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!

First Round Predictions

Every year I make predictions and not to brag, but I have a pretty good track record. Last year I went seven for eight in the first round, while in 2007 I was a perfect 8-8. Let us see what 2009 brings!

East

(1) Boston vs. (8) Montreal
- How sad is it to see the Habs in 8th during their 100th year. The Habs will battle hard, but their goaltending is too iffy and their offense is too spotty. The Bruins are solid front to back and will be a tough team to beat. Bruins in six.

(2) Washington vs. (7) NYR
- How can you bet against a team with Mike Green and Alex Ovechkin on it? I can't, especially in the first round. The Rangers will put up a better fight than most think, but will come up short. Capitals in six.

(3) New Jersey vs. Carolina (6)
- The Hurricanes have been one of the hottest teams over the last couple months, and I don't expect them to cool down. I'm not sold Brodeur is 100% and I think the Devils struggles will continue right into the playoffs. Carolina takes this in seven.

(4) Pittsburgh vs. (5) Philadelphia
- If Carolina is hot, than Pittsburgh is molton lava. The Penguins are a force in this league and will easily get past the Flyers. Philly has the offense but their defense and goaltending will be their weak points. Penguins in five.

West

(1) San Jose vs. (8) Anaheim
- This series has potential to get ugly. Both teams have been two of the league's best over the past five years. The Ducks will beat San Jose up, but in the end won't get past them. They will put up a fight. Sharks in six.

(2) Detroit vs. (7) Columbus
- The Blue Jackets finally make the playoffs, only to get stuck against the defending cup champs. The Red Wings are not going to lose to the Blue Jackets, but because of their weak goaltending, it'll take them seven games to get out of this series. Red Wings in seven.

(3) Vancouver vs. (6) St. Louis
- You all have no idea how bad I want to pick St. Louis in this series, but I can't. Mason has been so hot as of late, and the Blues could have Kariya back for this series. With that said, Sundin will play like a man possessed, and Luongo is too hard to bet against. Canucks in seven.

(4) Chicago vs. (5) Calgary
- Probably will be the best first round series. Calgary put so much effort into the trade deadline that a first round exit will not be acceptable. The Blackhawks will have a lot of guys playing in their first playoff series, which will hurt them. They'll give the Flames a big challenge, but the Flames will move onto the second round, setting up San Jose vs. Calgary for the second straight year. Flames in seven.


So there you have it. What do you think, I'd love your feedback. Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest playoff news, stats and updates.

Prospect Watch

Just a few quick hits on a few young players that a lot of teams have their eyes on.

Matt Gilroy is a NCAA champion, and a UFA. I am hearing it's between Toronto, Montreal, Philly and Boston. He is expected to make a decision by Wednesday.

As far as goaltending prospect, Jonas Gustavsson, I am hearing he is all but a Toronto Maple Leaf. Burke met with his agent this past weekend and will meet with him again following the World Championships. Gustavsson cannot sign with a team until the completion of the World Championships, so do not expect closure on this one any time soon. Dallas is still interested but the Leafs are the heavy favourites.

Check the blog tomorrow, as I will make my first round playoff predictions!

Leafs Sign Bozak

The toronto maple leafs have signed forward Tyler Bozak to a multi-year deal.

Great news for Leafs fans, this guy is a better version of Brunnstrom, already used to North American ice.

April Fools!

So I can't take the guilt anymore and I'm giving in. I've received close to 20 emails over the last 10 hours saying thanks for the good times and wishing me luck in my future.

Yes: I will be going to the Hockey News in 2010, but in no way does that mean Hockeyleaks.com is close to the end.

Hockeyleaks.com is not going anywhere, in fact, we are set to improve even further.

Heading to July 1st, we hope to make many improvements on the site. I want to integrate social networking into Hockeyleaks, with more use of Twitter and similar applications to make sure you are all up to date on everything hockey.

We also plan on heading to the draft this year to cover the event live, with live updates and hopefully interviews with some great hockey people.

Finally, July 1st will be done bigger than ever before, bigger than any draft, deadline or July 1st we've ever done in the past.

Thanks for all your well wishes, but I'm pleased to say that Hockeyleaks.com is not going anywhere and will be here for years to come.

Happy April Fools everyone, have a great day.

Also, remember to add Hockeyleaks on twitter... username: Hockeyleaks

All Good Things...

With the NHL season winding down, that is not all there is to be sad about.

It is my sincere regret to notify you all that after four years of great accomplishments, success, and fun, Hockeyleaks.com will be shutting down.

As many of you have heard, I will be interning at the Hockey News starting in January of 2010, and I feel that it is best if I put my efforts fully into that. I just do not have the time I have had in the past to keep up to date with the site and the people that go there.

Thank you to everyone over the years who has visited Hockeyleaks.com and made it what it is today.

Like they say, all good things must come to end, and this website appears to have run it's coarse.

Thanks again everyone, it's been a blast.

A Much Needed Update

Hockeyleaks.com has been updated. It's been forever, but I got a new laptop and it's taken me awhile to transfer all the files and software I needed over. It's done and updates should be a regular thing. With 8-10 games left per team, it's time to make one last stab at final predictions...so here we go!

