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Significance of the NHL’s 2010 Research, Development and Orientation Camp

August 13th, 2010

Toronto is getting ready to host the NHL’s 2010 Research, Development and Orientation Camp next week. The event is so big that Gatorade is actually sponsoring the event! Granted, Gatorade sponsors anything with young hockey players but it’s still pretty cool, right? On second thought, they’d probably sponsor Neverland Ranch if those kids wore skates…

Uhhh, anyways… (how does one transition from that?!?!)…

Part of the excitement behind the 2010 Research, Development and Orientation Camp (RDO for short) is due to the fact that next summer’s top draft-eligible prospects will participate in the two day event. The consensus from all the hockey fans I’ve spoken to is no one really cares. But today, I’d like to explain the RDO’s significance to you:

  • If this event goes well in Canada, it’s very likely the NHL will bring it to the US, make it an annual tradition and start taking it seriously.
  • This entire event is a mirror image of Gary Bettman’s corporate philosophy: Fix what’s not broken and ignore what really needs attention. Brilliant, Gary.
  • Pro scouts can use this two day event as a good measuring stick for prospects future weight, height and nurse outfit size.
  • Media, bloggers and Brian Burke can get a closer look at who else the Toronto Maple Leafs won’t be drafting next summer.
  • RDO organizer, Brendan Shanahan, has said he hopes the camp will encourage new coaching strategies and offensive innovations. And then he hired Ken Hitchcock to run the event.
  • The New York Islanders intend to hire Mike Milbury to serve as a special advisor to their scouting team during the event. The Islanders staff will ask Milbury who he would trade in order to rank the top talent.
  • One of the lesser discussed camp seminars will teach top rated prospects to continue working hard and taking training seriously to avoid one day surpassing Wade Redden as the high paid AHL player of all time.
  • Every NHL team will send their scouting departments to this event to make note of the young, upcoming talent. Everyone except the Calgary Flames, who are still using the Sutter brothers “only if they’ve played for us before” policy.
  • NHL scouts and GM’s will get a first hand look at how these kids deal with adversity like changing rules, shifting crease sizes, wider blue lines and more. It will feel just like any Stephane Auger officiated NHL game.

Stay classy, 2010 Research, Development and Orientation Camp.

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The Good UFAs

May 4th, 2010

Close to 1 million search results come up when you Google “Worst NHL contracts“. I know – ouch.

Upon clicking through the first few links (Puck Daddy has a good one, as does NHL Snipers… and so does a little site named Stayclassy.net), it’s apparent a fair chunk of these so called “worst contracts, ever” were signed on July 1st. I know – ouch, again.

I’m not all that surprised, and I’m guessing you aren’t either. For all the crappy (and I mean really crappy) contracts July 1st seems to breed, there are some good ones, too (I stress some). Today, I want to look at two UFA signings from last summer that are fair in length and dollars that have made a very big impact on their respective teams.

Mikael Samuelsson - one of the good UFA signings in 2009!

Mikael Samuelsson – Vancouver Canucks
For whatever reason, Mike Gillis seems to have a knack for getting Swedish born players to put on a Canucks jersey (Sedins, Mats Sundin, Samuelsson and others). Gillis has signed some great deals for Vancouver, but perhaps none better than Mikael Samuelsson’s 3-year $7.5 Million contract last summer. That’s a cap hit of $2.5 Million per season for a player who scored 30 goals and registered 53 points in 74 games this year. $2.5 Million for a top 6 forward who brings leadership, a Stanley Cup ring and the ability to score clutch goals is an absolute steal. Money and contract aside, this was a great signing because Samuelsson gives the Canucks different options on line combo’s and is very responsible defensively – a nice trait many Canuck forwards have. He’s a great fit with the team and an excellent UFA signing by the Vancouver Canucks.

Mike Cammalleri - one of the good UFA signings 2009!

