Where does Ryan Ellis rank in terms of best CHL defensemen ever? Not those who became great NHLers, but those who were the most effective at the CHL level.

Malhotra – check this fantastic analysis piece out.

“This is notable because as Gabriel Desjardins has noted in the past, losing a defensive zone draw can spike shots and chances against in the immediate aftermath. As Gabe says "it's as though you gave the other team a 10-15 second power-play. For several seconds, the rate of shots allowed is as high as it is on a 5-on-3."

Malhotra has been cleared for game one. He’ll likely start on the fourth line, as Maxim Lapierre has been great in the third line spot.

2011 – Teddy Purcell’s coming out party. Read more about it here.

Dwayne Roloson played out of his mind last night. He was the only reason Boston didn’t win by four or five. The Bruins were faster, more skilled, and more physical all game long.

Tampa Bay’s forwards were good when they had the puck, but their defense was too slow and too indecisive coming through the neutral zone with it to generate any sort of sustained pressure.

Gates Imbeau leads the panel with a stellar 12-2 record. Dobber and a few others are right behind him at 11-3. Several of our writers correctly selected the two final teams, as well. Our picks will be up on Monday.

Bear with us as the site is undergoing a few cosmetic upgrades. Should be completed within the next few days.

I'll expand a bit on my thought process for leaving Getzlaf off the top 10 list.

I don't like his lack of durability. Two straight seasons with at least 14 games missed.

He doesn't shoot the puck, at all.

His PIM are trending downward at a Brenden Morrow-like rate. Good players need to be on the ice to produce. Perry racks up PIM because he takes stupid misconduct penalties (not stupid for poolies, though). Getzlaf can't afford to fight/sit in the box as much as he has in the past.

I could have put Kesler in. I could have put Thornton in. The list was tough to whittle down after the top five or six. I had no issue putting either Tavares or Kopitar on there, though.

Datsyuk is aging and trending downward (and he's played a ton of hockey over the past few years), but I simply could not leave him off the list.

Manny Malhotra won't unseat Maxim Lapierre on the third line. I'd expect him to skate with some combination of wingers on the fourth line, while seeing heavy PK duties and a lot of defensive faceoffs.

Prospects Report… more teasers.

2008:

James van Riemsdyk – (LW) Philadelphia Flyers

The complete package. Size (although lanky, he'll add bulk), skill, smarts, toughness and a defensive conscience. It was alluded to in last season's mock draft that van Riemsdyk is at least five years away. A solid showing for the University of New Hampshire last season shows that he is probably just two years away, although his production may be meager as a rookie. He'll be a little bit nicer (i.e. less PIM's), a little more offensive (more points) and a little less injury prone (longer career) than former Flyer Keith Primeau.

Upside: Keith Primeau, with the adjustments outlined above (35-50-85, 100 PIM)
Certainty (NHLer; Upside): 95%; 60%

Logan Couture – (C) San Jose Sharks

The Sharks worked hard to get him ninth overall in last year's draft, pulling off a couple of deals to get to that pick. He rewarded them with a weaker OHL season than the one prior, marred by a concussion, and failing to get a Team Canada (WJC) invite. He has strong two-way skills and the offensive talent to be a first-line NHL player, but 2007- 08 indicated that this prognosis might be optimistic. The Sharks may have overrated him because they saw a lot of him while scouting another prospect in their system Jamie McGinn. The season ahead is pivotal. Still a full year away, but it may be more if things don't turn around for him.

Upside: Two-way centerman, (30-50-80, 60 PIM)
Certainty (NHLer; Upside): 80%; 35%

Couture almost surpassed our expectations for him from a goal total perspective this season!

A great advertisment for mandatory visors. Stamkos suffered a deep cut and probably a broken nose, but it would have been much worse if not for his visor: