SportsJudge's Colligan Joins Forbes; Daily News's Spector Promoted to Rangers Beat Reporter; Coslov to Lead SJ Hockey

This was a big week for SportsJudge alumni and friends in the world of hockey:

Michael Colligan, who wrote SportsJudge's heralded hockey column from 2008-2009 and also writes a column on sports business at The Hockey Writers, will soon be joining Forbes SportsMoney. We look forward to seeing Mike "on the cover of Forbes Magazine, smiling next to Oprah and the Queen."

Also, Jesse Spector -- a long-time baseball reporter with the New York Daily News, who competed in the 2009 SportsJudge.com Fantasy Baseball Classic -- has been promoted to the Daily News's new New York Rangers beat reporter. We will be reading Jesse's work from the blue seats.

Finally, over at SportsJudge Blog, our hockey coverage will be led this year by Darren Coslov, who is entering his third season with the blog. While Darren will have some big shoes to fill, he has already written several outstanding hockey features, including this brilliant piece on the Edmonton Oilers. We look forward to Darren's emergence as the face of SportsJudge Hockey.

Olympic Hockey Preview

The 2010 Olympic Games from Vancouver are underway and the NHL has entered a two-week hiatus to allow stars from around the world to compete. With competition beginning on Tuesday afternoon, SportsJudge chatted with Olympic hockey expert Timo Seppa to get his take on the Games:

SportsJudge: Typically the Olympic Games are played on a much larger ice surface than what is standard in the NHL. Since these games are being played in Canada, that will not be the case. What impact will the normal NHL-sized ice surface have on the Games?

Timo Seppa: I love international ice and long for it every time it's missing from the tournament. The NHL's done a nice job of opening up the game since the lockout, taking away all the clutching and grabbing--from this point of view, the lockout was actually a great success--but going to international ice in the NHL would make the game even faster and more offensively-oriented.

With less room to move, what teams will this hurt the most? What teams will benefit?

Speed and skill teams like Russia and Sweden would have benefited from international ice. I'd say the US and Finland are two of the winners. Since 1980, the only time the US has medalled in recent history was in Salt Lake City, on the NHL-sized rink.

The NHL has halted league play for Olympic participation since 1998, but hinted it may not for the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia. Will the outcry from Russian superstars like Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin force the owner's to give in?

Bettman and the powers that be would be nuts to forgo the Olympics in the future. It's not like folks rip it like the World Baseball Classic (with injury concerns). The rest of the hockey world sure as heck cares about the Olympics. I can't think of anything better--even Stanley Cup playoffs--than say, Canada vs. the United States, Russia vs. the Czech Republic or especially, Sweden vs. Finland.

In the 1988 Games in Calgary, Team Canada was favored on home ice, yet left with a disappointing 4th place finish. Is this the year Canada finally wins Gold at home?

Canada's clearly one of the four favorites, with Russia, Sweden, and USA. Puck Prospectus has picked Russia as the gold medal favorite. I admit, they are stronger at goaltender (Evgeni Nabokov and Ilya Bryzgalov) and defense (Andrei Markov and Sergei Gonchar) than usual, but I like Sweden to repeat. No team has the kind of crazy quality depth they do with the Sedin twins, Daniel Alfredsson, Nicklas Backstrom, Nicklas Lidstrom, rookie Patric Hornqvist, the wily old Peter Forsberg and of course Henrik Lundqvist in net.

What will it take for USA to knock off Canada?

For Ryan Miller or Tim Thomas to stand on his head, because Team USA's defense is their weakness. Also, with checking-oriented 3rd and 4th lines (shocking choices like Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan over the likes of Bill Guerin and Scott Gomez), those checking lines will need to do their job of shutting down the opposition's stars. But yes, Team USA is capable of beating anyone in the tournament, I'm just not sure they pull off two or three games in a row like that against the big boys.

Besides USA-Canada, what's one game in the preliminary round that fans should be sure to watch?

I'm biased, but Sweden-Finland is a grudge re-match from the 2006 Finals. I don't think the Swedes have so much of a problem with the Finns, but the Finns definitely have a Little Brother complex when it comes to Sweden. That game, along with USA-Canada, should be for secondary round byes, unless someone's faltered in their earlier games. The situation in Group B, with Russia, Czech, and Slovakia is more muddied.

It should be a great, great tournament. I'm really looking forward to it.

______________________________

Timo Seppa is a Finnish-born hockey writer at Puck Prospectus who also runs the statistical website Ice Hockey Metrics. Timo represents Puck Prospectus in the SportsJudge.com Fantasy Hockey Challenge.

What Really Puts a Coach on the Hot Seat?

The notion of winning and losing in the National Hockey League is always at the forefront when it comes to the job security of head coaches and their staffs. At the end of the day, when losses pile up, the easiest route to take is to blame the bench boss.

Since the lockout, the advent of the salary cap has essentially handcuffed General Managers when it comes to trades and bringing in new player personnel. Attendance revenues are down across most of the league, which only adds more pressure to win games in a tough economy.

Expectations

This morning, the St. Louis Blues fired head coach Andy Murray. The Blues were 12th in the Western Conference with a record of 17-17-6, but a terrible home record of 6-13-3 and an anemic offense full of young talented players left no choice for President of Hockey Operations John Davidson. Murray and his intense style had simply lost the dressing room in St. Louis.

Last year, the Blues were the feel-good story in the NHL. Murray led this inexperienced squad from last place in February, to the #6 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. With most of the team returning for the '09-10 season, expectations were high and John Davidson exercised an option to keep Andy Murray around for another season.

Last year's improbable run may have been what cost Murray his job this morning. When the team is expected to follow in the footsteps of other young Cup-contending franchises like the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks, .500 hockey isn't going to get it done. The demands simply were not being met by the Blues players. Andy Murray said time and time again, these guys know how to get the job done; but when you can't trade away all the players, the coach must take the fall. Today, Andy Murray took the fall.

***

A few weeks ago, Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Stevens got the ax in favor of Peter Laviolette. Are we to assume Stevens hit unemployment for being just several points shy of the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference?

His starting goaltender, Ray Emery, had been reportedly playing with an abdominal injury for weeks. 16-year NHL veteran Chris Pronger was brought in over the summer to lead this team to a Stanley Cup. Yet Pronger isn't sure where he fits in the Flyers locker room, especially when it comes to his relationship with current captain Mike Richards:

"[Richards] hasn’t come to me [to] ask me anything, and it’s delicate because at the end of the day, it’s his team. He’s the captain. He needs to show the rest of the players that it is his team. I don’t want to be the guy that has to stand up every day and tell ourselves to look into the mirror and play better and all this stuff.

"I don’t know if he is ‘rah-rah’ type or talkative type. It is a difficult tightrope to walk. I don’t want to step on his toes. Maybe he is evaluating. You can’t just jump into a situation and ranting and raving without understanding what has gone on here in the past, as well.