East

1. Boston
2. Washington
3. NJ
4. Philadelphia
5. Pittsburgh
6. NYR
7. Carolina
8. Montreal
9. Florida
10. Ottawa
11. Toronto
12. Buffalo
13. Atlanta
14. Tampa Bay
15. NYI

West

1. San Jose
2. Detroit
3. Calgary
4. Vancovuer
5. Chicago
6. Columbus
7. Edmonton
8. Minnesota
9. Anaheim
10. St. Louis
11. Nashville
12. Dallas
13. LA
14. Phoenix
15. Colorado


What are your predictions?

Wrap Up!

First of all I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who came to the site today! We had over 350 people in the chat at one point, it was great talking to everyone.

Hockeyleaks.com beat Hockeybuzz on every single transaction today, and we're free! The longer I do this, the more fun it gets for me and I think the better we get as a whole. This was fun, I cannot wait until July 1st when we will do this all again, bigger and better.

My Thoughts? I am disappointed we didn't see names like Bouwmeester, Pronger, or Kaberle moved, but in the end it was still a very entertaining day.

The Winners?

My winner of the day is Phoenix. They didn't give up anything they couldn't afford to lose, but get a ton of draft picks and young talent that will keep this team competitive for years to come. The Coyotes were almost playoff-bound this year and I think they'll be back in the playoffs next season. Great deay for Phoenix.

Calgary also did a great job. They wanted a D-man and a center, and they got A-Level players in both categories without giving up too much. Great day for Sutter and the Flames.

I will say Edmonton had a great day as well, as getting O'Sullivan and Kotalik for Erik Cole I believe is an awesome trade for a guy that was going to leave anyways.

The Losers?

Montreal couldn't afford to stand pat, and they did. This is a team I think will be a first round exit, let's see if they can prove me wrong.

Philly. This team was in on big name players, and instead got Kyle McLaren (over-paid, over-valued) and Carcillo. Carcillo gives them great, but honestly, I would have preferred the 2nd and Upshall. From what I've read, Flyers fans agree.

What this means?

The East is going to be a lot of fun these last 20 games. I don't think Buffalo did enough to stay in the playoffs, and I think the Rangers needed to do more. Boston could really have used to make a move, and this could hurt them in the playoffs. I think Detroit needed a goalie. I'm pleased with San Jose adding grit.

I'm going to take a few hours to digest this all, and then make my season-ending predictions based on today's moves. Check for that around 10 pm tonight.

Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate all of your support, can't wait to do it again!

Hockeyleaks.com Trade Deadline Coverage

We have been in chat for the last two hours. Make sure to stay on hockeyleaks.com, the chat and the forums for all the latest. Features we have:

Breaking news as it happens
A sportsnet vs. tsn scoreboard
breaking rumours
and much more...

I will be in chat and on the site from 8 am - 5 pm, excluding 1:30-2:30 where I have an un-missable commitment. That said, Hockeyleaks.com staff members Yick and TJ will be in chat and on the site updating and getting the latest from myself and other sources.

Today should be fun, let's do this!

Prediction Fun

For those who haven't noticed, the site has been back to fully working since about 11 am this morning...

now, bold predictions. These are not rumours or hearsay, these are just my guesses to what Wednesday could look like. For the latest rumours check the rumour mill and the blueprint...

now for the fun

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To Boston: Thomas Kaberle
To Toronto: Phil Kessel and a 1st

I am hearing the Bruins feel Colborne has potential to be the next Thornton. This is a team who has lost a Thornton already, and won't lose another. Kessel has been hot/cold this year (I blame his mono) but the fact is he's been replaced by Wheeler as the teams best young player. The Bruins choose Kaberle over Pronger and JayBo simply because he's the easiest to fit under the cap.

To Montreal: Chris Pronger
To Anaheim: Higgins, Subban and a 1st

Chris Pronger is a perfect fit for Montreal, plus he will replace Komi who isn't likely to re-sign with Montreal. As far as Anaheim goes, they get younger and in the long-term, better.

To Calgary: Ryan Smyth
To Colorado: Leland Irving, 1st round draft pick

Despite the rumours, Ryan Smyth would move on if he had to, and Calgary would be right at the top of his list...right beside Vancouver. Irving would give Colorado a hope for the future in net.

To Montreal: Milan Hejduk
To Colorado: 2nd round pick, Matt D'Agostini

This is Montreals 100th season, they will add both a top d-man and a suitable forward. Hejduk has had good success with Tanguay, and would be a great fit in Montreal.

To Columbus: Nik Antropov, Mike Van Ryn
To Toronto: 1st Round Pick, 2nd round pick, 6th round pick

The Leafs want Columbus' first round pick, but will have to spice up their Antropov deal to get it. Columbus would love a puck moving d-man or two, Van Ryn would be a good pick up for them.

To Chicago: Olli Jokinen
To Phoenix: Duncan Keith, 3rd round pick

Chicago gets the center they badly need, while Phoenix gets some much needed defense.

To Vancouver: Alexei Ponikarovsky, Ian White
To Toronto: 2nd round pick, Alex Burrows

Vancouver gets another scoring winger in Ponikarovsky, who is locked up beyond this season, plus a puck-moving d-man who will be an RFA. The Leafs get a 2nd round pick, which they badly want, plus Burrows, who Burke is high on. Burrows is a UFA, but Burke would like a head start on signing him now.

To Buffalo: Daniel Briere
To Philly: 1st round pick, Nathan Gerbe

Philly will free up cap space they've lacked for several years, while Buffalo will get a player they wish they never let go.

