Hockey Outside the Grizzlies Box - 3/10/2011

A look at some other hockey news while the Grizzlies are gearing up for their last 13 games...

AHL

The Abbotsford Heat fake traded defenseman Keith Seabrook to the Manitoba Moose for center MacGregor Sharp this week. We say "fake traded" because somehow they worked it out so that the parent clubs (Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks) retain the rights of their own players, they just go play on someone else's team for a while. We guess it's kind of like getting a foreign exchange student or something. Confusing? That's nothing compared to the ironically named "clear day list" the Heat had to submit to the AHL on Monday. From what we could gather, this is the finalized 22-man roster each team has to set for the playoffs. However, the Heat's list included several players currently on IR, and left of some that are actually getting ice time. Here's the trick - there's an "emergency conditions" provision that allows them to use players not on the list if someone gets injured. Therefore, by putting currently injured players on the list, everyone else falls into that "emergency" category, and they can keep as many players as they want. So what's the point of the 22-man clear day list? "I don't really understand it, to be quite honest with you," Abbotsford's coach Jim Playfair said. Maybe they should rename it the "clear as mud day list." Ha ha...

Abbotsford is currently in 5th place in the North Division, but they're only 5 points back of 1st place Manitoba. Says goaltender Leland Irving, "It's going to be a battle the rest of the year. In a sense, I think it's good for us because it forces us to play playoff-type hockey right up until the playoffs start. By that time, we'll be ready to go." The Heat host the leage-leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Friday and Saturday. The two teams' goalies are old buddies. For more on the Heat, check out the Heat Report.

NHL

We have to admit it - at the beginning of January we had pretty much written the Calgary Flames out of the playoffs. Long time general manager Darryl Sutter had just resigned and rumors of franchise forward Jarome Iginla being traded were about 23947 times more abundant than points in their win column. (There were a lot of rumors.) They ranked in the bottom third of the league in special teams play and had the worst road record in the Western Conference. They lost 2 of their first 3 games of 2011. But then they started something. They lost a couple in shootouts, but picked up a couple of points. Then they went on a 6 game winning streak, and they've been one of the hottest teams in the league since. They currently sit at 5th place in the Western Conference, tied in points with the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks. We've got to give them credit for turning things around. Of course, with the clown car that is the Western Conference playoff race this season, we never know who will be getting out of it, and there's still plenty of time for several teams to push their way in. Should be interesting for the Flames going down the stretch. If the playoffs started today, they'd draw the Blackhawks. Tonight they play the Coyotes in Phoenix.

Speaking of the Blackhawks, they're scheduled to meet the President at the White House tomorrow (3/11/2011) at 3:00 pm ET. Unfortunately, not all members of their Stanley Cup winning team will be available (half the team was traded or not re-signed over the summer), but they do have a few guys coming back from other teams to be honored. Following a brief ceremony, they'll be conducting a youth clinic on the south lawn with the Washington Capitals. Sounds like a security risk to us... We'd love to see the Secret Service send someone to the penalty box though.

Hockey Outside the Grizzlies Box - 2/22/2011

A quick trip around the world of hockey...

AHL

The Abbotsford Heat are still stuck at 5th place in their division with 62 points. The good news is they're only 4 points behind the division leading Hamilton Bulldogs. And the Manitoba Moose. And the Lake Eerie Monsters. We guess the standings are tight in every league right now. The Heat have won 6 of their last 10, but were only able to get one point out of last weekend, when they played two games against Oklahoma City. The Heat have a week to think about that and get some good practice in before Providence comes to town on Friday and Saturday. Maybe John Rheault can liven things up for them.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins currently lead the AHL, despite having several of their top scorers called up to the NHL to fill in for the ailing Pittsburgh Penguins. In fact, they've won their last 3 games, and just continue to plug along. You can read here about some of the thoughts they have about playing in the NHL and trying to make it stick. Just for the record, the WBS Penguins are 22 points ahead of the Abbotsford Heat. Whew...

NHL

The Calgary Flames take on the Boston Bruins tonight. Calgary is coming off of an inspiring win in the Heritage Classic, where they shut out the Montreal Canadiens 4-0. (We think maybe Carey Price's ugly mask was cursed.) The Flames had troubles earlier in the season but have since snuck into the #6 playoff spot in the Western Conference. They've won 7 of their last 10, and are showing no signs of slowing down. That's good for them, considering 9 teams in the west are within 5 points of each other, including 3 teams that are currently out of playoff position. Those teams would be the Los Angeles Kings, the Anaheim Ducks, and last year's Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks. That's some stiff competition.

The trade deadline for the NHL is next Monday, February 28th and that means deals, steals, and rumors. It's a little different for the players. In the most recent blockbuster trade between Pittsburgh (maybe they can give WBS some of its players back) and Dallas, Alex Goligoski (going to Dallas) talked a little about his feelings on the trade. James Neal and Matt Niskanen (going to Pittsburgh) got rerouted through New Jersey because of a snowstorm. Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma said, "they hopefully didn't think they got traded to the Devils." We as fans have mixed feelings about trades at every level. On one hand, we're sorry to see players go. Yet we're interested to see how the new guys fit in, and what they can do for the team. But imagine being one of the players. Former Grizzly Justin Bourne has a couple of columns here and here about what it's like to be traded. Seems like mixed feelings all the way around.

OTHER

Today (February 22nd) is the anniversary of the 1980 Olympic Miracle on Ice. This is an event that influenced not only hockey in the United States, but all over the world. It was largely viewed as one of the most important sports moments of all time. For plenty of cool links and remembrances of this event, check out USA Hockey's Miracle on Ice page. Then go home and watch Miracle.

18 more: 9 at home, 9 away

Rough weekend for the Grizzlies, losing both games to the Wranglers. Two things come to mind when thinking over these games: Shoot more, and quit taking penalties at the end of the game. Sounds easy to us, right? On Friday, Las Vegas out shot the Grizzlies in the second period by some atrocious ratio around 4,395 to 4. Saturday, the Grizzlies were leading until the last 3 minutes, when they took some penalties which lead to Las Vegas scoring 2 power play goals for the win. Like I said, sounds easy to us office working, desk sitting, internet-surfing-for-hockey-news mortals.

In happy news, Saturday's game drew a big crowd as nearly 7,000 people (and a couple hundred dogs) watched the game. Over $12,000 was raised for the Angel's Hands Foundation.

More happy news: Andrew Engelage (who was called up last week to the Toronto Marlies) won his debut on Saturday in a shoot out, and again today saving 33 of 37 shots. Way to go, Andrew. Do we keep cheering him on, hoping he continues to do well and stay at this level level, or do you want him to end up back in Utah? It's kind of a catch 22, isn't it?

Our NHL affiliate, the Calgary Flames shut-out the Montreal Canadiens in the Heritage Classic yesterday. (Totally random note: I like the set up and look of that game re-cap page) It sounds like the game was a fun (like outdoor games should be), cold game. Good thing they had heated benches! The Flames are currently in a play-off position.

Hockey Outside the Grizzlies Box - 2/8/2011

Just so we're keeping ourselves updated on other hockey-related items...


AHL



The Abbotsford Heat are currently in the middle of a 7-game-in-9-days gauntlet in which only two of those games are at home. Our guess is that they'll be switching up goaltenders a few times just to keep them fresh, so JP Lamoureux should be seeing a game or two. He's played 4 of their last 10 with a record of 1 win, 2 losses, and a shootout loss. No word as to whether or not he'll be in tonight against Hamilton. The Heat are currently 5th in the Northern Division of the AHL. That's 5th out of 7. We don't know the system in the AHL, so we're not sure where that puts them as far as the playoff picture right now, but we do know a few more wins wouldn't hurt. Maybe Ales Kotalik can get things going for them while he's in the AHL.



Elsewhere in the AHL, they're getting ready for the Whalers Hockey Fest in Conneticut. It sounds like there are going to be a lot of fun activities planned, including a few outdoor games. They've run into a little snag trying to get the outdoor rink ready in Rentschler Field though. Darn weather...



NHL



Speaking of outdoor games, the Calgary Flames are getting ready for the Heritage Classic on February 20th in which they'll play the Montreal Canadiens. We think this is sort of the Canadian version of the Winter Classic which was on New Year's Day, so it should be cool. (Pun intended.) They've called in Dan Craig, the NHL ice guru and work has begun. The Flames haven't had as strong a season as they'd have liked so far, but last night's win against the Chicago Blackhawks finally bumped them up into a playoff position. In the NHL's Western Conference, that could change on any given night, but at least for now, they're in. If they playoffs started today, they'd draw the league-leading Vancouver Canucks. Ah, fun times...