The bottom line is this team was expected to challenge the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Eastern Conference elite, and that just wasn't happening. Pronger was brought in to lead, yet doesn't feel comfortable doing it. John Stevens was so well liked by the players, that his forgive and forget approach in the dressing room and behind the bench at Wachovia Center left this team without direction. Ultimately, that led to his termination.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Speaking of the Penguins, their Stanley Cup Championship season last year wasn't all roses. Exactly one year ago, this team was in disarray and free-falling down the Eastern Conference standings. I attended a December 23 game between the Penguins and hapless Tampa Bay Lightning, and saw some of the worst hockey I've ever seen in my life. The Legend of Vincent Trembley echoed these feelings at the time:

Rock Bottom

Zero goals.

Fifteen shots.

Against the godforsaken Tampa Bay Lightning.

If Michel Therrien isn’t peeling paint off the walls right now, consider this season over now.

Michel Therrien was the head coach of the Penguins at the time, and his abrasive, disciplinarian approach was taking it's toll on the young and very talented squad. General Manager Ray Shero gave Therrien as long as he could. Perhaps because he had just signed an extension through 2010-2011. Perhaps because he was a finalist for Coach of the Year in 2006-07. But in the end, Shero felt the time was right to bring in a fresh face and take the team in a new direction.

Enter Dan Bylsma. With Therrien out of the picture and the Penguins searching for direction, Bylsma was brought in to take the reigns on an interim basis. At the ripe age of 38, he was the youngest head coach in the NHL at the time. Fans, management, and players knew it couldn't get worse than it was prior to Therrien's firing, but few could have imagined Bylsma would lead the team to an amazing 18-3-4 record through his first 25 games. As the #4 seed in the playoffs, the Penguins rode the momentum to their 3rd Stanley Cup in franchise history.

That unbelievable turnaround will likely have an effect on the job security of head coaches for years to come. Press the 'Fire Coach' button, win a Stanley Cup. Yet what made the Penguins different was they already had the core in place to win a championship. They were defeated by the Detroit Red Wings in the Finals the year before, and knew what it would take to overcome that final hurdle. The Flyers don't have that kind of experience yet. The Blues definitely don't have it either.


Who's Next?

Head Coach Paul Maurice undoubtedly has his hands full in Carolina as the team continues to battle injuries and face adversity for as long as they have. If you look at their lineup on a day-to-day basis, there are difference makers, but are they on the same page as their coach? Is Paul Maurice's second stint with this lowly club wearing thin? It happened once before and it can happen again. What made Carolina so successful last season after the coaching change, was a familiar voice in the dressing room. Players were quick to adapt to the change, but that was then and this is now. This current lineup should win hockey games, but they are losing not just because of injuries, but a lack of communication. Veterans like Rod Brind'Amour and Ray Whitney aren't getting any younger. It's time to right the ship or dismantle and rebuild.

***

The Columbus Blue Jackets are well on their way to the basement in the Western Conference. In fact, they are just about there. One point from there to be exact. With the talent level currently in Columbus and the numbers to show for, there are no excuses from an offensive standpoint. This was a surprising young playoff team from last year that was very similar to St. Louis.

Defensively and between the pipes, the Blue Jackets are struggling, and a horrible sophomore slump for goaltender Steve Mason has not helped matters much. All of this being said, you still have to wonder if Ken Hitchcock plays any type of role in their embarrassing 14th spot in the conference. The answer is simple, he does.

Ken Hitchcock's intense philosophies work best in the initial years of a coaching tenure. The players quickly buy into his theories, and are pushed out of their comfort zone by a strict disciplinarian. All necessary steps to help a franchise grow. But after a few years, the same chirping voice becomes stale. Young players lose complete confidence in their game, and some are pushed away from the team altogether. Columbus' Russian star Nikita Filatov is currently on loan to the KHL, maybe entirely due to an inability to coexist with Hitchcock.

Ken Hitchcock's approach to coaching in the NHL will never change. It's what makes him so appealing to executives around the NHL, and it's what won him a Stanley Cup in Dallas in '98-99. But if the Blue Jacket players are losing interest, as they seemingly have already, it's a no brainer to add Ken Hitchcock to the hot seat.

- Mike Colligan and Darren Coslov

Tampa Bay Lightning Still on Shaky Ground

Heading into this summer's NHL free agency period, it looked as if the Tampa Bay Lightning had hit rock bottom.  The media spotlight shone brightly on the Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy proceedings, yet Oren Koules and Len Barrie, co-owners of the Lightning, were bickering over the direction of the cash-strapped franchise.

The team was coming off a dreadful season in which they finished second-to-last in the NHL and had major holes on the roster to fill. Perhaps realizing that another missed playoff appearance would make it very difficult to stay afloat, GM Brian Lawton went to work this offseason with Koules' checkbook in hand.  Gone were glorified pylons such as Noah Welch and Cory Murphy, and in came free agent prize defenseman Matthias Ohlund (7 years, $26.25M) in what seemed like just seconds after the free agency period opened.  Not only was Ohlund exactly what the Lightning needed to improve on perhaps the league's weakest defensive group last season, but the 33-year-old Swede was also the perfect mentor for '09 first round pick Victor Hedman who also hails from Sweden.

Prior to tonight's matchup with Toronto, Tampa finds themselves on a 4-1-2 run and tied for seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 9-5-7 record through the first quarter of the season.  Head coach Rick Tocchet seems to be getting results from last season's disappointments. 2008 top pick Steven Stamkos has burst onto the scene and finds himself tied for the team scoring lead with 24 points.  Following a rough start under former head coach Barry Melrose last season, Tocchet made Stamkos a healthy scratch at times last spring to help him focus on his physical training.  Over the summer, Stamkos put in time with fitness-fanatic and former Lightning winger Gary Roberts:

"We did some unusual things...The toughest part was on dry land, pulling a 100-pound sled, sprinting the whole way and then turning around and going back. I was face up on the ground, gasping for air."

Stamkos added five to seven pounds of muscle or so, though, and his body fat dipped by three percentage points. He said he didn't want to add too much weight and sacrifice speed, so the body fat percentage was the real goal.

The training seems to have paid off, as Stamkos has already found the back of the net 15 times this season, three off the league lead.  Some are already calling for Hart Trophy consideration as league MVP for the 19-year-old forward.

Ryan Malone has been a direct beneficiary of Stamkos' success.  Following a disappointing 2008-09 campaign, the former-Penguins winger has 22 points in 21 games. Joe Smith at the St. Pete Times feels Malone is the team's unsung hero thusfar.  Things seem to be going great in Tampa Bay.  A far cry from the train wreck we antipicated in November 2008, right?

Not so fast.  I can't argue Malone's start hasn't been impressive; but is it really him, or the fact he's now paired with the talented Martin St. Louis and Stamkos, instead of bouncing between scoring lines and limited checking roles like last season? Malone stumbled onto a great line his final season in Pittsburgh when Evgeni Malkin helped Malone score 27 goals and land a mega-contract two summers ago. And how does one become unsung when his paycheck reads $6 million, as Malone's does this year?  He should be leading this team at that price.

While we're on the subject of millions, what about $10-million-man Vincent Lecavalier?  He's taken plenty of criticism in recent weeks (some of which is probably unwarranted), but maybe he's not the player who once scored 52 goals in a season.  In fact, since that 2006-07 season, his goal totals have dropped considerably as a result of mounting injuries.  He underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in April '08 following a cheapshot by Matt Cooke.  He's had wrist surgery on both wrists due to damage to the triangular fibrocartilage complex, the most recent coming last April after playing through a season of pain.  According to the University of Michigan Health System, for athletes like Lecavalier, "the longer you have symptoms before you start treatment, the longer it will take to get better."

