3 Key Improvements the Flyers Need To Make in 2010-2011

photo courtesy of Dave Sandford/Getty Images

3. Faceoffs
All in all, the Flyers were average in the faceoff circle last year. That doesn’t sound terrible, so why the need for major improvement? The thing to note is the Flyers’ centers were awful when it counted: defensive zones draws while shorthanded, offensive zone draws on the powerplay, key moments late in games, etc. Faceoffs are one of those little things in the game that often go unmentioned and underappreciated but have a huge impact on the ice. Keep an eye on this throughout the season.

Oh, Hockey Day!

photo courtesy of AP Photo/Andy King

Arbitrator Rules In Favor Of NHL, Nullifies Kovy's Contract

 Photo Courtesy of: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Just when you thought it might finally be over, you hear the news: Ilya Kovalchuk is officially a free agent (again).

As promised, the outcome of the Kovalchuk fiasco between the NHL and NHLPA was announced today.

The arbitrator, Richard Bloch, decided to uphold the league's decision to void the Russian sniper's 17-year deal with the New Jersey Devils.

Bloch called it "a retirement contract," and claimed that the deal went "well beyond the typical retirement age for NHL players."


The NHL released this statement regarding the contract grievance:

"We want to thank Arbitrator Bloch for his prompt resolution of a complex issue. His ruling is consistent with the League's view of the manner in which the Collective Bargaining Agreement should deal with contracts that circumvent the Salary Cap."

Chris Pronger Latest Addition to Flyers' Offseason Surgery List

 Photo Courtesy of: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

105 games later, it's no surprise that the Black and Orange have become the Black and Blue.

According to several sources (and broken by Tim Panaccio of CSN Philly), both Chris Pronger and Dan Carcillo are currently recovering from successful offseason surgeries.

Last week, Pronger had arthroscopic knee surgery and Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren is confident about the timetable of his return.

"Chris Pronger had minor surgery on his right knee... He will be ready for the start of training camp."

It hasn't been confirmed when Carcillo had his abdominal and stomach surgery for his sports hernia, but it looks like he should return in time for the season as well.

These latest surgeries can be added to the Flyers' typical laundry list of offseason procedures.

NHL Headlines: All The Signings You Missed This Week

 Photo Courtesy of: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The biggest story of the week?
 
Marty Turco is now a Chicago Blackhawk and Antti Niemi is filing for unemployment.

However, a lot has been going on in the hockey world other than the Turco/Niemi fiasco.

So...here's a recap of the past week's signings and departures you might have missed while you were constantly checking Twitter to see if the Flyers signed Niemi:

Antti Niemi Not Coming To Philly, Flyers Ready To Ride The Leighton

Photo Courtesy of: Bruce Bennet/Getty Images

Paul Holmgren told reporters today that the Flyers are not interested in signing UFA goaltender Antti Niemi.

Tim Panaccio of CSNPhilly, as well as Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer, tweeted the news just hours ago.

Niemi, who helped Chicago win the Stanley Cup last June, became a free agent today after the Chicago Blackhawks signed former Dallas Stars netminder Marty Turco and opted to let the young Finnish native walk.

Confirmed: Marty Turco Now A Chicago Blackhawk, Niemi Set To Leave

Photo Courtesy of: Jeff Vinnik/Getty Images

Hours after the rumors were claimed to be false, the Chicago Blackhawks finally confirmed today that they have signed former Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco to a one-year deal.

Furthermore, the 'Hawks have also declared that they are no longer interested in the services of Finnish rookie Antti Niemi, who helped the team capture the Stanley Cup last June.

Last night reports surfaced from WGNTV in Chicago that the 35-year-old Turco was Chicago's new goalie, despite the fact that no member of the organization confirmed the signing.

Is Marty Turco The Philadelphia Flyers New Starting Goaltender?

Photo Courtesy of: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Rumors surfaced yesterday that the Chicago Blackhawks had reached a verbal agreement with former Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco, contingent upon the outcome of current 'Hawks netminder Antti Niemi's arbitration case.

Turco's alleged contract was for one year at $1.5 million, if Chicago opted to trade or let Niemi walk after his hearing.

Several sources, including NHL.com, reported this afternoon that Niemi was awarded $2.75 million by the arbitrator, giving the Blackhawks 48 hours to accept the offer or send the Finnish native packing.

What does this all mean?

The Guys You Love To Hate: The NHL's Top 5 Agitators

 Photo Courtesy of: Harry How/Getty Images

Inspired by TSN's top ten agitators of all-time, here are the five best players at getting under your skin in the NHL right now.

5. Matt Cooke, LW -- Pittsburgh Penguins (859 PIM's in 738 games)

At 5'11" and 205 lbs, Cooke is one of the smaller pests in the league. Despite his small stature, the Cookie Monster (as he's known in Pittsburgh) is one tough guy to play against.

While Cooke has been a trash-talker since his days in Vancouver, it wasn't until he knocked Boston Bruins center Marc Savard unconscious that his over-the-edge physical style of play saw NHL headlines.

The hit went unpenalized and Cooke was not suspended even though it was clear that he stuck out his elbow, catching Savard's head and sending him off the ice on a stretcher. Here's the hit:

Back in Black (And Orange): Fresh Start For The Flyers in 2010-2011

Photo Courtesy of: Bruce Bennet, Getty Images

When Blackhawks phenom Patrick Kane beat Philly netminder Michael Leighton from an unholy angle to capture Chicago's first Cup in nearly five decades, it was a tough pill for Flyers fans to swallow.

Disbelief quickly transformed into anger and disappointment.

Each day that passed was increasingly painful, and what would have otherwise been a fantastic season felt more like a gigantic failure for ending the way it did.

I couldn't help but self-masochistically watch the Cup parade through the Windy City, along with innumerable advertisements on NHL.com and ESPN for Blackhawks 2010 Champion gear.

It felt like it would last a lifetime; nothing could take away the fact that the Flyers were that close to glory and collapsed at the very last second.

But at last, thoughts of last season are finally beginning to fade and now it's time to look forward.

The offseason is a time for wounds to heal for players and fans alike, as well as to regain the strength and confidence required to compete for the greatest trophy in sports.

With that, let's take a look at your 2010-2011 Philadelphia Flyers.

The greatest change for the orange and black has already received plenty of analysis--the Simon Gagne trade.

In short, the absence of Gagne in the Flyers lineup makes room for Claude Giroux, James van Riemsdyk, and Ville Leino to take their game to the next level and become high-impact players for Philly.

The Top 3 Arbitration Hearings To Watch This Summer

Photo Courtesy of NHLSourcesSay

3. Mason Raymond – LW , Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks are already over the cap by more than $1 million and already sufficiently deep at left wing.

After scoring only 23 points in his first full season with Vancouver in 2008-2009, Raymond enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2010 where he doubled his point production, finishing with 25 goals and 28 assists.

Despite greatly improving over the past year, Raymond simply doesn’t fit into Vancouver’s plans for the future.

The Canucks have a consistent 80+ point LW in Daniel Sedin and a gritty goal-scorer on the same wing in Alexandre Burrows, which would drop Raymond to the third line.

Sedin is under contract for four more years, and Burrows is set to make just $2 million for the next three years, a cheap price for a guy who has only missed one game through the past four seasons.

Moreover, Burrows has tallied 52 more points and 376 more PIM’s than Raymond over the last three years, as well as finishing a plus-68 over that time period.

TSN reported a couple weeks ago that Raymond could be awarded $3 million per season, while rumors surfaced recently from HendricksHockey.net that he is looking for as much as $3.5-4 million/year.

Even if those numbers are a bit high, there’s no question that the Canucks would rather let him walk and hang on to the cheaper and stronger option in Burrows, especially considering their current cap and roster situation.

Powe Signs One-Year Deal With Flyers, Trouble Brewing in Philly

Photo Courtesy of Jeff Hapeman

With the Gagne trade still fresh in the minds of Philadelphia Flyers fans, the re-signing of Princeton graduate Darroll Powe flew greatly under the radar last night.

The Philadelphia Daily News reported that Powe's new deal is a worth $725,000, an increase from only $532,500 last year.

Powe laced up his skates for 63 games last season, tallying 15 points and racking up 54 PIM's for the orange and black.

As is often the case, with good news comes bad news as well.

Sarah Baicker of CSN Philly spoke with forward Blair Betts yesterday, who informed her that he is four months away from returning from off-season shoulder surgery.

Betts was a staple on the Flyers penalty killing unit in 2009-2010, in addition to a great face-off man.

While Philadelphia will miss Betts's shot-blocking prowess and contagious work ethic, his absence will allow Darroll Powe--a natural centerman--to shift over from left wing back to his preferred position in the middle.