Mike Cammalleri – Montreal Canadiens
In my opinion, the biggest reason the Calgary Flames missed the 2010 Playoffs was due to a lack of goal scoring from an underrated forward named Mike Cammalleri. Essentially, the Flames chose Jay Bouwmeester over Cammalleri last summer and are now paying the price. Meanwhile, Cammalleri has been one of the Canadien’s top goal scorers, hitting the back of the net 26 times in a shortened 65 game season. Cammalleri is more than capable of being a consistent 40 goal scorer in the NHL if healthy. People have said a lot about Bob Gainey this year, but this was one the better signings he’s made in years. Cammalleri will be a Montreal Canadien for at least 4 seasons and carries a cap hit of $6 Million (the same cap hit Alex Sem0n carries…). Cammalleri is helping lead the Canadiens on and off the ice in a somewhat surprising Playoff run this year. Cammalleri is a dynamic forward, very versatile and doesn’t give up on plays. It’s also worth noting Cammalleri’s willingness and availability for interviews (good ones – not crusty Scott Gomez interviews) and the way he’s embraced the city of Montreal by tweeting everything in French and English. A solid signing last summer by the Montreal Canadiens.

Aside from Cammalleri and Samuelsson, players like Brian Gionta, Taylor Pyatt, Todd Bertuzzi and Craig Anderson have been key signings from last summer as well. Who are your top UFA signings from 2009?

Stay classy, Mikael Samuelsson and Mike Cammalleri. There are such things as good UFA signings… sometimes.

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Shaving chests and the Calgary Flames

April 7th, 2010

Generally speaking, when it comes to my friends and I, we’re usually one drink away from a bad decision. Something Dion Phaneuf can probably relate to. So after an evening of drinking and trying to one-up each others stupid bets,  you know something regrettable is about to happen. It always works that way.

And because I’m writing about it, it’s obvious that this regrettable incident happened to me. In saying that, this story doesn’t have to be about me and only me. As you may have guessed from the title of today’s blog, this story also involves the Calgary Flames. Oh, and shaving chests. I can’t believe I didn’t mention that sooner.

Some back story you should know. I carried around a pretty hairy chest for a few years. Imagine George Parros’ mustache spanning from my neck down to my belly button with the tenacity of Daniel Alfredsson’s old curly blond locks. This picture should help fill the gaps.

George Parros-Daniel Alfredsson

Left- George Parros; right- Daniel Alfredsson

Last Saturday night, my chest hair was shaved into an inverted arrow pointing downwards (basically, the arrow was all hair). And while it wasn’t some clever metaphor about the Flames decline over recent years, it very well could have been. Then last night, the combination of the Flames losing against the Sharks and the Avalanche shootout win over the Canucks killed Calgary’s 2010 post-season hopes.

With the Flames officially eliminated from this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, it means all aspects of the Flames organization should and will be thoroughly evaluated… much like my chest was once all the hair was shaved off last Saturday. In a weird and slightly disgusting way, the failed 2009-2010 season is the Flames version of a shaved chest. All the excess hair and noise can be trimmed, cropped and completely reduced to create a better foundation. Then with drafting, development and key free agent signings, a properly molded chest can grow and be cultivated. And this will take some time too. A full rebuild is needed in Calgary.

Personally, I’m glad the Flames missed the playoffs. It’s not that I don’t like the Flames, it’s that I don’t like the Sutters and I don’t believe they understand the new NHL. I believe they’ve made some very bad trades/acquisitions over the years. It’s possible the full organizational shuffle that might happen now that the Flames have missed the playoffs might not have happened if Calgary lucked their way into the final Western Conference playoff position. Again, I think that’s a good thing for the long term future of the Calgary Flames.

There isn’t a moral to this story. Come to think of it, this is more of an example of how stupid my friends and I are, more than a explanation behind a miserable Flames season. But hopefully for the sake of Flames fans, you can take some comfort in knowing someone else did something even dumber than building a bad hockey team and missing the playoffs. Anyone up for a drink?

Stay classy, Calgary Flames.

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Tips from your boss after getting laid off

March 31st, 2010

Hello again! It’s been a little while and I’ve missed you… almost as much as you’ve missed me.

Wow. I type less than 20 words and already I’ve made things awkward. New record. Anyways, as many of you guys know, I’ve been dealing with some personal stuff over the last few weeks. Thanks to all of you who sent kind messages, texts, emails, tweets, etc… I sincerely appreciate that. It’s actually the main reason I’m back so soon!