One would assume he'll snap out of it, yet it's hard to ignore that he's currently on pace for a paltry 16 goals this season.  Despite rampant trade rumors, I can't think of many teams chomping at the bit to take on an underperforming, injury risk with huge money remaining on a contract that runs through 2020.

Off the ice, it isn't all that pretty either. Despite the successful start and slashed ticket prices, attendance is still down from last season, as the Lightning rank 25th out of 30 teams. Damien Cristodero shares some of the same concerns:

Operationally, the team has been stable this season, with co-owner Oren Koules and general manager Brian Lawton running things, and co-owner Len Barrie, as per commissioner Gary Bettman, involved only in transactions worth more than $2 million.
The question is what happens when the $15 million the organization received in league revenue sharing runs out and it has to start paying more of its bills on its own?

Barrie, although claiming his day-to-day role hasn't really changed since last season, may be in no position to come to the rescue financially.  According to a report by David Shoalts at the Globe & Mail:

His financial problems with the Bear Mountain golf resort and housing development near Victoria were severe enough to scuttle his attempt to buy out fellow owner Oren Koules in late summer. Now it appears as if the problems will worsen.

In the wake of a damning report by the company’s former auditor that accused management at Bear Mountain of misappropriating funds, a source said Canada Revenue Agency is looking into the development’s finances.

Barrie, who was accused in the report and by a member of the development’s executive committee of improperly financing at least part of his share of the Lightning with Bear Mountain funds, did not respond to a request for comment.

Shoalts went on to indicate that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is content with the team's situation.  The economy is beginning to show signs of life and financing is a bit easier to come by than it was a year ago. Perhaps Koules will be able to lure in an outside investor or two.

Yet as the Phoenix Coyotes have found, not every corner of the country is out of the woods yet.  All signs point to Florida (like Arizona) still being years away from an economic and housing recovery.  How far will attendance and revenues fall if the team begins to struggle? What other skeletons are there in Barrie and Koules' closet? For now, every win silences the critics and buys the risk-taking Koules more time.  But an 18th century preacher once said, "The worst thing that can happen to a man who gambles, is to win”.

The Injury Riddled Stanley Cup Champions: How Will The Penguins Respond?

When the Pittsburgh Penguins entered the 2009-10 campaign, it was time to defend Lord Stanley’s Cup. After a thrilling Game Seven victory this past June, the Penguins were Stanley Cup Champions for the third time in franchise history.

Following a much shortened off-season, the Penguins were back in Pittsburgh preparing to defend. A handful of Champions left for free agency however, including the likes of forwards Miroslav Satan and Petr Sykora, along with Defensemen Rob Scuderi and Hal Gill, giving the Penguins somewhat of a new look up front, and undoubtedly on the blue line. Losing free agent role players to other teams following a championship is hardly a new development.  One of the toughest challenges winning teams must face is reloading the following season.

Along with the free agent departures, the Penguins were preparing to begin the season without injured forward Maxime Talbot as well, due to off-season shoulder surgery. However, the Penguins did make the necessary roster additions in order to supplement from the free agent departures and the injury to Talbot.  They were prepared to not only be as good as last season, but perhaps even better.

The Pittsburgh Penguins welcomed free agent rugged forward Michael Rupp and waiver claim Chris Bourque along with veteran defensemen Jay McKee and Martin Skoula on board as replacements. Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero  constructed a 23 man roster to Head Coach Dan Bylma’s liking, and the club was on their way to defend.

Soon after the start of the season, the Penguins found themselves atop the Eastern Conference and first in the National Hockey League with a record of 12-3. Character efforts and strong team performances contributed to the solid start and had many Penguin fans expecting nothing less then a continuation of last spring's magical run.

It would be interrupted unfortunately during a recent stretch of road games, due to a rash of injuries. In a span of one month, the Penguins lost in no particular order, defensemen Sergei Gonchar, Kris Letang and Brooks Orpik and forwards Evgeni Malkin, Chris Kunitz and Tyler Kennedy.  As you would expect, their on-ice chemistry was gone and the Penguins were left looking for answers.

The Penguins had no other choice but to quickly re-adjust and move on due to the compressed schedule in the National Hockey League, with the Olympics on the horizon in February. Games are so close to one another, that captain Sidney Crosby was forced to try to carry the team on his back, especially while the other half of the two-headed monster, Evgeni Malkin, was nursing a shoulder injury. It wasn’t getting any easier for the Penguins, and as a result, they recently dropped four straight contests, moving them from the top spot down to 4th in the Eastern Conference.

Blaming injuries on offensive woes and lack of production from a group so talented as the Penguins would obviously be the easiest route to take. Yet Sidney Crosby and assistant Captain Bill Guerin were not satisfied making excuses. They held a players-only meeting last week following nearly three shutout games in a row and were determined to right the ship like true champions so often do.

Case in point, this past Saturday night, with Malkin returning from injury but still a patchwork lineup, the Penguins found themselves trailing the Boston Bruins with merely seconds left in regulation.  With the net empty, the Penguins were determined to not let the Bruins escape town with another two points:




It's amazing what a comeback win like that can do for a team's confidence in trying times.  Saturday nights performance however, was long overdue.

The cup rings around the dressing room at the Mellon Arena are a constant reminder of what this team can accomplish, even when the critics give them no chance to succeed.  Outside of Penguins fans, you'll be hard-pressed to find someone who thought Pittsburgh could win back to back games against the heavily favored Red Wings last spring in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Yet adversity is what defines, and sometimes builds, true champions.  When Gonchar went down in the preseason last year, young Kris Letang was thrown into the fire and became a huge part of the team's postseason success.  When Crosby missed time at midseason, Evgeni Malkin stepped up and found the confidence to completely take over games.  Despite suffering what appears to be another addition to the injury list, Alex Goligoski has emerged in recent weeks as potentially the centerpiece on the Pens blueline for years to come.

[Update: Goligoski will be sidelined 2-3 weeks with lower-body injury.]

It will be a tough few weeks, but few of the Eastern Conference elite are healthy and thriving right now.  One thing is for sure, when the trainers room finally clears out, the sky's the limit for Sidney and company.

NHL Faceoff Debate: Judging The Avs, Marc-Andre Fleury as Team Canada Goalie, and the Potential For a Breakout Season from Rene Bourque.

This week in our NHL debate, we're going to roll with the SportsJudge theme and rule "Sustained" or "Overruled" on a number of early trends throughout the NHL. Hot topics include the fast start by the Colorado Avalanche, Rene Bourque's breakout season potential, and where Marc-Andre Fleury stands on the Team Canada depth chart.

Marc-Andre Fleury has proven he should be the starter for Team Canada in this spring's Olympics...

Joe Romano: SUSTAINED. I know some of my Penguins bias will seep in here, but I think Fleury is currently the best goaltender from my northerly neighbor. MAF is quickly becoming one of the best goaltenders in the world. He has already started the 2009 season on a strong note after leading the Penguins to the Stanley Cup last season. Other than a hiccup against the Capitals, MAF was arguably the best goaltender in the playoffs. We can't forget the 2008 playoffs when he carried the Pens to the finals with a sub-2.0 GAA. He simply is currently the best Canadian goaltender playing hockey.

