Blackhawks Agree To 1-Year Deal With D Michal Rozsival

The Chicago Blackhawks announced Tuesday afternoon that they have agreed to a one-year contract with 34-year old defenseman Michal Rozsival.

Ennis of the Line for Tyler?

The waning days of July are when NHL fans feel trapped in a Rod Serling script. We scour rumor sites and twitter anxiously awaiting the signings and trades that will either send us into a fit of rage calling for our GM to be fired, or a euphoric fist pump extolling the efforts of our organization.  But it's not the swing of emotions that leave us feeling like we're in the Twilight Zone, it's the endless waiting.  They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results...you get the drift.


So in the interest of spicing up the most tiresome time of the year for hockey fans I present to you the end of Tyler Ennis as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.

Blackhawks Hire Jamie Kompon As Assistant Coach

The Chicago Blackhawks announced Tuesday morning that they have hired Jamie Kompon as their assistant coach, replacing Mike Haviland.

Detroit Red Wings: Free Agent Frenzy

The Detroit Red Wings are usually one of the quiet teams each summer, but this year has been very different. After losing Nick Lidstrom to retirement and Brad Stuart and Jiri Hudler to free agency, the Red Wings had some big roster roles to fill. And so General Manager Ken Holland was very on July 1st signing three players who will fit right into the roster next season. Holland isn't done yet either as it is rumoured the Wings are still pursuing Shane Doan, Alex Semin and Pavel Kubina, more than ever now that they lost out on Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. This post however will talk about the players they did add and what they bring to the team. 

Are Parise and Suter worth $196 Million?

Minnesota sports have suffered. They have for a while. Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, and 196 million dollars changes it all.

The Minnesota Vikings are 0-4 in Super Bowls and their best two teams in franchise history never made the Super Bowl; 1998 and 2009. Gary Anderson missed wide left after being perfect the entire season in '98 (going 15-1) and then Brett Favre broke his leg and threw an interception in overtime during the New Orleans Saints Bounty Gate’s highlighted game in 2009.

Parise to make decision today; Preds losing patience with Suter

Day 1 of free agency came and went without decisions coming on the futures' of the market’s top two names. Both Zach Parise and Ryan Suter received offers and heard pitches from various teams, but will likely choose their destinations on today.

Blackhawks Sign D Sheldon Brookbank To A 2-Year Deal

The Chicago Blackhawks announced on Sunday that they have signed defenseman Sheldon Brookbank to a two-year contract worth $2.5 million.

Can Rick Nash get sold on the Senators as a trade suitor?

With their NHL Draft weekend trades, the Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes may not need Rick Nash anymore. The New York Rangers do, and Nash is willing to go there, but so far they’ve been unable and unwilling to meet GM Scott Howson’s price. The Ottawa Senators have reported interest in the power forward... but Rick Nash might not want them.

Habs Nation: Introducing Alex Galchenyuk

For a prospect who only played two regular season games with the Sarnia Sting this year, what happened on Friday night speaks volumes about the type of player he really is.  Alex Galchenyuk was the third player chosen in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, going behind only Nail Yakupov, one of his best friends at Sarnia, and Ryan Murray, the top defenseman available.  Not to mention, he was one of only two forwards chosen in the top-10.

Leafs acquire Van Reimsdyk; Ship out Schenn & Gustavsson

Two players who were promised to be future stars by Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke were sent packing from the lowly NHL club on June 23. Defenseman Luke Schenn was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in return for James Van Riemsdyk and the negotiating rights to goalkeeper Jonas Gustavsson were shipped off to the Winnipeg Jets in return for a seventh-round pick in next year’s entry draft.

Penguins deal Jordan Staal to the Hurricanes

June 22, 2012 will be a day that Jordan Staal will never forget. Not only did he get married, but he was also traded to the Carolina Hurricanes, from the Penguins, to play with his older brother Eric. Staal has been a third line center with the Penguins for the past few seasons mainly because of the presence of Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby ahead of him on the Pens depth chart. Staal finished last season with 25 goals and 25 assists in 62 games for Pittsburgh and scored six goals and three assists in six postseason games.

