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ECHL6 Trade Deadline Passes with Big Names Changing Teams
The trade deadline in the ECHL6 season has come and gone, and it turned out to be one of the most active deadlines in recent memory. Over 17 players switched teams this time around, and it was the Dallas Stars, Atlanta Thrashers, and Minnesota Wild who made the most changes.
Gone are Patrik Elias, Antti Miettinen, Alex Bourret, and Adrian Aucoin from the Dallas lineup. In their place are the likes of Drew Stafford, Dan Hamhuis, Jason Allison, and Nikolai Zherdev. It was a shake-up designed to propel the Stars into the post season. The Stars sit five points out of a playoff berth in the Western Conference.
“We know what our roles are,” veteran center Jason Allison said at the post-deadline press conference. “Jordan brought us in to do a job, and we intend to do it. He gave up a lot to get the lineup he has now. I’m excited to be a part of it.”
“We have some teams to catch,” added winger Drew Stafford, who came over from the Atlanta Thrashers. “We have the Oilers in our sights.”
Also adding some intrigue to the West were the moves made by Bill Read, the general manager of the Minnesota Wild. Following an 18 game unbeaten streak that propelled the Wild to first in the West with two losses, Read elected to blow up his roster. New to the Minnesota area are centers Jason Spezza and Tomas Plekanec, winger Patrik Elias, and defenseman Keith Yandle. Finding new teams were centers Daymond Langkow (Columbus), Jason Allison (Dallas) and prospects Peter Holland (Columbus), Vaclav Nedorost (Columbus), and Eric Tangradi (Dallas).
“It was a lot to give up, but it’s time to win now,” Read remarked, when asked about his transactions. “The West is up for grabs, and I believe that today’s moves have made me the favorite.”
However, his sentiments were not shared by Daymond Langkow, who had some choice words for the Minnesota organization.
“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” he commented. “We help the team to an 18 game undefeated streak, and we lose two games, and we’re packaged off. I know its business, but that is classless.”
In the East, the major player was the Atlanta Thrashers. In perhaps the most shocking move of the deadline, Atlanta GM Justin Halbersma brought in two-time Vezina Trophy winner Dan Cloutier from Vancouver. It was a trade that few, if any, saw coming.
“It was apparent that Lalime, for all his talent, wasn’t comfortable here in Atlanta,” Halbersma commented. “In ten games, he had only won three games. Patrick is returning to the West, where he seems to be the most comfortable. We wish him well.
“Dan gives us a goaltender that has won two Vezinas, and has reached the Finals. He should be the cornerstone of our goaltending for seasons to come.”
In addition to Lalime, Halbersma sent wingers Vaclav Prospel, Martin Havlat, and Drew Stafford packing. In return, Atlanta picked up forwards Peter Forsberg, Anthony Stewart, Antti Miettinen, and defenseman Scott Hannan.
In other moves, Calgary sent Carolina’s 1st round draft pick and defenseman Karl Alzner to Dallas for Adrian Aucoin. Vancouver continued their movement, sending defenseman Dan Hamhuis to Dallas for goaltender Hannu Toivonen, Florida sent winger Angelo Esposito to Los Angeles for defenseman Kyle Klubertanz, Nashville sent forward Joe Pavalski to Calgary for winger Joffrey Lupul, Dallas, Columbus, and Nashville combined for a three-way trade that saw Chris Summers end up in Nashville, Nick Boynton in Dallas, and Daniel Carcillo and Leland Irving in Columbus. In addition to Lalime, Atlanta sent wingers Martin Havlat and Ramzi Abid to Vancouver for wingers Anthony Stewart and Valtteri Filppula. The Thrashers then flipped winger Alex Bourret to the Flames for defenseman Scott Hannan.
Perhaps noticeable for their inactivity, it remains to be seen if the best moves were made by the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and St. Louis Blues. All three of these teams elected not to make any trades, choosing instead to ride the success their current rosters have earned their franchises. Time will tell who the winners of the ECHL6 trade deadline sweepstakes will be.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
ECHL6 Entry and Dispersal Draft Results
The final results of the ECHL6 Entry Draft are as follows:
Round One
01 
C John Tavares
02 
D Victor Hedman
03 
C Matthew Duchene
04 
LW David Moss
05 C Brayden Schenn
06 
C Evander Kane
07 
D Jared Cowen
08 
C Nazem Kadri
09 
D James Wisniewski
10 
G Jonas Gustavsson
11 
G Jonathan Quick
12 
C Gregory Campbell
13 
RW Zack Kassian
14 D Simon Depres (WTF?)
15 
RW David Clarkson
16 
LW Magnus Paajarvi
17 LW Kris Versteeg
18 D Bruno Gervais
19 
C Kyle Brodziak
20 RW Ian White
21 RW Matt D'Agostini
22 RW Wayne Simmonds
23 C Oscar Moller
24 
C John Mitchell
25 D Matt Hunwick
26 
LW Ryan Callahan
27 
D Marc Methot
28 
D Oliver Ekman
29 
C Scott Glennie
30 G Mikko Koskinen
Round Two
31 C Evgeny Grachev
32 
D Ryan Ellis
33 D Kyle Quincey
34 C Peter Holland
35 LW Eric Tangradi
36 LW Troy Brouwer
37 C Maxim Lapierre
38 D Nick Leddy
39 
D Calvin de Haan
40 D Nicklas Grossman
41 D Roman Polak
42 RW Jared Boll
43 C Jordan Schroeder
44 
G Brian Elliot
45 C Darren Helm
46 RW Brandon Crombeen
47 D Dimitry Kulikov
48 
RW Cal Clutterbuck
49 C Lauri Korpikoski
50 
LW Justin Abdelkader
51 D Tim Erixon
52 D David Rundblad
53 D John Moore
54 
C Louis LeBlanc
55 C Chris Kreider
56 C Jacob Josefson
57 LW Jordan Caron
58 
C Marcus Johansson
59 RW Kyle Palmieri
60 C Phillippe Paradis
Round Three
61 RW Carter Ashton
62 D Dylan Olsen
63 C Landon Ferraro
64 LW Carl Klingberg
65 C Ryan O'Reilly
66 LW Kyle Clifford
67 RW Alex Chiasson
68 C Chris Brown
69 D Matt Clark
70 W Jacob Silfverberg
71 D Jesse Blacker
72 C Anton Lander
73 RW Zach Budish
74 D Brayden McNabb
75 D William Wrenn
76 G Robin Lehner
77 C Drew Shore
78 LW Jeremy Morin
79 D Stefan Elliot
80 D Taylor Doherty
81 D Dimitri Orlov
82 RW Kenny Ryan
83 C Ethan Werek
84 D Brett Ponich
85 W Anton Rodin
86 G Matt Hackett
87 RW Richard Panik
88 D Eric Gelinas
89 D Charles Roussel
90 D Brian Dumoulin
The final results of the ECHL6 Dispersal Draft is as follows:
Round One
01 LW Rene Bourque (OV76, $3,000,000)
02 G Joey McDonald (OV77, $3,500,000)
03 D Andrew Alberts (OV76, $3,000,000)
04 D Greg Zanon (OV75, $2,500,000)
05 C Dominic Moore (OV76, $3,000,000)
06 RW Alex Burrows (OV76, $3,000,000)
07 D Matt Greene (OV73, $1,500,000)
08 G Erik Ersberg (OV75, $2,500,000)
09 C Andrew Ebbett (OV74, $2,000,000)
10 D Shane O'Brien (OV73, $1,500,000)
11 D Milan Jurcina (OV73, $2,000,000)
12 LW Rich Peverley (OV74, $2,000,000)
13 RW Joel Ward (OV74, $2,000,000)
14 D Peter Harrold (OV73, $2,000,000)
--> Saturday, September 26, 2009
ECHL Returns with ECHL6
ECHL6 has returned - join us today in IRC, EFnet, in the #echl6 channel to participate in the live draft @ 12:00pm ET.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
ECHL Scout Picks the Playoffs
Tampa Bay may have the experience but they also have the pressure. Mark Marazan had success early in his career, and Tampa did win the Stanley Cup in past years, but has a different looking roster. Montreal will have their work cut out for them... which lead Tampa in six games.
Boston in 7. Their gap statistically is nothing compared to their gap in play down the stretch, and while I am not confident that Marc Denis can get it done in the playoffs, I am no more confident in Marty Turco. The series could go either way, but I can see Boston winning in the end.
Rangers in five. The numbers say this will be a much closer series with both teams numbers being hurt by early season struggles. Pittsburgh is a hard-working team that has been at least as hot as San Jose, but they have fewer players who have had first round success than their foes, are not as strong in net, do not have home ice, and are not desperate like the Rangers, especially Mats Sundin.
Florida in seven. These two teams are dead even in numbers, even finishing close to the same number of points. However, Florida has been one of the hottest teams in the league since hiring Yanni to take over the team and since the return of Derek Morris, while NY Islanders has floundered a bit of late. The Panthers are more disciplined and experienced, they have home ice... the only reason it goes seven.
I am very pissed off that the Anaheim Mighty Ducks took the St.Louis Blue spot in the last few games of the season. St.Louis had to play their last 10 games against strong teams which is without a doubt the hardest in the ECHL whereas the Ducks played their last stretch of games against New Jersey, Carolina, and Ottawa. REALLY UNFAIR!!!!!!!!!! Calgary is much better and will win in 4.
The Preds have largely dominated the series winning more than 75% of them. More again, the Preds have won 23 of the 30 last meetings against the Blue Jackets. Of course, there is 10 players who play for Nashville that never played a single game in the playoffs, but there is absolutely no way the Blue Jackets can compete against Nashville. Roberto Luongo will be a key in these series and I just can’t detect any mental weaknesses in the goaltender so I believe he will do just fine. Sure the Blue Jackets will be motivated by their aces Marian Hossa and Jason Spezza so I will say Preds in 5.
The Phoenix Coyotes are without a doubt the hottest team in the ECHL. I just can’t see how the Canucks could overplay the Coyotes. If the Canucks want to win, Cloutier will need to be at his best and Marleau, Arnott, Stuart will have to dominate the game. The Coyotes have a strong offensive core, they currently hold two 100 point scorers in the League. I believe the Coyotes have had their lessons in the past and will eliminate the Canucks in 6.
The San Jose are one of the hottest if not the hottest team in the West. They both have a good momentum which should give us one of the best series in the West but I believe the absence of vets who are the undisputed leaders of that team will play a huge factor in the Red Wings win. Detroit in 6.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Team: Carolina Hurricanes
Name: Brandon Trumble
Birthday: May 13, 1981
Hometown: Brampton, ON
Reporting from the Annual General Managers meetings in Bolton, Ontario, I’m James Duthie of TSN.
Duthie: Alright, let’s get this interview started. How long have you been a league GM?
GM: This would be my first year actually being a league GM.
Duthie: How do you think your team will do this year?
GM: I think the team will do pretty good this year, it will be tough throughout the year as every season is, you hope you do the right things and everything goes according to plan and the season
turns out positive.
Duthie: Can we expect to see any big moves from your club this season? Are you looking for draft picks, prospects or players for your roster?
GM: Well we are looking for draft picks, as many as we can. We are in a rebuilding type of season but also we want to compete as well. As prospects goes, if we have the option to obtain them we will
and look carefully at all trades and offers. We are looking to upgrade the goalie department, The Snowman and Tommy are getting up there in age which they know the situation so we are looking for a future
net minder.
Duthie: Who do you believe is or will be your franchise player?
GM: I would have to say Andrew Cogliano and Jiri Tlusty who are showing a lot of promise this year, they are a couple of young players that are showing that they belong in this league and moving our
club in the right direction. You never know as the season goes on and what players you acquire and so on, but these two will be here for a long time.
Duthie: Which club(s) is or are your biggest rival(s)?
GM: Its tough to say who could be our biggest rivals yet. Well this is my first year so I can't really say which teams yet but I'm sure their will be teams shortly after this season because were
going to make it tough on teams who come to play us. Were going to be a thorn in the side of a lot of team this year with our hard work and the will to never give up.
Duthie: Which clubs do you expect to be cup contenders this season?
GM: Well Tampa Bay I guess they are the champs, Calgary doesn't look to bad this year and even other teams such as Rangers, Phoenix, Red Wings. You never know what the year will bring, any team can
play tough and win it all!
Duthie: Which team(s) do you think are the most under-rated & most over-rated?
GM: Most under-rated team, I would say Carolina, we are a hard working bunch and just give us time to gel and everyone else in the ECHL better look out because our team is on the rise and teams will
not be looking forward to playing us. Tough to say most over-rated team is, maybe Nashville, they have had good teams every year just about and still no Stanley Cup to show for.
Duthie: If you could trade for one ECHL player not currently on your team, who would it be?
GM: One player that I probably would trade for would be Kovalchuk, I think he speaks for himself, probably the best player in the league, but still hasn't helped Nashville get to the promise land yet
on winning the cup! He would be a player that would trade for as well as most of the GM's in the league.
Duthie: Who is your favourite NHL team? Who are your favourite NHL players?
GM: My favorite NHL team is the Toronto Maple Leafs of course, they are Canada's team and my team 24/7. Some favorite players that I like are Alexander Ovechkin who impresses me every time he plays.
Favorite goalie would be Dominick Hasek for sure, no doubts about it, best goalie I have seen!
Duthie: What are some of your hobbies outside of the ECHL?
GM:: Well some hobbies I enjoy are playing sports, mostly all sports I play like hockey, baseball, football, soccer, basketball, bowling, golf all the way to horseshoes. Also I enjoy playing Texas
hold em poker, Pro line, video games and relaxing watching TV.
Duthie: Thanks for your time and good luck the rest of this season.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Name: Rick Ambrozic
Birthday: April 4, 1970
Hometown: North York, ON
Reporting from the Annual General Managers meetings in Bolton, Ontario, I’m James Duthie of TSN.
Duthie: Alright, let’s get this interview started. How long have you been a league GM?
GM: Hi James, great to see you again. I am a founding member of the league. I have been in since Day 1. I’ve brought aboard many fine GMs into this league, plus KP Wee.
Duthie: How do you think your team will do this year?
GM: Much like most years. Struggle to make the playoffs, and if by some miracle we make it in, we’ll lose in the first round.
Duthie: Can we expect to see any big moves from your club this season? Are you looking for draft picks, prospects or players for your roster?
GM: Time will tell. I fully expect to make at least 4 or 5 trades from Evan (Nashville) by shear volume. I can only say no so many times – unlike, well, sorry, don’t want to get off topic.
Duthie: Who do you believe is or will be your franchise player?
GM: Jose Theodore hands down, no question about it.
Duthie: Which club(s) is or are your biggest rival(s)?
GM: I hate Detroit and I loath the Rangers. I also hate the Leafs, since they are the Leafs.
Duthie: Which clubs do you expect to be cup contenders this season?
GM: The Rangers, Dallas and it pains me to say it Nashville.
Duthie: Which team(s) do you think are the most under-rated & most over-rated?
GM: Florida is certainly underrated. And the Leafs, much like Wendel Clark are highly overrated, except in of course Toronto.
Duthie: If you could trade for one ECHL player not currently on your team, who would it be?
GM: Cal Clutterbuck. He has such an awesome name.
Duthie: Who is your favourite NHL team? Who are your favourite NHL players?
GM: I own my favourite team. My favourite players are Borje Salming, Ron Francis and Rogie Vachon.
Duthie: What are some of your hobbies outside of the ECHL?
GM:: I own and operate www.rickstv.com. I love TV from the 1970’s. I enjoy biking. I am a closet ELO fan. I have too many baseball and
hockey cards that I care to count. Oh yeah, and I drink Dr. Pepper.
Duthie: Thanks for your time and good luck the rest of this season.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Team: Minnesota Wild
Name: Bill Read
Birthday: May 30, 1980
Hometown: Uxbridge, ON
Reporting from the Annual General Managers meetings in Bolton, Ontario, I’m James Duthie of TSN.
Duthie: Alright, let’s get this interview started. How long have you been a league GM?
GM: Hi Duthie! Before we get started would you do me a favour and let Pierre McGuire know that he is the worst in the history of forever. Great, Thanks. Okay well I took over a very depleted and
neglected team back in the middle of ECHL3. So this would be my third season in the league.
Duthie: How do you think your team will do this year?
GM: I expect to finish about 27th overall if all goes as planned. Can you say LOTTERY PICK!!!!
Duthie: Can we expect to see any big moves from your club this season? Are you looking for draft picks, prospects or players for your roster?
GM: I am always trying to brew up a blockbuster but it looks like we may be out of options at this point. I have rented out 5 players and in return stockpiled a number of promising young prospects.
I feel like we have some really good picks in the upcoming draft and am excited to go to draft day this year with a job to do. Minnesota is definitely in re-build mode and I feel the process is off to a
very successful start.
Duthie: Who do you believe is or will be your franchise player?
GM: Marty Turco. It broke our heart to ask him to be traded as a rental player but he agreed to waive his no-trade clause to help better the team. Marty is a true professional in every sense of the
word. The guy is a machine.
Duthie: Which club(s) is or are your biggest rival(s)?
GM: There are always friendly rivalries with Tampa, Nashville, Boston, Chicago, Phoenix and Atlanta.
Duthie: Which clubs do you expect to be cup contenders this season?
GM: I think Buffalo looks pretty good from the East and from the West I would have to give the nod to Calgary. I think Buffalo will take it all.
Duthie: Which team(s) do you think are the most under-rated & most over-rated?
GM: Most over-rated: Nashville. Every year they seem to come up short in the playoffs despite a star-studded line up. Most under-rated: Vancouver. I know first hand what Cloutier can do. Dan
Cloutier has shut out my team about 8 times in our last 12 games. We are pretty confident he is on steroids and may not be human.
Duthie: If you could trade for one ECHL player not currently on your team, who would it be?
GM: Kovalchuk.
Duthie: Who is your favourite NHL team? Who are your favourite NHL players?
GM: Toronto Maple Leafs. Favourite players…wow there are a few. Gretzky, Yzerman, Gilmour, Brodeur, and Crosby.
Duthie: What are some of your hobbies outside of the ECHL?
GM:: I am a golf fanatic. I try to play twice a week and am about a 10 handicap. I really enjoy camping and spending time up North. I love music. I have been a living room dj for a few years now
and recently have had a few gigs at various small venues in Toronto playing a wide variety of music ranging from reggae to house to dubstep.
Duthie: Thanks for your time and good luck the rest of this season.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Team: St Louis Blues
Name: Emily Kiezebrink
Birthday: October 7, 1985
Hometown: Barrie, ON (Editor's Note: LIES!)
Reporting from the Annual General Managers meetings in Bolton, Ontario, I’m James Duthie of TSN.
Duthie: Alright, let’s get this interview started. How long have you been a league GM?
GM: This is my first season as St. Louis’ GM.
Duthie: How do you think your team will do this year?
GM: I’m hoping to make the top eight in the West. My goal is the playoffs.
Duthie: Can we expect to see any big moves from your club this season? Are you looking for draft picks, prospects or players for your roster?
GM: I’ve made a few moves, bringing in Zajac and Legwand and DiPietro. I have a good solid core and we can only get better. I’d like to shore up my defense a bit more.
Duthie: Who do you believe is or will be your franchise player?
GM: Bobby Ryan is my franchise. The kid is amazing, and at 21, he’ll only get better. Travis Zajac and Ladislav Smid are the other two untouchables.
Duthie: Which club(s) is or are your biggest rival(s)?
GM: Anyone in the Central Division is my rival. To a lesser level, anyone in the West is a rival.
Duthie: Which clubs do you expect to be cup contenders this season?
GM: I think you can’t count out Tampa Bay, Boston, Phoenix, and Toronto all have good chances as well.
Duthie: Which team(s) do you think are the most under-rated & most over-rated?
GM: I think Atlanta is underrated. They have a good lineup…its odd they are struggling. Minnesota is underrated too; they have the same problem as Atlanta. Nashville is overrated. All that talent
and they are inconsistent. Detroit is too.
Duthie: If you could trade for one ECHL player not currently on your team, who would it be?
GM: Joe Thornton. The best all ‘round player'.
Duthie: Who is your favourite NHL team? Who are your favourite NHL players?
GM: The Maple Leafs are my favorite team. Darcy Tucker is my favorite player.
Duthie: What are some of your hobbies outside of the ECHL?
GM:: I play flute and work as a florist. I take pictures and am a weather buff.
Duthie: Thanks for your time and good luck the rest of this season.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Name: Sam Steggles
Birthday: March 28, 1983
Hometown: Guelph, ON
Reporting from the Annual General Managers meetings in Bolton, Ontario, I’m James Duthie of TSN.
Duthie: Alright, let’s get this interview started. How long have you been a league GM?
GM: Is it my third or fourth year? Oh well, time fly’s when your having fun!!!
Duthie: How do you think your team will do this year?
GM: To be perfectly honest, I’m a tad surprised by how my team is doing this year. I was expecting my team to be hovering around eighth/ninth spot in the east but they're in fifth nipping at
Boston’s heels.
Duthie: Can we expect to see any big moves from your club this season? Are you looking for draft picks, prospects or players for your roster?
GM: I’ve only made a few trades throughout the season but I am excited about the possibilities that may come from it. Losing two veteran players like Kubina and Marleau will be missed but I think it
has given some added responsibility to our younger players. I haven’t made too many moves as GM but I have done this purposely over the past two seasons balancing the Leafs agenda of getting younger and
staying competitive. I also believe that the chemistry of my team is important. I believe that there are some teams below me that are better on paper, but somehow my team still rises to the occasion. I’m
proud of my boys.
Duthie: Who do you believe is or will be your franchise player?
GM: Jagr is the Leafs leader and franchise player. I hope he can continue to be that for a few more seasons. Players like Wolski and Lee are the main faces of our future.
Duthie: Which club(s) is or are your biggest rival(s)?
GM: Tampa Bay, Boston, Buffalo. In that order. Grrrrrrrr!!!
Duthie: Which clubs do you expect to be cup contenders this season?
GM: I think teams like Buffalo and Phoenix will do great this year. That being said, how do you not have a Tampa Bay / Calgary showdown in the final? Both teams are model franchises in this league.
This year I will be cheering for Nashville. Unfortunately it would seem Evan’s team has become like the Sharks of the NHL. I think his team is due.
Duthie: Which team(s) do you think are the most under-rated & most over-rated?
GM: I personally think my team is over-rated this year. I think were playing exceptionally well, especially since the Vancouver trade. I think a couple under-rated teams in the west are the Sharks
and Canucks.
Duthie: If you could trade for one ECHL player not currently on your team, who would it be?
GM: I think Glencross from Atlanta is having hell of a year. I would love to pick up a young goalie like Carey Price or Tukka Rask.
Duthie: Who is your favourite NHL team? Who are your favourite NHL players?
GM: The Maple Leafs of course. I have always had a soft spot for the Alberta teams though. My favorite players in hockey are Doug Gilmour, Wendel Clarke, Gary Roberts, Joe Sakic, and Steve Yzerman.
Duthie: What are some of your hobbies outside of the ECHL?
GM:: I’m a huge rock fan so I go to a lot of concerts. I used to work at a club so I saw a lot of free concerts and met some cool people. I’ve been getting back into biking again which has been
great. If I’m not at my two jobs or volunteering, I’m chilling out or hanging with friends. Good luck to all the teams in the playoffs except TB, Boston and Buffalo… GRRRRR… LOL!!!
Duthie: Thanks for your time and good luck the rest of this season.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Team: Phoenix Coyotes
Name: Shawn Trumble
Birthday: June 3
Hometown: Bolton, ON
Reporting from the Annual General Managers meetings in Bolton, Ontario, I’m James Duthie of TSN.
Duthie: Alright, let’s get this interview started. How long have you been a league GM?
GM: From the beginning of ECHL2.
Duthie: How do you think your team will do this year?
GM: I didn't expect my team to click like it has been. Half way it's been rough but I am sure we will pick it up in time to do well in the post season.
Duthie: Can we expect to see any big moves from your club this season? Are you looking for draft picks, prospects or players for your roster?
GM: Only big move I did was one thing it seemed my team need this year.. it was Defense for Roloson, we picked Kenny Jonsson and Brian McCabe for that playoff run.
Duthie: Who do you believe is or will be your franchise player?
GM: Without a question.. Brad Richards.. but I would like to see Stastny pick up his play in the next couple of seasons.
Duthie: Which club(s) is or are your biggest rival(s)?
GM: Well my division are always my rivals (even though it's weak) and outside it's.. Nashville and Detroit... Boston, Buffalo and Carolina from the East.
Duthie: Which clubs do you expect to be cup contenders this season?
GM: Boston, Tampa and Buffalo from the East. From the West, Nashville, Detroit and myself.
Duthie: Which team(s) do you think are the most under-rated & most over-rated?
GM: Most underrated team is Edmonton, if they just kept Johnson and Aebischer.. wow they would of been amazing... And for overrated.. Boston ;) ... This year only.
Duthie: If you could trade for one ECHL player not currently on your team, who would it be?
GM: Hmm only one player... Sidney Crosby.
Duthie: Who is your favourite NHL team? Who are your favourite NHL players?
GM: Los Angeles Kings.. they are gonna destroy soon. As for players.. today.. Ryan Getzlaf, Mike Cammalleri, Paul Kariya, Drew Doughty and Cristobal Huet.
Duthie: What are some of your hobbies outside of the ECHL?
GM:: Any kind of sports and partying.. I am young.
Duthie: Thanks for your time and good luck the rest of this season.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Team: Calgary Flames
Name: Kevin Wilde
Birthday: March 21
Hometown: Stavanger, Norway
Reporting from the Annual General Managers meetings in Bolton, Ontario, I’m James Duthie of TSN.
Duthie: Alright, let’s get this interview started. How long have you been a league GM?
GM: I joined half-way through season 2, so I guess 2-1/2 years.
Duthie: How do you think your team will do this year?
GM: We’ll do alright. I don’t have the world’s most experienced team, so I’m hoping we are able to secure a playoff spot and maybe win one, possibly two rounds if we get in.
Duthie: Can we expect to see any big moves from your club this season? Are you looking for draft picks, prospects or players for your roster?
GM: I doubt it. If I get an opportunity to bolster one of my top 2 lines or acquire an elite defender, maybe. My guess however will be that I’ll just go with what I’ve got this season and see how
it works out.
Duthie: Who do you believe is or will be your franchise player?
GM: I don’t really have one, I’ve tried to go for more of the balanced team approach, but my best player would probably be between the pipes in Vokoun.
Duthie: Which club(s) is or are your biggest rival(s)?
GM: Andre with Florida would be my biggest rival considering he’s the one who introduced me to the league... we only play a couple times a year, but I don’t think I’ve beat him yet.
Duthie: Which clubs do you expect to be cup contenders this season?
GM: The usual suspects: Boston, Tampa Bay and Nashville plus some teams that seem to have gotten off to a great start (Toronto & Phoenix). I know, I know... hardly going out on a limb here!
Duthie: Which team(s) do you think are the most under-rated & most over-rated?
GM: Florida is definitely the most over-rated team... as for under-rated, I’d pick the Sabres in the East and Stars in the West (I really like how each of those GMs have built their teams).
Duthie: If you could trade for one ECHL player not currently on your team, who would it be?
GM: Probably someone like Derick Brassard (reminds me of a young Joe Sakic) or Ales Hemsky (oops, I traded him away) because I like them as NHLers.
Duthie: Who is your favourite NHL team? Who are your favourite NHL players?
GM: Favourite NHL team is the Oilers (of course... they should be everyone’s favourite team). Players... see above... plus Rick Nash, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, Scott Niedermayer.
Duthie: What are some of your hobbies outside of the ECHL?
GM:: I play a lot of football (sorry... soccer) and do my share of travelling. I’m pretty much a golf and movie fanatic. And sadly, I also love reality TV.
Duthie: Thanks for your time and good luck the rest of this season.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Lecavalier comes through in OT; East beats West
Mere moments after hearing he had been traded during the All-Star/trade deadline festivities Vincent Lecavalier sent a message to his former club, firing a crisp pass from Todd Bertuzzi past the sprawling pads of Dan Cloutier. The new Bolt was mobbed on the ice by his Eastern teammates after the come-from-behind 9-8 victory sealed yet another victory for the dominant East, the latest in a string of All-Star and Stanley Cup victories by the conference.
Check the final boxscore here.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Western Youth dominate in ECHL5 Young Stars Game
The ECHL are proud to post the results of the ECHL5 Young Stars Game here.
Taking a page from the legendary "empty arena match" between The Rock and Mankind the ECHL5 ran an empty arena Young Stars Game, forgoing millions of dollars to bask in the adulation and attention of the mass media. The kids of the Western Conference took control of the environment - seemingly used to playing in front of silent and unentertained fans - to almost double up the Eastern children by a final score of 8-5. For more information check out the boxscore.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Team: NY Islanders
Name: Jason Smellie
Birthday: April 12, 1973
Hometown: Stratford, ON
Reporting from the Annual General Managers meetings in Bolton, Ontario, I’m James Duthie of TSN.
Duthie: Alright, let’s get this interview started. How long have you been a league GM?
GM: This is my first year, this has been fantastic.
Duthie: How do you think your team will do this year?
GM: Should win 1 round in the playoffs, Who ever it may be, we may be a underrated underdog that could make waves.
Duthie: Can we expect to see any big moves from your club this season? Are you looking for draft picks, prospects or players for your roster?
GM: Looking to add a LH winger, have lots of young kids that need guidance and leadership.
Duthie: Who do you believe is or will be your franchise player?
GM: Pavel Demitra is my current franchise player. Trying to find the next franchise, either through a trade or draft picks. The Islanders are not afraid of making the necessary moves to make the
team better.
Duthie: Which club(s) is or are your biggest rival(s)?
GM: Currently no big rival just want to beat the socks off Chicago, looking to build a rival in this eastern division, should develop one during the playoffs this year.
Duthie: Which clubs do you expect to be cup contenders this season?
GM: NY Rangers, and any of the top 3 in the West. My team has a hard time beating anyone in the west. Even Nashville, as bad as they may be, I went 1-1-1 against them. For the record I beat Chicago
every game this season.
Duthie: Which team(s) do you think are the most under-rated & most over-rated?
GM: Phoenix is way over rated, although Calgary is strong they are not to be taken lightly. Everything will change after the trade deadline, the “rental players” will strengthen so many teams. It is
going to interesting going to the end of the season.
Duthie: If you could trade for one ECHL player not currently on your team, who would it be?
GM: Alex Ovechkin but who wouldn’t want him, he is so exciting to watch in the NHL, and it seems his passion for the game in genuine. His Rerate will be only be going up in for the next few years.
Duthie: Who is your favourite NHL team? Who are your favourite NHL players?
GM: The Leafs are my favourite team, Matt Sundin before he left the leafs, But liked him since he his Quebec days. I also liked Mike Palmateer and Al Iafrate all had their day in the sun. I like to
follow lots of different players Rod Langway, I watch a lot of players on the defense, anyone can score but it takes a special player to run the ice in both zones. They can be both the scapegoat ( Macabe)
or the hero ( Mike Green).
Duthie: What are some of your hobbies outside of the ECHL?
GM:: It may seem lame but, I enjoy gardening, Veggies and flowers also trying to work on a pond. Nature is great and has so many rewards if you treat it properly. I have tomatoes, green peas (My 3
girls love them) Greens beans, Cabbage, Onions, Peppers, Sun Flowers yes I know weak, but it brings my family together, as we continue to care for it.
Duthie: Thanks for your time and good luck the rest of this season.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Team: Colorado Avalanche
Name: KP Wee
Birthday: Near World Series time
Hometown: Vancouver BC
Reporting from the Annual General Managers meetings in Bolton, Ontario, I’m James Duthie of TSN.
Duthie: Alright, let’s get this interview started. How long have you been a league GM?
GM: I started in ECHL3, so this marks my third year in this league. However, despite my seniority, I see my team being far inferior to the other teams with newer and/or rookie GMs. That just means
I’m likely one of the worst, if not the absolute worst, talent-evaluators in the league. (chuckles)
Duthie: How do you think your team will do this year?
GM: Well, I will be battling Carolina to stay out of the basement in the whole league. There’s no chance in hell we’ll be making the playoffs. Tell you what, if Modano hadn’t scored two goals in the
last game, I would have basically put him on the fourth line. I was that close to doing it, with all the losing. But he’s earned himself one more game to be the leader and go out and produce.
Duthie: Can we expect to see any big moves from your club this season? Are you looking for draft picks, prospects or players for your roster?
GM: I don’t intend to make any trades the rest of the season. The only shakeups I see coming are internal. I’ll probably send Modano to the fourth line or increase Sami’s ice time. Owen Nolan’s been
a bum this year. Basically I might give ice time to other players and sit the so-called big stars just to see what we can get out of everyone.
Duthie: Who do you believe is or will be your franchise player?
GM: Don’t think we have one here in Denver.
Duthie: Which club(s) is or are your biggest rival(s)?
GM: Well, I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again. I don’t—and I don’t encourage my players to do so either—grab the schedule at the start of the year and start circling dates and say “We’ve got
to beat THIS team” and that kind of nonsense. Every time you go out on the ice, your goal is to win. If you lose, you’ve wasted your time. So this year, we’ve wasted a lot of time with our performance. You
can’t just say so-and-so is your biggest rival because the bottom line is, you don’t just give a 150% effort just because say, you’re facing Team A, and then play just at an 80% ability versus Team B
because you don’t perceive B to be a quote-unquote, rival. You give it your all regardless of who your opponent is. So, really, if there are 30 teams in the league, you have 29 rivals. Period. I think only
the guys in the media hype up this “rivalry” nonsense. Could I do that just to sell tickets? Sure, but I think it’s just hype and at the end of the day, you have to win as many games as possible, regardless
of who the opponent is.
Duthie: Which clubs do you expect to be cup contenders this season?
GM: It’s a crapshoot. Anyone can win. I believe one year Tampa or Chicago won it despite being the seventh seed, and Boston did so a couple years ago. I’d personally root for the Rangers. They seem
like an up-and-coming team, and perhaps House can guide his squad to the championship. We’ll have to see.
Duthie: Which team(s) do you think are the most under-rated & most over-rated?
GM: Well, it’s hard to say. It’s all hype, again, created by the media. It would be very stupid of me to label teams as “overrated” too, for the simple fact that GMs’ egos are very fragile in this
league. You say a team is overrated, you’ll probably get a phone call from that GM about that. And you guys in the media like to stir things. I could give you ten sentences about why I think a team is
struggling, and you’ll probably edit out the nine sentences and replay over and over again the ONE sentence where I say “Team blah blah is really bad right now, aren’t they?” and just run with it. That’s
the problem with you media guys. Just play the same clip over and over again and make us look like dummies.
Duthie: If you could trade for one ECHL player not currently on your team, who would it be?
GM: Ovechkin. I think Philly is sitting pretty well right now.
Duthie: Who is your favourite NHL team? Who are your favourite NHL players?
GM: The NHL? The NHL is now defunct. That’s why we bought the damn Cup from them prior to ECHL1, right? If you’re thinking in the past tense, I mean, I’m not a 12-year-old anymore. Young kids, sure,
have their “favourite” players. But I think as you become an adult, you realize that these are professional athletes who care only about the almighty buck. It’s all about money. And if I were to wear Player
X’s jersey, people might think I have a man-crush on Player X. You know, there’s no point in cheering for anyone. You know?
Duthie: What are some of your hobbies outside of the ECHL?
GM: I don’t have any. I really need one to keep me going.
Duthie: Thanks for your time and good luck the rest of this season.
Monday, June 1, 2009
All-Star Starting Lineups Announced
The results of ECHL5 All-Star voting have been announced, and while every team will be represented in the big game, the starting lineups for the East and West are now available for viewing, discussion, and derision by clicking here. See you live from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
All-Star Voting Underway
ECHL5 All-Star Voting is now underway. All GMs are encouraged to click here to place their votes on who will represent each ECHL team in this year's All-Star game, coming live from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
ECHL5 is Underway!
Opening night of the ECHL5 season opened with a busy schedule, with twenty-eight teams of thirty in action. After a long delay, the opening faceoffs brought about excitement and some surprises.
Some of the highlights of opening night were a thrilling 8-7 overtime victory for the New York Islanders over their fellow NY rivals, the Rangers and the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning being drubbed 6-1 by the Washington Capitals.. ECHL’s first female GM, Emily Kiezebrink, notched her first victory, guiding the St. Louis Blues to a 7-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Opening night was also punctuated with a blockbuster three-team trade. Going to Tampa Bay were Michael Nylander and Dan Blackburn from the Bruins. Going to Boston were Al Montoya and prospect Kyle Beach and a 1st round draft pick. Blackburn was then flipped to the Atlanta Thrashers, along with Karel Rachunek, Janne Niinimaa, and Nathan Horton for Alexei Kovalev, Brent Seabrook, Jhonas Enroth, Barret Jackman, and a 1st round draft pick. All three teams suffered a tie or a loss on opening night, and these three teams wasted no time in making changes to their roster.
The puck has dropped on the new season and there promises to be plenty of action in the weeks to come. Get ready for some exciting fantasy action as the march to the Cup begins now.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
ECHL5 Entry and Dispersal Draft Results
January 18th brought about the first ECHL Dispersal Draft and the 3rd live Entry Draft with surprises abounding throughout. The talk of the draft floor was a blockbuster deal that saw two top ECHL goaltenders trade teams; Martin Brodeur's rights heading to Toronto and the rights to two-time Vezina winner Dwayne Rolson heading back to Phoenix in a six-player and three draft pick deal. It was one of three draft day deals that would see picks moving rapidly and teams sliding up and down the board.
The entry draft itself saw GMs head "off the board" unlike ever before with the 2nd overall pick by Tampa Bay becoming the 26th ranked Drew Doughty and 18th ranked Jimmy Howard available all the way until the New York Rangers made him the 42nd overall selection. It seemed those GMs in attendance placed a premium on youth with average skilled 18-year-olds flying off the boards early on.
Players not selected in the Dispersal Draft were immediately granted Unrestricted Free Agency status and will be added to the pool with no teams owning matching rights. Players not selected in the ECHL5 Entry Draft were, however, notified they would be ineligible for ECHL5 play and will be available in the ECHL6 Entry Draft prior to next season.
The final results of the ECHL5 Entry Draft is as follows:
Round One
01 RW Joe Pavelski
02 D Drew Doughty
03 C Steven Stamkos
04 
D Luke Schenn
05 RW Nikita Filatov
06 
LW Ryan Clowe
07 D Zach Bogosian
08 C Tomas Plekanec
09 LW Milan Lucic
10 LW Colin Wilson
11 D Johnny Oduya
12 G Jhonas Enroth
13 D Tim Gleason
14 D Alex Pietrangelo
15 G Jonas Hiller
16 LW GM Matthias
17 LW Loui Eriksson
18 RW David Backes
19 C Erik Christensen
20 LW Jiri Hudler
21 RW Mason Raymond
22 RW Dan Fritsche
23 D P.K. Subban
24 C T.J. Hensick
25 RW Mikkel Boedker
26 LW Cody Hodgson
27 D Colten Teubert
28 G Chet Pickard
29 LW Daniel Carcillo
30 C Kyle Beach
Round Two
31 D Erik Karlsson
32 RW Zach Boychuk
33 G Thomas McCollum
34 D Jake Gardiner
35 LW Joshua Bailey
36 RW Viktor Tikhonov
37 C Joe Colborne
38 LW Brett Maclean
39 
RW Teddy Purcell
40 D Tyler Myers
41 G Jimmy Howard
42 RW Dustin Byfuglien
43 C Ryan Kesler
44 C Tyler Ennis
45 G Jaroslav Halak
46 C Tyler Kennedy
47 RW Jordan Eberle
48 LW Daniel Winnik
49 D Luca Sbisa
50 D Jeff Petry
51 LW Artem Anisimov
52 D Logan Pyett
53 D Paul Ranger
54 RW Jeff Tambellini
55 C Nikolai Kulemin
56 C Nathan Gerbe
57 RW Mikhail Grabovski
58 D Keith Yandle
59 LW Clarke MacArthur
60 C Brian Boyle
Round Three
61 D John Carlson
62 LW James Neal
63 LW Fabian Brunnstrom
64 D Anton Stralman
65 D Andrew Campbell
66 D Jonathan Ericsson
67 LW Anton Gustafsson
68 C Jori Lehtera
69 G Jacob Markstrom
70 D Michael Del Zotto
71 LW Mattias Tedenby
72 C Greg Nemisz
73 C Zack Smith
74 D Tyler Cuma
75 D Cody Goloubef
76 D Marc-Andre Bourdon
77 RW Zac Dalpe
78 D Tomas Kundratek
79 RW Jimmy Hayes
80 C Justin Daniels
81 G Jake Allen
82 G Marco Cousineau
83 C Daultan Leveille
84 RW Steve Quailer
85 C Corey Trivino
86 C Scott Winkler
87 D Eric Mestery
88 C Luke Adam
89 LW Josh Brittain
90 C Philip McRae
The final results of the ECHL5 Dispersal Draft is as follows:
Round One
01 D Mark Streit (OV77, $925,000)
02 RW Antti Miettinen (OV76, $875,000)
03 C Paul Gaustad (OV76, $875,000)
04 G Dan Ellis (OV78, $975,000)
05 LW Curtis Glencross (OV74, $775,000)
06 D Jan Hejda (OV75, $825,000)
07 G Jason LaBarbera (OV75, $825,000)
08 D Paul Martin (OV74, $775,000)
09 G Pekka Rinne (OV74, $775,000)
10 D Dennis Wideman (OV73, $725,000)
11 RW Ryan Shannon (OV73, $725,000)
12 C Chris Kelly (OV74, $775,000)
13 RW Colton Orr (OV72, $675,000)
14 
C Maxime Talbot (OV74, $775,000)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Kovalev Lashes Out at Nashville
ATLANTA GA--It seems as though Alexei Kovalev will be marking the games against his former team, the Nashville Predators, on the calender.
"I was relegated to the third line with promises of a Cup ring," he said tersely after training camp was over for the day. "I couldn't get used to the revolving door. I know the Nashville trades have settled down. What I'm upset about is the trade to Atlanta. I have a no trade claus that kicks in in two weeks. I was looking forward to settling in one place after Columbus dealt me. Then I get traded again. What a gong-show!"
The veteran right winger wiped the sweat off his face before continuing. "Why offer me a no trade claus when my name was being offered in trades? It's not making any sense. So yeah, I'll be looking forward to the games against Nashville."
Despite the verbal assault on Nashville, most of which could not be published due to language reasons, Kovalev made it very clear he does not have any regrets about being in Atlanta.
"This management seems dedicated to winning," he said. "I spoke with both Justin and Trevor at great length about my role here, why I was brought here. They both promised me lots of ice time. I have a lot to give, I think. Bringing in young players like O'Marra and Seabrook shows they want to win and prepare for the future. Guerin is a competitor and I know all about Jackman. I'm expected to be a leader. I may not have a letter yet... the captains haven't been voted on yet... but they made it very clear...I'm here to help lead the way.
"One thing I appreciate... they both never promised a Cup yet. They told me this year could have some growing pains yet. I appreciate the honesty...but I think we'll be tougher than people think. Justin wouldn't say anything, but I think there could be some more promising changes coming. This is really exciting for the Atlanta franchise."
Kovalev had one more arrow to shoot at the Nashville franchise.
"As long as I'm a Thrasher, may the Predators never drink from the Cup," he said before disappearing into the Atlanta locker room.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Atlanta Hot on the Trigger for ECHL5
ATLANTA GA--The Atlanta Thrashers served notice to the rest of the league this past week. They are not content with the status quo.
"I know there have been several definitions of rebuilding thrown around, but we had a chance to bolster key positions," Thrashers assistant general manager
Trevor Samson said at a recent press conference. "We have obtained two right wingers who can score. We strengthened our blue line. We have added a
prospect that will help us for years to come. Rebuilding means just that in Thrasherland... we are rebuilding."
The Atlanta Thrashers have been busy in the trade market so far this offseason. Their first move was to send long serving right winger and captain Scott Walker to Minnesota for right wing Bill Guerin and a draft pick. Their second was to send three draft picks to Nashville for right wing Alexei Kovalev, defenseman Barret Jackman, and defensive bluechip prospect Nick Ross. Neither GM would comment on further transactions.
"There may be more coming, there may not be," general manager Justin Halbersma remarked. "You guys like to blow up every move we make here. So until
further notice, there will be no leaks on future trade negotiations. We needed to boost our scoring. We lost 18 one-goal games last season. We tied eight
more and lost three in OT. That's 41 points we gave up over the course of last year. Convert even half of those to wins, we're contending for the
postseason.
"Guerin and Kovalev both give us punch from the right side. Scott will be missed, but if there's any consolation, it's that we got two quality players to fill in his absence. We also solidified our defense. Jackman will be a huge boost to us right away. Nick will have his nine game tryout with the big club but he may end up in the minors after that nine games... the spot is his to lose.
"I know many will criticize us for giving up three draft picks. I expect that... as a GM, you best have a thick skin and not worry about what others think
of your roster moves. But as a GM, it's my job to build a winner. I'm not saying we're right away Cup contenders, but Billy, Alex, Barret, and Nick all
give us a better chance than we had even at the end of last season."
Both Alexei Kovalev and Bill Guerin were at the press conference, wearing their familiar numbers on Thrasher jerseys. Both seemed excited at the idea of joining a rebuilding club.
"Atlanta presents a challenge," Guerin said. "All through my career, I have embraced a challenge. This is a young team that missed the postseason. Both Alex and I were brought in to right the ship. It's exciting times for Atlanta fans."
"It's going to be different," Kovalev commented. "I'm looking forward to all the playing time I can handle. Mike (coach Mike Landry) met with me and said I'm going to expect all the minutes I can handle. Far cry from being a third liner in Nashville. With that comes expectation. I have to produce."
Neither Jackman or Ross could attend, as both were taking care of personal matters back in Nashville. Our cameras were allowed inside the Atlanta dressing
room where we saw the four new jerseys displayed at their new stalls. Guerin was uncomfortable.
"Fisher wears 13 and I haven't had a chance to talk with him," he commented. "If I have to switch numbers, I will. I'm hoping I can keep my number, but if not, that's life. Mike and I are friends. There will not be a problem. Ross will have the same situation with Prusek...both wear 80. We'll see...you grow attached to numbers."
Coach Mike Landry smiled when he was asked about the numbers. "Hockey players are superstitious," he said with a grin. "Everything will be done to accomodate everyone."
There is a huge expectation this season to beat last year's woeful performance. There are a few holes, but it seems as though fans in Atlanta are beginning to get excited. Season ticket sales have steadily increased after the announcements of the trades.
Time will show the fruit of the Thrashers' labours.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Changes Promised in Thrasher-Land
ATLANTA GA--Atlanta Thrashers general manager Justin Halbersma looked up from the mass of papers littering his desk in Philips Arena and turned to look out over the skyline of downtown Atlanta.
“This new season promises changes,” he said. “New assistants, new coaching staff, and I’m hoping the players bring a whole new attitude this year.”
It was a nightmare season for the Thrashers in ECHL4, a season that saw them plummet to 14th in the 15-team Eastern Conference. Rather than muddle through the existing troubles, Halbersma elected instead to blow up the roster, shedding salary and bringing in some much needed draft picks.
“As I said last season, we were flush against the cap, we were losing, we were aging, and we had no help on the horizon,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “This off-season gave me plenty of time to reflect on what went wrong last year. This rebuilding won’t be a one-season process. We may not make the playoffs next year, either. My hope is that we will be better and competitive. We may not be the most skilled team, but we don’t want to give away two points to every other team, either.”
The off-season saw Halbersma go on a rampage in the front office. Assistant general manager Sarah Buckley was appointed to assistant coach to Laura Albrecht in their farm system. In her place comes newly appointed assistant Trevor Samson, who will assist Halbersma in the GM duties.
Rather than speak on the new additions, Halbersma provided the Associated Press with the new front office and coaching structure of the Atlanta Thrashers:
President/General Manager: Justin Halbersma
Assistant GM: Trevor Samson
Head Coach: Mike Landry
Assistant Coach: Charlie Aalders
Assistant Coach: Danny Grant
Goaltending Coach: Charles Grant
Head Scout: Mike Hamlin
Director of Player Development: Pete Hamlin
Director of Hockey Operations: Emily Kiezebrink
A media blackout was imposed on the new staff until further notice.
“We have lots of work to do,” Halbersma said, the excitement in his voice very apparent. “We have RFAs to sign and UFAs to pursue. We have an entry draft to prepare for and a dispersal draft to look over. The players under contract will be arriving at camp any day now. Again I ask the loyal fans…be patient. We will be a contender soon.”
Saturday, January 3, 2009
ECHL Returns with ECHL5
It seemed almost fitting after a season when the Tampa Bay Lightning won almost everything there
was to win that the first contest of ECHL5 would find them on the losing end of the draft lottery. In a surprising turn of events the draft ball to fall
out was #752, meaning with only 8.1% chance of doing so, the Edmonton Oilers would move from 5th to 1st overall in the entry draft taking place next Sunday,
January 11th. Perhaps the only team to lose out more than the Lightning are the unfortunate Atlanta Thrashers who traded the 5th overall pick to Edmonton
last April to bring Jan Hrdina and Anson Carter to the Peach State, neither of whom remains in Atlanta.
The final draft order for the ECHL5 Entry Draft is as follows:
Round One
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Round Two
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
Round Three
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
Thursday, January 1, 2009
ECHL Returns with ECHL5
An uncharacteristically short ECHL off-season didn't stop the GMs from pleading for its return, and return it will as the ECHL Commissioners Office announced the pre-season would officially begin immediately. The following timeline leads towards a January 25th launch of games:
January 1: League files launched, RFA contract bids provided to GMs, trading opens
January 9: Deadline to sign RFAs (unsigned RFAs are added to the UFA pool)
January 11: Live prospect draft and non-playoff team dispersal draft
January 12: UFA list made available for contract bids to all GMs
January 19: Deadline to bid on UFAs; bids provided to GMs for matching or declining
January 21: Deadline to match bids on UFAs
January 25: First games of the ECHL5 season
January 11th will not only be the ECHL's third live draft, but we're adding in something new this year. Many of you have alerted us to players that have made it relatively big in the NHL but were never in the top 90 draft picks for ECHL drafts. Rather than add them to the UFA list as we did last year we will be offering a special dispersal draft for non-playoff teams from ECHL4. This is in an effort to introduce a bit more parity as the league has begun to split down the middle, leaving some teams (I'm looking at you, Western Conference) with literally no chance to compete. You'll each receive at least one reasonable player to assist your efforts.
Monday, October 20, 2008
LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE! Tampa Bay Takes Series in Four.
It seemed the Canucks had finally found a way to beat the
ECHL4 juggernaut Tampa Bay Lightning after jumping to a quick two-goal lead within the first 6:09 of game 4 tonight, but Mark Maranzan's crew had a different idea. Anchored
by a stunning defensive performance that saw only 12 shots allowed through the final two periods, and a solid Bulin wall, the Bolts delivered five unanswered goals to sweep
the Western Champions in four straight, becoming the ECHL's first two-time Stanley Cup Champs.
The defense wasn't only stopping goals, they were scoring them as well. Robin Regehr was the hero of the day with two goals on four shots, including the game winner, and the first star for the Cup winning game. But veteran forward Steve Sullivan, with two assists on the game, would take home the Conn Smythe after potting 14 goals and 13 assists for a playoff leading 27 points and stunning +21 throughout the ECHL4 playoff run. Forgoing the regular champagne, GM Mark Maranzan was doused in Dogfish Head 90-Minute IPA when our reporter caught him celebrating. "This season truly was unbelievable. After a disappointing loss in last season's playoffs it was hard to say if our guys would rebound. I can't say enough about the work ethic of our veterans," Maranzan remarked. "They really took control and ran with it this season. Sullivan continued to be not only a constant rock, but a true leader with our youth and Robbie (Regehr) is a just a rock on our blueline."
The Tampa Bay story was a stunning one, and after a record-setting 132-point season, it only seemed right that Maranzan's marauders would take home the hardware to cap it off. But what exactly were the secrets to his success in a season he dominated from the opening faceoff? "My key to success?", Maranzan pondered. "Well, hard work, dedication, strong leadership, and plenty of planning." Maranzan took another sip from the Cup before remembering perhaps the biggest success secret: "... and of course I have my secret weapon, I like to make sure I spend at least an hour a day in my thinkin' chair."
As the Lightning prepared to make haste to the team jet for a confidently pre-scheduled dinner at the famous Bern's Steakhouse in downtown Tampa Bay Maranzan was asked what the future held, and if the Lightning could become the first repeat Champions in ECHL history? "As far as the future for our team? Well, we will certainly have some questions that will have to be answered this off season, most notably a new contract for Glen (Murray) and Nikolai (Khabibulin), but those are questions that we will look at this off season. For now we want to focus on giving all the guys they credit they deserve. This win belongs to them." With that Maranzan found himself on the receiving end of a Murray-delivered IPA bath, marking the perfect end to a near perfect season.
Friday, October 3, 2008
"The Boston Bruins are dead," snickered Colorado Avalanche GM KP Wee as soon as he stepped into the TD Banknorth Garden for the defending ECHL champions' morning skate as the B's prepared for Game Three of their series with the NY Islanders.
"The Bruins outshot and outplayed New York in the first two games. But the Isles won where it mattered--on the scoreboard. And the Isles owned the third periods. It's like Ryan McCullough and his boys are just toying with the B's."
What has been alarming is the fact Boston, now in a deep 0-2 hole, scored first in both games--and lost both.
The Bruins led 3-2 in both, and choked in both.
"There was some discussion about Marc Denis before. Guess (Evan) Carter was right; Denis sucks. I think the Islanders had what, 8 shots in the third period, and he let in 2? And in the opener he gave up three goals in the last 5 minutes, like 4 goals on 8 shots..."
"I seriously think Denis and the rest of the team are like their GM Rick Jessup. Too old, not well rested. Some of them probably need a rocking chair or wheelchair in their dressing room, for crying out loud!"
When asked about the Isles' tandem in goal, Tuukka Rask and Justin Pogge, who have both outplayed Denis in the series, Wee commented: "Brilliant idea by McCullough, rotating his goalies. Keeps them fresh. Unlike Denis. And the results are clear, especially in the last 20 minutes in both games."
And the controversey between Denis and Jessup?
"Denis clearly hates his GM, the way all of Carter's boys hate him down in Nashville. When a Stanley Cup-winning goalie (Denis) gets pulled like that, with no time left (in Game One) in favor of the backup, what does that say? Denis probably feels humiliated and has given up on the season."
Friday, September 26, 2008
This was submitted this past Saturday, prior to the playoffs starting. Somehow we missed it, and run it now two games late.
Colorado GM KP Wee's season might be over, but he's keenly interested in what the ECHL4 playoffs might bring.
Asked to comment on each of the first round series in the West, Wee instead chose to talk about a matchup in the East between two of the oldest franchises in hockey history.
"Intriguing matchup between the Bruins and Rangers," Wee said as the reporters gathered in his office for the final time this year. "Boston New York. Wow. It doesn't get any better than that."
"I remember their backup, Raycroft, stoned us when we went into MSG one night and we had chances after chances but we were totally robbed of a point there," Wee said about the Avalanche's 1-1 tie in New York during ECHL4.
Does Wee actually think the Rangers have a shot against the defending champs from Boston?
"The Rangers are a fine young hockey club. Roman Cechmanek is one of the best goalies in the league and Andrew Raycroft is an awesome backup. Didn't Roman win something like 35 games? Incredible. Goaltending is going to be huge in this series, and I'm sure Cech's gonna stone the Bruins at least four times."
"And when you have guys up front like (Mats) Sundin or (Brian) Rolston and a (Jason) Blake, and the kid (Michel) Ouellet, these guys getting close to 30 goals, that's great production. How on earth is Boston going to stop them?"
When informed about the 13-point gap between the No. 3 seed B's and No. 6 Rangers, Wee only snickered.
"The Rangers' defense is vastly underrated, but I tell ya, John-Michael Liles and Dave Tanabe are great. And you've got Jiri Fischer anchoring the blueline with his size, Boston's in big big trouble."
But what about the fact the Rangers almost missed the playoffs, and only clinched a berth in the final few games?
"New York's a great second-half team. They came into our barn in the second half and took it to us. Alex Edler and Mike Danton and Mike Grier, they all played real well. We couldn't stop these blueshirts. Even (Colorado goalie Garth) Snowy was amazed that night by their team speed and tremendous passing abilities. And don't forget, the lower seeds have always had tremendous success in this league. Just as Boston last year, when they almost missed the postseason themselves."
But aren't the Bruins the defending champs, after all?
"Boston's in big trouble. They don't have anyone scoring more than a point per game, and even Joe Thornton had a mediocre season, by his own standards. I'm hearing Miro Satain and Michael Ryder are kind of banged up too."
What about the fact Bruins GM Rick Jessup has actually built a championship team before?
"I tell you guys. Jessup's a fluke. He got lucky. But you look at the Rangers. Mr. John House is probably one of the best GMs since Sam Pollock. That deal he made with Pittsburgh to get Cechmanek and hot sauce was classic. And Mr. House doesn't make trades just for the sake of it; he just gets guys he knows will help out his hockey club.
"Take that Cechmanek. He stoned the Bruins in Boston one night and was like, first star of the game. That was one of the most outstanding netminding performances in the entire season this year. They can't possibly lose with goaltending like that."
The final word?
"Rangers in six."
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
ECHL Scout Picks the Playoffs
This series will almost certainly be dominated by Tampa Bay. Playoffs are always a different story, but Tampa Bay is only one year removed from their last Cup and they’ve improved on their regular season record considerably since then. Pittsburgh netminder Jose Theodore is going to have to play like an old Belfour if he’s going to carry his team past Tampa. Nikolai Khabibulin put up some of the best numbers of his career and he’s already been well proven throughout playoffs. This series will end in a 4-0 sweep for Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh probably won’t be able to keep up in any of the games let alone the series.
After Deadline:
- Tampa Bay had a stunning 17-3-4 record after the deadline.
- Pittsburgh had good 14-9-1 record after the deadline.
Who to watch out for:
- TB = Glen Murray
- PIT = Jose Theodore
Regular Season Games:
Tampa Bay 5 Pittsburgh 1
Pittsburgh 1 Tampa Bay 3
NY Islanders have been the most underrated team in the East, leading their division and beating strong teams over and over again, but the playoffs could be a hard road for this team. Montreal’s physical game could be a strong factor in this series as Andrew Ladd and Keith Tkachuk combined for nearly 600 hits, but the team’s overall offense is questionable. Montreal’s Thibault has also had a poor season while the Islanders’ young goalies Justin Pogge and Tuukka Rask have put up more respectable numbers fighting for the starting position. The younger and lower rated Rask is expected to start in the playoffs after putting up almost Vezina-winning numbers. Islanders win in 6.
After Deadline:
- NYI had an impressive 14-8-2 record after the deadline.
- Montreal had a disappointing 9-12-2 record after the deadline.
Who to watch out for:
- NYI = Pavol Demitra
- MON = Keith Tkachuk
Regular Season Games:
NY Islanders 3 Montreal 1
Montreal 1 NY Islanders 5
Defending Cup champions will host the Rangers in what is sure to be a fast paced and exciting series, but expect the puck to be controlled mostly by Boston. Mats Sundin and Brian Rolston will be the only real threat the Rangers have, but goalies could also become a major factor as Roman Cechmanek posted considerably better stats than Marc Denis this year. Boston wins in 6.
After Deadline:
- Boston had a decent 10-8-3 record after the deadline.
- New York had a disappointing 9-12-1 record after the deadline.
Who to watch out for:
- BOS = Joe Thornton
- NYR = Mats Sundin
Regular Season Games:
Rangers 2 Boston 1
Boston 5 Rangers 3
This will be an interesting series as middle ranking series always are, a seven game series seems likely here. Jaromir Jagr and his effective play could single-handedly change the story of the series, but others like Scott Hartnell and Saku Koivu can be expected to chip in. Buffalo has to rely on the team play of first liners Milan Hejduk, Alexei Yashin and Tuomo Ruutu. Not much should be expected from Buffalo rookies Steve Downie and Devan Dubnyk or veteran goalie Brian Boucher who are all untested in playoffs. Toronto goaltender Dwayne Roloson, however, has proven himself more than capable. Toronto wins in 7.
After Deadline:
- Buffalo had a decent 12-8-2 record after the deadline
- Toronto had a decent 11-8-3 record after the deadline
Who to watch out for:
- TOR = Jaromir Jagr
- BUF = Milan Hejduk
Regular Season Games:
Toronto 3 Buffalo 2
Toronto 3 Buffalo 1
Buffalo 1 Toronto 0
Buffalo 4 Toronto 5
Buffalo 5 Toronto 4
Toronto 1 Buffalo 4
Nashville will dominate Calgary the whole series with the strong play of Ilya Kovalchuk and Dany Heatley, but don’t be surprised to see Sergei Gonchar leading Nashville either. Calgary will have to focus their scattered offense with Daniel Alfredsson as he’s the most likely player to give Calgary a chance in any of these games. Calgary looks to be completely outclassed in every category except goaltenders, where both goalies are expected to perform fairly well in each game. Nashville wins in 4.
After Deadline:
- Nashville had a stunning 18-5-1 record after the deadline
- Calgary had a decent 11-9-4 record after the deadline
Who to watch out for:
- NAS = Dany Heatley
- CAL = Daniel Alfredsson
Regular Season Games:
Calgary 3 Nashville 4
Nashville 4 Calgary 0
This could be an interesting series, Minnesota’s defense has been extremely shaky since dealing Wade Redden for Marek Zidlicky and San Jose has been underperforming all season. Can new acquisition Todd Bertuzzi power the offensively challenged Wild? Can Palffy perform without playmaker Vaclav Prospal? This series will come down to the goalies, and Minnesota has San Jose dominated with last year’s Vezina winner and this year’s Vezina nominee Marty Turco. Minnesota wins in 6.
After Deadline:
- Minnesota had a dismal 8-11-5 record after the deadline
- San Jose had a dismal 9-13-2 record after the deadline
Who to watch out for:
- MIN = Marty Turco
- SAN = Zigmund Palffy
Regular Season Games:
San Jose 0 Minnesota 1
Minnesota 3 San Jose 2
Chicago has consistently been the most threatening playoff team in ECHL history. With two Western conference trophies and a Stanley Cup, this team is obviously built for the playoffs. Phoenix, however, is coming into this post-season with a vastly different roster than they had last year. Gone are ex-superstar Ed Belfour and two-way centre Kyle Chipchura in favor of super-veterans Martin Brodeur and Joe Sakic. This is probably the hardest series to determine, especially with the outstanding play this year from second line centre Doug Weight and veteran defenseman Al Macinnis while Chicago’s secondary scoring has been exceptionally weak this year. Phoenix wins in 7.
After Deadline:
- Phoenix had an impressive 14-8-2 record after the deadline
- Chicago had a mediocre 11-10-3 record after the deadline
Who to watch out for:
- PHO = Martin Brodeur
- CHI = Marian Gaborik
Regular Season Games:
Phoenix 3 Chicago 2
Chicago 4 Phoenix 5
A tight series between these two but with Dan Cloutier out for the first two games it could just let us say that the series is over. Jason Arnott and Radim Vrbata is the scoring power for the Canunks. Columbus after many seasons with out a goalie, they have finally goten a goalie to add with there power defense with Chris Pronger and Zheno Chara in the line up not many shots will be allowed also with there whole team being balanced nobody knows how much Vancouver can take. Columbus in 5.
After Deadline:
- Columbus had an decent 13-8-2 record after the deadline
- Vancouver had an impressive 14-6-4 record after the deadline
Who to watch out for:
- CBJ = Chris Pronger
- VAN = Dan Cloutier
Regular Season Games:
Vancouver 2 Columbus 0
Columbus 2 Vancouver 3
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Hammy's All-Star Teams
Hammy 1st Team All-Stars
G—Roberto Luongo (Nashville)
D—Alexei Zhitnik (Montreal)
D—Al MacInnis (Phoenix)
RW—Glen Murray (Tampa Bay)
C—Alex Tanguay (St. Louis)
LW—Todd Marchant (Toronto)
Hammy 2nd Team All-Stars
G—Dan Cloutier (Vancouver)
D—Sergei Gonchar (Nashville)
D—Chris Pronger (Columbus)
RW—Pavol Demitra (New York Islanders)
C—Joe Thornton (Boston)
LW—Todd Bertuzzi (Minnesota)
Sunday, September 21, 2008
ECHL Beat Reporter's ECHL4 Playoff Preview
This has all the makings of a David vs. Goliath match-up. The Penguins squeaked into the playoffs in the last few weeks of the season. The Lightning ran over the rest of the league during the regular season. The Penguins will try. The Lightning will not budge. The end result will be a Lightning victory in five games.
This series will be a bit of a mystery. The Islanders have been a consistent team throughout the season, and Montreal has quietly snuck into the playoffs with very little attention. On paper, both teams appear fairly even, but the money is on the Islanders. Islanders in six games.
Boston comes in as the defending Stanley Cup champions. They are the team with the bullz-eye on their jerseys instead of their traditional ‘B’. The Rangers would like nothing better than to dethrone the champs. It has all the ingredients for a classic series. The numbers favor the Bruins, which will take this series in seven games.
This is a bit of a dark horse match-up. Both the Sabres and Maple Leafs have put together solid season with very little separating them. The Leafs come in as the team that eliminated the President’s Trophy winners from Tampa Bay last season, so they have a reputation as giant killers. Toronto in six games.
The Predators have a lot to prove. They are consistent in both the regular and post seasons…regular season Western Conference champions, post season train wrecks. Calgary has a young team, and is not on the same skill level as Nashville. The Preds will eliminate the Flames in five games.
The Wild have trouble scoring goals. The Sharks are proficient at preventing them. This match-up will be interesting to watch as it unfolds. The Wild rely on Turco to outlast their opponents. The Sharks have a few weapons on their roster that could make Turco’s life miserable. Prediction: Sharks in seven games.
The Coyotes have all the talents and tools to go a long way, but face a steady opponent in the Blackhawks. Both teams carry some high firepower, but the series will be decided by goaltending. Phoenix holds the edge over Chicago in that regard. The Coyotes will defeat the Blackhawks in six games.
This would have been a solid match-up if not for the ill-timed injury to star netminder Dan Cloutier. This leaves the Canucks in a bind. Columbus will exploit this weakness and dispatch the Canucks. Blue Jackets in five games.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Plenty of Off-Season Changes in Thrashers’ Camp
The ECHL4 season has ended for the Atlanta Thrashers. Mercifully.
In a season that saw plenty of turmoil in Atlanta, the happiest sound for the Thrashers’ management was the final buzzer of the third period in Washington. The end result symbolized the Thrashers’ season: a 5-1 thrashing of the Thrashers by the Washington Capitals.
“It’s actually a relief,” assistant general manager Sarah Buckley remarked. “Now we can focus our attention on rebuilding this franchise. This year has been disgraceful.”
It was a season that saw many stars shuffle through Atlanta. Gone are the likes of Joe Sakic, Oleg Saprykin, and David Aebischer. Cap issues and lack of future prospects prompted the selling of the Thrashers’ assets. When the dust settled, the Thrashers limped over the finish line with a 25-49-8-3 record, but with plenty of optimism for the future. Seven draft picks…including three first round picks ... and over $20 million available in salary cap space are the causes for that optimism.
“We were pushing dangerously close to the cap limit and showing nothing for it,” general manager Justin Halbersma commented at the end of the Capitals’ game. “So earlier in the season, the decision was made to blow up the whole roster with an eye for the future. It wasn’t easy to part with those players. It was purely a rebuilding decision to do so. All of them are top notch players, and if it happens, we would welcome any of them back at any point. We made sure they knew that. And now we have a vision for the future, lots of cap room, and a plan.”
Expect lots of action from the Thrashers’ camp in the off-season. The scouts are scrambling to get their prospects list in. Neither Buckley nor Halbersma offered a comment on the draft, just a brief message:
“It may not feel like it at first, but these are exciting times,” Halbersma remarked. “We’re asking our fans to be patient with us during the off-season, and we’re asking for their patience during next season. We will be competitive next year. And we will contend for the Cup within three seasons. We’re not ignoring you, our loyal fans. This pain is necessary for long-term growth. Please bear with us.”
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Hurricanes Announce Second GM of ECHL4
The ownership of the failing Carolina Hurricanes have had a rough season after watching their second GM in team history - and second GM of the season - take a walk last month. The end result saw the Hurricanes continue a season-long slide that now finds them well under .500, facing a post-season with no playoffs, and a fanbase that has become more and more vocally irate as of late. Acknowledging these issues the team officially hired a fresh face to guide the team into the future, former assistant coach of Bill Read's Minnesota Wild, Seb Pritchard.
"I can't wait to get started, I'm happy to take over in Carolina," remarked Pritchard in his first press conference as the new GM. When asked what would make him a success in Carolina his response was an obvious love for sports in general, with a history in managing fantasy leagues: "I love all sports. I love to watch, read, play, and talk about sports. I have been active in many Yahoo fantasy leagues for many years now." When the local media pressed for some personal information about Pritchard his response seemed meant to endear himself with some of the other league GMs with a reputation for enjoying a good party by noting "other than my intense love for sports I am a regular 25 year old guy. I like to party, meet girls, drink beer, play some video games and have a chill time."
Pritchard takes over the Hurricanes starting Friday night in Philadelphia, and his contact information can be found on the GM List.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Avalanche Tumbling Downhill
DENVER — It has been a trying season for the Colorado Avalanche. Plagued by scoring, defensive,
and goaltending woes, the boiling point of Colorado’s frustration has reached its peak.
“I never signed in Denver for this,” center Darcy Tucker remarked tersely. “This has been a disaster! I want a Cup, not forever looking up at the rest of the West!”
Although the Avalanche have been putting together a few wins of late, the overwhelming consensus for the Colorado organization is that it’s much too late.
“We’ll need a miracle,” predicted forward John LeClair. “This is a horrible way to spend the last few years of my career... the promises of making the playoffs, the predictions of overcoming this deficit... it’s impossible! Who is management trying to kid?”
The Avalanche are currently hovering tied for third last in the Western Conference, with a seventeen point spread between them and the eighth playoff spot. With few prospects and little help looming on the horizon, the Avalanche faithful aren’t giving much optimism for next season as well.
"I can't wait for my FA status to kick in," goaltender Garth Snow muttered as he skated off after practise. "First chance I get, I'm gone."
It stands to be a cold long winter in Denver for a while.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Tales of a Fangless Predator
NASHVILLE TN — For several seasons, the Nashville Predators have iced a regular season powerhouse.
At or near the top of the Western Conference standings, the Predators have been a feared opponent during the season…but not so much during the playoffs.
Boasting a star laden line-up with the likes of Dany Heatley, Mike Modano, Roberto Luongo, and Sergei Gonchar, this is a team that seems destined for
postseason success. However, given the past few playoffs, many serious experts seem reluctant to give Nashville a fair chance, a fact not lost on Roberto
Luongo. “It irritates me,” he said after practice Sunday afternoon. “When that puck drops in game one, every team has a chance. We have a strong team..
why are we the subject of ridicule?”
“This is the year we’ll show something,” promised Mike Modano. “I think this will be our year.. we picked up Sergei this season, and he is the premier defenseman in the league. We’ll be there.” Brave and strong words from a star centerman. The fact remains, until the Predators put together a deep playoff run, they will forever be known as playoff wannabes.. a team built for the regular season, not the playoffs. It is a label most of the team is eager to shake off.
“Look out West,” Dany Heatley commented. “We’re hungry, we’re strong, and we want the Cup. The East has had it for the last two season…time for us to take it back.”
Time will tell.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
ECHL Scout's Top 16
The ECHL Scout returns with his picks for the top eight in each Conference. Agree? Disagree? Take it to the Zonk!
East
1. Tampa Bay
2. NY Islanders
3. Boston
4. Buffalo
5. Toronto
6. Rangers
7. New Jersey
8. Montreal
West
1. Nashville
2. Minnesota
3. San Jose
4. Columbus
5. Phoenix
6. Chicago
7. Vancouver
8. Calgary
A lot of things can happen during the race for the final top 16... some teams could get kicked out. In the East Pittsburgh is closing in, in the West Los Angeles is only a couple wins behind... time will tell.. don't be surprised to see Pittsburgh and Los Angeles kick out a team.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Opening Faceoff Scouting
The mysterious 'Puck Prognosticator' has dropped the following inaugural "Opening Faceoff Scouting" report in our inbox. It looks at the playoffs only 20 games away and who may (or may not) do some damage. Check it out and post your thoughts on the Zonk!
The Favorites
Tampa Bay — A juggernaut through the regular season thus far, the Lightning, led by Mark Maranzan, have something to prove after last season’s disappointing playoffs. It remains to be seen this season if anyone can square up to this powerhouse through a seven game series.
Nashville — For too long, Evan Carter’s Predators have been an enigma, boasting solid regular season records, but crumbling in the playoffs. Could this be the season of vindication for Nashville?
Boston — No one can count out the defending Stanley Cup champions. Rick Jessup has put together another solid showing during the season, but it remains to be seen if his Bruins can skate with the Lightning.
Minnesota — Bill Read has made some dazzlingly bold moves to strengthen an already formidable Wild club. However, can they skate with the Lightning? They have enjoyed some success against Tampa Bay, but there are doubts they can hold their own against a Lightning team should they both reach the Finals.
The Dark Horses
NY Islanders — Ryan McCullough has quietly gone about his business, guiding the Islanders into one of the top three positions in the Eastern Conference. They should get through the first round, should get through the second…but then there’d be the Lightning.
San Jose — Michael Wolfe, after taking over the Sharks, has maintained a success story in guiding them to a top three place thus far. They possess enough depth to skate with any of the Western powerhouses, and any success will not be seen as a shock by any experts.
Toronto — The Leafs have flown under the radar, guided by Sam Steggles’ steady hand. They just find ways to win. Having upset the Lightning last year, few would be surprised if they went far into the playoffs again; however, they don’t want to face a Tampa squad bent on revenge.
Columbus — Doug Moore has assembled a squad in the Blue Jackets that has enough firepower to throw a scare into the Western Conference, and any team would be foolish to take them lightly.
Buffalo - The Sabres, under Paul Maranzan's guidance, have compiled a competitive team, but the road still runs through Tampa... few believe the Sabres have the firepower to upset the Lightning if they meet in the playoffs.
The Long Shots
Montreal — They’re not a bad team.. Dave McGarva just has the misfortune that every other Eastern team has.. having to go through the wall that is Tampa. The Canadiens could put up a fight, but don’t have the horses to compete with the Lightning.
Phoenix — Here is a team that could throw some upsets in the Western Conference. Bold deadline deals have made Shawn Trumble’s team a silent contender. Don’t be surprised to see the Coyotes in the Finals.
NY Rangers — Again, the same problem as every other Eastern team.. the road to the Finals goes through Tampa Bay. John House’s Rangers will try, but few see them lasting past the first round.
Vancouver — Not much is heard from the Canucks’ camp this season. Mark Weinstein has put together a competitive squad, but drawing the Wild or Preds in the first round is a scary proposition for this team.
Honorable Mention
New Jersey — Chris Ambrozic knows the strategies, but do his Devils have the punch to get through the Bulin Wall in Tampa? As it stands, they face the Lightning first round.. and to any observer, a Lightning win should be a no brainer.
Calgary — Despite several acquisitions and trades, the Flames hold a very slim grip on the eighth and final spot. Kevin Wilde better have some late season and playoff magic up his sleeve if he wants to make a splash.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Coyotes Starting to Howl in Phoenix
Phoenix AZ — After seasons of struggle, the Phoenix Coyotes have started to re-establish themselves
as a Western Conference power. The Coyotes hold the sixth spot in the Western Conference, with a nine point lead over ninth place Los Angeles. With
additions such as Joe Sakic and Derek Morris, and goalie Martin Brodeur finding his form, the Coyotes are starting to make some noise.
“We have a good chance,” Sakic said after a disappointing overtime loss to the Dallas Stars. “Sure, we lost tonight, but look at the type of goals.. two deflections off our own players’ skates, and a rebound off a breakaway. Those are the type of goals that no one can do anything about. We have a strong feeling about doing some damage this postseason.” While Morris was not in the lineup for the game, his presence will add a dimension to the Coyotes’ blueline not seen in a while. There is a great deal of anticipation in Phoenix, as the new addition, as well as the team starting to gel at the right time. The fans have returned, and the Coyotes hope to reward them with a strong showing.
“Whether it’s Nashville, Minny, or the Sharks, we feel we’ll be ready for them,” Brodeur commented. “Anyone can pull an upset.. it’s a whole new season.” The season is winding down. The competition is heating up. Time will tell about the additions in Phoenix, but there is a sense of excitement growing as the stretch run becomes the focus for all contending teams.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Flames land Alfredsson, Gill; Flurry of Small Deals Close Deadline
After trading former stars Joe Sakic and Bill Guerin proved disastrous for the formerly
formidable Florida Panthers it seemed only a matter of time until one lucky team would win the rented services of star winger Daniel Alfredsson this
deadline, and indeed it was regular trade partner Kevin Wilde in Calgary who secured the star for the stretch drive. The cost was steep - top prospect Ales
Hemsky will move to Florida permanently, while Alfredsson will return to the Panthers for next season. Quickly swapping Dan Boyle for Hal Gill on his
defence completed the miniature facelift from a Flames team that seems poised to take a shot at the Cup. Florida would also offer up a second rented star,
sending prized blueliner Derek Morris to the Phoenix Coyotes for a 3rd round pick and future considerations dependent on Coyote success.
"It was very difficult to say goodbye to a future star like Hemsky," noted Wilde, "however, we felt we owed it to our fans to make every effort to get into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. We're very excited to add a player of Alfie's caliber to our lineup. Hopefully, we not only make the playoffs, but can do some damage when we get there." It was a different story in Florida where Andre Drouillard had the responsibility of reassuring his fans that the rebuilding pains were temporary. "Deadline deals have bettered Florida for the future at a steep cost in the near term. We realize that this year has not quite gone the way we intended it but moving some veterans early on like Sakic and Guerin had more of an impact than first anticipated. We aren't calling it quits this year, moving Alfie and Morris gives some of the young guys a chance to really shine. Russell, Weber and Suter on D can step up into a much bigger role; Perry, Zetteberg, and, Kessel will all have a chance to step into some serious ice time which should make them much better for years to come." He reaffirmed the rental nature of the deal with "next year, as Morris and Alfredsson come back to Florida, we should be in great shape to contend for the Cup. we also felt that Daniel deserved the opportunity to compete for the Cup this year as well and Calgary seemed like a great fit where his leadership skills can help ignite passion in the younger players. Morris was happy with the opportunity to return to Florida at year end and is looking forward to being the number 1 guy next year and help to develop the younger future stars."
In Phoenix an excited Shawn Trumble said that, while his offense had fired up in recent weeks, the blueline had remained an Achilles heel for the Coyotes, and bringing Morris in for the playoffs would help. "Morris is an amazing puck moving defenseman with also a great defensive mind as well, with the Phoenix scorers clicking Morris will just make goals come that much easier."
While total trades were down over previous ECHL seasons it did seem an exciting deadline nonetheless as the teams embark on the final drive for Lord Stanley's Cup.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Leclaire Motoring to Detroit; Rebuilding Thrashers Nab 1st Pick
The Detroit Red Wings continued to be the only team making splashes on the ECHL4 trade
deadline today with the second deal of the day; acquiring the final star on the dismantling Atlanta Thrashers, rookie goaltender Pascal Leclaire. Heading
back to the Thrashers is veteran backup goaltender Cristobal Huet and the Wings first rounder in the ECHL5 draft. Trading his first rounder in the deal
showcased GM Peter Lacasse's confidence in his deadline trades, but also sent a poisoned dart into the ego of his current young tender, Kari Lehtonen.
Given the confidence of the elite ECHL club earlier this year after a trade with the Phoenix Coyotes, Lehtonen was never able to live up to the hype in the Motor City while sporting a lowly .891 save percentage. It appears any effort to contend this season will come behind the older Leclaire.
In an Atlanta press conference the media pressed hard on GM Justin Halbersma who continued to reiterate that the fire sale of the past few weeks was due to a much needed rebuilding for the troubled franchise. "Leclaire has played very well for us, and it was a hard choice to trade him," started Halbersma "But when the prospect of a first round pick is available, especially when we need to rebuild, long term is what we're looking at." A journalist from the Atlanta Journal Constitution attacked with the concise "did you give up on Pascal?" Halbersma was eloquent in his response of "not at all, he's a tremendous goaltender with a bright future. He will be a star but I have to think long term. We wish Pascal all the best in his new environment and we're looking forward to the draft and seeing how we can stock our roster with young talent."
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wings Pull Blockbuster; Bertuzzi to Wild
As ECHL3 Art Ross winner Todd Bertuzzi wiped his tears away it became quickly apparent to
the Wings and Wild faithful that the first trade of the ECHL4 deadline was bringing sweeping change to their respective clubs. The Wings press conference
had been called to announce the details behind an incredible 10-player deal that would see left winger Bertuzzi, centre Daymond Langkow, and defence trio
Marek Zidlicky, Scott Lehman, and Alex Plante leave the Motor City for Minnesota with left winger Patrik Elias, journeyman centre Oleg Saprykin, and another
defensive trio of superstar Wade Redden, Andrei Markov, and Brad Norton heading to Detroit. It was obvious both teams were looking for a shake-up down the stretch.
"Detroit needed to get better defensively given the status of their young goalie and Bill needed to improve his offense," stated one-time Jack Adams winning Detroit GM Peter Lacasse succinctly. Mired in an unfamiliar spot three points out of the playoffs Lacasse seemed to be keeping an eye down the road with the promise "next year Detroit will be a force to be reckoned with, I promise." Minnesota's sophomore GM Bill Read was more talkative during a Wild press conference featuring only the manager who quickly took his seat and launched into "offense. Please. I'll do anything! I'm so sick of these low scoring games. The fans in Minny want some action!" Read had watched his Wild charge out of the gate earlier this season to a huge Western lead only to watch the team clam up offensively while the Nashville Predators stole the Conference lead from them.
"I made a few trades a couple weeks ago that I felt would help spark my offense but then with only 12 goals in my last six games I realized a more drastic change was needed. Todd Bertuzzi is that drastic change, a true power forward in every sense of the term. In addition to Todd's dominant presence, I have added a solid second line passing centre in Daymond Langkow. I think his playmaking will help spark our secondary offense. Read continued when prodded about the decision to trade fan favourite Wade Redden. "Trading (Redden) has been the most difficult decision I've ever had to make as a GM in this league. Wade has been a big part of this organization for a long time and I wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors. Although Marek Zidlicky will fill Redden's shoes offensively, Wade's rock solid defensive play will be greatly missed. I know there will be some sad to see him go but the reality is that you have to give up great players to acquire great players. I am also quite excited about landing some amazing young defensive prospects in Scott Lehman and Alex Plante. I think Lehman will fill Markov's void on our second or third line."
Is it possible the first deal of the deadline will be the largest? Only time will tell.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Hammy's Choice, ECHL4 All-Star Edition
The cat with all that is back!
Although the real Hammy has long since departed, his spirit lives on with this special edition of Hammy's All-Star picks... Hammy's wisdom will pick one potential MVP from both the East and the West.
In the East, Hammy suggests that Alex Ovechkin will announce once and for all that he has arrived... Ovechkin is Hammy's MVP pick from the East.
However, should Hammy's pick from the West live up to the expectation, Ovechkin may find no success... Hammy suggests Tomas Vokoun will step to the forefront and stonewall the East in his appearance, earning MVP honors for the west.
Hammy will also select a 1st and 2nd All Star team at season's end. Stay tuned.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
East Young Stars at West Young Stars
Shots
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Goals
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Scoring Summary
Period 1
1. WEST YOUNG STARS, LEE 5 (LUPUL, KLUBERTANZ), 06:17
2. EAST YOUNG STARS, SETOGUCHI 16 (GREEN, DOWNIE), 08:07
3. EAST YOUNG STARS, DOWNIE 20 (GREEN, SETOGUCHI), 14:54
4. WEST YOUNG STARS, RYAN 5 (STEMPNIAK, RYAN), 16:01
Period 2
5. EAST YOUNG STARS, DOWNIE 21 (ZAGRAPAN, WHARTON), 05:36
6. WEST YOUNG STARS, RYAN 6 (KINDL, GLASS), 12:53
7. EAST YOUNG STARS, WHARTON 3 (GREEN, SETOGUCHI), 13:31
8. EAST YOUNG STARS, DAWES 8 (LOMBARDI, SKILLE), 15:19
9. EAST YOUNG STARS, NILSSON 10 (UNASSISTED), 17:38
Period 3
10. EAST YOUNG STARS, LYAMIN 6 (SKILLE, DAWES), 14:12
11. WEST YOUNG STARS, RYAN 7 (RYAN, STEMPNIAK), 17:41
12. WEST YOUNG STARS, BACKSTROM 9 (LEE, KLUBERTANZ), 19:19
13. WEST YOUNG STARS, STEMPNIAK 19 (MESZAROS, RYAN), 19:58
Goalie Statistics
Ryan Miller (East), 0 saves out of 1 shots
Devan Dubnyk (East), 14 saves out of 19 shots, W, 20-13-3
Kari Lehtonen (West), 9 saves out of 11 shots
Jeff Glass (West), 9 saves out of 14 shots, L, 17-30-3
Power Play Conversions
East Young Stars 0 for 0
West Young Stars 0 for 0
Game Stars
1 - Steve Downie (East)
2 - Billy Ryan (West)
3 - Devin Setoguchi (East)
Player Statistics
Game Notes
Kari Lehtonen enters game at 15:19 of 2nd period
Steve Downie is named MVP for the Game
Saturday, July 26, 2008
ECHL Scout Picks His All-Star Results
Now it's time for the big boys, these rosters look insane, but we will see who plays better with who. Glen Murray, the captain of the East is the best scorer in ECHL history but the West have the best upcoming scorers in ECHL history with Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Gaborik in the line up. The west captain Markus Nasland will have to lead his team to victory Sunday night. The Cinderella story here is ... will the dominating East scorers do well against the stacked defense of the West, we will find out Sunday night.
vs. 
East Forwards
Joe Thornton Cory Stillman Glen Murray Mats Sundin Alexander Ovechkin Pavol Demitra Olli Jokinen Scott Hartnell Milan Hejduk Marc Savard Scott Gomez Scott Walker
East Defense
Nicklas Lidstrom Martin Grenier Paul Mara Brian Rafalski Janne Niinimaa Chris Campoli Jaroslav Spacek Alexei Zhitnik
East Goalies
Nikolai Khabibulin Marc Denis Tuuka Rask
West Forwards
Alex Tanguay Markus Naslund Marian Gaborik Doug Weight Ilya Kovalchuk Jarome Iginla Daniel Briere Nikolai Zherdev Zigmund Palffy Mario Lemieux Adam Deadmarsh Blake Wheeler
West Defense
Chris Pronger Sergei Gonchar Scott Niedermayer Bryan McCabe Brad Stuart Ed Jovanovski Brent Sopel Kim Johsson
West Goalies
Marty Turco Dan Cloutier Tomas Vokoun
Friday, July 25, 2008
West edges East in ECHL4 Skills Competition
The second ever ECHL skills competition pitted the ECHL elite against each other with the assembled squads of Rick Jessup and Peter Lacasse facing off in an exciting and epic battle of the best, with bragging rights leading up to Sunday's big face-off on the line.
The skills competition got underway with the Puck Control Relay, Pair event that saw Jessup lead-off with Alexander Ovechkin and Martin Grenier; Peter Lacasse countered with Marian Gaborik and Sergei Gonchar. It was never close with Gaborik opening up a significant early lead that Gonchar had no issue widening and the West was first on the board. The Puck Control Relay, Individual followed immediately and featured Ilya Kovalchuk representing the West for a second straight year against Milan Hejduk for the East with the speedy Predator opening up an insurmountable lead on the Sabre star, defending his crown and again providing a win for the West.
Next up was the Fastest Skater competition with a point on the line for both the conference with the fastest cumulative time and the individual with the quickest feet. Philadelphia's quick-footed winger, Alexander Ovechkin, would lead things off again this year, posting an impressive time-to-beat of 14.529 seconds for the East. However, the dominating star of ECHL skills, Kovalchuk, wasted no time shattering the ECHL record books with a 13.412 second time. Brian Rafalski posted a 15.235, followed by an unsuccessful attempt to resecure the record by the last year's champion, Marian Gaborik, with a 13.559. Hejduk would close things off for the East with a 15.294, and Zigmund Palffy's 14.559 would end things off with a full four-second victory for the West.
Last year's most popular event was the Hardest Shot contest, with Todd Bertuzzi's stunning 105.7 MPH shot shaking the rafters in Florida and making headlines across the world. With Bertuzzi not in the big show it was a question of who might be able to steal the show this year. The answer came fairly quickly when Boston's power forward Joe Thornton leaned into the first shot of the evening for a blistering 103.2 MPH start to the event. It would be the hardest shot of round one after postings of 101.7 for Kovalchuk; 101.3 for Glen Murray; 98.3 for Scott Hartnell; 96.0 for Mats Sundin; 95.4 for Mario Lemieux; 94.8 for Chris Pronger; and 91.2 for Jarome Iginla. A temporary hush fell over the crowd as Thornton stepped up for his second and final shot, unleashing a beyond comprehension 107.5 MPH bomb for a new ECHL record and first point for the East. Other second round scores were 100.0 for Sundin; 98.8 for Pronger; 97.6 for Kovalchuk; 97.2 for Murray; 95.0 for Iginla; 94.4 for Hartnell; and 91.6 for Lemieux. Lacasse's crew would take a second hit with the East's crew posting a cumulative speed 3.9 MPH faster than the West.
Accuracy Shooting was up next and Jessup again turned to last year's star, Glen Murray, to continue the East's winning efforts. Murray did the unthinkable by, for a second year in a row, hitting all four foam targets in only four shots - again the only player to do so - taking home the most accurate shooter title and a third straight point for the East. Victory was short-lived, however, after the 4-in-5 performances by the entire Western lineup of Markus Naslund, Gaborik, Kovalchuk, Iginla were too much for the 4-in-6 provided by Hejduk and 4-in-7 performances by Demitra and Ovechkin.
The In the Zone competition saw all six goaltenders put on a clinic and dazzling the crowd with their acrobatics. Three teams of three players were pitted against a goaltender with six pucks to fire. The West offered up Alex Tanguay, Naslund, and Gaborik; Doug Weight, Kovalchuk, and Palffy; and Daniel Briere, Adam Deadmarsh, and Iginla. The East countered with Thornton, Scott Gomez, and Murray; Sundin, Cory Stillman, and Hejduk; and Marc Savard, Scott Hartnell, and Demitra. It was a see-saw battle with Marty Turco, Tomas Vokoun, and Dan Cloutier all stopping four of six shots, while Tuukka Rask and Nikolai Khabibulin matched those results for a 6-4 Eastern Conference lead going into the final Briere-Deadmarsh-Iginla showdown with Marc Denis. Unfortunately for the West the third line was unable to muster enough offense, potting only one and offering the East a 6-5 win.
The night would come to a close with the popular Shootout segment which would see 12 shooters from the East - Murray, Demitra, Hejduk, Stillman, Sundin, Ovechkin, Nicklas Lidstrom, Thornton, Gomez, Hartnell, Scott Walker, and Martin Grenier - take on 12 shooters from the West - Naslund, Palffy, Iginla, Gaborik, Kovalchuk, Gonchar, Tanguay, Deadmarsh, Scott Niedermayer, Briere, Weight, and Pronger - in three rounds of four shooters. In the end it would be the East plugging in three goals (Murray, Demitra, and Hejduk) vs two by the West (Naslund and Palffy) during the team competition.
The one-on-one segment followed with one chosen skater from each side taking on their top goaltender. It would be Markus Naslund against Tuuka Rask and Glen Murray taking on Marty Turco for the second straight year with each player getting three chances to score. Both would miss their first and second attemps before the league's top goal scorer in Naslund electrified the Ottawa crowd with a surprise slapshot from the left of the net over the glove of the young Rask; the competition would again come down to Murray vs Turco. Murray came fast and sharp down the centre, dropping the puck between his legs only to kick it behind his left skate on to his waiting stick and lifting it blocker side towards open mesh - only to be swatted aside by a flailing Turco, beating the Lightning superstar and securing a Western win yet again.
Friday, July 25, 2008
ECHL Scout Weighs In on Young Stars
The ECHL All Star Game is about to begin, While all the GMs can take a break on the stress and have some fun. Alot of great players in the Young Stars and All Star Games. When you see these rosters you all think to yourself "I AM GONNA HAVE SOME FUN". We all have our fantasy lines here, I am gonna share mine, starting with the young stars:
East
Boston Bruins C: Marek Zagrapan GP:55 G:16 A:21 P:37 Buffalo Sabres LW: Devin Setoguchi GP:50 G:15 A:20 P:35 New York Islanders RW: Jack Skille GP:55 G:26 A:30 P:56 Buffalo Sabres D: Marc Staal GP:55 G:3 A:27 P:30 Boston Bruins D: Mike Green GP:54 G:5 A:16 P:21 Buffalo Sabres G: Devan Dubnyk GA:2.28 W:20 L:13 T:3 SO:6 GA:81 SA:947 PCT:.914
West
Edmonton Oilers C: Andrew Cogliano GP:54 G:10 A:24 P:34 Anaheim Ducks LW: Lee Stempniak GP:54 G:17 A:21 P:38 St. Louis Blues RW: Bobby Ryan GP:55 G:20 A:26 P:46 Phoenix Coyotes D: Andrej Meszaros GP:55 G:2 A:25 P:27 Calgary Flames D: Jakub Kindl GP:55 G:5 A:21 P:26 Dallas Stars G: Jeff Glass GA:2.64 W:17 L:29 T:3 SO:4 GA:128 SA:1351 PCT:.905
Young stars game will be one good game with the East and its powerful scoring against the tough defense of the West, this should be one interesting game. The final score will be around 7 for the West and 5 for the East. Good luck to all players!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
ECHL4 All Star Rosters Announced
While controvery broils over the Young Stars rosters announced yesterday the ECHL Commissioner office wasted no time in releasing the All Star game rosters prior to games this evening. There should be no controvery over the selection of four members of the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team creating a new definition for an ECHL monopoly with 91 points in only 55 games. Three members will arrive in Ottawa on behalf of the Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, and Detroit Red Wings. The rosters facing off this Sunday night will be:
EASTERN CONFERENCE WESTERN CONFERENCE C Joe Thornton, Boston C Alex Tanguay, St. Louis C Olli Jokinen, Washington C Doug Weight, Phoenix C Mats Sundin, NY Rangers C Daniel Briere, Detroit C Marc Savard, Florida C Mario Lemieux, Dallas LW Cory Stillman, Tampa Bay LW Markus Naslund, St. Louis LW Scott Hartnell, Toronto LW Ilya Kovalchuk, Nashville LW Alexander Ovechkin, Philadelphia LW Nikolai Zherdev, Calgary LW Scott Gomez, Pittsburgh LW Adam Deadmarsh, Edmonton RW Glen Murray, Tampa Bay RW Jarome Iginla, Detroit RW Pavol Demitra, NY Islanders RW Zigmund Palffy, San Jose RW Milan Hejduk, Buffalo RW Marian Gaborik, Chicago RW Scott Walker, Atlanta RW Blake Wheeler, Anaheim D Nicklas Lidstrom, Boston D Sergei Gonchar, Nashville D Brian Rafalski, Washington D Bryan McCabe, Minnesota D Alexei Zhitnik, Montreal D Chris Pronger, Columbus D Janne Niinimaa, Tampa Bay D Kim Johnsson, Los Angeles D Martin Grenier, New Jersey D Brad Stuart, Vancouver D Chris Campoli, Carolina D Ed Jovanovski, Detroit D Paul Mara, Buffalo D Scott Niedermayer, Nashville D Jaroslav Spacek, Ottawa D Brent Sopel, Colorado G Tuuka Rask, NY Islanders G Marty Turco, Minnesota G Nikolai Khabibulin, Tampa Bay G Dan Cloutier, Vancouver G Marc Denis, Boston G Tomas Vokoun, Calgary
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
ECHL4 Young Stars Rosters Announced
The roster for the second ECHL Young Stars game has been announced with the youth-focused Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, and Dallas Stars leading the charge while the aged Colorado Avalanche are the only team unrepresented in the big game. The rosters facing off this Saturday night are:
EASTERN CONFERENCE WESTERN CONFERENCE C Matthew Lombardi, Carolina C Nicklas Backstrom, Nashville C Marek Zagrapan, Boston C Billy Ryan, Chicago C Martin Hanzal, Tampa Bay C David Krejci, Phoenix C Derek Roy, Montreal C Andrew Cogliano, Edmonton LW Nigel Dawes, NY Islanders LW Patrick Kane, Dallas LW Lukas Kaspar, Washington LW Lee Stempniak, Anaheim LW Devin Setoguchi, Buffalo LW Nick Foligno, San Jose LW Bryan Bickell, NY Rangers LW Ryan Malone, St. Louis RW Jack Skille, NY Islanders RW Michael Grabner, Columbus RW Steve Downie, Buffalo RW Bobby Ryan, St. Louis RW Robert Nilsson, Pittsburgh RW Joffrey Lupul, Detroit RW Corey Perry, Florida RW Nick Johnson, Minnesota D Marc Staal, Buffalo D Brian Lee, Calgary D Kyle Wharton, NY Rangers D Kevin Bieksa, Vancouver D Mike Green, Boston D Kyle Klubertanz, Los Angeles D Christian Ehrhoff, Philadelphia D Jakub Kindl, Calgary D Kirill Lyamin, New Jersey D Braydon Coburn, Dallas D Ole-Kristian Tollefso, Toronto D Matt Pelech, Chicago D Ryan Parent, Boston D Grant Lewis, Los Angeles D Alex Goligoski, Montreal D Andrej Meszaros, Phoenix G Devan Dubnyk, Buffalo G Jeff Glass, Dallas G Ryan Miller, Ottawa G Kari Lehtonen, Detroit G Pascal Leclaire, Atlanta G Hannu Toivonen, Anaheim
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
All-Star Details Released
The ECHL Commissioner Office has finally released the details surrounding the ECHL4 All-Star Week including a roster of superstars and young stars to come this week that will compete in two games and a skills competition over this coming weekend. Hosting the festivities will be the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario.
Friday, July 25: All-Star Skills Competition
Saturday, July 26: Young Stars Game
Sunday, July 27: All-Star Game
All 30 ECHL teams will be represented in the All-Star Game, while the only consideration to the Young Stars Game was assembling the best and brightest of the ECHL's future regardless of team representation. The office announced the roster for the Young Stars would be revealed Wednesday the 23rd and the full All-Star roster a day later on Thursday the 24th. Friday night will bring a competition featuring Puck Control Relay, Fastest Skater, Hardest Shot, Accuracy Shooting, In the Zone, and Shootout.
Finally, the coach and manager of the Eastern All-Stars will be defending Stanley Cup Champion Rick Jessup of the Boston Bruins. The defending All-Star champion Western Conference will be coached and managed by Peter Lacasse of the Detroit Red Wings after Conrad Rosario of the Chicago Blackhawks was unable to fulfill his duties as the last team standing in the West during ECHL3. Stay tuned for more events as the week continues; do note that games will continue as scheduled through Thursday.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Scoring Woes Plague Thrashers
ATLANTA--If you don't think the recent housecleaning in Atlanta didn't steam the glasses of general
manager Justin Halbersma, think again. Truth is, Halbersma was truly steamed.
"We had to cut salary, trade assets to get assets, because it appeared the players quit!" Halbersma seethed in his office. "We had the horses to run with, and judging by some of their performances on other teams, they still haven't woken up!"
The outburst came after the Thrashers' latest setback, a 3-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche are climbing up the Western Conference standings, while the Thrashers have continued to fall.
"Outshot, outclassed, outhit, outplayed!" assistant GM Sarah Buckley raged after the game. "Outshot 37-28...if it wasn't for Leclaire, we'd have been run out of the rink!"
It was discovered that former star goaltender David Aebischer, disgusted with the team defense, had requested a trade out of Atlanta.
"We felt that given the status of Abby, and what he's done for us, it would be best to honor his request," Halbersma said. "He made it very clear in my office he wanted to go to a team where the defense would actually try. Judging from his comments in Edmonton, it looks like he's very happy there. We wish him the best."
Yes, the dust seems to have settled in Thrasherland for the time being, as there are no trades on the immediate horizon. However, that doesn't mean all is serene. Buckley and Halbersma have made it very clear big changes could be on the way in the offseason.
"We have a stockpile of draft picks that we will use to begin a rebuilding process in certain areas that we need to improve in," Buckley commented. "Our scouts are working 16 hour days preparing for a crucial draft for us. We have a lot of cap room to aggressively pursue free agents. We have a few names that will not be moved. Jakub Sindel has a no trade clause, and he is a key to our rebuilding. This offseason, we shall see. The trade deadline is coming up. Maybe more picks can fall our way for certain players who may like a change of scenery."
"It's frustrating," newly appointed team captain Mike Fisher said. "We're not scoring. We're not being blown out of the rink, but we're not putting the puck in. A few bounces, a few different moments, and maybe some of those 2-1 games go our way. Our GAA as a team is hovering around three. We need to do something..."
The season is winding down, mercifully for the Thrashers, losers of their last five games. With the playoffs all but unreachable, Halbersma and Buckley have been studying the hundreds of scouting reports that have poured in through emails and fax lines.
"The end can't come fast enough this season," was Halbersma's final, terse comment.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Minnesota: defensively sound, offensively challenged?
A lack of goals prompted a team shakeup in Minnesota as GM Bill Read dealt away a wealth of
draft picks in a desperate attempt to add some offensive depth.
“Our team currently sits 23rd overall in the league with only 119 goals for in 51 games. Despite the lack of offense, we still are sitting pretty at 4th overall in the standings. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what we need here for a serious run at Lord Stanley.”
For the second straight season GM Bill Read traded away all his valuable draft picks in an effort to upgrade his team’s offense. New in the dressing room are the following promising young stars: Sasha Pokulok (21 yrs old), Nick Johnson (22 yrs old), and Oleg Saprykin (24 yrs old). Jan Hrdina was also added to the fold bringing some much needed speed and passing to the team’s secondary offense. This is in addition to the team adding veteran right winger Bill Guerin earlier on in the year.
“We feel as if we have a much more balanced offensive attack than where we were at a few months back. Bringing in Guerin made things a little more difficult in terms of salary cap space. I am happy that we were able to acquire the players we did with the little cap room we had to work with. We picked up some solid young guys that we feel will be contributing for many years to come.”
In what may feel like a case of Déjà vu, Minnesota is in a tight race with Nashville to claim the #1 seed in the Western Conference. Also, ECHL4 MVP goaltender Marty Turco has continued his dominance for Minnesota posting up a league leading 1.94 goals against average and a .923 save percentage.
“Marty is simply amazing. We work him like a horse and he never complains. He just goes out there and leads by example giving us a chance to win every single night. If we could sew a “C” on his jersey it would have already been there.”
Time will tell if these acquisitions will be substantial enough to break the offensive slump but one thing is clear and that is this organization is committed to winning.
“That has been my goal here since day one. Win the Stanley Cup. We are very excited this year as we feel we have the right guys to get the job done. That is not to say we are done dealing, there is 9 days left until the trade deadline and we will be actively pursuing new ways to improve our team up front.”
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Edmonton Stars Struggle to Succeed
With the trade deadline fast approaching and a lack of scoring, Edmonton General Manager Richard
Moore, is looking down at his bench and sees very little light at the end of this tunnel. "A few moves were made with the hopes of a spark to our
offensively struggling club which didn't come to fruition," said Moore.
Adding Deadmarsh, Aebischer, Modry and Dempsey has done little to exorcise the offensive demons. Deadmarsh has struggled to fit in with the young phenom Cogliano except for a few flashes of brilliance and hope, but it appears that Moore is almost at his wits end and needs to right this ship before its too late. Rumors abound that both Aebischer and Deadmarsh may be headed out just as fast as they came in. When asked for a comment, Deadmarsh said, "I don't know what's wrong, Cogs is amazing. He's young and full of desire, we get along great off the ice but on the ice its a whole different story! Maybe that kid is just too good."
Aebischer on the other hand had nothing but glowing praise for his young defence, "Those kids (Stephenson and Stoner) are incredible and playing beyond their years." Veteran blueliner Nathan Dempsey, who has played brilliantly, acquired earlier in the season agreed with Aebischer about the kids, "What can I say, they are stars in the making. I think this blueline here has a great future!"
Jaroslav Modry has been quite steady since joining this Oiler team and has brought some much needed experience. Sitting in the press box for much of the season is Sandis Ozolinsh, whose name has been brought up over many a late night MSN convo's. This may be a little unsettling but as Moore states, "If you ain't producing you ain't playing!" When asked, Ozo just stared blankly at this humble reporter and mumbled to himslf and walked away! One can only imagine what must be going on in this former All-Stars head.
Suffice it to say, we definitely needs some shaking up and maybe some new direction and faces on the ice. Moore is in this for the long haul and I am sure he will make the best decision for this great franchise.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Boston, Calgary Team Up; Punk Nashville
Earlier today it seemed the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames had teamed up for on a blockbuster
deal, sparking commentary and outrage on local chat boards. Shortly after games ended Boston's Rick Jessup owned up - Nashville and the FoE have been punk'd!
"All he (Evan) does is complain about Calgary's trades, and when he's not complaining about Calgary, he's asking me to trade him Thornton. Kevin (Wilde) and I thought this might be a fun distraction to deal with both issues," Jessup remarked. Jessup then pointed towards the roster files to show that players hadn't moved, and subsequently thanked Mark Maranzan for not actually processing the fake trade.
When asked for a comment Nashville's Evan Carter responded "U SONF OF A....."
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Thrashers' Losing Ways Prompts Shakeup
ATLANTA--Thrashers General Manager Justin Halbersma paused at his desk as he looked over the new contracts of his newly acquired players. A sudden losing
skid prompted major changes to the Atlanta lineup.
"Tough decisions had to be made," Halbersma said. "We weren't getting any younger. Some offers came up that we felt as a staff we couldn't refuse. We wish Joe, David, Adam, and Jaroslav the best on their new teams. Cap space and lack of prospects made these trades necessary."
Gone are center Joe Sakic, goalie David Aebischer, defenseman Jaroslav Modry, and left wing Adam Deadmarsh. In their place come goaltender Pascal LeClaire, defender Jakub Kindl, left winger Daniel Sedin, and center Jakub Sindel. In addition, the trades netted a slew of draft picks and cut down considerably on the cap space being eaten up.
"We freed up a lot of cap space to pursue free agents and other trades," assistant GM Sarah Buckley remarked. "The draft picks give us options. It's shame we had to give up what we did. But we got back some great rookies and they will be a huge part of our team for years to come."
Time will tell what the trades will do. Atlanta has shifted into a rebuilding mode, and while no trades seem openly apparent on the horizon, that could change with the right offers.
"Anything is possible," admits Halbersma. "We may be done dealing, we may not."
The new influx of youth means that the playoffs may be a dream for this season. But the newcomers seem eager and excited about the new opportunity.
"I'll never fill Aebischer's shoes," Pascal leClaire said. "But I know that Daniel and Jakub (Kindl) and myself will do our best to prove we belong at this level and on this team. To be included in a package for someone of Abby's calibre is an honor."
The new players will have their chance to shine tomorrow, as the Thrashers prepare to take on the Kings. LeClaire, Kindl, and Sedin will don the Thrashers jersey for the first time. Sindel is staying down on the farm team, developing his skills for the jump next season.
"We're excited," Buckley said. "Tomorrow will be a good indicator. We're looking forward to it."
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Flood Takes Out ECHL Offices
Near-record rainfalls in Thunder Bay, Ontario have resulted in an unexpected catastrophe for the ECHL; a flooded office with unknown damages to league servers.
Excessive rainfall over a 10-hour period this past weekend dumped upwards of 100mm of rain in the northern Ontario region that houses the league servers, and the result was two inches of water across the floor and inside the main data server. The extent of damage is unknown at this time, but the league was quick to call a hiatus while the situation is surveyed. Commissioner Rick Jessup responded "things look promising, and we're hopeful to be up and running within the week," promising 24-hours notice before things kick back off again.
Friday, May 9, 2008
ECHL League Office to Stage Walkout
It seems it's not only Toronto transit workers who've taken a desire for more cash to an extreme.
ECHL brass Rick Jessup and Mark Maranzan announced today they will stage a walkout from Wednesday, May 14th to Tuesday, May 20th, effectively shutting league
operations down in the meantime.
"Too many e-mails, too many trades, too much whining, and too little beer," were the only reasons Maranzan would offer when probed for his logic. Jessup was even more cryptic in his response, noting "I'm going fishing, gonna catch me a pike." The two staged a similar walkoff during ECHL3, with Mark pictured at right on the picket lines, but returned to work without any apparent changes to the CBA or terms of their employment. Exactly what terms they're seeking, or what caused the action, will seemingly remain quiet for now. The important news being ECHL fans and GMs will receive an unscheduled week off starting this Wednesday.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Caps Shock ECHL, Deal Gonchar
A sub-par start to the season, and a three-game losing streak, were apparently all that was needed
for Washington Capitals GM Chris McCready to spring the largest deal of his career: Sending two-time Norris Trophy winning blueliner Sergei Gonchar to the
Nashville Predators. The deal also included farm centre Kyle Wellwood and will see playmaking defender Brian Rafalski and prospect centre Jonathan Toews
coming back to the nation's capital. Ronald Petrovicky was simultaneously released to free up cap room for the deal.
The deal came soon after the suddenly subdued Predators GM, Evan Carter, had made a blockbuster to shore up his wing with Alexei Kovalev. While the quantity of deals have certainly gone down, Carter was quick to note the quality sure hasn't. "Only the trade king can pull a deal like that off, Gonchar is home to where he belongs" he remarked in a terse statement to the league. McCready simply pointed to the number of free agents on his team as the impetus behind the deal. The only question now is if Music City is hosting too many stars as the fight for ice time begins.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
ECHL Scout Team Profile: Boston Bruins
GM/Coach: Rick Jessup
Captain: Joe Thornton
Alternate: Derian Hatcher
Alternate: Nicklas Lidstrom
How they are doing?
The Stanley Cup champions have been doing their part again, but it looks like something might be beating them ... and that is age. The mighty Boston Bruins
are 10-7-3 starting the season off (5-3-2 in their last 10). Marek Zagrapan is the top prospect this year and fan analysts everywhere are picking this
20-year-old to win the Calder this year; in 20 games he already has four goals and 11 assists for a total of 15 points. Another thing the Bruins were not
expecting this year was the play of J-P Dumont who leads the Bruins with 14 goals and hit his highest career point night (5) against the Phoenix Coyotes
this season. Now the age factor hits the Bruins the odd time as they can't keep up with the young rookies as they have already lost to Ottawa twice and have
tied the Might Ducks.
What the Bruins need:
The Bruins will be a solid team for years to come but they could use a couple more prospects just to sweeten the team. They could also use a future
goaltender: After Denis' career is done in Boston is Marek Schwarz the answer to that problem?
Future of the Bruins:
The Bruins are set for future as they do have a lot of upcoming rookies such as Marek Zagrapan, Mike Green, Kristopher Letang, and Blake Comeau.
Franchise Player: Joe Thornton
Future Franchise Player: Marek Zagrapan
Mascot: Cowboy Webster (click to see)
Funniest Player: Mike Green
Monday, April 20, 2008
ECHL Scout Team Profile: Los Angeles Kings
GM/Coach: Dustin Johnstone
Captain: Tony Amonte
Alternate: Rob Blake
Alternate: Grant Lewis
How they are doing?
Good showing by Los Angeles Kings this year going 9-4-3 (and in their last 10 they are 7-2-1) they lead the Pacific division. Kim Johnsson is showing his
offensive skills and leading the Kings and the ECHL in assists with 18 assists. Another good asset for the Kings has been the play of Chris Osgood who has
been doing very well in the season by posting an 8-4-1 record with four shutouts out of his eight wins. The only thing the Kings need help with is the lack
of scoring coming from the first line: Drew Stafford, Jeff Carter & the fifth overall draft pick Dustin Penner have only gotten seven goals in 15 games.