Onto his competition, Luongo is over two years removed from actually carrying a team, who already plays in a conservative system. Additionally, when the Canucks lost in the playoffs, much blame could be placed on Luongo's shoulders for more than a few soft goals. Sure, he's nasty in NHL10, but this isn't Xbox Live. Next is Brodeur, who certainly is no spring chicken. The past three playoffs by Brodeur have been marred by less than spectacular performances. Many Devils fans are still wondering how he almost personally handed the Hurricanes a first round win. You also need to go back to 2006 to find the last playoffs where Brodeur shined. Lastly, we have Cam Ward. It completely boggles my mind how much people have fallen in love with him over last year's playoffs. We are talking about a goalie who has been mediocre for most of his NHL career except for six rounds in the playoffs. Even in last year's playoffs he shined against average offenses (Boston and New Jersey), but was completely outmatched by the Pens. The competition is solid, but MAF has an advantage over each.

Mike Colligan: OVERRULED. I don't buy it. I think Fleury is an excellent goaltender and is really beginning to come into his own as one of the league's elite young talents, but it would be in Team Canada's best interest to put him on the team as the #3 goaltender to be sure he's ready for Sochi 2014. 2010 in Vancouver is Roberto Luongo's time to shine. He's off to a slow start this year (which is a yearly occurrence), but he finished with a 33-13-7 record to go along with 9 shutouts last season despite missing two months with a groin injury. Luongo served as Brodeur's understudy in the 2004 World Cup and 2006 Olympics and now deserves the chance to win a gold for Team Canada in a place he knows very well.

Some combination of Fleury, Cam Ward, and Steve Mason will eventually backstop Team Canada's gold medal hopes for the next two Olympics, but our Canadian readers probably still haven't forgotten (or even forgiven) Fleury for his "goal" in the 2004 World Junior Championships that sealed the victory for the US. As much as I expect Mike Babcock to shake things up this spring for Team Canada, I think Fleury needs to learn from the guys who've been there before.

Rene Bourque will fill the void left by Michael Cammalleri for Calgary...

Mike Colligan: SUSTAINED. I'm guessing I'll be in the minority on this one, but I don't think it's a matter of will he replace Cammalleri, he needs to. Rene Bourque has 25 goals in 66 career games with Calgary which equates to an 82-game pace of 31; all while never finding consistent time opposite Jarome Iginla. In Cammalleri's two seasons on LA prior to his breakout with Iginla, he was on a nearly identical goal-scoring pace and eventually tallied 39 last year. Iginla has been off to a slow start so far this season and new head coach Brent Sutter has been trying to find the right mix of players to get him rolling. Sutter has also given Bourque quite a bit of powerplay time, something Rene never received much of last year under Mike Keenan. It seems inevitable that Bourque eventually ends up on a line with Iginla, and centerman Daymond Langkow (who Bourque and Iginla have both had chemistry with in previous years). If that's the case, I think Calgary may be facing the same challenge of resigning a breakout free agent scorer next summer with Rene Bourque.

SportsJudge.com Fantasy Hockey Challenge Update

One week of fantasy hockey is in the books for the SportsJudge.com Fantasy Hockey Challenge and Declan G of PuckCentral.net is off to an undefeated start. In case you missed it, be sure to check out our list of SportsJudge writers and the experts from the US and Canada who are competing this season as well as the draft recap. Also, be sure to check out our experts websites. If you're a hockey fan, these six sources are all you need to stay up-to-date on all 30 teams in the NHL. Let's get into Week 1...

To see detailed matchups and rosters of each team, click the images on the right.

SportsJudge Colligan (Mike Colligan) vs. Between the Pipes (Manson Seto)

- It's hard to argue that the MVP of the week wasn't Dany Heatley for Colligan as he lit up the scoreboard with 5 goals, 5 assists, and 10 PIM in his first week with the new squad in San Jose.
- Goaltending was the big letdown for Seto. With Nabakov, Brodeur, Leclaire and the "Monster" on his roster, there won't be many weeks where he'll lose all four goalie categories like he did this week. On the flip side, Brooks Laich (3G, 4A) and his newfound role on the Caps powerplay was a pleasant surprise.


TheHockeyWriters.com (Bruce Hollingdrake) vs. InsideHockey.com (Alex Linsky)

- Bruce has the best defensemen in the league, but Mike Green failing to score and losing Markov for a few months makes it tough. Adding Carle and Hedman to the mix should allow him to move forward with minimal damage.
- Even with troubles logging into the draft, Alex somehow managed to get Malkin, Parise, and Richards on his team which makes his 20 goals and 40 assists for the week hardly a surprise. If he can avoid injuries throughout the season, his team is going to be hard to outscore.


IglooClub (Darren Coslov) vs. Phil Bourque (Joe Romano)

- This was a great matchup between SportsJudge foes and fittingly it ended in a tie. Coslov capitalized on the huge offensive weeks by Ovechkin and Backstrom and with Kessel and Hossa sitting on IR, he looks to be the favorite at this point in the season.
- Romano is about as balanced as it gets. He got production from top to bottom and his underrated players like Wojtek Wolski (4G, 1A) came through big.


Turkey Hold Dimaio (Schrembs at SaucerPass.com) vs. Illegal Curve (Richard Pollack)

- Schrembs didn't mess around with soft players on draft day, making sure to get Chara (16 PIM) and Pronger (18 PIM). In goal, Jon Quick and the LA Kings have looked great so far and Mikka Kiprusoff has been racking up wins. I have a hunch Thomas may lose quite a few starts to Tuuka Rask as the year progresses, but Boston is still one of the East's better teams and will rebound from a sluggish start.
- Richard had a rough week, but he's got big-time scorers and great young defensemen just waiting to break out. Spezza, Iginla, Backes, and Weber are off to curiously slow starts and he finished just short in a number of categories.


Puck Prospectus (Timo Seppa) vs. PuckCentral.net (Declan G)

- Timo was shutout, but Roberto Luongo fantasy owners are used to his slow starts by now. Jose Theodore is making quite a bid for the starting job in Washington and he made an interesting pickup of Antero Niittymaki. Mike Smith hasn't looked himself and a few more good starts from Nitty could mean big changes.
- Declan sits on top of the league after one week with his undefeated victory behind goal-scoring machines Crosby, Carter, Marleau, and Selanne. What's also interesting to me is aside from Jovanovski, he's got a ton of young defense with a ton of talent. There's obviously risk associated with unproven young defensemen, but it'll be fun to see how this plays out over the course of an entire season.

NHL Faceoff Debate: Matt Carle and Other Surprises (No Playoffs For Red Wings?)

Is Matt Carle's hot start for real or just a mirage?

Flyers defenseman Matt Carle has come out of the gates on fire notching 8 points in his first five games, leading all NHL defensemen heading into Wednesday's action. The former Hobey Baker winner out of the University of Denver has had a bumpy road since entering the NHL in 2006. After tallying 42 points in his first full season with San Jose, Carle found himself shipped to Tampa Bay in the deal that had Dan Boyle heading to the Sharks. His stay with the Lightning didn't last long and Carle finally landed in Philadelphia last season.

