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Tobias Rieder is turning heads

Axeman's Grind

So, how many of you were heading to your waiver wire to snag Tobias Rieder after his two-shorty performance against the Oilers on Monday night? I am sure if you were, you weren't alone. Actually, Rieder has been playing pretty darn good this season since being recalled from the Portland Pirates, Arizona's AHL affiliate, so if this is the first you are hearing about him you may be too late to get him. Some are saying he has been the Coyotes best player the past two weeks.

In 16 games with Arizona this season, he has six goals, three assists, 23 hits, 38 SOG and is a +9!  Not too shabby! Frozen Pool shows him playing primarily with Gagner and Doan on the Coyotes second line but he has also seen time with Hanzal down the middle. The former Oilers fourth round pick must have been smiling ear to ear after pretty much beat the Oilers single handed. Sweet redemption for Rieder after the Oilers dealt him to Arizona for Kale Kessy, a low skill punching bag who is racking up the PIMs for the Oilers AHL affiliate, Oklahoma City Barons.

I am not expecting huge numbers for Rieder, but he has certainly shown that he belongs in the NHL as a solid contributor, and this only adds to the recent frustration Oilers fans must be feeling lately. 

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Martin Brodeur signs on with the St. Louis Blues

Axeman's Grind

Its official, Marty Brodeur has signed a contract to play with the St. Louis Blues worth $700k plus bonuses.

There are a couple reasons why this making sense. First off, Brian Elliott must be hurt worse than they are letting on and about to miss more time than expected. Sure, everyone is high on Jake Allen but would you really want to run with him and Jordan Binnington in the West for the foreseeable future? The simple fact that St Louis has signed Brodeur tells you Hitchcock isn't. Next, imagine how much a young kid like Jake Allen could learn from a future Hall of Famer like Marty Brodeur. That alone should be worth it. Even Elliott stands to learn a thing or two, and that can't be a bad thing.

Even after Elliott comes back, and if they have to send Allen back to the AHL, this is still a smart move for the Blues. Brodeur's Stanley Cup playoff experience can be invaluable to a team like the Blues. It also keeps other teams from snagging him up should one of them needed a goalie.  Hitchcock is obviously familiar with Brodeur after coaching him in three previous Olympics and in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He knows what type of competitor Brodeur is and is a smart enough coach to know when to play him and when to rest him. Hitch had this to say about Brodeur after running him through some practices:

“I don’t need to lean on him,” Hitchcock said of Brodeur. “I just need to play him. If he says I’m good to go, and we need games … (Elliott) is going to be out, and if he says I can play, I’m putting him in … bottom line.”

Good luck Marty. Go get those 700 career wins (he's sitting at 688 right now)!

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Well those are my Axes to Grind this week. I could have touched on the ten straight losses for the Edmonton Oilers but to be honest I am sick of talking about how bad they suck, while they sit around doing nothing about it to try and change anything. The beat goes on in the City of Champions (snicker snicker). 

Feel free to drop a comment on anything see like or don't like and feel free to follow me on twitter @chrispudsey