What the Kings need:
The Kings have a solid team but a lot of analysts believe they are need of more offensive depth as well as another top pairing defenceman. Dustin Johnstone
does have one wild mind and has turned the team around from taking them over at the beginning of ECHL3.
Future of the Kings
The Kings are set for the future as they do have a lot of upcoming rookies such as Micheal Cammalleri, Kyle Klubertanz, Grant Lewis, Jeff Carter and Steve
Mason. But the Kings are going to putting a lot of faith in Steve Mason when he is given the starting job after Chris Osgood retires or leaves.
Franchise Player: Chris Osgood
Future Franchise Player: Micheal Cammalleri
Mascot: "ie, running man in a thong"
Funniest Player: Brian Willsie
Monday, April 7, 2008
Blockbuster Trade Rocks Music City, Columbus
When the Columbus Blue Jackets set out to strike a deal in hopes of saving $400,000 and getting
below the league sanctioned salary cap it wasn't likely in their plans to pull off a blockbuster deal. But this very financial situation appeared to be the
impetus behind a six-player and single draft pick deal between the Blue Jackets and Nashville Predators that will see two of the league's top right wingers
- Alexei Kovalev and Marian Hossa - swap cities. The deal would also find Milan Michalek, Mark Mitera, and Leland Irving heading to Nashville with Patrick
Eaves and a first round draft pick going to the Jackets.
When asked why he sprung the deal the GM of the Predators, Evan Carter, was less focused on the loss of Hossa and more on the future. "As you may see my farm team has been quite disappointing and the future doesn't look to bright, so I had to strike a deal that didn't really affect my pro roster while getting some good prospects." Alexei Kovalev, pictured at left for the last time in the Blue Jackets' dressing room, expressed sadness to be leaving his teammates in Columbus, but excitement to be returning to a team rife with superstars in Nashville. "When I left the Predators the team was a revolving door, and I was only too happy to get out," remarked Kovalev. "But GM Carter has righted the ship and the players there seem happy, I look forward to returning." Marian Hossa was unavailable for comment. The two wingers will have a chance to fight it out when Columbus rolls into Nashville on day 39 of the ECHL4 season.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Carolina Announces Jason Grills as Rookie GM
Undefeated through three games early on this season the Carolina Hurricanes have finally made a hire
for their vacant GM position, a rookie in Jason Grills of Barrie, Ontario. The team's ownership insisted in a press release that, although they'd hoped to
have their hire in place prior to the start of games, they wanted to be sure they got the right guy.
The hockey, golf, and poker fan couldn't have been happier about his appointment, noting "I'm actually a huge Carolina Hurricanes fan, something that started back in the 80's by painfully following the Hartford Whalers for years." His intention, he stated, was to bring the Cup to the loyal fans of Carolina. However, he also issued a note that early on his tenure he may be a bit slow in response as Grills will soon welcome his first child.
His first test will come tonight where he will join his Hurricanes in Montreal.
Monday, March 24, 2008
ECHL Returns With 14 Games; Four Shutouts
Tonight brought the return of ECHL hockey to the arenas, televisions, and newswires of North
America, and with it an opening night record four shutouts. Marc Denis of Boston, Jocelyn Thibault of Montreal, Jose Theodore of the Rangers, and Marty
Turco of Minnesota all laid early claim to the league lead for 'tenders with all but the Rangers finding themselves outshot in their victories. The
league's two newest GMs in Edmonton and San Jose both fell on the wrong side of a win in their inaugural battles while both Cup finalists - Boston and
Chicago - started the year off with a win. Perhaps the most exciting portion of the evening was Montreal's Andrew Ladd picking up right where he left off
last season, beating Ottawa's Casey Borer to injury and finding himself ejected.
The excitement looks to continue on Tuesday with three epic battles to behold: Brothers battle when Columbus rolls into Edmonton; former co-Commissioners head face-to-face as Boston travels to Tampa Bay; and most importantly, the always thrilling coaching battle of Yanni vs Mike Tyson will add another chapter when Rocco's Islanders hit Music City, Tennessee.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Here is the draft order for tonight's live draft. Join us in IRC on the EFNet at #echl4.
Round One
01 RW Patrick Kane
02 RW Lee Stempniak
03 G Niklas Backstrom
04 C Paul Stastny
05 LW Dustin Penner
06 G Pascal Leclaire
07 LW Ryan Malone
08 D Kevin Bieksa
09 D Christian Ehrhoff
10 G Mike Smith
11 D Erik Johnson
12 C Derek Roy
13 C Matthew Lombardi
14 D Tom Gilbert
15 C Jonathan Toews
16 D Matt Carle
17 G Steve Mason
18 D Brent Burns
19 D Tobias Enstrom
20 C Phil Kessel
21 LW Valtteri Filppula
22 C Jordan Staal
23 LW Nigel Dawes
24 D Karl Alzner
25 G Josh Harding
26 D Ole-Kristian Tollefson
27 C Derrick Brassard
28 C Nicklas Backstrom
29 G Jonathan Bernier
30 D Mark Stuart
Round Two
31 LW Patrick O'Sullivan
32 G Ondrej Pavelec
33 RW Sergei Kostitsyn
34 D Kristopher Letang
35 RW Guillaume Latendresse
36 RW Robert Nilsson
37 D Kris Russell
38 D Marc-Edouard Vlasic
39 D Cody Franson
40 C Bryan Little
41 LW David Perron
42 LW Nick Foligno
43 G Leland Irving
44 C Peter Mueller
45 RW Michael Grabner
46 D Chris Summers
47 C James Sheppard
48 LW Jiri Tlusty
49 LW Trevor Lewis
50 RW Sam Gagner
51 RW Chris Stewart
52 C Brandon Sutter
53 RW Alexei Cherepanov
54 D Keaton Ellerby
55 G Riku Helenius
56 D Mark Mitera
57 D Ty Wishart
58 RW Mikael Backlund
59 LW Patrik Berglund
60 C Kyle Turris
Round Three
61 G Semen Varlamov
62 D Dennis Persson
63 LW Angelo Esposito
64 D Nick Petrecki
65 LW James Van Riemsdyk
66 C Zach Hamill
67 D Bob Sanguinetti
68 RW Jakub Voracek
69 D Matt Corrente
70 D David Fischer
71 D Kevin Shattenkirk
72 LW Max Pacioretty
73 D Ivan Vishnevskiy
74 LW Michael Frolik
75 RW Claude Giroux
76 D Ryan McDonagh
77 RW Kyle Okposo
78 LW Lars Eller
79 C Logan MacMillan
80 D Nick Ross
81 D John Blum
82 D Thomas Hickey
83 D Alex Plante
84 RW Logan Couture
85 RW Colton Gillies
86 RW James O'Brien
87 RW Patrick White
88 D Ian Cole
89 LW Riley Nash
90 D Brendan Smith
Friday, January 18, 2008
Two Teams Lose GMs in ECHL4 Pre-Season
Brief months after disappointing seasons saw them watching the Cup playoffs from the sidelines the Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers now find themselves seeking new General Managers after a rocky start to the ECHL4 pre-season. The Oilers refused to comment, although reputable sources indicated GM Ian Cunningham was terminated via an e-mail after an announcement to start the season. In Carolina, however, the situation was far more troubling for ECHL head office.
Eric Aaviku, the second GM hired prior to the ECHL's first season - and a co-founder whose initial marks the C in the league name - simply found the time constraints of the position were beyond what he wanted, and informed the Hurricanes brass it was time to head home and spend more time with his family. It hit the team - and league - hard to lose a founding father, and co-commissioner Mark Maranzan was quick to offer a single soundbite towards Aaviku: "If at any point in the future you wish to return to the league you know where to find us." Carolina fans, regardless of a disappointing third season, will no doubt wait for that return.
As all GM hires must go through the league's head office any interested candidates are encouraged to contact echlcommissioner@gmail.com; referrals are highly regarded.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Welcome Back to ECHL4!
As promised, ECHL4 is here and ready to go! Co-commissioners Mark and Rick would like to offer our undying thanks to Calgary's Kevin Wilde and Long Island's Ryan McCullough for their efforts in producing the rerates for this season. They did a tremendous job, and did it much more accurately and quickly than we could have ever hoped to. We hope you'll be happy with your new team, which you can now find in the "Team Rosters" tab.
News on free agency, trades, and the ECHl4 Live Draft will be forthcoming very soon. In the meantime, get familiar with your team; and if you need to make some deals, get familiar with some of the others as well!
Monday, August 20, 2007
Congratulations to Boston and Chicago as they duke it out for the Stanley Cup of ECHL3!
In the meantime, awards nominees and voting are finally up! Please head over to the Awards section and read through the available selections. Each area will indicate why that player was selected and allow you to make an informed decision. Once you're aware of your favourites head back to the main Awards area and make your picks.
Remember, the Sarah Alders Memorial Award is your pick for the most improved GM of the season. That means only those who participated in the league last year are eligible to vote or win.
Finally, remember - awards are to be judged on regular season performance only.
Our thanks to the ECHL3 GM Awards Committee: Kevin Wilde, John House, Chris Ambrozic, Shawn Trumble, and Paul Maranzan for taking the time to come up with all of our "top three" in each category!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
PLAYOFF ROUND 2 NOTICE
Congratulations to all that made it through to the second round. From here on in we will be running 2 game days every night (meaning both the east and west will be playing). So all teams will be in action every night from now till we crown a champion. This is in an effort to finish up the season before September.
Good Luck to the remaining teams on your quest for the cup!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Team: Phoenix Coyotes
Name: Shawn Trumble
Birthday: June 3, 1987 (20)
Hometown: Brampton, Ontario
Reporting from Glendale, Arizona from the Jobing.com Arena.
Reporter: How are you today, Shawn?
Shawn: Last couple of days I just owned Detroit and Toronto, feeling good to beat those hockey cities and hoping to make the playoffs, and I am doing
good. (Ed. Note: Took me a while to upload this one..)
Reporter: Alright lets get this interview started
GM Questions
Reporter: Going into the home stretch what are your expectations for Phoenix?
Shawn: Hope to clinch 8th-7th or lead my division.
Reporter: Had you hoped to do more at the deadline? You were uncharacteristically reserved with only five transactions, was there a "trade that got away"?
Shawn: Brian Campbell for Nathan Dempsey was probably the best trade, and I am happy for what I did at the deadline with acquiring Bondra.
Reporter: Pick the final four for the Cup this year.
Shawn: Boston and Tampa Bay in the East, Nashville and Detroit in the West.
Reporter: You've obviously made a lot of deals this year - which was your best, and which one do you regret the most?
Shawn: Probably getting Kyle Chipchura and the trade I regret is giving up Colin White & Alexander Radulov, but hey I got Kari Lehtonen which is
worth it.
Reporter: Which clubs are your biggest rivals?
Shawn: Being in California I would have to say, Anaheim, Los Angeles and some what Dallas............... Oh yeah, Nashville, just because we have good
history between us.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league. Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Shawn: This is my 2nd year in the league as GM for the Coyotes. And in 2-5 years be one of top 5 teams.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or going to be your franchise player?
Shawn: It's Kyle Chipchura, Brad Richards, Blake Wheeler, and Kari Lehtonen ... oh yeah, and Karsums. :)
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated & overrated.
Shawn: Overated is Toronto by far, and underrated is Atlanta.
Reporter: Who(s) has been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Shawn: Ramzi Abid, he is becoming the PERFECT two way player on my team.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favorite child hood team?
Shawn: Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Ducks
Reporter: Who is your favorite goaltender?
Shawn: Past: Felix Potvin, Present: Cristobal Huet.
Reporter: Who is your favorite defence men
Shawn: Past: Al MacInnes, Present: Lubomir Visnovsky.
Reporter: Who is your favorite forward.
Shawn: Paul Kariya
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Shawn: I have been to 10+ NHL arena's and I am a really skilled hockey player. =)
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Shawn, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next weeks interview with who knows.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
PLAYOFF NOTICE
Sorry for the delays once again, but do to some minor slip-ups we will not be starting the playoffs tonight. Before we can start some chances need to be made to the ECHL website so we can post the information about the games. Now normally this would not take too long, but Rick has bailed for the weekend and won’t be here to do it. Apparently spending time away with his wife for her birthday is more important than the ECHL.. Go figure.
Therefore all things considered we will put off the start of the playoffs till Monday July 16, 2007 @ 8pm EST. Please have your lines submitted by then. This time I promise we will actually get to the games. Everyone enjoy your weekend…
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Team: Detroit Red Wings
Name: Peter Lacasse
Birthday: unknown
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Reporting from Detroit, Michigan from the Joe Louis Arena.
Reporter: How are you today Peter?
Peter: I’m mid way between a good buzz and drunk.
Reporter: Alright lets get this interview started
GM Questions
Reporter: What outcome do you expect for your team this year and are we going to see a big trade from Detroit?
Peter: Are you drunk? I made huge trades! None bigger than the Lidstrom for Bertuzzi deal. I expect the team to surprise in the playoffs. SPLAT>>>
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
Peter: Any team that makes me scream violent obscenities after a loss.
Reporter: We haven't seen a big trade yet from Detroit. Is it time for a change or is your team set.
Peter: OK, now I’m drunk. Despite my drunkeredness, I seem to remember this line of questioning. Don’t make me angry!
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league. Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Peter: From day one. The Ambrozics promised me booze. I’ve yet to see the booze but I enjoy the ECHL. In 2-5 yrs…we’re hoping to move the team to Hamilton.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or going to be your franchise player?
Peter: Iginla. To think I almost traded him to Nashville. I must have been on crack that night. I’ve since apologized to Iggy and have become his man slave.
Reporter: Do you think you are a cup contender? if so why & if not , what will take you become a cup contender.
Peter: Ask that retard Brodeur. It all comes down to him. If he messes up, he’ll be playing for the Doh-Dohs for the next 10 yrs.
Reporter: Do you think your team will make the playoffs? if yes how do you think they will do, if not why?
Peter: I’m sorry, I didn’t hear that question. Prevert!
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated & overrated.
Peter: Overrated = Tampa (Murray should be a 68 not 86). C’mon Mark…you inversed the numbers. Fess up! Underrated = Rangers (House paid me to say this)
Reporter: Who(s) has been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Peter: Brodeur’s wife. She goes like a minx in heat. Oh sorry “on the team”! Definitely Bert. Bert was expected to be good but he’s outright dominant.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favorite child hood team?
Peter: Habs. Mets and da Bears.
Reporter: Who is your favorite goaltender?
Peter: Roy and Red Light Racicot
Reporter: Who is your favorite defence men
Peter: Orr and Robinson
Reporter: Who is your favorite forward.
Peter: the Flower
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Peter: I have video evidence of House and Cliff C doing nasty things with coleslaw.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Peter, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next weeks interview with who knows.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Name: Rick Ambrozic
Birthday: April 4, 1970 (37)
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Reporting from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from the Mellon Arena.
GM Questions
Reporter: How are you today, Rick?
Rick: Next question.
Reporter: Alright lets get this interview started!
Reporter: Going into the home stretch what are your expectations for Pittsburgh?
Rick: Not to make the playoffs again, getting screwed over with the draft, and eagerly awaiting Season 4.
Reporter: Had you hoped to do more at the deadline? You were uncharacteristically reserved with only five transactions, was there a "trade that got away"?
Rick: Yes, a GM who shall remain nameless but who likes to trade frequently screwed me over and dealt away three players from a trade we had been working on for eight days.
Reporter: Pick the final four for the Cup this year.
Rick: Nashville, Detroit, Washington, Boston. With the Caps crushing the Wings in six games.
Reporter: You've obviously made a lot of deals this year - which was your best, and which one do you regret the most?
Rick: Getting Pierre Turgeon helped the team turnaround. Trading Colin White killed team morale.
Reporter: Which clubs are your biggest rivals?
Rick: Detroit and New York Rangers. Having them throw pickles at me still is giving me nightmares.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league?
Rick: I am one of the Original Group of Seven.
Reporter: Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Rick: Still missing the playoffs.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Rick: Hands down, Martin Spanhel.
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Rick: Toronto as always is overrated, and don't get me started about Wendel Clark, as long as we are on the topic of overrated players. Look out
for Washington, they are going to sneak up on unsuspecting teams.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Rick: Matthias Norstrom, his English improved 100% in the off season. A few of the vertans were very surprised.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Rick: The Leafs until December 29, 1979. The Penguins since that date.
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Rick: Rogie Vachon.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Rick: Borje Salming.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Rick: Ron Francis.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Rick: I am in the witness relocation program.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Rick, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next weeks interview with who knows.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Team: Philadelphia Flyers
Name: Brent England
Birthday: February 8, 1974
Hometown: Moncton, New Brunswick
Reporting from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from the Wachovia Center.
GM Questions
Reporter: How are you today Brent?
Brent: Last week we had 4 straight wins. So I was extremely happy. This week, let’s just move on to the next question.
Reporter: Alright lets get this interview started!
Reporter: Going into the home stretch what are your expectations for Philadelphia ?
Brent: I would hope I can finish .500 this year.
Reporter: Had you hoped to do more at the deadline? You were uncharacteristically reserved with only five transactions, was there a "trade that got away"?
Brent: I didn’t make any trades at the deadline. Because I didn’t have anyone I could get without giving up more then I was willing to part with.
Reporter: Pick the final four for the Cup this year.
Brent: Tampa & Boston are the easy picks in the East. The West will come down to Minny & Detorit
Reporter: You've obviously made a lot of deals this year - which was your best, and which one do you regret the most?
Brent: My only deal was giving up Phaneuf for Malkin. Which I probably shouldn’t have made. As I need to improve defenseively
Reporter: Which clubs are your biggest rivals?
Brent: Well being in Pennsylvania. It’s got to be games against Pittsburgh.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Brent: This is my 2nd year in the league as GM for the Flyers. And in 2-5 years hopefully we will be making deep playoffs run.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Brent: It’s Ovechkin & Crosby that will carry this franchise into the future.
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Brent: Florida seems like the are underrated. They could have something to say come playoff time. Calgary is playing way over their head. This is a team that last year was dead last in the entire league. Give them another 3-5 years. And they’ll be a team to compete for the cup.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Brent: Henrik Lundqvist. He’s easily been the MVP for this team. Without him, we would be farther down the standings.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Brent: Toronto Maple Leafs
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Brent: Past: Grant Fuhr, Present: Martin Broduer
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Brent: Past: Al MacInnes, Present: Scott Neidermeyer
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Brent: Past: Wayne Gretzky, Present: Alexander Ovechkin
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Brent: I want to see a baseball game in every stadium.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Brent , and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next weeks interview with who knows
Saturday, June 16, 2007
After a long absence from the spotlight, the ECHL Scout has returned with his
predictions on the final standings for the season. Choosing once again keep
his identity a mystery the Scout has provided his answers to the questions he
thinks we are asking.
ECHL Scout: With 12 games remaining for most team's, it's going to a tuff race for a lot of teams. This is what I have come to understand and not all will be correct, but I am sure those teams will/will not make the playoffs.
East Conference
Tampa Bay
Toronto
New Jersey
Boston
Washington
Atlanta
NY Islanders
Florida
West Conference
Minnesota
Nashville
Phoenix
Columbus
Vancouver
Detroit
San Jose
Chicago
The League has declined to comment on predictions. Time will tell how accurate the Scout really is. One thing that seems somewhat strange is why the Scout would sent in a picture Pierre McGuire. But then the actions of the Scout have been far from normal all season.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Team: Ottawa Senators
Name: Gary Kozai
Birthday: n/a
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Reporting from Ottawa, Ontario from the Scotiabank Place
GM Questions
Reporter: How are you today, Gary?
Gary: Doing good, feeling absolutely no pressure to win games….Obviously!
Reporter: Alright lets get this interview started!
Reporter: Going into the home stretch what are your expectations for Ottawa?
Gary: To finish out the season I'd like to get some good playing time for my young forwards. Learn as much as they can from Recchi and Brindamour
both on and off the ice. We want to play as well as possible and be the spoiler where we can.
Reporter: Had you hoped to do more at the deadline? Was there a "trade that got away"?
Gary: No, as my team started to falter early in the season, I realized that even with a stacked veteran squad, I just didn't have the chemistry
developing. Therefore I started to make deals for the future. By the deadline, I had already acquired very good future talent with guys like Oshie, Olesv,
Parise, Boyes, Zherdev, and the list goes on.
Reporter: Pick the final four for the Cup this year.
Gary: I'd have to say Boston, Tampa, Minnesota and Calgary. Calgary will squeak into the playoffs, but once they do, they'll do some damage. I have
tremendous respect for Boston and Tampa, excellent squads and well organized from the top down. Honourable mention to the Islanders. Ryan's made some good
acquisitions.
Reporter: You've obviously made a lot of deals this year - which was your best, and which one do you regret the most?
Gary: The best acquisition I made was getting Zherdev from Calgary. He'll be the leader on my squad for years to come. The one I regret the most is
letting Steve Rucchin go. Although he's a vet and in his later years, he always produced steadily and he would be great for the young guys I've acquired.
I probably should have focused on obtaining a top notch goaltender as well.
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
Gary: I'd have to say Boston because Rick's team embarrassed me 10-2 and of course Montreal and Toronto.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Gary: This is my 3rd year as GM of the Sens. In the first year when teams were drafted, I started out with pretty much a minor league squad.
Through trades I've stacked my team and still got no where. I intend to be patient with my young guys now, build the chemistry and compete for a playoff
spot next year and a legitimate Stanley cup contender within the next 3 seasons.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Gary: Without a doubt Zherdev.
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated?
Gary: I think Nashville is the most over rated and Philadelphia is the most underrated. Philly will be a force next season and they could make a
real run for a playoff spot this year. They have been steadily sneaking up on teams ahead.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Gary: Goalie Dunham. He's been a workhorse. Originally acquired to be a solid backup to Cujo and hands down won the job. He faces almost 30 shots
a game on one of the worst defensive teams in the league and still maintains a .902 save percentage and a GAA under 3.00.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite childhood team?
Gary: Diehard Leafs fan.
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Gary: Roberto Luongo
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Gary: It's a tie between Tomas Kaberle and Scott Niedermayer.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Gary: No one replaces Wendel Clark, but if I have to pick in this era then definitely Mike Fisher.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Gary: That I used to break dance in bowling alleys.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Gary, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next week's interview with who knows!
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Team: New York Islanders
Name: Ryan McCullough
Birthday: August 27, 1983 (23)
Hometown: Oak Ridges/Guelph, ON
Reporting from Uniondale, New York from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
GM Questions
Reporter: How are you today, Ryan?
Ryan: drunk and horny
Reporter: Alright lets get this interview started!
Reporter: Going into the home stretch what are your expectations for the Islanders?
Ryan: My goal coming into the season was to make first round this year. Seeing that we have performed fairly well and have maintained third to sixth place most of the season with only one line, I expect we can make second round with the addition of Bonk and Shanahan.
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
Ryan: I guess the Devils are my most immediate competitor, as we are both competing for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. After that, I suppose the third through eighth ranked teams in the East, as we are all competing for a play-off spot.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Ryan: This is my first season in the league. The Islanders will stay competitive in the next 2-5 years. At this point we are not serious Cup competitors as we lack offense. Hopefully next year or the following season we will be Cup competitive.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Ryan: We really don't have a solid core of young guys right now, so it is hard to say. But in the next few years we will probably develop around Pogge and Rask whom I believe will be top keepers next season.
Reporter: Do you think you are a Cup contender? If so, why? If not, what will make you become a contender?
Ryan: As I mentioned, we lack offense. Until now we only had the Peca, Johansson, Demitra line that was scoring. Hopefully that will change with Bonk and Shanahan. I don't think this will be enough to win the cup, as it is bits and pieces. I will use my picks next year to build a better farm team and can hopefully compete from there the following season.
Reporter: Do you think your team will make the playoffs? If yes, how well do you think they will do, and if not, why?
Ryan: Actually, no. I have planned an elaborate scheme that rivals those of Skeletor which will allow me to not make the play-offs and compete for last place with Buffalo and Ottawa which will increase the value of my first round pick. Castle Greyskull and batteries not included. May cause kidney failure and discharge.
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Ryan: I think generally any team playing in the West is overrated simply because there are only about 3 or 4 teams that are good and they play against complete shite. I don't think any teams are actually overrated, you earn what you earn (except in the West – naturally). Of course, Tampa gets a lot of credit for a good team, but it's a total fluke; he is always passed out in front of the TV from Mongoose while Hercules or Dog Bounty Hunter play in the background.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise(s) this year on your team?
Ryan: Biggest surprise would have to be Rask, Pogge and Leetch. Rask and Pogge have both been stellar between the pipes, albeit inconsistent. Leetch has been pretty darn good with assists considering he is like 100 years old.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Ryan: Blue Jays / Di Jabronis of the Italian Super Hockey League
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Ryan: KELLY GRUBER RULES!
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Ryan: RANCE MULLINIKS!!!!!!(Mullikins to those that truly love him)
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Ryan: Theo Fleury ('cause he represents the little people) and of course, Rocco 'Easy Rider' Bello
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Ryan: I am a third level wizard, appointed by the high aldwin himself.
Paul (Buffalo GM) and I are in a wizard metal band, look for our first single, The Battle of Goborg, in sidewalk sales 10 years from now.
I would totally take a mustache ride from Yanni, but sadly, he has yet to offer.
I can't skate.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Team: New Jersey Devils
Name: Chris Ambrozic
Birthday: Nov 30 1975
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario now exiled in Madison, NJ
Reporting from East Rutherford, New Jersey from the Continental Airlines Arena.
GM Questions
Reporter: How are you today Chris?
Chris: I am doing great ! Do you like the swamp lands around here? They smell great eh?
Reporter: Alright lets get this interview started!
Reporter: Going into the home stretch what are your expectations for New Jersey?
Chris: 3rd place. It's mine. Jersey has held friggin' 3rd place for three seasons now and I don't expect anything else. Damn you Toronto and Tampa.
Reporter: Had you hoped to do more at the deadline? You were uncharacteristically reserved with only five transactions, was there a "trade that got away"?
Chris: Does this question really apply to me? I didn't make any deadline trades. I'm pretty happy with my team. I'm not Nashville you know…
Reporter: Pick the final four for the Cup this year.
Chris: New Jersey v Toronto. Detroit v Chicago.
Reporter: You've obviously made a lot of deals this year - which was your best, and which one do you regret the most?
Chris: I haven't really made that many deals. Much less this year than previous seasons. I've got a good group and I want to keep them. I am a GM that likes to make money. My team is profitable so I can't complain too much. My fans though…. They might disagree.
Reporter: Which clubs are your biggest rivals?
Chris: Oh. Definitely Carolina. Aaviku is my arch rival. This goes waaay back to “drunk midnight baseball”. You guys should try it. Balls come from out of nowhere. Now now - no sexual jokes please.
Oh - and maybe also Detroit, Pittsburg and NYR. I still remember that 3 way trade in season 1 where everyone ended up back at their original teams. Oh - not fun for the commish. That was you guys wasn't it? Ya ya - very funny.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Chris: all 3 seasons. In the next 2-5 years I expect wonderful things from New Jersey - 3rd place in the east. What a surprise - yawn.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Chris: Lecav for sure. You hear that Detroit??!? He's not going ANYWHERE. Now let's talk about Brodeur….
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Chris: Overrated? Hmmm - well, I'll go back to my “friends” for this: Carolina, NYR, Detroit and Pittsburg. Underrated? Not a clue.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Chris: Grenier I think. Lots of assists for such a young guy. Really seems to be stepping up. Quite nice.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Chris: Leafs
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Chris: well it's tacky I know - but it has to be Brodeur.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Chris: Niedermayer
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Chris: Gomez. Damn you Nashville - picking him up off me. Bugger.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Chris: Some may not know that I am the “C” in ECHL. Eric (the “E”) and I started this league 3 seasons ago and I was the commish in ECHL1. I had wanted to do this since I was in highschool. Back then I had a league simulator on my computer - it was something called “Hockey League Simulator 2” or something like that. I figured that I could get 30 guys to run a team and that the results would be “posted” via printouts that would be put into each guy's locker. This was way before email and the internet - amazing how it's changed. Then finally a few years ago I started looking for that game on-line but found FHLSim instead. And here we are.
