February 22, 2012
Dobber Sports
2012-02-22
Take two more players off the trade market. Todd Bertuzzi has reportedly signed a two-year extension and TSN reports that Tuomo Ruutu has signed for four more years.
Vincent Lecavalier is out "indefinitely" with a hand/wrist injury. He was seen wearing a soft cast over his right hand and wrist.
Players dropped like flies yesterday. Besides Lecavalier and Datsyuk, Jamie Langenbrunner is out with a broken foot. At least a month. And Jonathan Toews is day-to-day with a UBI.
Lots of trade rumors flying around, but I only pay attention to what the TSN and Sportsnet guys say, as well as the beatwriters – and what they say is nicely packaged every day by Spectors hockey. The Rick Nash to San Jose rumors are intriguing. And Jeff Carter to Los Angeles rumors won't die. Nash for Couture is one, Carter for Bernier and Voynov or Bernier and Johnson is the other. Carter and Nash combined for five points last night just to make the GMs around the league drool.
Antti Niemi was pulled after giving up three goals on 11 shots. That's three straight brutal games for him and it's time to sit him on your bench until he gets back into the zone.
Joe Thornton has 15 points in his last 11 games. Logan Couture has 19 in his last 14.
Derick Brassard has 10 points in his last 10 games.
Michael Grabner has five points in his last 18 games.
Good of the Isles to give Kevin Poulin another start, but he lost for the second time in a row despite playing much better. It should be enough to get his confidence back after being chased last time out. He stopped 35 of 37 and had an assist to boot. I think he's emerging as a potential starter for next season, with Montoya backing him up. There is another guy in the mix too…can't remember his name, I just remember he's in the injury ward often…but from time to time he'll poke his head up and play a game or two.
Alexei Ponikarovsky has 10 points in 13 games for New Jersey, after managing just 15 points in 49 games for Carolina. He has a shot at playing 85 games this year, which is pretty cool. Those extra games could help him reach 45 points and salvage his NHL career.
Matt Taormina has points in both games that Kurtis Foster has been sidelined. He also had a point in the game that Foster missed right after he was traded to NJ.
Jonathan Quick is 16-0-2 when the Kings score at least three goals for him.
After a bit of a slump, Scott Hartnell has 10 points in six games, as well as 23 PIM in that span.
So with two points for Malkin and Giroux, and three for Stamkos, it's becoming a three-horse race. While I wouldn't rule out Spezza's hot streak, or the Sedins… or even Tavares when he gets hot, I think it's down to the three. Malkin has 73 points, the other two guys have 70 each.
Mike Fisher has 21 points in his last 19 games. He had 16 in 32 before that. Typical Mike Fisher.
Martin Erat ended a four-game pointless drought last night. Mikhail Grabovski ended a six-game pointless drought. Both players tend to take off when they do this. Streaky.
Corey Crawford continues to win, making a Ryan Miller trade doubtful with each passing game, if you believed the rumors.
Rene Bourque and Mike Cammalleri were each minus-2 and pointless, furthering my point in yesterday's ramblings that the trade sucked for both teams.
Are we supposed to believe that Radim Vrbata is a superstar now? He's 32nd in scoring now after three points last night, and he already has 30 goals and 52 points on the year.
Phoenix prospect Mark Visentin set a new OHL record with his 10th shutout of the season. It was in just his 36th start. Granted, Niagara is a very strong team, boasting the likes of Dougie Hamilton and Ryan Strome, but that's still impressive.
I love this – Dustin Penner is a healthy scratch on Pancake Tuesday. Awesome. If you don't get the joke, he pulled his back muscle earlier in the season picking up a stack of delicious pancakes.
With Jonathan Toews out of the lineup, the Blackhawks line combos looked like this: Sharp with Kane and Stalberg, Bolland with Hossa and Bickell, Kruger with Hayes and Brunette, Morrison with Frolik and Mayers.
Good for TSN for getting Scott Cullen to give the trade lowdown on Deadline Day from a fantasy perspective. Sportsnet needs to follow suit. This will be the sixth time I've been doing it. My advantage is that I use breaking news from both sources, while they're stuck with their "in house" sources. But I guess it doesn't matter since the deals come fast and furious in the afternoon and I fall behind a little anyway ;)
Today's Studs and Duds can be found here.
In his first regular season game back in Montreal since they traded him, Mike Ribeiro is named first star. He's excited, he goads the fans, gets the media riled up – I like it. Whatever gets people's panties in a bunch I'm on board. Life's too short, and if you whine about it or let it get to you then you are reacting just the way the trolls want you to: