Tom Gaglardi recently purchased the Stars and he is wasting no time letting it be known that he is anxious, eager and willing to make this team better.

The reality is that he does not have the pieces to turn this team into an instant contender, but he can certainly get the pieces in place for a bright future. 

The Rumors

Mac Engel of the Star-Telegram sat down with new owner of the Dallas Stars and had quoted the following from Gaglardi:  

Are we looking at making our team better in the top six? The answer is yes. If that means more payroll, are we prepared to do it? The answer is yes. The question is, what is the cost?

If you look at the age group of our players, we are still a young team. Jamie Benn is the next Mike Modano; he’s only 22. Does it make sense to bring in a guy that’s 35 years old to make the playoffs this year? I don’t think so. We want to build around our young guys and be an up and coming team where we know we are going to be good for several years.

That is where Vancouver is right now; they put the team together, stuck together, and is now having success. This is where Chicago is and Boston, too. That’s the way to do this thing. You can’t go out and trade for a bunch of things. 

We will be pursuing things. I think we will be active in the trade deadline.

Gaglardi astutely addresses the fact that Dallas is not in a position to add age. The logical follow-up there is that they should be willing to dump some age if it means bringing back some value. 

What the Stars Should Do

The Stars should make it known that all of their older players are available. They took a bit of a blow in this regard as they just placed Brenden Morrow on IR, but he will still retain value.

He is eligible to return in a week and he has demonstrated that he still has some game. The 33-year-old forward has 22 points this season.

He would be a nice addition to a contending team like the Red Wings or Rangers.

Dallas is in a position to take a promising young player that isn’t earning big playing time on those teams.

They would be able to plug him into their lineup, let him develop and then reap the future awards as they continue to add talent.

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Offensively and defensively, the Buffalo Sabres were all over the place. The Isles were a mess on defense too and, fortunately for them, Ryan Miller wasn’t very good in the first period either.

New York took advantage of the Sabres’ collective miscues and skated away with a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes of play, thanks to Frans Nielsen’s three-point outburst (two goals, one assist) and Josh Bailey’s tally, the result of a relentless effort by Irish Cream as an Isles’ penalty was about to expire.

Though not officially a shorthanded marker, it was—for all intents and purposes—his third in the last seven games.

Bailey has really started coming into his own lately and showing that he can be a real solid and effective two-way forward in this league.

Michael Grabner, Kyle Okposo and Mark Streit also picked up assists in the first period.

It’s important to note that Buffalo outshot the Islanders 17-9 in the opening frame, their only goal coming from Nathan Gerbe, who was left all alone in front where an Isles’ defenseman should have been.

Al Montoya, who was allegedly “horrendous” in this game, made 16 saves in the period and was the big reason why the Sabres weren’t ahead, even with the three tallies the Islanders put on the board.

The ice was less tilted in the second, but yet another defensive breakdown allowed Derek Roy to cut the Isles’ lead to 3-2 with just 1:19 to go in the period. 

Matt Martin and Patrick Kaleta exchanged fisticuffs, which gave the crowd some life.

I wish I could say it had the same effect on Martin’s teammates, because what transpired afterwards suggests otherwise.

The Islanders continued to be a wreck in their own zone throughout the remainder of the game, and that’d come back to burn ‘em in the third period, when Paul Gaustad knotted the score at the 11:46 mark.

Travis Hamonic was drilled in the face with a shot and left the game. His exact status and condition is not yet known, the Islanders will, in all likelihood, make an announcement today or tomorrow.

Let’s hope Hammer’s alright, he’s a huge part of this team and the best defenseman on it.

The Islanders were given a glorious opportunity to win this hockey game in overtime, when Buffalo got nailed for having too many men on the ice with two minutes and change left in the extra session.

New York’s powerplay, ranked fifth in the NHL, got right to work and produced scoring chance after scoring chance, peppering Ryan Miller with nine shots.

The only problem is, Miller stopped every last one. I’m convinced that most other goaltenders in this league would not have come away unscathed on that powerplay and the Isles would’ve won.

Most goaltenders—a category Ryan Miller isn’t generally part of.

Then came the shootout, where despite his efforts during the game itself, Al Montoya was not his sharpest, a performance (or lack thereof) that had many pointing their fingers at him when all was said and done.

