal for the Flyers. Scatchard and Thorton each had two points for the Bruins, while Forsberg added two assists for the Flyers. Pitkanen finished with two goals and an assist.

In Toronto, the Leafs fell down 2-0 in the first, but battled back to win 6-4. Brian McCabe and Jeff O'Neill led the way for Toronto with a goal and two assists each. Kilger, Sundin, Ponikarovsky and Colaiacovo also had goals for Toronto. Ovechkin led the Caps with two goals, while Clymer and Pettinger also scored for Washington. Aki Berg missed the game with an injured knee, and could be out for up to two weeks. Toronto had four rookies in the lineup tonight, which is the most they have had in a very long time (Steen, Wellwood, Kronwall, Colaiacovo).

Montreal scored twice in the third period to beat Tampa Bay 3-2. Rivet tied the game, while Zednik scored the game winner. Markov also scored for the Canadiens, while Kovalev had two assists. Prospal and Taylor had the Tampa goals. Jose Theodore was the game's first star as he stopped 32 of 34 shots. Rookie Brian Eklund got the start in goal for Tampa Bay, it was his first career NHL start.

No come from behind win in New Jersey, and the Islanders blew out the Devils 4-1. Shawn Bates had a goal and an assist for New York. The Devils continue to struggle without Brodeur.

Nashville scored three times in the third period to beat the Oilers 3-2. The win ends a five game loosing streak for the Preds. Erat, Timonen and Hartnell scored for the Preds, while Stoll and Smyth had goals for the Oilers. The Oilers have now lost two straight after winning five in a row.

Phoenix continues to play good hockey, as they beat Minnesota 4-2. Mike Comrie scored twice, while Ballard and Johnson each had two assists. Roloson was pulled after the first period, after allowing three goals on ten shots. Joseph gets the win for the Coyotes.

Finally, Colorado beat up on San Jose, winning 5-2. Tanguay scored twice, while Liles, Svatos and Turgeon all had a goal and an assist. Stuart led San Jose notching two assists. San Jose's goaltending problems continue as Toskala allowed five goals on only 23 shots. Nabokov has been activated from the IR, so we will see if that will help things.

Player of the night? Joni Pitkanen! He scored the game tying goal, the game winning goal, and also added an assist in Philly's 4-3 OT win over Boston. Runners up are Bryan McCabe(1G,2A), Jeff O'Neil(1G,2A) and Jose Theodore(32/34 saves).

Trade rumours? Things are pretty quiet right now, but I do have a few. Tom Poti's relationship with the New York Rangers should be coming to an end soon. The problem is nobody wants his 2+ million dollar salary. Look for some sort of waiver trade to be worked out eventually, where each team pays half of his salary. St.Louis is a team that seems to be interested. Edmonton will also make a trade soon, and it could be a big one. Brian Boucher is one name I've heard linked to Edmonton, while Barrett Jackman is another.

Lots of updates on Hockeyleaks.com, so check it out. New articles, power rankings (all three sets of updated power rankings should be up by end of day), fantasy page, and PPFL standings (will also be up by end of day). We are also thinking about new message boards that are hosted directly on hockeyleaks.com. Please email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com with your opinions on whether or not we should make the switch. Thats all for now, enjoy your day.

Monday, November 07, 2005

Pens Tearing It Up!

Don't look now, but hear come the Penguins! Crosby, Lemieux and Palffy all scored, and rookie Ryan Whitney added his seventh assist of the season as the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the New York Rangers 3-2. Hollweg had a goal and an assist for the Rangers, while Marcel Hossa had the other Ranger goal. Sebastian Caron picks up the win for the Pens, as he looks to prove that he can be Pittsburgh's top goalie.

The Dallas Stars blanked the Oilers tonight, winning 4-0. Robidas, Modano and Jokinen all had a goal and an assist, while Lessard also had a goal for Dallas. Turco gets the shutout, while Edmonton continues to have questions in net. Markkanen was pulled in the third period and replaced with Morrison.

After two periods of play, the Canucks lead the Flames 2-1. Bertuzzi and Naslund each have goals for Vancouver, while Kobasew has a goal for the Flames. Auld and Kirpusoff are the goalies in this game. Edit : 2-2 now after a Hamrlik goal. 13:39 left in the third period. Edit#2: Jerome Iginla makes it 3-2 Calgary. 13:15 remaining in the third period.

