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?

New York Rangers: Why The Rangers Should Go After Marc-Andre Bergeron

In the Rangers 2-1 shootout victory over the Nashville Predators Saturday afternoon, the Rangers were a disappointing 0-4 on the power play. In the Rangers last five games, they have gone 4-21 on the power play, and they have dropped to seventeenth place in the NHL when it comes to power play percentage.

Free agent defenseman, Marc-Andre Bergeron, is currently talking to 10 different teams regarding a contract. One of those teams are believed to be the New York Rangers.

Bergeron is known for his power play skill, and his ability to quarterback a top power play unit. If the Rangers GM Glen Sather can pull off a low-cost, low risk one-year contract to acquire Bergeron, he will. Sather is currently in search of a left-handed, veteran defenseman, and he would prefer a power play specialist such as Marc-Andre Bergeron.

Bergeron would be an excellent addition to the current New York Rangers roster, and since the 2010-11 NHL season is still very young, a small acquisition like Bergeron would not have a major effect on the Rangers current game plan.

Expect Bergeron to sign very soon, as he has recently been cleared to play, and expect the Rangers to be top competitors in the Bergeron sweepstakes.

New York Rangers Update: Henrik Lundqvist Starting, Michal Rozsival Set To Return, "Boogey-Man" Out, Marian Gaborik Sick

Here is the latest news reagarding the New York Rangers.

Henrik Lundqvist

Lundqvist will get the start in goal tongiht for the Rangers as they take on Nashville. Lundqvist is coming off an excellent 40-save shutout on Friday, and would like to have another bounce-back start.

Michal Rozsival

Rangers defenseman, Michal Rozsival, is set to return to the Rangers lineup for the first time since a shoulder injury.
Rozsival missed nine games due to the injury, but he is ready to play in Nashville tonight.

Derek Boogaard and Marian Gaborik

The "Boogey-Man" will sit out for the second straight game with a shoulder injury, allowing Todd White the chance to play.
Marian Gaborik will not play tongiht, as he is out with the flu. The Rangers will carry 11 forwards and seven defenseman for tonights game.

That's all for now.

Maple Leafs and Senators to Battle on HNIC

Just hours from now, the Ottawa Senators will play host to the Toronto Maple Leafs in what will be the Leafs' 22 game of the season, and the Senators' 24th.

Tonight's game will be the third meeting between the two teams this season. The Maple Leafs won the first meeting 5-1 on October 9th in Toronto before falling 3-2 at home on November 2nd.

The Maple Leafs have won three of their last five games, including three straight at home. Unfortunately for the Buds, they have also dropped six consecutive games on the road. With a Maple Leafs win, a Senators loss and a Sabres loss tonight, the three teams will be tied for third in the Northeast Division.

Jonas Gustavsson, who will start tonight, has been nothing but impressive during Jean-Sebastien Giguere's time out. The 26-year-old is 3-5-1 this season and has a goals against average of 2.39 to go along with a .919 save percentage. Gustavsson's recent success has earned him another start, as he will get the nod tonight against the Senators.

Phil Kessel, who was benched for most of the second period of Tuesday's victory over the Dallas Stars, had an assists in last night's 3-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. He leads the team with 10 goals and will be expected to help lead the Maple Leafs to victory tonight. Nikolai Kulemin, meanwhile has four points in his last five games, but has just one goal during that same span. He has 13 points in 21 games this season.

For the Senators, goalie Pascal LeClaire has played extremely well since returning to the lineup, allowing just two goals in his last three games.  He has a save percentage of .938 in those three games.

Mike Brown will be a game-time decision for the Maple Leafs, while Ron Wilson would not confirm that Brett Lebda, who has been a healthy scratch for the last four games, will draw back into the lineup. Colby Armstrong and Dion Phaneuf are still on the injured reserve and will not play.

**Follow Lukas on Twitter @SportsHazeLukas for breaking hockey news and rumors.

lukas.hardonk@gmail.com

Modano Undergoes Surgery; Out Indefinitely

After suffering from a laceration on his right wrist, Detroit Red Wings forward Mike Modano underwent surgery early Saturday morning, this according to multiple reports.

He will be out for an indefinite amount of time.

The laceration was caused by a skate blade that made contact with his wrist during the second period of the Red Wings' 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night. Modano left the game immediately and headed back to Detroit, where the surgery was performed.