The big topic of discussion around the NHL these days (and in fact, the whole hockey world) is concussions. Commissioner Bettman announced at the GM meetings recently that concussions among players are up this season. It's had a lot of attention with Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby being out for an extended period of time due to a concussion, and Boston's Marc Savard announcing that he'll be out for the rest of the season after getting his second serious concussion in about a year. This injury is serious because it not only affects a player's season, but it could affect their career or their entire life. Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine who was forced to retire due to post-concussion syndrome gives his perspective here, and former Grizzly Justin Bourne talks about what it's like to have a concussion here. We don't know much, but we think it might be a good idea for some hockey people and some health experts sat down in a room together and tried to determine how best to handle the situation. We love seeing the hard hits as much as the next fan, but we wouldn't want any of these guys ruining the rest of their lives for our entertainment.



OTHER


And just in case you wanted a reason to celebrate, the hockey puck turned 135 years old on Monday. You can check out a video on that here. Happy birthday, hockey puck!

Paging Jake Gannon to the All-Star Classic

Our Grizzlies captain, Jake Gannon, was named an ECHL All-Star. Assuming he is off the IR (correct me if I am wrong on that one), he'll play in the All-Star game January 26, 2011 in Bakersfield. Congratulations! The game has a set up that seems a little odd: the Host team (presumably Bakersfield) will play against an All-Star team made of players from the other ECHL teams.

The Grizzlies are at home this Friday and Saturday. To ring in the new year, tickets for both games are $11. Get it? 2011= $11 tickets. Spend the night in the warmth with friends.

We're a little late with this news, but Darryl Sutter stepped down as the GM of the Calgary Flames, our NHL affiliate. Jay Feaster was appointed acting GM. The reactions from the players all seem to be bittersweet, as they are sad to see someone they have worked hard with go, but at the same time are excited to see what the future will bring with the new GM and are ready for a change.

Raise your hand if you remember Nathan Lawson. Anyone? Otherwise known as "The Beast" (at least by those of us here at GrizzBlog). Oh, you DO remember! Remember that NHL debut he had a few weekends ago? When asked what he is going to remember about that experience he replies, "Losing." The guy shouldn't be so hard on himself. He stuck it out to a shoot out, and it sounds like he is doing really well in the AHL. Here is the full article about his competitive fire. I really liked the last part, where it mentions his broken stick hanging in the equipment manager's office.

Player's reactions in Calgary

News from all sorts of places

I'm not sure if we have linked up to this yet, but here are the dates for the free family skate nights at the Maverik Center. We've watched a few of these, and everyone always seems to have a good time. And watching the little tiny tots on skates is really cute!

The AHL posted an article about our affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat. They're playing non-divisional games this weekend in the east, their first time playing in Pennsylvania. Okay, the article is mostly about the Wilkes-Barre Penguins, but it does mention that their captain is from Abbotsford.

The Calgary Flames skaters are doing a bunch of feel good things this week. It is nice to see this around Christmas time, but I think it would be awesome if more things like these happened throughout the year. Of course, who has the time?

This has nothing to do with our Grizzlies, but a local news channel had a cool article about sled hockey for wounded soldiers and their families. The National Ability Center has adapted many sports to fit the disabled population, and they teamed up with the U.S. paralympics to host these families. It's a feel good article, at a good time of year. I really liked when one of the soldiers said, "Negative." They actually say that. (Photo courtesy of KSL.com)

One last article to fill up your spare time with reading. Washington Capitals' coach Boudreau got a call from him mommy about his bad language on last night's episode of 24/7. Maybe he needs to find some new words to yell at his players.

NHL news: Trades, suspensions

Hmm..which news is bigger? Our NHL affiliate trading a player or the Grizzlies rolling out a concessions loyalty program?

Waking Brett Sutter up in jail after being hung over and punching a cab driver apparently makes him really cranky. He has been charged with alleged assault for the punching incident in Phoenix.