To Philly: Ed Jovanovki
To Phoenix: Ryan Parent, 1st round pick

Phoenix sheds cash, while Phoenix grabs that big d-man they are so hot for.

To Vancouver: Jay Bouwmeester
To Florida: Michael Grabner, Matthias Ohlund, 1st round pick

Vancouver gets the best d-man on the market, while Florida gets a d-man to keep them competitive, as well as building blocks for the future.


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so there you have it, feel free to comment on these "deals" in the forums!

We're Back!

After about 14 hours of troubleshooting, re-writing php scripts and a lot of hair being pulled out, Hockeyleaks.com is back!

and I dare say better than ever, as we have upgraded our forums to be more stable as well as containing for features.

Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com over the next few days as rumours will be updated several times a day and we will break the deals as they happen!

Site Down

After attempting to upgrade to a newer version of our forum, the whole site has crashed!

I am in the process of deleting/re-installing the forum, and hopefully when that is done the site will fix it-self.

Stay tuned to the blog for all the latest.

End in sight for Guerin deal

Just got word from a very respected source that Bill Guerin is all but a Philadelphia Flyer. While I cannot confirm this, the source says the Flyers lack the cap room to complete this deal, especially with the activation of Briere over the last 24 hours. It will be interesting to see how the Flyers make this happen. Flyers are still MAJOR players for a puck moving d-man as well. Kaberle, Pronger and Bouwmeester are all on their radar.

Things are really heating up...here are rumours from this mornings rumour mill.

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- Kaberle may in fact be the most-wanted player at this years deadline. He is cheaper than Bouwmeester and Pronger, with a longer remaining contract term than both. Recent rumours for Kaberle include:

Kaberle to Boston for Colborne, a 1st and a 3rd, Kaberle to Boston for Kessel and a 1st, Kaberle to Montreal for Higgins and Subban, Kaberle to Philly for Upshall, Van Riemsdyk and a 1st.

- The Dallas Stars are apparently shopping Brad Richards and Mike Ribeiro

- The Blue Jackets continue to pursue Antropov, but are unwilling to give their 1st rounder up unless the Leafs include a player such as Ian White.

- Minnesota is looking likely to deal Backstrom at the deadline. Washington is apparently the front runner.

- The Bruins, Flyers, Leafs and Sens are all interested in Pronger today, with the first two teams trying to get creative and fit the big d-man under the cap. Kaberle is a smarter solution for them

- Jamal Mayers has asked for a trade fromt Toronto if one can be arranged.

- Blue Jackets like Kuba.

- The LA Kings are trying to get Ryan Smyth out of Colorado.

- The Leafs are likely to deal Moore as his contract demands are quite high. One rumour suggests Moore and Blake could be offered as a package.

- The Flyers would like to deal Briere, but nobody with cap space has shown interest at this point.

- The Rangers would move Scott Gomez if they get the chance.

--

Chat tonight at 10 PM EST

Canucks make play for Bouwmeester

The Canucks really believe this could be there year, and they'd love to add Jay Bouwmeester and make him part of what they hope will be a Stanley Cup run.

Sources today have told me that the Canucks have offered a 1st round pick, Michael Grabner (he's been called up to showcase, at least three teams have interest, Vancouver and Toronto are two of them) and Matthias Ohlund. The Panthers like pieces of this deal, but talks are far from over.

The Canucks also continue to talk to the Wild about Gaborik, but nothing is close on that front.

For those who havent been on the site today, the Pens dealt Ryan Whitney to Anaheim for Kunitz and Tangradi.

If Whitney is worth a top-six forward and Anaheim's 2nd best prospect, you have to wonder what Bouwmeester, Kaberle, Pronger and Niedermayer could attract.

Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest.

Chat Tonight

There will be a chat tonight at 10 PM EST, don't miss it. I will start with doing a Q&A. Things are heating up, just one week until the deadline is here!

Make sure to check out Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest.

For Twitter updates, make sure to follow me, Cjohnson202

Rangers fire Renney

As first speculated in the Hockeyleaks.com chat last night, Tom Renney has been fired by the New York Rangers.

Sources tell Hockeyleaks.com that John Torterella is in the running to replace Renney.

Trade!

The Ottawa Senators have traded San Jose's 1st overall pick (acquired in the meszaros deal) and Dean McAmmond to NYI for Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli.

Introducing: The Blueprint

Hockeyleaks.com has changed a little today, you will notice some differences on our Nav Bar.

First, The Blueprint.

Yes, this is total rip-off of Eklund's chart, but it's done 100% by me, and I promise it to be more accurate than Eklund's. This is also free, which is $20 cheaper than the garbage Eklund puts out. Go to Hockeyleaks.com and click on "The Blueprint" to access it. It will be updated daily, so check back often.

Second, Chat.

The Chat returns. The chat will only be open when I hold chats, so check the forums and blog often to see when the next chat will be.

Feel free to comment on these features and let me know what you think.

Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest.

The Latest

First off, I just want to say how much fun I had with you all last night in the chat. Between 10:30-2 am last night there was a constant group of about 50 that just chatted about this Habs situation. We learned about it together and it was really a lot of fun. Thanks to everyone that came out.

Hockeyleaks was one of the first on this story, and what a story it has turned out to be. By now, I'm sure you all know the details, but I will say this, I'm hearing this could just be the start. There is more to come out I've been told, and the "more" involves even higher profile Habs. We'll see what materializes, but this could just be be the begininning.