Some injury news for you: Rick Nash will miss another 4-6 weeks due to a knee injury. He has hardly played this season, as he missed the first month with an ankle injury. Igor Ulanov was suppose to return soon for the Oilers, but he took a shot off his injured ankle in yesterday's practice, and will probably be out until at least the weekend.

For those who missed it, tonight Cam Neely, Valeri Kharlamov, and Murray Costello were inducted into the hockey hall of fame. For those wondering on who could be next to enter the hall of fame, the rumours are that in 06 we will Bure, Richter, Gilmour and Roy, however, I wouldn't be surprised if Housley made it before one of them. In 07, we will see four of Messier, Francis, Stevens, Larionov and MacInnis. Who gets left out will be big news, as how do you decide which one has to wait a year for the hall of fame. By the way, my predictions for the 2009 Hall of Fame inductions are in : Yzerman, Hull, Belfour and Hasek. Obviously three of them have yet to retire, but I'm going to assume all three do after this season, though it's doubtful that both goalies do, as both feel like they could keep playing for years. We'll see how they feel after 82 games and a few playoff rounds.

Make sure to check out hockeyleaks.com for a few new articles. Expect new articles, Q & A and power rankings throughout the week, so check back often. Don't forget to email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com with any questions or comments. Thats all for now, have a good one!

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Back From Montreal!

Montreal was fun, but after a long weekend I am home. Lets start with today's NHL action :

Leafs lost a close one tonight, falling 5-4 to the Capitals. Tellqvist got the start in net, and didn't look that great. Sundin, O'Neill, Wellwood, McCabe and Khavanov all had two points for Toronto, while Ovechkin and Muir each had two points for Washington. The Leafs lost their 3rd straight road game. The Leafs also made a trade today, sending Nathan Perrott to Dallas for a conditional pick in 2006.

Currently in the third period, Phoenix leads Chicago 1-0. Boyd Devereaux has the only goal. Leneveu currently has a shutout going for Phoenix. It looks more and more like one of Phoenix's three goalies will be moved when Boucher returns. As for Chicago, they are in the market for some scoring help, after it has been announced that Ruutu will miss anywhere from 3-12 weeks with a back injury. Update : Rene Bourque scores his third of the season, tied at 1 now.

After two periods, Detroit leads St.Louis 3-1. Holmstrom has two goals, while Shanahan has another for Detroit. Sillinger has St.Louis' lone goal. Legace continues to remain on the sidelines with a knee injury. He should return this week, however, he will have to fight Osgood for the #1 spot.

Finally, after one period of play Minnesota leads Anaheim 2-0. Brian Rolston has a goal, as does the returning Miku Koivu. Fernandez is in net for the Wild.

Another trade to tell you about, as Andy Hilbert has been traded to Chicago. Boston will receive a 5th round pick in 2006 in return.

So I went to Habs game on Saturday night in Montreal, and I will tell you, the Montreal fans did not like my Leaf hat, flag and t-shirt (I didn't wear my jersey though, I held back a little). It was a very exciting game, and I really enjoyed it. If any of you have yet to see a game this season, get tickets now, as the new NHL is really fun to watch.

Thats all for now, expect new Power Rankings tomorrow, and a new Q & A should be up this week. If you are interested in working with us, or writing for us, please email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. Enjoy the rest of your night!

Hockey Night in North America.

Ahh... Hockey Night in Canada... I love Saturday nights... I just wish I could get more of them off work... 12 games tonight, a veritable buffet, to fulfill your hockey appetite.

In an afternoon tilt between the Rangers, and Devils of Jersey City, a Petr Prucha shootout goal was the difference, as the Rangers won 3-2.

In the other afternoon game, two shootout goals, care of off season pick up's Pavol Demitra and Jeremy Roenick, had the LA Kings, win 3-2 over the quickly sliding Preds.

The dominant Senators continued their... um... dominance... with a 6-0 whoopin' over the Isles. Daniel Alfredsson with 3 points, and Dominik Hasek with (another) shut-out. Don't worry Leaf fans, remember, THIS IS ONLY THE REGULAR SEASON. ;-) (Someone beat me for that later...)