Meet the Newest Leaf: Morgan Rielly

The Toronto Maple Leafs chose to add some depth to their blueline Friday night at Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center, as they selected 6'0", 190 pound 18 year old defenseman Morgan Rielly with their fifth pick in the opening round of the 2012 NHL Draft.

On The Leafs Goaltending Situation

Since the end of the regular season we have already seen some significant player movement, with two notable netminders already switching cities in Anders Lindback and possibly the most desirable offseason option in Tomas Vokoun.  As well as the most recently resign UFA in Josh Harding.  All of a sudden, the list of available UFA options and trade targets between the pipes is significantly shortened heading into the draft this weekend.  So, where does that leave the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Wild resign Harding; Won't trade Backstrom

The Minnesota Wild have locked up 28 year-old goaltender Josh Harding for the next three years, a deal worth $5.7 million over that stretch. The contract is a raise for Harding over his previous deal which paid him $750K last season. The contract sets the Wild up for the future after starter Nicklas Backstrom, who at age 34 is scheduled to become a UFA next season.  But for anyone playing "Brian Burke - Home Edition," don't make the mistake of believing that Harding's new deal in Minnesota makes Backstrom an option via trade for the Leafs next season, or any other team for that matter. Backstrom won't be going anywhere.

Tampa Bay Lightning Acquire Goaltender Anders Lindback

The hockey world was well aware the Tampa Bay Lightning would be adding a goalie or two this summer.  Following the signing of Riku Helenius to a two-year contract, the Lightning were still searching for a goalie to play big minutes in Tampa this season.

And on Friday the Lightning made their move, announcing a trade with the Nashville Predators that saw goaltender Anders Lindback head to the sunshine state.

The Rick Nash Sweepstakes: Leafs, Rangers, Hurricanes in the mix

Barring a Don Draper-level sales pitch from John Davidson, should he eventually join the Blue Jackets organization, Rick Nash is likely in his last weeks with the franchise.  The NHL Draft next week in Pittsburgh will be the first round of auctioneering; and should there be a need for a second, it’ll be during the Free Agent Frenzy the following weekend.  Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reported on Friday that talks were heating up between Jackets GM Scott Howson and a few of Nash’s suitors:

Suter’s wish list doesn’t include Flyers or the Eastern Conference

If Ryan Suter doesn’t re-sign in the Music City, how good would Nashville Predators defenseman look with the Philadelphia Flyers, solidifying their defense core after the probable loss of Chris Pronger? Or even the Washington Capitals, giving them the complete No. 1 D-man they’ve been craving for so long?

Put those thoughts out of your mind, writes Tim Panaccio of CSN Philly:

Kings Cup Win reflects History NHL Can't Afford to Repeat

June 14, 1994. The New York Rangers defeat the Vancouver Canucks to win the Stanley Cup, shattering a 54-year drought in America’s largest media market. Brian Leetch became the first American to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. Sports Illustrated ran a front-page story lauding the NHL and it’s rise to prominence as the NBA sank into the background. The NHL product was on the rise and the sky was the limit.

Nick Lidstrom Retires

In a very emotional press conference yesterday, Nick Lidstrom announced his retirement from the NHL after 21 seasons. Drafted 53rd overall in 1989, Lidstrom has become one of the most talented and successful defencemen ever to play the game. If there is a prize to be won in hockey, odds are Lidstrom has it and all the while he has remained humble and respectful. A true captain and leader, Lidstrom has become the benchmark that most young defencemen strive to model. This article will be my reminiscing of Lidstrom and a reflection on how he changed the game of hockey.

Blackhawks Re-Sign Johnny Oduya To A 3-Year Deal

The Chicago Blackhawks have announced on Tuesday that they have re-signed defenseman Johnny Oduya to a three-year contract extension.