"I have set the wrong example not only for children who love the Flames and hockey but also for my brother who has been such a great example for me. I want to thank everyone for their support and wisdom over the past few days. It has been especially difficult because of the type of person I really am and will continue to be. "

Gee, you think? Yes, everyone make mistakes, but punching something for nothing?

Meanwhile, yesterday the Flames announced they traded Sutter (LW) and Ian White (D) to Carolina for Anton Babchuck (D) and Tom Kostopoulos (RW). The GM of the Flames is Darryl Sutter, Brett's father. Is this like a super-major time-out or grounding? Nope. All news from the Flames camp says they'd been talking about this trade since October, before the face-punching incident. I don't know much about these players, but they traded 2 common last names for 2 uncommon.

More Flames news: Olli Jokinen was suspended for cross-checking Wojtek Wolski yesterday. He'll miss the next three games against Chicago, Detroit, and the New York Rangers.

Hugo Carpentier (F) was recalled by Abbotsford today.

Have you been in agony long enough? The customer loyalty plan works like this: You have to attend a Grizz games (no kidding...) When you buy your first meal ($6 or more) you'll be given a punch card. Buy 11 more such meals and the next will be free (lucky #13). The Center Ice Boar's Head, and Angelina's stands are participating and will have rotating specials for home games.

Start your card this weekend with two home games! Friday night is $5 ticket night with a Maverick receipt, and Saturday is Military Night. The best seats have been sold for Friday! Way to go fans!



Statements by Sutter, Iginla, and the Flames
Trade news||Brett Sutter traded to Carolina
Vancouver Sun|| Article about the incident
NHL.com|| Jokinen suspended

A look at the NHL draft

We realize this is super late - we're blaming a combination of technical difficulties and travel. At least one of us needs to get our computer fixed this summer. Not saying which one.

The NHL Entry Draft took place last weekend (June 25-26) in Los Angeles. Hockey's future stars waited anxiously to see where they'd start their careers, who was interested, and what round they'd be picked in. Some would be pleasantly surprised. Others, disappointed. The memories will last forever. Just ask Ryan Smyth, Jonathan Bernier, and and Alyn McCauley.

But the players aren't the only ones under pressure. Each General Manager has to look into his crystal ball and try to guess where these guys might be in a year, three years, or five years and see how they fit into a master plan, all focused on winning hockey's ultimate prize - the Stanley Cup.

Here's how the Grizzlies affiliate teams did in the draft:

New York Islanders


The Islanders picked twice in the first round, twice in the third, and once in the fifth and seventh rounds for a total of 6 picks.

• Nino Niederreiter - right wing - #5 overall
• Brock Nelson - center - #30 overall
• Kirill Kabanov - left wing - #65 overall
• Jason Clark - center/left wing - #82 overall
• Tony Dehart - defense - #125 overall
• Cody Rosen - goal - #185 overall

Niederreiter (fitting that on a jersey will be fun) was not expected to be taken that high in the draft, even by himself, but Islanders General Manager Garth Snow said, "Nino was extremely impressive in the World Junior Championships playing for Team Switzerland, using his size to create space. He is a big power-foward who will add size to our lineup for years to come." Also, "He's a really great kid." And he's been dubbed "El Nino" - bonus. A surprised Niederreiter commented, "This is just a great team. I couldn't be happier to be with the Islanders." He also let slip during his interview that he figured the Islanders were going to pick Cam Fowler, who went at #12 to the Anaheim Ducks. "El Nino" is the highest drafted Swiss-born player ever. [More on the Niederreiter pick.] (Thanks to Canadian Press for the picture - couldn't find his draft portrait for some reason.)

Also picked in the first round was center Brock Nelson. The Islanders traded up a few spots to get to 30 so they could select him. But the biggest story of the Islanders' draft was the 65th overall pick - Kirill Kabanov. Billed as a player with tons of talent, he could have gone in the first round, but slipped to the third because of some behavioral issues. The Islanders were the team brave enough to give him a shot. Kabanov seemed happy to get a second chance to prove himself. "It's a new book," he said, smiling. For more on the Kabanov pick, read here.

Calgary Flames

Due to trades, the Flames didn't have any picks until the third round. They picked twice in the third, twice in the fourth, and once each in the fifth and seventh rounds.