Powe's one-year deal makes him one of nine Philadelphia Flyers currently on the roster eligible to become restricted or unrestricted free agents next summer.

Enough Is Enough: League Takes A Stand, Denies Kovalchuk's New Contract

 NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Photo: Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Around 10 PM last night, while New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello was tucking Ilya Kovalchuk into bed, Canadian news sources TSN and RDS reported that the NHL had rejected the Russian superstar’s new 17-year deal.

The reason? According to the league’s official statement released this morning, the contract circumvents the salary cap and the CBA.

Well no kidding Mr. Bettman, an illiterate monkey could have told me that. (See: Arnold Schwarzenegger)

All joking aside, the fact that the commissioner and his cronies finally decided to challenge this type of contract is a major development.

However, analysts do not believe that the NHL will retroactively void the contracts of players like Chris Pronger, Marian Hossa, Roberto Luongo, etc.

Many hockey writers have condemned those players and their respective teams for agreeing to similar front-loaded deals, but only ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun pointed out that none of those athletes are signed until age 44, which is clearly where Kovy and the Devils crossed the line this time.

General managers having been pushing their luck up until now, and the Kovalchuk deal finally forced the league to hand down more than a slap on the wrist for dodging the salary cap.

Is it too little too late? We’ll have to wait and see how this all plays out.

Meanwhile, keep in mind that the current CBA doesn’t expire for another two years, and the last time it was renegotiated resulted in the 2004-2005 NHL lockout.

Room For Improvement: Getting To Know The Salary Cap

                                                                                          Al Bello/Getty Images

Ilya Kovalchuk’s new 17-year contract with the New Jersey Devils has sparked more talk in the NHL than just free agent signings and trades.

This monstrous deal, along with several other recent signings, has reignited the fierce debate over the league’s salary cap and collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

The experts have all had their say, now it’s time for fans to weigh in on one of the NHL’s biggest issues.

Let’s start by examining Mr. Kovalchuk’s long-term agreement with the Devils, which peaks at $11.5 million/year from 2012-2017, before dropping to $550K for the last five years of the contract.

After all is said and done, the Russian sniper’s cap hit is only $6 million/year. If Kovalchuk retires early—you know, before he turns 44—then the Devils will have to pay the remainder of the money but it will not count against the cap.

This type of front-loaded contract has received a lot of criticism from the media, as well as NHL investigations, over the past year. (See Chris Pronger and Marian Hossa)

Basically, the Devils could’ve signed Kovalchuk for 25 years and it wouldn’t have mattered, as long as the league approved the deal. It’s a loophole in the CBA that allows teams to lower the cap hit of elite players without holding them responsible for the ethical implications of these kinds of deals.

In today’s press conference at the Prudential Center in Newark, Kovalchuk declared that he sees himself still playing in the NHL at 44 years of age. That, as you should very well already know, is a complete hoax.

There’s no doubt that he will retire before the contract ends, and per the current NHL regulations, the Devils will see no repercussions for their unethical deal.

Why unethical?

Think of this way: is it still wrong to break the rules when you know you won’t get caught?

Just because there’s a loopholes, it does not give teams the right to take advantage of the system.

Going, Going, Gagne: Playoff Hero Shipped to Tampa Bay

Gagne celebrating his OT-winner against Boston last May. Photo: Matt Slocum, AP

It all happened so fast.

After more than two weeks of deliberation, Ilya Kovalchuk finally re-signed with the New Jersey Devils this morning via the team’s official Twitter.

Cue anticipated domino effect.

Within hours, sources were reporting that Flyers GM Paul Holmgren had traded Simon Gagne to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Shortly after the rumor was confirmed, the exact terms of the deal were revealed as well:

• To Tampa Bay: LW Simon Gagne with one year left on his contract before becoming a UFA next summer. Cap Hit: $5.25 million/year.

• To Philadelphia: A 4^th round pick in next year’s entry draft and D Matt Walker with three years left on his contract before becoming a UFA in the summer of 2013. Cap Hit: $1.7 million/year.

The Flyers needed to clear cap space, but this felt very rushed. There’s no question that half of the NHL was interested in Gagne’s services, so why not wait for a better offer?

Bringing back a top-six forward would nullify the cap relief created by trading Gagne; that’s not what I’m suggesting the Flyers should have done. I’m simply talking about acquiring prospects or a veteran winger for the 3^rd line.