Mike Colligan: I'm always skeptical of fast starts by defensemen, especially when they include a ton of assists (See '08-09 version of Filip Kuba), but I think Carle is for real. He finished the 08-09 regular season with 6 points in his final 9 games and now finds himself paired with newcomer Chris Pronger at even strength and on the powerplay. Kimmo Timonen has been the powerplay QB for the last two seasons but at the age of 35, I think he's beginning to slow down, creating a void the 25-year-old Carle looks to seize.

Joe Romano: I’m not buying it, and it doesn’t have so much to do with Carle as it does with the rest of the Flyers. I just don’t think their is enough room for Carle. Much like hot streaks, there will be cold streaks. Philly, in all sports, hasn’t been known for their patience and one cold streak from Carle has him off the top power play unit and toiling with the second unit, or even worse. I love his talent and he showed us what he is capable of while in San Jose, but for him to keep this up, he must remain a top-two defenseman in Philly. I’m just not sure I see that happening all season. Carle may be a usable defensemen all year, but more like the third or fourth variety rather than the first or second.

What 2009 playoff outcast will find themselves battling for Lord Stanley this spring?

Mike Colligan: I'm going to go with the Los Angeles Kings. Their top line of Justin Williams, Ryan Smyth, and Anze Kopitar has been lights out so far as Kopitar seems to have found an excellent chemistry with his new linemates. Unloading Kyle Quincey for Smyth over the summer was a big loss, but one a team like the Kings can handle with their depth and talent on the back end. Jack Johnson and Drew Doughty are emerging stars and Rob Scuderi brings in the shutdown capabilities the team needs to handle division foes like Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton. Jon Quick is a very underrated goaltender and should be able to lead this team to a berth in the playoffs this season and for many years to come.

On the flip side, expect the Detroit Red Wings to miss the playoffs for the first time in what seems like decades (yes I know, call me crazy). I tossed this idea around before the season after Hossa, Hudler, and Samuelsson skipped town, and the loss of Johan Franzen now means the Wings are down 116 goals from those four players alone. I won't even start on Chris Osgood...Detroit is missing the playoffs, I will guarantee it.

Joe Romano: I love the Kings and they would have been my choice, but I also like Tampa Bay. I know, I slammed them numerous times for the dysfunction and lack of leadership throughout the entire organization. I mean they were considering trading Vinny Lecavalier, really? But somehow, someway, management got it right. They brought in some good young talent, made some key signings and possess one of the better offenses in the league.

Mike Smith is a very underrated goaltender who put up very solid numbers as a backup in Dallas. I also love Steve Stamkos. This super soph will put his name on the map this year and average a point per game through the entire season. Their weak spot is, and will be all season, defense. Bringing in Victor Hedman will pay dividends right away. Many forget he already has a season and a half of professional hockey in Europe under his belt. I think Tampa makes the jump to the playoffs this year, especially considering their weak division. I expect them to finish second behind the Caps, with the Hurricanes, Panthers and Thrashers on the outside looking in.

Mike Colligan: While I agree on your pick, I disagree a little on the reasoning. The top 5 forwards are excellent, but I think a pair of under the radar offseason moves will be the key. Hedman appropriately got all the attention on the back end, but Tampa really upgraded on D with Matthias Ohlund leading the way. He, like Hedman, hails from Sweden and will be a great mentor for the #2 pick. He has size, skating ability, a huge shot and is capable of shutting down the best forwards the Eastern Conference has to offer.

While Smith has performed decent at times, I love the addition of Antero Niittymaki in goal. He's been around the block and although can be inconsistent at times, he plays with poise and is more than you could ask for as a backup. (Oh yeah, and don't forget his love for the division foe Thrashers)

Through two weeks, what fantasy hockey player is still flying under the radar?

Joe Romano: For me, this answer is simple, Justin Williams in Los Angeles. Through five games, he has one goal, four assists, four PIM, two power play points and is a plus 3. He is the diet version of Brenden Morrow, he doesn’t dominate a category, but contributes across the board. The last few seasons Williams has struggled with injuries, but prior to that, he was just shy of notching a point per game and matching that with solid numbers in PIM, PPP, and +/-.

I’ll admit, I even forgot about him in a pretty deep “experts” draft, but so did everyone else. I was able to grab him from the free agent bin on the first day of the season. He can be streaky, but when he isn’t scoring, he will still be helping you in other categories. A premium is always placed on five tool guys in fantasy baseball, and Williams fits that role in hockey.

Mike Colligan: I'll stay in California with my pick and say Ryan Whitney of the Ducks, a guy I was very high on coming into the season. He put up a career high 59 points with Pittsburgh in 06-07, his second season, yet underwent heel surgery last summer. Whitney only appeared in 28 underwhelming games for the Penguins before they shipped him to Anaheim in the Chris Kunitz trade. So what do I like so much about this year?

In addition to the major surgery, Whitney was also hampered by a suffocating defensive style former Penguins coach Michel Therrien had implemented. The free-wheeling defenseman has one goal, four assists, 8 PIM's, 2 powerplay pts, and a +4 rating through five games. The departure of workhorse Chris Pronger has allowed Whitney to log an average of 26 min/game, a number that should only increase with the injury to James Wisniewski. Throw in the fact that Whitney hasn't even cracked the forward-heavy top powerplay unit in Anaheim yet and I think his season is waiting to explode.

SportsJudge.com Fantasy Hockey Challenge Draft Recap

Our SportsJudge NHL team and friends recently completed their experts fantasy draft, and now that the regular season is underway, let's take a look at the results. Check out our league preview article for a list of the SportsJudge friends involved, as well as the rules and basic structure of the league. Please keep in mind our standard head-to-head 10 category format may not be completely appropriate for the league you may be participating in. If you have specific questions, feel free to email us at info(at)sportsjudge.com or comment below.

I'll only be reviewing the first ten rounds in this recap due to space constraints, but will be covering the league on weekly basis throughout the season.

Round 1
1 Alexander Ovechkin (SJ Coslov)
2 Sidney Crosby (PuckCentral.net)
3 Evgeni Malkin (InsideHockey.com)
4 Dany Heatley (SJ Colligan)
5 Ryan Getzlaf (SJ Romano)
6 Joe Thornton (TheHockeyWriters.com)
7 Roberto Luongo (PuckProspectus.com)
8 Evgeni Nabokov (SJ Seto)
9 Miikka Kiprusoff (SaucerPass.com)
10 Jarome Iginla (IllegalCurve.com)

Notes and Reaction: The talented Sharks duo going at #4 and #6 is risky, but if they click each could easily top 100 points next season. Keep in mind Dany Heatley is only two seasons removed from back-to-back 50 goals seasons without the NHL's best playmaker on his line.