I’m a pretty honest guy. I share things about myself more than I probably should. Today serves as a good example of that. About a month ago, I was laid off from my job. Although the whole process was rough, nothing outdid the parting words from my boss. Along with the “sorry to let you go” speech, I was given a few tips for my upcoming job search and feedback from my tenure with the company in a hand written diary. Today, I’d like to share some of those tips with you. The diary said…

  • Don’t foolishly tell anyone who’ll listen “I will be back next year, after I take the rest of this year off”. (I was also warned not to become the new Octane 7.0 spokesperson).
  • Your No Movement Clause doesn’t hold up in crappy performances and bad economy’s…
  • After I finish unfairly firing you, please don’t do any Alex Burrows impressions.
  • We weren’t prepared to trade you for future considerations, so we simply bought out your contract.
  • Don’t watch those YouTube video’s made by Olli Jokinen called “Starting new jobs right: How to impress your new bosses”.
  • Don’t sleep in on work days like Shane O’Brien does.
  • Tell any company interested in your services that you are a Top 10 Hobey Baker finalist. Not only will you get dozens of job offers, but you’ll also get much larger offers for nothing!
  • Avoid all management examples found in Mike Milbury’s instructional DVD “Recognizing talent: Building solid organizations step-by-step”.
  • Don’t do job interviews using Chat Roulette.
  • Start all job interviews by acknowledging that Tomas Kaberle will not be asked to waive his No Trade Clause and make it clear you won’t talk about this subject any more. Then, every six or seven minutes, talk about Tomas Kaberle, his No Trade Clause and why Phil Kessel is so great.
  • Think twice about hiring Alan Walsh to be your new agent.
  • To impress potential hiring managers and future co-workers, pick up a copy of Ron Wilson’s new book “Making analogies that no one really understands”.
  • Avoid getting motivational pep-talks from Jim Playfair.
  • Whenever you land your next job, don’t hire all your brothers. It’s like the kiss of death. Just ask the Calgary Flames.
  • Make 3 different resumes for the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club. They are hiring players who can “not get hurt all the time”, coaches who can win more than 25 games per year and a GM who can avoid signing crippling contracts. No previous experience is necessary and they need candidates to start immediately.
  • Don’t read the book “Job Security: How to stay in the same organization for years” by Mike Sillinger.
  • In job interviews, tell everyone your previous employer was like the Toronto Maple Leafs and that you are a similar talent to Lee Stempniak. Just make sure you aren’t being interviewed by Pierre McGuire.

I’m back, bitches!!! Now tell all of your friends.

Stay classy, crappy old job.

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Improving the NHL: Things we’ve learned from the Olympics

March 5th, 2010

It’s been a busy week, hasn’t it? The second the Olympics ended, the NHL trade deadline came and went… and sucked. This year’s trade deadline reminded me a lot of the TV show Lost – far too much anticipation leading up to it, not nearly enough transpired within the time frame, I’m left with more questions than answers and I’m hoping the next one will be much better.  Not very funny? OK, fine. This year’s trade deadline reminded me of the TV show Grey’s Anatomy – a bunch of things happened, but none of it really mattered. Still not very funny? OK, fine. I’m just an idiot.

Anyways, now that the NHL’s regular season has returned, it’s made me realize we could all learn a few things from the Olympics. Here’s a few things I’ve noted. Feel free to add your observations in the comments section, too.

  • 4-on-4 overtime is the way to go for every game. It’d be nice to see the NHL adopt this rule for the playoffs.
  • Marian Hossa can’t win in International Hockey, either. The 4th place finish at the Olympics marks the 3rd major championship he came so close to winning. This has to be one of the cruelest curses ever.
  • Jaroslav Halak still isn’t a number one goalie. He’s almost there, but crumbles when such a title is within reach.
  • This year’s winner of the Robert Reichel award: Pavel Demitra.
  • Less is more. Let’s reduce the number of teams that make the playoffs to increase the quality of series’. Or reduce the number of teams in the NHL. I’m actually serious on this one.
  • Gary Bettman can still screw things up, even when he’s not running the tournament. Look no further than how he answers the question “Will the NHL be involved in the 2014 Olympics in Russia?”
  • Shorter broadcasts was great. Reduced breaks between whistles, one TV time out per period and shorter intermissions saved me a lot of time. Watching hockey on TV should never be a 3 hour event. Also, the shorter intermissions meant less camera times for certain TV analysts who can seemingly talk forever!
  • Judging by select goaltending performances, I’m confident the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks won’t be getting far in the playoffs this year. Just a hunch.
  • Ron Wilson *may* actually know what he’s doing. Not 100% sure yet.