Here are the trade rumours for today:


- Bob Gainey has admitted that the Lightning have contacted him regarding Lecavalier, and that Subban, Higgins, and Gorges were players Tampa had interest in. I'm hearing the Habs are really shopping Higgins right now.

- Sean Avery is close to re-joining the New York Rangers, this is going to happen.

- The rumours that the Leafs are close to making a trade do have some substance. Chicago, Boston and Columbus are the three teams the Leafs have been talking to the most as of late.

- The Penguins have apparently made a significant offer for Ryan Smyth.

- Staying with the Avs, the Bruins are big Jordan Leopold fans and these talks are making progress.

---

Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com today, I am going to be making my own "Chart"...take that Eklund

Habs Massacre Coming

This is a HUGE story right now...

La Presse's tomorrow edition will release a story and photos of certain Habs players with unacceptable behaviour in the Montreal night life.

Several sources are telling me that this will put the Kovalev story to the background, and this will seriously damage the Habs as a team.

One source told me, "this will make the Ryan O'Byrne purse stealing incident look like a joke"...

This information is expected to leak around midnight eastern tonight.

I will be in the chat all night till 12:30 - 1 am Eastern, so make sure to stop by to discuss this. This is going to be big....stay tuned.

You heard this scoop here first...

Hockeyleaks Timeline + Chat Now

First, chat now for awhile...http://www.hockeyleaks.com/chat.html

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Couldnt go back all the way because our original blog is blocked...but...

Oct. 28, 2005 - http://web.archive.org/web/20051028001310/http://hockey-leaks.blogspot.com/

Dec 1, 2005 - http://web.archive.org/web/20051201015459/http://hockeyleaks.com/

Jan 1, 2006 - http://web.archive.org/web/20060102182120/hockeyleaks.conforums.com/

Mar 5, 2006 - http://web.archive.org/web/20060305103809/http://www.hockeyleaks.com/

July 5, 2006 - http://web.archive.org/web/20060715113920/http://hockeyleaks.com/

Aug 15, 2006 - http://web.archive.org/web/20061107164305/www.hockeyleaks.com/forums/

Jan 1, 2007 - http://web.archive.org/web/20070104075605/http://hockeyleaks.com/

July 15, 2007 - http://web.archive.org/web/20070219094531rn_1/www.hockeyleaks.com/forum2/

July 16, 2007 - http://web.archive.org/web/20070716174147/http://hockey-leaks.blogspot.com/

Feb. 19, 2009 - http://www.hockeyleaks.com

Feb. 19, 2009 - http://hockey-leaks.blogspot.com

Feb. 19, 2009 - http://www.hockeyleaks.com/forum2/index.php


talk about progression...

Rumour Blitz

Here are your rumours for Feb. 19:

- The Ducks continue to free fall in the standings, and they've still played a few more games than everyone else. It looks very likely that Scott Niedermayer will be dealt back to the Devils. It also looks like Chris Pronger could be headed East, and that Eastern could be, wait for it...The Habs.

- Phoenix now finds themselves last in the West, meaning bodies are about to fly. Derrick Morris is a target of the Buffalo Sabres, while Olli Jokinen is the target of many. Jokinen could find himself with the Flames or Sens when all is said and done.


- The Leafs continue to shop Antropov, and a 1st round pick is what is required to bring him in. Seems steep? Consider that Antropov is on pace for more points than any other forward available in this year's deadline. Rumours like yesterday's Leafs/Pens ones (Antro for Whitney, Antro for Gogli and a 1st) are not far-fetched, this is the type of the return Burke expects.

- The Flyers and Thrashers are talking about a deal that would send Kari Lehtonen to the Flyers for James Van Riemsdyk. Honestly, I feel the Flyers would be overpaying, and I wonder if teams like Minnesota (Backstrom), Toronto (Toskala), Anaheim (Giguere) and Montreal (Halak) may get involved in this.

- Speaking of Backstrom, I'm hearing it's very likely he is traded. Minnesota is set to go with Josh Harding in net, and is pretty confident at this point that Backstrom will not re-sign with the club. The Leafs are planning on going after him on July 1, it will be interesting to see if they make a move for him at the deadline.

- Jay Bouwmeester is very available, and the shopping of him will be stepped up starting next week. The Panthers will make one final contract offer to him in the next seven days, and if he doesn't accept then he's gone. The Panthers are too far along in their rebuild to let Jay-Bo walk for free. If he's not signed, he will be traded. The Oilers are still leading this, don't count out those Flyers, who may blow the Panthers away with an offer.

- Ryan Smyth is out there for the taking, and yes, Montreal is in on him. However, at this point, I am hearing that it's a Western team that has the early (and I mean very early, this is going down to the deadline) lead. That team? Calgary.

- The Rangers are once again pushing to acquire Jovanovski.

- Nashville defenseman Ville Koistinen has requested a trade out of Nashville.

Stay tuned for Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest. Thanks to all to came out for the chat last night, it was fun. Check the blog and forums often for an update on when the next chat will be held.

Hockeyleaks.com Chat Now

I am testing out a chat-client right now, in hopes of making chats a regular thing as we head towards the deadline. Please join me right now, and ask some questions regarding the deadline. I have several rumours to discuss!

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

Kovalev Done As A Hab?

