Pre-Season Power Rankings

The following was written by Hockeyleaks.com staff writer Brandon Allin. Look for my regular season predictions late next week. Enjoy!!

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With the 2009-2010 National Hockey League season almost upon us, HockeyLeaks.com takes a look at the league's thirty clubs in the form of our annual power rankings. From top to bottom, and from legitimate contenders to bottom-feeders, here is a look at what's in


1. San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a team built to contend, but whether or not they're ready to compete beyond the conclusion of the regular season remains to be seen. While the Sharks lost a bit of depth with the likes of Jonathan Cheechoo, Milan Michalek, and Christian Ehrhoff moving on, the addition of sniper Dany Heatley bolsters an already impressive group of talented forwards. Behind Heatley and company, San Jose boast a respectable defense, and arguably the league's best European goaltender, Evgeni Nabokov. With that said, while the Sharks have earned the top spot for now, a plethora of eager clubs are hot on their heels.


2. Philadelphia Flyers
The Broad Street Bullies are back, and barring any repeat parades to the sin bin, Eastern Conference opponents will be hard pressed to unseat the Flyers from atop the standings this season. The addition of Chris Pronger solidifies a capable defense, and a healthy Daniel Briere is bound to be the cherry on top of an already plentiful group of gifted forwards. With strong campaigns from captain Mike Richards, and the electrifying duo of Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne, the Flyers will have no trouble finding the back of the net yet again this season. However, with disgruntled goaltender Ray Emery back between the pipes after a successful stint in Russia, anything is possible.


3. Boston Bruins
Fresh off their most successful campaign in years, expect no shortage of victories from the Bruins this season. Despite the potential loss of blooming star of Phil Kessel looming in Beantown, the Bruins young core is steadily progressing in all the right ways. In addition to veterans Marc Savard, Zdeno Chara, Marc Recchi, and goaltender Tim Thomas, look for strong crusades from youngsters David Krejci, Blake Wheeler, and the explosive Milan Lucic. With another successful season from reigning Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas, expect the Bruins to make another substantial run at the hardware this year. Is a deeper playoff run in the cards for the Bruins? We'll have to wait and see.


4. Detroit Red Wings
There's no denying that things looked a bit grim in Hockeytown following the eventual losses of Marian Hossa, Jiri Hudler, Mikael Samuelsson, Ty Conklin, and Tomas Kopecky, but the Red Wings have done a respectable job of plugging the holes with reliable depth forwards. Former Red Wings Todd Bertuzzi and Jason Williams are back for another go, while the Wings will look for Ville Leino, Patrick Eaves, and speedster Darren Helm to tap their potential. The only real question mark for Detroit is in goal, with veteran Chris Osgood another year older, and inexperienced prospect Jimmy Howard bound to carry part of the load. If Osgood performs the way he is capable of doing so, look for the Red Wings to secure yet another comfortable playoff birth.


5. Chicago Blackhawks
Hockey is alive and well in Chicago. With a young, talented core, coach Joel Quenneville will look to take the Hawks to the next level. The addition of superstar Marian Hossa provides the Hawks' already potent offense with a little more bite, and forwards John Madden and Tomas Kopecky will plug the holes in the bottom six. With a stronger season from quarterback Brian Campbell, and further development from duo Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, don't be surprised to see Chicago give the powerful Red Wings a run for their money in the Central Division. With that said, the loss of veteran goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin still stings, and it remains to be seen if former backup Cristobal Huet can carry the young Blackhawks as deep into the post-season as his predecessor.


6. Washington Capitals
With reigning Hart Trophy winner Alexander Ovechkin running the show in Washington, the only way left for the Capitals to go is up. With no end in sight for Ovechkin's goal-scoring prowess, the Capitals will rely on strong campaigns from supporting cast Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin, and newly-acquired forward Mike Knuble. Furthermore, look for rising star Simeon Varlamov to steal the number one spot in net over a shaky Jose Theodore. With a re-tooled offense, a capable defense, and any luck between the pipes, the Capitals have certainly earned themselves a one-way to ticket to another playoff berth. Is this the year Ovechkin brings home Lord Stanley? Your guess is as good as mine.


7. Pittsburgh Penguins
You might be asking yourself how the defending Stanley Cup Champions have failed to crack our top five, but the answer is quite clear. The young and powerful Penguins are locked in a feisty Atlantic Division, one that is certain to offer even tighter competition this season with the re-tooled Flyers and Rangers hot on their tails. Still, have no fear, coach Dan Bylsma's lively Penguins squad will secure another post-season berth, and thus, another shot at reclaiming the throne. Barring any major injuries to the likes of explosive duo Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and steady goaltender Marc Andre Fleury, the hungry Penguins will look to succeed where Detroit could not.


8. Calgary Flames
The fiery Flames were a steady squad last season, and it appears a change is far from in the cards. While the Flames have regressed slightly up front with the loss of sniper of Mike Cammalleri, the addition of puck-moving defenseman Jay Bouwmeester on the back end is bound to soften the blow. With that said, the Flames will rely heavily on potent seasons from Jarome Iginla, Dion Phaneuf, Rene Bourque, Curtis Glencross, and talented freshman Mikael Backlund. If all goes as planned, the Flames will sit atop the Northwest Division when all is said and done, but any bumps along the road may put a blemish on what could be a tenacious endeavor.


9. Anaheim Ducks
It's no secret that the losses of top-tier defenseman Chris Pronger and steady support blue-liner Francois Beauchimen have crippled the league's best defense, but not in a way the Ducks will be unable to recover from. In fact, Anaheim appear in a very good position going forward. Talented forwards Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and young sniper Bobby Ryan will flourish with another year of experience under their belts, and defensemen Scott Niedermayer and Ryan Whitney are no slouches, either. In goal, the Ducks are fortunate to have two capable netminders. Keep an eye out for goaltenders Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Jonas Hiller battling for position all season long.


10. New Jersey Devils
This time last year, the Devils would have nearly cracked our top five. This year, they barely made the top ten. With the loss of forwards Brian Gionta and John Madden, and Patrik Elias, Jamie Langenbrunner, and Martin Brodeur all another year older, the Devils will rely on Zach Parise more than ever. Fresh off another strong effort, Parise and the Devils will yet again look to trap Eastern Conference opponents, and worm their way into the post-season. Barring an injury to Brodeur in goal, look for New Jersey to make another run at Lord Stanley, but without any worthwhile replacements for Gionta and Madden lured in to soften the blow, a trip beyond the quarterfinal may be out of reach.


11. Vancouver Canucks
As always, the Canucks will once again be a difficult team to predict. With superstar Roberto Luongo between the pipes, the sky is the limit for Vancouver, but a major injury to the masked captain, or a dry spell for Henrik and Daniel Sedin, could spell the end for what has the potential to be a promising season. Beyond that, the Canucks will look for more production from handcuffed winger Steve Bernier, the aging Pavol Demitra, and assistant captain Ryan Kesler. Will the additions of dependable winger Mikael Samuelsson and top prospect Cody Hodgson be enough to Vancouver into the playoffs? While the answer to that remains to be seen, a hearty defense and a top flight goaltender should effectively mask any offensive struggles the Canucks may experience this season.


12. St. Louis Blues
Despite their surprise appearance in the playoffs last year, the Blues still have a lot to prove. The Blues fiery offense, led by Brad Boyes, Andy McDonald, Paul Kariya, and youngsters David Backes and T.J. Oshie will be firing on all cylinders, while a dependable defense corps will be bolstered by the return of injured blueliner Erik Johnson. The only question marks surrounding the Blues remain the same; goaltending and experience. Will Chris Mason and newly-acquired backup Ty Conklin be enough to slip into the post-season, and will the Blues young core be able to compete again in a tough Western Conference? With any luck, the St. Louis Blues will be legitimate contenders by the season's halfway point.


13. New York Rangers
The New York Rangers seem stuck in a neverending cycle. First, they acquire big name free agents with high price tags. Second, they underachieve. Third, they rinse and repeat. Will this be the year the Blueshirts buck the trend? It all boils down to Marian Gaborik. When healthy, Gaborik is among the league's best. Should Marian Gaborik remain in good health, look for the re-tooled Rangers to snap at the Penguins' and Flyers' heals in the Atlantic Divison all season long. With that said, the Rangers will most certainly require more production from the likes of the feisty Brandon Dubinsky and often-ridiculed defenseman Wade Redden. If all goes as planned, the Rangers could very well impress, but unfortunately, that's a big if.


14. Montreal Canadiens
Size is the main concern surrounding the Canadiens this year, but Habs fans have no need to worry. The additions of Mike Cammalleri, Scott Gomez, and Brian Gionta up front will spark a somewhat dry offense, while Jaroslav Spacek and Hall Gill will fit nicely amongst the squad's respectable defense. The only real cause for concern in Montreal is in goal, but should Carey Price falter, backup Jaroslav Halak has shown he can carry the load. The new-look Canadiens, led by former Panthers bench-boss Jacques Martin, will look to improve upon an early exit from last year's playoffs. The question is, will the amount of pieces that must fall into place in Montreal be too much to ask for? You can't color me concerned, but others seem less content.


15. Carolina Hurricanes
What kind of showing does Carolina need to put forth to command a little respect? The often-overlooked Hurricanes, led by the determined Eric Staal and aging captain Rod Brind'Amour, will once again be the dark horse for a deep playoff run this season. With that said, Carolina fans shouldn't hold their breath for another visit to the Conference Final. With no major improvements made to a presentable roster, the Hurricanes may experience hardships the season in a renovated Eastern Conference. While goaltender Cam Ward will likely carry the Hurricanes to another playoff berth, anything more may be out of reach.


16. Columbus Blue Jackets
For once, the Columbus Blue Jackets have put together a respectable team, but with a top-flight sniper like Rick Nash, and a sensational rookie netminder in Steve Mason, what else could you really expect? This season, the Blue Jackets will attempt to use the experience gained in their first playoff berth in franchise history to make another run beyond the regular season. In order to do just that, the Blue Jackets will need help from a trio of youngsters, wingers Nikita Filatov and Jakub Voracek, and center Derick Brassard. Meanwhile, another outstanding season from Steve Mason will be the key to the team's success. There's no denying that Ken Hitchcock and company have put together a formidable squad, but they may not be ready to really compete quite yet. With that said, the Blue Jackets have the potential to surprise.


17. Toronto Maple Leafs
Perhaps the most interesting team to watch, and therefore the hardest to place, the Toronto Maple Leafs will ice a heavily remodeled lineup come October. While the back end has certainly been solidified with the arrivals of newcomers Francois Beauchemin and hard-hitting Mike Komisarek, the Maple Leafs offense will undoubtedly see its struggles. To ensure a return to the playoffs, the Leafs will require more production from youngsters Nikolai Kulemin, Jiri Tlusty, and undrafted free agent signees Tyler Bozak and goaltender Jonas Gustavsson, while depending on strong campaigns from Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Mikhail Grabovski, Jason Blake, and Alexei Ponikarovsky. While it's much more likely the Leafs will struggle than flourish, the rumoured addition of Boston sniper Phil Kessel could elevate Ron Wilson's squad to the post-season plateau.


18. Ottawa Senators
Depth is exactly what the Senators lack up front, and depth is what they're out to get. Ottawa will look to newly-acquired Alexei Kovalev, Jonathan Cheechoo, and Milan Michalek to fill the void left by disgruntled winger Dany Heatley. In goal, the Senators will rely heavily on a fresh start from netminder Pascal Leclaire, who sat the better part of last season due to an ankle injury. While Kovalev, and returning forwards Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson, will have no trouble hitting the scoresheet, all kind of questions surround the Senators lack of secondary scoring. If the new faces mesh well, Ottawa could surprise, but I'm more inclined to believe they'll stumble. Unfortunately for the Senators, there's no room for a mediocre team in the rat-race that is the Eastern Conference.


19. Dallas Stars
If a return to form is in the cards for any team this seaosn, it will be the Stars. For Dallas to compete amongst the West's elite, they will need the now-healthy Brendan Morrow to perform at the torrid pace they saw prior to his injury last season, and a much stronger outing from goaltender Marty Turco. Unfortunately for the Stars, Turco seems to caught in a gradual downward spiral, and without a capable backup to carry the load should Turco falter, Dallas may be in trouble. With that said, the Stars boast an impressive young core including Loui Eriksson, James Neal, and Matt Niskanen, to compliment the likes of Morrow, Mike Modano, Brad Richards, and Stephane Robidas. The Stars will have their chances, but the going will be tough.


