New York Rangers

Testing

DiPietro On IR, Mottau Out For Season, Martin Suspended

So today it was tweeted by the Islanders official Twitter account that Rick DiPietro was placed on the IR due to knee swelling. At first I thought to myself "he's done" but Dee Karl pointed out in a blog that in order for the Isles to call someone up from Bridgeport, someone has to be placed on the IR due to the roster freeze and I guess the odd man out was DiPietro.

In the same tweet, the NY Islanders Twitter account also reported that defenseman Mike Mottau - who was just recently cleared to play after a puck to the eye - will be out for the remainder of the season due to a right hip labrum tear. Myself and many others don't understand how an eye injury goes from a hip injury, but it's another loss for the Islanders.

Fourth liner Matt Martin was suspended yesterday by the league after delivering a hit to Vernon Fiddler, which was called a charging penalty by the refs.

Tomorrow night the Islanders will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning. The puck drops at 7pm and the Islanders desperately need a win. It will be interesting to see who starts in goal. The last game played against the Lightning, the Islanders won in OT from a goal from Matt Moulson after Smith was battling with the puck with his glove. The refs took some time to review before it was called a goal.

Roster Freeze: Will the New York Rangers Make A Move?

Tonight at mid-night, the NHL's annual roster freeze will go into effect until December 27, 2010. Though it is unlikely that any big moves occur before the deadline, it is expected that some type of mini-move or trade goes down before mid-night.

Will the Rangers make a move?

Well, besides Matt Gilroy and Todd White, the Rangers are not looking to move around many players. Maybe a small trade is made with Gilroy or White included, but a mega-move is not expected.

Another possibility would be a call-up from the Rangers AHL affiliate team, the Connecticut Whale. The Whale play tonight at seven o'clock, and the Rangers may recall a prospect when the game ends. Possible recalls could be forwards Mats Zuccarello, Dale Weise, Chad Kolarik, Jeremy Williams, Kris Newbury, or Evgeny Grachev; and on defense, though it is very unlikely a defenseman is called-up, a few possibilities would be Tomas Kundratek, Pavel Valentenko, or Ryan McDonagh.

Though nothing is expected to happen with the Rangers, there is a small possibility that make a small change.

That's all for now.

Sunday NHL Rumors: Marlies' Coach Eakins Could be Maple Leafs' Best Option & A Whole Lot More

It's been a long season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who entered the season with realistic playoff hopes looming for the first time in years. After a 4-0-0 start, it looked like the Leafs actually did have a chance to make the playoffs after all.


However, everything has gone completely wrong.

The Maple Leafs have gone 8-15-4 since their undefeated start, including a streak of eight straight losses. Their first-half struggles have driven them out of the playoff picture and even put head coach Ron Wilson's job into question by many.

Although firing Wilson might not seem like the right thing to do, a potential replacement always has to be looked for. In the Maple Leafs' case, that potential replacement could come from inside the organization.

Toronto Marlies head coach Dallas Eakins is a former assistant coach with the Maple Leafs and might be their best option when it comes to a new head coach. Eakins' previous NHL experience means he knows not only what it's like to coach in the world's best league, but one of the league's most passionate, impatient markets.

If you're looking for previous success of an AHL coach being hired by their NHL clubs, look no further than Pittsburgh's Dan Bylsma.

Bylsma was coaching the Penguins' AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before the Penguins hired him. Just four months after he was hired, he led the Penguins to game seven of the Stanley Cup finals. A year after that, Bylsma coached the Penguins to their first Stanley Cup championship in 15 years.

It just so happened that Bylsma was an assistant coach with the New York Islanders during the 2005-2006 season.

Of course, a change still has yet to be made, but if one is, Eakins could be Toronto's best option.
Now, for the rumors...

Atlanta's Bergfors on the trade block?

ESPN's Peirre LeBrun went on Hockey Night In Canada's second intermission show and said that Atlanta Thrashers general manager Rick Dudley could be looking to make a move involving Niclas Bergfors.

Bergfors, 23, has been having a mediocre season. In 27 games, the Sodertalje, Sweden native has seven goals and 11 assists to go along with a plus-1 rating. In 117-career NHL regular season games, Bergfors has 29 goals and 34 assists.

He was acquired from New Jersey in the same trade that saw long-time Thrashers star Ilya Kovalchuk head to the Devils.

Ducks still looking to trade?

According to TheFourthPeriod.com (via the Orange County Register), the Anaheim Ducks are still looking to trade a defenceman.

The report suggests Luca Sbisa, Lubomir Visnovsky, Cam Fowler and Toni Lydman are all safe, but general manager Bob Murray may be willing to trade away veterans Andy Sutton, Paul Mara, Andreas Lilja and Sheldon Brookbank.

Murray wants to have a surplus of defenceman on the Ducks' roster but with eight of them, a move appears to be on the horizon. However, any trade that they do make will have to be made after December 27th, as the NHL's trade freeze is now in effect.

According to multiple reports, Murray has been looking to move a defenceman or two all season. The team currently has just under $4 million in cap space to work with, allowing Murray flexability on the trade market.

Teams calling about Nabokov

ESPN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Saturday that former San Jose Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov is drawing interest from more than one NHL team.

LeBrun says he's told that "several NHL teams have called about him," but that he could only confirm the Tampa Bay Lightning. He doubts that the Lightning will end up signing him, however, as they don't have very much money to spend and Nabokov would have to clear waivers once signed.

Senators interested in Bieksa

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported on Saturday that the Ottawa Senators are interested in Vancouver Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa, although, despite recent reports, Garrioch says Bieksa isn't on the trade block quite yet.

The Senators currently have about $1.5 million in cap space, but Bieksa comes with a cap hit of just over $3.5 million, meaning the Senators would likely have to move someone with a rather expensive contract.
Bieksa has two goals, five assists and a plus-3 rating in 29 games this season.

Click here to follow Lukas on Twitter for breaking NHL news and rumors.

lukas@gacksports.com

NHL: Donald Fehr Officially Named NHLPA Executive Director

National Hockey League players voted "overwhelmingly to appoint Don Fehr as the new NHLPA executive director, following the executive board's endorsement."

This according to TSN.ca.

With the results of the voting, Fehr has officially been named the National Hockey League Players' Association's new Executive Director. He will begin his position immediately.

The 62-year-old Fehr was the Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players' Association from 1983 until 2009, a span of 33 years.

''We are pleased that the leadership position at the Players' Association has been filled, and we look forward to working with Don in his new role,'' NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.

The NHLPA's search committee was made up of five current NHL players: Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim Ducks), Brian Rolston (New Jersey Devils), Brian Rafalski (Detroit Red Wings), Mathieu Schneider (Free Agent) and Jamie Langenbrunner (New Jersey Devils). Those five recommended Fehr in September, just three months ago.

The NHLPA has been without a strong leader since interim Executive Director Ian Penny stepped down in October of 2009, just two months after then full-time director Paul Kelly was fired.

Click here to follow Lukas on Twitter for breaking NHL news and rumors.

lukas@gacksports.com

New York Rangers: Dale Weise Called-Up

The New York Rangers have recalled 22-year-old Dale Weise from the Connecticut Whale to fill the spot of Ryan Callahan.

Wesie is gritty and tough, and he would make an excellent fourth liner for the Rangers. Todd White is the most likely candidate to be scratched from the Rangers lineup tomorrow morning when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers.

Weise will add extra toughness to the team, and part of the reason for his call-up is due to the fact that Rangers' fighter Brandon Prust is going through some shoulder soreness, and he is trying to stay away from fighting. Weise is not afraid to fight, and he can take that spot.

That's all for now.

2010 NHL Rumors: Lightning Interested in Nabokov?

It was just a few days ago when it was announced that Evgeni Nabokov's KHL team, St. Petersburg, had mutually released him and already rumors of the former National Hockey League goalie are heating up. 

Although it has been widely reported that not too many teams are interested in Nabokov, there is no doubt his impressive NHL statistics have and will continue to draw attention from more than one NHL team. With that, the question must be asked: where might the former Olympian land?

It's true; there are not many teams interested in his services, but of the teams who are, the Tampa Bay Lightning may be the most interested.

The Lightning currently sit 29th in the NHL when it comes to goals allowed, averaging 3.39 goals against per game. Though their offence has been keeping them in games, a team can only go so far with such poor defence and goaltending. 

Nabokov could be their answer.

The 34-year-old has played in 563 NHL regular season games over ten seasons. During those ten seasons, Nabokov is 293-178-37, has a goals against average of 2.39 and a save percentage of .912. He has been named an All-Star on three occasions and was named to the 2000-2001 all-rookie team.

The only problem is that the Lightning currently have about $3.7 million locked up between goalies Mike Smith and Dan Ellis, both of whom have struggled this season.

Despite the Lightning's interest, the Washington Capitals could also be a possible contender for Nabokov, according to TheFourthPeriod.com.

Nabokov would add some experience to a currently inexperienced goaltending duo of Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth. However, the report states that the Capitals are set on sticking with Varlamov and Neuvirth, who are both playing outstanding this season.

The report also says that if Nabokov signs an NHL contract contract this year, he must first clear waivers.

Click here to follow Lukas on Twitter for up-to-date NHL rumors and news.

lukas@gacksports.com

New York Rangers: Chris Drury Set To Return, Interest In Fedor Tyutin?

Reports spread throughout the twitter community with the news that New York Rangers' captain, Chris Drury, should be set to return from his second broken-hand injury of the 2010-11 NHL season.

Rangers' beat writers Andrew Gross (The Record), Steve Zipay (Newsday), and Jim Cerny (Rangers Official Website), have all reported the Chris Drury news break. With Drury set to return a move may be made to make roster space.

Veteran center Todd White seems to be the odd-man out of the lineup, and off the roster at this point in time.

Fedor Tyutin
According to multiple reports coming from the NYPost, RangersTribune, and CanyonOfBlues, the New York Rangers may have interest in reacquiring left-handed defenseman Fedor Tyutin. "Toots" was part of a trade that saw the Rangers acquire Nikolai (now Nikolay) Zherdev two seasons ago. The Rangers are need of a Tyutin-type defenseman, and may be willing to part ways with a forward or a defenseman to acquire him from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

If any trade does occur, expect it to happen sooner than later as the annual "NHL December Roster Freeze" approaches.

That's all for now.

Your Sunday Islander Rumors

It's certainly clear that the Islanders have been struggling lately, losing 19 games out of 20 played. It appears that they might be interested in upgrading their team, and trying to shoot for the playoffs despite the current streak.

Here are some of the rumors I've been hearing over the past few days:

James Wisniewski: Todd Cordell tells me that several teams show interest in the Islanders defenseman, two of those teams being the San Jose Sharks and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Also, Nick Perri reports that the Rangers are looking for a defenseman.

My take: I don't think the Isles will move James unless they get a better player in return. With Mark Streit currently sidelined, they need the d-man in their lineup. The Rangers are looking for a defenseman, though, and if they offer enough to the Isles, Garth Snow might accept.

Bruch Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that the Islanders may be looking for a winger to help out former first overall pick John Tavares, who only has netted eight goals so far this season. It appears that Simon Gagne could be their guy.

My take: Tavares definitely needs someone on the wing so he can develop properly. Moulson's there to help him, but PA Parenteau doesn't seem to set him up too often. If the Isles can get Gagne, I'd say go for it. This trade would make sense in the long run (as Snow wants) because not only would it develop John, but it would add top six talent to the Isles lineup.

The Edmonton Journal reports that the Tampa Bay Lightning show interest in the Isles backup goaltender Dwayne Roloson.

My take: If the Islanders would be willing to trade Roloson and then call up one of the goaltenders from the Sound Tigers, in return they may be able to get Gagne. But first, Simon has to waive his no trade clause. If Garth Snow recives a good deal for Dwayne, there's no doubt Roloson will be traded, as he's entering his final year of the two year contract he was given.

Maple Leafs' Versteeg, Kadri Starting to Find Their Way In Toronto

Kris Versteeg and Nazem Kadri both went into training camp this year with high expectations being placed on their shoulders by fans and members of the media surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs.


For Versteeg, those expectations were a bit too much for him to handle at first. After scoring his first goal as a Maple Leaf in the second game of the season, Versteeg went on an eight-game goal-less streak and a seven-game point-less streak. Since he snapped that goal-less streak, the former Chicago Blackhawk has scored eight goals and assisted on another six in 18 games.

The 24-year-old's recent success has put him on pace for 26 goals and 49 points, which would stand as the second most goals and second most points he has scored in his career.

Nazem Kadri, meanwhile, started off much better in Toronto. Although he didn't make the team out of camp, Kadri's impressive play with the AHL's Toronto Marlies earned him a call-up to the big club.

Kadri has played in just 12 games this season. In those 14 games, the 20-year-old rookie has yet to score a goal, but has recorded six assists and a minus-3 rating. In 15-career NHL regular season games, Kadri is a minus-4.

Versteeg and Kadri are an integral part to any future success the struggling Maple Leafs might have, meaning they are very unlikely to be moved on the February 28th NHL trade deadline.

Sunday rumours

Ottawa Sun - Bruce Garrioch
 

Isles concerend about Tavares, looking for forward

Garrioch reports that the New York Islanders are in search of a top-six forward, preferably a winger. He claims that sources are telling him the Islanders are concerned about the development of star centre John Tavares, who has just 14 points and is a minus-17 in 23 games.

"(Snow) has to be careful they don’t ruin Tavares with this kind of atmosphere," an NHL executive told Garrioch. "They are teaching him how to fail and he’s been put in a bad atmosphere. They’ve got to get some veteran help to take some of the heat off him."

The Isles are just above the salary cap floor with about $17 million to spend. Garrioch says there aren't many veteran forwards on the market, but Tampa Bay's Simon Gange could be available.

Bieksa on the market

Garrioch says no matter what Vancouver Canucks general manager tells the media and fans, defenseman Kevin Bieksa is available to trade.

He says that the San Jose Sharks are one of many teams interested in Bieksa's services.

Garrioch also says that Gillis would be looking for an above-average return as Bieksa still holds a lot of value. Bieksa has played in 26 games this season, scoring two goals and assisting on another three.