Reports are flying right now that Alex Kovalev has played his last game as a Montreal Canadien. Gainey is heavily shopping him, though it is important to remember that Kovalev does have a no-trade in his contract. Kovalev will be a UFA at season's end, so it appears he will be dealt as a rental player. This, however, is just the start.

Losing Kovalev will hurt the Habs up front, as he was and still is expected to be a large part of their offense. We'll start with Kovalev, and where he could end up.

I'm hearing Pittsburgh has already spoken to Montreal about Kovalev, but will not include their first round pick at this point, which is what Montreal is asking. The Pens have bigger things on the go (Kovalchuk, Gaborik for starters) and are not willing to trade major assets for Kovalev.

While Pittsburgh has interest, it's unlikely as Gainey wants to move Kovalev to the West. It should be noted that Kovalev will not waive unless it's to a contender, as if not he'd rather stay in Montreal. So who in the West has interest?

The Canucks, for starters. I am hearing a deal could be in the works that sends a draft pick and a defenseman to Montreal for Kovalev.

Other teams in the early running? Minnesota, Dallas, and surprisingly, Chicago.

Expect Kovalev to be dealt sooner rather than later. Things are not on good terms, and Gainey wants this distraction dealt with ASAP.

But what could this lead to? It is no secret that Montreal still wants Vinny, and this could be a a major piece to that puzzle, just like Schnieder was. A deal was close between Montreal and TB near the deadline, but T-Bay wanted one of Markov or Komisarek, and that wasn't happening. With Schnieder a Hab, and possible d-man coming from Vancouver, the Habs suddenly have the ability to let one of Markov and Komisarek go.

It's Montreal's 100th season, and things should really turn up right about....now.

Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest

Let The Games Begin!

The first deadline-ish trade has occured!

The Atlanta Thrashers have traded defenseman Mathieu Schneider to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for second and third round draft picks.

Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest

Duck Sale?

Speaking to several people around the league, there is a growing consensus that the Ducks will indeed be sellers this deadline. This is a team with a lot of the right parts in place, but work needs to be done. They don't need a rebuild, simply an off-season to make things right. I am hearing contracts could be dealt at the deadline, with the replacements coming in during the off-season, younger and possibly cheaper. Here is some of what I am hearing regarding the Ducks:

J.S. Giguere could be on his way out, and yes I've been reporting this for almost a month now. The Leafs, Flyers and Capitals are the three teams I'm hearing, while Colorado is also slightly in on this. The Ducks are looking for defense in a big way, as Niedermayer and Beauchemin are both UFA's on July 1. The Leafs have Kaberle and Kubina to offer up, while the others fall short on top-quality defensemen they can afford to lose.

Scott Niedermayer is almost likely to be dealt, with New Jersey the one realistic destination for him.

Chris Pronger is iffy, as he has one year left on his deal. If the Ducks could get a top-quality guy from say the Leafs (Kaberle, Kubina) or Devils (Paul Martin), then Pronger would become a major tradeable player. But who is in on him? The Bruins are very in on this, but would struggle to make cap room available (though trading Manny Fernandez would go a long way). Aside from the Bruins, the Penguins would love Pronger and may have the tradebait to bring him in.

Todd Marchant will be looked to be dumped by the Ducks, but will not bring in that large of a return.

Here are today's other rumours from around the league...

Tomas Kaberle will be traded at the trade deadline, and has accepted this. He will submit his list of ten teams he'd be willing to go to this week. Kubina is in a similar process right now.

The Canucks are still talking to the Wild about acquiring Marian Gaborik. Pittsburgh and Ottawa are still involved in these talks as well.

The Avalanche are apparently shopping Ryan Smyth in hopes of bringing in a #1 Goaltender.

The Denver Post suggests the Avs have serious interest in Jaroslav Halak, but Hockeyleaks.com does not believe Halak will be dealt, due to the struggles of Carey Price.

The Sabres have a large interest in Phoenix's Derrick Morris.

For all the latest, make sure to check Hockeyleaks.com several times a day!

Projected Standings, Part One

It's a slow day today, so I'm going to take a stab at predicting the final standings of this season. This will be revised several times before we hit the end. Feel free to stop by the forums and comment on my predictions.

Eastern Conference


1. Boston
2. New Jersey
3. Washington
4. Philadelphia
5. New York Rangers
6. Montreal
7. Buffalo
8. Pittsburgh
9. Florida
10. Carolina
11. Tampa Bay
12. Ottawa
13. Toronto
14. Atlanta
15. New York Islanders


Western Conference

1. San Jose
2. Detroit
3. Calgary
4. Chicago
5. Vancouver
6. Dallas
7. Edmonton
8. Minnesota
9. Anaheim
10. Columbus
11. St. Louis
12. LA
13. Phoenix
14. Colorado
15. Nashville

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Rumours!

The bruins really like Jordan Leopold, who has yet to really perform up to expectations in Colorado.

The Flames and Leafs have interest in Columbus defenseman Klesla, but he's an injury hazzard and will likely not be moved until the off-season.

The Blue Jackets and Canucks both have interest in Tampa Bay's Prospal

The Sharks have discussed moving Jonathan Cheechoo, with Tampa Bay and Minnesota being possible destinations.

Despite denying trade rumours, Chris Pronger could still be dealt. Washington is really interested in him.

Things are heating up

Las Vegas Sports Betting Rules

With less than a month until the trade deadline, things around the NHL are really heating up.