Several Flyers analysts, including CSN Philly’s Sarah Baicker, believe that Walker might be sent to the Phantoms to avoid his cap hit this season. If that’s the case, then Gagne was essentially traded for a 4^th rounder in the 2011 draft.

That plain hurts.

2010 West Playoff Matchups, Round 1

(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (8) Colorado Avalanche
San Jose: (51-20-11, 113 pts)
Colorado: (43-30-9, 95 pts)
Season Series: Tied 2-2
San Jose History: San Jose has four division titles, and has only made it to the conference finals once in its seventeen year history. In the past four years, they’ve qualified for the playoffs all four seasons. The Sharks have only failed to qualify for the playoffs five times. Last year they finished first in the West and the league with 117 points, but lost in six games in the first round to the Ducks. The three seasons before that, the Sharks lost each time in the second round in six games.
Colorado History: Colorado has eight division titles and two Stanley Cup wins, the last of which is from the ’00-01 season. In the past four years, they’ve qualified for the playoffs twice. Last season, the Avalanche finished last in the West and 28th in the league with 69 points. They have qualified for the playoffs eleven times in their thirteen year history.

Chelsea’s Prediction: Sharks in five.
Adam’s Prediction: Avalanche in six.

(2) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (7) Nashville Predators
Chicago: (52-22-8, 112 pts)
Nashville: (47-29-6, 100 pts)
Season Series: 4-2 Blackhawks
Chicago History: Chicago has fourteen division titles and three Stanley Cup wins, though the last one is from the ’60-61 season. In the last four years, they’ve qualified for the playoffs once. Last year the Blackhawks finished fourth in the West with 104 points. They fought their way to the conference finals, but lost to the Red Wings in five games. They have failed to qualify for the playoffs nine times in the past eleven seasons.
Nashville History: Nashville has no titles. In the last four years, they’ve qualified for the playoffs three times. The Predators have qualified for the playoffs four times in their ten season history, but they have failed to advance past the first round. In their last appearance in the ’07-08 season, they lost in six games to the Red Wings. Last year the Predators finished tenth in the West with 88 points.

Chelsea’s Prediction: Blackhawks in six.
Adam’s Prediction: Blackhawks in five.

(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) Los Angeles Kings
Vancouver: (49-28-5, 103 pts)
Los Angeles: (46-27-9, 101 pts)
Season Series: 3-1 Vancouver
Vancouver History: Vancouver has six division titles and two conference titles. In the last four years, they have qualified for the playoffs twice. Last year they finished third in the West with 100 points, but lost in six games in the second round to the Blackhawks. The Canucks have failed to qualify for the playoffs six times in the past twelve seasons.
Los Angeles History: Los Angeles has 1 division title and 1 conference title. In the last four years, they have failed qualified for the playoffs. The Kings have failed to qualify for the playoffs eleven times in fifteen seasons. Their last appearance was during the ’01-02 season, and they lost in the first round in seven games to the Avalanche. Last year the Kings finished fourteenth in the West with 79 points.

Chelsea’s Prediction: Kings in seven.
Adam’s Prediction: Canucks in five.

(4) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings
Phoenix: (50-25-7, 107 pts)
Detroit: (44-24-14, 102 pts)
Season Series: Tied 2-2
Phoenix History: Phoenix has no titles. In the last four years, they have failed to qualify for the playoffs. The Coyotes have failed to qualify for the playoffs seven times in their twelve year history. Their last appearance was during the ’01-02 season, and they lost in the first round in five games to the Sharks. Last year the Coyotes finished thirteenth in the West with 79 points.
Detroit History: Detroit has 28 division titles and eleven Stanley Cup wins, their last being from the ’07-08 season. In the last four years, they have qualified for the playoffs all four seasons. In these four seasons, the Red Wings have also won their division each season, and have appeared in the Stanley Cup finals twice. Last year they finished second in the West with 112 points, but lost in seven games in the finals to the Penguins.

Chelsea’s Prediction: Red Wings in five.
Adam’s Prediction: Phoenix in seven.