Round 2
1 Ilya Kovalchuk (IllegalCurve.com)
2 Tim Thomas (SaucerPass.com)
3 Martin Brodeur (SJ Seto)
4 Pavel Datsyuk (PuckProspectus.com)
5 Mike Green (TheHockeyWriters.com)
6 Alexander Semin (SJ Romano)
7 Rick Nash (SJ Colligan)
8 Zach Parise (InsideHockey.com)
9 Henrik Zetterberg (PuckCentral.net)
10 Daniel Sedin (SJ Coslov)

Notes and Reaction: To some, Romano's Semin choice might be the surprise pick in this round. However, had he been healthy last season the Russian was on pace for 104 points. Starting the season on Ovechkin's wing could mean an enormous year for Semin.

Round 3
1 Nicklas Backstrom (SJ Coslov)
2 Jeff Carter (PuckCentral.net)
3 Corey Perry (InsideHockey.com)
4 Vincent Lecavalier (SJ Colligan)
5 Patrick Kane (SJ Romano)
6 Tomas Vokoun (TheHockeyWriters.com)
7 Dion Phaneuf (PuckProspectus.com)
8 Martin St. Louis (SJ Seto)
9 Zdeno Chara (SaucerPass.com)
10 Niklas Backstrom (IllegalCurve.com)

Notes and Reaction: Bruce took Vokoun far earlier than expected, but I think he may be on to something. Few realize that Vokoun and former understudy Craig Anderson were #2 and #3 respectively in NHL save percentage last season. With the departure of All-Star Jay Boewmeester on defense, Vokoun could be facing even more shots this season.

Round 4
1 Marc Savard (IllegalCurve.com)
2 Devin Setoguchi (SaucerPass.com)
3 Dan Boyle (SJ Seto)
4 Bobby Ryan (PuckProspectus.com)
5 Jonas Hiller (TheHockeyWriters.com)
6 Henrik Lundqvist (SJ Romano)
7 Cam Ward (SJ Colligan)
8 Marian Gaborik (InsideHockey.com)
9 Eric Staal (PuckCentral.net)
10 Marc-Andre Fleury (SJ Coslov)

Notes and Reaction: If Fleury can find his Playoff form of last year, Coslov may have the steal of the draft with the 11th goaltender off the board. Timo Seppa also snagged a gem in Bobby Ryan, who is part of what may be the strongest line in the NHL. He had 31 goals in just 64 games last season.

Round 5
1 Henrik Sedin (SJ Coslov)
2 Patrick Marleau (PuckCentral.net)
3 Mike Richards (InsideHockey.com)
4 Ryan Miller (SJ Colligan)
5 Simon Gagne (SJ Romano)
6 Andrei Markov (TheHockeyWriters.com)
7 Jonathan Toews (PuckProspectus.com)
8 Daniel Alfredsson (SJ Seto)
9 Michael Cammalleri (SaucerPass.com)
10 Jason Spezza (IllegalCurve.com)

Notes and Reaction: With only 73 points, last year was a down year for Jason Spezza. Losing Dany Heatley hurts, but Spezza has looked extremely fast in camp alongside newcomer Milan Michalek. On a roster that already includes Iginla, Kovalchuk, and Savard, Richard could have an offense to reckon with.

Round 6
1 Shea Weber (IllegalCurve.com)
2 Martin Havlat (SaucerPass.com)
3 Patrik Elias (SJ Seto)
4 Thomas Vanek (PuckProspectus.com)
5 Nicklas Lidstrom (TheHockeyWriters.com)
6 Sergei Gonchar (SJ Romano)
7 Carey Price (SJ Colligan)
8 Chris Osgood (InsideHockey.com)
9 Ray Emery (PuckCentral.net)
10 Steve Mason (SJ Coslov)

Notes and Reaction: It's not too often that a potential 45-50 goal scorer falls to the sixth round, but that's exactly what Timo found in Thomas Vanek. Vanek slowed down after a jaw injury in February and still ended up hitting the back of the net 40 times. Hitting his prime at the age of 25, look out.

Round 7
1 Marian Hossa (SJ Coslov)
2 Cristobal Huet (PuckCentral.net)
3 Johan Franzen (InsideHockey.com)
4 Olli Jokinen (SJ Colligan)
5 Pekka Rinne (SJ Romano)
6 Semyon Varlamov (TheHockeyWriters.com)
7 Nikolai Khabibulin (PuckProspectus.com)
8 David Booth (SJ Seto)
9 Chris Pronger (SaucerPass.com)
10 Anze Kopitar (IllegalCurve.com)

Notes and Reaction: Hossa and Huet are great value this late in the draft. Huet stumbled towards the end of last season but he has a nice cushion as the starter for one of the best team's in the Western Conference. Some may think this is early to take Hossa, but in a league like this, your team is only as good as your playoff roster. Hossa should be back by mid-November and in prime shape by the time fantasy playoffs roll around.

Round 8
1 Duncan Keith (IllegalCurve.com)
2 Scott Hartnell (SaucerPass.com)
3 Brian Rafalski (SJ Seto)
4 Sheldon Souray (PuckProspectus.com)
5 Derick Brassard (TheHockeyWriters.com)
6 Brenden Morrow (SJ Romano)
7 Scott Niedermayer (SJ Colligan)
8 Marty Turco (InsideHockey.com)
9 Teemu Selanne (PuckCentral.net)
10 Scott Gomez (SJ Coslov)

Notes and Reaction: Getting a 60-point defenseman this late in the draft like Manson Seto did, shows it sometimes makes sense not to overpay for the big names like Chara or Phaneuf in the initial rounds. With this possibly being Lidstrom's final season in Detroit, expect Rafalski to take the reigns as the go-to guy in Hockey Town.

Round 9
1 David Krejci (SJ Coslov)
2 Shane Doan (PuckCentral.net)
3 Jason Blake (InsideHockey.com)
4 Mike Knuble (SJ Colligan)
5 Steven Stamkos (SJ Romano)
6 Patrice Bergeron (TheHockeyWriters.com)
7 Milan Lucic (PuckProspectus.com)
8 Mikko Koivu (SJ Seto)
9 Jay Bouwmeester (SaucerPass.com)
10 Niklas Kronwall (IllegalCurve.com)

Notes and Reaction: Shane Doan was a nice pick here by Declan as a complement to his already potent offense. Doan is a perfect example of a steady scoring forward that goes completely unnoticed playing the Arizona desert.

Round 10
1 David Backes (IllegalCurve.com)
2 Mark Streit (SaucerPass.com)
3 Bill Guerin (SJ Seto)
4 Dennis Wideman (PuckProspectus.com)
5 Alex Tanguay (TheHockeyWriters.com)
6 Mike Ribeiro (SJ Romano)
7 Alex Kovalev (SJ Colligan)
8 Joe Pavelski (InsideHockey.com)
9 Ales Hemsky (PuckCentral.net)
10 Phil Kessel (SJ Coslov)

Notes and Reaction: While we're on the subject of under appreciated players, Schrembs snagged Mark Streit at a great spot in the 10th round. In a perfect world, Streit should have been up for the Norris Trophy last season, his first on Long Island. Not only did he put up 56 points in only 74 games, he also managed to finish the season at +6. On the surface, this wouldn't blow away the casual hockey fan, but as the leading defenseman on the worst team in the league and almost half his points coming on the powerplay, I think this was an outstanding accomplishment. Adding John Tavares and legitimate starting goalies to the Islanders will only help Streit's cause.