• Maxwell Reinhart - center - #64 overall
• Joey Leach - defense - #73 overall
• John Ramage - defense - #102 overall
• Bill Arnold - center - #108 overall
• Michael Ferland - left wing - #133 overall
• Patrick Holland - right wing - #193 overall

Four of the Flames' newest members visited the Saddledome on Wednesday, June 30 to meet with the Calgary media. Funny thing - all four of them had been there before. For Ferland, at least, this time was more fun - the last time he was in the building, his team was beat by the Hitmen. Read a little more about their press conference here.


General consensus seems to be that the Islanders did pretty well for themselves in the draft this year. Because of Calgary's odd distribution of picks, there wasn't a lot of talk about their draft. Of course, nobody will know for a few years who really had a successful draft and who didn't. While the hope is that all of these guys will end up in the NHL, we wouldn't complain if they did a little time in the ECHL first... just so we could get a preview of what's coming. We got a pretty good glimpse of Mikko Koskinen (drafted #31 overall by the Islanders, 2009) last season when he was assigned to the Grizzlies after an injury to get some ice time, so it's possible we could see some of the new guys in Utah at some point too. (Koskinen picture from Islanders Point Blank.)

Some other interesting facts about the draft...

• The US had 59 players selected in this year's draft. That's the highest number yet. Canada had 99 players selected.


• Four of those draftees were born and raised in California.


• 22 players drafted were developed in the United States high school systems.

Hockey is getting bigger down here in middle North America, and the caliber of players the US is producing is improving every year. The development programs are improving here, and scouts are liking what they see. That means our young hockey players have a better chance of making it to the NHL, even from a non-hockey market, as long as they are dedicated and work hard. You don't have to move to Canada anymore to have a shot. Of course, there's still that little matter of Olympic gold...

Next time, Canada.

Hockeyworld! 3/30/2010

AHL
Abbotsford Heat

• Abbotsford head coach Jim Playfair had a meltdown in their March 27th game against the Hamilton Bulldogs. (Seriously, watch the video.) He's since apologized, but the tirade earned him a fine from the AHL.


• Abbotsford is currently in 3rd place in the North Division. They have lost their last five games, including last night to Manitoba, who they play again tonight. They play six more games this season, including tonight.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers

• The Sound Tigers have announced that Pascal Morency is their Man of the Year for 2009-2010.


• Bridgeport is currently in 5th place in the Atlantic Division. They are tied with the Lowell Devils at 82 points, but they have played one more game, so Lowell sits at 4th. One of their last five games is against the Devils - that could be an exciting game.

Our AHL Features

• The top four teams in each division of the AHL will make it into the Calder Cup playoffs. More information on playoff qualifications here. Other interesting facts about the Calder Cup here.



• The AHL is getting ready to hand out individual awards for the 2009-2010 season.



• Affiliations can get confusing from season to season.

NHL

Calgary Flames

• Ian White's moustache has become a legend in Calgary. If you ask us, he's got a way to go before he catches up with the Ducks' George Parros.

• For a team that has been struggling to get into playoff position, the Flames sure looked good against the NHL-leading Washington Capitals last weekend.


• The Flames are currently four points out of a playoff spot behind the Colorado Avalanche. They have six more games left in the season. Their next game is at home against the Phoenix Coyotes, who are currently in 4th place in the Western Conference.

New York Islanders

• The Islanders are recruiting kids to sell tickets for them. Or something.


• The Islanders are currently in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. Yet another year they won't be making the playoffs. They still have seven games left, so keep on cheering. They've won their last two. Their next game is a rivalry match against the probably also not making the playoffs New York Rangers. Can you say "spoiler"?

Our NHL Features

• In an effort to extend their fan base, the Detroit Red Wings have started importing people from Brazil.


• Get to know the Atlanta Thrashers defenseman Zach Bogosian.


• Special Canucks feature for Richard's birthday - Guess who is leading the NHL scoring race? No, not Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin - it's Vancouver's Henrik Sedin. Just for fun, why not get to know Henrik... and twin brother Daniel. Can't have one without the other, right? (And let's throw in Ryan Kesler too, just for the fun of it.) The Canucks are currently 3rd in the Western Conference. They play tonight against 4th place Phoenix. Happy Birthday, Richard!
  
  

MISCELLANEOUS

• Ever wonder what goes into building a state of the art arena? Check out the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh as it gets closer to completion.