Speaking of the Leafs, Mats Sundin made his return, and in a big way, picking up a goal and assist, in a 5-3 win, over the Lightning. Jeff O'Neil also had a goal and assist in the win, as did Vinny Lecavalier, in a losing cause.

A Simon Gagne hat-trick, as well as an assist, for the Flyers, brought them a 4-3 victory over Atlanta. The hat-trick, brings Gagne to an NHL leading 15 goals, on the season, and wins him the Hockeyleaks Player of the Night Award, for November 5th.

Joe Thornton, and Jiri Slegr both with 2 goals, and an assist, brought victory for the Bruins of Beantown, in a 6-3 win over Mario, and his Penguins.

Martin Gerber blanked the Panthers, for a 2-0 win for his Carolina Hurricanes, who continue their dominance at home.

Alexei Kovalev had 2 goals, in a 3-2 Montreal win, over the visiting Sabres. Saku Koivu, (2 A) Andrei Markov, (2 A), and Richard Zednik (1 G 1 A), all had 2 points for the Habs as well.

The always mighty, Goliath-esq Red Wings, were slayed tonight, by the David-ish, Coyotes, 4-1. Mike Leclerc, Mike Comrie, and Ladislav Nagy, each with 2 points for the Yotes.

Sergei Zubov, and Jussi Jokinen each scored in a shootout win over the Avalance. Final Score: Dallas 3, Colorado 2.

A Marcus Nilson goal, was all that was needed in a 1-0 Calgary victory over Western Canada rivals, Vancouver. Miikka Kiprusoff making 23 saves, in the shutout.

Nolan Schaefer had his shut-out streak of 143:21, between goals, snapped, in a 3-1 loss to Minnesota. Schaefer's streak is the second longest in Sharks history, to Evgeni Nabokov's 145:07 minute streak. Brian Rolston scored into an empty net, to complete the hat-trick, and Dwayne Roloson with 35 saves for the Wild.

That's all for recapping tonight's games. Ok... time to take a breath.

On the rumor side, there seems to be alot of talk about Keith Tkachuk going to one of Phoenix, or Calgary. Going to Calgary, makes some sense to me, since there, he 'could' play with Tony Amonte, whom he played with for the Coyotes a few years back. But, I don't see him being moved, simply because of his contract. As huge as it is.

Anyway... any disgruntled Sens fans, any questions, any comments, ryanc@hockeyleaks.com. Later.

Saturday, November 05, 2005

And now, for something completely different...

Does anyone else remember back, during the mid-90's, when both Chicago, and St. Louis, were two of the best teams in the west? Who knew 10 years later that the playoffs were but a pipe-dream.

First off Chicago, downed a painful 9-1, (ouch!) by the Dallas Stars. Niko Kapanen, (1 G and 3 A) and Stu Barnes, (3 G and 1 A,) led the way for the Stars, with Jason Arnott chipping in 2 goals of his own, along with a helper.

Then St Louis, on the losing end, of a 7-2 (ouch.) Edmonton victory. Jarret Stoll, with 4 points for the Oil.

An Alexander Ovechkin shootout goal, was the difference in a 3-2 Washington victory, over the visiting Thrashers.

In the first game of a home and home between Northeast Division rivals, the Habs, and Sabres, Yann Danis, with his second victory of the year, as the Canadien win 3-2. Tomorrow's game in Montreal should be good. (Damn you, CJ, for going to that...)

A 3 point night, by Nik Zherdev of the Jackets, wasn't enough to overcome the all-powerful Vancouver Canucks, as the Nucks win 5-3. Anson Carter, with a 3 point night for the Canucks. Rick Nash has been placed on the IR, by the Jackets, after sustaining a knee injury, in only his second game returned from a high ankle sprain. Not good news for my goal starved Jackets. Nash figures to be gone for up to 6 weeks.

And finally, a Marcel Goc tip in, off of Kyle McLaren's shot, was the only goal, and only goal needed, in San Jose's 1-0 Overtime win. Nolan Schaefer, with his first career shut out.