What did you learn from the Olympics, now that the NHL has returned?

Stay classy, NHL.

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NHL Classy Power Rankings – Week 20

February 15th, 2010

Welcome to the final Classy Power Rankings prior to the Olympics! This week, the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators move up, while the Tampa Bay Lightning and Minnesota Wild take a slide downwards.

Scroll down to see how your favourite teams measure up at the break. Please note this will be the last Power Rankings for a few weeks – the Classy Power Rankings will return on Monday March 8th, once the NHL season resumes.

NHL Classy Power Rankings – Week 20

30.  Edmonton Oilers (last week: 30)
29.  Toronto Maple Leafs (last week: 28)
28.  New York Islanders (last week: 27)
27.  Carolina Hurricanes (last week: 29)
26.  Florida Panthers (last week: 26)

The Carolina Hurricanes have been playing their best hockey of the season recently, going 8-2 in their last 10 games. All this while the Toronto Maple Leafs lost both of their games this week. In other news, the Florida Panthers management recently sent out a letter to all season ticket holders explaining large changes will be made to their roster soon. Hmmmm…

25.  Columbus Blue Jackets (last week: 25)
24.  Atlanta Thrashers (last week: 23)
23.  Tampa Bay Lightning (last week: 17)
22.  New York Rangers (last week: 22)
21.  Montreal Canadiens (last week: 18)

The Tampa Bay Lightning keep bouncing in and out of playoff contention with inconsistent play. The New York Rangers have won two straight games and are just outside of the 8th spot in the East. The Montreal Canadiens, who are holding down the 8th position in the Conference, traded a second round draft pick for Dominic Moore (of the Panthers)… why do teams keep trading second round draft picks for Moore?

20.  Minnesota Wild (last week: 16)
19.  St. Louis Blues (last week: 21)
18.  Boston Bruins (last week: 24)
17.  Anaheim Ducks (last week: 19)
16.  Detroit Red Wings (last week: 14)

The Boston Bruins seem to have found their stride, having won their last four games, while the Anaheim Ducks continue to move closer to the playoffs. Ryan Getzlaf appears to be OK after having a sprained ankle scare earlier this week. At this point in the Western Conference, I’m starting to believe the Ducks are the only team outside of the playoffs who can make the post-season.

15.  Philadelphia Flyers (last week: 20)
14.  Dallas Stars (last week: 15)
13.  Calgary Flames (last week: 12)
12.  Nashville Predators (last week: 13)
11.  Buffalo Sabres (last week: 11)

This is where it gets tight. The Philadelphia Flyers have done a nice job moving up, thanks to four straight wins.  The Dallas Stars, Buffalo Sabres, Nashville Predators and Calgary Flames all remain in the top 15 going into the Olympic break.

10.  Pittsburgh Penguins (last week: 9)
9.  Ottawa Senators (last week: 10)
8.  Colorado Avalanche (last week: 8)
7.  Vancouver Canucks (last week: 7)
6.  New Jersey Devils (last week: 6)

The Ottawa Senators move up one spot this week thanks to big wins over the Capitals and Islanders. The New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils stay pat in their respective positions.

5.  Phoenix Coyotes (last week: 5)
4.  Los Angeles Kings (last week: 3)
3.  Chicago Blackhawks (last week: 4)
2.  San Jose Sharks (last week: 2)
1.  Washington Capitals (last week: 1)

The Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks swap positions this week, while the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals hold down the top two positions in the Classy Power Rankings. The Blackhawks, Sharks and Capitals are starting to pull away from the pack in the NHL points race. They are the class of the league.

Stay classy, NHL Power Rankings.

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NHL Classy Power Rankings – Week 19

February 8th, 2010

In a week that saw the Ottawa Senators and Phoenix Coyotes win streaks snapped, the Los Angeles Kings and Washington Capitals continued theirs with come from behind victories over the weekend! This past week also saw a few trades made between the Flyers/Red Wings, Rangers/Flames and Hurricanes/Sharks. Read below to find out who was dealt.

This week, the Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers suffer drops while the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings all move up in the Classy Rankings.