How quickly they forget that, in order to have a fighting chance in a shootout, you have to at least score too, which the Islanders did not do.

Jack Capuano broke one of those rules you’re simply not supposed to for a reason. He didn’t go with the hot goalie; in this case, Evgeni Nabokov. Still, Montoya was pretty solid between the pipes.

But don’t kid yourselves. It is not Al Montoya’s fault this team fell asleep on defense for the overwhelming majority of regulation time. It is not Al Montoya’s fault the Isles blew a 3-1 lead and couldn’t find a way.

Was he dominant tonight? No, he wasn’t. But he certainly gave the Islanders a chance to win and that’s all you can really ask from your goaltender on most nights.

The Islanders were not very good in this game, to say the least. The fact that they were even able to escape with a point was a miracle.

At the end of the day, taking three out of four points on back-to-back nights is nothing to complain about.

Having said that, these guys have their work cut out for them going forward. The New York Islanders need to regroup, before it’s too late. Time is of the essence.

Comments are welcome.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

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The Habs were playing the New York Rangers at home and Montreal Center Scott Gomez scored what turned out to be the game winner in a 2-0 win.

That was the last time Gomez has scored a goal, even in the playoffs.

Gomez showed promise in his first season with the Habs back in ’09-10 as he was in a new team with a new system. He got 12 goals and 47 assists for 59 points. His plus/minus was a plus-3.

Last season, in his second year with the Habs, he got 31 assists, but after playing 80 games he only had seven goals to add to his 38 points and a plus/minus of minus-15.

Those were the worst numbers on all categories in his career.

In the playoffs, he only managed to get seven helpers and no goals, so the drought is that much worse seeing that most people only count the regular season.

Gomez is en route to make some of those numbers worse after playing 22 games this season.

The one-year anniversary of that goal is today, and Gomez has an opportunity to get a tally on the board and end one of the longest goal droughts in Canadiens history for a center.

This is among the worst teams to say that a center has gone through such a drought.

The Bleu, Blanc et Rouge faithful are a goal hungry bunch. To them, offense is everything, and they are not happy when the opposing goal light is not lit more than their beloved team’s is.

Having a center with a $7.35 million cap hit makes the situation all the more magnified that this doesn’t make sense.

The problem that the Montreal front office has is that if they want to rid of Gomez, how do you remove a player with such a cap hit? Not to mention he has a no-trade clause and can reject three teams that he does not want to be traded to.

In all likelihood, you can’t.

The issue is largely on Gomez, that is with no doubt. The other side of the coin is that Gomez’s past teams have not been all skill and goals.

The Devils have been all about patience, defence and waiting until the other team makes a mistake.

The Rangers were all-star talent in the past, but Gomez joined them in the cap era so there was more balance in the team during his stay in the Big Apple.

This team’s system just may not be a fit for Gomez, but he’d better get on his horse because you can only blame a system to a point. That point, I believe, has far past and done with.

So are you going to the anniversary game? Will Gomez score and get this monkey…no…800 lb gorilla off his back?

Apparently, someone made a website on this: http://www.didgomezscore.com/

For Gomez’s sake, this counter will stop sooner or later.

This is Cory Ducey saying “Hit hard, and pray for Gomez.”

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Unfortunately for the Ottawa Senators, apart from coming out strong, the Toronto Maple Leafs dominated and skated away with an easy 5-0 victory.

The Senators have now lost six in a row and have got to be worried about their recent plummet in the standings.

Maple Leaf goaltender James Reimer had a lot to do with extending that losing streak, recording his second-straight shutout and doing his best to regain the No. 1 status.

Reimer was as calm and well-positioned as can be, gobbling up everything in sight.

Phil Kessel was the offensive star, picking up three points, including the first and game-winning goal, chipping in his own rebound on a play created by the Wisconsin native’s speed.

Ottawa then got into penalty trouble, revealing the Leaf’s power play as lethal this night.  Toronto tossed the puck around the offensive zone at will. Dion Phaneuf capped the man advantage by rifling in his eighth of the year from the slot on a beautiful pass from Kessel.

Kessel’s third point of the night came on an even prettier 65-foot pass that sent Tyler Bozak in on a breakaway.  The young center made no mistake, lifting the puck over a sprawling Craig Anderson to make it 3-0. 