20. Buffalo Sabres
Just three years ago, the Sabres sat comfortably atop the Eastern Conference with no place left to for up. Since that time, the almighty Sabres have fallen, and quite simply, fallen hard. After failing to reach the post-season in each of their last two seasons, the Sabres will look to return to the place they once called home. The question now is, will Buffalo's stand-still approach this offseason be enough to claw their way in? With a healthy Ryan Miller and Tim Connolly on board, the potential is there, but like Marian Gaborik in New York, I wouldn't hold my breath. Still, the Sabres will ice a competitive bunch up front, including sniper Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville, and Derek Roy so look for Buffalo to at least match the tenth place seed they earned last season.


21. Edmonton Oilers
While there's no denying that an endowed Dany Heatley certainly would have helped, with the seasoned Pat Quinn behind the bench, the Oilers will aim to improve in any way they can. The addition of veteran goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin between the posts will certainly help, but Edmonton will need nearly double the production from youngsters Sam Gagner and Andrew Cogliano to land anywhere near the playoffs in a tight Western Conference. The Oilers certianly have the tools, it's learning how to use them that has proved this difficult thus far, and unfortunately for their fans, it looks as if the growing pains will continue for at least another year. Fortunately for the Edmonton faithful, the future looks bright, and with any luck, Quinn will be able to shape his squad into a bonafide competitor.


22. Minnesota Wild
Finally rid of the oft-injured Marian Gaborik, the Minnesota Wild will look to recapture the magic they lost last season. To fill the void left by Gaborik, the club recruited former Blackhawks injury bug Martin Havlat. Fortunately for the Wild, Havlat remained healthy all of last season before being knocked silly in the post-season. Will Havlat be enough to elevate the Wild to the next level? To be blunt, no. Don't get me wrong, with Vezina candidate Niklas Backstrom in goal, and former coach Jacques Lemaire's defense-first philosophy out the window, the Wild could surprise. In the meantime, look for continued development from star forward Mikko Koivu and a return to form from defenseman Brent Burns.


23. Nashville Predators
The Predators are a tricky bunch. While Nashville never ice an overly-powerful squad, coach Barry Trotz and company always find a way to keep the team near the playoff picture, assuming they don't claw their way in. With that said, Nashville will once again find themselves on the outside looking in this year. The return of a healthy Steve Sullivan for an entire campaign will certainly help, but beyond captain Jason Arnott and rising stars Shea Weber and goaltender Pekka Rinne, the Predators don't boast enough top-end talent to really compete this season. While the playoffs may be out of reach for the Predators, the team will remain competitive until the final puck drop, a mentatily always evident with Trotz on board.


24. Tampa Bay Lightning
Fortunately for the Lightning, no matter what happens this year, nothing could be worse than the embarassing debacle that was last season. Unfortunately for Tampa, on paper, not much has changed. Plug veteran Mattias Ohlund and highly-touted defensive prospect Victor Hedman into the back end, and you have a much stronger blue line, but up front, the Lightning will see their struggles, and barring any miracles, the Lightning will miss the playoffs yet again. Still, the potential is there. With a return to form by star forward Vincent Lecavlier, another steady season from the speedy Martin St. Louis, and the continued development of former first overall pick Steven Stamkos all but certain, the Lightning have the ability to soar under the radar. On the other hand, much like last year, they also have the ability to crash and burn. Time will tell.


25. Los Angeles Kings
With arguably the deepest core of top-end prospects in the leauge, the future no longer looks grim for the Los Angeles Kings. With that said, the youngsters aren't quit there yet. Sure, much like the Lightning, the Kings have the potential to surprise, it's much more likely that another year of seasoning is exactly what the doctor ordered. In the meantime, the continued development of defensemen Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson will be a pleasure to watch. Up front, the Kings will look to forwards Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov, and newly-acquired veteran Ryan Smyth to hit the back of the net. In goal, the Kings are hoping for positive strides by young netminders Jonathan Quick and Erik Ersberg.


26. Florida Panthers
You've got to feel for the Florida Panthers. Just when things are looking up, they lose prized defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to free agency, and thus right back where they started, as a bottom-feeder in the Eastern Conference. While the likes of forwards Nathan Horton, David Booth, and Stephen Weiss are certainly stable building blocks moving forwards, the Panthers seem stuck in an endless moonwalk backwards. Still, with a reliable Tomas Vokoun in goal, and an able-bodied defensive core, Florida will display flashes of brilliance, but when all is said and done, the momentary glimpses of competitive hockey will be far from enough to mask the team's almost certain struggles.


27. Atlanta Thrashers
Is this the year Atlanta bucks the seemingly endless trend of forgettable seasons? No, but fortunately for the young Thrashers, better days are on the horizon. While this certainly won't be a season to write home about, the Thrashers have established a desirable young core, and should general manager Don Waddell manage to retain Russian sniper Ilya Kovalchuk beyond this season, I think it's safe to say the future is bright. In the meantime, keep an eye out for newcomers Nik Antropov and Pavel Kubina, the emergance of highly-touted draft pick Evander Kane, and continued progression from youngsters Bryan Little and Tobias Enstrom.


28. New York Islanders
Much like the Thrashers, the Islanders are finally beginning to glimpse the light at the end of a very long, and very dark tunnel. With top prospect John Tavares in the mix, Long Island seem to have finally found the franchise player they've been longing for. Now it's up to Tavares to tap his potential, and show the Islanders faithful he can compete at the highest level. However, despite what many predict will be an explosive rookie campaign from the junior star, not even Tavares can turn the train wreck that was the New York Islanders around in just one season. Fortunately, Tavares' young supporting cast will lighten the load on his shoulders, with further development from Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo on the horizon. Don't expect to see the Islanders flatline out of the gate, but in the long run, their season is over before it began.


29. Phoenix Coyotes
What began as a season oozing with potential for the Coyotes last year ended up a disaster, and unfortunately, the tide won't change this season. Phoenix, much the rest of the league's bottom-feeders are slowly developing a bright, young core, but a handful of inexperienced prospects can only offer a club so much. Shane Doan's production will remain steady, Peter Mueller will take a step forward, and Danish winger Mikkel Boedker will continue to progress, but beyond that, there isn't much to be excited about in Phoenix this season. With that said, at the very least, the club can count on yet another high draft pick.


30. Colorado Avalanche
What happens when you take the worst team in the Western Conference last season and remove grizzled veterans Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth from their lineup? You get the worst team in the National Hockey League. While that may sound harsh, the reality remains that this season won't be pretty for the Avalanche. On the plus side, keep a watchful eye out for solid numbers from the likes of forwards Paul Statsny, Milan Hejduk, Wojtek Wolski, and the emergence of former Brampton Battalion forward Matt Duchene. True, Colorado fans have a lot to be excited about with Duchene set to step into the big leagues, but beyond that, there's not much else. Avalanche fans, brace yourself for the eyesore en route.


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My remaining offseason predictions

1. Phil Kessel will be a Maple Leaf. Burke wants him and Kessel wants to wear the blue and white. Burke is trying his hardest to acquire the skilled winger via trade, but if the Bruins decide to deal him elsewhere, the Leafs will immediately put an offer sheet in. This is too good of a fit for the Leafs to miss out on.

2. Heatley will be traded before the season starts. He's too big of a distration to be kept around the team, and he simply doesnt want to be there. I still think he'll end up with the Sharks, but at this point a team like the Rangers or Blues could always jump in.

3. Balsillie will win the Coyotoes. I don't know if the team will go to Hamilton, but I just can't see Balsillie losing this battle. His offer is way better than the NHLs, and at this point I see big Jim willing to let the team play one last year in Phoenix to sort things out.

So ESPN was totally wrong about the Heatley deal, as I had a feeling they were. Usually when information comes out, I post it as my own information because I have confirmed it with several sources. Last night, ESPN was the only source spewing this info, which is why I called the deal a report, and cited ESPN as the source. It was funny to see on twitter all the "insiders" and their posts such as "five of my sources confirm the ESPN stories" and "Heatley deal done as per my best source". I'll be removing a lot of these from my twitter list today, as they're credibility is gone. Twitter is a great tool for Hockey Bloggers, but to those who fit in that category, beware: it's easy to get caught making stuff up.

For all the latest check out Hockeyleaks.com as well as our twitter account and our forums.

Report: Heatley A Shark

According to ESPN, the Sens have traded Heatley in a three team deal. Details

to San Jose: Dany Heatley
to LA Kings: Patrick Marleau
To Ottawa: Alexander Frolov, Jarret Stoll

stay tuned to the Hockeyleaks.com forums for all the latest

Hockeyleaks PPFL 2009/2010 Details!

Here are the Hockeyleaks Power Play Fantasy League 09/10

Power Play Fantasy League 2009 - 2010 Details

This will be the fifth season of our PPFL. Bob Adamski won the first two pools, I won in 07/08 while Blueleafss, competiting in his fourth year of the pool took home the prize last year. Do you have what it takes to take the title?

Rules: You will pick six forwards and four defenseman. You get one injury replacement during the season. Extra replacements will then be $5 per replacement.

Cost: $5 per team. You may have as many teams as you want.

Promotions: 1) 5 Teams for $20.

2) If Payment is recieved by Sept. 20, you will get one additional team free. So two teams for $5, three teams for $10, 6 teams for $20, etc.

Sending Pick Information: Please email your list of 10 players to cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. Please do not email your free team until we have confirmed to have received your payment. We will contact you asking for your free team.

Payment Info: Paypal: Send paypal payment to cjohnson202@hotmail.com.

Cheque / Money Order: Please send cheque / money order to:

Corey Johnson
47 Woodsview Ave,
Toronto, Ontario
M9W6B9
Canada

Address Cheque to Corey Johnson, not Hockeyleaks.com

Please include your email address with your cheque / money order so we can email you and collect your free team.

Prizing: Winner of the pool will receive total money collected. Second place will get all the money collected in extra replacements, to a maximum of 40% of the winning prize. If nobody purchases extra replacements, then second place will recieve $10.

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Hockeyleaks.com Yahoo Pool

Same setting as last year, if you are interested in being invited, please email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com and request that you be invited to the yahoo league

Offseason ticking down...

25 or so days and the 2009/2010 season will be upon us. Today, several rookie tournaments kick off which will give teams a look at the future of their franchises. I couldn't be happier that training camp is about kick off, as its been a long offseason and with all off-season changes that have taken place league-wide, everyone should be intrigued by what is to come over the next year.

The big news of yesterday was the Leafs spending a 2nd round pick in 2011 and a 3rd rounder in 2010 to re-acquire their own 2010 2nd round pick (which was originally traded to Montreal for Grabovski).

Speculation is that the Leafs are gearing up for an offer sheet on Kessel, but don't get too ahead of yourself. This move was done by Burke to put pressure on the Bruins to make a deal. While a 1st, 2nd and 3rd round pick would be great for the Bruins, losing Kessel for no immediate return is something they are trying to avoid. The Bruins are expected to compete for the Eastern title this year, and losing Kessel would be a huge obstacle for the team to overcome. The Leafs would love to work out a trade for Kessel, but failing that, an offer sheet isn't out of the question.

The other two big RFAs, Buffalo's Stafford and NYR's Dubinsky, remain unsigned as we head into training camp. Both of these players are expected to be large parts of their team this season, and both teams are hopeful that these players will be in their opening night lineup. However, as with Kessel, the closer we get to the puck dropping, the more tempted teams who lost out on UFA's are to drop an offer sheet.

The Zherdev question remains; Where will he play 09-10? The earlier reports of him going to the KHL were a little premature, and the NHL is still a possibility. The Thrashers are the team to watch, as they believe Zherdev would be a great help in getting Kovalchuk to sign long term. Kovalchuk is slated to become UFA #1 on July 1, 2010.

Luongo's 12 year deal, despite the similar terms, sits with me a million times better than DiPietro's 15 year deal. Sadly, their salaries are not that far off...

Mats Sundin, remember when we were told you'd make a decision in the next week? That was two and a half weeks ago. At least he's managed to stay out of the spot light for the majority of the Summer. I see him going to Vancouver or NYR, though I still believe a Toronto return is never out of the question.

Speaking of Toronto, still interested to see how the Jason Allison experiment 2.0 goes. Yes, he was slow, but his comeback wasn't all bad; he was nearly a point-a-game player. Other players on tryouts to watch:

Dan Cloutier in Detroit: Yes he's bad, but Howard and Osgood (another year older) don't exactly scream confidence. Still, Cloutier is a long shot to make a return to the NHL.