NHL Classy Power Rankings – Week 19

30.  Edmonton Oilers (last week: 30)
29.  Carolina Hurricanes (last week: 28)
28.  Toronto Maple Leafs (last week: 29)
27.  New York Islanders (last week: 26)
26.  Florida Panthers (last week: 17)

It was a busy week for this group of teams last week. The Toronto Maple Leafs ushered in a few new faces (with immediate impact) and the Carolina Hurricanes traded Nicolas Wallin to the San Jose Sharks. The Edmonton Oilers won two games and Sheldon Souray has reportedly given the team a list of trade destinations he’d lift his no trade clause for. There are some other reports that indicate the Oilers could be close to dealing captain Ethan Moreau.

25.  Columbus Blue Jackets (last week: 27)
24.  Boston Bruins (last week: 25)
23.  Atlanta Thrashers (last week: 21)
22.  New York Rangers (last week: 24)
21.  St. Louis Blues (last week: 20)

Obviously, the Boston Bruins are the standout club in this group of under achieving teams. It’s looking more and more possible that Boston will have two top 10 draft picks this summer at the NHL Entry Draft. The Columbus Blue Jackets finally fired coach Ken Hitchcock – a decision that seemed like it had been coming since week two of the season. Oh, and Glen Sather traded for Olli Jokinen… another sound move by the GM Mark Messier will eventually replace.

20.  Philadelphia Flyers (last week: 18)
19.  Anaheim Ducks (last week: 19)
18.  Montreal Canadiens (last week: 22)
17.  Tampa Bay Lightning (last week: 23)
16.  Minnesota Wild (last week: 16)

The Philadelphia Flyers added more forward depth trading for Red Wings forward Ville Leino (yeah – that’s exactly what they needed, more forwards!). One has to wonder if they have any trades up their sleeves prior to the March 3rd NHL trade deadline. The Tampa Bay Lightning jump up this week with three straight wins and a terrific home record. Don’t look now, but Rich Tocchet has the Lightning sitting 7th in the Eastern Conference. In other Lightning news, they appear to have a new owner who’s almost guaranteed to “not suck as much” as the previous ownership group, OK Hockey.

15.  Dallas Stars (last week: 15)
14.  Detroit Red Wings (last week: 13)
13.  Nashville Predators (last week: 12)
12.  Calgary Flames (last week: 14)
11.  Buffalo Sabres (last week: 5)

The Calgary Flames have started to turn things around a bit, following a big time roster shake up. As of writing this, they find themselves back in the playoffs. The Buffalo Sabres suffer a big drop this week after losing their last four games. Also, the Detroit Red Wings traded Ville Leino to Philadelphia on Saturday as a way to clear cap space for Johan Franzen.

10.  Ottawa Senators (last week: 10)
The Ottawa Senators won two of three games last week, keeping them in the Weekly top 10. The Sens managed to set a franchise best 11 game winning streak… and then blew it to the Leafs on Saturday night. When you consider all the strong rosters the Senators have had over the last decade, did you ever think this year’s club was the one who could win 11 straight games? Ottawa’s previous best was eight straight wins. And a day after the disastrous 5-0 loss to the Leafs, Jonathan Cheechoo won the shooting accuracy event at the Sens skills competition on Sunday hitting four targets in four shots. By the way, Cheechoo has five goals all year… with only 111 shots taken. OK, I’ll stop.

9.  Pittsburgh Penguins (last week: 9)
It was a rough weekend for the Pittsburgh Penguins after laying an egg in Montreal on Saturday afternoon, enduring a very rough journey to Washington for a second straight afternoon game and blowing a two goal lead to the Capitals. It’s not all bad news though. Defenseman Alex Goligoski is getting better and better for the Penguins while Sidney Crosby is only three goals shy of the NHL scoring lead.

8.  Colorado Avalanche (last week: 11)
The Colorado Avalanche seem to have a pretty steady supply of rookies who can step in on a whim and do some damage. The Avs continue to play great hockey and Matt Duchene is now the leading goals and points scorer among all NHL rookies. Fun fact: Duchene has scored more times than any Boston Bruin player. In other Avalanche news, apparently Marek Svatos is available with the Leafs and Senators having inquired about him recently.

7.  Vancouver Canucks (last week: 4)
So far, the Vancouver Canucks are 2-2 on their massive road trip. Given how long this road trip is (basically two full weeks prior to the Olympics and one week after the Olympics), if the Canucks can come out of it with a .500 record or better, it should be considered a success. So far, so good. Although it should be noted the Eastern Conference teams are significantly weaker than some of the Western Conference teams they’ll play the week following the Olympics (Hawks, Predators, Red Wings, Avalanche, and Coyotes to name a few).