Bozak himself ended the night with a goal and two assists. Not too shabby for a guy who can’t seem to convince anyone that he deserves the job of number one centre.

As the game went on, a few frustrated Senators tried to goad Leafs into fights to spark some kind of momentum, but up 3-0, Toronto didn’t bite.

There was no third period magic on this night for the Senators, the best third period team in the league. Instead, the Leafs just added to their lead.

Luke Schenn put the game out of reach walking in unchecked from the blue line and potting his second of the season.

Cody Franson added insult to injury, finishing off a pretty passing play with the man advantage to make it 5-0.

The Leafs are now just a point behind the Senators with three games in hand.

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However, general manager Stan Bowman isn’t looking to make a move for a goalie at this point. CSN Chicago recently shed some light on Bowman’s thinking.

No, Bowman is not looking for a goaltender. While he admits the Blackhawks’ netminders could be better – Corey Crawford was pulled after allowing five on Thursday – he’s confident that they’ll rebound. He’s also not willing to make drastic changes.

After a nice rookie season, Crawford hasn’t developed how the Blackhawks would have liked him to in his sophomore season. The team is on a five-game losing streak, which was highlighted by an 8-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. After that loss, Chicago was defeated by the mediocre Calgary Flames, 3-1.

Not only are good teams dominating the Blackhawks goaltenders, some of the worst teams in the Western Conference like the Oilers are having their way against Chicago.

Not only has Crawford struggled this season, his backup, veteran Ray Emery, has also been inconsistent. Take a look at their stats head-to-head:

Emery’s record isn’t bad, but his GAA is not what it has to be for a Cup contender like the Blackhawks. Both goalies’ save percentage numbers are also pretty weak.

We’ve seen what bad goaltending can do to very good teams in the playoffs, like the Philadelphia Flyers the last few years for example, so Chicago has to be bold and make a move for a reliable goaltender before the trading deadline, preferably one with playoff experience.

Goaltending hasn’t been the only issue for the Blackhawks over their recent stretch of losing; the defensive play hasn’t been up to par. According to CSN Chicago, Bowman is looking for a defenseman, but with so few teams out of the playoff race yet, there aren’t many sellers right now.

Bowman will look to improve his club, but if no changes are made the Blackhawks can still compete.

“I like our personnel,” Bowman said. “We’re trying to upgrade; it’s not like we have guys playing who can’t play in the NHL. We have guys who can improve on their level of play. At the same time we’re trying to enhance our group instead of completely remake it. I think time will tell on that. There are a lot of teams looking for a defenseman, and you never know.”

Fortunately for the Blackhawks, their offense likely won’t need to be improved before the deadline, but finding a goaltender and a defenseman would be ideal for Bowman. But like he said, many teams will look for a defenseman before the trading deadline. With few good ones out there, the teams that are trading them will ask for a lot in return.

A veteran player like Evgeni Nabokov, who led the San Jose Sharks to the playoffs many seasons in his career, could be a good fit in Chicago. He now plays for the New York Islanders, who are pretty much out of the playoff race in the East. Ryan Miller of the Sabres is a long shot, but given his struggles in Buffalo, a change of scenery may benefit him.

The Blackhawks can take a chance that Emery and Crawford can turn it around and play better and be reliable members of the team, but that’s a risky move considering Chicago is good enough to win the Stanley Cup if their goaltending improves a bit.

Follow @NicholasGoss35

Follow Nicholas Goss on Twitter for NHL news and analysis.

Nicholas Goss is a Boston Bruins Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and was the organization’s on-site reporter for the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals in Boston.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

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One guy who can’t seem to escape the rumor spotlight is Columbus Blue Jackets‘ center, Jeff Carter.

With the Blue Jackets’ continuous struggles, despite the firing of head coach Scott Arniel, more changes are expected in Columbus—and fast.

Carter, who was dealt from the Flyers to the Jackets last offseason, simply has not lived up to hefty expectations in Ohio. Granted injuries have taken a toll on the 27-year-old—he’s missed 21 games due to lingering shoulder and foot injuries—his production has been mediocre at best.

In addition, there’s his suggested  “unhappiness” in Columbus, making one foolish to deny that there is at least a slim chance Carter gets traded.

So let me pose this question to you: Would you trade for Jeff Carter?

There’s no doubt he has skill—he’s registered 30 or more goals in three straight seasons.