Mark Bell in Philly: I think he has a shot to crack this roster, he's got good size and can play the Flyers' game.

Dan Fritche in Atlanta: This guy still has potential, and its not like Atlanta has a whole lot else going for them at this point.

In final free agent news, Petr Sykora continues to talk to several teams, including the Minnesota Wild. Denis Seidenberg remains available, and I've heard the Canucks, Habs and Sharks have shown some interest in him. Mike Comrie may be the best player left on the market, and the Sens and Oilers are the two teams to watch.

Thats all for now, stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com in the next few days for more training camp news, as well as news on the FIFTH annual Hockeyleaks Power Play Fantasy League.

Five teams to shake your head at

First of all, sorry for the lack of updates. Here are two reasons why I havent been updating as much as I usually do.

a) Work has been crazy for me the last two months, but things should finally slow down starting next week, so thats good news for all of us.

b) there really isn't much going on in the rumour mill. I go on twitter everyday and see "wannabe" insiders spewing rumour garbage everywhere. Unfortunatly, as good as twitter can be, it has been taken over by people with no insight at all and thus we are being spammed with false rumours. I advise you to stick to sites that have been around for longer than just this summer, as they've been around this long for a reason. Spectors, The Fourth Period, Kukla's, ourselves and even Eklund (you cant deny that every once in awhile he nails something nobody else was talking about) are the sites I recommend, as they've been around for years (we're in our fifth year) and they have more cred than most of these "new" websites.

So on to the blog, which is about the five teams that I really think took a step backwards this offseason. Whether they let big UFA's walk without replacing them, or whether they made moves that just didnt make sense, here are the five teams that I believe simply are not as good as they were four months ago.

Anaheim, New Jersey, Florida,Buffalo, Washington

5) Washington Capitals: While they still have a great shot at winning their division (as they play in the weakest of them all), I feel the Caps have taken a minor step back this offseason. This team has made no real improvements since last season, while they lost two of their biggest leaders in Kozlov and Federov. Yes, Mike Green and Alexander Ovechkin are two of the best players in their position in the league, but Washington's supporting cast is extremely lacking. In net, while Varlamov had a great post-season, the kid has played less than 10 regular season games in his career. If he faulters, Theodore surely isn't the goalie to carry this team should the offense or defense take extended time off. One injury to Green or Ovechkin and this team could be in trouble.

4) Buffalo Sabres: A few years ago, this team was in the top five in the league, with stars like Briere and Drury, and while post those players have taken a step back since leaving Buffalo, the Sabres have faltered just as bad. The team has lost Afiniganov and Moore, while Drew Stafford is still an un-signed RFA. On defense, the team lost their most experienced defender in Teppo and replaced him with hit-or-miss defenseman Steve Montadore. Ryan Miller is going to have to play like a possessed man for the Sabres to have any chance at the playoffs, but in my opinion, it's going to be a long season for Sabres fans.

3) New Jersey: A quick playoff exit for the Devils meant the team was bound to hire another coach, and they did. With that said, I don't believe a new coach will solve the decline that is the New Jersey Devils. Last year, Scott Clemenson led this team into the playoffs with his amazing play while Brodeur was injured. This year, if Brodeur should get injured or falter (both seem likely), the task will be up to Yann Danis, not someone who is capable of carrying a team or really evening keeping one in the game. While the team has one of the most underrated D in the game, they still are not that great. Up front, the team's offense remains generally the same, though you have to assume the loss of Gionta will sting a little. Every year I pick the Devils to miss the playoffs, and this finally may be the year I am right.

2) Florida Panthers: At last year's trade deadline, the team had the opportunity to trade Bouwmeester for a package that would set the team up for future success. Instead, they decided to keep him for a playoff run that failed miserably. Now with Bouwmeester gone, the Panthers seem a sure bet to finish near the bottom of the league. The club also lost Craig Anderson, who was by far the best goalie the Panthers had last season. These two big losses, and no real replacements, mean the Panthers are 100% going to miss the playoffs and are likely draft-lottery bound.

1) Anaheim Ducks: This is a team that faught all season long to make the playoffs, and it appears they will be even in more of a fight to do so this season. At the beginning of last season, I called Anaheim's defense the league's best. This season, it's near the bottom. Without a bounce-back season by Giguere, or another breakout run by Hiller, I believe this team will find themselves in the bottom seven in the West. Pronger and Beauchemin are huge subtractions for this team, and while a full season of Ryan Whitney will help, he's not the answer, nor is Sbisa. Up front, the additions of Lupul and Koivu will help, but it's clear that both men's best seasons are behind them. Rob Niedermayer also doesn't appear to be back, which will hurt the team's third-line depth. The Ducks best years are behind them and it may be time for the team to take a step back and evaluate where they are.

Drop me an email at Cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com with your thoughts on my list, and feel free to provide me with your own.

And The Winner Is...

The majority of the offseason is complete and the NHL landscape has changed a lot since we last saw on-ice action in June. A lot of players have changed teams, rookies will enter the league and several familiar faces have left the game behind. While players like Tanguay, Zherdev (maybe?) and Prospal still remain available, I feel confident in naming the following five teams as the most improved.

5. New York Rangers:

A lot of teams probably deserve to make this list over the Rangers, maybe Calgary with the addition of Jay Bo, or Atlanta by picking up a supporting cast for Kovalchuk, but I'm going to give spot #5 to the Rangers. There is defense is suspect and overpaid, but when you have Lundqvist in net you can take those chances. The Rangers shocked everyone and added Gaborik, who when healthy is the most skilled player in the NHL. The team also found a way to get rid of Gomez and get a lot back for his overpriced contract (way to go sather!). Higgins will excel in NYR, where he wont be relied upon to score as much as he was in Montreal. The Rangers are much improved, and I still think they'll add another body to replace Zherdev before the puck drops.

4. Toronto Maple Leafs:

The Leafs finished 10th in the league in goals scored last year, which would surprise you when looking at their roster. They lost Antropov and Moore up front, but improvements from a lot of the young offense should help replace those totals. The Leafs finished the year with awful defensive and goaltending stats and thus chose those areas as the ones to address. Komisarek, Beauchemin and Exelby make this team's defense one of the league's best, while Toskala's groin surgery and the addition of "The Monster" should make the Leafs much better between the pipes.


3. New York Islanders:

While you won't see the Islanders go from worst to first, the Islanders made big steps on moving towards a winning record. We start in the crease, where the team added not one starting goalie, but two, giving them a grand total of three. When all three are healthy and playing well, the Isles will be able to trade one of them (not Dipietro of coarse) for even more pieces to their puzzle. The team drafted future superstar John Tavares first overall, giving them the franchise player they desperately needed, while Andy Sutton should make their backend significantly better.

2. Montreal Canadiens:

After what can only be viewed as a failed centennial, the Habs needed to shake things up in a bad way. The team swapped their entire first line of Higgins, Koivu and Kovalev for Cammalleri, Gomez and Gionta, and while I don't know if the team is any better, they changed the chemistry of the team enough to earn them second spot on my list.

1. Tampa Bay Lightning:

A year after the team attempted to build a team around Stamkos, they've done it again. A lot of exits, a lot of enters, but I think in the end this year will be different. The team entered the season last year with a dangerous looking offense, a very weak defense and questionable goaltending. Hedman, Ohlund and Foster are huge additions on the blueline, while a healthy Mike Smith should be good enough for this team to make the playoffs.


Agree? Disagree? Drop by the forums and let me know who you think are the most improved teams. This weekend part two of this will come out, when I decide which five teams have taken a turn for the worst this offseason.

One Week For Kaberle

Seven days from now Thomas Kaberle's no-trade-window will end, and we will know for sure if Thomas Kaberle will remain a Toronto Maple Leaf. Sources say it is likely he will remain in Toronto, but expect a few last minute offers to come in this week. One should be from the Buffalo Sabres, whose defense is thin and will be relying in a young Tyler Myers to play big minutes should the team not address it's biggest weakness. Other teams still with interest include Atlanta, Florida, Vancouver and St. Louis.

The feel good story of Theo Fleury has taken a bad turn, as reports are coming out today that his comeback is purely based on financial need. Fleury is broke, and a comeback would do wonders for his bank account. Either way, I'd love to see him come back and give it one more shot. I know a lot of Calgary fans want this guy back in red.

Detroit is done their off-season shopping and I can't help but wonder if their cup final streak could be in jeopardy. Hudler replaced with Williams, Hossa replaced with Patrick Eaves, Osgood another year older, without Ty Conklin backing him up. The Wings will need big years from Leino and Abdelkader if they want to stay atop the Central, those Hawks are going to be hard to beat.

Heatley to San Jose rumour still float about, and I do believe he will end up their at some point this offseason. San Jose needs a shakeup and Heatley needs a new home. It's all down to figuring out each sides pieces.

Zherdev, Prospal, Bertuzzi and Tanguay all remain at large, with Zherdev still likely KHL bound. Prospal had been rumoured to the Wings, but that seems unlikely after the Willaims signing. Bertuzzi I'm still hearing will end up in Philly, while Tanguay to Phoenix is still the hot rumour, though Minnesota and Tampa are very much in this.

With Shanahan signed by the Devils, the team has apparently shifted their attention to UFA d-man Martin Skoula.

Thats all for now, check Hockeyleaks.com, our twitter, and our forums for all the latest.

Is Mats Sundin the Hockey World’s Most Skilled Card Player?

One of Sweden’s best hockey players ever, Mats Sundin, recently became a poker ambassador for PokerStars.com and has been seen in numerous TV ads all around the world, but is he as talented on the green felt as he is on the ice? Well, his live tournament stats aren’t that impressive. In fact he hasn’t won a dime! When it comes to winnings, Sundin is far behind another Vancouver resident and former hockey player, Greg Mueller, who has won close to $2 million in tournaments and must be considered the best hockey/card player ever. Sundin, play video poker for recreation and hockey for a living, that’s our suggestion

Zherdev to the Leafs?

Steve Zipay of Newsday reports that the Leafs and Rangers are talking of a deal that would send Zherdev to Toronto for Stempniak and White. I love this deal, as you'd be shipping out another spare d-man and a useless 2.5 million (Stempniak) for a guy who can play on the top line. The best part of this deal is that we get our top-line guy without moving Kaberle, who A) could stay and anchor the PP or b) still be moved for another top-line player. Read Zipay's article here:

http://www.newsday.com/blogs/sports/blue-notes-1.811976

Did you get excited over the three-way rumours floating around yesterday? Don't get too ahead of it all, as I've been told by sources that Montreal has not been approached by anyone regarding a Heatley deal. With that said, I still believe San Jose and Ottawa should make a deal that would send Heatley to the Sharks.

The Rangers are looking for a #1 centre, and Mats Sundin could be that answer. The Rangers could also once again get into the Heatley sweepstakes should Zherdev be let go / traded. If the Rangers can get another puck moving d-man (say white?), I'm hearing Rosival could be bought out or sent down.

I'm hearing Bertuzzi is in deep talks with the Fylers, who would be a lot meaner with him and Pronger on the ice.

Prospal and Tanguay remain the two biggest names available. Tanguay to Phoenix continues to float around, while Pittsburgh and Ottawa are other teams said to be joining the chase. As for Prospal, it's been quiet on his front, but I'm hearing LA and Washington have inquired about his services already.

For all the latest rumours, check the Hockeyleaks twitter (@Hockeyleaks), and make sure to check the forums daily!

The Truth On Tanguay

Has Alex Tanguay signed with Florida as has been reported as an E5? no.

Tanguay to Florida is about 80%, but it's not done. Could it get done as early as today? yes, but as of 12:02 pm today nothing has been signed.

Teams are still in this, including Buffalo and Phoenix, and until something is signed and announced publically, these teams are still very much in it.

I'm hearing the LA Kings are closing in on signing Biron..

Kaberle has left than a month remaining on his no-trade window, which means talks should start heating up. Buffalo, Boston and St. Louis, as well as Vancouver, are the three teams you're hearing the most. I will tell you that Washington and Florida are also very much involved in these Kaberle talks. I still believe it's about 90% that Kaberle will be dealt by August 15th.

Todd Bertuzzi remains at large, and yes the Bert to Toronto rumours do have some substance. With that said, Minnesota and Montreal are two more teams I'm hearing. Montreal could really use his size.