Theo Fleury Retires and a Look at the Camp Tryout Dynamics in Today's NHL

Two weeks ago, we touched on the feel-good story of the NHL preseason as Theo Fleury attempted to make his return to the ice for the Calgary Flames after battling substance abuse problems for a number of years. Unfortunately, this morning Theo's comeback trail came to an end as he was released by Calgary and then chose to retire instead of testing the free agent waters.

Fleury is 41, but it was well worth it from several standpoints for the Calgary Flames to invite him to camp and see what he could offer. While the former 104-point scorer had visibly aged since the last time he put on an NHL sweater, a number of other areas of his game brought back great memories of the 5'8 185-pound forward. Theo's intensity from the drop of the puck, playmaking abilities, and willingness to do anything and everything to help the Calgary Flames win games hardly went unnoticed in the preseason and is exactly what many of last years playoff duds were in need of. Yet if this was the case, why would the Flames not keep him?

Plain and simple, the 2009-10 season in the NHL is a numbers game more than any in recent memory. While Head Coach Darryl Sutter would have loved to have Theo on his roster come playoff time, this is a team (like many) with very little salary cap space remaining. If you followed the NHL closely last spring, you noticed that the Flames could not even dress a full roster down the stretch due to cap issues. According to CapGeek.com, Calgary has $1.422m in space remaining this season, but you can be sure they are going to give themselves a little flexibility this time around.

At 5'8, Fleury just wasn't cut out to play a checking line or specialty role in the current NHL as Claude Lemieux was able to do when he resurrected his career with the San Jose Sharks last season. With promising young talent in Rene Bourque, David Moss, and Curtis Glencross supplementing veterans stars like Jarome Iginla, Daymond Langkow, and Craig Conroy, there wasn't room for Fleury in the top six forwards on this Western Conference powerhouse.

On top of that, due to salary cap restrictions, teams aren't nearly as willing to bring on questionable talent to sit in the press box night in and night out until their services are needed. Much like the dynamics of the recent housing bubble, NHL GM's had been signing player contracts under the assumption that the salary cap upper limit would continue to rise on a yearly basis. A look at the brief history of the salary cap and the year-over-year increase under the most recent CBA tells the story:

2005-06: $39.0 million
2006-07: $44.0 million - YOY +12.8%
2007-08: $50.3 million - YOY +14.3%
2008-09: $56.7 million - YOY +12.7%
2009-10: $56.8 million - YOY +0.2%

Without the typical 13% increase in the upper limit, teams anchored down by long-term contracts signed during this period, unexpectedly entered this summer with very little cash to bring on free agents. Many unsigned second-tier players such as Nikolai Zherdev and Viktor Kozlov found the appeal of playing in the KHL and their home country of Russia to be a better fit than accepting hefty salary cuts to stay in the NHL.

Other players took Fleury's approach of signing unconditional tryout contracts which took on the feel of a working internship. A few such as Petr Sykora (Minnesota) and Daryl Sydor (St. Louis) have turned the opportunity into full NHL contracts, yet many still find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to securing a roster spot on opening day. Player Agent Allan Walsh expressed a similar sentiment on his twitter page today (@walsha):

A new trend in NHL - watch for clubs to keep only 20-21 players on roster to stay below upper limit. This means less NHL jobs for players and more 1 way contracts in the AHL.

In addition to providing pro-rated cap space for later in the season, this strategy also allows teams to stash semi-talented prospects and veterans in the AHL despite one-way contracts until injuries or lineup changes necessitate a call up. In the NHL, players under one-way NHL deals need to clear waivers in order to be sent to the minors to clear cap room which is a risk that some teams have been forced to take. What's more, should they get the call up, these same players can also be claimed by other teams on re-entry waivers at half of their remaining salary.

What does this mean for the slew of veterans swinging in the free-agent winds? General Managers used to (and still do) bring in veterans on tryouts for the sake of making their pro camps that much more competitive and protect against that inevitable early injury. With less cash to go around, the list of unemployed with names such as Mark Parrish, Jason Allison, Kyle Calder, Jasen Cullimore, Dan Hinote, Mathieu Dandenault, Dan Cloutier, and Manny Legace is sure to grow as teams must submit their regular season roster by September 30th.

Many such as Theo will decide to hang up the skates as opposed to toiling in the minors until the big team comes calling. According to a press release, GM Sutter explained his "agreement with Theoren was that he had to be one of our top six wingers and there were never any intentions of assigning him to the American Hockey League." Others players may not agree with this strategy, but with no cap increase in sight, it’s going to become the way of life in the new NHL for dozens of aged veterans.

- Mike Colligan and Darren Coslov

Denver Tops Cincinnati on Miracle Touchdown

In March, our own Brian Doyle wrote an excellent piece on why you should watch whatever game that announcer Gus Johnson calls:

I haven’t done any research to prove this, but it seems that Gus Johnson has a knack for getting stuck with the exciting, it’s-going-to-come-down-to-the-last-possession NCAA Tournament games. Does he end up calling more close games than anyone other commentator? I can’t say that with certainty, but part of the reason why many games are so memorable is because Gus Johnson is calling the game. It’s pretty well known that Gus brings the excitement of a tween who got tickets to a New Kids on the Block Concert in 1989 to all of his games. Whether it’s his “RISE AND FIRE” description of an insignificant shot in the first half or when his screaming at the end of a game coincides with Adam Morrison crying at center court, he's entertaining.

I'll be honest with you, whenever I need a pick me up, I come back to Brian's article and watch a few of the clips. Gus Johnson has a way of making the most exciting games even more thrilling and I love it. This afternoon, after watching a great slate of NFL Week 1 games, I stumbled across a feed of the Denver-Cincinnati game and after noticing Gus Johnson was announcing, I followed Brian's advice and watched. Cincinnati drove the field and scored with 28 seconds left in the game, which then prompted Gus to make a comment about how it was now Kyle Orton's turn to make history in his first game for the Denver Broncos. I thought to myself, "Come on Gus, 28 seconds left and 87 yards to go, gimme a break." Then it happened:



He does it again. And this, is once again why you should watch every game that Gus Johnson calls.

Week 1 Fantasy Football Advice Live Blog

Have a lineup question? Don't know who to start or pick up this week? Looking for up-to-the minute injury updates from around the league?

We've got you covered. Our fantasy football team will be live-blogging this Sunday, September 13 from 11:00AM to 1:00PM Eastern to answer all your Week 1 questions.

Hossa Contract Under Review By NHL

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun is reporting that the structure of Marian Hossa's 12-year $62.8 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks is under investigation by the NHL. In early February, we took a look at a growing problem in the NHL when it comes to front loading long-term contracts as a way to circumvent the restrictions of the salary cap:

As teams begin to pick up on this strategy, many GM's will attempt to lock up middle-aged talent to extensive contracts in an effort to free up additional cap space...This trend is only beginning and has the potential to cause a major problem for the league down the road, which commissioner Gary Bettman cannot be thrilled about.

