Betting on Hockey

Detroit Red Wings Training Camp Preview Part 1: Too Many Forwards a Good Thing

admin — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:20:46 +0000

What a difference a year makes, eh?

Last season around this time, the Detroit Red Wings were still suffering from the shock of not only losing Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals on home ice, but, several important parts of their roster to boot.

Forwards Marian Hossa, Jiri Hudler, Mikael Samuelsson, and Tomas Kopecky along with able back-up goalie Ty Conklin had all left town for greener pastures.

GM Ken Holland was forced to fill some of the holes created by these departures by scraping the bottom of the free-agent barrel signing forwards Jason Williams, Todd Bertuzzi, and Patrick Eaves, to safe, one-year deals.

Fortunately, the latter two worked out well enough to earn an extended stay in Detroit this summer and figure to be valuable assets to the 2010-11 roster.

Additionally, the Wings were very pleasantly surprised in June upon hearing that former defector, Jiri Hudler (who signed a two-year, $10 million contract with Moscow Dynamo in the 2009 off-season) would be returning to Detroit due to the dissolve of the iconic KHL team for which he played in 2009-10.

After that, the Wings used a bit of inside information to land Finnish Elite League player, and older brother of Valtteri Filppula, Ilari, to a two-year, two-way deal.

Then came the biggest surprise of the summer in Detroit.

After being informed his services were no longer needed in Dallas, American hockey icon and future Hall of Famer, Mike Modano, contemplated retirement. In fact, he was all but convinced his career was over until the Red Wings called to inquire about his services.

A one-month courtship ensued shortly thereafter and, in early August, Modano accepted a one-year, $1.5 million contract to play one more season (most likely his last) for his home-state Detroit Red Wings.

As the result of all of these developments, the Red Wings went from a team depleted of quality forwards one year, to a squad bursting with enough talent to ice six quality forward lines the next.

What follows is a breakdown of the forwards that will start camp in Detroit, a listing of who is sure to stay, a discussion about who will be fighting for spots, a prediction of who will be left out, and, finally a preview of the lines that could start the 2010-11 season.

With 15 forwards under one-way contracts, 14 permanent spots available and only 12 available spots on any given night, the Red Wings are facing the high-quality problem of trading or waiving one player out of camp, and rotating at least two others in and out of the line-up during the season.

Not a bad spot to be in, especially considering where off-season departures and injuries left them in 2009-10.

Though there will be intense competition within camp among several of Detroit’s forwards, most will have a secured spot on the roster for the upcoming season, namely: Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen, Valtteri Filppula, Todd Bertuzzi, Dan Cleary, Mike Modano, Jiri Hudler, Tomas Holmstrom, Darren Helm, Kris Draper, and Justin Abdelkader.

However, this will leave five other forwards left to battle each other for two part-time roster spots: Drew Miller, Patrick Eaves, Ilari Filppula, Mattias Ritola, and Kirk Maltby.

Now, with regards to Kirk Maltby, all reports indicate that he will begin the season in Grand Rapids as he was signed earlier this week to a two-way deal (the best feature of which is the ability to call a player up to the NHL and/or send him down to the AHL without having to expose him on waivers).

Ilari Filppula is also on a two-way contract.

So, barring monumental training camp performances from both players, it is all but certain that Maltby and Filppula will begin the season as Grand Rapids Griffins.

This leaves Eaves, Miller, and Ritola battling for two spots.

Aside from the desire to make the team, these three players are similar inasmuch as none of them can be sent to the AHL without first clearing waivers.

On the face of it, considering their performance from last season, it seems as though Eaves and Miller should be shoo-ins.

Both played important defensive roles on the fourth line and penalty kill in 2009-10 and both have valuable NHL experience.

Mattias Ritola, on the other hand, has appeared in only seven NHL games since 2007-08.

The 2005, fourth-round pick has played the past three seasons with Griffins, appearing in 211 games, amassing 41 goals, 65 assists and a minus-six rating.

While these aren’t exactly eye-popping numbers, the Red Wings are confident that the 23-year-old Swede is ready for a shot at the NHL where he could emerge as a strong, secondary offensive winger.