According to TSN.ca, the injury included one severed tendon and slight nerve damage.

This season is his first without the Dallas Stars, who he played 20 seasons for before signing a one-year contract with Detroit in the off-season.

The 40-year-old has played in 20 games this season, scoring just one goal and six assists to go along with a minus-3 rating. In 1,479-career NHL regular season games, Modano has 559 goals and 808 assists, a total of 1,367 points.

The Michigan native is the all-time leading goal scorer and points leader amongst American-born players in the NHL.

**Follow Lukas on Twitter @SportsHazeLukas for breaking hockey news and rumors.

lukas.hardonk@gmail.com

New York Rangers Look To Continue Winning In Nashville Saturday Night

Tonight, the New York Rangers will finish off their three game road trip in Nashvillie taking on the Predators.

Friday night, the Rangers shut-out the Florida Panthers 3-0, with several players leading the team to victory.

Henrik Lundqvist had a major bounce-back game with the shutout, and other major players in the victory were Sean Avery, Brandon Prust, Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Ryan Callahan, and Brandon Dubinsky.

New Lines
The Rangers coach, John Tortorella, played with the line combinations for this game, and the new lines paid-off.
The best line for the Rangers was the line of Ryan Callahan-Brian Boyle-Ruslan Fedotenko.
This line dominated defensively, consatnly blocking shots, clearing the crease of players (Boyle), and clearing the zone.
The other Rangers lines for Fridays game, were:
Marian Gaborik-Derek Stepan-Brandon Dubinsky
Callahan-Boyle-Fedotenko
Sean Avery-Artem Anisimov-Brandon Prust
Alex Frolov-Erik Christensen-Todd White

Will the Lines stay?
Though the lines worked wonders for the Rangers on Friday, they may not stay the same for much longer.
According to the NY Post, Tortorella may-or-may not keep these lines.
We will find out for sure later today during Tortorellas pre-game press conference.

Who will start?
Lundqvist finally won a game, after losing his previous three starts. He may start for the third straight game, and second straight night, tongiht; but I would not be surprised to see Martin Biron in goal against Nashville.

If there are any lineup changes, expect an update.

NHL Rumors: Bergeron Not Returning to Habs, Bieksa to The Islanders?

A couple of rumors from around the NHL....

Bergeron ready to return, but not with Montreal

According to SpectorsHockey.net (via RDS.ca), defenceman Marc-Andre Bergeron has been given medical clearance to play, but won't be returning with the Montreal Canadiens, who he played for last season.
The report states that the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks are all believed to be interested in the 30-year-old.

Bergeron played in 60 games with the Habs last season, putting up 34 points, including 13 goals. In 399-career NHL regular season games, Bergeron has 75 goals and 119 assists.

Kevin Bieksa to the Islanders?

This isn't to say the Vancouver Canucks will ship defenceman Kevin Bieksa to the New York Islanders, but it is possible.

The Islanders, who were riding a 14-game losing streaking going into Friday afternoon's tilt with the New Jersey Devils, are looking to make a trade, according to TheFourthPeriod.com.

The report says the Islanders have over $16 million in cap space to work with, meaning general manager Garth Snow might be willing to take on a large contract to help another team with its cap problems.

Kelly Friesen, meanwhile, reported via Twitter that Bieksa had been "supposedly traded," however turned out that Bieksa never did get traded. Still, it has been widely reported for what seems to be ages now that Bieksa is on the trade block, and that many teams have been calling Canucks general manager Mike Gillis to discuss a trade.

The Islanders sat last in the NHL with just four wins and 13 points through their first 21 games. They lack the defensive talent neccessary to make it into the playoffs and there is no doubt Bieksa would recieve top-four minutes, possibly even top-two minutes, in New York.

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

lukas.hardonk@gmail.com

Burke Still Looking to Trade, Could Use Goalies as Bait

Despite the recent success the Toronto Maple Leafs have been experiencing (winning three of their last four and three straight at home), general manager Brian Burke is still looking to make a trade, according to TheFourthPeriod.com (via the Toronto Sun).

The report suggests Burke still wants to add an "offensive-minded" forward, be it a centre or a winger.
The speculation has led many to wonder what Burke might use as potential trade bait, naming Mike Komisarek, Francois Beauchemin and, of course, Tomas Kaberle as options. However, with sophomore Jonas Gustavsson, the injured Jean-Sebastien Giguere and surprisingly impressive minor leaguer Jussi Rynnas all under contract, the goaltending position could be a focal point.