Though, there are two factors among others, that make general managers skeptical of acquiring Carter.

One is his lengthy, outrageous contract. Carter is on the books until 2022. Though his cap-hit of $5.272 million may be considered cap-friendly for someone of his caliber, committing to a player for the next 10 years is always dangerous. Just look at Islanders‘ goaltender Rick DiPietro—signed to a mega-deal in 2006, yet has suited up for just 42 games in the past three seasons.

Second, is his attitude. With reports of his “unhappiness” in Columbus (see link above) and reports of a hardcore partying lifestyle in Philadelphia, who knows if the London, Ontario native would be a good fit for any team.

However, what would be the asking price for Carter? Would a young roster player, a B/C rated prospect  and a high draft pick get the job done? Or would a team need to add a bit more to the pot?

Would you take a chance on this disgruntled center?

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What’s most impressive is that Gagner contributed to the first three Oilers’ goals against the Wings. That means he scored a point on 11 straight Oilers’ goals. Even more impressive—he did it in three periods of hockey over two games, tallying six goals and five assists in all. 

In the world of sports, that’s simply amazing.

Can you imagine Tom Brady throwing a touchdown on 11 straight drives, Michael Jordan dunking on 11 straight touches or Hank Aaron hitting a home run in 11 straight plate appearances? 

Gagner’s eight points on eight Oilers’ goals against the Chicago Blackhawks on February 2nd tied an NHL record—set by a man named Mario Lemiuex—for most points in a single game while contributing to every team goal.

His eight points also tied a team record held by a couple Hall of Famers named Paul Coffey and Wayne Gretzky.

With the Oilers drafting the likes Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in recent years, Gagner had become something of an afterthought.

Edmonton has had high expectations the last couple of years but has finished as the league’s worst team with back-to-back 62-point performances.

After another disappointing start to this season, talk of change is in the Edmonton air. 

Gagner has been mentioned in trade talks recently. After being somewhat of a letdown in his first four-plus seasons in the NHL, Gagner’s recent outburst means he’s in Edmonton to stay.

The 22-year-old Gagner is in his fifth NHL season already. His sudden explosion is proof that sometimes kids are rushed to the big stage. For a team desperate to win, that happens to kids more than it should. 

While Gagner and the young gang of talent in Edmonton are getting plenty of valuable NHL experience, there’s a big difference between getting experience while losing and experiencing winning. 

This season hasn’t met expectations, but the future is definitely bright in Edmonton. When this team learns how to win, and it will happen, the NHL may have a dynasty on their hands. 

Now with his emergence, Oilers’ fans have faith in Gagner once again. He’s a veteran at the age of 22, which can’t be said for many.

While the Oilers finally scored a goal without him, Gagner netted a goal in the shootout against the Wings to help the Oilers win, 5-4.  

With a newfound confidence, things can only go up from here for Gagner and the Oilers. 

Follow @IsItGameTimeYet

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These moments stem not only from his managerial skills, which are responsible for certain big-name players playing where they do today, but also from Burke’s outspoken nature.

As stubborn as they come, Burke will always stand up for what he believes in (even if it’s not always correct) and is highly opinionated on many issues in the game of hockey. For example, his experience as head NHL disciplinarian has further developed his opinion on player safety.

Burke has engaged in some heated rivalries, too—just ask Kevin Lowe. Recently, Burke has engaged in a media feud with Hockey Night in Canada analyst Don Cherry, though it didn’t quite crack this list.

Overall, Burke possesses an ability to draft well and make high-risk trades, which have paid off long term for several of the teams he has managed.

Here’s a look at the 10 most memorable moments Brian Burke has given to the sport of hockey.

Begin Slideshow

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However, they are ranked 26th in the NHL on the power play, 22nd in shots per game and 26th in penalty minutes per game.

If New York wants to make serious noise in the month of May, it should make at least one serious move to improve at least one of these areas, within the next 24 days.

Here are five rumors as to what that move could be.

Begin Slideshow

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However, they are ranked 26th in the NHL on the power play, 22nd in shots per game and 26th in penalty minutes per game.

If New York wants to make serious noise in the month of May, it should make at least one serious move to improve at least one of these areas, within the next 24 days.

Here are five rumors as to what that move could be.

Begin Slideshow

Related posts:

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