He will be given every opportunity to make the big club once camp begins next week. However, if he falls short of the challenge, the Red Wings will be forced to send him to the AHL, and in so doing, face the risk of losing him to another team via waivers.

As promising as Ritola looks, it’s tough to imagine him legitimately beating out NHL players like Eaves and Miller for a roster spot.

As such, my guess is Ritola will be the odd man out come the close of camp. Hopefully, he can be safely demoted to the AHL where he can continue to develop his game and remain available should an injury require him to step into a roster spot. Still, given the depth above him, he may not see much NHL action in 2010-11 unless another team picks him up before landing in Grand Rapids.

So, with the numbers sufficiently crunched, I present to you my prediction of the 2010-11 Detroit Red Wings forward lines:

Top Line: Zetterberg – Datsyuk – Holmstrom

Second Line: Franzen – Filppula – Bertuzzi

Third Line: Hudler – Modano – Cleary

Energy Line: Draper – Helm – Eaves

Alternates: Abdelkader – Miller

Follow Matt on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MAhutter12

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Unrestricted Free Agent Ryan Potulny Signs with Chicago Blackhawks

admin — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:25:06 +0000

The Chicago Blackhawks have signed unrestricted free agent Ryan Potulny to a one-year contract.

Potulny, 26, had a career season in 2010 with the Edmonton Oilers, appearing in 64 games and recording 15 goals and 17 points. His 15 goals were tied for third-most on the team.

Potulny also spent time in the American Hockey League last year with the Springfield Falcons. In 14 games he collected three goals and five assists.

Potulny’s deal with the Blackhawks is a two-way deal, paying him $500,000 for his NHL deal and $105,000 if he is assigned to the AHL.

The Philadelphia Flyers selected Potulny in the third round of the 2003 NHL entry draft. Following the draft he spent three years at the University of Minnesota. During his career as a Golden Gopher he recorded 68 goals and 50 assists. In his final year at Minnesota he was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which is presented to the NCAA’s top hockey player.

Since turning professional during the 2006 season Potulny has split his time between the NHL and the AHL. He has played for the Flyers and Oilers in the NHL. In the AHL he has spent time with the Philadelphia Phantoms and the Springfield Falcons.

Potulny spent two years in Philadelphia and was traded to the Edmonton Oilers after the 2008 season in exchange for Danny Syvret. His one-year deal with the Oilers expired at the end of the 2010 season and he was free to sign with any NHL team.

The scouting report on the forward praise him for his great hands and scoring ability. Potulny is a flexible player and can play either centre or wing. It is expected that he will compete for ice time on the third or fourth line for the Blackhawks.

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Toronto Maple Leafs: Rookie Tournament to Be Streamed Live, See the Future Now!

admin — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:18:29 +0000

BREAKING NEWS

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the three Leafs’ rookie tournament games will be shown live on mapleleafs.com.

This is an early opportunity to see Nazem Kadri, newcomer Jerry D’Amigo, Jesse Blacker, Keith Aulie, and more starting this Saturday at 7 p.m. when they face the Chicago Blackhawks rookie team.

Former Leafs’ draft picks Chris Didomenico and Philipe Paradis will get their first chances to show the Leafs what they are missing.

The following game will be broadcast live on Sunday at 7 p.m. against the Pittsburgh Penguins’ rookies and the mini-battle of Ontario will take place Tuesday at 7 p.m.

2010 Toronto Maple Leafs Rookie Tournament Roster (Courtesy of mapleleafs.com)

Name Position Ht. Wt. Birthdate Shoots Last Club

FORWARD

Sam Carrick Forward 6-0 188 02/04/1992 Right Brampton (OHL)

Andrew Crescenzi Forward 6-4 195 07/29/1992 Left Kitchener (OHL)

Jerry D’Amigo Forward 5-11 208 02/19/1991 Left R.P. I. NCAA)

Jamie Devane Forward 6-5 217 02/20/1991 Left Toronto (AHL)
Plymouth(OHL)

