NHL Keeps on Waiving and Trading: The Flyers continue to revamp their defense, trading for Janne Niskala from Nashville. Unlike previous seasons, Philadelphia doesn't seem to be going after the big free-agent names (although we'll see what happens with that next week). Instead, the Flyers, who...... , posted on June 25, 2008 more

Bob Barker: 'The Halak Is Not Right, Either': I don't quite understand the Canadiens goalie situation. Last night, they started backup Jaroslav Halak over rookie Carey Price, presumably their future franchise goalie. Price has struggled in the playoffs, but he's also had some great moments. In other words,...... , posted on May 01, 2008 more

Habs Pay the Price for Flyers Defense: The role of defense in the playoffs is such an interesting thing. The Devils, with no offense to speak of, left in the first round of the playoffs when their defense wasn't enough to keep them in games. The Ducks,...... , posted on April 29, 2008 more

No Goalie Fights? Are You Sure?: I know we're all very busy people here, so I'm going to cut right to the chase. Chris Osgood says there's not going to be a goalie fight between the Avs and the Wings. I'm glad Mitch Albom thought to...... , posted on April 25, 2008 more

Ovechkin Forces Game Seven: Obviously, Alex Ovechkin was having kind of a quiet series against the Flyers. Of course, when this guy finds an opportunity, he really finds an opportunity. He scored the game-winner off a turnover in the Caps end. The Flyers had...... , posted on April 22, 2008 more

Goodbye, Mr. Smith: I understood why the Stars traded away goalie Mike Smith as part of the Brad Richards deal, but I was slightly concerned that trading away a potential franchise goalie would come back to bite Dallas. Stars goalie Marty Turco had...... , posted on April 18, 2008 more

Huet Who?: OK. I think this is it for trade deadline stuff. I've just been slow going through all of it. Much like the rest of the hockey world, Caps goalie Olie Kolzig's agent is a little confused as to why the...... , posted on February 29, 2008 more

Trading Places: Is it me or is trade deadline day exhausting? And I didn't have to pack, unlike a lot of NHLers. Apparently my 2001-Avs-Reunion-Is-Not-Happening theory was a bit off. In addition to Peter Forsberg, Colorado also re-acquired defenseman Adam Foote. I...... , posted on February 27, 2008 more

No Avalanche of Trades Yet: Things sure are looking up for the Avalanche. Paul Stastny scored in his first game back from an appendectomy, and the team won a crazy long shootout against the Coyotes. For a struggling team like the Avs of late, this...... , posted on February 25, 2008 more

Return of the Mac: I've been heavy with Wings news this week. I'm not sure why. Actually, I think a lot of it is just being excited for Darren McCarthy's seemingly successfully mounting an NHL comeback. The guy just belongs in Detroit. It looks...... , posted on February 20, 2008 more

Signs of Hockey: First, old business: The Dallas Stars are pretty funny (login info.). A lot of teams wouldn't make fun of the NBA ref-gambling scandal. The Stars have no such qualms. And you know a sign is funny if Mark Cuban doesn't...... , posted on September 05, 2007 more

CuSa is Born; Stars Not Shooting: It's so interesting how no one wants Manny Legace. The Blues are being coy about their goalie needs, floating the idea that Curtis Sanford, or CuSa, as I've just named him, has enough to be a number one. That...... , posted on July 13, 2006 more

Trade Is Over: Geez. I find the trade deadline so draining. The big shocks: Florida hanging on to Olli Jokinen and Chris Gratton, while not dealing goalie Roberto Luongo. So apparently they really want to keep together this core that has produced 24...... , posted on March 10, 2006 more

Everything But: I love how Wayne Gretzky and Janet Jones are using a complex "except" strategy to defend themselves against the "Operation Slapshot" allegations. In today's edition, Jones explains how her husband is no gambler. Except: Other than an occasional horse race,...... , posted on February 10, 2006 more

Game On Unless It's Off: I don't know, man. I hear the meeting between NHLPA Union President Trevor Linden and NHL Board of Directors Chairman Harley Hotchkiss (and their lawyers) went well and I'm all like 'Maybe the NHL will start things up again this...... , posted on January 20, 2005 more

Lecavalier Thriving: Tampa's up two games to none over the Canadiens. They beat them 3-1 yesterday. Vinny Lecavalier, who looked pretty useless against the Islanders in the first round, is on fire against Montreal. He's got four goals in two games. At...... , posted on April 26, 2004 more

Boo-in the Bruins: In honor of Boston's loss to the Canadiens, ESPN's Page Two has a nice list of some of the Stanley Cup playoffs' other notable choke jobs. Michael Holley at the Boston Globe says GM Mike O'Connell walks the plank for...... , posted on April 21, 2004 more

Lucky Langdon: I've been saying there's something to Montreal keeping the gritty Darren Langdon in the line-up. There's just something he's bringing, mostly in terms of luck or energy, that really propels the Canadiens. Saturday night, he even scored a goal, helping...... , posted on April 19, 2004 more

Cracking the Hab Code: OK. I've cracked the Canadiens' code. They're not great with Darren Langdon OR Yanic Perreault. But get both in the line-up and lookout! They'll whip Boston 5-1. Perreault had his first goal of the playoffs. Langdon had almost six minutes...... , posted on April 16, 2004 more

Foregiveness. Even If, Even If, You Don't Love Kovalev Anymore: I'm sorry. I need to keep obsessing over the Canadiens. After last night's loss, everyone was pissed at Alex Kovalev for dropping out of the play that led to Boston's overtime game winner. Fair enough. Kovalev was looking for a...... , posted on April 15, 2004 more