6.  New Jersey Devils (last week: 8)
Although the New Jersey Devils only won one of three games this week, they acquired one of the top hockey players in the world, Ilya Kovalchuk (albeit for a maximum of five months, for now). As a result, that moves them up the rankings this week. Clearly Devils President Lou Lamoriello believes his club can win the Stanley Cup this year, although the jury is still undecided about Kovalchuk as a playoff performer (Kovalchuk has played just four playoff games in his career).

5.  Phoenix Coyotes (last week: 6)
The Phoenix Coyotes had their six game winning streak snapped on Saturday in a 4-0 loss to the Stars… the running joke being the Coyotes didn’t want to “make it Seven”. And in case you still aren’t sold on the idea of pro hockey in Phoenix, Fox Sports Arizona is reporting TV ratings are up 50 percent this year versus last. I’m sold… a 50 percent increase of a very low number is still, wait… nevermind.

4.  Chicago Blackhawks (last week: 3)
From all reports, it sounds like Antti Niemi has officially grabbed the number one goalie spot on the Chicago Blackhawks. In fact, he currently owns the top goals against average in the league. Although having said that, I’m not sure the Hawks allow the Niemi/Huet goalie tandem to go unchanged heading into the playoffs. Remember, it’s Cup or bust for this team this year.

3.  Los Angeles Kings (last week: 7)
The Los Angeles Kings have strung 10 nine straight wins together and are sitting comfortably in 4th place in the Western Conference. Why some Kings fans may be disappointed the team didn’t trade for Ilya Kovalchuk this week, I believe it was the right decision not to. This Kings team doesn’t need to panic or change anything they are doing at the moment. Fun fact: Drew Doughty is second on the team in scoring with 42 points in 58 games. Unreal.

2.  San Jose Sharks (last week: 2)
Only in the “parity filled” NHL can a team go 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and fly under the radar. Especially with the Capitals and Kings going on huge winning streaks. The San Jose Sharks lost only four times in January! The Niclas Wallin trade is now complete, following a few days worth of speculation. Wallin’s contract was not extended beyond this season (it was speculated this was the reason the deal had been held up for a few days).

1.  Washington Capitals (last week: 1)
As if their 14 game winning streak wasn’t enough, I’m still blown away by what had to the game of the year yesterday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Alex Ovechkin showed why he is the most exciting player in the world and the Capitals reminded the NHL to never count them out of a hockey game. Do you think the Capitals can make it to the Olympic break without losing? They have three more games remaining against the Canadiens, Senators, and Blues. Should they win each of these games, they’ll tie an NHL record for 17 straight wins with… the 92/93 Pittsburgh Penguins.

Stay classy, NHL Power Rankings.

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Behind the scenes details about the recent NHL trades

February 2nd, 2010

The hockey world has been buzzing with all the recent trade activity involving the Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, and other teams since last weekend. The buzz is expected to continue in preparation for the Olympic trade freeze and the actual NHL trade deadline in March.

We all know a number of trades will happen between now and the March 3rd deadline. What we don’t know are some of the behind the scenes things that happen when a trade is made. Here’s a few behind the scenes details you may not know about the trades that occurred over the last few days.

  • It is common practice for nearly every NHL club to inform all media outlets of a trade 24-48 hours before their next game. It’s expected that the traded players announced play one final game with their existing club and try not to get injured. Doing this builds added suspense/buzz/positive PR that the NHL loves. Of course, the Calgary Flames and New York Rangers are two of the few teams who don’t do this.
  • Most NHL organizations and their PR teams give players a checklist of things to do after being traded. The list includes:
    • Trade cliché quotes like “If Wayne Gretzky can be traded, anyone can” and “I’m just going to keep things simple and play my game”.
    • Details of the transaction and a reminder that the trade is non-reversible. That is, unless you’ve been dealt to Edmonton. In which case, the player can reject the deal at any time – even if press conferences have been set up.
    • Interview talking points if traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. It’s suggested required that you say “I’m looking forward to being a Maple Leaf” a minimum of of 31 one times per interview.
  • Upon learning about the trade involving Matt Stajan, Ian White, Jamal Mayers, and Nick Hagman, Jason Blake quickly said to each of them “glad you were traded and not me”. I think there’s a lesson to be learned about speaking too quickly or something there…
  • The Phoenix Coyotes have actually been trying to trade “the rights to be bought and moved by Jim Ballsillie” to Atlanta for some time now. No idea if the Thrashers are biting on this.

