"Wishing February wouldn't end"

There are two reasons this February has been good. The first being it is my birthday month. The other reason you ask? The Phoenix Coyotes posted an astonishing 11-0-1 record through the month. February ended on a good note though as they defeated the Vancouver Canucks, who not only are the leading points team in the league, but also the only team to put a dent in the near perfect month for the Coyotes.

So what exactly propelled the team to this great streak?

No doubt about it Mike Smith has been huge for this team. He has set the franchise record for consecutive wins which currently sits at 11 and counting. Any doubters of the once wrote off net minder have been quieted this season. Remember, the Lightning sent him down to their AHL affiliate less than a year ago. Talk about a turn around season for the net minder.

However, Smith is not the only one doing things on the ice to make this team into a playoff team.

Take Ray Whitney, who is currently 39 years young and having an outstanding year on the desert. Not only does he lead the team on points, but has been an instrumental part in this extraordinary push towards the playoffs. The "Wizard" will turn forty next month and continues to play at a high level. I would have to draw a comparison to the Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash. They both seem to get better as the years pass.

One of the most overlooked if not the most overlooked player who got snubbed from the All Star game in Ottawa is Radim Vrbata. He leads the team in the goals category with 30. Even more impressive is the fact that ten of those thirty are game winning goals. Talk about clutch. You take away Vrbata's 30 tallies and who knows where the Coyotes would be.

While that is only a few players/reasons this team is performing so well at the right time, I think it comes down to the work ethic and chemistry on this team. The players in the locker room all know their roles on this team and have been executing them to near perfection. That is largely due to Dave Tippett's pack mentality. The system is realistically the only way this team can and will win. They don't have the superstars that an take over games like other NHL teams do.

Job well done Phoenix. Here's to hoping we have a third straight playoff birth. Keep proving the hockey world wrong.

What's not to love about the scorching Phoenix Coyotes?

- Chase Tomlinson

LA Kings Going to Shake It Up

Who would have ever thought that at game 60, we would see a player like Jordan Nolan on the top line playing with Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams?  Who would have ever thought that at game 60, the Kings would be ranked dead last in the NHL in goals scored?  Who would have ever thought that at game 60, the Kings would be on the outside looking in - tied with Calgary with 65 points in 9th place?  I can keep going, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon to "catch my drift." 

I remember sitting glued in front of the television during the opening game of the NHL season and getting chills when Mike Modano and Marty Turco predicted the Kings to win the Stanley Cup.  I actually believed it this time.  I had just opened the packet received from the Kings which contained my tickets for the season.  I was ready to go!  What happened?  What went wrong?  Why, all of a sudden, the Kings just can't put the puck in the net?  In their previous game against Calgary, I kept mentioning to my friends that it doesn't appear to be a lack of effort. The chances were certainly there.  The effort seemed like it was there.  The puck just does not go in!

Today, coach Sutter decided to shake things up… again.  The following lines were reported to be skating in practice this morning:

Nolan / Kopitar / Williams
King / Richards / Brown
Clifford / Loktionov / Lewis
Penner / Fraser / Richardson
(Westgarth, Stoll)

Sutter also expressed his displeasure in the play and effort of his top players in Kopitar and Brown.  He was quoted saying: 

"Neither one has done much for six weeks. These guys talk too much about the team. They should talk more about more about themselves, what they bring to the table. … Kopi and Brownie have been stale, from my standpoint, for a little while together. In terms of producing opportunities, if it’s working backwards, in terms of who you perceive as your fourth line, to your first, then it’s not really a team thing.’’

That is a statement we have never heard directed towards those two players as Kings fans.  In the past, Terry Murray scapegoated players like Frolov when things went south.  It is very refreshing to see a coach who is not afraid to criticize his "star" players when deserved.  Whether or not this will light a fire under them, is yet to be seen.  The Kings are set to face the Coyotes in Phoenix tomorrow night for the most important game of the season thus far.  The outcome of the game could very well decide their fate in the season.  I'm never a fan of math when it comes to sports.  The Kings could drop tomorrow's game and still have plenty of games to make up for it, but hockey is based on momentum, heart, and belief… just ask the Anaheim Ducks.  You want to talk about a must win?  Tomorrow night is it.

What I think should happen is the following:  Dustin Penner, Dwight King, and Jordan Nolan need to get their bodies in front of the net.  This is how the Kings scored goals last season.  Of course, we had willing players like Smyth and Handzus who made a living doing that… but you've got to do these things in order to score. This is the main reason why the scoring has been down (understatement) this season.  No player is willing to get banged up in front of the net to score those ugly goals.  A big guy like Penner has no business coasting around during a power play when the team is struggling to score.

Interesting facts:

Since the old Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix and became the Coyotes in 1996, the Kings record against them has been 35-41-6T-4OTL-2SOL.  While playing in Phoenix, the record is 14-23-2T-3OTL-1SOL. Phoenix, in their last 10 games has gone 8-1-1 gaining 17 out of 20 points.  The Kings have gone 4-5-1 with a terrible 9 out of 20.  The last game the two teams played recorded a total of 4 fighting majors for each team and 62 penalty minutes altogether.  