Hockeyworld! 3/8/2010

AHL

Abbotsford Heat

• The Heat recently hosted the finals for the Pee Wee Division Light the Lamp Shootout. They also hosted the finals for the Atom Division.


• Heat forward Riley Armstrong was traded to the Detroit Red Wings organization and was assigned to Grand Rapids. Says Armstrong, "It's a big change for me - packing up from out of nowhere, moving all my clothes out in one day right now. It's a lot on the mind, a lot on the body." Those of you who understand our affinity for "Li'l Army" will also understand when we say we don't know how we feel about this.


• The latest Heat Report.


• The Heat's next two games are at home against the Lake Erie Monsters on Friday and Saturday. They are currently third in their division, two spots and two points ahead of Lake Erie.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers

• If you see the Tigers wearing hats off the ice, here's why.

The Sound Tigers have to be ready for anything at short notice.

Trevor Gillies will probably be called up for the Islanders' next game against the Flyers.

Bridgeport's next two games are at Norfolk. They are currently in fifth place in their division and have won 6 of their last 10 games.

Our AHL Features

• Former Grizzly Justin Bourne explains how the money works when players go back and forth from the farm to the "big show".


• You can take the boy out of hockey...

NHL

Calgary Flames

• Greasy goals are on the menu in Calgary. Tasty...


• If you're going to be in Calgary on Thursday, go to a Flames game. You could win the jersey off their backs.


• The Flames are one point out of a playoff spot as of today. The team they're trailing is the Detroit Red Wings, who they play Tuesday in a classic red team battle. We wonder how Li'l Army feels about this.

New York Islanders

• Rookie John Tavares and veteran Doug Weight are best buddies.


• It's official - the Islanders have recalled Trevor Gillies from Bridgeport for Tuesday's game against the Flyers. Not officially an orange team battle, but we do expect this game to have an orange flavor.


• Here's the game preview from the Islanders' official website. The Islanders are... not in last place, but they are 12 points behind Philadelphia in the conference standings. They've lost their last two games.

Our NHL Features

Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks (and the USA Olympic hockey team) will be on the cover of NHL2K11.



• If you can stop 49 shots on goal, plus a few in the shootout, you just might beat the Washington Capitals. "It's not going to be every night that your goalie's going to wear a mask and steal a game for you," Dallas's head coach said. We're not exactly sure what he means by that. Andy Brown might.


• The last day of the NHL's regular season is April 11th.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Believe it or not, there is an ice rink in St. George, Utah. We so have to try that someday.

Hockeyworld! 2/9/2010

AHL

Abbotsford Heat

The Heat have had a lot of injuries lately.

• Head Coach Jim Playfair participated in the Olympic Torch Relay. (photo courtesy of Abbotsford News)


• The Heat most recently split a pair of games with the Chicago Wolves and dropped one to the Toronto Marlies on Monday night. They host the Marlies for one more game before going on the road for the rest of February.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers

• The Sound Tigers have borrowed Ryan Kinasewich from Utah. We're guessing he's filling in for Matt Martin or Jesse Joensuu who were called up by the Islanders on Monday.


• Bridgeport has lost eight of its last ten games, including three in overtime and three shootouts. They play three times next weekend, with games on Friday (in Bridgeport), Saturday (in Hartford) and Sunday (in Bridgeport).

Our AHL Features

• The Syracuse Crunch will be hosting the Binghamton Senators in the first ever outdoor game in AHL history. The Mirabito Outdoor Classic will be held at the New York State Fairgrounds on February 20, 2010 at 1:00 pm.


• AHL players Yannick Weber, Andres Ambuhl and Kaspars Daugavins will be representing their countries in the upcoming Olympics.

NHL

Calgary Flames

• The Flames and Hitmen combined to raise over $100,000 for the relief effort in Haiti.


• Jerome Iginla and Daymond Langkow are what we'd call veterans.


• The Flames play the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa tonight. The Senators recently got shut out 5-0 by the Toronto Maple Leafs. (We don't really get either of those two team names. What - the Leafs flutter into the faces of the Senators who fall off their podiums while giving speeches?)

New York Islanders

• In what has to be one of the oddest promotions we've ever heard of, the New York Islanders are offering free flu shots to anyone attending tonight's game.