Anyway... other then that... not much else is kickin'. CJ will be back Sunday, with a full report on his first experience of 'My NHL.'

Questions or comments, ryanc@hockeyleaks.com. Later.

Friday, November 04, 2005

Sup To All Mah Dawgs Out There... Yo...

Hey everybody, it's everybody's favourite Hockey Leaks staff member, the Mighty Yick! Corey is out of town for the weekend, so Ryan and I will be filling in in the mean time.

Lots of crazy action last night that we didn't get to finish reporting on. The Colorado Avalanche held on against Anaheim to earn a 4-3 win. Colorado's Antti Laaksonen scored 2 goals as did Lupul from Anaheim.

Calgary came from behind in the third period to steal a win away from the Jackets, edging them 2-1. Marcus Nilson earned two points, one goal, one assist, during the comeback.

Finally, Phoenix shut out the LA Kings 4-0. Curtis Joseph had to stop only 21 shots from the supposedly hot Los Angeles offense, while Paul Mara picked up three points. Shane Doan and Mike Leclerc also stepped it up offensively, combining for four points.

Rick Nash has once again injured himself. He went down in last night's game against Calgary, injuring his left knee. Nash will miss Columbus' next game against Vancouver and it is not known when he is likely to return.

Hot Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller has officially been placed on the IR along with fellow teammate Toni Lydman. Martin Biron will likely replace Miller as the number one, despite his struggles during the 10-4 romp over the Sabres by the Senators.

In lighter news, Leafs' centre Mats Sundin has officially been cleared to play. He will make his return in tomorrow's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Leafs have posted a 6-5-1 without Sundin in the lineup.

That's all for now, my friends. Catch you on the flip side!

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Goodbye Hockeyleaks!

No, I'm not leaving for good, I'm just taking a mini-vacation. I'm off to Montreal for the weekend, where I will get to enjoy a great Saturday night game between the Sabres and the Habs. Expect a report on that one for Sunday when I get home. Yick and Ryan will still be here, so blogs will get put up, just not by me.

Games tonight? There were plenty! Lets start in Carolina, where Eric Staal was an absolute machine in the Canes' 4-3 win over the Leafs. Staal had two goals and one assist, while Erik Cole scored with 1:34 left in the third to give Carolina the win. Cole and Steen both had three points, while Whitney, Stajan and Klee had two.

Crosby had three points, as the Pens hammered the Isles 5-1. Caron stopped 22 of 23 shots, and Lemieux, Palffy, and Ryan Whitney all had two assists. Yashin scored New York's lone goal.

Philly dominated tonight, beating Washington 8-1. Jon Sim, Jeff Carter and Simone Gagne had two goals each, while Knuble, Forsberg and Pitkanin had three points each. Esche gets the win for the Flyers, while Johnson was in net for all eight Flyer goals.

Ottawa continues to win, as they beat the defending cup champs 4-2. Havlat, Alfreddson, Redden and Fisher had the goals for Ottawa, while Richards and Lecavalier had Tampa's goals. Spezza and Heatley continued to produce, scoring an assist each.

Jagr continues to look like his old MVP form, as he had two goals and an assist to the lead the Rangers to a 4-2 win over New Jersey. Kevin Weekes played well for the Rangers, while Brodeur missed another game due to a knee injury.

Raffi Torres scored just under two minutes into overtime to give Edmonton a 4-3 over Detroit. It's only Detroit's second loss of the season. Jason Williams continued to be the hottest wing, scoring two points tonight. Osgood made another start for the wings, as Legace continues to recover from an injury suffered earlier in the week. Chris Pronger had two assists for the Oilers.

Lots of games still in progress. Blake, Sakic and Laaksonen all have goals for the Avs, as Colorado leads Anahiem 3-2. Nilson has just scored mid-way through the third period to give Calgary a 2-1 lead over Columbus. Finally, Phoenix has apparently awoken, and currently lead the Kings 4-0. Mara has a goal and two assists, while Doan and Leclerc both had a goal and an assist. Joseph is in net for the Coyotes.