Gustavsson has been getting plenty of playing time during Giguere's absence. In nine games this season, Gustavsson is 3-4-1 and has a save percentage of .922 to go along with a goals against average of 2.30. With a career record of 19-19-10, save percentage of .906 and goals against average of 2.77, Gustavsson could be in line for a much bigger role with the Maple Leafs.

Giguere, meanwhile, has also been impressive. The 35-year-old is 5-5-2, has a save percentage of .895 and has a goals against average of 2.78 in 12 games this season. Unfortunately, however, he earns $6 million this season and could be feeling the pressure from Rynnas, who has a GAA of 1.79 and a save percentage of .941 in 12 games with the Toronto Marlies this season.

The problem with trading Giguere is that he has a no-trade clause, meaning he gets to block any trade he is involved in. Any deal would be hard for the Maple Leafs to complete before Christmas, however, as Burke's self-imposed holiday trade freeze goes into effect on December 9th.

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

lukas.hardonk@gmail.com

Buffalo Sabre Ryan Miller: Everyone Loves Ryan ...

With the 2010-11 NHL season in full swing, it is never too early to examine some of the NHL's best and what makes them so.

Sports is often like high school: There are people you love, people you hate and people that are just there. Just like those friends that made high school special, there are certain athletes that have that special quality that makes them endearing, even to rival fans.

Ryan Miller is certainly one of those players.

First, as an athlete, he is arguable the best goaltender in the NHL. This 2009-10 Vezina Trophy winner was still in the womb when the 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team pulled off their miracle on ice in Lake Placid, NY, not too far from Ryan's present home in Buffalo. Yet his heart and love for the game is reminiscent of another goalie that the nation fell in love with that cold winter 30 years ago, Jim Craig.

As fate would have it, Miller would follow in Craig's crease 30 years later as he lead the US Olympic Hockey Team to a Silver medal in Vancouver this past February. As many in the hockey world will tell you, it was the Olympics that showcased Miller to many American hockey fans and his performance in British Columbia was one that hockey fans fondly remembered once the NHL season picked up again after the February Olympic break.

On March 3rd, the first game after the Olympic break, during player introductions in Pittsburgh(nope - not a typo), fans gave Miller a standing ovation in honor of his Olympic performance. Even on that day, the US fans were more than willing to put NHL team loyalties aside in the name of the red, white and blue.

Miller was born in East Lansing, Michigan into what can only be described as a hockey family. His brother Drew, four years his junior, is presently a winger with the Detroit Red Wings and both brothers can boast three cousins on the Miller side who also played in the NHL. To say that hockey is in this family's blood would be an understatement.

In youth hockey Ryan started out as a forward and after winning a bet with his father, who was also his coach at the time, Miller moved to goal and, thankfully for Sabres fans, has been there ever since.

While in goal for Michigan State Miller began compiling impressive accolades. After setting an NCAA record with 26 shutouts in his collegiate career he also was awarded the Hobey Baker Award (2001) for having lead the nation in wins, winning percentage, save percentage, goals-against average and shutouts.

After three years at Michigan State, Miller joined the AHL's Rochester Americans and has spent his entire professional career in Western New York State eventually earning the starting goaltender position for the Buffalo Sabres at the end of the 2005-06 NHL season.

Often soft spoken and controlled yet, when need be, Miller can effectively be like a lion just let out of a cage. His strong words after the boarding penalty that put fellow Sabre Jason Pominville out of commission for a few weeks last month got a lot of media attention.

Why? For the simple fact that when Miller speaks out passionately about something, people listen.

Off the ice, Miller is just as effective at making a statement. In 2006 Miller established The Steadfast Foundation to assist children suffering from various forms of cancer after being directly affected by his cousin Matt's battle with the disease. Matt sadly passed away after complications from bone-marrow surgery at the beginning of the 2007-2008 NHL season.

Today, Miller works tirelessly with his foundation and the events that their organization sponsors are simply amazing.

On November 21st, the 5th Annual Catwalk for Charity will take place featuring Miller and his fellow Sabres dressed in 70s and 80s garb participating in a fashion show of sorts all in the name of The Steadfast Foundation.

Aside from receiving the Vezina Trophy this past season, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that the other award he was presented, the NHL Foundation Player Award, for his work in the community, is the most coveted of the two.