McGuire a GM candidate

Garrioch also reported this interesting little note on Sunday. He says that if a general manager position opens up in the NHL, one of TSN's lead hockey analysts, Pierre McGuire, will be a candidate.

McGuire is a former NHL head coach and assistant GM with the Hartford Whalers.

Garrioch says Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson and Tampa Bay assistant GM Julien Brisebois are also being "mentioned."

Rangers looking to move Frolov

Garrioch says the New York Rangers are looking to trade first-year Ranger Alex Frolov to "just about anybody." He says that, despite not wanting much in return, general manager Glen Sather is having a hard time trying to find a team willing to take on his $3 million salary.

The Rangers signed Frolov to a one-year, $3 million contract during the off-season. In 31 games this season, Frolov has five goals, six assists and a plus-1 rating.

Habs, Leafs interested in Langenbrunner

The New Jersey Devils are rumored to be shopping their captain, Jamie Langenbrunner. Garrioch says both the Maple Leafs and Canadiens are interested in the 35-year-old.

The Habs may have the upper hand on Langenbrunner, however, as Leafs GM Brian Burke's self-imposed holiday trade freeze kicked in on Thursday, ten days before the NHL's.

Langenbrunner has three goals and eight assists in 21 games this season. He has scored 20 or more goals four times in his 16-season NHL career.

ESPN.com - Pierre LeBrun

Kaberle likey to stay in Toronto

With rumors about Tomas Kaberle leaving Toronto swirling once again, Pierre LeBrun reported on Saturday that he is not likely to waive his no-trade clause anytime between now and the trade deadline.

LeBrun says Kaberle has no interest in leaving Toronto, meaning if the Leafs don't trade or re-sign him by July 1 of next year he could easily walk, in which case the Maple Leafs would get nothing in return.

The same thing happened with former captain Mats Sundin, who chose not to waive his no-trade clause. If he had of, the Maple Leafs would have acquired former 46-goal scorer Jeff Carter.

Richards highly unlikely to land in Toronto

LeBrun says he was told last week that the Maple Leafs are no longer one of the top teams on Brad Richards' "wish list" come July 1. He says Richards' most likely destinations are Los Angeles, New York (Rangers), Dallas and Tampa Bay.

One more...

Sabres still shopping Rivet

Buffalo Sabres captain Craig Rivet has been a healthy scratch for six straight games. Many published reports suggest the third-year Sabre is on the trade block and could be moved by the February 28th trade deadline.

The 36-year-old has one assist and a minus-6 rating in 14 games this season.

twitter.com/SportsHazeLukas

 lukas.hardonk@gmail.com

New York Rangers Trade Rumors: Brad Richards, Fedor Tyutin, Alex Frolov, Tim Kennedy Update

Here are some of the latest rumors regarding the New York Rangers.

Brad Richards and Fedor Tyutin
According to ESPN, the Dallas Stars are set to begin extension talks with Brad Richards this weekend. If the Stars and Richards cannot agree on a deal, the Rangers will be top trade candidates come the NHL trade deadline in February.

According to Larry Brooks of the NY Post, the Rangers have a strong interest in left-handed defenseman Fedor Tyutin. A former Rangers defenseman, Tyutin was traded from the Rangers two seasons ago in a trade that saw Nikolai (now Nikolay) Zherdev become a New York Ranger. The Rangers are in search for a veteran left-handed defenseman, and Tyutin may be a trade target.

Alexander Frolov Being Shopped?
According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, the Rangers may be shopping forward Alexander Frolov. Unhappy with his ice-time, Frolov has complained to coach John Tortorella, but he has yet to ask for a trade. If Frolov is traded, it is believed draft picks will be the only return.

Tim Kennedy Update
Rangers' GM Glen Sather has told Tim Kennedy that he can seek a team that will trade for him. Kennedy was an excellent off-season signing by the Rangers, but in a stupid move by management, he was assigned to the Rangers' affiliate team (Hartford Wolfpack, now Connecticut Whale). Kennedy will likely be traded sometime soon, with many teams in need of a young forward like him. The Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, and New York Islanders are teams that may have interest in Kennedy.

That's all for now.

Boston Bruins Officially Send Marco Sturm to LA Kings

The Boston Bruins have officially sent Marco Sturm to the Los Angeles Kings for what is being called "future considerations," according to TSN.ca.

"Really, it's nothing," Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli told the media when asked about the return. "Keep in mind the value of cap space...I'm not trying to justify trading for nothing. Of course we like to get return for our player."

Even though the trade is being called official right now, Sturm still needs to pass a physical for everything to go through.

Chiarelli said Sturm, who has yet to play a game this season, will be ready to go in about a week or so and that the trade makes the team salary cap compliant, something that they have been trying to become all season long.

Had Boston not have traded the 32-year-old they would have had to look elsewhere to become cap compliant, as Sturm's $3.5 million salary would have put them too far over the cap to recover. Los Angeles, meanwhile, is about $6 million under the cap, meaning they have more than enough room to fit Sturm.

Sturm, the NHL's all-time German-born leader in points, spent more than five seasons in Boston. He was traded to the Bruins in the same trade that saw Joe Thornton become a member of the San Jose Sharks.

In 855-career NHL regular-season games, Sturm has 234 goals and 232 assists for a total of 466 points. Last season, he played in 76 games, scoring 22 goals and 15 assists.

twitter.com/SportsHazeLukas

lukas.hardonk@gmail.com

Thrashers 5, Islanders 4: Third Period Goals Cost Isles

The Islanders have now dropped their fifth consecutive game in a row tonight, all because of them giving up four third period goals.

They came out the first two periods and played relatively better than they have the past few games. They worked hard, got the puck to the net, and held a 2-1 lead (thanks to Martin and Moulson) going into the third period. But then, things started to go the Thrashers' way.

The Islanders would come out in the third period first giving up two straight goals by Johnny Oduya. Wisniewski was taken down on the second Oduya goal, but nothing was called. After the goal, Matt Moulson collided with Rick DiPietro and he skated slowly to the bench in pain.

Things would turn around for a few minutes as Rob Schremp picked up the rebound from a MacDonald shot and fired home for the goal. It was all tied up at three.

Then it got worse again on the Isles front. Right off the face off, somehow Bryan Little chipped one past DiPietro. DiPietro just stood there after the goal in shock. It appeared that he wasn't even ready.

Later on, James Wisniewski tripped up Evander Kane which led to a penalty shot. Thank goodness for the whole Isles team, it hit the right post.

The Thrashers were holding a 4-3 lead and secured it when the Islanders gave up another face off goal, this time it being Burmistrov lighting the lamp. That was Atlanta's fourth goal of the period and their fifth goal of the game

Later in the period, former Islanders first overall pick John Tavares engaged himself in his first NHL fight with Burmistrov. You can clearly see the frustration on John Tavares which led to the fight. John got the two extra minutes for slashing, and PA Parenteau served it.

The goal horn at the Coliseum sounded once more when the Islanders were on the power play after Stewart went to the box for holding the stick. Blake Comeau picked up a Rob Schremp pass and fired home. The Islanders only needed to score one more goal, but failed to do so as they ran out of time.