The Leafs are very active on the markets right now, getting an idea of exactly what there players are worth. Poni, Antropov, Kaberle and Moore are apparently the four most-wanted Leafs, while Blake, Kubina, Toskala, and Ian White could all be moved for the right price.

Sticking with the Leafs, the team have held internal discussions involving Ray Emery. Emery is currently not in Russia, and refuses to return until they pay him, something the KHL hasn't been doing properly all season.

Final Leaf note of the day? Rumours continue that Burke will have interest in the Sedins should they hit the open market on July 1st.

Moving along, the Ducks are said to be quietly shopping their "big 3" defenseman. The Devils apparently like Niedermayer, while the Habs have interest in Francois B. As for Pronger, I'm hearing Washington is really poking around this one.

Columbus has held several discussions with the Islanders involving Witt and one of their forwards, I'm hearing Comrie.

Bouwmeester is still most-likely to Edmonton. For the Oilers to get him this season, it would cost them a package involving one of Sam Gagner or Andrew Cogliano.

Steve Mason has been placed on the IR, leaving the BJ's very shallow in goal for the next week to ten days. Reports have Columbus asking the Blues about Manny Legace.

Crosby is causing a stink in Pittsburgh, wanting a top-notch linemate to play with. No names available at this point, but Ryan Whitney could be sacrificed to bring in such a player

Rookie Madness

This year it has amazed me at how many great rookies the NHL has seen. In past years, we've always had a good idea about who would take home the Calder Trophy. First it was a toss-up between Crosby and Ovechkin, then it was Malkin, and last year it was Kane. This year, I honestly believe it's anyones game.

Steve Mason leads the pack, with seven shutouts and MVP type play for for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Should this team make the playoffs, it's his fault.

Bobby Ryan has 17 goals and has really blossomed into something special. He will get his share of votes, and will be a strong contender should he keep up his recent play.

Blake Wheeler is third in rookies in scoring with 33 points, while he leads the league with a +32. He cannot be overlooked.

Finally, Kris Versteeg has come out of nowhere and leads all rookies with 38 points. Chicago is going to be really good for many years to come.

Make sure to drop by the question of the day section to cast your vote on who should be the rookie of the year to this point.

Sports Betting odds


Rumours:

Sean Avery to the Rangers rumours are heating up again. The Rangers would love his grit, and there is no question that Avery really brought a lot to the Rangers last season.

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs continue to talk trade, with Columbus having serious interest in Antropov and a puck moving defenseman. The Leafs are said to be very interested in prying Filatov from Columbus.

The Calgary Flames are said to have interest in Montreal's Chris Higgins, as do the Avalanche.

LA PRESSE has indicated that Ducks d-man Francois Beauchemin is on the Habs off-season shopping list.

The Phoenix Coyotes are talking to Ottawa about Christoph Schubert.

Today's Fun Facts - HARTSBURG FIRED

I know we jumped the gun last time, but Hockeyleaks.com can confirm that the Ottawa Senator's have fired head coach Craig Hartsburg and will announce that at a 11 am news conference. Stay tuned to Hockeyleaks.com as we await a replacement being named. Pat Quinn anyone? Here are some fun facts of the day. Check the rumour mill momentarily for today's rumours

NHL Handicappers

- The Canucks are 1-5-4 in their last 10 games, while currently on an eight game losing streak. This has them in 11th place in the West, and out of a playoff spot.

- The slump nobody knows about? The Detroit Red Wings have lost five straight games, and now sit 8 points behind San Jose, while playing one more game than the Sharks.

- The streak nobody knows about? The Devils have won eight straight games, giving them a five point division lead over the Rangers.

- The once last-place Dallas Stars currently find themselves sixth in the West, just two points back of fifth, with four games in hand on the Ducks.

- five teams are currently tied with 53 points in the west. The top team is sixth, while the bottom team is tenth. Vancouver is in eleventh with 52 points. This is going to be one exciting race.

- Teemu Selanne still leads the league in Power Play Goals with 13, despite playing in only 35 games.

- Four Flyers (Carter, Richards, Gagne) lead the league in shorties, with four each.

- Ovechkin now leads Carter in goals after a big weekend. AO now has 36 on the season.

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Kaberle To Miss Time

Leafs defenseman Tomas Kaberle will miss at least one month with a broken hand. He broke his hand during Thursday's win over Colorado. This could hamper the Leafs' effort to trade him, and will almost surely lower his value, at least a little bit.

Sticking with the Leafs, the club continues to talk to Anaheim about J.S. Giguere. Giggy is said to be feeling the pressure in Anaheim, not having won since mid-December. The Ducks are happy with Hiller, and will continue to give him the majority of the starts. Washington and Ottawa are also interested in the veteran goalie.

Though Forsberg will not return to the NHL this season, Philly and Colorado have told him they would be interested in signing him for next season.

Vancouver continues to free fall, and a coaching change could be coming. Some rumours suggest Pat Quinn, however, Hockeyleaks.com has been told that Sundin would prefer someone other than Quinn be brought in.

The Kings Alexander Frolov has been getting a lot of attention from teams as of late, one of them being the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Wild have started to discuss trading Gaborik again, as the winger is on schedule for a March return. The Panthers really like this guy at the moment.

For all the latest, make sure to check Hockeyleaks.com several times a day.