-Mike Torosyan   @miketory79

Welcome To the Big Show - Kyle Turris

That was the opening line to many nights of Sportscenter back in the 1990s and I think it fits here as well.

Tonight Kyle Turris will make his debut for the Ottawa Senators as they welcome in the Buffalo Sabres to ScotiaBank Place.

Turris was the third overall pick in 2007 entry draft behind Patrick Kane and James Van Riemsdyk. Originally drafted from the Burnaby Express of the BCHL, Turris decided to play a year at the University of Wisconsin under Coach Mike Eaves, where he was roughly a point a game player.  After one season in Madison, The Yotes and Turris decided he should get the call up to the big club….So let me get this straight, Kyle goes from playing Junior A, 35 games at Wisconsin to smack dab in the middle of the NHL.

Turris played three games in the 07-08 season and recorded his first points. The 2009 season he recorded eight goals and 12 assists in 63 games. With this result the next year he was sent to San Antonio for the majority of the season and finished with 63 points in the AHL.

Beginning in 2010, hopes were high for him to have a breakout season in the desert, the Yotes had just come off a successful  107 point season, that saw a hard-fought but series loss to the Red Wings, however the more important fact, Jobing.Com Arena was packed and Coyotes fans were rabid(remember the snakes)

Well Turris disappointed with only 25 points in 63 games, not exactly what you would expect out of a 3^rd overall pick.

Then the holdout began and all hell broke loose.

Turris became a restricted free agent on July 1^st and the two sides could not come to an agreement which then led to reports of Turris asking for between 3-4 million dollars year and that’s where things really got bad. Since clearly his production isn’t comparable to that salary. Knowing the financial constraints of the team, as it was and still is owned by the NHL it looked like it was more of a ploy to get traded.

November 22, 2011 came and Turris signed a two year deal worth 2.8 million, keep in mind he had to sign by December 1^st or he couldn’t play until next season.

Last Saturday, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators for Defenseman prospect David Rundblad and a 2^nd round draft pick. Initially I was shocked by this coup by Ottawa. Then I was shocked because the Senators gave up on Rundblad (6 NHL Games) so fast and added a 2^nd rounder to boot. This weekend I was very perplexed, how I really felt about the trade.

The more I thought about it, this is an awesome hockey trade, Turris will now be a face, but not The face of a Canadian franchise. He was asked a very young age to be the savior of hockey in the desert, which only added to the pressure of being brought up from Wisconsin to the NHL in only a matter of days. Turris now has the opportunity to thrive in a market that is hockey crazy, he can now fit in with a young and frankly overachieving team even though their record may not show it. Along with really young Guys like Erik Karlsson, Kaspar Daugavins, Nick Foligno, Colin Greening, Jared Cowen and led by 28 year old Jason Spezza,and 18 year old Mika Zibanejad still in Sweden,  Ottawa is not lacking young talent. I have a very good feeling that Turris will fit perfectly in that room and just be another piece of the young core.

He wanted out of Phoenix and he got his wish. But now he will be under arguably the 3^rd hottest spotlight in the NHL. He won’t have to be the face of the franchise, but he will experience a media crunch overwhelming larger than Phoenix.

Will Kyle Turris continue to mature and become an 80-100 point guy or will he continue to underperform and fade into obscurity? Regardless of what happens he no longer will fly under the radar.

Joe DeTolve

Chicago, Illinois

Goodintheroom.blogspot.com

The Phoenix Coyotes Escape the Fallen King of Blackberry

Boy or boy;  it is good for Phoenix and the NHL that the King of RIM (Research in Motion) was unable to buy the Coyotes.  Jim Balsillie (the self anointed crown prince of Waterloo, Ontario) was in hot pursuit of the Coyotes not long ago.  He was very insistent on moving the team to Hamilton (Ontario) but he didn't count on the NHL and the community in Phoenix kicking back and saying no.  Since then Mr.Blasillie has had his hands full with the collapse of his company's stock price resulting from the IPHONE's successful assault on the Blackberry.  Billions of dollars later; Mr.Balsillie has got his hands full trying to save his company.  If he had been successful in acquiring the Coyotes; he would have two problems instead of one and the NHL team in Phoenix would be worse for the experience.

The desert rats of the NHL are quietly winning games and taking names.  The team beat the Blackhawks and Predators this week and they did so without fanfare.  They are up against the Red Wings tonight and if they win; they would be 3 for 3 on their latest road trip.  The team leads the Pacific Division of the NHL with 33 points and they show no signs of slowing down.  Dave Tippett (the head coach of the Coyotes) has done a brilliant job of rallying this team despite losing Bryzgalov to the Flyers in the off season.  Ray Whitney and Shane Doan are the veterans who are showing the young Coyotes how to win on a nightly basis.  This is a real team effort and every time they put another victory in the plus column; it is thanks to the entire roster.