Stay classy, NHL trades.

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NHL Classy Power Rankings – Week 18

February 1st, 2010

Here we go, week 18 of the NHL Classy Power Rankings! This week, there’s a new number one team with huge jumps from the red hot Ottawa Senators, Vancouver Canucks, and the high flying Los Angeles Kings.

The result of the Senators, Canucks, and Kings pushing into the top 10 means a few slides for the Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators. The New York Islanders are among the week’s biggest drops with a current 5-game losing streak.

NHL Classy Power Rankings – Week 18

30.  Edmonton Oilers (last week: 30)
29.  Toronto Maple Leafs (last week: 29)
28.  Carolina Hurricanes (last week: 28)
27.  Columbus Blue Jackets (last week: 27)
26.  New York Islanders (last week: 20)

Virtually the same bottom 5 as last week, with the addition of the New York Islanders, who slide 6 spots after dropping 5 straight games. Of these bottom teams, there’s a few things to note since last week. First of all, Sheldon Souray fractured his hand on Saturday night. The Oilers obviously won’t be able to trade Souray at the deadline. And of course, the big news from Sunday morning – The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired J.S. Giguere and Dion Phaneuf by swapping out 6 players.

25.  Boston Bruins (last week: 22)
24.  New York Rangers (last week: 19)
23.  Tampa Bay Lightning (last week: 25)
22.  Montreal Canadiens (last week: 17)
21.  Atlanta Thrashers (last week: 26)

Cue the Vincent Lecavalier rumours… it appears the Lightning are in the process of being sold to a new owner and whispers suggest the new owner may (I stress may) want to cut payroll. Instantly, Lecavalier to Montreal/Los Angeles stories are popping up. I highly doubt this. Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins continue to slump with bad goaltending and little scoring. They are 1-7-2 in their last 10 games. For the Rangers, they may (again, I stress may for multiple reasons) get a boost in scoring as a trade with the Calgary Flames has been reported but not yet completed (or may not happen at all).

20.  St. Louis Blues (last week: 24)
19.  Anaheim Ducks (last week: 15)
18.  Philadelphia Flyers (last week: 16)
17.  Florida Panthers (last week: 23)
16.  Minnesota Wild (last week: 21)

The Anaheim Ducks signed Jonas Hiller to a 4-year extension on Saturday and the Florida Panthers got a big boost to their lineup as David Booth returned in Sunday’s win against the Islanders (Booth recorded an assist in his return). The Minnesota Wild have reportedly terminated their 1-year contract with Peter Sykora after he didn’t report to the AHL.

15.  Dallas Stars (last week: 18)
14.  Calgary Flames (last week: 14)
13.  Detroit Red Wings (last week: 13)
12.  Nashville Predators (last week: 10)
11.  Colorado Avalanche (last week: 5)

The Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators slip out of the top 10 because of sub-par weeks and big winning streaks by other teams. It will be interesting to see how the Calgary Flames look with 4 new players in their line up. For the record, the Leafs/Flames don’t hook up again until next year… unless they meet in the Stanley Cup Fina… wait. Nevermind. I’ll stop there. They’ll next meet in the 2010-2011 season.

10.  Ottawa Senators (last week: 12)
The red hot Ottawa Senators have won 9 games in a row against some impressive teams. They’ve really set themselves apart from the 6th-13th seeded teams in the Eastern Conference and are 3 points back of Pittsburgh for 4th in the Conference. It’s not all great news for the Senators – Nick Foligno is out for 6-8 weeks with a broken leg after blocking a shot on Saturday.

9.  Pittsburgh Penguins (last week: 8)
It’s hard to knock the Pittsburgh Penguins. For the most part, they play like an experienced playoff team with a pretty deep roster. I’m interested to see what they do between now and the March 3rd trade deadline (some rumours suggest they are looking at Toronto’s Alexei Ponikarovsky).

8.  New Jersey Devils (last week: 4)
The New Jersey Devils have hit a bit of a rough patch lately – they are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games and Martin Brodeur has been showing some signs of shakey goaltending we saw during the conclusion of the Hurricanes/Devils playoff series from last year.