I would like to personally thank each of the GMs - you guys made my dream come true - even if it took 17 years.
Thanks also to John for being commish in ECHL2 and the guys running the show today. You guys have done a fantastic job - it's much better run than when I had it. For those of you who haven't run this - you should really thank the commish's. it's a tough job and it takes time.
So - thx to everyone - it's a blast.
Reporter: Have you been in the room when Anaheim's GM has done his pantless trading?
Chris: no, I try and live as far away from that as possible.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Chris, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next weeks interview with who knows!
Monday, May 21, 2007
Team: Nashville Predators
Name: Evan Carter
Birthday: ??
Hometown: Bolton, ON
Reporting from Nashville, Tennessee from the Sommet Center.
GM Questions
Reporter:How are you today, Evan?
Evan: A little hungover, but I'll get over it.
Reporter: Alright lets get this interview started!
Reporter: Going into the home stretch what are your expectations for Nashville?
Evan: To finish first in the West… really, who else is worthy of first place in the West?
Reporter: Had you hoped to do more at the deadline? You were uncharacteristically reserved with only five transactions, was there a "trade that got
away"?
Evan: Nope. I think I did really well at the deadline.
Reporter: Pick the final four for the Cup this year.
Evan: Tampa vs Boston, and Nashville vs Minnesota.
Reporter: You've obviously made a lot of deals this year - which was your best, and which one do you regret the most?
Evan: Wow…. Hmmm, my worst was dealing Ryder and Smyth for garbage. I made too many trades to know my best. Some good ones are Biron for Luongo (my
Franchise), and probably getting Modano. He has been amazing.
Reporter: Which clubs are your biggest rivals?
Evan: The whole league.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Evan: This is my 2nd season.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Evan: Wow… hmm... Kovalchuk, Heatley, Luongo, and Brule.
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Evan: Boston is underrated, and for overrated I believe San Jose is.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Evan: My biggest surprise has been Modano. I never really expected him to be this amazing.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Evan: Toronto Blue Jays.
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Evan: Luongo.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Evan: Pavel Kubina.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Evan: Ilya Kovalchuk.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Evan: Uummmm.. I'm an Xbox fanatic, and I make trades when I'm not in the nude. Ya, shocking.
Reporter: If you had to a) fight a white tiger with your bare hands, or b) stop trading for a year, which would you pick?
Evan: Fight a white tiger.
Reporter: If you had to a) not drink any alcohol for a year, or b) stop trading for a year, which would you pick?
Evan: Hmmmm.. I would choose.. suicide.
Reporter: Have you been in the room when Anaheim's GM has done his pantless trading?
Evan: No, and thank God for that.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Evan, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next weeks interview with who knows!
Monday, May 13, 2007
Team: Minnesota Wild
Name: Bill Read
Birthday: May 30, 1980 (26)
Hometown: Uxbridge, ON
Reporting from Saint Paul, Minnesota from the Xcel Energy Center.
GM Questions
Reporter:How are you today, Bill?
Bill:I’m doing great today, life is good!
Reporter: Alright lets get this interview started!
Reporter: What outcome do you expect for your team this year and are we going to see a big trade from Minnesota?
Bill: Our goal is very simple. Win the Stanley Cup and bring the great fans of Minnesota a championship that they’ve waited a very long time for. As
for a big trade, we will see what unfolds leading up to the trade deadline. If there’s a move where I can better my team’s offense up front, I may be
inclined to pull the trigger on such a deal.
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
Bill: Well, I am relatively new to the ECHL so I haven’t had much time to build up too many rivalries. I would say there’s a friendly rivalry
between our team and Tampa Bay. I know how badly Mark wants his name on that Presidents Trophy this year and we’ll have to just see if I can give him a run
for that prize. Another friendly rivalry is building up between us and Nashville, as we both jockey for first place in the Western Conference.
Reporter: We haven't seen a big trade yet from Minnesota, Is it time for a change or is your team set?
Bill: Minnesota has a great group of what I call core players, or ‘glue-guys’ if you will. This core includes: Turco, Elias, Allison, Redden, and
McCabe. So, no I haven’t made a big trade as I am content with this core of players and am not considering trading them at this time.
I have made some considerable improvements to the supporting cast around this core. First, I managed to get rid of that senior citizen Pierre Turgeon and his monstrous contract. In return, I was able to build up a few solid prospects. Those prospects came in handy as trade bait as recently I was able to land Petr Sykora to fill our void at the RW position. Petr has fit in nicely on our 1st line putting up a point per game since his arrival.
Next, I decided to build up some secondary defense. Not that our team was in desperate need of defense (lowest GA in the league by a substantial margin) but I felt it would be necessary for a playoff push. I was able to land Jay Bouwmeester who is one of the top defensive prospects in the league. We are very excited about his arrival in Minnesota. In addtion to Jay, we have also added Andrei Markov to our blue line. Andrei is a great all-around defensemen who should quarterback our 2nd powerplay unit with ease. New to our team is also Marcel Hossa. A young, offensively talented rookie who has a great upside and we will expect big things from him in years to come. For now, he will be holding down the duties as our 2nd line RW and on our 2nd powerplay unit.
Saying goodbye to players is always very difficult, as was the case in letting go Hannu Toivonen, Colby Armstrong, and Brian Gifford. These 3 rookies were tearing it up for us this season and it was a very difficult decision to let them go to Anaheim. Having said that, we are happy with the players we got in exchange and they should be key to our playoff run.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Bill: This is my first year in the league. I took over a neglected team back in February. Minnesota should be a cup contender for at least the next
3 seasons as our team is uniquely built of mostly 27-29 year olds. My expectation is that these players won’t go up or down much at all because of their
age group. So, in conclusion we have a stable team for years to come.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Bill: Without a doubt, our franchise player is Marty Turco. Marty has been simply amazing this season, and considering he had very poor secondary
defense (behind Redden & McCabe) he has played extremely well. I expect him to continue this role in the years to come as we look forward to re-signing him
in the off-season. In fact, he and his wife are currently house shopping in the Saint Paul area.
Reporter: Do you think you are a Cup contender? If so, why? If not, what will make you become a contender?
Bill: Minnesota is absolutely a cup contender. We have the best goalie in the world, behind some of the strongest defense in the league. As long as
our offensive players do their part (Elias, Sykora, Freisen, and Hossa) we should be fine.
Reporter: Do you think your team will make the playoffs? If yes, how well do you think they will do, and if not, why?
Bill: Yes. Our team is a Cup contender. We will be giving it our all for a chance to sip from Lord Stanley’s Cup!
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Bill: Underrated I would have to say Boston or Columbus. Both of these teams are playing in tough divisions and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them
make a run, especially now that Boston has Michael Ryder. They just scored 10 goals in their last game, THAT is scary. Overrated, I would have to agree
with Dustin and say San Jose. They play in the weakest division in the league so they frequently get to beat up on teams like Dallas, Anaheim, and LA.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Bill: Well, to be quite honest I just traded away my 2 biggest surprises: Colby Armstrong and Brian Gifford. These kids were playing amazing and
putting up all-star like numbers. Take Colby for example, in 29 games he put up: 11g 13a = 24 pts +14 with 3 game winners. Brian Gifford was on a
sniper pace scoring on 20% of his shots. Gifford also put up 6 game winning goals.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Bill: Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers.
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Bill: Martin Brodeur. I was a goalie when I used to play back in the day, so he was my idol growing up. He has done it all: gold medals, Stanley
Cups, Vezina trophies, etc.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Bill: Dion Phaneuf is just a machine for his age. He is probably the best body checker in the league in my opinion.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Bill: Sid the Kid. How can anyone argue the fact that he is the best player in the world right now? Art Ross winner at 19 years old and will most
likely get the Hart trophy as well (MVP). He turned around that Pittsburgh franchise in a hurry and is the new poster boy for the NHL. He is also one of
the most exciting players to watch in the game today.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Bill: Hmmm, just one thing? Well it would have to be that “I’m kind of a big deal, people know me. I have many leather bound books and my home
smells of rich mahogany.” LOL!
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Bill, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next weeks interview with who knows!
Monday, May 7, 2007
Team: Los Angeles Kings
Name: Dustin Johnstone
Birthday: July 10, 1987 (19)
Hometown: Alliston, ON
Reporting from Los Angeles, California from the Staples Center.
GM Questions
Reporter:How are you today, Dustin?
Dustin:I am doing great!
Reporter: Alright lets get this interview started!
Reporter: What outcome do you expect for your team this year and are we going to see a big trade from Los Angeles?
Dustin: I think that I could make a push to lead the Pacific division and make the playoffs, it is the weakest one in the league. Mostly though, I'm
just trying to rebuild this team from the garbage pile Sheldon Koo left it in last year.
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
Dustin: San Jose has been a bitter rival, he always whopped me pretty good, but the last time I played him for this season I managed to win by one
goal. After that Pheonix, Anaheim and Nashville are natural rivals because we're the core of the FoE.
Reporter: We haven't seen a big trade yet from Los Angeles, Is it time for a change or is your team set?
Dustin: Well I haven't made any huge trades, but there have been a few big names moved to and from my team. Around the deadline I plan to move
Sanderson, Amonte, and Roenick for some more good prospects/picks.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Dustin: This is my first year in the league. I think the Pacific division is going to heat up a lot next year, and I hope to be first or second in
the division and making playoffs every year in the future.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Dustin: Drew Stafford has been great, he's been doing just what I've expected from him, and Jeff Carter's been great too. I expect a lot from Lewis,
Klubertanz and Baier in the near future as well.
Reporter: Do you think you are a Cup contender? If so, why? If not, what will make you become a contender?
Dustin: Absolutely not.
Reporter: Do you think your team will make the playoffs? If yes, how well do you think they will do, and if not, why?
Dustin: As I said, I could make a push for playoffs, but I seriously doubt I could survive the first round so there's not much point in trying.
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Dustin: Underrated I would say Buffalo, they really have a great team, they have just been seriously underperforming until recently. Overrated, I
would have to say San Jose. They were really hot early on, after Hoglund got injured they seemed to lose their spark, which is hardly surprising from a
true one-line team.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Dustin: I would have to go with Niklas Hagman, I picked him up early on when I was desperate for left wingers. He's been really solid considering
what I expected from him, logging 8 goals and 17 assists, 2 goals on the powerplay.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Dustin: Toronto Maple Leafs.
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Dustin: Manny Legace, he's from my hometown and on my team.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Dustin: Bobby Orr back in the day, Chris Chelios currently. I'd play that guy on the left wing.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Dustin: Vincent Lecavalier, some of the things I've seen that guy do are unbelievable.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Dustin: I recently started playing hockey for the first time in my life, and apparently I'm an alright defenseman.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Dustin, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next weeks interview with the GM of the Minnesota Wild, Bill Read.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Team: Florida Panthers
Name: Andre Drouillard
Birthday: September 3, 1974 (32)
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Reporting from Sunrise, Florida from BankAtlantic Center.
GM Questions
Reporter:How are you today, Andre?
Andre:I am doing great!
Reporter: Alright lets get this interview started!
Reporter: What outcome do you expect for your team this year and are we going to see a big trade from Florida?
Andre: We have a very experienced team that took us to the Cup final two years ago so would look for a strong showing this year as well. As for big
trades I have two 1st line RW so maybe a move there build a strong centre.
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
Andre: I think the biggest rival is Tampa Bay as they have a great team. From the other conference it is always nice to beat up on a buddy so Calgary
always ranks high on the rival scale.
Reporter: We haven't seen a big trade yet from Florida, Is it time for a change or is your team set?
Andre: Just some minor changes, a couple of additions but nothing drastic for this year - moving Shanny was a tough decision.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Andre: This is my 3rd season as GM - We have an older squad so there is going to have to be a focus on building some youth in soon.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Andre: Well for right now the duties are shared amongst the top line of Sakic, Kariya, and Alfredson.
Reporter: Do you think you are a Cup contender? If so, why? If not, what will make you become a contender?
Andre: I hope so, we have a seasoned group that is well rounded; solid D and a great goalie.
Reporter: Do you think your team will make the playoffs? If yes, how well do you think they will do, and if not, why?
Andre: It is a tight race and every game counts so hopefully we can squeak in and let our playoff experience guide us over some of the young teams.
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Andre: San Jose is probably the most overrated - watch out for the Flames, the young guns don't realize they shouldn't be winning - that is scary.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Andre: Well, Morris has been a nice addition on the positive side and there are a couple of players that are a let down - they know who they are.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Andre: I'm split between Edmonton and Toronto.
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Andre: Brodeur - Billy Smith all time or Grant Fuhr.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Andre: Brad Stewart.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Andre: Sakic - Dino Ciccarelli back in the day.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Andre: Hmm, I am very competitive sometimes not the most sportsmanlike - watch out for the low blows.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Andre, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next weeks interview with the GM of the Los Angeles Kings, Dustin Johnstone.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Hammy's Choice, Week 8 (aka The Next to Fall)
Forward: Radek Bonk, Edmonton. The Oilers are clearly in a rebuilding phase, but Bonk has been steady in offensive production. Replacing Jan Hrdina as the team's top scorer, Bonk also boasts a respectful +7. One of the Oilers' leaders.
Defenseman: Roman Hamrlik, NY Islanders. Hamrlik has been outstanding, with a +18. The Islanders are on the prowl, and Hamrlik will be invaluable when the playoffs come.
Goaltender: Olaf Kolzig, New Jersey. The Devils lead their division, and that is in large part to Kolzig's outstanding play. A steady netminder who gives his team a chance to win every night, Kolzig is one of those players the Devils would severely miss if he were traded or injured.
The "Hammy's Choice" awards are not for the best scorer, the top-name goaltender, or the best known defender. It is an award given out to the players who would mean a lot to their teams if they weren't there. Yes, sometimes big-name players will be chosen. But don't expect the scoring leader to be a regular on this list. I am also going to try to not repeat teams until the 30 teams have been cycled through.
- provided by Justin Halbersma, Atlanta GM
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Team: Edmonton Oilers
Name: Ian Cunningham
Birthday: November 17, 1983 (23)
Hometown: Oakville, ON
Reporting from Edmonton, Alberta from Rexall Place.
GM Questions
Reporter:How are you today Ian?
Ian:I was woken up by a dog. Then she called in her pet...
Reporter: Alright lets get this interview started!
Reporter: What outcome do you expect for your team this year and are we going to see a big trade from Edmonton?
Ian: Well we're clearly in a rebuilding phase. Moving Hossa was hard 'cause he still could've helped our young guys, but when push came to shove we
had to look to the future. As far as other players on the block there is nobody that is really protected, but we are keeping our prospects close as we try
to build up some draft picks.
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
Ian: Calgary of course. There is a lot of history between those clubs and the natural geographic rivalry is very strong. Vancouver has always been
a team we get up for. And the history with the Dallas Stars makes them a rival, what with the playoff battles and all.
Reporter: We haven't seen a big trade yet from Edmonton, Is it time for a change or is your team set?
Ian: Well Hossa was our big target and we got a lot of calls about him. It may be time for Radek Bonk to move on as well as the other players are
growing tired of his shower room antics. It's disgusting really.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Ian: I was brought on by the Oilers about 20 games into the year. They felt it was time for a change and we agree on the direction of this
franchise. I'm hoping to be playoff bound within two years but our plan does fall into the five year realm of competing for the Stanley Cup.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Ian: As it appears now Andrew Cogliano will probably carry most of the offensive load come the future. We have also been thrilled with the play of
Logan Stephenson on our blueline. For his age he shows lots of maturity back there.
Reporter: Do you think you are a Cup contender? If so, why? If not, what will make you become a contender?
Ian: Patience I believe is the key to contending in this league. You can't just jump on the deals that are out there, you have to work at them to
better your squad. If you cannot do that through trades then you really have to hunker down and look at those draft picks you have.
Reporter: Do you think your team will make the playoffs? If yes, how well do you think they will do, and if not, why?
Ian: Well we are still in the hunt, there is no doubt about that. But the teams around us and especially ahead of us have lots of experience. We
feel we have the tools to make the playoffs but there are always mitigating circumstances.
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Ian: I know there on top but I don't think people realize just how good the Leafs are this season. When we went into Toronto this year they tagged
us for a couple hefty losses. And they didn't do it with talent alone - they worked hard and played to their system, they play their system very well. As
far as overrated, as soon as you say a team is overrated, next time you meet you get quite a whooping. I'll leave that one alone.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Ian: Logan Stephenson. He's our boy back there, and he will be for a long time.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Ian: I grew up bleeding blue and white. Toronto Maple Leafs.
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Ian: Patrick Roy. He came in during a time where hockey was so open and I believe it was his butterfly style that ultimately led to the development
of the trap, because you could not count on a stand-up stopping a lot of those hard, outside slappers.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Ian: You have to love what Ray Bourque did on the ice, he really carried that Boston team for years. As of now I'd have to say I'm a fan of Nicklas
Lidstrom, he's the best. But watch for Kimmo Timmonen too, he's just coming into his own.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Ian: Joe Sakic is what you want out of a top forward, through and through. I also feel that Mike Modano can run a game if he chooses to... if.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Ian: I'm a chronic masturbater . . . haha, no. I'd guess nobody knows that I want to be a play-by-play broadcaster in the NHL one day.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Jordan, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next weeks interview with the GM of the Florida Panthers, Andre Drouillard.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Another Disappointing Start Brings Fresh Blood to Montreal
A failing team on the brink of both the salary cap and bankruptcy was too much to take for the Montreal Canadiens today, announcing GM Paul Biggin would no longer be continuing with the team that just couldn't seem to find a way to compete in the star-studded NorthEast Division. The team was quick to announce a replacement, freshman GM Dave Mcgarva, a former marketing executive within the insurance and financial services industries. Perhaps a man of few words Mcgarva spoke only a few words at the announcement of his hiring, eloquently responding to a question regarding the new direction of the Habs by stating: "Going to have to crack some skulls, get this team into top shape." Mcgarva will lead Montreal into Minnesota for a battle with the Wild on Wednesday.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Team: Dallas Stars
Name: Jordan Carter
Birthday: May 28, 1990 (16)
Hometown: Bolton, ON
Reporting from Dallas, Texas from the American Airlines Center
GM Questions
Reporter: What outcome do you expect for your team this year and are we going to see a big trade from Dallas?
Jordan: I expect my team to get the 1st Overall Draft selection, other than that I will be mad. Lol. I pretty much traded my whole team this year,
maybe a couple more! I don’t have much left to trade, however, Eric lindros is up for grabs, boys.
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
Jordan: Nobody yet! There is no point of a rival if my team cannot compete. Next year I expect my team to be surpassing Phoenix for 2nd in our
conference, with San Jose still in 1st.
Reporter: We haven't seen a big trade yet from Dallas, Is it time for a change or is your team set?
Jordan: What you talking about, I probably made more trades than Nashville! Dallas is never set.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Jordan: This is my first year. I had the honour of receiving the worst team in ECHL history thanks to our great commissioner. Hahahahaha!!!
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Jordan: That is a very tough one! Well, for my centre I believe it will be Tim Brent. My LW will be Mark Tobin, RW is Jason King, defence is Dion
Phanuef (who will not be dealt whatsoever) and Goalie is Petr Budaj… for now…
Reporter: Do you think you are a Cup contender? If so, why? If not, what will make you become a contender?
Jordan: No.
Reporter: Do you think your team will make the playoffs? If yes, how well do you think they will do, and if not, why?
Jordan: No.
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Jordan: Hahahaha this is where my fun begins. For Underrated I believe Columbus and Minnesota are. If Columbus gets its goalie and Minnesota gets its
RW they will be great Cup contenders. For overrated, I believe it'ss Detroit. They are really only one line. Nobody really fears the one-line wonder.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Jordan: Jason King and Zac Bierk! Who would have known?
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Jordan: Damn, Im only 16 and my childhood has ended. Well, I would have to say San Jose Sharks when I was younger, only because I thought the logo was
awesome.
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Jordan: Ryan Miller.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Jordan: Dion Phaneuf.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Jordan: Eric Staal.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Jordan: I am trying to get into Mcgill university to study Music. I play the Trombone, Bassoon, Keyboard, Flute, and Bass Guitar very very well.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Jordan, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next weeks interview with the GM of the Detroit "One-Line Wonder" Red Wings, Peter Lacasse.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Another Disappointing Start Brings Fresh Blood to Montreal
A failing team on the brink of both the salary cap and bankruptcy was too much to take for the Montreal Canadiens today, announcing GM Paul Biggin would no longer be continuing with the team that just couldn't seem to find a way to compete in the star-studded NorthEast Division. The team was quick to announce a replacement, freshman GM Dave Mcgarva, a former marketing executive within the insurance and financial services industries. Perhaps a man of few words Mcgarva spoke only a few words at the announcement of his hiring, eloquently responding to a question regarding the new direction of the Habs by stating: "Going to have to crack some skulls, get this team into top shape." Mcgarva will lead Montreal into Minnesota for a battle with the Wild on Wednesday.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Team: Columbus Blue Jackets
Name: Doug Moore
Birthday: February 23, 1969 (38)
Hometown: Fenwick, ON
Reporting from Columbus, Ohio from the Nationwide Arena
GM Questions
Reporter: What outcome do you expect for your team this year and are we going to see a big trade from Columbus?
Doug: In Columbus, the goal is the Stanley Cup and it's what our fans have come to expect. We take those expectations very seriously. As for a big
trade, we did a couple already trading away Brad Richards and David Aebischer for Simon Gagne and Martin Havlat. We'll look at other deals as we get closer
to the deadline but I'll only make a deal if it improves my team.
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
Doug: Without a doubt it's Chicago and Detroit. Chicago knocked us out of the playoffs in year one so I happily repaid them last year. Detroit has
always been a tough team and I really enjoy playing them too.
Reporter: We haven't seen a big trade yet from Columbus, Is it time for a change or is your team set?
Doug: It looks like this reporter hasn't done his homework. Well, I'd say that I've made two major trades so far. I just haven't done any
“Nashville's” (multiple multi-player trades). It's no secret I could use some scoring help so we'll see what happens as we get closer to the deadline.
This team was one win away from the cup last year and quite frankly from a points perspective, I'm really not that far from first place. It's a
well-balanced conference and anything can happen.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Doug: I'm an original GM. In the next 2-5 years I expect to be challenging for the title still as we have lots of promise and good draft picks on the
way.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Doug: Down the road - Eric Staal and Martin Havlat for sure. Right now, without a doubt it's Chris Pronger. He is our heart and soul.
Reporter: Do you think you are a Cup contender? If so, why? If not, what will make you become a contender?
Doug: Oh we're definitely a contender. We have good goaltending, great defense and if our top two lines get hot at the right time, we'll be a hard
team to beat.
Reporter: Do you think your team will make the playoffs? If yes, how well do you think they will do, and if not, why?
Doug: Yes, I think we'll make the playoffs barring some crazy injury like we already suffered with Pronger earlier this year. As for how well we'll
do, let's just leave that up to God.
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Doug: Well for underrated, I'd say Minnesota. They don't have a great roster but their defensive record is stellar. Overrated? I hate to say this
about such a fun guy to have in the league but Nashville. They have a lot to prove. Their record is great but with how often they make trades, it means
nothing without playoff success.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Doug: In a bad way, there are a couple of guys who could be scoring more (Kovalev, Zhamnov) but for sure I'd have to say Nick Boynton. He's really
been an unsung hero for us and been a real stabilizing factor on the blueline.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Doug: Toronto Maple Leafs.
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Doug: Ryan Miller.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Doug: Chris Pronger and I really like Dion Phaneuf up coming.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Doug: As a Leaf fan, it's Mats Sundin. Also I love watching skill guys like Briere, Crosby and Ovechkin.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Doug: Two things. One, I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour and two, I actually like soccer more than hockey.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Doug, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next weeks interview with the GM of the Dallas Stars, Jordan Carter.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Hammy's Choice, Week 7
Forward: Tuomo Ruutu, Buffalo. The Sabres needed some bright spots early in the season, and Ruutu added his shine to the mix. A solid rookie with soft soft hands, Ruutu has had a sensational season.
Defenseman: Dion Phaneuf, Dallas. Let's be honest here; the Stars have been ghastly this season. Phaneuf gives the Dallas franchise hope for the future. A rock solid defenseman in his rookie season, Phaneuf should entertain the Dallas fans for seasons to come.
Goaltender: Henrik Lundqvist, Philadelphia. The Flyers have been in a rebuilding mode this season, and Lundqvist has helped stopped some of the bleeding. Despite a losing record, the Flyers would be in a lot worse condition without this stand-out goalie performing night after night.
The "Hammy's Choice" awards are not for the best scorer, the top-name goaltender, or the best known defender. It is an award given out to the players who would mean a lot to their teams if they weren't there. Yes, sometimes big-name players will be chosen. But don't expect the scoring leader to be a regular on this list. I am also going to try to not repeat teams until the 30 teams have been cycled through.
- provided by Justin Halbersma, Atlanta GM
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
ECHL Head Office Confirms and Establishes Trade Rules
After a controversial all-star week that saw one club attempt moving 22 players and another team trade the same player three times to two clubs the office of the ECHL Commissioner felt it necessary to issue a matter-of-fact press release today. The release noted that one important new rule will state once a trade is e-mailed to the Commissioner's office it will be taken as a deal at the discretion of the Commissioner, essentially removing a GMs ability to retract a deal effective immediately. "It's unfortunate we must move towards a 'kid gloves' method of management but situations like last week have left us with no choice," noted co-Commissioner Rick Jessup. "Our time is valuable and we certainly don't need the headaches associated with indecisive GMs who don't think their decisions through." He was also sure to reiterate that no trades that would place a club over the salary cap would be processed, regardless of how fair they are; that teams are responsible for getting below the cap before attempting a trade to take on salary.
In a final clarification Jessup responded to accusations of an itchy 'decline' finger in some deals, noting that inexperienced GMs in the past have left him with no choice. "Look at teams like Dallas, Los Angeles, Edmonton, Anaheim, and Colorado - previous GMs have driven these teams into the ground by being given free reign to trade as they saw fit. Three prospects and a 1st round draft pick is not fair value for a second line winger by any stretch of the imagination. Do we really need more deals like last season's trade deadline swap that drove a knife into Colorado and twisted it around awhile? I don't think so. Am I too strict? It's possible, but with almost a third of the league still unable to stay on track financially I don't see how we have any choice." He then noted complaints would continue to be welcomed and responded to with an appropriate level of sarcasm and eloquence.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Team: Colorado Avalanche
Name: KP Wee (nicknames: Coke, Killer, K to the P)
Birthday: October 26, 1977 (29)
Hometown: Currently reside in Vancouver, BC
Reporting from Denver, Colorado from KP's DogHouse Arena (formerly the Pepsi Center).
GM Questions
Reporter: What outcome do you expect for your team this year and are we going to see a big trade from Colorado?
KP: Seeing that we're in second-last in our conference, I would say we ain't gonna be in the top eight, but if you had asked me earlier this
season, I would have told you that we were gonna compete for Lord Stanley's Cup. By the way, I predict in ten years' time, this trophy will be renamed to
"KP's Cup" or "Colorado's Cup" because I see us dominating the ECHL in the next decade. As for big trades, they've already happened; with Bertuzzi,
Shanahan, Lidstrom all gone. But who knows, if that GM in Nashville keeps sending me offers, I might be tempted to make a bunch of small and silly trades.
What's your name, by the way?
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
KP: Fine, ignore my question. Anyways, everyone's a rival. It doesn't matter if it's Calgary, or New England, or Atlanta... You just try to win
every game. You don't say, "oh, we're playing Calgary. Let's give it an extra effort. But next game we play San Jose and let's not try that hard." You know,
it doesn't make sense. Even though that New England team trashes us and every team in the league, it doesn't mean we want to beat them more. No. We want to
beat every team. If you're putting on a pair of skates and going out on the ice, you might as well win that game. Win every game. So, really, every team is
a rival. Now, of course, there are teams that irritate us, but again, we try to play everyone hard. I will admit though, I do hate those new Calgary and
Beantown jerseys, and I hated losing all those games to the Flames. Calgary's a funny team; no one in their lineup scares me, but yet, you can't say they're
"underrated" since they've been successful thus far this year.
Reporter: That was a big move getting rid of Todd Bertuzzi and Craig Conroy; why did you get rid of them and how do you think the newcomers Alexander
Mogilny and Chris Osgood will do on your team?