Marc-Andre Fleury is not going anywhere, so will everyone please stop saying he is? I've heard a rumour of him going to St.Louis along with Orpik and a pick for Jackman, Brewer and Lalime. Don't believe it, or any others you hear. Pavel Vorobiev looks to be the real deal in Chicago, as he went into tonight tied with Crosby for the rookie points lead. Crosby has since taken it back, but Vorobiev is a player to watch this season. Few rumours from Code : JFJ and Pat Quinn are in a battle? Comrie and Weekes are about to be moved? Daze's days in Chicago are numbered? Just rumours, but the only one I will deny is Comrie, as I don't think Phoenix has any plans to move him. Don't be shocked if Ottawa deals Havlat for a centre.

Some injury news for you : Expect Mats Sundin back Saturday night. Sunday is possible, but Sundin could have played tonight, which means Saturday should be a lock. Legace will likely have the weekend off, and return next week. It also could depend on the play of Chris Osgood.

So I'm out of here, but don't stop sending me articles and emails, I will try to get online at some point during the weekend. Cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com is the address. Check out Hockeyleaks.com, as new updates are added daily. Our next Q & A should be up next week, and it will be with the mysterious Eklund! Can't wait for that. Anyways, enjoy your weekend, and watch a lot of hockey!

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Stop the madness!

Well... Buffalo must have been cringing tonight... lets just say, they got served. And as much as I hate to say it, it was by those blasted Sens. 10 - 4, the final... and kicking to a different tune, Marty Havlat made his return, in a HUGE way, by potting 4 goals. you'd think this would make him the player of the night (which hasn't been named in a few nights...) however! Public enemy number one in Leaf-land, Daniel Alfredsson not only potted 4 goals as well, but added 2 helpers. Not forgotten in all this, Jason Spezza, and his 4 assists. Wow.

It's being reported that Oilers GM Kevin Lowe was present at this game, to get a look at Mika Noronen, AND Martin Biron, both of which played. Biron was yanked after 6 goals. So, we may see how this plays out, perhaps within the next few days, weeks, or maybe not at all. In this NHL, we never know.

In a battle of Central Division Bottom Feeders, The Hawks took the Blues 6-5 in OT. Craig Anderson, with the win in net for the Hawks. Scott Young led the game with points, with a goal and 3 assists for the Blues.

Down Hollywood way (ok, they WERE the visiting team), the surprising Kings were victorious over the Stars of Dallas, 6-3. Kings defenseman Lubomir Vishnovsky led the way with the trick for the Kings.

As I write this, the Canucks continue their dominance at home, with a 2-1 lead over the Wild, at the end of the second period. And finally, mid-way through the second, the Preds lead the Sharks 2-1.

The only rumor to pass along, is a somewhat old one, M-A Fleury to St. Louis, for Lalime as well as a package. Personally, I don't believe this rumor at all, since Fleury is only 20, and leads the next wave of great french-canadian goaltenders, and Lalime... well... he's Patrick Lalime... but wierder things have happened.

Thats all for now folks.

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

This Is SportsCenter.

Aah, some good games tonight, lets have a quick look, shall we?

Detroit, over division rivals Chicago, 4-1, Jason William with a goal and assist for the Wings. Manny Legace left the game with, what is being called a 'slight knee sprain' at the end of the first, and will have precautionary x-rays done tomorrow.

Shawn Bates scored in overtime, to give the Islanders a 4-3 win over the Bruins. Satan, and Niinimaa both with 2 points for the Isles.

Also in Overtime, the Pens beat the Brodeur-less Devils, 4-3. Sergei Gonchar with the winner in this one.

A third game in OT, the Habs take the Cats, 5-4. Michael Ryder with the Winner. Stephen Weiss with a pair for the Panthers.

Out West, both teams in the grand provence of Alberta were victorious tonight, with Edmonton taking Columbus 5-1, with Ales Hemsky with the deuce. Rick Nash returned in that one for the Jackets. Further south in Alberta, the Wild were handed a 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Flames. Jerome Iginla led the way with two goals, Dion Phaneuf with a Goal and assist, and Daymond Langkow, with two assists.

Finally, mid-way through the second, Nashville and Anaheim are tied 1-1 in Paul Kariya's first trip to Anaheim as a member of the Preds. And, as I write this, Anaheim has just scored, putting them up 2-1.

Thats it for tonight, Keep on... keep on truckin'.