He continues to honor his cousin with the words "Matt Man" displayed on his goaltending helmet and something tells me that he always will.

He is a class act, a great role model for kids and with his unique grace and always giving his best both on and off the ice; it is no real surprise that everybody loves Ryan.

reitano.maryann@gmail.com

Report: Flames Tell Iginla He's Not Going Anywhere

TheFourthPeriod.com (via the Calgary Sun) is reporting that the Calgary Flames have told captain Jarome Iginla he isn't going anywhere.

Many news papers and media members have been reporting that Iginla is on the brink of being traded, however the Sun says Iginla sat down with a team official and was told he will not be asked to waive his no-trade clause at any point this season.

The Flames currently sit 14th in the Eastern Conference with a 8-10-1 record, good for 17 points. They are suffering from their lack of defence, as they are 23rd in the NHL when it comes to goals against per game, with an average of 3.10.

The Flames already completed one trade this season, as general manager Darryl Sutter traded his son Brett to the Carolina Hurricanes, along with Ian White, in return for Anton Babchuck and Tom Kostopoulos. The report suggests the Flames could "entertain" offers for the likes of Robyn Regehr, Cory Sarich and Daymond Langkow, but all three have no-trade clauses.

Iginla has eight goals and eight assists in 15 games this season. He has two years remaining on his contract, which consists of a $7 million cap hit.

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

lukas.hardonk@gmail.com

Richards to Maple Leafs Becoming More Likely Each Day; Ribeiro Also a Possibility

For months now, people have been talking about a potential trade between the Dallas Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs that would see Stars' centre Brad Richards become a Maple Leaf, possibly in return for Tomas Kaberle.

However, Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke has yet to speak publicly about a trade involving the two teams, and has not yet been spotted at a Stars game, not that it really matters anyways.

But even though Burke hasn't been speaking of a trade, does that mean it won't happen? Of course not. As everyone knows, Burke is the kind of general manager who likes to keep his mouth shut, and give very little information involving transactions.

With that being said, the chances of Richards becoming a Maple Leaf could be increasing each day, given the way he has been playing, his contract situation, and the Stars' ownership/revenue situation.

Richards, 30, is off to a blazing start this season. In 18 games, the former Tampa Bay Lightning forward has nine goals and 15 assists, a total of 24 points, to go along with a plus-10 rating. He is earning $7.8 million in this, the final year of his contract with the Stars.

Also well-documented has been the Stars' current ownership situation, which will make it extremely hard for general manager Joe Nieuwendyk to re-sign Richards. Stars owner Tom Hicks has reportedly set an internal budget that is well below the league mandated $59.4 million salary cap, meaning it will be next to impossible since Richards will likely want about $8 million per season.

That's not to say the Maple Leafs will want to pay him that much, although their salary cap room next season may allow them to.

Richards would be a nice addition to a team that does not currently have a top-six centre.

The addition of Richards could also mean good things for the development of Nazem Kadri, who, with three assists in four games, appears to be becoming more of a play maker than a goal scorer, although his career is only five games old.

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported on Saturday not only that the Maple Leafs are interested in Richards, but Mike Ribeiro as well.

Ribeiro, a three-time 20+ goal scorer, is currently the Stars' second line centre. He is earning $5 million per season, but still has two more years left on his contract following this season. With that and the fact that the Stars would get a greater return for Richards in mind, Nieuwendyk would likely rather trade Richards over Ribeiro.

However, Garroich said the New York Rangers are also interested in both Richards and Ribeiro. Both have a no-trade clause, meaning they can block any trade they're involved in. Unfortunately, for the Maple Leafs, that could be a problem, as the Rangers have four more wins in two more games this season.

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

lukas.hardonk@gmail.com

Teeing It Up: Maple Leafs and Canadiens to Battle on HNIC

The Toronto Maple Leafs will visit the Montreal Canadiens tonight at the Bell Centre for what should be a spirited affair.

The Canadiens will be looking to enter the second quarter of the 2010-2011 season on a high note. The Habs are currently third in the Eastern Conference with a 12-6-1 record, good for 25 points. It won't be an easy task for them, however, as the Maple Leafs are 4-0-1 in their last five meetings.

The Canadiens are coming off of a 3-0 loss to the Nashville Predators, the team Toronto came back against after being down 4-1 on Tuesday evening. Tomas Plekanec, Mike Cammalleri and Brian Gionta combined for a minus-8 rating on Thursday night.