Sports Betting Champ Review

Zetterberg Signs 12 Year Deal

Doc's Sports Blog

The Red Wings have signed Henrik Zetterberg to a 12-year contract worth $72 million. This means Zetterberg's cap hit will be an incredibly low $6 million per season.

Ken Holland is my choice for best GM in the league.

Leafs/Panthers Talking Again

sports interaction review

Toronto has traded with no team more than they have traded with the Florida Panthers over the past year. The Leafs have sent McCabe, Belak and Kilger to the sunshine state since last year's deadline, while the Leafs have gotten back picks and Van Ryn in return.

Eklund, Garrioch and others have been talking about the Leafs showing serious interest in Jay Bouwmeester, and they are 100% right. With that said, I'm hearing the deal is bigger than that.

First, you may ask why the Leafs would give up something they could potentially get on July 1st for nothing. The Leafs have taken this avenue in the past (Adam Foote is one that really comes to mind) and failed. Burke doesn't want to make this mistake, and understands that Bouwmeester is a guy they could really build a strong defense around.

The first part going to Florida would be Kaberle. He'd be willing to go to Florida, as he is good friends with McCabe and would love to be re-united with him. Florida would take Kaberle, as skill-wise they wouldn't be downgrading much, if at all, from losing Bouwmeester.

Nathan Horton is the next player to come into this discussion. The forward is very unhappy in Florida, and is hoping to be dealt at the deadline. Toronto has serious interest in Horton, and is looking to get Florida to package him with Bouwmeester.

Aside from Kaberle, Florida would be looking for a younger player to go the other way. Grabovski, Kulemin and Tlusty are all names being mentioned. Depending on the young player the Leafs choose to include, a draft pick may also be necessary. In this case, it would likely be a draft pick the Leafs have yet to acquire, but will in the coming weeks when they deal players such as Antropov, Ponikarovsky, Kubina, etc.

While this deal is not imminent, I can confirm it is being largely discussed. Burke is eager to start building "his" team, and both of these players fit the mould that Burke wants to form.

Look for Burke to address the goaltending situation soon as well, with Pogge being called up in the next 10 days to get some work. There are currently rumours that even Pogge could be dealt, in hopes to bring in a proven #1 goalie. Names to look at include Giguere and Backstrom.

Sit tight, this is an exciting time in Leaf land.

The NHL All-Star Game

Please check out the following website:

sports interaction review

This is an article I wrote for Versus...

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All-Star Game fulfills fans’ fantasies.

By Corey Johnson, Hockeyleaks.com

Since the lockout, there has been a great debate on whether or not the NHL should continue the All-Star Game.

In recent years, injuries have been a big deal when it comes to the All-Star game, with some of the biggest stars missing the game itself due to being injured.
Injuries have also occurred during the All-Star game, as in the case of Rick Dipietro, who is still suffering the effects of playing in the 2008 All-Star game.
While those against the game have valid points, taking the NHL All-Star game away from the fans is something the league cannot do.

Fantasy sporting leagues are at their peak, and the NHL All-Star game is the one game a year where fans can see their fantasy rosters come to life.
Take Ilya Kovalchuk for example. He is one of the NHL’s best and most talented stars, but is unfortunately playing on an Atlanta team that hasn’t been able to surround him with other super-star talent. The All-Star game gives NHL fans a chance to see Kovalchuk at his best while surrounded by players such as Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Andrei Markov.

Another example would be a healthy Marian Gaborik, who plays on a defense-first team in the Minnesota Wild. Even on the Wild, Gaborik is a special player, but think about watching him on a powerplay that featured Patrick Kane, Joe Thornton and Nik Lidstrom?

The solution to the All-Star game is not to cancel it, but instead to freshen it up. Let’s change the format each year. One year, have the traditional East vs. West format. Follow it up the next year with a North America vs. the World format. Why not try the AHL’s format of Canada vs. the World the year after?

Changing the format of the All-Star game would just give the game a new twist each year, but would also allow for different line combinations.

Under the current format, we will never see Crosby and Thornton on the same team. Same goes for Malkin and Zetterberg, Kane and Ovechkin, etc. Switching the formats year after year would allow fans to see different players play together, which in turn keeps the game fresh every year.

The NHL-All Star break is a special time of year, and allows the fans of the game of hockey to really see the pure skill the NHL’s top stars possess. Keeping the All-Star game around is the right move as the NHL moves forward.

Goalie Saturday

Two big goalie moves today...

the first was the Oilers trading Garon to Pittsburgh for Sabourin, Stone and 4th in 2011 (nothing like dealing for a pick that's three years away).

This gives the Penguins are guy to push Fleury, something this team really needed. On the other side, the Oilers still have three goalies as we approach the deadline. Roloson is on his way out...

Wade Dubielewicz was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jackets. What's this mean? Look for Columbus to deal Leclaire, while look for the Islanders to make a move for Vancouver's Sanford.

Check the rumour mill for the latest rumours including ones on Pronger, Weight, Guerin and Leclaire.

Columbus/Atlanta make a trade

The Columbus Blue Jackets have traded Clay Wilson and a 6th round pick to the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for Jason Williams. Williams has 7 goals and 11 assists in 41 games for the Thrashers this season.

Check Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest

Sundin, Staal, Kaberle

Those are the three names making the biggest news today.

Sundin made his return last night against the Oilers. He went pointless, but the Canucks won the game. I wonder how many games Sundin can go pointless for before he gets heat from the fans and entire NHL world?