Brayden Irwin Forward 6-5 215 03/24/1987 Right Toronto (NHL)
Vermont (NCAA)

Nazem Kadri Forward 6-0 188 10/06/1990 Left Toronto (NHL)
London(OHL)

Mike Liambas Forward 5′9 204 02/16/1989 Left Erie (OHL)
Bloomington (IHL)

Greg McKegg Forward 6-0 191 06/17/1992 Left Erie (OHL)
London(OHL)

Dale Mitchell Forward 5′9 200 04/09/1989 Right Toronto (AHL)
Windsor (OHL)

Marcel Mueller Forward 6-3 220 07/10/1988 Left Cologne (GER)
Germany (OLY)
Germany (WC)

Josh Nicholls Forward 6′2 174 04/27/1992 Right Saskatoon (WHL)

Sondre Olden Forward 6-3 172 07/10/1988 Left Modo Jr. (Swe. Jr.)

Bradley Ross Forward 6-0 175 05/28/1992 Right Portland (WHL)

Kenny Ryan Forward 6-0 204 07/10/1991 Right WIndsor (OHL)

Mikhail Stefanovich Forward 6′2 202 11/27/1989 Right Quebec (QMJHL)
Belarus (WC)

DEFENSE

Keith Aulie Defence 6-5 217 06/11/1989 Left Abbotsford (AHL)
Toronto (AHL)

Jesse Blacker Defence 6′1 190 04/19/1991 Right Toronto (AHL)
Windsor (OHL)
Owen Sound (OHL)

Erik Burgdoerfer Defence 6-2 210 12/11/1988 Right R.P. I. (NCAA)
Bakersfield (ECHL)

Dave Cowan Defence 6′4 205 12/20/1985 Right Norfolk (AHL)
Robert Morris (NCAA)

Marc-Andre Durion Defence 5-11 172 03/30/1987 Right McGill (CIS)

Simon Gysbers Defence 6′4 200 05/07/1987 Right Toronto (AHL)
Lake Superior State (NCAA)

Korbinian Holzer Defence 6-3 205 02/16/1988 Right Dusseldorf (DEL)
Germany (OLY)
Germany (WC)

Dallas Jackson Defence 6′2 188 03/31/1989 Left Prince George (WHL)
Kelowna (WHL)

Drew Paris Defence 6-4 200 05/12/1988 Right Toronto (AHL)
Gwinnett(ECHL)

Barron Smith Defence 6′5 205 04/32/1991 Right Peterborough (OHL)

GOALTENDERS

Andrew Engelage Goalie 6-5 206 10/28/1988 Left Toronto (AHL)
Reading (ECHL)

Jussi Rynnas Goalie 6′5 205 05/22/1987 Leftt Assat (SM-
liiga)

Ben Scrivens Goalie 6-2 192 09/11/1986 Left Cornell (ECAC)

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Gaudy in Goal: What If the San Jose Sharks Keep Both Niemi and Niittymaki?

admin — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 06:19:11 +0000

Just over one week has passed since the somewhat surprising news broke that the San Jose Sharks had signed former Chicago Blackhawk goaltender Antti Niemi to a one-year, $2 million deal.

Coupled with the signing of Antero Niittymaki in the early hours of free agency this July, that deal replaced the $6 million paid to Evgeni Nabokov in 2009-2010 with $4 million in committed money in net for 2010-2011. It also calls into question the future of German prospect Thomas Griess, who served the team as designated No. 2 last season, but was expected to play a larger role this season.

At the time of the signing, goaltending was not the top concern on a team that, barring the loss of Evgeni Nabokov and veteran defenseman Rob Blake, had remained largely unchanged since falling to the Blackhawks in four straight games in June’s Western Conference Finals.

That series exposed the vulnerabilities of the Sharks’ blue line, a unit that has only regressed with Rob Blake’s retirement.

Many expected a high-profile trade to materialize before the start of the season to bring in a top-caliber defenseman. This fueled speculation that Niemi could be part of a sign-and-trade deal, but—even on the most creative of hot stoves—there has been little buzz about this prospect since the signing.

