FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ Stamkos More Than Pulling His Weight http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/05/stamkos-more-than-pulling-his-weight/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/05/stamkos-more-than-pulling-his-weight/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/05/stamkos-more-than-pulling-his-weight/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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Last year, the one knock on No. 1 pick Steven Stamkos, fresh into the league at the age of 18, was that he lacked the strength to compete nightly in the league, even getting scratched on occasion to work on building up his muscle.

So over the summer, the Tampa Bay Lightning center trained with recently retired forward Gary Roberts, known for his dedication to fitness. Stamkos called Roberts "fanatical" about his off-ice training, and he got to see it up close near his home in Ontario.

"We did some unusual things," Stamkos told FanHouse by phone from Ottawa, where the Lightning are playing Thursday night. "The toughest part was on dry land, pulling a 100-pound sled, sprinting the whole way and then turning around and going back. I was face up on the ground, gasping for air."

 

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]]> steven stamkosStevenStamkos Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-11-05T15:00:00 00:00 Backchecking With ... Manny Malhotra http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/05/backchecking-with-manny-malhotra/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/05/backchecking-with-manny-malhotra/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/05/backchecking-with-manny-malhotra/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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We get to know NHL players with five quick questions. Today's subject: Manny Malhotra, who is in his first year with the first-place San Jose Sharks.

 

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]]> backcheckingmanny malhotraMannyMalhotra Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-11-05T13:00:00 00:00 U.S. Women Gearing Up for Olympics http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/u-s-women-gearing-up-for-olympics/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/u-s-women-gearing-up-for-olympics/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/u-s-women-gearing-up-for-olympics/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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Among the United States' best hopes for a medal in Vancouver next February is the women's ice hockey team, which has won one of the three gold medals awarded in the sport's brief Olympic history. Host Canada has won the other two, and the United States and Canada will clash in the final tournament before Vancouver 2010 in the Four Nations Cup, which opens today in Finland.

The U.S. is the defending champion in the event, beating Canada 3-2 in the finals last year. The American women have won either gold or silver in the Four Nations Cup every year in which the U.S. has participated, as has Canada.

 

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]]> Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-11-03T12:00:00 00:00 Avalanche at Sharks Live Blog http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/30/avalanche-at-sharks-live-blog/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/30/avalanche-at-sharks-live-blog/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/30/avalanche-at-sharks-live-blog/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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Last year's top regular-season team, the Sharks, takes on the league's current top squad, the Avalanche, tonight at 10:30 p.m. Eastern and FanHouse will be there, blogging live and fielding questions.

Of the Western Conference's many surprise teams -- Phoenix and Los Angeles are also going strong and Columbus started off fast - Colorado might be the biggest. The Avs had a conference-low 69 points last season and they scored a league-low 199 goals.

Now, behind hot goalie Craig Anderson, Colorado is 10-12 and coming into San Jose to face a Sharks team that lost to the Avs 5-2 on opening night. San Jose is tied with the Kings atop the Pacific Division and has won three in a row, while Colorado has won four straight. Join us for what should be a good one.

 

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]]> Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-10-30T21:00:00 00:00 Anze Kopitar, Ryan Smyth Teaming Up Against Opponents http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/anze-kopitar-ryan-smyth-teaming-up-against-opponents/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/anze-kopitar-ryan-smyth-teaming-up-against-opponents/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/anze-kopitar-ryan-smyth-teaming-up-against-opponents/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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SAN JOSE -- Anze Kopitar of the Kings is leading the league in scoring and his linemate, Ryan Smyth, isn't far behind him, picking up loads of assists by getting Kopitar the puck.

"Kopitar and Ryan Smyth are as good a pair as there is in the league," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said before his team beat the Kings in overtime on Wednesday night.

It's a combo of experience, with the 33-year-old Smyth, and youth, with the 22-year-old Kopitar. And it worked "from the get-go," according to Smyth. Los Angeles coach Terry Murray placed the two on the same line pretty much from the start of training camp and things clicked.

 

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]]> Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-10-29T14:00:00 00:00 Younger Kronwall Wants to Play, Especially Against the Wings http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/27/younger-kronwall-wants-to-play-especially-against-the-wings/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/27/younger-kronwall-wants-to-play-especially-against-the-wings/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/27/younger-kronwall-wants-to-play-especially-against-the-wings/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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Staffan Kronwall is a defenseman for the Flames, which is great for the 26-year-old in many respects. He's absorbing things from one of the best defensive units in the game, watching and learning.