KP: Well, Bertuzzi may be talented, but I don't think he's a team player, and I don't want those players on my team, period. I don't want
disruptive players on my team. As for Conroy, he was our best player, but he expressed his desire to play for a more competitive team and he was a solid
citizen here with us, and I just didn't want to let a good guy go through a losing season here in Colorado. As for Alex Mogilny, the jury's still out. To be
honest, Osgood has been Os-bad. He's been a bust so far.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
KP: This is my first season. And are you taking notes there, Mr. Reporter? I already told you about our legacy for the next 10 years. You better
write that down. And print it. I want the league to be aware of us. They better watch out because we'll get better and knock them off for years to come.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
KP: I don't want to label anyone "franchise player" because as soon as that player sees this interview in print, he's going to want to
re-negotiate or have an extension. That's the little trick that you guys in the media play, and I am not falling for that. Well, okay, I'll play along.
I'd say our best player right now, actually has gone north and is now wearing that silly wing-and-wheel uniform, Todd Bertuzzi. Our other star player went
south and is playing for the Atlanta Minion-Wannabes, Nick Lidstrom. At one point or another, these so-called superstar players just didn't fit into our
system and had such ego problems that I had to move them for the good of the team. I run this team the way that the Arizona Diamondbacks ran theirs when
they got into the major leagues in 1998; having solid citizens on their roster as opposed to jerks and ego-maniacs. And you'll notice as well, that as soon
as Brendan Shanahan started mouthing off, I shipped him out. I hope he rots in Ottawa.
Reporter: Do you think you are a Cup contender? If so, why? If not, what will make you become a contender?
KP: This year's out of the question. Look in today's paper, Mister. We're second-last. But after this season, we'll look at what free agents will
be out there, sign them, and build a winning tradition here in Denver. We'll make the Nuggets and the Broncos look bad.
Reporter: Do you think your team will make the playoffs? If yes, how well do you think they will do, and if not, why?
KP: Hmm... I don't think you're getting much out of my interview. You sure you're taking notes there, buddy?
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
KP: Ah...another trick question. "The most overrated team"...hahaha. This is an obvious trick to get me to say something stupid and end up getting
fined by the league and hate calls from GMs. Because I know, some GMs in this league have an ego problem. If you criticize their team or transactions, their
egos can't take it. You say, "Wow, what happened to your team, only one win in your last 10 despite that lineup," and you have that team's GM bite my head
off. "Or why did you trade that guy," and they have a problem with my comments. Or you'll have a certain GM up in New England quoting me in their
newspapers up there, taking cheap shots at our organization. And the commissioners are always in need of money, so they wouldn't hesitate to hand down
fines for these kinds of things. As for "underrated" teams, at this point of the season, everyone knows the strengths and weaknesses of each team, and
there's no such thing as being underrated. You got to remember, we're in the latter stages of the season, so any team that WAS a surprise team, isn't one
anymore right now. If you're in 1st or 8th or in between, you're going to the playoffs and any team can knock anyone out. So, I would actually have to say,
that's a dumb question. But if I had to, you know, everyone's saying Tampa's going all the way, so I don't know if you can consider that team in New
England, or Toronto, or Washington, as sleeper teams in the East. Certainly not underrated, though. Maybe under the radar. But if you talk to Mark, you'll
see that he thinks he's invincible. We'll have to see. Okay, how's this... I can GUARANTEE that that Bruins team isn't going to hoist KP's Cup this year.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
KP: The biggest surprise has been Ray Whitney. Calgary GM Kevin Wilde regretted trading him to me. And he's proven all the critics wrong so far by
not just being a solid citizen and leader for our (relatively) younger players, and also chipping in points here and there.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
KP: Boston Bruins, with Andy Moog, Craig Janney, and the gang.
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
KP: Andy Moog was the best Bruins goaltender in the last 25 years. You look at Jon Casey, Jim Carrey, Bill Ranford, Raycroft, Blaine Lacher...
They were all losers when they put on that once-proud uniform. Least favourite has got to be Patrick Roy, Grant Fuhr, Marty Brodeur. Worst goaltending
display: Kelly Hrudey in the 1993 Finals versus Montreal, when he was flopping around like a fish and let the Habs win the Cup. Dominik Hasek was great in
the late 90s.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
KP: Ray Bourque used to be...until he requested a trade out of Boston. Then I referred to him as "Traitor Bourque". For a brief time, Paul Coffey,
whom I always hated, joined the Bruins late in his career and I was hoping he would be productive, but it wasn't meant to be.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
KP: Craig Janney was quite the passer back in his prime. Go back and look at the old videos... those great passes to Cam Neely. Adam Oates was
fine until he started mouthing off in Boston. Pat LaFontaine was cool but he always played for the wrong team. I hate Eric Lindros. I used to call him
"A---ole Lindros".
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
KP: Well, I am known as a loudmouth, but in reality, I can go through the whole day and not talk to anyone. I certainly have my favourites. If I
like you, I will talk to you non-stop, but if I don't like you, I wouldn't even bother to say "good morning" or anything to you. If you know a guy like
Ruben Sierra, for example, that's my personality. And it's kind of obvious if I don't like someone. Even when I was teaching, same thing. I might say to
someone, "I hate that answer," if I don't like that person. I've been likened to Donald Trump in terms of my aggressive, in-your-face attitude. Another
thing about me is that I don't take things for granted. I will rarely ask for favours because you never know if someone will come through for you. I'd much
rather do things myself. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow or next year, so I try to get as much out of life as I can today. So you will see that
earlier in the season, I was going for it, trying to win as many games as possible this season, getting as many veterans as possible. You never know, I
might get a lifetime ban or something, or get hit by a car tomorrow or something, so you really never know. I say if we play today, we try to win today and
that's it. I mean, if you don't win, it's like you wasted your time. That's my philosophy too. Another thing to know is I am opinionated. Every chance I
get, I send in commentary to The Globe or other daily newspapers with my sports opinions. I'm a Barry Bonds fan. I want to see him break that home run
record. I root for underdogs. Don't like the Indianapolis Colts, New York Yankees, Martin Brodeur, Ray Bourque, Steve Yzerman, Joe Sakic, Paul Kariya, Eric
Lindros, Ed Belfour, Patrick Roy, Grant Fuhr. Randy Johnson. Roger Clemens. Like Boston. Would like to one day manage that team. Like to bet on sports. But
not lotteries or other kinds of gambling. Trying to build a sports video collection right now. Like to go back and watch sports from the 90s. And I use my
own slang, KP Slang. For example, if I see a cheater, I call him a "boonie", after Bret Boone. And for a talented, smart, yet lazy person, he would be a
"man-ram" after Manny Ramirez. I refer to tutoring as "scamming", and I make up words as well. Hey reporter, are you with me? You getting all of this down?
Don't let your mind wander off, now!
Reporter: Thanks for your time, KP, and good luck in the rest of the season.
KP: I'm not finished yet!
Monday, April 16, 2007
Hammy's Choice, Week 6
Forward: Todd Bertuzzi, Detroit. Bertuzzi has been simply phenomenal this season, doing all that was asked of him. Not much can be said except that he makes the Red Wings that much more dangerous.
Defenseman: Ladislov Smid, St. Louis. Smid has been solid for the Blues. A solid plus/minus and some offensive flair has Blues fans taking notice. A gem in the making.
Goaltender: Chris Osgood, Colorado. The Avalanche had a hard time deciding on a starting goaltender until they acquired Osgood. Hung out to dry more often that not, Osgood has risen to the occasion and gives Colorado a chance every night to win.
The "Hammy's Choice" awards are not for the best scorer, the top-name goaltender, or the best known defender. It is an award given out to the players who would mean a lot to their teams if they weren't there. Yes, sometimes big-name players will be chosen. But don't expect the scoring leader to be a regular on this list. I am also going to try to not repeat teams until the 30 teams have been cycled through.
- provided by Justin Halbersma, Atlanta GM
Monday, April 2, 2007
(The Curse of) Hammy's Choice, Week 6
Forward: Brian Rolston, New York Rangers. A stalwart of consistency, Rolston has shown up every game. The Rangers rely on his leadership and grit to lead them night after night.
Defenseman: Kyle Klubertanz, Los Angeles. A rookie has some adjustment periods, a rookie defenseman has his work cut out for him on a regular basis. Klubertanz has played with a maturity above his years for the Kings, as his point production and plus/minus attest. A model defenseman for others to model their play after.
Goaltender: Martin Biron, Nashville. Despite playing in the revolving door that is Nashville, Biron has done his part keeping the Predators in the hunt for first in the West, and first overall in the league. A tremendous talent, the Predators would do well to keep this guy as a mentor to the young goalies in their system. (Editor's Note: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Check the Trades page..)
The "Hammy's Choice" awards are not for the best scorer, the top-name goaltender, or the best known defender. It is an award given out to the players who would mean a lot to their teams if they weren't there. Yes, sometimes big-name players will be chosen. But don't expect the scoring leader to be a regular on this list. I am also going to try to not repeat teams until the 30 teams have been cycled through.
- provided by Justin Halbersma, Atlanta GM
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Team: Calgary Flames
Name: Kevin Wilde
Birthday: March 21, 1977 (30)
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Reporting from Calgary, Alberta from the Pengrowth Saddledome.
GM Questions
Reporter: What outcome do you expect for your team this year and are we going to see a big trade from Calgary?
Kevin: I'm re-building this tattered franchise in hopes of being competitive in the future, so this year I'm hoping to sneak into the playoffs and
just get some post-season experience. I don't plan on making too many more deals, but if the right move comes along that allows me to improve my team, I
won't pass it up.
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
Kevin: Florida, just because Andre's the only guy in the league I actually know. Colorado's talked some trash about my team so they're sort of a
rival, and I would also revel in the opportunity to beat the ECHL scout's team (wasn't too fond of him nicknaming my team the “Preschoolers”).
Reporter: That was a big move getting rid of Patrice Bergeron, Alexander Mogilny, Nikolai Zherdev, Jordan Leopold, and Mattias Weinhandl; why did you
get rid of them and how do you think the newcomers Wojtek Wolski, Daniel Briere, Joffrey Lupul, and Marc-Andre Bergeron will do on your team?
Kevin: My team was in a bit of a slump and I thought it would be a good way to turn the team around. I also thought it was the right thing to do for
the future of the club with Briere adding some leadership to help the kids.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Kevin: I inherited a mess of a team halfway through last season. At the time I joined the league, we were dead last, so I decided to rebuild the
team. My hope is that the rebuild will be completed at the end of next season and we'll be able to be Cup contenders from that point forward.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Kevin: I'd like to see Carey Price eventually become my franchise player. However, I think Jack Johnson or Anze Kopitar might be more likely
candidates to fill that role in the next couple years.
Reporter: Do you think you are a Cup contender? If so, why? If not, what will make you become a contender?
Kevin: No, I don't consider my team a Cup contender, I think we need some minor tweaking and another year under our belt to get into that position.
Reporter: Do you think your team will make the playoffs? If yes, how well do you think they will do, and if not, why?
Kevin: I think we'll squeak into the playoffs in the 7th or 8th spot and end up losing in the first round to someone like Detroit or Nashville.
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Kevin: I don't know if I'd consider anyone overrated, but I think Philadelphia is very underrated... looking down their LW scares the crap out of me
(Crosby isn't too bad either).
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Kevin: Probably Andy Rogers (I acquired him thinking he'd do well, but he's been an absolute rock on the back end) or Jason Spezza (I expected him to
need another year of development before he led my team in +/-).
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Kevin: Winnipeg Jets (and the Oilers after the Jets left the Peg).
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Kevin: Back in the day it was Pokey Reddick... now it would probably be Brodeur.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Kevin: It was Paul Coffey, now it's Scott Neidermayer.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Kevin: It used to be Gretz, now it's Burnaby Joe.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Kevin: I could school them all in a Blades of Steel tourney.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Kevin, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next week's interview with Eric Aaviku, GM of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Hammy's Choice, Week 5
Forward: Andrew Ladd, Montreal. This player has been a lynch pin for the Habs' offense. Montreal has been middle of the pack, but Ladd has kept his team above water with his feats. The Canadiens are in the hunt because of Ladd.
Defenseman: Tomas Kaberle, Chicago. Fabulous on the blueline for the Blackhawks, Kaberle anchors his team defensively and knows when to chip in the offense. A defenseman any team would thrive with.
Goaltender: David Aebischer, Atlanta. The Thrashers have been hit or miss all season, but Aebischer has given his team a chance in almost every game to win. With apologies to Nicklas Lidstrom, Atlanta's smartest move to date has been trading for Aebischer in the off-season. Without Aebischer, the playoffs would be a dream.
The "Hammy's Choice" awards are not for the best scorer, the top-name goaltender, or the best known defender. It is an award given out to the players who would mean a lot to their teams if they weren't there. Yes, sometimes big-name players will be chosen. But don't expect the scoring leader to be a regular on this list. I am also going to try to not repeat teams until the 30 teams have been cycled through.
- provided by Justin Halbersma, Atlanta GM
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Team: Buffalo Sabres
Name: Paul Maranzan
Birthday: October 5, 1983 (23)
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Reporting from Buffalo, New York at the HSBC Arena.
GM Questions
Reporter: What outcome do you expect for your team this year and are we going to see a big trade from Buffalo?
Paul: We're still treating this season as a rebuilding year. We've got a lot of solid rookies but are still missing a few key elements. As for a
big trade, there might be one or two more before this season is out.
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
Paul: There is a natural rivalry between me, Boston, Tampa, Islanders, and the Leafs as they're all good friends or family, but it's all in fun.
Reporter: That was a big move getting rid of Olli Jokinen, Kirk Maltby & Pierre Dagenais; why did you get rid of them and how do you think the
newcomers Craig Conroy, Magnus Arvedson & Anver Lisin will do on your team?
Paul: After a disappointing start to the beginning of the season we just felt that change was needed, especially in terms of getting some people in
that could move the puck. We're going to miss Olli, Kirk, and Pierre as all have been a part of the organization since I took over last season, but so far
Craig, Magnus, and Anver have all been great.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Paul: I'm a second year GM. As for my club I feel we're just going to continue to rise in the standings.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Paul: We've always been firm on Milan Hedjuk being the center of our team. Tuomo Ruutu has also been great for us in rookie season, and we're
expecting great things from him in the years to come.
Reporter: Do you think you are a Cup contender? If so, why? If not, what will make you become a contender?
Paul: Currently I believe we're still missing a few key elements before we can really make a run at the cup, the biggest I feel is a lack of size.
Reporter: Do you think your team will make the playoffs? If yes, how well do you think they will do, and if not, why?
Paul: If we're not a Cup contender it's doubtful that we will be making the playoffs, isn't it?
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Paul: Underrated I would have to say Islanders, with all the drama surrounding Yanni the team's rise to one of the top teams has been looked over.
As for overrated teams, I'm going to say Tampa, just because it will anger the GM there.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Paul: Tuomu Ruutu, we had big hopes for him after the draft this year but we didn't feel that he would bring his play up to this level so quickly.
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Paul: The Maple Leafs and the Blackhawks.
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Paul: Currently Martin Broduer, back in the day it was Potvin.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Paul: I've loved Paul Coffey since the days of NHLPA 93.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Paul: Doug Gilmour, just 'cause of the milk ads.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Paul: I have the power to pee fire.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Paul, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next week's interview with Kevin Wilde, GM of the Calgary Flames.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Isles Re-Acquire Yanni After Greek Sexpot Refuses Boston
Courtesy of the Long Island Newsday, Reprinted with Permission
This afternoon at a hastily arranged meeting by Islanders GM, Ryan McCullough, McCullough and Boston GM, Rick Jessup, discussed with Yanni his refusal to
leave his estate and report to the Bruins. Yanni said he would not leave his beloved Rocco, the Islanders head coach. To remedy the situation, a new deal
was struck by McCullough and Jessup. The agreement sends Yanni back to Long Island, but in exchange McCullough must provide Jessup with every season of
Saved by the Bell including the New Class on DVD as well as return the Lifetime Pass to Yanni's Sexy Parties. Also, McCullough is sending back the "Paul
Maranzan Bluegrass Experience" CD and $1,000 as compensation. Jessup will keep the Twister Dance DVD and McCullough will keep the Kevin Bacon autographed
footloose DVD and the "Bolton 91", the cryogenically frozen 1991 Michael Bolton who will now become head coach of the Long Island Guttenbergs.
In the period of one day two offers came in for Yanni, one from Atlanta and one from Tampa Bay. Atlanta was interested in having Yanni coach their farm team, the Minnesota North Stars. When discussed with Yanni, he said "The people in Boston are ugly, no good people to come to my sexy parties and dance, forget Minnesota, those people are downright ghoulish," which ended that conversation. The offer from Tampa Bay was to have Yanni coach the Lightning, which would have been a large promotion for him, moving up from Assistant Coach, but he turned it down citing his refusal to leave Rocco. Interestingly enough, Tampa Bay GM, Mark Maranzan, graciously offered Yanni to stay at his house until he could find more permanent residence to have his sexy parties.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Yanni Trade Shocks League, Yanni
Courtesy of the Boston Herald, Reprinted with Permission
The public feud between the GM of the New York Islanders, Ryan McCullough, and his imported assistant coach hire, Yanni, has ended in perhaps the most
shocking and odd trade of the ECHL's third season. The deal, which crossed wires only minutes before message boards became abuzz with chatter, will see
Yanni head to the Boston Bruins in exchange for the signing rights to the cryogenically frozen body of Michael Bolton, with throw-ins included on both sides
of the deal. McCullough was stern and solid in his reasoning for moving along the popular assistant coach who, along with Coach Rocco, turned the Isles
into the ECHL's surprise story of the season.
"We're sad to see Yanni go but he has been having difficulty lately with the team and Coach Rocco - with whom I've learned he has a more personal
relationship. I think it might be good for him to get some time in Boston. It has been a long kept secret that wily Boston GM, Rick Jessup, has had
Michael Bolton cryogenically frozen since 1991 to preserve his gloriousness. I would like to welcome Bolton 91, as he will be known, to the Islanders."
McCullough hinted that negotiations had been difficult with the typically hard-to-trade-with Jessup holding out on a few of his hidden gems. "It is also
known to me, through super secret sources, that Jessup also has the only TAT signed edition of the Hot Sundae music video, but he would not trade it for
anything, even when I offered Yanni in direct exchange."
Yanni himself, in typical fashion for the age-old, gloriously-maned troubadour, immediately posted his complaints upon the league's Zonkboard and fan
message boards under the name "Yanni<3Rocco". "Im shocked! I know I've been having difficulty lately with management and the team, and musing on public
forums regarding my desire for a trade, but I just didn't expect it. I don't know if I will be able to leave Rocco. We've been together since very early
on in the Italian Super Hockey League, when he was a scoring phenom, and I was man-pretty. We'll see what happens.... I LOVE YOU ROCCO!!" He immediately
went about refusing to report to Boston, a town of "foul, ugly people", noting he wouldn't leave his Long Island estate.
Bruins GM Jessup was unphased, but hoping he could talk Yanni into the trip. "Boston is a great town with great beer, a culture of professional sports, and fiberglass moose everywhere you look!" he noted. When confronted with Yanni's comments his mood soured as he spat "I didn't release my frozen Michael Bolton to let some man-pony lie on a shag rug in the armpit of Long Island. Yanni will be a Bruin. I hope. I'm keeping the Twister game either way. But he'd better come soon or I'll trade him to Nashville for Michael Ryder." When informed Ryder had already been traded he raised an eyebrow and left in disgust.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Hammy's Choice, Week 4
Forward: Michael Ryder, Phoenix. Ryder proved to have a busy week, being traded for the second time in his career, then having a stellar game against San Jose. Ryder is a keeper wherever he goes.
Defenseman: Dick Tarnstrom, Pittsburgh. Tarnstrom has shown his abilities on a team not quite playing up to the standard they could. Pittsburgh would be a lot worse off if Tarnstrom wasn't on their roster.
Goaltender: Marty Turco, Minnesota. The Wild have been a very solid team this year, and this starts from the goal out. Turco gives his Wild a chance to win every night.
The "Hammy's Choice" awards are not for the best scorer, the top-name goaltender, or the best known defender. It is an award given out to the players who would mean a lot to their teams if they weren't there. Yes, sometimes big-name players will be chosen. But don't expect the scoring leader to be a regular on this list. I am also going to try to not repeat teams until the 30 teams have been cycled through.
- provided by Justin Halbersma, Atlanta GM
Monday, March 12, 2007
Avalanche GM, Players Speak Out
Courtesy of the Denver Post, Reprinted with Permission
The Colorado Avalanche may have gotten a point in Anaheim, but GM KP Wee was fuming after the tie
put the team at 0-2-1 in their last 3 outings.
"Did you see those 2 goals that [expletive] [goalie Rick DiPietro] let in from centre ice?!? And he let my least favourite player [expletive] Lindros score?! I was NOT pleased with that performance," GM Wee told the reporters gathered near the visitors' dressing room at the Pond in Anaheim.
Asked what his solution was for the goaltending situation, Wee shot back, "This is Rick's last game in this jersey after this stinky performance. I actually liked Ozzy's (opposing goalie Chris Osgood) play a lot and throughout this game I think I fell in love with his puckstopping ability. All right, interview's over. I gotta go find what's-his-name...that guy with no pants... that Anaheim GM (Mathew Fedunchuk)... before he leaves the damn building. What's his name again? You guys know who I'm talking about, right? That GM with no pants? I'm gonna get Ozzy from his team to lead us to the promised land."
Asked if he was concerned about Osgood's pending free-agency, Wee glared at that reporter and said, "How long you been in this business, son? What do YOU know about hockey?"
And with that, there was hush from all the media members - as they've come to realize Wee's temper is as bad, if not worse, than Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who is known to trade everybody or fire his staff when they lose.
"What's he doing?" was a response from a player in the Colorado locker room who requested to remain anonymous when told of the tirade by Wee. "I tell ya, our GM is messing up the team chemistry with these kind of impulsive moves. I wish I was gonna be traded too." "Yeah, I wonder how long he's been in the hockey business, period," said another player in the corner. "I think we are tired of this GM."
"Oh...give me a break.... When our GM starts dealing with a guy (Anaheim GM) that doesn't even wear pants, that tells you all you need to know about our GM, and I don't care if he knows I said this. There, go write my name and print that," was a comment by Brendan Shanahan, who was one of the bright spots in the loss, tallying his 7th goal. "And I saw on the Zonk last weekend that he hated me... so my question is why did he acquire me in the first place?"
The Avalanche had been improving, going 5-4-1 in their last 10 until this recent 3-game slide. But will things go south due to this so-called mess of team chemistry and bad blood between players and the GM? Only time will tell. While GM Wee has always been outspoken, it is clear now that his players are no longer on his side, and no longer join in in his tirades directed at other teams. As for their performance on the ice, we will find out when Chris Osgood makes his Colorado debut (assuming the trade is for real) in three days at home, against division-rival Calgary.
"Those guys better play hard," was Wee's one last comment. "I want revenge on those Flames for what happened the other night (Colorado's 5-1 embarrassment a day earlier). They should be fired up for being embarrassed for that one. I don't want to start trading everyone, but I may have to, to get rid of some stinkers and losers on this team."
Colorado was outscored a combined 24-3 a night earlier, by both the big league and minor league club.
The Sleeping Thrashers Have Come To Life
Courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Reprinted with Permission
Peaking at the right time, the Thrashers have put together a three game win streak that has
vaulted them from 12th in the Eastern Conference to 6th. Wins over Nashville, Detroit, and Pittsburgh served notice to the rest of the league that maybe
this Thrashers team has some more left in the tank than many critics gave them credit for.
"Every night it's a different hero," coach Karl Aalders said after the Pittsburgh game. "Scotty's been on fire. Petr's maybe not used as much as some forwards, but he's been outstanding. Abby's stood tall in goal. We're all clicking at the same time, and it's fun to be a part of."
"Everyone had us written off," captain Mario Lemieux said. "Let's face it, we never did much to earn a lot of respect until recently. We were awful. But we're gelling. David is in such a zone and not much is getting by him. He's giving us that chance to win every night. Our defense is finally getting together. We're playing as a team. We're just having fun and riding the wave."
The Thrashers also announced the hiring of Laura Albrecht as assistant general manager. It was a move made necessary by the busy every day activity in any pro franchise front office.
"Every GM has an assistant," GM Justin Halbersma said. "Laura came highly recommended. She played a role in helping move Yanic Perreault to a team that could use his abilities and get us a solid young prospect in return. She's also giving her expertise in other trades and financial decisions. It's a move that can only help our franchise and potentially point her in the direction of GM one day in the future."
Albrecht was approached after the Pittsburgh game, a few hours after her hiring was announced.
"I think we did pretty good out there," she commented. "I mean we were really working together as a team and we just had to give it our all and try our best, and in the end it all paid off. We're on a three game win streak. I'm looking forward to working with Justin and Karl and the players. The ECHL offers an exciting arena to get my skills up to par in the pro level."
"From now on, there will be a two-headed approach to trades...both of us will be making the decisions," Halbersma added.
Good times lie ahead for the Thrashers. The gloom that was in the dressing room has lifted for the moment. The winning streak has quieted some trade rumors surrounding David Aebischer.
"No way," Albrecht said firmly, when she and Halbersma were asked about his trade availability. "He's our saving ace right now. He maybe struggled earlier, but he's been awesome the last three games. Of all the players that are available, David is not one of them, and neither is Ward. Those two will form our goaltending core for seasons to come. To all other GMs and their assistants...don't bother asking for our goalies. Unless they suffer a core meltdown, they are not headed anywhere."
"Why trade the backbone of our team?" Halbersma said simply. "It would be suicidal to our team."
The Thrashers have clawed back into playoff contention on grit and determination. The rest of the ECHL...take note.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Courtesy of the Nashville Tennessean, Reprinted with Permission and Apologies
The Story on Evan Carter's Week
Its been a whirlwind week for the Almighty Preds. Who have lost quite a bit lately! Sadly one loss was to the worst team In Echl history… Dallas. Gm Evan Carter has decided to take Immediate action. So he goes and Ponders in his thinking chair.
After an hour has gone by not much Thinking has been done. As for the Gm of Nashville got so wasted he traded Away one of his best Defenseman Rookies to get Mike Rathje!
He immediately the next morning after passing out for the night went down to the Gaylord entertainment centre. He showed his unwanted anger to The team’s head coach Billy…. And Fired him on the Scene.
Immediately Evan thought of a brilliant idea. He must hire an Assistant gm to help him cope with the team instead of anger. After minutes upon minutes of searching for the perfect Candidate Their he was. Drunk as can be Evan asked him if he would fill in the position… All he heard back was… WHAT!!! So Evan repeated himself, and again…WHAT!!!. So getting a little annoyed Evan said it one last time and finally he got a YEEEAAAAHHH!!! So it was destiny. He got 1 half of his problems solved by Hiring… LIL JOHN.
So all he needed was a new Head Coach. A Coach that doesn’t just focus on Scoring. But a coach that divides his focus Evenly on Strength, Verbal Abuse, Scoring, Defensive, and Goaltending skills… But also when in a Game where we need to eliminate the team, Brutality! So lil John Called up his buddy and He immediately agreed. And has signed a no trade Claus and no fire Claus 1 one year contract with the Predators. He Hired Mike Tyson!!!
Tyson Spoke to the media yesterday and had this to say. The Nashville predators are a bunch of g-d d--n sissy’s. I am going to take them all to a gym and make them workout 24/7. If their not playing hockey they are working out. And Every day I am going to single one of them out and kick their $%# to toughen them up. They are going to be a brutal team. They are going to change. We will Continue being a scoring threat but make sure our defence starts being dominate. We got guys who can make an impact and I am going to make sure we make an impact. There have also been rumours about Martin Biron being traded already well that is not true. Expect him to be a Predator for a while. One Rumour that is true that Defenseman Mike Rathje is on the trading block.
Evan and Lil John were to hammered to speak. Unknown sources say they were at la gm’s house stealing all his beer while la gm took Steve ott out for lunch together discussing his trade value.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Team: Boston Bruins
Name: Rick Jessup
Birthday: February 5, 1974 (33)
Hometown: Bolton, Ontario
Reporting from Boston, Massachusetts at the TD Banknorth Garden.