Phoenix is a well oiled hockey machine.  They may now be  making tons of money but they are building something special right in the middle of the blazing desert.   The reason of the success is commitment and hockey knowledge.  Pay attention MR. RIM; not everything is about money and opportunity.  Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it.  If Mr.Balsillie had been focused on his company and not the Coyotes ; maybe he would have seen Apple coming and done something about it. Good luck to the Coyotes and good luck to RIM.  We hope both the team and the company make it out of their problems.     

How the NHL Scheduling Left Sharks Fans Playing the Patience Game

October 6th, 2011 the start of the new NHL season…what a great day for a few teams. Boston loses to Philly, Reimer shuts out Montreal and Kris Letang's Samson like hair gets him the shoot out winner against the Canucks! What a fun day for watching hockey!

October 7th rolls around with 6 more games played and no action for the Sharks that day either…Oh wait October 8^th  and the home/season opener for the San Jose Sharks is slated against the Phoenix Coyotes…finally!

What a game it was…and by game I mean the waiting game… 2 days into the season Sharks fans had to sit and be patient until their first game finally arrived. Patience was the key and it did pay off with a great 6-3 win over the Phoenix Coyotes. This first game was just a glimpse of what should be expected to come from the fantastic team put together by the coaches and management of the San Jose Sharks. The win was like a preview to an epic movie coming out in a few days, just leaving you wanting to see more!

After a street rally and a great home opener, I am left waiting 6 days just for their 2^nd game of the season! At this point in time some NHL teams will have played their fourth or fifth games…and I say that’s ridiculous…the Sharks are very entertaining and I can not wait to see their talent shown this Friday in Anaheim and then again back home on Saturday (at least SJ fans get 2 in a row).

All this to say…I will patient, yet again…

-Justin Stefani

Detroit Red Wings - First Round Sweeps – Good or Bad??

During my brief time writing about the Stanley Cup Finals I have encountered many different message boards, blogs, webzines, discussions and forums. I find these a valuable tool for my research as well as getting other fans perspectives on how games have gone, what they think will happen next and of course, who will win the cup.

It was on one of these discussion boards where a fellow ice hockey fan planted some sort of doubt in my mind that the Red Wings were on course for the Cup this season. It wasn’t anything to do with how the team were playing, injuries, potential match up’s and opponents that this fan’s comments related too but a fact they thought they had read or heard somewhere.  The comment was along the lines of no team had gone on to win The Stanley Cup after sweeping a team in the first round since changing to it’s current format.

I’m not exactly sure when the Cup did change to it’s current format but it certainly got me thinking – had there been a 4-0 winner in round 1 that had won the cup since I started watching Ice Hockey back in around 1993. I had an evening to spare, a comfy chair and a drink in hand so I was going to find out.

Its probably happened to all of us before. A Mate, fellow fan or work colleague will drop something into conversation about that nights sports games that bamboozles the mind. Half the time you don’t even think about it. If I was to tell you in one of my articles that no player has even won the cup on his birthday, Phil Housley has played the most ever games in the NHL without winning the cup or there has never been a penalty shot in a game 7 you wouldn’t rush out there and try and prove me wrong. Some of you might believe me, some of you might pass the fact on to someone else. Some (ok, most) of you probably couldn’t care less! (If you are thinking of rushing out there to prove those statements, 1 I think is correct, 2 I made up but might be right!).

I guess I felt the need I had to come back to the person this time round. If it had been any other team than Detroit I probably would have ignored it. The fact is the Wings are playing well and have just as good a chance as any team in this playoffs. Hey, they are the 1^st team guaranteed a spot in round 2. They have one of their star players about to return fresh into the next round, they will have had extra rest days than the others and Jimmy Howard is starting to look comfortable in the playoffs!

I wasn’t going to let a silly historical fact that might or might not be true beat me. I was going to beat it. I didn’t even know and still don’t, why I had allowed this to get to me so much. I don’t believe in facts and stats. Just because no other team had ever done it doesn’t mean it isn’t ever going to happen. Figures and stats are there for breaking. For every record set there is a record broken, or something like that. I still didn’t know if this comment was even true!

Thankfully my research didn’t take too long and for my beloved Red Wings the dream of getting their hands on Lord Stanley’s Cup were still intact. I discovered there are quite a few teams since 1993 that have managed the feat. I have listed year by year how the teams who started with 4-0 victories went on and progressed that year, but if you just want to know the winners they were ....

1994 – New York Rangers
1999 – Dallas Stars
2000 – New Jersey Devils
2001 – Colorado Avalanche

I was quite pleased with my findings and I will be hunting out that post and putting my reply on there with a large grin on my face and a drink in my hand. From the start of this Playoffs my heart has been saying Detroit but my head has been saying Vancouver. Maybe this is a little victory for the heart. Maybe, just maybe that this should be added to the list above

2011 – Detroit Red Wings

Steelad

(Ps .. for any of you who are interested in the full list from 93 of teams that have come away with a 1^st round sweep, its below with who they were eventually knocked out by!)

1993

Buffalo Sabres 4 v 0 Boston Bruins – Beaten by Montreal Canadiens 4-0 in Conference Semi Finals
St Louis 4 v 0 Chicago Blackhawks – Beaten by Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in Conference Semi Finals

1994

New York Rangers 4 v 0 New York Islanders – WON CUP
Dallas Stars 4 v 0 St Louis Blues - Beaten by Vancouver Canucks 4-1 in Conference Semi Finals

1995

No First Round sweep

1996

Chicago Blackhawks 4 v 0 Calgary Flames – Beaten by Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in Conference Semi Finals

1997

No First Round Sweep

1998

St Louis Blues 4 v LA Kings 0 – Beaten by Detroit Red Wings 4-2 in Conference Semi Finals

1999

Detroit Redwings 4 v 0 Anaheim Ducks – Beaten by Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in Conference Semi Finals
Dallas Stars 4 v 0 Edmonton Oilers – WON CUP
Buffalo Sabres 4 v 0 Ottawa Senators – Beaten by Dallas Stars 4-2 in Stanley Cup Final

2000

Detroit Redwings 4 v 0 LA Kings – Beaten by Colorado Avalanche 4-1 in Conference Semi Finals
New Jersey Devils 4 v 0 Florida Panthers – WON CUP

2001

Toronto Maple Leafs 4 v 0 Ottawa Senators – Beaten by New Jersey Devils 4-3 in Conference Semi Finals
Colorado Avalanche 4 v 0 Vancouver Canucks – WON CUP

2002

No First Round Sweep

2003

Anaheim Ducks 4 v 0 Detroit Redwings – Beaten by New Jersey Devils 4-3 in the Stanley Cup Finals

2004

No First Round Sweep

2005

Stanley Cup not contested due to lock out year

2006

New Jersey Devils 4 v 0 New York Rangers – Beaten by Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 in Conference Semi Finals

2007

New York Rangers 4 v 0 Atlanta Thrashers – Beaten by Buffalo Sabres 4-2 in Conference Semi Finals

2008

Pittsburgh Penguins 4 v 0 Ottawa Senators – Beaten by Detroit Redwings 4-2 in Stanley Cup Final

2009

Boston Bruins 4 v 0 Montreal Canadiens – Beaten by Carolina Hurricanes in Conference Semi Finals
Detroit Redwings 4 v 0  Columbus Blue Jackets - Beaten by Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 In Stanley Cup Final
Vancouver Canucks 4 v 0 St Louis Blues – Beaten by Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 in Conference Semi Finals

2010

No First Round Sweep

2011

Detroit Redwings 4 v 0 Phoenix Coyotes – Beaten?? Stanley Cup Winners?? YET TO BE CONCLUDED...................

- Adam Yates

Detroit Kicks Phoenix to the Curb - See Ya in The Peg !!!

The Phoenix Coyotes finally succumbed to post season pressure.  The hockey was terrible in the playoffs for the Coyotes as Detroit rip them to shreds.  These boys were out classed by a hard working Red Wing team which knows how to put up or shut up.   It was a sad end to the great Gary Bettman experiment in the desert.  The hockey czar tried to make hockey click in weather that could easily be suited for a camel.   Even Wayne Gretzky could not illicit the necessary magic to make Phoenix into a winning proposition.

It looks as though the Coyotes could be headed north before next year to find a new home in Winnipeg.  This would be a great move for everyone.  If this is allowed to happen, the NHL might get credit for thinking long term.  Coyote players would also benefit from playing in front of a crowd that understands hockey and doesn't attend games because they lost a bet to someone at the office.  Lastly, Winnipeg wins because they get back into the big leagues of hockey where they belong.  The glory days of Dale Howerchuk and Morris Lukowich  prove that the Peg is major league when it comes to the fastest game in the world.

If it is not this coming year it will come sooner or later.  The Coyotes will end up in Winnipeg.  Once in the Peg, Coyote hockey will be cooler, faster, and way better.  Detroit better watch out !!!

Hypocrisy of NHL on Full Display with Latest Non-Suspension to Glencross

The NHL has to learn from its mistakes one of these days... at least you have to hope. But, until that day comes, we should enjoy the ride that is the Colin Campbell experience.

Calgary Flame Curtis Glencross got nailed with a fine on Friday, two days after he delivered a cross-check to the face of Vancouver Canuck Keith Ballard. In all honesty, it was pretty tame stuff, but when one looks back to how Glencross’s teammate Olli Jokinen got hit with a three-game ban for a similar infraction on Phoenix Coyote Wojtek Wolski, just a few short weeks ago, one wonders just what is going on in Campbell’s head.