Hossa's deal obviously pushed Bettman and league officials over the edge. Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the annual salary cap hit for player contracts is merely the average yearly amount of the total contract. According to CapGeek.com Hossa's $62.8 million contract breaks down as follows:

2009-10: $7.9 million
2010-11: $7.9 million
2011-12: $7.9 million
2012-13: $7.9 million
2013-14: $7.9 million
2014-15: $7.9 million
2015-16: $7.9 million
2016-17: $4.0 million
2017-18: $1.0 million
2018-19: $1.0 million
2019-20: $750k
2020-21: $750k

The Blackhawks will have an annualized cap hit of $5.23 million throughout the duration of the contract. However, after closer examination, Hossa will earn $59.3 million of his money in the first eight years of the deal. If following the 2016-2017 season, the Blackhawks decide to part ways with the 38-year-old Slovakian winger, they can buy out the final four years of his contract at two-thirds of the remaining total salary of $3.5 million. What makes this situation even more beneficial to Chicago is that the buyout money is paid out over twice the remaining years of the bought out contract. This amounts to a blip on the radar of $290k a year. If Hossa were to retire at any time, both sides walk away from the deal with no lingering cap hit at all to the Hawks.

Garrioch quoted NHL Deputy Commissioner from an email in which Daly wrote:

“We’re trying to understand how it was negotiated and whether the intent and effect is to circumvent the cap. This was the first of the long-term contracts that took a player out past the age 40 and the value of the contract in its ‘out years’ was dramatically lower than its early years. We want to know if the possibility of player retirement was ever discussed or even contemplated.”

Unless Hossa received the secret formula to 47-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios' longevity last season while in Detroit, it's hard to imagine he'll ever end up playing out the final years of his current deal. According to QuantHockey.com, only 1.06% of NHL forwards in league history have retired after the magic age of 38 referenced above. For a player with numerous knee injuries in his past and who last week underwent shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff, my money won't be on Hossa to land in that 1.06%.

From a realistic perspective, it's hard to imagine the NHL's investigation uncovering proof to substantiate their concerns. This is more than likely a warning shot being fired by the NHL in an attempt to clamp down on the long-term contracts and perhaps posturing for an overhaul when the CBA will potentially reopen just two summers from now.

On the other hand, the Chicago Blackhawks haven't exactly had the most efficient month of July. GM Dale Tallon dropped the ball and failed to get qualifying offers to a slew of restricted free agents by the July 1 deadline...a mistake which some claim cost him his job just days later. Reports also surfaced recently that Chicago failed to give Hossa a physical prior to signing him to his contract and may have been unaware of his shoulder injury at the time. Whether there's a note in Marian's locker than says "Remember to Retire in 2017" remains to be seen, but the battle over this salary cap shell game is not going away any time soon.

Twitter: Professional Athletes, Agents, and Sports

“You know, it’s funny - I like it. I like it because it gives me the opportunity to reach out to thousands of people at one time. It gives me a chance to get my story across when something goes wrong…It’s big for me and I’m taking it a step further. I have my own application coming out where people will be able to interact and follow me. You know more than through just the keyboard and reading my messages - you’ll actually be able to follow me and when the season starts, it’s going to get even worse. I’m going to really make it fun. I’m using Twitter during games, during halftime, after the games. I’m going to be taking it to the next level.” - Chad OchoCinco, WR, Cincinnati Bengals on KGOW Radio in Houston

Over the past few months, maybe as sports have died down, I've been noticing Twitter plastered on everything. CNN and MSNBC, my local newspaper, ESPN, everything. At first, it really irritated me. Maybe I, like others, didn't fully understand the technology and it's usefulness, but why would someone care whether you are eating soup or doing laundry or driving to pick up the kids? And what person feels it's really necessary to constantly 'tweet' this information? (Click here for a quick rundown on the basics of Twitter)

Before writing this tech-trend off completely, I decided to sign up for an account and give it a chance to see if there was any real sports-related value to gain from what seems to be an inevitable convergence of athletics and social networking. While following the beginning of NHL Free Agency on July 1st, I was informed (via Twitter of course) that after signing with Minnesota Wild, Martin Havlat wasn't too thrilled with how his contract negotiations went with his former team, the Chicago Blackhawks:

"Excited to be in Minny where I was welcomed and appreciated by management. The real story about what happened in Chicago to come out.

There's something to be said for loyalty and honor."

Keep in mind, this quote was tweeted (I'm not even sure I'm using the correct verbage?) by Havlat within 20 minutes of signing with the Wild. Before the days of Twitter, Havlat would have had time to cool down and even talk with his agent prior to speaking with the media in an organized, and virtually censored, press conference. An outspoken player like Chad OchoCinco may have uttered the same frustrated words in his press conference, but for a notoriously classy team-player such as Havlat, Twitter allowed some fans to hear how he really felt.

While most athletes have yet to sign up for Twitter accounts, Havlat can thank his agent Allan Walsh for encouraging him to express his feelings to the sports world in 140 characters or less. "What I've done is approached all of my clients to say, 'I'm on Twitter, and this is the kind of stuff I'm putting up on there. I am going to use your name when something merits it, but I'll never divulge confidential information and I'll never put anything up there that I feel shouldn't be up there.' And not one player has said they have an issue with it," said Walsh.

In a sport like hockey, using cutting-edge technology to market players to the world makes sense for a number of reasons. NHL players have always been under-marketed in what is essentially a niche sport and aside from local media coverage, fans rarely get a glimpse into players' lives off the ice. Twitter allows these athletes to develop an image and even directly interact with fans in real-time. However, many potential problems exist as Twitter becomes more popular.

This past March, Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva felt it was necessary to update his Twitter followers at halftime:

"In da locker room, snuck to post my twitt. We're playing the Celtics, tie ball game at da half. Coach wants more toughness. I gotta step up."

One has to admire his efficient choice to save 2 characters by replacing 'the' with 'da' but what in that message really prompted him to sneak his cellphone out in the locker room? Was this just the electronic version of a guarantee by an athlete? Bucks Coach Scott Skiles wasn't too impressed either. "My personal opinion is, it doesn't have any place in the locker room," Skiles said. "The locker room's a private place for the players, a sanctuary for the players. But once you walk out of the locker room or whatever, I'm not into getting into guys' personal lives."

Where will the line be drawn? How long will it take for an athlete to tweet himself or herself into hot water by revealing classified team information? Last week, a soccer player for the Houston Dynamo of the MLS was one of the first athletes to be punished for crossing that line. While watching his team lose a match against the Seattle Sounders on TV, Brian Ching immediately tweeted:

“Ref in Seattle just cheated the dynamo. What a joke. Not even close. Ref is a cheat.”

Ching was fined $500 for what was deemed a critical comment of an MLS official, even though Ching was not even at the match, let alone participating in the event. As with any new technology, the rules and boundaries are blurry at best, but we also live in a world where there is extreme competition between members of the media to break the big story first. Traditional daily print media has been overtaken by blogs and websites that update multiple times each day. Twitter takes those rapid updates and almost puts it into real-time. As you might expect, the faster this information comes out, the less credibility it tends to have. In the future, rumors will fly rampant as journalistic standards are thrown out the window, but in this case I am beginning to think the positives definitely outweigh the negatives.

Fans interacting directly with athletes. Up-to-the-second updates on trades and news at your fingertips. The internet changed journalism, and now Twitter has taken online journalism to an entirely new level. Whether that new level is progress or not remains to be seen.