Jordan Staal got a new contract from the Penguins today. 4 years / 16 million dollars. In my opinion, he's not a $4 million dollar player, and the penguins can't afford to pay him this.

Thomas Kaberle made the allstar team today, and it's also come out that he's willing to waive his NTC. Before everyone jumps on the Kaberle to Columbus rumours, I am hearing Kaberle wants to go somewhere that is guarenteed to be in the playoffs should he be traded...more on this below.

Before I jump into the rumours I want to apologize for me jumping the gun yesterday on the Ottawa Situation. I was told by a source, and confirmed the news with a few others. Other outlets, such as the Ottawa Citizen and Sportsnet.ca quickly jumped on this as well. In this industry, when you get word of something this big you jump on it. Sometimes you're right (I have been the first to break many things, like the Sean Avery trade to the Rangers, like the Zubrus trade to New Jersey), and sometimes you're not entirely correct (as I was yesterday). There is substance to this story, and I still believe something similar will go down in Ottawa soon. Only time will tell for sure.

Now to the rumours:

Jordan Staal could still be traded. In fact, one source told me today they believe he signed to up his trade value. The Penguins are in terrible shape right now, and cannot afford to go south. This is a team said to be in their prime, and in no way, shape or form can the Penguins afford to regress from their Stanley Cup appearance last year. Staal is the most moveable piece they have, and they continue to shop him despite signing him to a brand new contract.

Thomas Kaberle is all but an ex-leaf at this point. With his permission, Burke will now begin to shop the defenseman around the league. With that said, don't expect Kaberle to go anywhere until around the trade deadline. Kaberle loves Toronto, but will move on if it means a shot at a Stanley Cup. Early teams in the Kaberle race include Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Minnesota, Phoenix, New Jersey, Washington and yes, Philly still wants him. Columbus and Carolina are two teams I also see putting feeler offers in for him.

A rumour popped up recently involving Liles and Svatos going from Colorado to Ottawa. I don't believe this one, as I don't see what Ottawa possibly could offer Colorado (beyond their first round pick) for these established players. With that said, I know for a fact Colorado has inquired about Jason Spezza.

Jagr to New Jersey? Forget about it...

Mattheiu Schneider will be traded by Atlanta before the deadline this year. Montreal likes this vet, as does Minnesota.

Mike Comrie is another player on the move before the deadline. I'm hearing Minnesota, New Jersey and a possible Edmonton return.

For all the latest check out Hockeyleaks.com

Murray, Hartsburg still employed...

My apologies for reporting that these two men were fired earlier in the day. I was told from three seperate sources that this was done. Three papers, as well as Sportsnet.ca also picked up the story shortly after I reported on it.

While both men still have jobs, I am hearing big changes in Ottawa could come as early as this weekend, with Murray and Hartsburg both fighting for their lives.

I still believe Quinn and Nicholson will be Senators, as the information I acquired earlier in the day is very real. This is the start of big changes in Ottawa.

Murray, Hartsburg Fired

Just got word from a good source that both Bryan Murray and Craig Hartsburg have been fired by the Ottawa Senators...being told that Bob Nicholson will replace Murray, while Pat Quinn will replace Hartsburg.

Stay Tuned To HockeyLeaks.com for all the latest

Leafs Acquire May From Ducks

The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded a sixth round draft pick to the Anaheim Ducks for Brad May.

Check Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest

Who Is Your MVP?

Almost at the halfway point of the season, we have several surprises. Chicago is one of the top teams in the league, Boston is the top team in the league, and both Phoenix and Columbus are in the playoffs. If the season were to end today, who would you pick as the league mvp?

If I had the decision, I think I would take Marc Savard. While Boston has several great stories this year (the goaltending, Phil Kessel, Michael Ryder), I think Savard has been the best on this team. Savard is fourth in the league in points, third in the league in assists, and has a league-leading +25. He has led the Bruins by example, and taken them from a fringe team to one of the league's best.

Other candidates: Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, Jeff Carter of the Philadelphia Flyers, Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Zach Parise of the NJ Devils, and Mikka Kiprusoff for the Calgary Flames (he has all 23 of their wins).

Who is your MVP? Go to the Question of the Day forum and let me know, I'm interested to hear it.

As for rumours, we have some fresh ones for today including the latest on Nathan Horton, The Ottawa Senators and Jordan Staal. Click on the link below to go to the rumour mill!

http://www.hockeyleaks.com/index.php?page=rumors

Remember When...

Remember when the Dallas Stars were just two points out of a playoff spot, with games in hand? Well thats the situation we are in right now. This team is going to make the playoffs, and could do damage once their in it.

Great work by the NHL yesterday with the winter classic. The game featured scoring, great plays, big hits...it really couldn't have gone any better for the NHL.

Alex Tanguay out for six weeks is a huge crutch for the Habs to overcome. They are also without Higgins, Price, Koivu and others, this is just one more obstacle for this team to overcome. They will, but the hill just got that much steeper.

Gaborik is done for at least ten weeks...so tack that on to the three months he's already missed. Taking the surgery now was a great move on his part though. He will return sometime in late march, maybe help the Wild into the playoffs, and be in top form for just long enough to get some offseason attention. This guy is still going to be one of the biggest fish in the sea come July 1st.

There are some rumours out there today, including more on the Blue Jackets/Leafs deal, so check out the rumour mill for the latest.