One of the best moves of the offseason goes to Calgary, who snapped Nigel Dawes off waivers from Phoenix yesterday. This kid has serious potential and I'm shocked so many teams passed over him during the waiver process.

The fact that Phil Kessel has not signed with boston yet is another sign that he's likely done as a Bruin. The B's are shopping him heavily but need to bring their asking price down before they can move him. That could happen next week.

For more hockey news and rumours check out Hockeyleaks.com and our forums!

DALE TALLON OUT AS GM OF BLACKHAWKS

According to Eklund, Dale Tallon will be fired as GM of the Blackhawks and replaced by Stan Bowman (scotty's son). The move is likely to take place tomorrow

If this is true, and it seems to be the case, I am shocked.

Dale has done a great job with this team, turning them from bottom-feeders to central-division favourites in 2009-2010.

Maybe it's the fact the Blackhawks are over the cap, but I honestly believe that they could easily be under the cap for this year, which is all that matters. Campbell is moveable beyond this season, while a guy like Seabrook could also be sacrificed without really noticing his loss.

I cannot stress how shocked I am at this move, I guess we'll find out more details in the coming days.

For the latest, check the forums and follow @hockeyleaks on twitter

The Twitter Explosion

Over the last month (especially since the NHL Draft), I have found myself using twitter several hours a day. Twitter has really changed the way hockey rumours have been delivered. No matter what, it seems that a rumour is posted on twitter before it is a website. For example, today I had Jacques Lemaire signing with the Devils before it hit Hockeyleaks.com. Eklund, James Mirtle, Darren Dreger, etc. all post their latest rumours on twitter first, their websites second.

If you don't have a twitter account, I suggest signing up for one so you can be the first to know about EVERYTHING that happens in the NHL.

To get you started, here is a list of the best hockey tweets on twitter.

@hockeyleaks - of coarse, this is me.

@mirtle - James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail and From The Rink. Always one of the first to know when something goes down.

@Eklund - the same great eklund, now in tweet form.

@Bluejacketsbuzz - Eric Smith of Hockeybuzz.com, one of the best Blue Jackets reporters on the web.

@All_Habs - Great Habs Blogger

@JonJordan - From Hockeybuzz.com, best Tampa Buy coverage you will find anywhere

@TheFourthPeriod - David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, has been known to break a deal or two in his time.

@kausatoday - Kevin Allen of USA Today, a must follow for Hockey fans.

@komisarek - Mike Komisarek

@martinhavlat - Martin Havlat, who says "the truth will come out about what happened in chicago

@DarrenDreger - Dregs from TSN, has been great this offseason with breaking signings and giving us accurate rumours.

@brandon_felder - best preds twitter' around

@chrisbosh - this guy is addicted to twitter, Bosh must tweet 20-30 times a night.

@damospin - Damien Cox of the Toronto Star

@FadooBobcat - Bob McCown from the Fan 590

@andystrickland - Best Blues guy around, but does a good job of the rest of the NHL too

@BDGallof - Really strong Islanders blogger

@bluelineradio - our favourite radio station from Las Vegas, I do a trade deadline show for them every year.

@brian_metzer - your source for all the latest Penguins news

@nhldigest - Tyler does a good job of covering the entire NHL

So get on twitter and send me a message, I really can't say enough about how Twitter has changed the rumour game...it's a lot of fun

Sunday Rumours

- The biggest UFA left on the market is Tanguay, and I'm surprised he is still available. It looks as though he will get something around a 2-3 year deal worth $3 million per. The teams to watch are NYI and Colorado, though I'm hearing Columbus could be in on this. One source even has Calgary getting him back if the Flames can find the funds to do so.

- Zubov seems to be between returning to Dallas and ending up in Columbus. Dallas really needs Zubov back as this is a franchise going in the wrong direction.

- As I've said all along, I believe Heatley will end up in San Jose. San Jose has to shake things up and this is the fastest way to do so. Marleau, Cheechoo and Ehrhoff are three players the sharks are rumoured to be shopping, with each player being linked to about five teams each. We know the Islanders would love to grab one of those players, while Montreal, Columbus, Toronto, and of coarse Ottawa have been linked to at least one of them.

- Mats Sundin, if he doesn't retire, will be an August signing. If he returns, his only two options are Vancouver and Toronto. It could end up being which team has room under the cap to bring him in. I'd expect him to sign a one year deal worth around $4 million.

- Martin Biron is still available and I'm hearing he could land in LA.

- Despite all of Chicago's cap concerns, they like there team as is and don't plan on worrying about all their cap issues until next summer. They're going for it now.

- Zherdev and Kessel are the two biggest RFAs on the market. Zherdev has filed for arbitration and rumours have the Rangers willing to let him go if the price tag is too high. As for Kessel, teams have not made the RFA an offer yet due to the fact that the Bruins still have a little room under the cap and could probably match an offer. This will change in the coming weeks and things will get interesting. The Bruins are still looking for a top three d-man.

How has your team faired this offseason? We'd love for you to write about it at our Team Bloggers blog located at http://hockey-leaks2.blogspot.com. If you are already registered there, post away, and if not, send me an email at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com and I will get you set up so you can post!

Two Breaking Signings...

The Leafs have signed Francois Beauchemin to a three year deal worth about 3.5 per season.

According to a source, the Ottawa Senators have signed free agent forward Alexei Kovalev to a contract, still looking for confirmation and details on this one

Heatley an Oiler, Gaborik a Ranger

Both are done as per a good source.

Gaborik will make 5.75 a year for 5 years

Heatley will go to Edmonton for the package discussed last night (Penner, Cogliano, Smid)

go to the chat and forums for the latest

JULY 1 CHAT ON NOW

http://www.hockeyleaks.com/chat.html

Kaberle could be headed to Boston for Kessel today

Kubina to Atlana for an unnamed package.

so many rumours, get in the chat now!

Heatley To Oilers / CHAT NOW

Sources tell Hockeyleaks.com that the Oilers are moving in on a deal to acquire Dany Heatley.

*Note: while writing this blog, TSN has also posted the same rumour.

The deal would send Heatley and his large contract to the Oilers for Dustin Penner, Ladislav Smid and Andrew Cogliano.

Great move for the Sens, who badly need this youth injection into their system.

Go to hockeyleaks.com/chat.html in the next five minutes for a pre-July 1 chat.

The Top 25 Free Agents

Here is my list of the top 25 UFAs to hit the market tomorrow, though half-way done my list TSN announces that Bouwmeester has signed. I promise my predictions were all down for Bouwmeester before the announcement, so both my dollar figure and team were pretty dead on. Let's see how I do on the other 24.

1.

The Sedins
Predicted Value: $7 million each
Teams Interested: Vancouver, Toronto, Minnesota, Montreal
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Vancouver before July 1st, Toronto on/after July 1st.

2.

Jay Bouwmeester
Predicted Value: $6.5 million
Teams Interested: Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Calgary
Signs with: Calgary Flames, five years - $33 million.

3.

Marian Hossa
Predicted Value: $7.5 million
Teams Interested: Detroit, Edmonton, Vancouver, Minnesota, LA
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Detroit.

4.

Marian Gaborik
Predicted Value: $5 million
Teams Interested: Vancouver, Edmonton, Montreal, LA
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Vancouver

5.

Mike Komisarek
Predicted Value: $5.5 million
Teams Interested: Montreal, NYI, Toronto, Boston, NJ
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Toronto

6.

Martin Havlat
Predicted Value: $6 million
Teams Interested: Chicago, Montreal, LA, Edmonton
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Vancouver

7.

Mike Cammalleri
Predicted Value: $5.5 million
Teams Interested: Toronto, Vancouver, Washington, Atlanta
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Toronto if they don't sign Sedins, Vancouver if they don't sign Sedins.

8.

Alex Tanguay
Predicted Value: $5 million
Teams Interested: Colorado, Washington, Dallas
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Washington

9.

Mattias Ohlund
Predicted Value: $4 million
Teams Interested: San Jose, Colorado, Vancouver, Montreal
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Montreal

10.

Saku Koivu
Predicted Value: $5 million
Teams Interested: Minnesota, Anaheim
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Minnesota

11.

Nikolai Khabibulin
Predicted Value: $5 million
Teams Interested: Chicago, Edmonton
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Edmonton

12.

Brian Gionta
Predicted Value: $3.5 million
Teams Interested: NJ, Calgary, Carolina, Montreal
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: New Jersey

13.

Alex Kovalev
Predicted Value: $4 million
Teams Interested: Washington, Montreal, Colorado
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Montreal

14.

Mats Sundin
Predicted Value: $4.5 million
Teams Interested: Toronto, Anaheim, Vancouver, NYR
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Vancouver

15.

Derek Morris
Predicted Value: $4.5 million
Teams Interested: Phoenix, NYR, Florida, Washington
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Florida

16.

Nik Antropov
Predicted Value: $4 million
Teams Interested: NYR, Nashville, St. Louis, Vancouver, Florida
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: NYR

17.

Erik Cole
Predicted Value: $4 million
Teams Interested: Boston, Carolina, Montreal
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Carolina

18.

Francois Beauchemin
Predicted Value: $3.5 million
Teams Interested: Montreal, Toronto, Boston, Anaheim, Vancouver
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Toronto

19.

Todd Bertuzzi
Predicted Value: $2.5 million
Teams Interested: Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, NYI
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: NYI

20.

Mikael Samuelsson
Predicted Value: $3 million
Teams Interested: Detroit, Atlanta, NYI, Tampa Bay
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Atlanta

21.

Robert Lang
Predicted Value: $3.5 million
Teams Interested: Montreal, Nashville, Columbus, LA
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Montreal

22.

Matthieu Schneider
Predicted Value: $3.5 million
Teams Interested: Montreal, Boston, Florida, LA
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Montreal

23.

Sameul Pahlsson
Predicted Value: $2 million
Teams Interested: Toronto, Anaheim, Chicago, Vancouver
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Anaheim

24.

Chris Neil
Predicted Value: $1.5 million
Teams interested: Toronto, Ottawa, Minnesota, Columbus, Chicago
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Toronto

25.

Mike Knuble
Predicted Value: $2.5 million
Teams interested: Philly, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Nashville
Hockeyleaks.com predicts: Pittsburgh


Unfortunatly I have to work tomorrow until 330, so I will not be online before 4pm. The good news is that I will be having our annual July 1st chat tomorrow at 430 pm. Check the forums and the blogs for details and a link.

It's just like Christmas eve, I cant wait to see who ends up where tomorrow!

What The Gomez Deal Means...

For those of you living in a hole, the Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt and Mike Busto from the New York Rangers for Chris Higgins, Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko.

The Habs win this deal, though I don't think Gomez is at all the player to turn around the Habs season.

So what does this mean for the Rangers? It means the team has quite a bit more money to spend tomorrow, and those funds could be used on Heatley.

It's between NYR and Edmonton as far as I'm hearing, though you can never count San Jose out of these talks. I'm hearing Ottawa is looking at Penner and one of edmonton's goalie prospects, plus one more high-profile forward from the Oilers. The Sens are still hoping to get Staal from the Rangers.

If a deal isn't completed for Heatley tonight, there is still a hope. A source told me the Sens would accept a early round pick in return for the $4 million they must spend tomorrow.

As for the Habs, Gomez is a big investment for them and this basically ends the chances of the Sedins coming to Quebec. For those wondering, the Habs have not offered Koivu or Tanguay a contract. They have made last-chance offers on Komisarek and Kovalev, with Komisarek already announcing he will test the open market.

Thats all for now, in the next few hours my free agent preview / plans for tomorrow will be up.

July 1 Approaches...

With UFA season just hours away, so much is still to be determined before then. For those looking for a Free Agent Preview, I will have something up later tonight or tomorrow regarding that. For now, we look at what could happen over the next 31 hours.

Dany Heatley will be traded before July 1st or not at all. He is owed $4 million dollars on July 1st, and if Heatley is still a Senator by noon on July 1st, it is extremely doubtful he will be moved. Still, the Rangers are making quite the last-minute push to bring in Heatley, but to this point, have not stepped up to the Rangers asking price which is said to include Marc Staal +.

The Sharks are still looking at dealing Patrick Marleau, but Nabokov is not on the market. Marleau will likely be dealt after all the early july fun is over.

Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson is still on the market, with Dallas and Toronto the two finalists. This really is a toss-up, with me personally thinking Dallas will win this. With that said, I'm hoping for Toronto.