Quite to the contrary, most of the commentary that has surfaced over the last seven days seems to suggest the Sharks are intent on keeping both Nitty and Niemi for 2010-2011.

What would this mean for the team?

Many assume that such a situation reflects a best-case scenario, and that it would be an improvement over the net-minding situation San Jose has seen in recent years.

One of the main knocks against Nabby was always that he played too many regular season games, making him too fatigued to be truly competitive once the playoffs began.

There may be merit to that argument, but a tandem of Niemi and Nitty is far from a sure thing.

Niemi has started exactly 61 games in the NHL, hardly the depth of experience that would inspire confidence in his abilities to repeat his 2009-2010 success (which itself was modest statistically). He also played behind a much stronger defense last season than the one the Sharks currently possess, raising the probability of a sophomore setback.

Nitty’s NHL struggles are well-chronicled (though his play in the 2006 Olympics was stellar), meaning that even despite the two splitting work, the Sharks would still be suspect at best in net.

If the goalies cannot be counted on the steal wins themselves, the Sharks must bolster their blue line—the sooner the better.

Having $4 million committed in net means the Sharks must part with one or more of their talented forwards. They must trade the likes of Ryane Clowe or Devin Setoguchi (plus other incentives) to lure a team into parting with a top defenseman, and would need to jettison the salary anyway to stay under the salary cap.

There are few other options.

If the Sharks go into the season with Nitty and Niemi in net and do nothing to improve their blue line—barring tremendous progression from Jason Demers, Niclas Wallin, and Kent Huskins—they will assuredly struggle. They could sign unrestricted free agent Andreas Lilja and probably retain all their other regulars, but this probably would not be enough either.

The Sharks would do best by themselves to invest in their blue line and part with either Nitty or Niemi by the start of the season.

The return of the exchange is anyone’s guess, but given the buzz around Niemi he should have decent trade value. Packaging him with prospects or picks might be intriguing enough to pull in the top-four defenseman the team desperately needs.

Keeping both Niemi and Nitty is far from a winning strategy.

Keep the Faith!

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NHL Buzz: Tomas Fleischmann, Robyn Regehr Latest News

admin — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:19:58 +0000

Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau told the media that Tomas Fleischmann will not be moved and said he expects a huge year from Fleischmann this season.

My take: I think it is smart of the Capitals to keep “flash” as he is a very skilled player who still has a lot of potential.

On a side note Eric Belanger continues to wait for the Capitals to make a roster move so the two sides can make the signing official.

Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun wrote in his latest article that when Flames defenseman Robyn Regehr was approached by the media, he did not deny the rumors that he was asked to waive his NMC sometime over the summer.

My take: That is very interesting. Most players deny the fact even if it had happened but to just say “I’m not getting into that” tells me that he was asked if he would waive his NMC at some point.

Various media outlets are reporting that Bobby Ryan is very close to signing an extension with the Anaheim Ducks.

My take: There was never any doubt in my mind, I expect it will be done before training camp opens up next week.

It sounds like talks with Niclas Bergfors and the Atlanta Thrashers are not going to well as of now; however, the two sides will continue working to try and get a deal worked out before camp.

My take: I think the two sides will reach an agreement at some point; however, I wouldn’t be surprised if these discussions went into training camp.

This concludes today’s edition of NHL Buzz, enjoy.

If you have any questions or comments about anything (news, rumors, etc…), feel free to email me at NHLToddCordell@Gmail.com anytime, thanks.

This article can also be found at Sportshaze.com and MTRMedia.com

Follow me on twitter for the latest news and rumors @ToddCordell

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Toronto Maple Leafs: 25 Bold Predictions for the 2010-2011 Season

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 20:26:05 +0000

Here we go again, folks, it’s time to brush the dust off your Toronto Maple Leafs jersey that’s been in the closet since the final whistle blew last season (actually, the way it went, you probably put it in there long before that) and get it ready for yet another season of ups, downs, and everything in between.

And when you’re a member of Leaf Nation, there’s always a whole lot of in between.