With all the rumours and vicious innuendo being spouted online and in the mainstream media about him recently, one would think that Campbell would be extra vigilant in his decisions so as to escape any unwanted second-guessing. But it would seem that Campbell is not one to back down from his apparently God-given right to make weird-ass decisions. As such, it’s easy to imagine that he made this latest one out of sheer principle as if to say “no blogger, no scandal, no fake artist on earth can influence how I do my job”, which is actually kind of a noble thought... that is if his uninfluenced decisions weren’t so laughably nonsensical.

I’ve written before that the league’s decision to suspend Jokinen, who was a first-time offender, three games was somewhat of an odd choice, but I tried to rationalize it. But there’s little way to rationalize this latest incident... maybe because Jokinen was the third man in an altercation between Wolski and Niklas Hagman and Glencross was just exercising his right to smash in the face of a guy who was directly in his? That right there means a difference of three games? So, by that logic, if I got into a barfight and then did my opponent the decency of stabbing him in the front rather than from his side, I’d be able to buy my way out of trouble? Good to know... if only Campbell was my local police commissioner anyway.

What’s most puzzling is that Glencross is not a first-time offender. In fact, and this is where it gets good, he got suspended for a blind-side hit to the head of New York Ranger Chris Drury once upon a time. When was that time? Oh, in November of last year when he felt the overwhelming need to use his shoulder as a battering ram on an unsuspecting Drury’s head, an act that resulted in a three-game ban in its own right.

Think about that for a second... Glencross blind-sided Drury, with a shoulder to the head and got suspended, before the Marc Savard-Matt Cooke incident, before the rule came into effect, before Campbell told everyone how much he wanted to suspend Cooke, but couldn’t for lack of a rule in the rulebook. Huh???

Is it just me or is Campbell really not making life easy on himself? I don’t know if he’s just naturally confrontational and likes being the object of everyone’s attention, but this is getting ridiculous. Obviously, he didn’t mean for it to become public knowledge that he’s a potty mouth and takes an arguably unhealthy interest in plays involving his son, but, in this instance, he could have done the easy and the right thing and given Glencross three games, prevented himself any scrutiny, and put all this behind him. Instead Glencross gets nothing, people are forced into comparing Jokinen and Glencross’s suspension histories, and, bada-bing, bada-boom, yet another inconsistency in the way Campbell and the NHL do business is discovered.

I’m not going to get into the implications that the NHL really could have suspended Cooke if Campbell really wanted to and just didn’t because he has it out for Savard, not just because saying it in passing is just as good and takes up less space, but also because it’s been said to death before. There’s no point kicking a dead horse. Thankfully, Campbell is still very much kicking himself, meaning he, and the NHL in turn, will continue to be the gift that keeps on giving. Just in time for Christmas, no less.

The Reason Wolski Rarely Scores? He Rarely Shoots

This is only Phoenix Coyote Wojtek Wolski's fourth goal of the season, putting him on pace for a relatively modest 16. Going into last night's game against the Edmonton Oilers, he only had 34 shots on goal all season  (he had three last night). It begs the question: If he has such a killer shot, why isn't he using it more? Admittedly, the Coyotes were playing the defensively lax Oilers and the defensively lax Devan Dubnyk was in goal, but one still has to give props to Wolski for what amounts to a truly impressive skillset. Of course, he was benched for two games earlier this season for not showing enough effort during games, but it's clear that if this hockey thing doesn't work out he could probably still find work with the Oilers (because what they're doing right now isn't exactly playing hockey).

Wild’s Waiver Claim of O’Sullivan Hardly Oh-My-God Material

It’s not often you get a do-over, but, even so, the Minnesota Wild must surely be looking at its re-acquisition of Patrick O’Sullivan on Monday as nothing more than a “meh” on its indifference scale.

Who really cares that once upon a time he got traded away (along with a first-round pick) for Pavol Demitra to try and get Marian Gaborik to stay with the franchise well into the twilight of his career? Gaborik probably never intended on staying no matter what the team did, however much money the team threw his way.

Who really cares that the Wild have basically just gotten back a human suitcase more well-travelled than the worn body of a 40-year-old prostitute on the verge of retirement? All that matters is the here and the now.

Who really cares, all due respect to O’Sullivan and the publicized personal trials and tribulations he’s had to endure, about what has transpired in his past? It is just a business after all.

And who really cares that the 10-7-2 Wild are actually surpassing expectations early this season? No one should be, especially no one affiliated in any shape or form with the Wild, because to care would be to become content with what is still by and large a mediocre record. That’s why the rationale behind this move is so confusing, because the team has in essence turned to the one player who has been complacency personified over the course of his career.

O’Sullivan first got drafted by the Wild in the second round of the incredibly strong 2003 draft. While the first round saw such gems as Ryan Getzlaf, Eric Staal, and Zach Parise get drafted, even in the second round, names such as Patrice Bergeron, Shea Weber, and Jimmy Howard were still available to be had. Many thought O’Sullivan belonged in that special group of talent-laden players, especially after his 53-point season in 2007-2008 with the Los Angeles Kings. And yet his career took a different turn when he staged a mini-hold-out to start the following season, failing to show up for training camp and signing a three-year, $8.775-million contract four days before the team’s season opener. I mean, as far as salaries go, a $2.925-million-per-year average isn’t too crazy, but let’s just say everyone’s lucky Mike Richards didn’t captain the Kings then or we all would have been told to death just how bigger than his britches O’Sullivan was acting.