The Sedins could very well be staying in Vancouver as Mike Gillis has flown to Sweden to give on final push. I still think they'll stay, but if they don't, watch Toronto, Montreal, Minnesota and the Islanders.

Phil Kessel is very much available, but some feel the Bruins will wait until the UFA's are snatched up and the return could be higher. With that said, the Bruins are right up against a cap and would struggle to match any offersheet of above $3.5 million, which is around the number it would cost to just qualify kessel.

As far as Kaberle goes, he will likely move in the next 10 days, with Boston, Anaheim, and Philly all having inquired about him over the last few days. Philly is interested despite acquiring Pronger, with Toronto willing to take back some salary from Philly if they can get the player they have their eye on.

As far as UFA #1 Jay Bouwmeester goes, sources tell Hockeyleaks.com that contract talks began with Bouwmeester today and the Flames are optimistic they can get him signed.

Keep your eye on Hockeyleaks.com as the free agent preview will up before you know it!

Rumour Mill's In Overdrive

Here we go...

Vincent Lecavalier to Montreal talks have hit a stall this morning, and sources are telling me it's at about 25% he gets dealt.

Polling a list of ten sources last night: 70% Islanders take Hedman, 20% Tavares, 10% Duchene. Boy is that #1 pick going to be interesting.

The San Jose Sharks are expected to be this weekends busiest team. Clowe isn't expected to be a Shark beyond this weekend, with TSN confirming that both Toronto and Philly have shown interest. Clowe could be part of an even bigger deal, with the Sharks shopping both Marleau and Nabokov. Strong speculation that at least one of those two will be dealt this weekend.

The Sens continue to shop Heatley, and the St. Louis Blues are very in this. Who else is in this? The Boston Bruins. Kessel would be part of this deal 100%.

The Leafs are another team to watch, with Burke really attempting to move a roster player or two and a couple other mid-round picks for another first round pick. This could be used to move up or to pick two great prospects.

Jay Bouwmeester's rights will likely be dealt today or tomorrow, with the price being a third round pick. The Flyers, Canucks and Oilers are all pushing this, I see the final price being a 3rd and a 5th round pick.

Chris Pronger could very-well be on the move this weekend. Montreal is very in this, just like they were at the deadline.

Demitra came out and said that Gaborik had not purchased a house in Vancouver, but sources still believe Gaborik will be a Canuck should the Sedins not re-sign in Vancouver.

Another team to watch this weekend could be the Columbus Blue Jackets, who will be looking to move up in this year's draft. One source told me that management isn't confident they can re-sign Nash following this season, and would move him for a package that blew them away.

I am off to work shortly, and then off to Montreal for the draft early in the morning. Unfortunatly, my hotel in Montreal does not have an internet connection, so for all updates you have two sources:

1) http://www.twitter.com/hockeyleaks

I will be updating my twitter VERY often from the draft via my cell phone, so make sure to check that often.

2) http://hockeyleaks.com/forum2/index.php?topic=4030.0

I will be sending texts all day and night to a forum member who will be updating this post with all the latest news and rumours I acquire from the draft.

Make sure to stay glued to those two sources all day tomorrow as it's going to be one of the most exciting days the NHL has seen in a long, long time.

2009 NHL Mock Draft / Part 2

So here are my thirty selections in the NHL Draft. The top ten is difficult, because I predict major movement. I believe LA will deal their pick, while at this point it is 50/50 on Tampa Bay holding on to theirs. With that said, here is my prediction for the top 30 picks as they currently sit.

1. New York Islanders - Victor Hedman

2. Tampa Bay Lightning - John Tavares

3. Colorado Avalanche - Matt Duchene

4. Atlanta Thrashers - Evander Kane

5. LA Kings - Oliver Ekman-Larsson

6. Phoenix Coyotes - Jared Cowan

7. Toronto Maple Leafs - Brayden Schenn

8. Dallas Stars - Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson

9. Ottawa Senators - Nazem Kadri

10. Edmonton Oilers - Demitry Kulikov

11. Nashville Predators - Jordan Scroeder

12. Minnesota Wild - Zach Kassian

13. Buffalo Sabres - Scott Glennie

14. Florida Panthers - Ryan Ellis

15. Anaheim Ducks - David Rundblad

16. Columbus Blue Jackets - John Moore

17. St. Louis Blues - Jacob Josefeson

18. Montreal Canadiens - Louis Leblanc

19. New York Rangers - Carter Ashton

20. Calgary Flames - Simon Despres

21. Philadelphia Flyers - Dylan Olson

22. Vancouver Canucks - Stefan Elliot

23. New Jersey Devils - Robin Lehner

24. Washington Capitals - Nick Leddy

25. Boston Bruins - Chris Kreider

26. New York Islanders - Landon Ferraro

27. Carolina Hurricanes - Calvin DeHaan

28. Chicago Blackhawks - Peter Holland

29. Detroit Red Wings - Kyle Palmieri

30. Pittsburgh Penguins - Tim Erixon

2009 NHL Mock Draft / Part 1

Hockeyleaks.com is proud to bring you the 2009 NHL Mock Draft. Each pick has been made by a blogger / hockey writer who specializes in the team they are choosing from. They know the NHL well, and they know exactly what their team's needs are. This is as accurate as it gets, so let's get started. This mock draft covers the first 20 picks in this years draft.

1. Timothy Hilts / writer for Hockeyleaks.com - "With the first overall selection in the 2009 NHL entry draft, the New York Islanders are proud to select John Tavares. The Islanders need a superstar to draw fans and this is the guy to do just that."

2. Jon Jordan / blogger for Hockeybuzz.com - "With the second selection in the 2009 NHL entry draft, the Tampa Bay Lightning are proud to select Victor Hedman."

Jon had this to say about his pick:

"With Tavares gone, the Lightning will no doubt take Victor Hedman.

For a team that needs a cornerstone defenseman who can fill a need both
immediately and for the long-term future, there is no better match than
Hedman and the bolts.

Of course, if whoever is playing the role of Brian Burke in this draft
wanted to talk turkey with me, I would most definitely be willing to
entertain the thought of a deal (as would the real life Lightning ...)"

3. David Driscoll-Carignan / owner of MileHighHockey.com - "With the third selection in the 2009 Entry Draft, the Colorado Avalanche are proud to select Matt Duchene. Duchene projects to be a talented two-way pivot man and would seem capable of forming a solid 1-2 punch up the middle with Paul Stastny for many, many years"

4. Scott Fuller / writer for Hockeyleaks.com - "With the fourth selection in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, the Atlanta Thrashers are proud to select Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson. This kid has Tremendous Offensive upside in a big package. Strong on the puck, just needs to work on his defense. Solid showing in the WJC."

5. Mark Millard / writer for Hockeyleaks.com - "With the fifth overall selection in the 2009 NHL entry draft, the LA Kings select Jacob Josefson."

we asked Mark why he took Josefson so early in the draft.

"If Justin Williams can stay healthy and regain his old 30-goal self, and with a good up and coming offensive presence in young players like Kopitar, Brown and Frolov, a strong two way Swede is exactly what the Kings need. With two years experience playing for Djurgården of the Swedish Elite League, Josefson should have no problem making the transition to the NHL, helping the young Kings netminders in the process with his strong back checking ability."

6. Allison / writer for Hockeyleaks.com - "The Hamilton, I mean Phoenix Coyotes are proud to select Evander Kane. The guy impressed at the WJC, and 96 regular season points for the Giants combined with his ability to play a physical style make him a perfect fit for the young Coyote's squad"

7. Corey Johnson / owner of Hockeyleaks.com - "With the seventh selection in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs are proud to select Brayden Schenn. This kid is a leader and has a great career in front of him. It doesn't hurt that his brother is already a star on the Leafs."

8. TJ Hurst / writer for Hockeyleaks.com - "The Dallas Stars are pleased to select Zack Kassian."

Here is what TJ had to say about the Stars selection of the big Petes forward.

"The Dallas Stars have become a big player in the European markets, particularly Sweden and often use the European professional leagues (mainly the Swedish Elite League) to develop their players which has many thinking Oliver Ekman Larsson will find a home with the Stars. But he's just too small for a Dallas brand of hockey. With Kassian they get the total package. He comes with big energy and 120% work ethic. Make no mistake, he will hurt you on the ice and isn't afraid to back it up by dropping the gloves. And while that may be the biggest part of his game it masks his other skillsets. While his skating and speed need a little improvement, his hands are exceptional. He's not afraid to step into the dangerous areas such as the corners and in front of the net. He's a workhouse and an individual who lead by example. Hitting hard and often, but also has the finish to make him a real threat in front of the net and on the rush. At this stage of his career, he's a Brendan Morrow in the making which makes him a hot commodity for the Dallas Stars."

9. Mark Christopher / blogger for Hockeybuzz.com - "For the second year in a row, the Sens are proud to select a swedish defenseman, this time it's Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Plain and simple OEL just doesn't get tired, the kid has the ability to play 30+ minutes a night if called upon. While he will need to strengthen up and fill out his frame, Oliver has all the necessary skills to control the blueline similiar to fellow Swede Nik Lidstrom. OEL has seen his stock jump more than any other prospect over the past few months despite missing out on the World Jrs."

10. Adam Forsyth / writer for Hockeyleaks.com - "The Oilers would have liked to select Kassian, but because he's taken, the Oilers are proud to select Ryan Ellis. Ellis is a game changing offensive gem with very under-rated defensive abillities.
Smallish. Yes. However, his vision on the ice is too difficult to ignore and with
a big booming sot, he's a PP quarterback for many years to come"

11. Brandon Felder / blogger for Hockeybuzz.com - "The Nashville Predators are proud to select Jordan Schroeder. The Preds need forward depth and Schroeder has previous experience with Colin Wilson in the World Juniors. Should he slip to 11, the Preds should select Schroeder.

12. Jeff Small / writer for Hockeyleaks.com - "With the 12th overall pick, the Minnesota Wild are very happy to select Jared Cowan."

Here is what Small said about the luck of getting Cowan so late in the draft.

"New GM Chuck Fletcher would be overjoyed to select Jared Cowen who at one point was considered to be challenging John Tavares and Victor Hedman for one of the top two spots in the entry draft. While the Wild already have some pretty impressive young defenseman including Brent Burns, Nick Schultz, and Tyler Cuma this pick is about choosing the best player available, which at 12 is no doubt Jared Cowen. At 18, Cowen already stands at 6'5, 218 pounds and is considered to be one of if not the best defensive defenseman in the draft. The biggest question mark concerning Cowen will be if he can return from season ending reconstructive surgery on his right knee. Although a big injury, if Cowen can return to form there is no question that he is a steal at #12 and will fit right in with Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Colorado once he makes the NHL"

13. Colin Lim / writer for Hockeyleaks.com - "The Buffalo Sabres are proud to select Chris Kreider. Kreider gives Buffalo some much needed size down the middle. He has a natural goal scoring ability and should be a solid top-two centreman for the Sabres in a couple of years."

14. Rey Edmonds / writer for Hockeyleaks.com - "The Florida Panthers are proud to select Nazim Kadri. Florida needs a forward that can be relied upon with both offensively and defensively. Micheal Frolik is the only forward in the system who has really good offensive skills. Horton, Booth, Mattias, Campbell are the guys that can create room and will be able to complement skill players such as Kadri. Some could argue that Kadri outplayed Tavares in the OHL playoffs with the London Knights. Skill level isn't as good as Tavares, but Kadri's compete level is as good as anyone. "

15. Edgar Arce / writer for http://torosviews.blogspot.com - "The Ducks are proud to select Louis Leblanc."

16. Eric Smith / blogger for Hockeybuzz.com - "The Columbus Blue Jackets are pleased to select Dmitry Kulikov"

we asked Eric Smith about the surprise of getting a top 10 prospect at #16.

"The Blue Jackets need a center and I think they will draft one
because they don't even have a warm body at center in Syracuse but Kulikov is just
way too good to pass up and he should be gone by now in the draft. The top rated
Russian, played this year in Drummondville
and certainly helped his drafted stock. 6′1″ and 195 pounds, he has
enough size to play physical when needed but he is a puck moving
defenseman that loves to score. Had 62 points in 57 games this year.
Very good skater that understands that he has to play both ends of the
ice. Kulikov is the full package and will be a top 4 defenseman plus be able to QB
the power play some day. The only down fall is that he shoots left which the CBJ is
in desperate need of a right handed shot from the point. GM Scott Howson will be
extactic if Kulikov falls into his lap at 16."