This season, the story lines are endless, with the on-going Tomas Kaberle saga that won’t end until he’s packing his bags or resigns with the club, the situation in net, the young players trying to mark their spot in the league, and Dion Phaneuf stepping in as the new captain of the team—the first since Mats Sundin left town.

And of course, there’s always the made-for-TV quotes from Ron Wilson and Brian Burke that could supply the media with enough news alone to last for the season.

Yes, it should be quite the entertaining year in Toronto if nothing else, so with less than a month until the regular season kicks off, here’s 25 bold (okay, some aren’t) predictions on what should happen in the center of the hockey universe this season.

1. Dion Phaneuf, the newest captain of the Maple Leafs, will struggle coming out of the gates this season. With all the weight on his shoulders to lead this team to the playoffs for the first time in five years and to fill the shoes left behind by all the great captains in the past, he’ll feel the pressure for sure, but he’ll pull through and settle in after 10 games or so while getting used to the “all eyes on me” feeling.

He’ll go on to score 15 goals and 50 points, while dishing out a fair share of bone-crunching hits (see, they’re not all bold predictions).

And he will end the life of more than one person with a simple stare. That scary, scary stare.

2. Luke Schenn. One of Ron Wilson’s favourite whipping boys. You know him well, the fifth overall pick in the 2008 draft and often referred to as the future of the Leafs defense. Well, this season it will become more clear to both the team and the fans that this is not the case.

Schenn is not the player he was made out to be, and his role will diminish as the stacked defense around him struts their stuff. Stay-at-home defensemen aren’t what they used to be in today’s NHL.

3. Ron Wilson will not be fired, no matter what happens this season. They may call for his head, but Burke will let him ride out this season with the new-look club. It’s next year that Wilson will be one extended losing streak away from packing his bags.

4. Colton Orr will get suspended for doing something stupid this season. And by stupid I mean an incident involving either Derek Boogaard of the New York Rangers or his old buddy Matt Carkner of the Ottawa Senators. He’s more effective when he’s living on the edge anyway.

5. The future is now for Jonas Gustavsson, and he’ll put behind him all the struggles and health issues that were last season and take control between the pipes for the Leafs.

It’s understood that he’ll share the load with J.S. Giguere through 82 games, but by the midway point of the season the Leafs will have no choice but to rely on him heavily to make the postseason. He’ll play at least 50 games.

6. On the flipside, Giguere is not the same goalie he once was, and though he’ll prove to be a valuable mentor to Gustavsson, his time in Toronto will be short lived. He’ll get quality time in the nets for the first half of the season, simply because the team is paying him more money than some countries have, but by season’s end he’ll own a nice piece of pine on the Leafs bench watching the Monster carry the load.

7. Phil Kessel won’t score 40 goals, but he’ll come pretty darn close. We’ll say 37. Give it time Leaf Nation, give it time.

8. Mike Komisarek will have a coming out party of sorts. Sure, he’s already known as a grizzled veteran in this league with plenty of experience under his belt, but last year was a disaster for the former Habs defender.

This season, he’ll be a force for the Leafs and rebound in a strong way, and the combination of him and Phaneuf will kick start a new generation of “Toronto tough” defence. Buckle up.

9. If ever there was a sophomore slump victim waiting to happen, it’s Tyler Bozak. While Leaf Nation drools over his potential after what he showed last season, he’s a prime candidate for a slow start and a bumpy road all year.

He might find it hard to fit in the top six as well if the players around him perform to potential. Don’t bet on this season being anything to write home about for Bozak, but don’t panic, his time will come.

10. John Mitchell, enjoy your final season as a Maple Leaf. If you last the full season, that is.

11. Break-out season alert! Break-out season alert: Nikolai Kulemin, it’s your time to shine. 20 plus goals, 60 plus points. Mark my words.

12. Kris Versteeg’s career mark for goals is 22, he scored 20 last season. He’ll set a new career mark in that category, especially if he gets a chance to play on a line with Kessel. The two could find chemistry together and work some magic.