The Isles are now 5-17-5 with only 15 points in the Eastern Conference. That's the worst record in the NHL as of now. They need to step their game up and play a full 60 minutes of hockey. It seems like every game they find new ways to lose.

Next up: The Nashville Predators

New York Rangers Updates, and Rumor Round-Up

Here is the latest news regarding the New York Rangers, and their game tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Henrik Lundqvist
According to Steve Zipay (Newsday), Lundqvist will start tonight for the New York Rangers, as they attempt to continue winning on the road.

Derek Boogaard and Steve Eminger
Both Boogaard and Eminger will be healthy scratches for tonight's game, as the "Boogey-Man" is out with a sore-shoulder, and Steve Eminger a sore-back.

Michael Del Zotto, Todd White, and Mats Zuccarello
Del Zotto and White will take the places of Derek Boogaard and Steve Eminger for tonight's match-up. No call-ups from Connecticut are expected, though Mats Zuccarello is "almost ready" for the NHL, according to Rangers' coach John Tortorella.

Now, here are the latest rumors regarding the New York Rangers.

Brad Richards
The rumors continue to fly regarding the New York Rangers and Brad Richards, but according to TSN, the Stars may be able to fir Richards under their budget. The NHL salary cap is expected to increase about by about $2million, and Dallas expects to have a new owner by the end of the season, giving them a strong chance at resigning Richards. Also, with the Stars doing so well to begin the season, it is not likely that the Stars trade away Richards unless they begin to struggle, and decline in the Western Conference Standing.

Minnesota Wild
The Rangers are rumored to be "in talks" with the Minnesota Wild regarding a forward. No, I am not taking this rumor from HockeyBuzz. I did check with a source regarding this rumor, and the Rangers and Wild have been in contact for about a week. Two names that may come up, are forwards Andrew Brunette and Pierre-Marc Bouchard.

Matt Gilroy
The Rangers continue to shop sophomore defenseman Matt Gilroy, but there is not much interest coming from other teams for the Rangers seventh defenseman.

Marc-Andre Bergeron
Reports from TSN have stated that Bergeron may be very close to signing with an NHL team. There are 10 teams rumored to have interests in the veteran defenseman, one being the New York Rangers.

The Rangers are searching for help on the powerplay, and Bergeron, along with Andrew Brunette of Minnesota, would be major acquisitions for powerplay help.

That's all for now.

New York Rangers Injury Update: Derek Boogaard, Steve Eminger, Chris Drury, and Vinny Prospal

Here are the latest injury updates regarding the New York Rangers.

Derek Boogaard
Derek Boogaard injured his shoulder in a fight Thursday with Ottawa Senators defender Matt Carkner, and he will return to New York to be examined, forcing him to miss Saturdays game in Columbus.

Steve Eminger
Steve Eminger strained his back in the game against Ottawa, and he is currently listed as day-to-day.

Chris Drury
Drury continues to skate and practice with the Rangers, and should be able to return sometime before Christmas, possibly next week.

Vinny Prospal
Prospal also continues skating and practicing with the Rangers, and he is expected to return after Christmas.

That's all for now.

New York Rangers Update: Michael Del Zotto Scratched, Vinny Prospal Skating, Line Changes

Tonight, the New York Rangers will pay a visit to the Ottawa Senators for the second game of the home-and-home series. Here are some recent roster and lineup updates for tonight's game.

Michael Del Zotto Scratched
Coach John Tortorella has scratched second-year defenseman, Michael Del Zotto, and he has placed Matt Gilroy in his spot. This is the first time in Del Zotto's career that he has been scratched from the lineup.

Vinny Prospal and Chris Drury
Vinny Prospal has begun skating with the team again, and he should be set to play after Christmas. Prospal has yet to play a game this season due to off-season knee surgery.

Chris Drury continues to practice with the Rangers, and he may be able to return next week. Drury has played one game this season for the New York Rangers due to two broken fingers.

Line Changes
The Rangers have made some line changes for tonight's contest, including the placement of Ruslan Fedotenko and Derek Stepan on the first line with Marian Gaborik, reuniting Artem Anisimov with Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan on the second line, moving Alexander Frolov up to the third line with Brian Boyle and Brandon Prust, and placing Sean Avery on the fourth line with Erik Christensen and Derek Boogaard.

The defensive pairings or not yet known, and Henrik Lundqvist is expected to start for the Rangers.

That's all for now.

New York Rangers: Derek Stepan Will Center First Line, Alex Frolov Unhappy, Todd White Clears

Here are a few small notes from the New York Rangers morning skate.

Derek Stepan
Rookie forward, Derek Stepan, will center the Rangers first line Thursday night, when they take on the Ottawa Senators.

Head coach, John Tortorella, believes that Stepan is "the teams best playmaking center". Ruslan Fedotenko is expected to also play on the first line Thursday night, with superstar winger, Marian Gaborik.

Alexander Frolov
In the offseason, the Rangers signed Alex Frolov to a one-year deal worth $3million, with the expectations that he would be a dominant second scorer behind Marian Gaborik.

Frolov has struggled thus far, and his play has landed him on the Rangers fourth line, averaging about nine minutes a game.

Frolov had a conversation with John Tortorella regarding his playing time, and both made a case that it was a "small discussion" rather than a "huge argument".

At this time Frolov has not asked for a trade, and he has told reporters that he is "happy in New York".

Todd White
White, who was waived yesterday afternoon, has cleared, and he will remain on the Rangers roster until Chris Drury and Vinny Prospal return.

That's all for now.

New York Rangers Waive Todd White

For the third time this season, the New York Rangers have placed veteran forward, Todd White, on waivers.

It is unlikely that he will be claimed off of waivers, though not impossible, and it is expected that he will be sent to the AHL to play with the Rangers affiliate team, the Connecticut Whale.

With him in the AHL, the Rangers will clear cap-space and roster space for the return of Chris Drury, and Vinny Prospal.

Both forwards are expected to return to the lineup sometime on December.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Fire Wilson, Fire Burke, Make a Trade, or Keep It The Same?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have played 25 games this season and sit 13th in the National Hockey League's Eastern Conference. For a team that many people though could finally make the playoffs, the Maple Leafs have been a complete dissapointment this season.


There are many people that could take the fall for that and normally the players and coaches are the first to be considered. However, Leafs general manager Brian Burke has even admitted himself that he hasn't done a good job since joining the team just over two years ago, basically calling it a complete failure.

There is no doubt a change needs to be made in Toronto. Whether it's a trade, a coaching change or something else, Maple Leafs fans would be more than willing to welcome anything that could change the direction of this sputtering franchise.

But should it actually be Burke who takes the fall?

Since coming to Toronto, the Maple Leafs have missed the playoffs twice, although the first time certainly wasn't Burke's fault.