17. Marc Whittington / writer for Hockeyleaks.com - "The St. Louis Blues are proud to select Scott Glennie."

18. All Habs / owner of allhabs.blogspot.com and organizer of the NHL Draft Tweetup. - "The Habs are proud to select Carter Ashton. the Canadiens need immediate help up front. Ashton is a 6'3" 205 lb power forward who is an offensive force on the RW. He skates well, is tough to knock off the puck, and goes hard to the net"

19. Catherine Marzi / ESPN employee - "The New York Rangers are proud to select Peter Holland. Theteam will benefit from the young forward to support in scoring. At 6'2, he has a lot of room to grow muscle mass in the off season, and be a large physical presence on a scoring line (note: his officially reported weight is lower than some other quotes so he likely is already larger/stronger than reported). He has been noted an effective on the power play, and has been cited as a leader. He will make a solid addition to the Rangers squad.

20. Corey Johnson / owner of Hockeyleaks.com - "The Calgary Flames are proud to select John Moore with the 20th overall pick. This kid is a tank and will be a big part of the Flames future. The fact that he slipped to 20 is a shock to the Flames organization."


so there you have it, the first 20 teams predicted. Surprised David Runblad didn't chosen, while Moore going 20 is also a big surprise. Check Hockeyleaks.com tomorrow for my mock draft, where I post my first round predictions.

Team To Watch: Tampa Bay Lightning

So earlier tonight I read a tweet from Hockeybuzz blogger Jon Jordan (who will be featured in the first of two mock drafts, the first of which will be posted tomorrow) that the Lightning were not having a draft party, like they originally planned.

For those who are not aware, the Islanders are having a draft party and 10 000 + are expected to attend. When you have a chance at a guy like Hedman or Tavares, you have a draft party, so why is Tampa Bay avoiding this.

So curious, I ask Jon over twitter if this means that #2 pick is going elsewhere, and responds with..."or some other deal ... Hmm ... :) (bites tongue out of necessity)"

So loaded with that answer, I fire off an email to a good source of mine, and he responds with...

"I honestly believe Tampa will hold onto the second overall pick, but nothing is for sure. As far as the draft party being cancelled, whispers are that the team is simply avoiding a riot when the commish gets on stage and announces Lecavalier has been dealt, probably to the Canadiens, but there are at least three or four western teams showing interest as well"

We've heard rumours for months that Vinnie is on his way out, but after tonight I firmly believe Vincent Lecavalier has played his last game for the Tampa Bay Lightning. His no trade kicks in on July 1st, and I'd be surprised if he's still a member of the bolts beyond that.

Check Hockeyleaks.com tomorrow for our insider mock draft, where bloggers representing their own team will select the top twenty picks in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Then on Wednesday, I will post my mock draft of the entire first round and where i think 2009's top prospects will end up.

Sunday Night Rumours

The talk of Toronto talking to LA regarding #5 overall is very correct. The Kings are looking to dump that pick for a couple of players that can step right into the lineup, and Toronto has just that. Some rumours have the Leafs getting #5 without dealing #7.

Vinny to the Habs is looking more likely than ever. The Molson Brothers want to make a splash and they have put the pressure on Gainey to make something big happen during the draft. Whether it's Vinny or the Habs moving into the top 10, something big is going to happen for the Habs this weekend.

The latest on Heatley? San Jose is still the big favourite, but don't count out Chicago. I'm hearing the Blackhawks have put together quite the offer for the skilled winger.

Speaking of the Blackhawks, they are still trying to get Havlat re-signed, but the two sides are still a bit apart on both the term and the dollar amount.

The Flames could be major players at this weekends draft I've been told. I keep hearing one of the Flames big d-men could be on the move, but surely the Flames wouldn't trade Phaneuf, would they?

The Bruins don't want to qualify Kessel at the close to four million he's expecting, so he could be on the move this weekend or before July 1st. Colorado and Anaheim are two teams to watch there.

Sources tell me Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson is down to Toronto, Anaheim and Dallas.

While Giguere could end up in Toronto if the Monster falls through, Montreal could be in this too.

Finally, Jay Bouwmeester is still likely to Vancouver or Edmonton, but don't count out Toronto, Montreal and Colorado?

For all the latest, check out Hockeyleaks.com and our forums!

The Molson Canadiens

According to RDS, the Molson Brothers have offically purchased the Habs from George Gillettee. Many believe that Habs negotiations with their players were on hold until the sale, so hopefully this speeds things up in Montreal.

Speaking of Montreal, six days until the draft. I will be attending, and am looking for someone to help out. Basically this person would recieve texts from me during the draft and would report the rumours and news I have from the forums. If you are interested please email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com

Expect two mock drafts this week. One from me, one from Hockeyleaks, Hockeybuzz and other other bloggers from around the league, each representing a team they specialize in.

It looks all but certain Brent Sutter will join his brother in Calgary as the new coach. Expect that announcement Monday or Tuesday.

As far as New Jersey goes, look for one of Hartley or Lemaire to get that job.

On the trade front, it still looks like Heatley will end up in San Jose, but it's far from other. Several western teams, including Colorado and Minnesota, have offers still to come.

The rumours of the Islanders taking Duchene first overall baffle me. Sure the kid is good, but he's no Tavares or Hedman. Let's hope for Islanders fans (yes, there are some!) that these rumours are false.

Finally, how about our friend Eklund's rumour about the Sedins rights going to NYI? I don't believe it, but if it did happen, what a turn around the Islanders could be in for. I still think the Sedins will stay in Vancouver...

The Return of the Rumour Mill

Well kids, the cup has been handed out and now we head into silly season, where players will move from team to team and fans will renew their hopes and dreams of their favourite team hoisting the 2009-2010 Stanley Cup.

First, we start with Ottawa, who is shopping Heatley. A report came out today saying Heatley has interest in San Jose, and let me tell you, the feeling is mutual. The Sharks and Sens have held talks and it will be interesting to see how this happens. Heatley and Thornton would be a dynamic duo, but can the Sharks get Heatley without dealing big Joe? Talk is the deal could be a big one, with San Jose looking to dump Cheechoo, Marleau and possibly Clowe this summer. Don't be surprised if the Sens first round pick gets thrown into this to make this deal a big one.

The Canucks are still working hard to sign the Sedins, but nothing is close there as of yet. I'm hearing that if the Canucks lose the Sedins, they will use that money to lure Gaborik and one of Bouwmeester or Niedermayer to Vancouver. I'm hearing at this point that it's between Vancouver and Edmonton in the Bouwmeester race.

What about Toronto? Sundin coming back isn't out of the question, but Burke will only do so if he has the money remaining after he's done what he hopes to do. The Leafs have many players on their offseason radar including the Sedins, Komisarek, and Cammaleri. Expect Burke to be quite busy on the draft, with Kaberle the most likely current Leaf to be on the move. The Leafs and Tampa Bay continue to talk, but if talks fall through, the Leafs could move up to fifth by dealing with LA, a team very interested in dealing their pick for some veteran defensive help.

In Montreal, a good source told me to expect Koivu to head to Minnesota and join his brother. That same source told me he expects Komisarek and Kovalev to remain Habs.

In Anaheim, it will be an interesting summer for the Ducks. The rumoured Pronger for Johnson and the fifth overall pick deal isn't going to happen, Johnson's contract demands are just too high. The Ducks are looking to deal Giguere badly, and Toronto is the rumoured team that just won't go away. LA is another team, as is Edmonton.

We're hoping for a decision by judge Baum today about the future of the Phoenix Coyetes. While I have no inside information on the matter, I honestly believe Balsillie will pay whatever it takes to complete his dream. He's got corporate sponsors on board, I wouldn't be surprised if he offers some of them shares in the team for a little help at the start. The Hamilton Coyotes (I really like the name "SteelHawks") are still a very big possibility.

I'm about half done this mock draft, so please email me if you'd like to represent Buffalo...I've been stuck on Buffalo for several days, surely someone likes the Sabres?

Cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com if you want to get a hold of me!

Have a great monday!

Jacques Martin lands Habs coaching job

The Montreal Canadiens' coaching search is over, with the team signing former Ottawa Senators bench boss Jacques Martin to a contract. The move leaves the Florida Panthers in search of a new general manager.

Martin had little success in Ottawa and Florida, so the Habs, who are in a vulnerable state with their disappointing 100th season and a summer of uncertainty due to several big-name UFAs, are surprising me here.

I thought someone like Bob Hartley or Jacques Lemaire would have been a perfect choice for the Habs, but Martin is quite the shock to me.

What do you guys think?

Also, if you are a blogger for a certain team, please email me at cjohnon202@hockeyleaks.com as we are looking for representatives for our mock draft. It's a good way to get you and your blog some exposure!

Sunday Thoughts

I'm sitting here on a nice, sunny day in London and all I can think about is hockey.

Game one is in the books, and the Red Wings have a 1-0 lead in the series. The difference last night was Marc-Andre Fleury, who was nothing short of terrible. We've seen this kid choke before (WJC), but he really needs to shake last night's game and move on. Game two goes tonight, the Pens have no time to sit and reflect. Go back out there, fight hard, and tie that series up!

So many things I'd like to talk about right now, but let's just take one thing at a time.

We are heading into the summer of Mats Sundin II, except this time he won't be the best free agent available. Yes, Mats can still play; we saw that at the end of the Chicago series, but should he come back to the NHL he will be signed at half the price.

Sources tell me that the Canucks will not bring him back, and other sources tell me that should Sundin return, he may want to return to Toronto. Whether Burke wants him remains to be seen, and this could all revolve around how well Toronto does on June 26 and July 1st. If Burke has room, I think he'd welcome him back for a year, but if Burke is successful in landing the Sedins, Jay-Bo, Cammy, etc, then Sundin won't have a chance to finish his career in Toronto.

The Montreal Canadiens have one last chance to make a splash on their 100th season in Montreal, and I still believe they will pull the trigger on something massive at the Draft. Will it be Vinnie? That I don't know. For the Habs to offer Kovalev a contract with guarenteed captaincy, I am sort of doubting the Habs have Vinnie in their plans. Tampa Bay holds a lot of cards right now, as what they do will dictate what several other teams do. Tampa has the Vinnie card, the #2 card, and of coarse the rumoured "lets sell Malone and Prospal" card. I'm interested to see what Tampa does, because they really are the team most in control right now.

Speaking of the Habs, I believe letting Koivu go is a mistake. This guy has been such a big part of the Habs over the last ten years, it will be sad for many Habs fans to see him go. All money has him going to Minnesota, which will be nice for Wild fans, since it looks like Gaborik will be on his way out, maybe to Vancouver (depends on Sedins and if they leave or not).

Speaking of Vancouver, what do they do with Luongo? With one year left on his deal, there are strong rumblings that Luongo isn't interested in re-signing with the Canucks any time before next season. I think the team has to hang on to him, as dealing him would send the wrong message to their fans. The Canucks have to have a big offseason, build a solid team around Luongo, and convince him that Vancouver is his best chance to win a Stanley Cup.

If the cap does fall the $2-3 million that we're hearing, how do the Red Wings keep Hossa? I've been friends with forum member Brandon Allin too long to say Hossa is done as a Red Wing. Ken Holland is a genious, and if Ken wants Hossa back, and Hossa wants to stay, something will get worked out.

On the Penguins side, if Guerin does return for another NHL season, and there is no reason to think that he won't, how does he not stay in Pittsburgh? He's looked at home in a Pens uniform, and I think the two are a great fit for one another.

Finally, if you are an NHL GM, who are your top choices in this year's draft. We'll be doing a mock-draft closer to the draft (if you are a team blogger, please email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com, I have a fun concept I'd like to do for this year), but as of right now, I'm split between Tavares and Hedman. Both are going to be stars in this league, and I honestly believe Hedman is more NHL ready. As for Matt Duchene, I'm not sold on this kid. He'll be good, but not yet, his body just isn't there yet. If I'm picking 3,4,5, I'm looking at Schenn, Kane and Pjaarvi-Svensson.

That's all for me today, make sure to contact me if you're a team blogger and make sure to catch game two of the Stanley Cup Finals tonight!

Hockeyleaks.com Predicts:

I just wrote a long blog about who will win and why, and then it erased itself. I'll go into my reasons again when I have time, but for now, I'll just throw out my prediction:

Penguins in six!

Enjoy tonight's game!