Versteeg will pot 25 goals this season, and despite the fact that it would be physically impossible for him to have a more enjoyable season than he did with the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks last season, he’ll still have fun with the Leafs. Just less silver going around.

13. By game 41, every single fan in the building will have looked at the new center red line in the Air Canada Centre, with the fancy Canadian flags painted all the way across, and utter to their friend, “somebody’s got too much time on their hands”.

Indeed they do. Too much money, too.

14. Mikhail Grabovski. After two separate bar fight incidents, an on-ice fight in practice with Wilson, and a five-game suspension for attacking one of the Kostitsyn brothers with his stick during a game this season, he’ll be banished from the Leafs forever.

Or he’ll get his act together and score 25 goals while maintaining a squeaky clean image. How about that prediction.

15. The Leafs will set a record for the most pregame ceremonies ever done in one season. 41 home games, but they’ll find a way to have 42 ceremonies. They’ve got the cash.

16. Colby Armstrong will be the next Darcy-Tucker-in-his-prime, just with fewer goals, less physicality, and less fanfare. Okay, so he won’t be the next Tucker, but he’ll do more than you think he’s going to do for the club this season.

Finally, the Leafs have a third line player who would actually make the roster of another team in the NHL.

17. The Battle of Ontario is back in full force, and this season it will hit the boiling point. Orr vs. Carkner, Kessel as the new Dany Heatley (as in scoring every time the two meet), and the hatred brewing that made the rivalry what it was in the early 2000s. You’ll want to watch all six games this season between the Provincial rivals; it’ll remind you why you love this game we call hockey.

18. After being the second team in NHL history to finish last in both penalty kill and power play last season (funnily enough, Wilson was the coach of the team that was the first too), they’ll place 30th in neither category this year. With a sturdy wall of defense on the blue line, the PK will be much improved, better than 20th in the league.

As for the PP, well, the offensive power is still a question mark thus far, but they’re better than some. In short, the special teams will look less like they’re in special ed, and more like they belong in the NHL.

19. The dominance of the Buffalo Sabres over the Leafs will end this season. Yes, Ryan Miller still roams the crease and trusty old Lindy Ruff still patrols the bench, but the long-time bullies of the buds are lacking that punch they’ve had in years past, and it’s time for the Leafs to exact some revenge.

As for the Boston Bruins, they will completely own the Leafs this season, but hey, you win some, you lose some.

20. Nazim Kadri’s jersey will be the highest selling jersey on the team. And he will make sure everyone in Toronto knows it.

21. Clarke Macarthur will do a lot more for the Leafs than first thought, and he’ll have a great season. Christian Hanson will not.

22. Carl Gunnarsson is going to make it very hard for the coaching staff to not have him on the ice in key situations. The 194th selection overall in the 2007 draft is a stud on the blue line, and only getting better.

Last season, he appeared in 43 games, scoring three goals and 15 points and tallied the highest plus/minus rating on the team (plus eight).

He was nothing short of impressive in all situations and will further make a case this year to cement his spot in the top six, which means the veterans around him will have to step up or sit down.

23. The new jerseys are much nicer than before, but someone of importance on the team will have a problem with them before season’s end, you just wait. Nothing comes that easy in the city that, when it comes to hockey, never sleeps. And never stops complaining.

24. Tomas Kaberle? Ah yes, that guy. Well, by the time a decision is made on the longest serving member of the team, we’ll all be sick of it. Scratch that, we already are. But Kaberle will not finish the season in the blue and white, he’ll either cave in and except a trade mid-season, or go at the trade deadline for some offensive help as the Leafs make a final playoff push.

It’s been fun, Tomas, thanks for the memories. And the painful interviews as you struggled with the English language.

Seriously, you’ve been here for 12 years, it can’t be that hard.

25. Speaking of playoffs (not that we do that much in Toronto these days), the biggest question that looms over the club this season is whether or not they can claw their way back into the post-season.

Last season concluded with the club having a chance to end the Montreal Canadiens’ season with a win in regulation in the final game of the season. They weren’t able to do that, and we all know what happened next, but this season will end with similar stakes as the two will be fighting for a playoff spot until the final day. One game to decide it all.