Here is a look at some of the moves Burke has made since joining the Maple Leafs:

• Traded Pavel Kubina and Tim Stapleton to Atlanta for Garnet Exelby and Colin Stuart.
• Traded Niklas Hagman, Matt Stajan, Jamal Mayers and Ian White to Calgary for Dion Phaneuf, Keith Aulie and Fredrick Sjostrom.
• Traded Jason Blake and Vesa Toskala to Anaheim for Jean-Sebastien Giguere.
• Traded two first round draft picks and a second round draft pick to Boston for Phil Kessel.
• Traded Viktor Stalberg, Philippe Paradis and Chris DiDomenico to Chicago for Kris Versteeg and Billy Sweatt.
• Drafted Nazem Kadri.
• Signed Tyler Bozak, Jonas Gustavsson, Colby Armstrong, Mike Komisarek, Francois Beauchemin, Clarke MacArthur, Colton Orr and Brett Lebda.

Only about half of those moves have actually worked out and the other half either started off well and have tailed off or have not worked out at all. However, if you see the Maple Leafs' roster as it looks on paper, the Maple Leafs are a good team without a good offence.

With that being said, can the blame be placed on the coaching staff, most noteably head coach Ron Wilson? The answer is simple: yes. But just because blame can be placed on Wilson, that doesn't mean all of it can be. Professional hockey players need to be able to play in just about any system and when over half of a team's roster cannot, that team has a serious problem.

Right now, that is the problem the Maple Leafs are having.

But let's not forget that we're also talking about the NHL's youngest team here.

The oldest player on Toronto's roster is J.S. Giguere at 33. Tomas Kaberle (32) and Francois Beauchemin (30) are the only other players 30 or older.

What does this mean? It means mistakes will be made, and patience are needed to be successful. Still yet, one has to think that with the tremendous skill young players like Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri and Carl Gunnarsson, and veteran players like Phil Kessel, Dion Phaneuf and Mikhail Grabovski have, why are the Maple Leafs struggling so much?

Well, maybe it is Ron Wilson after all. Is Wilson the right man to work with such young players? Is he too hard on his players? Neither of those questions can really be answered by anyone either than players and management, but after two seasons of not making it anywhere near the playoffs, his tactics clearly are not working.

That's not to say fire Wilson, but what it does say is if this team doesn't start to improve within the next month or so and everyone is still serious about making the playoffs, a change needs to be made.

twitter.com/SportsHazeLukas


lukas@gacksports.com

Sunday NHL Rumors: Emery Looking to Return, Trio on The Hot Seat, Beauchemin on The Trading Block

Sunday NHL rumors...

Ottawa Sun:

Ray Emery eyeing a return, Sutters and MacLean on hot seat, Blues interested in Senators' Lee

Emery


Bruce Garrioch reported on Sunday that former Ottawa Senators goalie Ray Emery is attempting a return to the National Hockey League. The 28-year-old is reportedly in Toronto and working with former Toronto Maple Leafs trainer Matt Nichol.

Emery was the Senators' goalie when the team went all the way to the Stanley Cup final in 2007, only to fall short to the Anaheim Ducks.

He last played in the NHL for the Philadelphia Flyers during the 2009-2010 season before suffering a hip injury that forced him to undergo career-threatening surgery. He went 16-11-0 in 2009-2010 and had a goals against average of 2.64 to go along with a .905 save percentage.

While Emery is going through intense workouts every day, Nichol has yet to set a timetable for his return. Garrioch says the first step is to get him skating again, meaning he will likely begin to work out with an OHL team in the coming weeks. After that, Emery will have to go through a 25-game professional tryout in the AHL before being signed to a contract.

Sutters

Garrioch also said that Calgary Flames general manager Darryl Sutter and head coach Brent Sutter are on the "hot seat." The two are brothers and have been in Calgary together since June of 2009 and have had very little success since. 

Brent led the team to a 40-32-10 record in 2009-2010, failing to miss the playoffs. This season the Flames are just 11-32-2 and sit last in the Western Conference.

“The moves made in the summer bringing back Olli Jokinen and Alex Tanguay were mystifying,” a league executive told Garrioch.

MacLean

The New Jersey Devils have been nothing short of a disappointment this season and, with a record of 8-16-2, are in serious trouble.

The team's stuggles have put rookie head coach John MacLean under the radar for some time now and his time in New Jersey seems to be very close to an end.

Garrioch says the Devils might be interested in bringing back former Atlanta Thrashers head coach Bob Hartely, but rumors of Jacques Lemaire coming out of retirement to coach his former team were going around on Saturday.

Hartley coached struggling Devils star Ilya Kovalchuk during his time in Atlanta. Garrioch says he turned down an offer to coach Lugano of the Swiss league recently.

Lee

Ottawa Senators general manager Brian Murray has been shopping defenceman Brian Lee for some time now. After clearing waivers last week, multiple teams have reportedly been knocking on Murray's door to talk about Lee's availability. Garrioch said the St. Louis Blues, who are currently looking for a defeceman, could be one of those teams.

The Blues are rumored to have been combing the league for a trading partner, as they could also be willing to work out a package deal that would also include a veteran forward going to the Blues.

One more...

Beauchemin

With the Toronto Maple Leafs coming off of a four game losing streak, including losses to fellow Canadian teams Ottawa and Edmonton, reports of Francois Beauchemin being shopped are swirling all around the media.

Even with all the reports of Maple Leafs management looking to make a change, general manager Brian Burke still claims that a trade is not imminent and a coaching change will not happen anytime soon.
A trade is not likely until the New Year, as Burke's holiday trade freeze always kicks in earlier than the NHL's, which goes from December 19th to the 27th.

Beauchemin came extremely close to scoring his second goal of the season on Saturday night before Tim Thomas made a save-of-the-year candidate stop. He has one goal and four assists to go along with a minus-3 rating in 25 games this season.

twitter.com/SportsHazeLukas


lukas@gacksports.com

New York Rangers Begin Home-And-Home With Ottawa; NYR In Talks With Wild?

Tonight, the New York Rangers will play host to the Ottawa Senators in the first game of a two game home-and-home series.

The two teams last played in the preseason, splitting a home-and-home set at the beginning of October.

The Rangers lineup is expected to remain the same as it was Friday night against the New York Islanders, but I will have an update (if needed) around three-o'clock.

Now to the rumors...

Multiple media outlets are suggesting that the Rangers have reached out to the Minnesota Wild regarding a possible trade. The Wild are looking to make a deal which would "shake-up" the team, and the Rangers may be a perfect trade partner.

According to a source, Rangers superstar winger, Marian Gaborik, reached out to GM Glen Sather, telling him to target certain players in a trade with Minny.

Names that have reportedly come up in discussions are: PM-Bouchard, Greg Zanon, Brent Burns, Cam Barker, Andrew Brunnette, Marek Zidlicky, and Nick Schultz.

If Sather does make a deal with Minnesota, expect him to grab either a centerman (Bouchard), a sharp winger (Brunnette), or a lefty defenseman (Zanon).

Brad Richards: What would he cost the New York Rangers?

Over the passed few days, various columnists from several websites have taken a stab at what Brad Richards may cost a team at the trade deadline. The New York Rangers have been the team of focus during Richards trade discussions, due to the fact that their GM Glen Sather has a load of interest in the veteran Dallas Star center.

The Rangers have been a likely candidate for Richards future team since the offseason of 2009. Glen Sather has had "interest" in acquiring Brad Richards since his days in Tampa Bay, where he was cached by current Rangers' bench boss, John Tortorella.