Toronto has won two straight games. A win tonight against the Canadiens would be a huge confidence booster after losing their eighth straight a week ago today.

To win, the Maple Leafs will need to beat red hot Carey Price. Price has a goals against average of 2.11 and a save percentage of .928 this season, each of which are seventh best amongst NHL goalies.

At the other end, Jonas Gustavsson will get the start. Gustavsson is 2-3-1 this season with a goals against average of 2.55 and a save percentage of .913. He made 29 saves against the New Jersey Devils Thursday, a game that the Maple Leafs won 3-1.

Jussi Rynnas will back him up as Jean Sebastien Giguere is expected to miss another week or so with a groin injury. Giguere's injury gives Gustavsson some time to prove that he can be a starting goalie in the NHL.

"It's awesome, you want to play those games when the crowd is going nuts and it's really loud," Gustavsson said after Thursdays' win.

Nazem Kadri will play again tonight. Kadri has three assists in as many games this season, but is still looking for his first NHL goal. Tonight will be his fifth-career NHL game.

Phil Kessel has four points in his last three games, while Kris Versteeg has five points in his last four games, including three goals.

The Canadiens will host a short pre-game ceremony tonight on the life and death of Pat Burns, who died Friday evening at the age of 58. He coached both the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens.

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

NHL: Jokinen, Ritola Suspended

The National Hockey League suspended a couple of players on Thursday...


Jokinen gets two

Calgary Flames forward Olli Jokinen has been suspended for three games for a cross-checking incident that occurred during the third period of the Flames' 3-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday night.

Jokinen delivered the cross-check to Phoenix Coyotes forward Wojtek Wolski, and was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct on the play.

Wolski, who has scored two goals and assisted on another eight this season, has been playing great lately with five points in his last six games.

Jokinen, meanwhile, is not playing quite as good. The 31-year-old has two goals and six assists in 17 games this season, to go along with a minus-1 rating.

Ritola also suspended


The NHL also suspended Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mattias Ritola two games for a hit he delivered to Matt Moulson of the New York Islanders, according to Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Bay Tribune.

The incident occurred during the second period of Tampa Bay's 4-2 win over the New York Islanders. Ritola was given a five-minute major for charging on the play and will now forfeit $5,555.92 in salary.

Ritola has scored one goal this season in 12 games. Erlendsson says the Lightning have called up Matt Roy and James Wright from the AHL.

This is the first suspension of Ritola's NHL career.

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

NHL: Flames, Hurricanes Complete Four Player Trade

The Calgary Flames have traded forward Brett Sutter and defenceman Ian White to the Carolina Hurricanes, in exchange for forward Tom Kostopoulus and defenceman Anton Babchuk.


Sutter was charged with misdemeanour assault in Arizona last week after he reportedly punched a cab driver. According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Sutter's arrest had nothing to do with the trade, saying the trade has been in the works for weeks.

Sutter has played in 18-career NHL regular season games, and has just one goal and one assist. In four games this season, the 23-year-old has one assist.

White, who Toronto traded to the Flames during their roster overhaul last season, is minus-10 in his last eight games. In 16 games this season, he has scored two goals and assisted on another four. In 339-career NHL regular season games, White has 34 goals and 89 assists.

Kostopoulus, a NHL journeyman, is known more for his ability to agitate opposing players rather than his ability, or lack there of, to put the puck in the net. He has 604 penalty minutes in 475-career NHL regular season games.

Babchuck, a former member of the Chicago Blackhawks, has played in 185-career NHL regular season games, scoring 26 goals and 43 assists and has a plus/minus rating of minus-5. He is off to an OK start this season, scoring three goals and five assists for a total of eight points, while going minus-4. The 6'5", 212 pound Kiev, Ukraine native has been rotating between the Hurricanes and Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.

With the move, the Flames have lost a solid top four defenceman in Ian White, but also gained a decent player in Anton Babchuck. Kostopoulus, meanwhile, gives the Flames an extra tough guy and someone who can score occasionally.

Some people would say the trade is a sign of things to come for the Flames, who have not received the offensive production they expected from Alex Tanguay and Olli Jokinen.

General manager Darryl Sutter's and head coach Brent Sutter's jobs have been put into question lately, thanks to the team's 7-9-0 start. More moves could very well be on the horizen.

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

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