The two will meet up on Apr. 9, 2011 with the winner moving on to the postseason and the loser going home. That loser will not be the Maple Leafs, as they’ll win the game and sneak into the eighth and final playoff spot for the first time since 2004.

Ecstatic fans will run through the streets, toilet paper rolls and confetti will fly, newborn babies will be named Dion and Jonas, and the Leafs will lose in the first round.

Baby steps, folks, baby steps.

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NHL Backchecking: Little-Known Canadien Terry Harper Big Part of Team’s Cup Runs

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:25:26 +0000

The Montreal Canadiens won four Stanley Cups in five seasons from 1965-69. Every hockey fan knows the big names on those teams: Jean Beliveau, Yvan Cournoyer, Henri Richard, Serge Savard, and others.

However, it is often the depth players on a roster who help win championships.

Terry Harper, one of the team’s best stay-at-home defensemen, was such a player.

Harper, who played in four NHL All-Star games and won five Stanley Cups, was born and raised in Regina, Sask. He played three seasons in the now-defunct Eastern Professional League before being brought up to the NHL by the Canadiens.

“It was fantastic, like a dream come true,” Harper said of playing for the legendary franchise. “The Canadiens had that mystique to them, that history of always being a top organization and a very competitive one. They didn’t win every year, but they were in the battle all the time.”

His first NHL game, though, was more a funny than a triumphant story.

“On my first shift in the league,” Harper recalled, “I fell down and Gordie Howe scooted right around me. I was so damn nervous. I still remember falling over backwards. In some ways, it must have been a good thing, because it got rid of my stage fright right away, playing against the best player in the league at the time.”

Despite his stumble, Harper was off and running; beginning a successful NHL career. Known more for his aggressive, physical play as opposed to posting points, Harper’s style of play was based on the Habs’ needs on the ice.

“It got me a job,” Harper said of his play. “Why not give myself the opportunity to be someone who can kill penalties and be defensive? You know, someone who can play in the last minute of a period and things like that.”

After brief stints with the Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, and Colorado Rockies, Harper retired from hockey in 1981, finishing with 35 goals, 256 points, and 1,362 PIM in 1,066 NHL games.

Life after hockey for Harper included a 10-year stint in real estate.   “Then I felt like I’d had enough,” Harper said, “and decided it was time to do something different.”

Harper began working for Little Caesars Pizza, the business founded by Red Wings owners Mike and Marian Ilitch. After many years of running stores, he sold them and moved into semi-retirement.

After his time in the pizza business, Harper briefly moved back into hockey.

“A fellow came over and said, ‘Can you help us try to get this roller hockey thing started here?’ And so I was sort of in hockey for a little bit,” Harper said.

Harper worked in roller hockey for a few years until the league folded, but he enjoyed it much more than if he had been working in the pros.

“I didn’t have to be away as often as if I were in ice hockey,” he said. “Also, the seasons were short and I enjoyed it.”

However, Harper does still cherish his NHL days and keeps in touch with many former teammates.

“The ones close by, they’ll stop by, we’ll maybe go skiing or something,” Harper laughed. “Jean-Guy Talbot, I talk to every year. He was my first partner, so I have to keep in touch with him.”

But Harper lived by one major piece of advice, which he hands down to anyone who is looking to be successful.

“The only advice I’d ever give someone is to never give up; don’t quit. It’s that simple. Keep working on it until you find a way to get there. That’s your goal. You want to do it and there’s a way somewhere.”

Alan Bass is a writer for The Hockey News and THN.com. In addition to writing for Inside Hockey and Pro Hockey News, he has also worked for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the General Manager of the Muhlenberg College hockey team as well. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.

This article was originally featured on TheHockeyNews.com. For the original article, click here.

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Toronto Maple Leafs: Five Questions Facing The Team In 2010-11

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:19:26 +0000

With training camp just a few weeks away, many NHL teams are already to see some holes in their armor.

Salary cap restraints, questionable off-season signings, failure to address off-season needs and high expectations for younger players have many NHL fans wondering what the biggest questions are facing their favorite NHL team.