Mojo Update: So will the mystery of Mike Ribeiro ever be solved? He mysteriously went down Sunday. The Bruins said he was faking. The Habs said he was maybe hurt or maybe resting. Now he's saying it was a pinched nerve. It...... , posted on April 14, 2004 more

Kovalev Awakens: As someone who sat through a season and a half of watching Alex Kovalev rot in New York, I'm both surprised and disappointed by his two goal outburst in game three of the Montreal-Boston series. Surprised that he may have...... , posted on April 12, 2004 more

Jumping the Gun; Caps Worse as a Whole: We're going to jump the gun and give this postseason's JUMPING THE GUN award to ESPN's Bill Clement and Gary Thorn. Nashville was up 1-0 on Detroit in the second when the two, discussing Predator goalie Tomas Vokoun, both started...... , posted on April 08, 2004 more

Canadiens Caneed to Win: Philadelphia got their groove back, beating Montreal 2-0 last night. What's up with the Habs? They haven't won a game since Mar. 20, which to be fair, was over the pretty good Devils. Although to be even more fair, the...... , posted on April 02, 2004 more

Langdon Day: Here's the thing about the NHL. Just about every team (except maybe Pittsburgh and Nashville) has three to nine superstar players. These are elite guys who everyone knows. But the rest of the roster is role-players. Guys who are strong...... , posted on December 09, 2003 more

Hab Hat Madness: Do you remember that little hat Montreal goalie Jose Theodore wore over his helmet during the outdoor game against Edmonton? Everyone else sure does. Those tuques are flying off the shelves. The Canadiens just produced a few for the MegaStars...... , posted on November 25, 2003 more

Flames Look Outside: So is it any surprise that other NHL teams are looking into outdoor games? Edmonton drew a crowd of over 56,000. It's like almost four games in one day. The outdoor games, while pure torture for the players, I'm sure,...... , posted on November 24, 2003 more

Random Fun: Not enough for proper entries, but neat enough for me to type: * Last week's The Hockey News has Kris Draper of the Red Wings revealing that if the team had won just one game in the playoffs, they could...... , posted on November 14, 2003 more

The NHL Formula: 'Team Y Won X-0': Finding games a little slow this season? You're not alone. There were 18 shut-outs in the season's first 71 games (second item). Things are pretty crazy. Detroit went crazy against Montreal backup goalie Mathieu Garon Monday night and couldn't crack...... , posted on October 22, 2003 more

The Great Mom: 'Tickets. I Need Tickets. Who's Got Tickets?': Wow. You know that outdoor Edmonton/Montreal alumni game is going to be huge. Even Wayne Gretzky's mom wants a ticket. It'll be really interesting to watch Gretzky skate again. He says he hasn't been on the ice in four years....... , posted on September 23, 2003 more

Original Six Fight: George Gross looks at the current Toronto-Montreal rivalry. Too bad both teams are real fixer-uppers this season. Montreal is so blah, the team has no defining characteristics. And the Leafs have no defensemen. It's a real shame neither team can...... , posted on September 15, 2003 more

The Habs' Gainey: Here's a nice story on Bob Gainey, Montreal's new GM. I want to write more, but I've had no time this week. Montreal has made some very, um, unusual choices over the years, though, and I'm sure Gainey will be...... , posted on June 04, 2003 more

Play Inside: Great news hockey fans! The NHL Players' Association is dragging its feet on an outdoor game between the Oilers and the Habs. Why? My guess is that it's because it's something hockey fans want to see and the NHL and...... , posted on May 29, 2003 more

Patrice Brisebois' Day Off: So there are basically two types of defensemen — the offensive defenseman and the stay-at-home defenseman. So where does Montreal's Patrice Brisebois fit in? He's not playing due to stress-induced chest pains. Yet he reportedly went to Paris (the one...... , posted on February 18, 2003 more

Hackett Looking Sharp: Jeff Hackett, the newest Bruin, is pretty loud on the ice. He shutout the Flyers in his Boston debut. Some people in hockey actually think a good goalie can really help a team and maybe even save a couple of...... , posted on January 27, 2003 more

Too Angry: Part of the reason the Canadiens fired Michel Therrien was the team's on-ice performance — which was a little lacking, to say the least. But according to SportsLine.com, it goes deeper than that. Therrien was just too angry. He was...... , posted on January 21, 2003 more

Are We Better Yet?: Last week the Canadiens fired coach Michel Therrien and put in Claude Julien. Montreal still couldn't get past Toronto's back-up goalie. Or the back-up's back-up. Usually a good sign coaching isn't the only issue with a team....... , posted on January 20, 2003 more

Hiding in Plain Sight: Tough night for the Canadiens. Only 17 shots on goal against Philadelphia. Habs goalie Jeff Hackett saw more than twice that. Things didn't look much better Wednesday night against Atlanta, where Atlanta horribly outshot them in the third. Luckily for...... , posted on January 17, 2003 more

The One About the Goalie: OK. OK. I get it. Montreal has two really good goalies. Now I'd like to stop reading about it every five minutes. For the sanity of the hockey-loving public, the Habs need to either play Jeff Hackett more or deal...... , posted on December 04, 2002 more

More Goalies: So Montreal Canadien goalie Jose Theodore is having a bad season. Bad enough, in fact, that he's now backing up his back-up, Jeff Hackett. Despite this goalie controversy, Montreal is feeling no need to tighten up their defense. That's how...... , posted on October 29, 2002 more

Fun with History: While bored in class Saturday, I found this photo of Jacques Plante wearing his famous mask for the first time. Pretty cool, eh? Time Life has some nice, old sports photos, if you like that sort of thing....... , posted on October 14, 2002 more