Archive for March 7th, 2009
TODAY’S GAMES AND PICKS
For in depth look into the NHL teams records and preview of tonight’s games please go back to the “Home Page” on Hockey God, at the bottom lower left hand side:
Click on “Scoreboard” and review every game by clicking in the individual games being played on Saturday.
Today’s Picks
CHI @ BOS: Take BRUINS
NJD @ NYI: Take DEVILS
MIN @ LAK: Take KINGS
EDM @ TOR: Take LEAFS
BUF @ OTT: Take SENS
NSH @ PHI: Take FLYERS
STL @ FLA: Take PANTHERS
CLB @ DET: Take RED WINGS
CAR @ TBL: Take HURRICANES
SJS @ VAN: Take CANUCKS
SENS NEED NEIL . . . PRONGER STAYS IN SUNSHINE !
SENATORS NEED TO FIND A WAY TO SIGN NEIL
Forget about stats this season for the mostly injured Chris Neil in Ottawa. What Neil provides is so much more than stats than most players, it’s heart, grit and overall determination.
Neil not only sticks up for his teammates who are generally thought of as a soft team to play against. Neil gives the Sens a power forward type of player that gets in on the forecheck making big hits. Neil drives the net and when healthy has proven that he has the ability to score some goals.
Neil wasn’t traded which is somewhat of a surprise by Sens GM Bryan Murray Wednesday especially given the fact that the San Jose Sharks were after him. Murray says he couldn’t get what he wanted for Neil, but I think it’s safe to assume that Murray didn’t want to trade Neil and wants to exhaust every move possible to keep Neil in Ottawa beyond this season.
It seems the only choice Murray is going to have to get Neil under contract even if Neil brings down his salary demands to stay in Ottawa at a hometown discount is if he attempts to trade either Chris Kelly or not sign Mike Comrie.
Kelly is way over paid based on what he delivers to the Sens at $2.5 million and could be a hard player to trade this summer for Murray at that price tag.
Comrie seems to play better in Ottawa than he does anywhere else the last few seasons but his history dictates that he rarely will take less money just to stay in the right City. First off, he held out over contract in Edmonton which got him traded and then bolted as a free agent from the Sens to the NYI over money.
Murray has his work cut out for him this summer in securing the much needed Neil and his grit factor which is absolutely key for the team. Murray must decide who is going to take the hit to fit Neil under the teams cap next season because by not landing at least a draft pick for him Murray made it clear that he wants Neil in Ottawa.
PRONGER LOVES THE SUN
Chris Pronger is one of the best defenseman in the NHL just ask him! Pronger who is not short on self confidence is among the most cocky players in the NHL which doesn’t always make him the most popular with his teammates.
Pronger who has had some drama in his career especially when it was widely rumoured that his wife wanted no part of them staying in Edmonton there by forcing the trade to the sun in Anaheim.
Pronger has won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks and he and his family love the sunshine. It was expected after GM Bob Murray landed defenseman Ryan Whitney before the deadline that Pronger would be dealt elsewhere.
Pronger was relieved he wasn’t traded to another team earlier this week, reports the Orange County Register.
The Ducks had been entertaining offers for Pronger, but never received one they liked for leading into the trade deadline. As a result, they told the rest of the league he was taken off the table and would no longer be available.
Pronger, who has one-year remaining on his contract beyond this season, was pleased.
“You don’t want to go,” he told the Register. “I like playing here. I still like the group we have in here and I think we can win. It’s up to us in here now to do that. We have to come together as a group.”
Ducks GM Murray admitted receiving calls about Pronger, but indicated he never came close to moving him.
Pronger will still have his worth this summer at the NHL draft with that year remaining on his deal. Toronto or Vancouver could be among the destinations for Pronger, if his wife will let him play in Canada where he was born. Wink Wink nudge nudge !
NHL QUICK NOTES:
Gary Roberts looks like he is about to call it a career in Tampa Bay after clearing waivers this past week. Roberts who is a health nut oddly has had an injury prone season after signing as a free agent this past summer.
Roberts has won a Stanley Cup and played in his hometown for Toronto and will be always remembered for his gritty playoffs with the Leafs. Roberts co-owns a gym in the Toronto area and will be a mainstay around there when he retires.
Daniel Briere owes the Philadelphia Flyers a good playoff after getting the money he got and never really backing it up yet as a Flyer. Mostly due to injuries that Briere has suffered as a Flyer, while injured he has stood by while the teams youth has taken over the teams top 2 lines. Mike Richards & Jeff Carter carry their two lines respectively while waiting for Briere to return to the lineup.
It’s time for Briere to stand up and grit out a playoff solid performance for the Flyers and hope that his buddy on the team goalie Marty Biron stops the puck come playoff time as well, or they both will be playing somewhere else next season.
Tampa prospect Steve Downie was suspended 25 games for chopping the legs of the ref at a face-off in an AHL game. Having seen the incident which was basically a wild swing at the puck at the draw which nailed the ref after the two had a somewhat verbal jarring through the game prior was bad but there is a but.
The but in this case is not to say what Downie did was smart or the right thing at all because it clearly wasn’t. But refs/linesman in general that churp players on the ice should shut their mouths too. You are not players, your refs and having coached Jr and had players at both the NHL-AHL, I know there are SOME refs that churp the players too much and need to park their mouths too.
For Hockey God I’m Dave Frost