• Mark Streit made the day of a Swiss team getting ready to compete in an International PeeWee tournament.


• The Islanders play the Nashville Predators tonight.

Our NHL Features

• Fans voted for their favorite NHL commercials. Click here to see the results.

• The snowstorm along the east coast last weekend caused a lot of travel problems for teams trying to play in Washington DC, including a bus crash involving the Atlanta Thrashers and an oil truck. So much for Bruce Boudreau's comment that a bus ride never hurt anyone. (Thankfully, no one was injured in this particular bus ride.) Maybe they can ship some of the snow to Vancouver for the Olympics.

INTERNATIONAL

• The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver open on Friday, February 12th. NBC has television listings for all sports - just put in your zip code and television provider.


• Click here for the full Olympic rosters for Men's Ice Hockey.

USA HOCKEY

• In addition to the Olympics, the Labatt Blue/USA Hockey Pond Hockey National Championships will begin on Friday.

Hockeyworld! 2/3/2010

AHL



Abbotsford Heat

• The Heat have had some roster changes recently.
• The Houston Aeros and goalie Wade Dubielewicz (who used to play for Bridgeport) put the Heat down under .500 by beating them in their last game. The Heat next play two games against the Chicago Wolves in Abbotsford.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Islanders goaltender Martin Biron will join Bridgeport for a conditioning stint this weekend. (He used to play for the Flyers.)

Check out their January highlight reel. Their music is pretty cool, but we recommend watching it with the sound off to other random music. Our favorite was to something that sounded like a piano from the old silent movie days.

• Bridgeport has a five-game losing streak going, although three of those came in shootouts. Their next game is Friday in Springfield.

Our AHL Features

• Because the AHL doesn't take a break for the Olympics like the NHL does, some AHL games will be broadcast on XM radio during February. In addition, NHL Network will be showing some AHL games at the end of February and March as the Calder Cup Playoff race heats up. You can catch Bridgeport on XM radio, and Abbotsford on NHL Network.

NHL

Calgary Flames

• There have been a couple of changes in Calgary in recent days. A little trade with Toronto, and then one with the New York Rangers. 35.8% of the people who answered a poll on the Flames' website think the deal with Toronto was a bad trade. Reactions on the trade with New York are mixed. Opinions in general run rampant. (Frankly, we're just a little tired of discussing trades.)
• The Flames host the Carolina Hurricanes tonight. Even though the 'Canes are currently sitting at 29th in the NHL, they have a better record over their last 10 games than Calgary does. Ouch.

New York Islanders

• The Islanders will spend part of their training camp next season in China. That's a long flight. They'd better not complain about their travel schedule next season.
• The Islanders have waived Brendan Witt. They'd better watch their backs - this is the same guy that got hit by a truck in Philadelphia and played that same night.
• The Islanders next meet Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Our NHL Features

• We're not sure why anything Alex Ovechkin's father says is worthy of a news story on NHL.com, let alone this doozy where he compares Alexander Semin to a panther... but whatever.
• The Vancouver Canucks are about to embark on an epic journey.



• It's unanimous - Ryan Getzlaf has a nice car.

INTERNATIONAL

• Canada's Olympic hockey team are just regular guys.
• Nine days until the Vancouver Winter Olympics start.

Hockeyworld! 1/19/2010

AHL

Abbotsford Heat


The Heat will finish up an eight game home stand after the AHL All-Star break. So far they've split it with three losses and three wins, including a big comeback win against the Lake Erie Monsters. (We don't know why, but we really like the Monsters' logo.) The Heat's next two games will be against the Houston Aeros.


Bridgeport Sound Tigers

• With Mark Katic injured, Sound Tigers defenseman Dustin Kohn is representing Bridgeport at the AHL All-Star Game.
• Even though Katic will be staying behind, here's a little bit of info about him. (We had to look up Steve Prefontaine. Scott Niedermayer we know.)
• After the break, the Sound Tigers will try to snap a four game losing streak in Albany against the River Rats.

Our AHL Features

• The AHL All-Star Game in Portland is tonight (1/19/2010), and there are several options if you want to tune in. Several TV stations are broadcasting it this year, so check your listings and see if any are available for you.
• The All-Star Skills Competition was yesterday, and you can check out the highlights here. Team Canada beat Planet USA 18-12.
• The AHL inducted four new Hall of Famers today. Congratulations!