According to reports, Tortorella and Richards have a very good relationship, and that may lead Richards to waiving his NTC (No-Trade Clause) to OK a trade to the New York Rangers.

But at what cost for the New York Rangers?

There are two trades that I believe should be up for review when guessing the value of an all-star player, most notably Brad Richards. The two trades that I am referring too are the Ilya Kovalchuk and Joe Thornton trades.

The big trade from last season was between the Atlanta Thrashers and New Jersey Devils, including superstar Ilya Kovalchuk. The second trade took place a few seasons ago (2005-06), between the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks, with Joe Thornton being the centerpiece of the trade.

The Trades:
New Jersey Devils Received: Ilya Kovalchuk and Anssi Salmela
Atlanta Thrashers Received: Nicolas Bergfors, Johnny Oduya, Patrice Cormier, and 2010 First Round Draft Pick.

San Jose Sharks Received: Joe Thornton
Boston Bruins Received: Wayne Primeua, Brad Stuart, and Marco Sturm

What each trade has in common was that they both cost a team three players. One of trades included a first round draft choice. So, after analyzing the two trades, a fair conclusion would be that any trade for Richards must include around three players, and most likely some sort of draft choice.

The Rangers are known for having a very strong farm system, with several strong prospects. A trade may cost them a prospect.

Breaking Down A Possible Trade
If the Rangers are to acquire Brad Richards through trade, it will most likely cost them three players, and an early draft choice (First or Second Round). Out of the three players, two will most likely be roster players, and one a prospect. The Rangers will also have to send salary back to the Stars, possibly increasing the amount of players traded.

If I had to take a guess at a potential trade, it would be:
Rangers Receive: Brad Richards
Stars Receive: Alex Frolov, Erik Christensen, Matt Gilroy, and an AHL prospect (possibly Evgeny Grachev) and a Second Round Draft Choice.

Just a guess, of course, but it may be a possible scenario sometime down the road. Another scenario could be the Rangers walking away from a trade, and attempting to sign him on July 1st, 2011 (day one of Free Agency).

Report: Maple Leafs' Burke Inquired About van Riemsdyk

Despite already having the youngest team in the National Hockey League, Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke is looking to get younger.

According to Chris Stevenson of the Ottawa Sun (via Tim Pinaccio of csnphilly.com), Burke contacted Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren about the availability of forward James van Riemsdyk. The report says Holmgren was quick to tell Burke that van Riemsdyk is not available.

Burke has been rumored to be combing the entire league for a trading partner in an attempt to spark his team, especially offensively. With over $3 million in salary cap space to work with, Burke certainly has the ability and flexibility to make a big trade.

Van Riemsdyk, 21, has three goals and seven assists in 22 games this season, which would put him seventh on the Maple Leafs in points with ten. In 100-career NHL regular season games, van Riemsdyk has 18 goals and 27 assists. He also played in the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 World Junior Championship tournaments for team USA, scoring a total of 21 points in a combined 12 games.

**Follow Lukas on Twitter @SportsHazeLukas for breaking hockey news and rumors, as well as Toronto Maple Leafs game updates. 

lukas.hardonk@gmail.com

Will Ryan Callahan Be Suspended For Hit On Frans Nielsen? (UPDATE)

In Friday nights contest between the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, Rangers always-hard-working forward, Ryan Callahan, rocked Islanders forward, Frans Nielson, with a hit.

Callahan was forced to fight Islander forward Jesse Joensuu, who had decided to stick up for his "hurt" teammate. The fight was even, with the only two punches being thrown by Ryan Callahan.

You can watch the video by clicking here

Without a doubt Callahan clipped Nielsen in the head with an elbow. In no way was the hit intentional, and Callahan did not mean for his hit to do any damage to Neilsen (which it did not, he was fine), but the elbow did clip Nielsen in the face.

Is the hit suspend able? Yes, there is clear evidence of a hit to face, while non-intentional it is still deemed an illegal play in the NHL.

Will Callahan be suspended for the hit? If it were me making the decisions I would probably say no, he should not be suspended. He is not known for play like this, and his track-record is clean as a whistle.

Honestly, if Sidney Crosby was not suspended for his infractions a week ago, and Daniel Carcillo was not suspended for his to the head of Ruslan Fedotenko a month ago (here), and, on a recent scale, Curtis Glencross was not suspended for his cross-check to the face of Keith Ballard (here), why should Ryan Callahan be treated any different?

Again, it was clear that the elbow of Callahan may have clipped Nielsen in the chin; but I do not believe any suspension will be given to Ryan Callahan.

UPDATE:
Ryan Callahan will not be suspended, according to multiple sources.

Toronto Maple Leafs Still Searching For Consistency

The Toronto Maple Leafs' season so far has been nothing but a rollercoaster ride.

Through their first 23 games, the Maple Leafs have had three major stretches: a four-game winning streak that came in the first four games, an eight-game losing streak and a stretch in which they won three out of four games. As you can see, the Maple Leafs haven't exactly been the most consistent team in the National Hockey League this season.

A lot of that blame can be placed on Phil Kessel. Kessel, a potential 30-40 goal scorer, has just ten goals and four assists in 24 games this season. Kessel started the season with seven goals in his first eight games, but has since tailed off.

The 23-year-old's poor play certainly hasn't gone unnoticed, as his lack of effort has forced him into head coach Ron Wilson's "dog house" multiple times this season.

Kris Versteeg meanwhile, also has 14 points, but in one less game. Those statistics put him on pace for 58 points, which would be the second most total in his NHL career.

Although 48 points seems like a good season, it would be deemed a poor one for Versteeg, who is being expected to thrive off of top-six minutes, something he didn't get in Chicago. He started slowly, but with eight points in his last 11 games, Versteeg has been playing extremely well. He too will need to become consistently good for the Maple Leafs to make any charge at the post-season.

Many would be quick to point out that the acquisition of a top-line centre to play with Kessel and Versteeg would help the two, but that cannot be used as an excuse.

But of course, not all the blame can be placed on just two players.

Dion Phaneuf, although currently injured, is off to a very slow start this season. The 6'3", 214 pound defenseman has played in 11 games this season and has a minus-6 rating. This lack of effort and what looks like a lack of passion has been put into question by almost everyone this season.

Phaneuf, the team captain, is expected to lead the team. If he isn't able to lead the team on the ice, he certainly can't having an easy time leading them in the dressing room.

Despite his poor play, Phaneuf's return to the lineup definitely won't hurt, as he is still a very useful asset.
The 25-year-old has scored 77 goals in his NHL career, 48 of which were scored on the power play. His big shot and offensive ability should help the Maple Leafs.

Other Maple Leafs defencemen still looking to find their way this season include Francois Beauchemin and Mike Komisarek, both of whom have felt the pressure from the Toronto fans and media to do better. 

Someone who has not struggled all that much, however, is Luke Schenn. The third-year defenceman is plus-1 in 24 games this season and has been one of the most stellar and consistent Maple Leafs all season long. With six points so far, Schenn is on pace to score a career-high 20 points this season.

Despite the importance of offence and defence, goaltending is one of the most important aspects of hockey, and the Maple Leafs have it. With Jonas Gustavsson and Jean-Sebastien Giguere splitting time in net, the Leafs always have an above-average goalie as their last line of defence.

