United States
Took a couple days off, but now let's get back to the draft profiles. Today's 2010 draft primer will focus on Andrew Yogan, an American-born power forward who plays for the Erie Otters of the OHL. Yogan might've garnered first or second round consideration at the beginning of the season but has been all over draft boards of late because of his inconsistent play. However, the invaluable package of size, character and high end skill he brings to the table is undeniable. [more…]
From the Toronto Sun:
"What he is asking for is not what we are prepared to pay,†the Leafs general manager said Thursday, when asked [more…]
Ron Wilson, an alumnus from Providence College, was playing for Davos in the Swiss National League A in 1985 when pivotal Minnesota North Stars defenseman Craig Hartsburg was injured. Embroiled in a battle for a playoff spot, Minnesota were in tough to find a stabilizing replacement to hold down the North Stars backend whilst Hartsburg recovered. Ron Wilson, a standout collegiate defender who never rose above major league stopgap, became the go-to-guy having already played 13 games for the North Stars the season previous. A span that bullet pointed five seasons in Switzerland.
A grizzled journeyman by age 30; Wilson would provide stellar coverage in Hartsburg’s absence securing an presence on the North Stars blueline in the 1986-’87 season before completing his NHL playing career with Minnesota a year later.
The news that the Tampa Bay Lightning have Dave Nonis at the top of their shortlist for general manager candidates was perhaps an instance of the inevitable. If Tampa or Nonis deem it not a right fit, we can only expect more of the same from other owners looking to fill vacant general manager positions.
It was reported at the time of Nonis' signing that a one-year clause was included to assure Nonis' services belonged to the Leafs for 2009-10 at a minimum. When Nonis' contractual obligation ends is unclear, but from Joe Nieuwendyk to Steffan Kronwall to Justin Pogge, it's clear Burke will never step in the way of an employee's desire to advance professionally.
But not all hope is lost. First, let's look at what the Leafs have in Nonis, and hopefully what they don't end up losing.
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The gold medal game is upon us, and fittingly, Canada will face off against their US rivals in a battle of hockey's elite. The US team, led by Zach Parise, Patrick Kane, and of course Ryan Miller, will look to grind out another victory over Team Canada, while the Canadians will seek to avenge a tough 5-3 loss to the Americans in the round-robin phase of the tournament.
In the aftermath of a huge win over Russia, where Team Canada surprising outscored their rivals to the tune of 7-3, fans immediately - and naturally, I might add - began to eagerly anticipate the realistic possibility of a re-match versus the United States for the Gold Medal.
Only many seem to have overlooked one significant detail: a red-hot Slovakian team standing between Canada and the final game.
Fresh off last night's 8-2 thumping of the Germans, Team Canada will look to translate that momentum into yet another strong performance as they prepare to face the Russians this evening (7:30 EST/4:30 PST on CTV).
True, the victory last night was over a German team which was not exactly expected to be a medal contender to begin with. However, a win is a win and last night's performance should serve to help some of the bitterness and doubt stemming from Sunday's loss to the United States subside.
As in all sports, momentum is key and Team Canada will certainly need all they can get against a typically strong Russian squad.  The Russians are fast and skilled, but not overly physical; if the Canadians can get in a couple of momentum-setting hits from the outset, establishing control throughout the game will become a much easier task.
Canadians vs. Americans. Patrick Kane vs. Jonathan Toews. Ryan Miller vs. Martin Brodeur. The battle of North America. A game that will have the highest [more…]
Brian Burke's youngest son, Brendan Burke, has passed away due to injuries suffered from a car crash in Indiana earlier today. From everyone here at MLHS, our thoughts and prayers are with Burke's family. This truly puts hockey into perspective in accordance to life.
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To all in the MLHS and Barilkosphere community. Thanks for your continued support, and I look forward to what we can accomplish together in the [more…]
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a rebuild, or a re-tool, whichever you prefer. Â In any event, a process such as this requires a team to have a plentiful prospect pipe, ripe with blue chippers are all positions. Â The Leafs certainly may not be plentiful when it comes to blue chip prospects, but they do have a few who are developing quite nicely.
And you just never know when and where a potential blue chipper may come from.
If drafting has taught us anything, it's shown to be far from an exact science. Â Can't miss prospects turn out to be busts occasionally, and sometimes late round picks have proven to be key components for a team, just ask, among others, Tomas Kaberle, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Viktor Stalberg.
Okay, while he may not garner enough adulation to be put in a group with some of the NHL's top stars, there is plenty of reason to believe he may in fact one day be worthy of the mention.
Stick Work with Fab&Kats went AWOL last week, but is happy to announce this week's lineup of notable guests:
Headling our guests is TSN's Bob [more…]