After getting the contract he wanted with the Kings that year, his production and development didn’t so much regress as it did just stall. And then came the kiss-of-death trade to the Edmonton Oilers, a three-way deal that saw Justin Williams go to L.A., Erik Cole go to the Carolina Hurricanes, and O’Sullivan to what would become the graveyard of his career in Edmonton, where he posted a league-worst +/- -35 last season en route to being placed on waivers this past off-season before eventually signing a two-way contract with Carolina.

"So, let me get this straight: I shouldn't be letting pucks go in my net?"

If you’re getting the impression that O’Sullivan is just an oversized human hot potato no one really wants to hang to for too long, you’re not alone. I mean, no one even took a chance on him when Edmonton placed him on waivers, leading to the Oilers trading him for defenseman Jim Vandermeer, his consequential buy-out by the Phoenix Coyotes (because the Coyotes are so adept at goal scoring, didn’t you know?), and his short-lived stint as a Hurricane.

Really, the only reason Minnesota is taking a chance on him now is because injuries are starting to pile up at forward with the none-too-bright James Sheppard still trying to figure out where he went wrong riding an ATV in the off-season, Chuck Kobasew nursing his lower body, Pierre-Marc Bouchard still out with a concussion, and Guillaume Latendresse conveniently requiring surgery to repair both a torn labrum and a bilateral sports hernia and taking his sweet time to return, lest he be discovered for the third-liner he really is who just got insanely lucky 20 times over last season.

As such, O’Sullivan should get plenty of opportunity to prove to the Wild (and to the Hurricanes, and to the Oilers, and to the Kings, and to the Coyotes) that the team made a mistake getting rid of him initially.

Hopefully the presumed chip on his shoulder isn’t made of potato like the rest of him and lasts at least the remainder of this year so he can resurrect what’s left of his career. And if it doesn't help the Wild right off the bat, so be it. It's not the end of the world. Because it is a move made to at least try and improve the team, because judgment should only be reserved for a few weeks in anyway, and, finally, because the only thing Wild should ever really live to regret is investing all that time and money in Gaborik.

Zetterberg Does it All as Coyotes Crumble to One-Man Wrecking Crew

Not only does Detroit Red Wing Henrik Zetterberg draw the penalty, but he also scores the game-winning goal on a nice deflection in front on the delayed call, as the Wings beat the Phoenix Coyotes 3-2 in overtime on Monday. It's almost a foregone conclusion that Detroit would have scored on the four-on-three advantage, but all that means is Zetterberg could have easily given up the puck and given his team two full minutes of shooting-gallery action instead of helping to set up his own goal. As fun as shooting shot-blocking, diving Coyotes in the shins sounds, I'm sure Zetterberg and the Wings will take the win, while the Coyotes will have to go back to the drawing board.

The Do’s and Doan’s of Building a Contender: Why the Phoenix Coyotes are Mired in a Slump

It used to be that Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan was a fantasy hound. He struck the perfect balance between contributing the odd point and making the odd trip to the penalty box, with the odd alleged slur aimed at French Canadians added in for good measure. But no longer. Now the only slurs he’s uttering are solely in karma’s direction.

Doan recently found himself on the receiving end of an awkward collision with Dallas Star Nicklas Grossman, sustaining a lower-body injury last Friday with the hit. As a result, he’s been put on the shelf for what is being called an extended period of time. This after he nearly sidelined Anaheim Duck Dan Sexton with an illegal hit last month and broke Cam Fowler’s nose in the same game. 

Meanwhile, his Coyotes have lost more than their captain, going 4-5-4 in the team’s first 13 games this season. Last year after the same amount of games they were 9-4 en route to a franchise-record 107-point season. So, without further ado, a simple do’s and Doan’s list to be used as a reference guide for head coach Dave Tippett and general manager Don Maloney:

Do play your best players. I don’t think anyone knows exactly why Wojtek Wolski was a healthy scratch for two games, except for his obvious goal-scoring drought that has somehow made its way through the entire roster like a new strand of the Black Plague. I mean, Ed Jovanovski’s a good guy, but not who you want leading your team in scoring. Truth be told, Wolski does have six points in his last six games, with his two games out of the line-up coming smack-dab in the middle. So, the next best guess regarding his benching: Wolski spit in his coffee and instead of snickering behind Tippett’s back, he was all in-your-face about it. Smooth, Wojtek.

"Easy as spitting in your coach's coffee... I mean pie! Spitting in your coach's pie!"