Balsillie unveils new Copps plans

I just got an email from Jim Balsillie's people and with the email included a much bigger look at the "new Copps".

http://smr.newswire.ca/en/jim-balsillie/jim-balsillie-unveils-dramatic-revitalization-for-copps-coliseum

What do you guys think about these plans? Looking at this, I really don't see how the NHL can deny Jim this team. You've got a world-class arena, a guy who wants the team, and a city ready to support it.

Make It Seven Gary!

Coaching Catch-Up

I've been a little busy lately so I haven't been able to blog as much as I'd like to.

So the Oilers made headlines this week by hiring Quinn and Renney on as coaches. Brilliant move by a team that needs a good kick in the pants. I said all along Quinn would end up in Edmonton thanks to Tambo's loyalty to Quinn's attempt to bring him to Toronto several years ago. This coaching move tells me to expect some veteran UFA's to be brought in to Oil town, as Quinn has always loved working with the older players. Hopefully Quinn's days as the Leafs coach and Quinn's brief tenure as Canada's WJC coach will merge together to lead the Oilers into the playoffs next year.

Darryl Sutter saying he will coach the Flames isn't as sure of a thing as people like TSN are playing it off as. I still think Brent Sutter will be behind the bench in Calgary this October. Darryl said there was no coaches available that were better than himself, but for those not aware, Brent is still under contract by the Devils.

How about Roy burning the Avs by turning down both the GM and Coach roles in Denver. Sources tell Hockeyleaks.com that the Habs and Avs will now both battle over Hartley. Bringing Maurice back worked for Carolina, maybe Hartley in Colorado could work again. Interesting that Lacroix is once again the GM of the Avs...

Less than a month until the biggest draft the NHL will ever see. The Habs are set to turn some heads on their 100th aniversary. They missed their chance during the season, the draft on home court is their biggest chance. I still think Vinny becomes a Hab on June 26th. Imagine Gary B going to the podium and announcing that in front of the crowd of 1000s of Habs fans. It will almost be as big as a moment as when the Leafs draft John Tavares.

And finally, a stanley cup rematch? When was the last time that happened? I'm picking the Penguins, but thats another blog all in itself.

For all the latest, check hockeyleaks.com and our twitter: Hockeyleaks

Flames Drop The Axe On Keenan

Sources tell Hockeyleaks.com that the Calgary Flames have fired head coach Mike Keenan. This firing comes after the Flames failed to get past the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of this year's playoffs.

Steve Simmons gets it right

Read this article:

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Phoenix/2009/05/22/9535856-sun.html

while I very rarely agree with Mr. Simmons, he has this one exactly right. Destroy the coyotes, take them out of the league, give their players to the other 30 teams (I suggest a random lottery / draft process, giving all 30 teams equal chance at first pick), and then build a brand new team in southern ontario that would start play this fall.

If you were in charge of deciding this whole mess, how would you resolve it? email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com and I'll post your responses on the team bloggers blog

Habs / Leafs bloggers wanted

I am looking for really good writers to be my habs and leafs bloggers for http://hockey-leaks2.blogspot.com. Please email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com if you are interested!

Make sure to drop by our forums for all the latest hockey news and rumours. \

Have a great weekeend everyone, make sure to follow Hockeyleaks on twitter!

Round 3...Go!

So we have round three with a pair of what are sure to be classic series.

In the East, we have last year's Eastern Champions vs. the once again Cinderella Carolina Hurricanes.

Both of these teams underwent mid-season coaching changes, and both have been incredible since. Paul Maurice looks especially good, going from Zero in Toronto to once-again hero in Carolina.

This series also puts the two most offensive Staals against each other, with ultimate bragging rights on the line.

We'll start in net, where the easy edge goes to Carolina. Cam Ward is the reason Carolina is where they are, and while Fleury has been just good enough, Ward has been nothing but good.

On defense, the win once again goes to Carolina. Pitkanen has been brilliant, while his supporting cast has stepped it up when needed. The Pens defense has always been their weak point, and they're defenders just don't stand up to Carolinas.

On offense, the big win goes to Pittsburgh. They have the young superstars (Malkin, Crosby), the still-producing vets (Guerin, Sykora) and the role players (Staal, Dupuis, Fedotenko). Carolina's offense isn't to be overlooked, but I don't think there is any offense in the NHL, and especially the Eastern Conference, that can be compared to Pittsburgh.

In the West, we have a classic original six, divisional match up between Chicago and Detroit. Detroit, last year's cup champs, vs. a team that you can hardly remember their last playoff berth in Chicago.

In goal, I give the edge to Chicago. Both starting goalies have cup rings, and both have seen their careers rebound to an extent this season (more so Khabibulin, as Osgood has been brutal until the playoffs, when he's been lights out). I expect both to play very well, but both will face tests unlike any other offense they have faced thus far.

On defense, Detroit wins easily. Yes, Chicago has a great young d-corps, but Detroits got the experience and the talent to rank above any of the remaining defensive pairings.

On offense, I call it a draw. While Detroit may look like they have more fire power, Chicago's youth gives them speed and these kids seem to be getting better as the playoffs progress.

So who meets in the cup finals?

Hockeyleaks.com predicts:

Chicago in 7
Pittsburgh in 6

Blackhawks / Penguins cup finals

you heard it here first!

Big Night Ahead...

While last night's game was the conclusion of possibly the greatest series we'll see in this year's playoffs, that doesn't mean tonights games won't be HUGE.

First, Boston and Carolina have put on one hell of a show. The Canes surprised everyone and jumped out to a 3-1 series lead. Now, the Bruins surprised everyone and tied this thing up. The Bruins have all the momentum and are on home ice, but that doesn't mean Carolina is done. We saw this last round, and Carolina came out on top. The Hurricanes must be tired by this point, but they are not out of it. This game is on Cam Ward's shoulders, they'll win or lose due to the way Cam Ward plays.

In Detroit, the Ducks and Wings continue to prove they are two of the leagues best and most consistant teams, year after year. This series has been one of the tighest of this year's playoffs, with home ice being ever so important. Once again, this game, to me, is about the goaltending. Whoever the better goalie is, Ozzie or Hiller, will lead their team to victory.

So my prediction?

It's hard to bet against the Bruins and the Wings, so I'm not going to. Both will use home ice and momentum (Detroit has it due to the way Game six ended) and home ice to blast their way into their respective conference finals. With that said, both games could go either way and I really look forward to taking both in tonight. Here's hoping I get off work tonight in time to do so!

Make sure to check out http://hockey-leaks2.blogspot.com for the latest blogs on your favourite teams. If you are interested in contributing, please email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com.

Sevens Are Wild

Two notes:

1) sorry for the lack of updates the last week. Between moving, my neighbours digging into my cable lines, and the colonoscopy I had this morning, I've really been away for the computer this week.

2) I really need some new team bloggers, as well as the ones who have signed up to post more blogs. We really want to make this a big part of the site but we can't do it without you guys! Email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com if interested.

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As we hit the halfway point in Game Six of the Chicago/Vancouver game, the Canucks currently trail 2-1 in a must win game. I am hopeful they will pull the comeback off, as nothing is better than a game 7.

We are guarenteed one, with Pittsburgh and Washington playing theirs in Washington on Wednesday night.

Tomorrow, we will witness two HUGE game sixes, with Boston hoping to force a game seven back in Beantown, while Anaheim will look for some home-ice support to help them take the series back to Detroit for a seventh game.

We've yet to see a game seven go to overtime, and it really is about time. Can you imagine any of these four series going to a game seven, overtime situation (Washington/Pittsburgh, I'm looking at you).

Game sevens are one of the wonders of the world, and I can't wait until we get a couple in this round. One is guarenteed, don't be surprised if we see three by the end of tomorrow night.

Coyotes Better Off In Canada

First of all, sorry for the lack of updates this week. My new house is great, my neigbours, on the other hand, not so much. One decided to dig a big hole in their yard, cutting the cable lines, and bam, there goes my cable and internet for four days. I'm back though, so let's get to it.

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As you all know by now, Mr. Blackberry has put in an offer to buy the Phoenix Coyotes for a price that nobody is going to even come close to matching. This is the same Phoenix Coyotes team who is currently being kept alive by the NHL themselves and who is losing a boat-load of money on a daily basis.

So what is so wrong with the NHL moving this team that has clearly failed to Canada? You have a huge hockey fan who wants to own the team and make them a big deal. To do this, the team needs to move from Phoenix and what better place to put them than in Southern Ontario.

Gary B didn't freak out when Winterpeg moved to Phoenix or when the Nordiques moved to Colorado, so why the problem now? Canada deserves at least one more team, maybe more, and this is a perfect time to do it.

When the NHL is about to tank financially, resulting in the Salary Cap tanking along with it, why not inject some life and money into the league by moving a strugging, money losing team to a city where sell-outs are guarenteed and a top-ten money making tag guarenteed.

I understand that Phoenix doesn't want to lose their team, and that their fans will hurt because of the loss, but if the team had more fans that spent more money on their team, they wouldn't be in this situation. This is a team who has never spent up to the cap, who has never spent the necessary money to be really competitive, so why not let a new owner, who is richer than most NHL owners, take this team and turn it around.

I'd love to hear your opinions on this, especially if we have a die-hard Phoenix fan on our hands. I invite you to email me and I'd love you to write blogs during this time for http://hockey-leaks2.blogspot.com about the current Coyotes situation.

Naslund Retires / Leafs News / Emery Return?

After a weekend of moving / no internet I am back and better than ever. I finally have wireless internet for the first time in my life, I really don't know how I lived without it.

New York Rangers forward Marcus Naslund has retired from the NHL after 15 seasons. Naslund, 35, signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Rangers last offseason. Because Naslund was not 35 at the time of his contract signing, the Rangers will not be on the hook for the remaining $4.

The Leafs are closing in on signing Jonas Gustavsson. Gustavsson looked great against the Americans last week and the Leafs are very impressed. The Stars are still after him as well but at this point he is the Leafs to lose. He would be signed to an entry level deal, similar to the one Hanson and Bozak signed. If you have any doubts on the Leafs signing this guy, check out this quote from USA Today.

"You would never have seen a U.S. team dominate a Swedish team like we did for 50 minutes," coach Ron Wilson said by telephone. "Their goalie was unbelievable."

Swedish goaltender Jonas Gustavsson, a free agent who is drawing heavy attention from NHL scouts, made 39 saves.

"How many games do you see a goalie get the best player's award when he gave up five goals?" Wilson said.


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Ray Emery is getting a lot of interest, but the rumours of him going to the Flyers are premature. From what I've heard, the Flyers are going to persue J.S. Giguere in the off-season, and Emery would be a plan B or even a plan C. I could see a team like Calgary or San Jose, both of which either need a change in net or a goalie to push their #1, taking a chance on Emery.

Always looking for more team bloggers. Make sure to check out http://hockey-leaks2.blogspot.com for all the latest on your favourite teams. Email me if you want to join the team!

Round 2: Get it on!

What a second round the NHL has given us this year. Eight very deserving teams, four very wide open series. Well, almost. After a 6-2 first round, here is my stab at round two's winners.

East

(1) Boston vs. (6) Carolina

This is the only series where I'm pretty sure who will win. The Bruins are just too strong, while Carolina will be tired after a long seven game series with the Devils. Thomas will continue to stand on his head, while the youth in Boston will continue filling the net. Still, Ward will steal a game or two for the Canes, but it won't be enought

Bruins in 6

(2) Washington vs. (4) Pittsburgh

Ovechkin vs. Crosby; Bettman could not have wrote this one better. This should be the series of the round, and I have very high expectations for this one. Crosby and Ovechkin will play their best, and in the end it could come down to a coin toss. If you're Washington, you need more from Mike Green. In the end, I think the Penguins will take it, but will be punished severely along the way.

Penguins in 7.

West

(2) Detroit vs. (8) Anaheim

The Ducks look to go 2 for 2 in the upset department when they take on the defending cup champs. We've seen this before, and the results was a Ducks sweep. The Ducks won't sweep, but they will win the series. They say defense wins championships, and Ducks have the best top four in the NHL.

Ducks in 7

(3) Vancouver vs. (4) Chicago

What a series this should be. Luongo vs. Khabibulin. While both of these goalies are at the top of their games, it will be interesting to see how both fair against each others offenses, which are both rolling along. Look for Havlat to have a big series, but look for Luongo (and Alex Burrows) to have an ever bigger one.

Canucks in 7

So there we have it. There's the talk, now it's on to watching the games! I can't wait for these series to begin, and I won't have to as it all kicks off tonight.