Amongst much change, a face-lift in the attitude department and an offense that has few NHL teams nervous, the The Toronto Maple Leafs are no exception, as they have many burning questions heading into the 2010-11 season.

Let’s take a look at some of the Maple Leafs’ biggest question marks heading into the upcoming season.

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Chicago Blackhawks Sign Center Ryan Potulny

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:18:07 +0000

According to CapGeek.com, the Chicago Blackhawks signed center Ryan Potulny on Wednesday evening to a one-year, $500,000 deal.

Potulny, 26, was among the top 15 prospects in the Edmonton organization entering last year, and cracked the NHL with the Oilers for 64 games. He scored 15 goals and added 17 assists for the Oilers in 16:17 average ice time during the year. He won 47.4 percent of his faceoffs and was one of Edmonton’s primary penalty-killing centers, averaging 2:08 short-handed per game last year (second among Oilers centers).

The additions of Potulny and Fernando Pisani give the Blackhawks two excellent secondary options for their penalty kill unit, allowing Joel Quenneville the ability to give either Dave Bolland or Jonathan Toews time off if needed on PK. Potulny signed a two-way deal, meaning he can spend time in Rockford if he doesn’t make the NHL roster.

Considering he nearly matched Dustin Byfuglien’s production from last year and is coming in for one-sixth the cost, this is a nice addition just days before training camp for the Blackhawks. Potulny is listed at 6’0″ and 190 pounds.

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Detroit Red Wings: Revisiting One Of Ken Holland’s Rare Blunders: Kyle Quincey

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:17:07 +0000

On Wednesday, Red Wings GM Ken Holland decided to place defenseman Derek Meech on waivers.

Meech was signed to a one-year, $500,000 qualifying offer over the summer which put Detroit in the driver’s seat with regards to Meech’s future.

At the time, the Wings were unsure of their defense situation and securing Meech was more or less an insurance move if and when they failed to secure the veteran sixth-defenseman the team was targeting.

However, the signing of Ruslan Salei last month shored up Detroit’s defense and, as such, has left Derek Meech expendable.

Now, in and of itself, I don’t think saying goodbye to Derek Meech is worthy of tears.

He was certainly an energetic and eager player when given the chance to compete, but his small size and lack of all-around skill never did much to secure him a regular spot in the line-up.

However, if one goes back a couple of year to the 2008-09 season, the decision to waive Derek Meech today begins to sting quite a bit more than it should.

Back then, the Wings ended training camp with eight defenders that could legitimately play in the NHL.

The bottom two, Meech and Kyle Quincey were the odd men looking in at the top six.

The Wings were only going to carry seven defensemen, and already pushed hard against the cap, one of the two had to be sent down to clear roster and cap space.

The problem with this was, both would have to clear waivers in order to arrive safely tucked away in the AHL.

Having to choose between Meech and Quincey, Holland elected to send the latter down to the minors.

He never got there.

Immediately upon being waived, just four days into the regular season, Quincey was picked up by the Los Angeles Kings.

Within a week of arriving in Los Angeles, Quincey was a top four defenseman and found himself quarter-backing a power-play.

He finished the year having played 72 games, posting four goals and 34 assists in that time.

As for Meech, he appeared in 41 games, scoring two goals, and five assists.

We’ll never know now, but it seems clear that had those 41 games been given to Qunicey, he would have made more of an impact than did Meech.

Quincey was traded the following season from LA to Colorado where he’s since become a No. 2 defenseman.

Had Holland decided to keep Quincey instead of Meech, Detroit’s defensive corps for 2010-11 might very well include a top pairing of Lidstrom and Rafalksi, a second pair made up of Kronwall and Stuart, and a third duo of Ericsson and Quincey (the third pair representing 12′ 7″ of solid two-way ability).

Instead, Meech is headed out of town in favor of an aging stay at home defender in Salei.

Holland doesn’t make many mistakes, but the fact that he’s now waiving Derek Meech, the man he opted for over Quincey, reveals an error in judgment that reverberates to this day.

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