Doan sign Eric Belanger and make him your number-one center. Too late, apparently. While Belanger is a healthy addition to any line-up, he should only be signed for depth purposes only. Belanger excels as a third-liner and can really only be expected to put up lower-tier top-six numbers, if that. The defensive aspect of his game is his strong suit and that should be embraced, not taken as a sign that he’s ready to step up and become a late-blooming French-Canadian Sidney Crosby.

Do examine your goaltending options. Ilya Bryzgalov has been decent in nets and cannot legitimately be considered a one-year wonder after his spectacular 2009-2010, but the team’s depth chart in goal is surprisingly thin. As it stands now, his being the best use of money by the name of Ilya in the NHL isn't exactly a ringing endorsement. With Vancouver Canuck Cory Schneider potentially available, maybe it’s time to think further down the line. Maybe it would be wise to consider actually challenging Bryzgalov to maintain his ever-softening grip on the number-one spot. Sure, Jason LaBarbera isn’t scaring anyone, but, put another way, neither is Al Montoya as your next viable option.

Doan trade for Marc Savard, no matter how in need your team is of a first-line center. Considering the logjam the Boston Bruins currently have at forward, it would be wise to wait until Savard actually gets healthy, at which point you should still be able to catch them desperate enough for cap relief to get him relatively cheaply. The rumours may not be true, but sometimes where there’s smoke there’s fire. And if the ones concerning Keith Yandle going back the other way are even remotely true, Maloney may end up being burned at the stake.

Do finally ease Kyle Turris into the line-up. Admittedly, Turris has been playing lately, but Tippett’s generosity has been inconsistent with his ice-time varying from a low of just over six minutes to a high of just under 18. I thought the Coyotes were trying to groom a first-liner, not an actual desert dog through behavioural conditioning. He’s been through enough already, missing out on being a Chicago Blackhawk being at the top of the list had Dale Tallon not guessed right with Patrick Kane three years ago.

"If this isn't a license to get crazy on the ice, I don't know what is."

Doan dole out illegal hits and then pretend you don’t know how you got suspended by the league. That has a nasty way of catching up to you and your teammates.

Obviously it’s still early in the season and a lot can change, but improvement can’t come soon enough. They take to the ice against the Detroit Red Wings, and, considering they were the team that eliminated Phoenix last post-season, it would make for a fitting time for the Coyotes to actually start living up to their potential. Maybe they did play over their heads last season, but, as Doan can attest to, hunting those of opponents is no way to get back on the winning track.

Two Records Set Last Night in NHL Action

When the name "Kovalev" is uttered in the same sentence as the word "record", the mind almost automatically shifts to the word "broken", as in:

"It's like a broken record, hearing just how great and talented Alex Kovalev is... but when do I get to actually see it?"

Or

"You mean Kovalev broke the record for most consecutive games played without actually showing up??? Good for him!"

But, alas, on Tuesday night, Kovalev was indeed a part of history for the better, at least Ottawa Senators history, as he and defenseman Erik Karlsson scored nine seconds apart against the Phoenix Coyotes to help pace their team to a 5-2 win and set a new team record for the fastest two goals. Kovalev actually had three points in the game, including a second goal. So, good on Kovalev for bringing that streak of his, likely up to 150 by now, to an end and actually performing one night in a Senators jersey. But you know what they say, don't you? Every end is a new beginning...

As for record number two, Colorado Avalanche defenseman John-Michael Liles broke the record, coincidentally set by Senator Filip Kuba in 2008-2009, for the most consecutive games to start the season with an assist. His assist on teammate Daniel Winnik's goal against the Vancouver Canucks (5-4 overtime loss for Colorado) gave him nine-straight games with at least one assist. He now has 11 to start the year. No goals, though.

Brown Gets Retribution for Hit on Doughty... Three Games too Late

Los Angeles Kings captain Dustin Brown has always been known to get his hands a little dirty working in the trenches from game to game. That isn't to say he's a dirty player, but one can hardly say that about Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan, even taking into account what transpired two Sundays ago when he delivered an illegal check to the head of Anaheim Duck Dan Sexton.

It's true that Doan did also break defenseman Cam Fowler's nose in that game, but, for all intents and purposes, Doan is not a head hunter. I mean, he's a lot of things, most definitely: a 15-season veteran, an overrated player, the cousin of Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (apparently overratedness runs in the family), etc., etc. But he's not a head hunter. In a lot of ways Brown has been torn from the same cloth. He's rough around the edges as a player, but can contribute in a lot of ways including on the scoresheet every now and then. Despite this fact, the hit he delivered on the Minnesota Wild's Antti Miettinen on Monday was dirty and a to-the-letter example of what is a suspendable offense these days in the NHL.

So, as much as Brown is like Doan, they differ in one way in particular... Brown has got the memory of an attention-deficit-disorder-diagnosed kindergartner whose parents forgot his Ritalin on the kitchen table before taking him to school.

It was just a matter of days ago (six, to be exact) when Carolina Hurricane Erik Cole blind-sided and injured his teammate and arguably his team's most valuable player in defenseman Drew Doughty, and he has the gall to complain when he was given a game misconduct for the same thing? Say what you want about the league, but at least they're realizing that something needs to be done, even if it is a few weeks late (it's actually a few months, but whatever).