7.  Los Angeles Kings (last week: 11)
The Los Angeles Kings just wrapped up a road trip that saw them go 5-0. They’ve won 6 games in a row and are really starting to gel as a team. Rumours continue to name the Kings as one of the frontrunners for Ilya Kovalchuk, but as of now (Yeah – I sort of buy some of it), there doesn’t seem to be much to the stories.

6.  Phoenix Coyotes (last week: 9)
The Phoenix Coyotes had a nice week topped off by a win in Dallas on Sunday night. It was Dave Tippett’s first time in Dallas  since being fired by the Stars last year. The Coyotes have won 5 of their last 6 games and are starting to get contributions from a few of their young kids.

5.  Buffalo Sabres (last week: 6)
After going winless on their 4 game Western road trip, the Buffalo Sabres turned in 2 straight home victories against Eastern Conference teams. Good timing for the Sabres who now hold significantly reduce 5 point lead on the Northeast Division.

4.  Vancouver Canucks (last week: 7)
The Vancouver Canucks are one of the hottest 3 teams in the league! They’ve just set out on a NHL record 14 game road trip (making way for the Olympics) and are firing on all cylinders. The only question I have for the Canucks right now (beyond what, if any moves they may or may not make at the deadline) is if they are peaking too early in the season.

3.  Chicago Blackhawks (last week: 3)
With Dave Bolland scheduled to return to the line up this week (per Harken), the Chicago Blackhawks will be as close to 100% health as ever. It’s arguably the deepest roster in the NHL, so it will be interesting to see how the players and coach Joe Quennville handles it. Of course there is trade speculation, but we’ll have to see. The Hawks are 6-4 in their last 10 and currently hold a 15 point lead on the Central Division. The team is only 3 points back of the NHL lead in points.

2.  San Jose Sharks (last week: 1)
It’s pretty amazing a team (Capitals) can win 10 games in a row and still not lead the NHL in points. The reason for that is the 8-0-2 record of the San Jose Sharks over their last 10 games. The Sharks have quietly been winning nearly every game they play. In fact, they’ve only lost 10 games all year (in regulation). I’m pretty sure the Edmonton Oilers have dropped more games than that in 2010 alone…

1.  Washington Capitals (last week: 2)
The Washington Capitals are the hottest team in the league with 10 straight wins! The bad news is Mike Green was suspended for 3 games after a bad elbowing incident. In the same game Green suffered a knee injury, however, Capitals insider Tarik El-Bashir believes the injury isn’t too serious.

Stay classy, NHL Power Rankings.

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Friday afternoon hockey thoughts

January 29th, 2010

It’s Friday. You are tired, slightly irritable, and probably thinking ahead to the weekend if you aren’t there already. I don’t want to make you think or inconvenience you. In fact, what I really want to do is help you slack or distract you from whatever it is you were doing before you came to our site. So I’ve compiled a few random Friday afternoon hockey thoughts that you might enjoy!

  • Remember a few years ago when everyone praised the Calgary Flames system and how they spent big money on one great goalie, one great defenceman, and one great forward? Guess that set up didn’t really work out too well in the end.
  • A few Patrick Kane thoughts. Firstly, Kane isn’t very good at this whole media thing. Secondly, there’s something about him and vehicles that don’t get along. I can’t put my finger on it.
  • When will the Edmonton Oilers win next? Seriously. We should create a pool on how long their losing streak will go. As of this afternoon, it’s sitting at 12 games.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes should have given Eric Staal the captaincy at the start of the year. Since being named the team captain, Staal has scored 8 goals-1 assist, the team has gone 4-1, and have outscored opposition 29-9 in those 5 games.
  • Back in November, what did you think was more unlikely: the Ottawa Senators winning 8 straight games or the Calgary Flames losing 9 straight games?
  • Where did ViewFromMySeats.com pull these Stayclassy.net quotes from?
  • I love how Carey Price drew a happy face on his stick for Thursday morning’s Montreal Canadiens practice (following a stupid attempt by Montreal media to create drama- note: that’s a shot at general media, not TheCheckingLine.com). Price’s drawing was followed up by a big bear hug on Andrei Markov. That’s great.

Any other points I’m missing or worth discussing? Let me help you slack! Happy weekend readers!

Stay classy, random hockey thoughts.

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