In 13 appearances this season, Giguere, who just returned from a groin injury, has a goals against average of 2.90 and a save percentage of .890. 

Gustavsson, meanwhile, was more than impressive during Giguere's time away. The sophomore goalie has a record of just 3-7-2, but has a goals against average of 2.66 and a save percentage of .910. Unfortunately for Gustavsson, the Leafs haven't been giving him very much offensive support, something that he and Giguere need in order to win games.

If the Maple Leafs can get going offensively, they should be able to find some consistency and possibly even climb into the playoff picture. However, that is easier said than done. The Leafs sit in the bottom five in the entire league when it comes to finding the back of the net and there are no signs of that changing any time soon.

**Follow Lukas on Twitter @SportsHazeLukas for breaking hockey news and rumors, as well as Toronto Maple Leafs game updates. 

lukas.hardonk@gmail.com

Sean Avery and the New York Rangers Go For Back-To-Back Sweep

Tonight, the New York Rangers will host the New York Islanders in the final game of the back-to-back, home-and-home series.

The Rangers took the first game 6-5, thanks to excellent play by their new and improved top-line.

The Rangers top-line of Marian Gaborik-Erik Christensen-Sean Avery contributed with nine points in the first game, including a hat-trick from Gaborik, and will most likely stick together for game-two.

The Rangers second line of Brandon Dubinsky-Derek Stepan-Ryan Callahan also contributed with an early goal in the game.

Expect Henrik Lundqvist to start for the Rangers, after relieving Martin Biron half-way through game-one.

I wouldn't expect much of a roster change or line change for the game, but I will be back later this afternoon with any updates, including line changes or roster moves.

Report: Bruins Agree to Trade Sturm to Kings; Deal Now "Dead"

According to TSN.ca, the Boston Bruins agreed to terms on a trade that would have sent forward Marco Sturm to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for what was believed to be a conditional draft pick.
The report says Sturm agreed to waive his no-trade clause, which would have blocked the Bruins from trading the 32-year-old to the Kings.

However, the two teams were reportedly finalizing the deal when ESPN's Pierre LeBrun tweeted, saying the deal is "dead," but that the door is still open for the two teams. Moments later, Rogers Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos also said the deal is dead, adding that questions about Sturm's health and how quickly he would be able to return is what ultimately killed the trade.

The former 29-goal scorer has not played all season due to problems with his knee. Sturm had off-season surgery to repair his ACL and MCL.

With Marc Savard set to return to the Bruins' lineup anytime now and Sturm only a reported 2-3 weeks away, the Bruins would have had to make a different trade in order for Sturm to return. Sending him to Los Angeles would have meant Boston would no longer have had to worry about clearing cap space.

Sturm had 22 goals, 15 assists and a plus/minus rating of plus-14 in 76 games last season. In 855-career NHL regular season games, he has 234 goals and 232 assists for a total of 466 points. Sturm also played for his native country of Germany in the 2010 winter Olympics in Vancouver.

**Follow Lukas on Twitter @SportsHazeLukas for breaking hockey news and rumors, as well as Toronto Maple Leafs game updates. 

lukas.hardonk@gmail.com

New York Rangers' Agitator Will Receive First Line Minutes

Tonight, the New York Rangers will take on the New York Islanders (at the Coliseum) in the first game of a home-and-home series.

A huge change to the Rangers lineup will take place in tonight's rivalry showdown.

The Rangers have switched up their top line for the game, and their head coach, John Tortorella, has announced that the Rangers agitator, Sean Avery, will receive top-line minutes playing alongside Marian Gaborik, and Erik Christensen.

Very smart move by Tortorella, very smart move indeed. Avery has played very well as of late, and his minutes have gone-up as a reward for his one-hundred percent playing style.

He will now get a chance with to play with superstar winger, Marian Gaborik, perhaps helping him to regain his scoring touch (him being Gaborik).

If Avery can continue to use his speed and hard shot to his advantage, he may find himself on the top-line more often. He's been given a huge responsibility by being played on the first line. For his sake, let's hope he doesn't blow it.

NHL: Forbes Releases List of Each Team's Value; Maple Leafs Leading the Way

Forbes magazine has once again determined that the Toronto Maple Leafs are the National Hockey League's most valuable team.

The magazine released its annual Business Of Hockey list on Wednesday, ranking each NHL team by its value.

At number one, the Maple Leafs are reportedly worth a total of $505 million. Forbes says the Maple Leafs' total revenue was about $187 million to go along with $82.5 million in operating income.
The Maple Leafs finished 29th in the league last season, going 30-38-14.


The New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins round out the top five, at $461, $408, $315 and $302 million respectively. The Philadelphia Flyers ($301 million), Chicago Blackhawks ($300 million), Vancouver Canucks ($262 million), Pittsburgh Penguins ($235 million) and Dallas Stars ($227 million) round out the top-ten.

For the complete list, click here.

**Follow Lukas on Twitter @SportsHazeLukas for breaking hockey news and rumors, as well as Toronto Maple Leafs game updates.
lukas@gacksports.com

New York Rangers Can't Find A Way To Win Against Sidney Crosby and The Penguins

Monday night, the New York Rangers squared off with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second time this season.
The Rangers were victorious in the first game in Pittsburgh, but this time it would be the Penguins winning, and evening the season series at 1-1.
The Penguins defeated the Rangers 3-1 Monday night, bringing their win streak to seven, while snapping the Rangers win streak at two.
Here are some post-game notes.

Sidney Crosby-Slewfoot Incident(s)
The Pittsburgh Penguins captain is most known for his spectacular scoring plays, and for his dominant play on the ice. But in last nights game, the NHL's top superstar sunk down a few levels, throwing two cheap shots in the game.
First, a slewfoot on Rangers forward, Ryan Callahan, in the first period of the game, which went completely unseen and uncalled.
The second time was late in the third period on Rangers agitator, Sean Avery. This time a penalty was called on Crosby for his illegal action.
Will the NHL take a look at the incidents? Probably not, they have never taken a look at anything Crosby has done illegally.
Should they take a look at the incidents? Yes, they definitely should. One of the NHL's dirtiest plays was made twice in one game, by one player: Sidney Crosby.

Marian Gaborik
Gaborik returned to the lineup after missing one game with the flu, and he was arguably the best player on the ice for the New York Rangers.

Henrik Lundqvist
Lundqvist struggled on two of the three Pittsburgh goals, which both took place back-to-back in the midst of the second period.
On one, Lundqvist was screened, and the other was just a slow reaction coming from the Rangers top goaltender.

Overall
Overall the game was not a very fan-friendly one, and was not very exciting for the most part. Definitely not a game you would expect to see from two division rivals.

Where Next?
Next, the Rangers will play a home-and-home series against the New York Islanders, game one being played at the Coliseum on Thursday, followed by a game at Madison Square Garden on Friday.