GM Questions
Reporter: What outcome do you expect for your team this year and are we going to see a big trade from Boston?
Rick: I expect to be in the Cup final giving someone a hard time. As for big trades, I suppose I’m known for big deadline day deals.. you never
know!
Reporter: Which club(s) are your rivals?
Rick: There’s a natural rivalry with Tampa and Buffalo, both managed by my cousins. Ottawa and I always play each other hard, makes for some fun
games. We've never beaten the Evan-era Predators so that's something to strive for.
Reporter: That was a big move getting rid of Kimmo Timonen & Daniel Briere; why did you get rid of them and how do you think the newcomers Derian
Hatcher & Steve Rucchin will do on your team?
Rick: It was hard to send Dan and Kim on their way but Boston’s early problems came from a lack of size. Derian, paired with Brooks, has become one
of the more ominous defence pairings to face off against, and Rucchin has quietly delivered some good hits to open up some ice for his linemates.
Reporter: How many years/months have you been in this league? Where do you think your club will be in the next 2-5 years?
Rick: I’m a day-oner with the ECHL. I think the Bruins are in tremendous shape going forward. Our core group are young, we have some solid
veterans, but best of all we have a significant number of top prospects ready to step in soon. Considering the team we started with, and how few trades I've
made over the two plus seasons, I think the present and future both look bright.
Reporter: Who do you believe is or is going to be your franchise player?
Rick: Joe Thornton and Marc Denis are the two this team looks to for leadership on the ice, and Shawn McEachern has always been the backstage
franchise. Hopefully Shawn stays after free agency next year, but Joe and Marc will continue to lead by voice and example, I’m positive.
Reporter: Do you think you are a Cup contender? If so, why? If not, what will make you become a contender?
Rick: Definitely a Cup contender. We have a balanced offensive attack that can role four solid lines, one of the league’s best defence limiting
teams to under 25 shots almost every game, and a tremendous goaltender. We’re going to be hard to beat.
Reporter: Do you think your team will make the playoffs? If yes, how well do you think they will do, and if not, why?
Rick: Kind of hard to be a Cup contender and not make the playoffs.. can I see some credentials, Mr. Reporter? Sounds like someone's been partying
with Preds a bit much over there..
Reporter: Which team(s) do you think are the most underrated and overrated.
Rick: Oh, nice, a setup question. Columbus would be underrated right now, but most teams know better than to count them out. I think the Sabres will
be in the playoffs, thanks in part to their resident Calder winner, Ruutu. Overrated? If the league gives Nashville enough rope to hang himself with
trades like his Cloutier one I have a feeling his success could be short-lived.
Reporter: Who has/have been the biggest surprise this year on your team?
Rick: The two Blake’s have exceeded expectations, for sure, but how can you not be pleasantly surprised with the dominating work of Marc Denis?
Other Questions
Reporter: Who was your favourite child hood team?
Rick: Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, and Sabres.
Reporter: Who is your favourite goaltender?
Rick: Bunny Laraque, because his freakin’ name was Bunny.
Reporter: Who is your favourite defenceman?
Rick: I had a man-crush on Paul Coffey and Ray Bourque growing up.
Reporter: Who is your favourite forward.
Rick: Rick Vaive was my idol. Screw Andreychuk, he's the only true 50-goal scorer the Leafs ever had.
Reporter: What is one thing other GMs don't know about you?
Rick: I have cousins that drink wine from a box, and I know a bush-league reporter that lets another GM make nude trades from his computer.
Reporter: Thanks for your time, Rick, and good luck in the rest of the season. Be sure to tune into next week's interview with Paul Maranzan, GM of the Buffalo Sabres.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Hammy's Choice, Week 3
Forward: Jason Spezza, Calgary Flames. Another rookie makes the list. Spezza is a player that would be valued on every team, and Calgary would have a hard time of it without him.
Defenseman: Boris Mironov, Washington Capitals. A solid presence on the blue line, he contributes more than just points. A great plus/minus on the blueline is where his value is mostly shown.
Goaltender: Marc Denis, Boston Bruins. The Bruins started slowly this season, but as Denis goes, so go the Bruins. One would definitely say with confidence the Bruins would not have turned their season around without Denis' heroics.
The "Hammy's Choice" awards are not for the best scorer, the top-name goaltender, or the best known defender. It is an award given out to the players who would mean a lot to their teams if they weren't there. Yes, sometimes big-name players will be chosen. But don't expect the scoring leader to be a regular on this list. I am also going to try to not repeat teams until the 30 teams have been cycled through.
- provided by Justin Halbersma, Atlanta GM
Monday, March 12, 2007
Courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Reprinted with Permission
Thrashers on the Rise
The Atlanta Thrashers have been an enigma in this ECHL season.
If one were to graph their progress, the line would have more ups and downs than a yo-yo. The Thrashers have a habit of winning several hard-fought games in a row, then plummeting in losing streaks that leave them out of contention. So few knew what to expect when Atlanta breezed into Nashville to take on the Predators. Expecting the worst, the ECHL was forced to take notice when the Thrashers served the Predators a 3-2 loss.
"It may not be the Stanley Cup, but it's a big win," Thrashers captain Mario Lemieux said. "It's nice to see the third and fourth line contribute. Mark and Yanic have been having hard times in recent games, and it's nice to see them factor in the win." Mark Recchi, Yanic Perreault, and Andy Delmore all tallied for the Thrashers. Michael Ryder and Steve Sullivan replied for the Predators.
Atlanta netminder David Aebischer was phenomenal in the Thrasher goal, stopping 31 shots. Rookie of the Year goalie Jeff Glass wasn't as sharp, being tagged with the loss, but still turned in 20 saves in a losing cause. "With all the trade talk surrounding Abby, it's nice to see him still be at the top of his game," GM Justin Halbersma remarked. "Nashville has the firepower to be dangerous. You need your goalie to steal one, and that's what he did."
The mood around the Thrashers camp is one of uncertainty, as trade rumors continue to fly. Halbersma insists they are just that at this point.
"When a trade is made, you guys will be the first to know," he said crisply, brushing aside questions that revolved around trades. "The press has made more trades than the actual ECHL. Right now, everything is speculation. I will not join that speculation. When a deal is finalized, then I can and will tell you."
The Thrashers took a big game from a strong opponent. Is this the turning point?
Time will tell.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Courtesy of the Nashville Tennessean, Reprinted with Permission and Apologies
The Story on Evan Carter's Week
Its been a whirlwind week for the Almighty Preds. Who have lost quite a bit lately! Sadly one loss was to the worst team In Echl history… Dallas. Gm Evan Carter has decided to take Immediate action. So he goes and Ponders in his thinking chair.
After an hour has gone by not much Thinking has been done. As for the Gm of Nashville got so wasted he traded Away one of his best Defenseman Rookies to get Mike Rathje!
He immediately the next morning after passing out for the night went down to the Gaylord entertainment centre. He showed his unwanted anger to The team’s head coach Billy…. And Fired him on the Scene.
Immediately Evan thought of a brilliant idea. He must hire an Assistant gm to help him cope with the team instead of anger. After minutes upon minutes of searching for the perfect Candidate Their he was. Drunk as can be Evan asked him if he would fill in the position… All he heard back was… WHAT!!! So Evan repeated himself, and again…WHAT!!!. So getting a little annoyed Evan said it one last time and finally he got a YEEEAAAAHHH!!! So it was destiny. He got 1 half of his problems solved by Hiring… LIL JOHN.
So all he needed was a new Head Coach. A Coach that doesn’t just focus on Scoring. But a coach that divides his focus Evenly on Strength, Verbal Abuse, Scoring, Defensive, and Goaltending skills… But also when in a Game where we need to eliminate the team, Brutality! So lil John Called up his buddy and He immediately agreed. And has signed a no trade Claus and no fire Claus 1 one year contract with the Predators. He Hired Mike Tyson!!!
Tyson Spoke to the media yesterday and had this to say. The Nashville predators are a bunch of g-d d--n sissy’s. I am going to take them all to a gym and make them workout 24/7. If their not playing hockey they are working out. And Every day I am going to single one of them out and kick their $%# to toughen them up. They are going to be a brutal team. They are going to change. We will Continue being a scoring threat but make sure our defence starts being dominate. We got guys who can make an impact and I am going to make sure we make an impact. There have also been rumours about Martin Biron being traded already well that is not true. Expect him to be a Predator for a while. One Rumour that is true that Defenseman Mike Rathje is on the trading block.
Evan and Lil John were to hammered to speak. Unknown sources say they were at la gm’s house stealing all his beer while la gm took Steve ott out for lunch together discussing his trade value.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Hammy's Choice, Week 2
Goaltender: Roberto Luongo, San Jose Sharks. Let's face it, Luongo has been outstanding for the Sharks. They would not be contending like they are without Luongo's heroics.
Defenseman: Cory Cross, Toronto Maple Leafs. His plus/minus shows us why he's valuable. A steadying force on the blue line.
Forward: Wojtek Wolski, Ottawa Senators. His point totals have been impressive for a rookie, and one has to wonder if Ottawa would sink if he were removed from the lineup.
The "Hammy's Choice" awards are not for the best scorer, the top-name goaltender, or the best known defender. It is an award given out to the players who would mean a lot to their teams if they weren't there. Yes, sometimes big-name players will be chosen. But don't expect the scoring leader to be a regular on this list. I am also going to try to not repeat teams until the 30 teams have been cycled through.
- provided by Justin Halbersma, Atlanta GM
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Team: Atlanta Thrashers
Name: Justin Halbersma
Birthday: June 1, 1977 (29)
Hometown: Kentville, Nova Scotia
Click here to read Atlanta's interview
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Team: Anaheim Ducks
Name: Mathew Fedunchuk
Birthday: February 23, 1987 (20)
Hometown: Kleinburg , Ontario
Click here to read Anaheim's interview
Monday, February 26, 2007
The time has come for the first weekly "Hammy's Choice" awards. As mentioned before, this is to give
tribute to the only cat I ever knew who watched hockey with the rest of us. It honors one goalie, one defenseman, and one forward.
Goaltender: Mikka Kiprusoff, Columbus Blue Jackets. Kipper proved his worth when he returned from injury. Kipper is a big part of the Blue Jackets' surge up the standings.
Defenseman: Chris Campoli, Carolina Hurricanes. Campoli is showing his poise as a rookie, notching 11 points and standing a +8. All this, and just a rookie to boot!
Forward: Randy Robitaille, Vancouver Canucks. Robitaille is a gritty forward, the type of forward any team would love to have in the tight games. He's shown his usefulness on the defensive side of things.
The "Hammy's Choice" awards are not for the best scorer, the top-name goaltender, or the best known defender. It is an award given out to the players who would mean a lot to their teams if they weren't there. Yes, sometimes big-name players will be chosen. But don't expect the scoring leader to be a regular on this list. I am also going to try to not repeat teams until the 30 teams have been cycled through.
- provided by Justin Halbersma, Atlanta GM
Friday, February 23, 2007
The Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild wasted no time in announcing the successors to their vacant GM slots, both naming replacements today in separate press releases. The Oil announced their second GM of the 2006/07 season will be former amateur player and announcer Ian Cunningham. The Wild countered by signing property mogul Bill Read to helm their team in the midst of a six-game winning streak that has taken them back to contention. Both managers will take to their new chairs Saturday.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
It was a case of odd timing in Minnesota today when ownership of the Wild released a brief and terse statement to announce the termination of the only GM the team has ever known, George Diamantakos. After a rough start for the Wild it had almost been expected, but after turning out five straight wins the media and fans in Minnesota had pulled back on their criticism of the wary-to-deal GM. Diamantakos was unavailable for comment with the ownership group simply announcing a replacement would be announced "soon".
The surprises weren't over yet after freshman Edmonton Oilers' GM Phillip Boyd made the decision to step down following some early success for his team, citing only workload as his reasoning. The shocked Oilers brass also announced only that the process of finding a replacement would be quick with many names on their shortlist from the Boyd hiring this past off-season.
Sunday, February 18, 2006
Weekly Power Rankings
Top 10 Teams
1.San Jose Sharks 2.Tampa Bay Lightning 3.Vancouver Canucks 4.Toronto Maple Leafs
5.Washington Capitals 6.Nashville Predators 7.Florida Panthers 8.New Jersey Devils
9.New York Rangers 10.Boston Bruins
Top 10 Skaters
1.Todd Bertuzzi (Det) 2.Zigmund Palffy (San) 3.Dany Heatley (Nas) 4.Peter Forsberg (Car)
5.Jaromir Jagr (Tor) 6.Vaclav Prospal (San) 7.Glen Murray (Tam) 8.Saku Koivu (Tor)
9.Radim Vrbata (Van) 10.Mike York (Van)
Top 10 Goalies
1.Roberto Luongo (San) 2.Marc Denis (Bos) 3.Chris Osgood (Ana) 4.Marty Turco (Min)
5.Evgeni Nabokov (Was) 6.Dwayne Roloson (Tor) 7.Martin Biron (Van)
8.Nikolai Khabibulin (Tam) 9.Tomas Volkoun (Fla)10.Justin Pogge (NYI)
Friday, February 16, 2007
The office of the ECHL is sad to announce the passing of Atlanta GM Justin Halbersma's cousin, Sarah Alders. This 16-year-old honor student and local goaltender was tragically struck by a car on Wednesday and lost her battle Friday morning. "To all the GMs, if I don't respond as quickly as normal to emails, this is why," Halbersma said in a statement to the league. "Now I have a lot to take care of on a personal level. She thought the ECHL was the greatest thing in the world, and she was always asking how my team was doing. As a person, apart from hockey, she was simple a great girl. We were close. She will be missed."
Friday, February 16, 2007
The hottest team in the ECHL isn't the Leafs, Predators, Sharks, or Lightning; it's the previously left-for-dead Boston Bruins, boasting points in eight of their last 10 games. Unfortunately for fans of the typically trade-silent team it has come at a cost with stalwart season-one stars Daniel Briere and Kimmo Timonen leaving earlier this week and fan-favourite Simon Gagne being informed he had been traded shortly after his star-worthy performance in a victory over the Blues tonight. GM/Coach Rick Jessup was sad but optimistic when approached for comment: "The Bruins family is a tight one and we don't trade players like commodities. Unfortunately in our earlier struggles it became apparent we needed to get bigger and we needed someone to finish those passes on offensive runs. The additions of Steve Rucchin and Derian Hatcher boosted our size significantly, and they've made Boston an imposing team to face off against." The decision to send Simon Gagne to Columbus for Brad Richards was possibly the most difficult decision Jessup said he'd ever made, but noting that it was the best move for both teams. "The fans love Simon, his teammates love Simon, but brash moves require tough decisions. Brad brings us a scoring touch we've sorely lacked on the left side along with some more size and some added leadership we know will advance our kids as the season wears on," Jessup noted. "We know as much as Brad will offer us that Simon is likely just the spark Doug's team needs to bring them back to contention." The new-look Bruins chase their fifth straight win Friday when Briere, Timonen, and the Senators make their return to Boston.
Thursday, February 15, 2006
THIS WEEK IN THE ECHL
Week 3 started with a bang as the trade bans on both Los Angeles and Nashville were lifted.
GM Evan Carter’s itchy trigger finger immediately fired off trade after trade, first sending
Travis Zajac to Tampa Bay, then axing Nic Boynton in favour of Hall Gill and finally dooming
Rem Murray who was sentenced to a mediocre existence in Dallas. A petition is not being issued
in Nashville to have the Gaylord Complex renamed to Comfort Inn. Word around the Nashville dressing
room is players are now worried that without league intervention they too may be the next to
fall victim to Carter’s happy-go-lucky style of management.
In Detroit, Peter Lacasse was forced to eat his words this week as he continued the rebuilding process. The new look Red Wings made sure Colin White's stay in Rock City was a short one as he was shipped out in favour of rookie blueliner Marek Zidlicky. Lacasse has now imposed a trade ban on himself as he hopes to make a cup run again this season. The added young blood along with a completely revamped roster will hopefuly provide the missing piece to the puzzle as Lacasse looks to vanquish last season’s playoff failure. Time will tell if these moves will payoff or if once again Lacasse will break his promise of no more moves.
Sunday, February 11, 2006
Weekly Power Rankings
Top 10 Teams
1.San Jose Sharks 2.Toronto Maple Leafs 3.Tampa Bay Lightning 4.Washington Capitals
5.Vancouver Canucks 6.Nashville Predators 7.New Jersey Devils 8.Florida Panthers
9.Pittsburg Penguins 10.Chicago Blackhawks
Top 10 Skaters
1.Todd Bertuzzi (Det) 2.Zigmund Palffy (San) 3.Vaclav Prospal (San) 4.Peter Forsberg (Car)
5.Dany Heatley (Nas) 6.Jaromir Jagr (Tor) 7.Steve Sullivan (Tam) 8.Radim Vrbata (Van)
9.Saku Koivu (Tor) 10.Scott Hartnell (Tor)
Top 10 Goalies
1.Roberto Luongo (San) 2.Dwayne Roloson (Tor) 3.Evgeni Nabokov (Was) 4.Marty Turco (Min)
5.Chris Osgood (Ana) 6.Martin Biron (Van)7.J-S Giguere (Cal) 8.Mike Dunham (Ott)
9.Nikolai Khabibulin (Tam) 10.Tuukka Rask (NYI)
Tuesday, February 6, 2006
On Monday there may not have been much action on the ice, with Buffalo and Boston putting in a less stellar performance in a 1-0 win for the Bruins. The lone goal scored in the first period by an unassisted Blake Wheeler. In the only other game on the day Phoenix battled Ottawa to a 2-2 tie.
The real news of the day came off the ice as was is possibly the biggest trade in ECHL history took
place between Detroit and St. Louis. In an effort to continue rebuilding his team and struggle with
salary cap, GM Peter Lacasse made a bold move sending stars Markus Naslund and Alex Tanguay along with
core defenceman Steve Staios, journeymen Michael Rupp, Jonathan Girard, Brad Ference, Michael Leighton
and a 2nd round pick in the ECHL 4 entry draft to the St. Louis Blues. In return St. Louis parted with
longtime captain Mats Sundin, defencemen Derek Morris, Magnus Avedson, Scott Hannan, Byran Allen, Scott
Lehman, goaltender prospect Christobal Huet and minor leaguer Simon Gamache.
When asked about the deal GM Anil Tabil replied, “Its time to shake things up here in St Louis. Players
are not performing as they should be and I wanted to show them at nobody is safe. We are sad to see our
longest serving Captain leave town, but happen to be getting two very talented offensive players in
return. We do wish Mats all the best in Detroit.”
In Detroit, last seasons Jack Adams Award winner had only one thing to say about the trade, “That’s it I’m done.” So it appears for now the rebuilding process in Detroit is over.
Sunday, February 4, 2006
Weekly Power Rankings
Top 10 Teams
1.San Jose Sharks 2.Tampa Bay Lightning 3.Nashville Predators 4.Toronto Maple Leafs
5.Vancouver Canucks 6.Florida Panthers 7.Pittsburgh Penguins 8.New Jersey Devils
9.Los Angeles 10.Washington Capitals
Top 10 Skaters
1.Vaclav Prospal (San) 2.Dany Heatley (Nas) 3.Todd Bertuzzi (Det) 4.Peter Forsberg (Car)
5.Ryan Smyth (Nas) 6.Zigmund Palffy (San) 7.Scott Hartnell (Tor) 8.Radim Vrbata (Van)
9.Steve Sullivan (Tam) 10.Michael Nylander (Los)
Top 10 Goalies
1.Roberto Luongo (San) 2.Tuukka Rask (NYI) 3.Martin Biron (Van) 4.Roman Cechmanek (Pit)
5.J-S Giguer (CAl) 6.Marty Turco (Min) 7.Dwayne Roloson (Tor) 8.Evgeni Nabokov (Was)
9.Tomas Vokoun (Fla) 10.Jose Theodore (Ran)
Tuesday, January 30, 2006
The crack of 7PM on Monday brought the end of the pre-salary cap era, with all ECHL teams required
to find their cumulative payrolls below $44 million. As the moment approached four teams found themselves in trouble: Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, and
Montreal. Chicago escaped difficulty with some last-minute lineup changes that, at least temporarily, solved their crisis. Luckiest of all were Montreal
who were initially forced to waive veteran winger Pavel Bure and his $7.92 million salary. However, after a trade only 24 hours later with Atlanta that
sent Mario Lemieux to the Thrashers, Bure was reclaimed and will play for the Canadiens tonight in Toronto. Detroit managed to find room by waiving
goaltender prospect Cory Schnider, while Columbus took the largest hit of the four teams by seeing star centre Doug Weight leave town with nothing in
return. ECHL Co-Commissioner Rick Jessup remarked, "it pained us to see teams forced to make such hard decisions so late in the game, but warnings were
issued and the same rules adhered to all. We only hope our teams will manage their ships more tightly going forward." It is important to note that ECHL
rules now state that any team found with a salary above $44 million on any given night will be forced to waive a single player to place them under that
salary cap.
Sunday, January 28, 2006
Weekly Power Rankings
Top 10 Teams
1.Nashville Predators 2.Toronto Maple Leafs 3.Pittsburgh Penguins 4.Florida Panthers
5.San Jose Sharks 6.New Jersey Devils 7.Vancouver Canucks 8.New York Islanders
9.Tampa Bay Lightning 10.Calgary Flames
Top 10 Skaters
1.Dany Heatley(Nas) 2.Peter Forsberg(Car) 3.Mike York(Van) 4. Radim Vrbata(Van)
5.Ryan Smyth(Nas) 6.Sergei Fedorov(New)7.Jason Spezza(Cal) 8.Scott Hartnell(Tor)
9.Robert Petrovicky(Was) 10.Zigmund Palffy(San)
Top 10 Goalies
1.Dwayne Roloson(Tor) 2.Tuukka Rask(NYI) 3.Olaf Kolzig(New) 4.Roberto Luongo(San)
5.Tomas Vokoun(Fla) 6.Roman Cechmanek(Pit) 7.J-S Giguere(Cal) 8.Marty Turco(Min)
9.Dan Cloutier(Nas) 10.Nikolai Khabibulin(Tam)
Sunday, January 28, 2006
It may have been a struggling 2-4 opening to the season that prompted the big move today that saw the failing Ottawa Senators take part in a nine-player
swap that brings four veteran stars to their lineup, but at a cost. The deal with freshman Islanders GM Ryan McCullough served two purposes: injecting new
life into the promising Sens, and getting the Islanders closer to crawling out of the mess left to McCullough by his predecessor after a horrific deadline
day trade last season with the Nashville Predators. After the games tonight the Senators will welcome blueliners Marek Malik and Chris Chelios, winger
Geoff Sanderson, and journeyman goaltender Mike Dunham. Heading to the rebuilding Isles are defenceman Jay Bouwmeester, goaltender Justin Pogge, wingers
Andreas Johansson, Ales Kotalik, and Denis Parshin, as well as Los Angeles' 2nd round pick in the ECHL4 entry draft.
Thursday, January 25, 2006
A day that started quietly with the itchy fingers of Atlanta GM Justin Halbersma sending Kyle Wellwood to Washington for a pick ended with a chorus of blasts courtesy of two huge moves that, between then, will find 14 players on planes this evening. The evening started when, hot on the heels of their third victory of the week over the Boston Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs fleshed out their forward unit at the expense of long-time star Marian Gaborik. The star winger and teammate Denis Arkhipov, along with a 3rd round pick, will move to Conrad Rosario's Chicago Blackhawks tomorrow night in Montreal. Going the other way were centre Mike Comrie and wingers Peter Bondra, Todd Marchant, and Niklas Sundstrom. But the dealing wasn't done yet when, immediately after his fifth straight loss to open the season, Detroit's Peter Lacasse finally got his team under the cap with a stunning eight-player deal with the Phoenix Coyotes. The Wings will take to the ice with newcomers Colin White, Rhett Warrener, and two of the league's most promising young stars, Alexander Radulov and Mathieu Garon. Heading to Shawn Trumble's Coyotes are the bloated contracts of Jozef Stumpel, Petr Sykora, and Kim Johnsson, as well as Detroit's 16th overall pick in this year's entry draft, goaltending prospect Kari Lehtonen. Johnsson was traded for the second time in three days after arriving from Colorado in the previous blockbuster that had seen Nicklas Lidstrom leave town and Todd Bertuzzi arrive.
Tuesday, January 23, 2006
The third night of the young ECHL3 season brought winds of change to former juggernaut Detroit after GM Peter Lacasse, plagued by the salary cap, took to the ice minus top defencemen Nicklas Lidstrom, Dan McGillis, and left winger Brendan Shanahan. The exodus may have completed the moves required to get the Wings under the cap, and saw bruising winger Todd Bertuzzi, prospect winger David Booth, as well as blueliners Kim Johnsson and Eric Cairns suit up for the former President's Trophy winners. Sadly, the changes for the rebuilding Wings resulted in a 4-2 loss to the surging Pittsburg Penguins who, into their third season, remain hopeful for both a place in the playoffs and an H for their city name.
Monday, December 4, 2006
Welcome to the new ECHL3 website! Last night marked the first live draft in ECHL history with 11 attendees, one draft floor trade, and a few surprise picks along the way. Regardless of a #11 rank by central scouting the draft saw Sidney Crosby go first, taken by the Philadelphia Flyers where he's expected to play alongside last season's top pick, Alexander Ovechkin. Calgary snagged Nathan Horton second and Columbus rounded out the top three with Eric Staal. The first draft floor trade in ECHL history - and only draft floor trade of the day - saw Atlanta take Boston's #17 overall pick in exchange for defensive prospect Roman Tesliuk and Atlanta's #44 overall pick.
Our line of the night goes to Columbus GM Doug Moore:
(Nashville) nashville picks joni pitkanin
(Columbus) for how long?
(Nashville) lol
(LosAngeles) lmfao
(Buffalo) haha
(Phoenix) lmfao
(Boston) haha
The results are as follows:
Round One
01 Sidney Crosby
02 Nathan Horton
03 Eric Staal
04 Patrice Bergeron
05 Joffrey Lupul
06 Michael Ryder
07 Dion Phaneuf
08 Marek Zidlicky
09 John-Michael Liles
10 Nikolai Zherdev
11 Joni Pitkanen
12 Tuomo Ruutu
13 Nils Ekman
14 Alexander Semin
15 Henrik Lundqvist
16 Kari Lehtonen
17 Gilbert Brule
18 Cam Ward
19 Dan Hamhuis
20 Michel Ouellet
21 Chris Campoli
22 Jeff Carter
23 Duncan Keith
24 Hannu Toivonen
25 Milan Michalek
26 Carey Price
27 Tuukka Rask
28 Peter Budaj
29 Antoine Vermette
30 Bobby Ryan
Round Two
31 Thomas Vanek
32 Keith Ballard
33 Antero Niittymaki
34 Marc-Andre Fleury
35 T.J. Oshie
36 Mike Richards
37 Anze Kopitar
38 Niklas Kronwall
39 Brian Lee
40 Ryan Whitney
41 Devin Setoguchi
42 Anthony Stewart
43 Marek Zagrapan
44 Ryan Parent
45 Chris Higgins
46 Corey Perry
47 Steve Bernier
48 Joe Finley
49 Alexander Perezhogin
50 Brent Seabrook
51 Jakub Kindl
52 Alexander Steen
53 Andrew Cogliano
54 Jack Johnson
55 Anton Babchuk
56 Nicklas Bergfors
57 Ryan Getzlaf
58 Zach Parise
59 Marek Svatos
60 Sasha Pokulok
Round Three
61 Ryan Suter
62 Luc Bourdon
63 Andrei Kostsitsyn
64 Brad Boyes
65 Fedor Tyutin
66 Mikko Koivu
67 Patrick Eaves
68 Ryan O'Marra
69 Braydon Coburn
70 Jason Pominville
71 Matt Lashoff
72 Marc Staal
73 Vladimir Mihalik
74 Colby Armstrong
75 Chris Kunitz
76 Kyle Wellwood
77 Matt Niskanen
78 Steve Downie
79 R.J. Umberger
80 Jack Skille
81 Kendal Mcardle
82 Shea Weber
83 Alex Bourret
84 Martin Hanzal
85 Petr Prucha
86 Dustin Brown
87 Eric Fehr
88 Matt Pelech
89 Benoit Pouliot
90 Jussi Jokinen