2010 East Playoff Matchups, Round 1

(1) Washington Capitals vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens
Washington: (54-15-13, 121 pts)
Montreal: (39-33-10, 88 pts)
Season Series: Tied 2-2
Washington History: Washington has five division titles and one conference title. In the past four years, they’ve qualified for the playoffs twice. The Caps have failed to qualify for the playoffs five times in ten seasons. Two seasons ago they fell in the first round in seven games to the Flyers. Last year they finished second in the East with 108 points, but lost to the Penguins in the conference semifinals. The Caps have gone to seven games in their last three playoff series.
Montreal History: Montreal has 35 division titles and 24 Stanley Cup wins, though the last one was in the ’92-93 season. In the past four years, they’ve qualified for the playoffs three times. Last year the Habs finished eighth in the East with 93 points, but were swept in the first round by the Bruins. The season before that, they lost to the Flyers in five games in the second round. Montreal has also failed to qualify for the playoffs five times in the past ten seasons.
Chelsea’s Prediction: Caps in six.
Adam’s Prediction: Caps in four.

(2) New Jersey Devils vs. (7) Philadelphia Flyers
New Jersey: (48-27-7, 103 pts)
Philadelphia: (41-35-6, 88 pts)
Season Series: 5-1 Flyers
New Jersey History: New Jersey has nine division titles and three Stanley Cup wins, though the last one was in the ’02-03 season. In the past four years, they’ve qualified for the playoffs all four seasons. The Devils have failed to qualify for the playoffs only once in the past twenty seasons. Despite winning their division three of the past four years, the Devils haven’t been able to advance past the second round in this time period. Last year they finished third in the East with 106 points, but lost in the first round to the Hurricanes in seven games.
Philadelphia History: Philadelphia has fifteen division titles and two Stanley Cup wins, though the last one was in the ’74-75 season. In the past four years, they’ve qualified for the playoffs three times. The Flyers best run in recent years was in the ’07-08 season where they lost to the Penguins in the conference finals in five games. They have qualified for the playoffs thirteen times in the last fourteen seasons. Last year they finished fifth in the East with 99 points, but lost in the first round to the Penguins in six games.
Chelsea’s Prediction: Flyers in seven.
Adam’s Prediction: Flyers in six.

(3) Buffalo Sabres vs. (6) Boston Bruins
Buffalo: (45-27-10, 100 pts)
Boston: (39-30-13, 91 pts)
Season Series: 4-2 Bruins
Buffalo History: Buffalo has six division titles and two conference titles. In the past four years, they’ve qualified for the playoffs twice. Though they haven’t qualified in the past two seasons, the Sabres made it to the conference finals both years before that. They lost those series’ to the Hurricanes and the Senators. The Sabres have failed to qualify for the playoffs five times in the past ten seasons. Last year they finished tenth in the East with 91 points.
Boston History: Boston has 25 division titles and five Stanley Cup wins, though the last one was in the ’71-’72 season. In the past four years, they’ve qualified for the playoffs twice, both coming in the past two years. They have qualified for the playoffs seven times in the past twelve seasons. Two years ago, they lost in seven games to the Canadiens in the first round. Last year the Bruins finished first in the East with 116 points, but lost to the Hurricanes in a seven game series in the second round after sweeping the Canadiens.
Chelsea’s Prediction: Sabres in five.
Adam’s Prediction: Sabres in seven.

(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Ottawa Senators
Pittsburgh: (47-28-7, 101 pts)
Ottawa: (44-32-6, 94 pts)
Season Series: Tied 2-2
Pittsburgh History: Pittsburgh has six division titles and three Stanley Cup wins, including last season’s title. In the past four years, they’ve qualified for the playoffs three times. They’ve been in the Stanley Cup finals for the past two years. The Penguins have qualified for the playoffs six times in the past ten seasons. Last year they finished fourth in the East with 99 points.
Ottawa History: Ottawa has four division titles and one conference title. In the past four years, they’ve qualified for the playoffs three times. Though they failed to qualify last season, the Senators were the conference champions in the ’06-07 season. The next season they fell in four games to the Penguins in the first round. The Senators have qualified for the playoffs eleven times in the past twelve years, and eleven times in their sixteen season history. Last year they finished eleventh in the East with 83 points.
Chelsea’s Prediction: Ottawa in seven.
Adam’s Prediction: Penguins in five.

After Flyers edge Rangers, playoffs set to start

Adam, a Senior Staff Writer for the Tufts Daily, has published another article for the Inside the NHL column about the start of the playoffs.  Please take the time to check it out here, and make sure to leave him a comment.

A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words

AP Photo/ Matt Slocum

Capitals powering strong through season

Adam, a Senior Staff Writer for the Tufts Daily, has published another article for the Inside the NHL column.  Please take the time to check it out here, and make sure to leave him a comment.

2010 Winter Classic Live Blog