If you watch the video of the hit, you can almost see it in referee Wes McCauley's eyes as he's announcing the penalty, a cross between:

"Here we go again..."

And

"I don't want to do this, but..."

Meanwhile, as he was leaving for his dressing room, all Brown was doing was mouthing off. He has a right to be upset, but really when all is said and done only at himself. He should also be grateful that Miettinen was left uninjured, not because that means he won't get a suspension (Doan got three games under much the same circumstances and there wasn't even a penalty on the play), but because now he doesn't have to have his conscience sullied by something so stupid as treating another player like a glorified punching bag on which he can let loose his frustration. There's already too much disrespect in the league that it doesn't need the good guys resorting to outdated goon tactics to be effective. Hopefully one night's rest will have helped Brown realize the truth. If not, he's at least got a sturdy fine coming his way (hopefully a suspension) that should serve the same purpose more effectively.

Doughty Injured by the Injury-Prone Erik Cole... Ironic That

Apparently all the doling out of mere fines has, surprise, surprise, caught up with the NHL with the number of blind-side hits increasing exponentially. Now, one of the game's brightest young stars in the Los Angeles Kings' Drew Doughty is injured thanks to this collision from Carolina Hurricane Erik Cole on Wednesday night. I would say Cole should get suspended, but when Phoenix Coyote Shane Doan makes a case as to why he shouldn't have been suspended for his clear-cut illegal hit on Anaheim Duck Dan Sexton last weekend, it kind of makes you wonder if discipline for this kind of thing is a waste of time and energy on the league's part. Doughty will reportedly not be able to play in the Kings' Thursday game against, ironically, the Coyotes.

Doan Does the Trendy Thing and Lays out Sexton

"Wow, so this is what it's like to be on the receiving end. Not so sweet."

The saying is “Another Day, Another Dollar”, but, seeing as NHL salaries have skyrocketed in the recent past, maybe that’s not so apt an expression... at least as it would apply to professional athletes. In fact, even taking into account the $2,500 fine imposed on Ottawa Senator Nick Foligno, I would hazard a guess that he’s doing quite alright. So, if we’re looking for a true expression of the times, how about this: “Another Day, Another Dirty Hit”.

Sure enough, only two days after Foligno got fined on Friday for his hit on Carolina Hurricane Patrick Dwyer, Anaheim Duck Dan Sexton got blind-sided by Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan. The hit was to the head, it was late, it was illegal. Case open and shut. Or at least it should be.

I’m not naive enough to think that if the NHL would have suspended Foligno on Friday instead of just taking away his lunch money that Doan wouldn’t have hit Sexton. I apparently was born recently enough, however, to think that if the NHL had got it right with Foligno, we wouldn’t be having this one-sided conversation right now because the right precedent would have been set and everyone would know what was coming.

Unfortunately, because the league decided that illegal hits to the head are the less-expensive NHL equivalent to pre-game tweets in the NFL, Doan can now argue that he should be fined as well because he too has never been suspended. Maybe he can tweet it out and see what the league does in response. I’m guessing league senior vice-president Colin Campbell is writing the strongly worded letter as we speak.

Well, it would seem we’ve run into a classic catch-22, where a player can never get suspended because he has never been suspended. It’s a shame this thought process was just in its infancy way back when Steve Downie gave Dean McAmmond a love tap behind the Ottawa Senators’ net just a few short seasons ago. If only he had the good sense to argue that he had never been suspended by the league either!

Another illogical argument would be that because neither Dwyer nor Sexton were injured neither one of the perpetrators should have been suspended. While you can’t penalize a player based on his intent in general (you can’t penalize someone for missing a flying elbow if it lands 10 feet wide, as entertaining as it would be to watch), you can for deliberately trying to injure an opponent. Injury a result of someone’s actions or not, they need to be made to face the consequences, even if those consequences are becoming increasingly laughably lenient as time goes by.

Really, forget the players. It’s time for the league to take a long hard look at itself in the mirror - maybe not Gary Bettman; we don’t want him to mistake himself for a troll and get frightened – and ask itself if it wants to sell a product that consists of second-rate AHLers scoring garbage goals because all the actual talent is in the infirmary ward.

Now, Doan should get suspended, but, again, I thought Foligno should have gotten 10 games. Taking into account the deflationary phenomenon on lengths of suspensions that is Mr. Campbell, Doan will likely get two games. If he doesn’t, you can take one of two things to the bank:

1)      The NHL brass has taken numerous illegal checks to the head itself recently.

2)      The NHL just doesn’t care.

Considering it’s likely been years since anyone of any importance has played full-contact, competitive hockey, I would say number two is the best bet. But we will wait and see. It’s sad when the league’s response to the hits and not the hits themselves are the most shocking part of the sport. In this case, I would be truly shocked if the league did the right thing.