NHL

Calgary Flames

• In case you haven't heard, the Flames got put out in the Shark Tank last night. *fizzle* They've now lost five in a row.
• The Calgary Hitmen will not only host the Lethbridge Hurricanes, but also the Olympic torch on its way to Vancouver. Maybe they'll shoot off the playoff flames to welcome it.

New York Islanders

• The Flames may have been bad last night, but the Islanders shut out the Atlantic Division-leading New Jersey Devils to the tune of 4-0. Could Rick DiPietro finally be healthy?
• Matt Moulsen has found his niche in Long Island.
• The Islanders play tonight (1/19/2010) against the reigning champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Kris Letang thinks that stinks. Or something...

Our NHL Features

• Where is your favorite NHL team in the standings?
• The LA Kings have super socks.


• Six out of ten games had goalies pulled last night (1/18/2010).
• This is how you put an opponent down... and keep him down. (Safely, of course.)

INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY

• Only 24 days to go until the Olympics in Vancouver, BC.

USA HOCKEY

• Hockey Weekend Across America is coming up (January 29-31, 2010). Reebok Hockey is having a contest where kids can win equipment for their videos about Why Hockey Rocks. Check out the videos, and vote for your favorites.

Hockeyworld! 1/5/2010

AHL

Abbotsford Heat

• Right wing Jason Jaffray was recalled by the Calgary Flames on Monday, January 4. Jaffray leads the Heat in practically everything. He was recently announced as an AHL All-Star. We're assuming that means he'll be back in time for the All-Star game.


• The Heat won their last game against the Houston Aeros in overtime. It's the first overtime win ever for the Heat (since moving to Abbotsford this season). Abbotsford's record is currently 18-16-2-3. Their next game is at home on Friday against the Texas Stars.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers

Goaltender Rick DiPietro, who had been rehabbing in Bridgeport, was finally recalled to the Islanders and is practicing with the team. His save percentage in four games with Bridgeport was .883. Considering Bridgeport regulars Scott Munroe and former Grizzly Nathan "The Beast" Lawson have save percentages of .926 and .929 respectively, we're thinking Bridgeport will be happy to get them back in the net.

• Speaking of Bridgeport's goalies, the AHL had nice things to say about them.


• Get to know former Grizzly and Bridgeport defenseman Jon Gleed. We'd like to see those commercials.


• Bridgeport's current record is 19-16-1-2. They've lost their last three games. Their next two are back to back against Springfield this weekend.

Our AHL Features

• The Hershey Bears are currently on a 10 game winning streak. Is it just us, or does this article make you hungry?

NHL

Calgary Flames

• The Flames had a fun time getting through airport security this morning on their way to Nashville. (Anyone see the dog in the picture?)


• The news this weekend was all Olympics, and the Flames have four representatives going - Jerome Iginla will play for Team Canada, Miikka Kiprusoff and Olli Jokinen will play for Team Finland, and Peter Maher, the voice of the Flames, will call the games for Rogers Radio Network.


• The Flames' record is currently 25-12-5, and their next game is against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.

New York Islanders

• We know the Islanders got goaltender Rick DiPietro back, but when will he play again?


• Islanders defenseman Mark Streit will be playing for Team Switzerland in the Olympics.


• Could the Islanders be in the 2011 Winter Classic?

Our NHL Features

• All six Canadian teams are playing in the NHL tonight.


• Check out Erik Christensen's one-handed goal for the New York Rangers last night.


• We don't know who the Sarks are, but they have lots of guys going to the Olympics:

INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY

World Junior Championships

• The World Junior Championship gold medal round will be played tonight (Tuesday, January 5) between USA and Canada. If you get the NHL Network, we highly recommend watching it. The Islanders have three prospects in the tournament - Calvin de Haan (Canada), Travis Hamoric (Canada) and Matt Donovan (USA) - although de Haan and Hamoric will be out with injuries (de Haan - head, Hamoric - shoulder). The Flames have center prospect Greg Neimsz playing for Team Canada.
  

MISCELLANEOUS

• We can't tell you how excited we were to find out that there is a team in Germany called Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg. We feel like we should adopt them or something.