Expect my next blog on Saturday or Sunday. I am moving, and the internet apparently won't be hooked up until Saturday. I'll keep my fingers crossed for tomorrow! For the latest in the meantime, check out the team bloggers section at http://hockey-leaks2.blogspot.com.

Players could pay the price

Last night we saw two of the season's early cup favourites eliminated in the first round. Both San Jose and Calgary had teams that on paper were cup contenders, but fell way short.

In Calgary, it's hard to imagine either Sutter or Keenan being let go after the first round exit. Both are well respected by ownership and have done a great job with this Flames team.

In San Jose, the coach is too new to be fired, and Doug Wilson, despite the team's playoff failures, has built a pretty solid team. Wilson's job is in trouble, but he may survive to see one more season.

The changes coming for both of these teams will likely come on the ice. In San Jose, it's not a stretch that Thornton could be gone by the start of next season. He has done little in the playoffs for a team that really needed him to step up.

Cheechoo has had back-to-back awful seasons, and it's really time for a change of scenery. If San Jose can trade Cheechoo this offseason, they will.

Nabokov struggled near the end of the season, and that carried over to the playoffs. While Nabokov would be an easy scapegoat, I don't see the Sharks moving him unless a Thornton or Cheechoo deal brought a starting goalie back in return.

In Calgary, Iginla and Kiprusoff did not perform to their expectations this postseason. Iginla is a staple in this franchise and isn't going anywhere, but sources tell me that Kiprusoff is not so save. The Flames are very high on Leland Irving, and now may be better than ever to throw him into the spotlight. The return for Kiprusoff would be extremely high, and such a deal would give the Flames more depth and possibly a more well-rounded team.

With the addition of Jokinen, Langkow could be let go in order to free up some cap space. Mike Cammalleri is all but gone to Calgary, and all but arriving in Toronto.

Bertuzzi re-signing is very up in the air, while I'm pretty sure Adrian Aucoin's Calgary career is over.

Look for a change to come on the blueline as well, with one of Sarich or Regehr being dumped.

It will be very interesting in San Jose and Calgary this summer to say the least, as both teams have fallen too short, too many times.

Brashear Suspended Six Games

The NHL has suspended Caps forward Donald Brashear for six games for incidents in game six of the Caps/Ranger series.

Six games is pretty huge, and this is a clear statement by the NHL to get this type of stuff out of the game. Remember, these are six potential playoff games (should the Caps win this series.) If the Caps are eliminated, the games will carry over until next season

Whats better than a game seven?

Game sevens are one of my favourite things on this planet. Nothing is more exciting than a winner-take-all atmosphere. In the NFL and march madness, every game is do or die, and for that reason I find their playoff format extremely exciting. On the other hand, anyone can win in the game of hockey and for that reason, the seven-game series idea is necessary.

When a game seven occurs in the NHL, it is because both teams are evenly matched. We are already assured two game sevens tomorrow, with New York/Washington and New Jersey/Carolina. Both series have been great, and I cannot wait to sit down and watch both of these tie-breakers.

Tonight we have two game sixes, and because I'm a fan of hockey in general, I'll be cheering for the Sharks and Flames. Four game sevens in the first round would be fantastic, but will it happen?


San Jose came in as their series favourite, and have looked much better over the last three games. Thornton has played much better than his previous playoff endevours, while Marleau and Boyle have looked great. The Ducks would love to close things out at home tonight, but I think the Sharks will steal one on the road and force the first round's third game seven.

As far as Calgary/Chicago, I just don't see this one lasting another game. While I predicted Calgary to win this game in seven, I don't see Calgary beating Chicago tonight. Yes the Flames are at home tonight, but they will be without Phaneuf which is a huge minus. Chicago looked too good last game, and they shoud close out the series tonight.

For the latest blogs on all your favourite NHL teams, make sure to check out http://hockey-leaks2.blogspot.com, which is our newest Hockeyleaks.com page. This features team bloggers from all around the league. We're always looking to add more, so email me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com for more details.

What a series loss would mean for San Jose

San Jose, the best team in the NHL this season, is on the brink of elimination. Not to put down the Ducks, because they are a great team with a lot of strengths, but San Jose should not be going out in the first round.

A first round exit would mean a lot of change in San Jose. First, you'd have to think Joe Thornton could be on his way out. This guy has not done a thing in the playoffs. Patrick Marleau has shown this year that the Sharks are his team, and I think a first round exit could very well mean the exit of Joe Thornton.

Cheechoo is another player who badly needs a change. This kid has shown that he can be a great NHLer, but his sub-30 point season means he likely will be with a new team in the fall. The Sharks will have trouble dumping his salary, but someone will take him I'm sure.

What about Nabokov? I'm sure he'll get Vezina consideration this year, but he has been nothing short of awful in these playoffs. Could a change of scenary be in his future as well?

And of coarse the big question: who will be making these changes? Doug Wilson has been the GM of San Jose for awhile now, and while he has led the team to great regular season success, he has always fallen short in the playoffs. It's not a stretch to believe a first round loss to the Ducks would mean the firing of Wilson.

While the Sharks are not out of it yet, it appears like it's only a matter of time. While it's going to be an interesting summer for a lot of NHL teams, the Sharks should be near the top of that list.

Montreal fans: look to the draft

I know how it feels Habs fans, the feeling of your teams season ending much before you think it should. As a Leafs fan, making the playoffs alone would feel like a Stanley Cup win at this point.

However, the draft is a time you should all be excited about. The centennial season can be seen as nothing short of a failure, and the Habs know the best way to fix this is at the draft. For those unaware, this year's NHL draft is in Montreal on June 26th. I have every intention of being there...

We've all heard the Lecavalier to Montreal rumours, but this morning I got wind of something a little bigger.

You see, the Habs are in an interesting situation as far as the draft is concerned. While most teams are still cash-strapped, the Habs have so many UFA/RFA players that they will be able to bring in a big name or two at the draft without fear of going over the cap.

If the Habs land a player like Vinnie, they simply let Koivu, Kovalev, or both go. Two guys talked about going to Tampa are RFA's Chris Higgins and Tomas Plekanek. Both are not seen as future parts of Montreal and will be traded if the opportunity presents itself.

As far as UFAs, aside from Koivu and Kovalev, there are a few other big names the Habs may losing. Komisarek is not likely to return to Montreal I've been told, while Schneider may return after he had such a good end of the year with the Habs.

So yes, we know the Habs are still trying to get Lecavalier, but thats not the only thing the Habs are looking to do.

Discussions I have heard today involve Colorado and their 3rd overall pick. Should a deal not happen to bring Lecavalier to Montreal, I am hearing Colorado and Montreal have held discussions to give Montreal the third overall pick. The deal would include Higgins, Montreal's pick (which I believe would be 15 or 16 overall), and a Montreal goalie? Halak? Price? I don't know, but one of them. There would one more player and one more draft pick going to Colorado, with possibly Colorado throwing in one smaller piece.

Montreal wants to make a splash at the draft simply to say "sorry" to their fans. This was a big year for the team, a year many thought was now or never. The Habs have every intention on telling their fans that never isn't an option, and that the Habs will be more competitive next year. The draft is their place to do that.

Tavares at Number Three?

The Redline Report released today has just about everyone baffled. While Hedman going to #1 was something that had been talked about over the past 12 months, the fact that Matt Duchene is now ranked #2 is just baffling.

Tavares has been "the prospect" for the past few years, and I still believe he will be selected at number one. While this will likely do nothing to lower Tavares' value, this should help the values of Hedman and Duchene.

Hedman has been questioned a lot over the last few months, and many have questioned whether he's the prospect we originally thought he was. This kid still has a super-star future ahead of him, and just because of his less-than-stellar performance at the world juniors, there is still no reason to think this kid won't be a top d-man in this league.

The interesting thing is Duchene, who is projected by most to go #3 to Colorado. What a great player this kid could be for the Avs, who need a top centre to replace Sakic, who has another year left in his career tops.

This is the deepest draft I can remember, and for any team to move into the top-three will be a challenge. It can be done, and it will be attempted, which just further makes this years draft the most anticipated in recent years. The fact that it's in Montreal, with them looking to respond from a soon-to-be first round exit, is another reason to book a trip to Montreal on June 26.

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How about tonight's games? The Penguins showed the NHL that they are still a top team in the NHL, while the Hurricanes watched a three goal lead disappear before winning the game with 0.2 seconds left. Finally, Detroit ruined Columbus' home playoff debut by giving them a thrashing.

As for the ones still remaining, the Blues have battled back from 0-2 to tie the game, though the Blues should be up 3-2 after the refs made an awful call.

The game of the night, however, will be San Jose/Anaheim, as it's a must-win for the conference winning Sharks. These Ducks look tough, and could put this series out of reach with a win today.

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make sure to check out our team bloggers link at http://hockey-leaks2.blogspot.com. We are still looking for bloggers for about half the teams, so shoot me an email if you are interested in writing for us.

Looking for Team Bloggers!

So I am going to set up a second blogspot account for 30 different bloggers to post on for Hockeyleaks.com. This will be under the Hockeyleaks.com name and simply act as a new section. I am looking for a blogger for each of the 30 teams, and at this moment all thirty teams are up for grabs. If you are interested in a position, send me a sample blog covering your team at the current moment. So if they are in the playoffs, talk about what they've done, if they are not, talk about the season that was or the offseason ahead. I want to launch this soon, so the sooner I fill the spots the better.

Email submissions to cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com :)

How about those Ducks?

The Anaheim Ducks may have been this year's trade deadline winners (which I will actually take a look at in a future blog, likely following the first round).

Rumours surrounded this team, with the likes of Marchant, Pronger, Niedermayer and Giguere all apparently available for the right price.

The deadline passed, all four remained Ducks, and the Ducks have barely lost a game since. The team, seeded #8, leads top seeded San Jose two games to none, and looks to have a strangle-hold on the series as they head back to the Honda Centre for games three and four.

Niedermayer and Pronger have been 1a and 1b as far as defensemen in this year's playoffs go. Both have looked like they're in their prime, and they very well could be.

Marchant is the biggest surprise, as he's playing over 20-minutes a night and playing a role nobody could have seen him playing at the deadline.

Giguere, while being on the bench, is offering support and is breathing down Hiller's neck should he faulter. Just his presence is making Jonas Hiller a better goalie, and how good has he been.

San Jose still has a chance, but these Ducks will be tough for anyone to beat. A Detroit/San Jose second round match-up looks likely, and how much fun would that be. You know Detroit is still upset about a couple years ago, what a series to look forward to.

As for tonight's games, Montreal and Boston are currently tied at 1-1, while Washington has a 2-0 lead over NYR. If you follow on twitter (Hockeyleaks), you would know Hockeyleaks.com predicted Washington, Montreal and Calgary wins tonight.

Stay tuned to this blog, Hockeyleaks.com and the Hockeyleaks twitter for all the latest

Douggy R, Burke's Quest, and more!

Hello everybody!

As you all know by now, Doug Risebrough was let go by the Minnesota Wild. Do not expect this guy to be out of work long.

Sources tell Hockeyleaks.com that both Edmonton and Atlanta are very interested in Risebrough. Both teams have failed to make expectations over the past few years and change is needed. Risebrough is one of the top GMs in the league and he could do wonders for both of these teams. Risebrough however is expected to wait to see which first-round playoff failures will make management changes following their eliminations.

How about Brian Burke's quest for Johnny T? The rumoured deals are as follows.

Toronto would move their first round pick (7th overall), both their 2nd round picks, and one unnamed prospect for Tampa Bay's 2nd overall pick and some salary. What could that salary be? Ryan Malone and Vaclav Prospal are two guys Tampa wants to dump.

As for the current games, do not be surprised if Anaheim upsets San Jose. These Ducks are on a mission and have the experience to do some damage in this years playoffs. Scott Niedermayer showed just how great he still can be last night.

Tough loss for the Habs last night. A first-round exit during this centennial would certainly mean big changes in Montreal. How safe is Gainey? With a guy like Risebrough (who remember, the Leafs had on their short list, along with Burke, Regier and Holland), you have to wonder if a team like Montreal would dump their current GM for Risebrough.

Big game for Carolina tonight, if they fall 2-0 to New Jersey they likely would not be able to climb out of that hole.

Most excited for Vancouver/St. Louis tonight, as this series has potential to be the best one in the opening round. Game one was good, but this series still has a lot of room to get a lot better.

Check Hockeyleaks.com for the latest playoff news, stats and standings!