Game Day- Tampa Bay Visit Toronto

The Lightning take their talent to Toronto to pay a visit to the struggling Leafs. Toronto's record this year is 8-11-3, and losers of two straight. The Lightning on the other hand are 13-8-3 after losing in a shootout to Atlanta on Saturday. In the only previous meeting of the season Tampa blanked the Leafs 4-0 at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The Leafs are coming off a shutout to the Senators and have only scored one goal in their last two games. They have however won three straight at home and have scored twelve goals in those games. The Lightning have lost two straight on the road with a combined total of eight goals allowed in those games.

Starting Goalies (Expected): GP W L OTL SO GAA SV%

Jonas Gustavsson 11 3 6 1 0 2.45 .917

Dan Ellis 14 5 4 3 2 2.85 .895


I expect a very fast paced game as both teams are known for their quickness. Steven Stamkos hasn't scored in two games, but expect him to pick up a goal or two in Toronto. The Lightning's main concern has to be Mikhael Grabvoski who always has a knack to pick up points against the Bolts.

Predictions:5-3 Lightning

Three Stars:

1. Steven Stamkos- 2 goals 1 assist

2. Nikolai Kulemin- 1 goal 1 assist

3. Martin St. Louis- 2 assists

& be sure to follow Braden @OTCBraden to stay up to date with everything Bolts related.

New York Rangers Updates on Henrik Lundqvist, Marian Gaborik, and Derek Boogaard

Here are the latest updates on the New York Rangers.

Henrik Lundqvist
Henrik Lundqvist will start for the Rangers tonight when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Lundqvist has won two-straight games for the Rangers, including a 3-0 shutout win against the Florida Panthers.

Marian Gaborik
Gaborik will be a game-time decision for the Rangers, as he is still feeling effects of the flu.

Derek Boogaard
Boogaard will sit out for the third straight game with shoulder soreness.

That's all for now.

New York Rangers Return to MSG set to Take On The Pittsburgh Penguins

Monday night, the New York Rangers will return home after a three game road trip in which they won two of them, including a 3-0 shutout over the Florida Panthers Friday night.

Here are some pregame notes.

Henrik Lundqvist or Martin Biron
Lundqvist has started the Rangers previous three games, winning two of them with a shutout included.
Lundqvist is the expected starter for the Rangers, but anything can change come the morning skate.
Marian Gaborik and Derek Boogaard
Marian Gaborik missed the Rangers last game against the Nashville Predators, Saturday night, due to an illness (believed to be the flu). Whether or not Gaborik plays tonight is currently unknown.
Boogaard has missed two straight games with shoulder soreness, and his status for tonight's game is also unknown.
Offense-Defense Comibinations
Expect the lineup to remain the same for the Rangers (as it was against the Predators), unless one of Marian Gaborik or Derek Boogaard are able to return.
If one of the two forwards do return for tonight's game, one of the Rangers seven defensemen will be forced to sit out (Matt Gilroy is the likely candidate).

If there are any roster or lineup changes, expect an update sometime this afternoon.

Is it Time for VIncent Lecavalier to go?

There has been a debate for the last two years, if Vincent Lecavalier should be traded, and I believe the time is now. Even though he is injured for another four to five weeks , I believe there would be some teams interested in his services. The last two years Lecavalier has been linked to trade talks with several teams, but the deals have fallen through. He has had a respectable start to the season, before the injury and this could add to his trade value. Vincent has lost favour with the fans and most are calling for a trade.

Lecavalier had nine points in fourteen games before suffering a broken hand in a 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals, and is on injured reserved for an estimated two to three weeks. He was playing on the second line, and only had three goals in the season. The Lightning have not missed Lecavalier going 5-3 in the games since. Steven Stamkos has emerged as the new star for Lightning leading the NHL in goals and points with 38. With the Lightning emerging as a playoff contender, Lecavalier should be traded to add some depth on the blue line and some draft picks.

Vincent has not scored thirty goals in the past two seasons, and has 9 seasons left on his contract with a cap hit of 7.7 million. A change in scenery might be welcomed by Lecavalier who has a no trade clause. In the past Montreal(Lecavalier's home province) has been linked to trades for Lecavalier, but they have lost significant cap space and Tampa would have to be willing to accept large cap players to make the deal work. A potential deal could be: Vincent Lecavlier to the Montreal Canadiens for Roman Hamrlik, Ben Maxwell and a first round pick (via capgeek.com). This deal would be very hard to pull off but could help both teams in different areas. Montreal would get the large center they've been criticized about and Tampa would get some defensive depth to help the young defenders.

That is just one trade the Lightning could make, but don't expect them to trade Vincent, unless Yzerman gets a deal he can't resist. I know many fans who have been disappointed with Lecavalier, and I too expect much more for a player who is getting paid 10 million for the next six seasons, but unless something large happens, Vinny may stay in the Sunshine State for another couple of seasons.

Follow Braden @OTCBraden on twitter to stay update with the Tampa Bay Lightning

Chicago's Goaltending: Is there a plan for Marty Turco and Corey Crawford?

There has been a lot of finger-pointing with regard to the Blackhawks' slow start this season. Some want to believe that it is due to the long season leading up to the Cup win. Others believe that that defense, and at times the offense, need to show up consistently for a game. Others still want to blame Marty Turco and Corey Crawford.

While all of these points are valid ones, the question that came to mind while reading some Chicago columnists earlier today was this; What truly is the plan for Turco and Crawford? While the contract and arbitration issues with Antti Niemi were heating up, the Hawks were watching Marty Turco out of the corner of their eye.

With a one year contract, my questions are these: Why is he here? What's his purpose? What is the plan? It is relatively clear that he isn't here to battle No. 2 goaltender Corey Crawford for the No. 1 spot. Is he here to play Osgood to Howard, a la the Detroit Red Wings? Was Turco brought in for the year to be a mentor to Crawford? Was he brought in as a stop-gap because we simply needed a goaltender?

If that is the case, it would make sense to gradually see the playing time for the two to gradually equal out and eventually see Crawford move into the No. 1 spot by the end of the season. Yet, I am not getting the warm fuzzies over this scenario. How often do we hear Turco talk about mentoring Crawford?

Another interesting aspect of Turco's arrival is that he has moved his entire family here with him from Dallas, the only home the kids have ever known. If there is only a one year contract, six-to-eight months in a calendar year, it seems odd that Turco would uproot his family, the kids in particular. Is it possible that Bowman has left the door open for more than what the press and public have been told?

Bowman and the Blackhawks front office have worked hard selling Turco to the fans. Starting with a large press conference in late August and lots of public events, including helping paint the Blackhawk logo on the United Center Ice. The need to "sell" Turco to the fan base was certainly a smart move considering how much fans fell in love with former goaltender Antti Niemi during the Cup run last year.

Yet here we are, 25 games into the season and the stats on these two goaltenders are interesting:

(Source: Official Blackhawks website)

	Games	GAA	Min.	SV%
Turco	18	2.90	1056	.904
Crawford	7	2.39	401	.916

This is going to be a rebuilding year, that is pretty clear. Defending the Cup just doesn't seem realistic. So, why not use it to give Crawford some consistent time in net to gain the experience that he will certainly need next year? Turco, while a great guy and great leader in the locker room, certainly isn't living up to Bowman's billing of him when he arrived. If there was some plan for Turco and Crawford, it may certainly need to be taken back to the drawing board.

Is it time for Coach Q to start giving Crawford more time in net?