The flip side of that: Kronwall doesn't get much ice time. He's been a healthy scratch the past five games after playing the previous five. So he works his tail off in practice and he gets a master class in his position from players such as Dion Phaneuf, Robyn Regehr and Jay Bouwmeester. Regehr has been particularly helpful, Kronwall said, when it comes to sharing tricks off the trade, but all have made the reserve feel welcome.

 

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]]> Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-10-27T15:00:00 00:00 Backchecking With ... Steve Mason http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/backchecking-with-steve-mason/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/backchecking-with-steve-mason/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/backchecking-with-steve-mason/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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We get to know NHL players with five quick questions. Today's subject: Steve Mason, whose Blue Jackets are currently ranked second in the Central Division. Mason is the league's reigning rookie of the year.

 

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]]> backcheckingsteve masonSteveMason Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-10-22T17:00:00 00:00 Analyzing Goalies as Martin Brodeur Nears Record http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/analyzing-goalies-as-brodeur-nears-record/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/analyzing-goalies-as-brodeur-nears-record/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/analyzing-goalies-as-brodeur-nears-record/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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Martin Brodeur is one shutout away from tying Terry Sawchuk's all-time shutout record. How meaningful is that? And what is the best means for judging goaltenders' performance?

 

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]]> Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-10-22T14:00:00 00:00 Will NHL Choose Bottom Line Over National Pride? http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/20/will-nhl-choose-bottom-line-over-national-pride/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/20/will-nhl-choose-bottom-line-over-national-pride/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/20/will-nhl-choose-bottom-line-over-national-pride/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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Ovechkin RussiaIce hockey will be one of the toughest tickets to get when the Vancouver Olympics open in February. The sport is guaranteed to be among the most popular, if not the top sport, in hockey-mad Canada.

Great for the sport, right? Just as the Salt Lake City Olympics were.

And yet the NHL is not committed to allowing its players to compete in the Olympics past Vancouver, prompting one of the league's best players, Alex Ovechkin, to threaten to go on his own when the Games are in Sochi, Russia, Ovechkin's home country, in 2014. Ovechkin is an ambassador for those Games, but other prominent Russian stars, such as Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin and Iyla Kovalchuk of the Thrashers, have expressed similar sentiments, saying they would risk penalties from the NHL in order to participate in 2014.

 

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]]> Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-10-20T17:50:00 00:00 Blues, Wings Flat Since Sweden http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/blues-wings-flat-since-sweden/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/blues-wings-flat-since-sweden/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/blues-wings-flat-since-sweden/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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Niklas Kronwall and Erik Johnson, defensemen for the Red Wings and Blues respectively, both enjoyed opening the season in Sweden. Like many of Detroit's players, Kronwall is from there, while Johnson was happy St. Louis took both games and that he's healthy after missing most of a year.

Since returning to the U.S., however, the Red Wings and Blues have been less than sharp. And Detroit wasn't any great shakes in Sweden, either, dropping both games despite holding leads in each.

The two teams, both expected to be contenders, are at the bottom of the Central Division going into play Thursday night.

 

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]]> erik johnsonjohan franzenkeith tkachukniklas kronwallpaul kariya Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-10-15T16:00:00 00:00 Columbus Jumps Out Fast in Central http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/13/columbus-jumps-out-fast-in-central/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/13/columbus-jumps-out-fast-in-central/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/13/columbus-jumps-out-fast-in-central/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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Sure, it's the early going, but the Central Division is no joke, with the still-tough Red Wings and two teams pegged for big things in St. Louis and Chicago.

More than two weeks in, Columbus has held its own, showing some very good things, like a near impervious penalty-kill unit, and at the other end of the spectrum, a wobbly power play.

"The team's come along quick," Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash said after a recent morning practice session. "We're getting contributions from the young guys, and we have such a young team, we're going to depend on them a lot to produce. So far, they've been great."

 

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]]> Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-10-13T12:00:00 00:00 Backchecking With ... Alex Burrows http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/backchecking-with-alex-burrows/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/backchecking-with-alex-burrows/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/backchecking-with-alex-burrows/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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We get to know NHL players with five quick questions. Today's subject: Canucks forward Alex Burrows, who scored a goal in Wednesday's night's 7-1 win over the Canadiens.

 

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]]> alex burrowsalexander burrowsAlexanderBurrowsbackchecking Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-10-08T14:30:00 00:00 Is This the Thrashers' Year? http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/is-this-the-thrashers-year/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/is-this-the-thrashers-year/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/is-this-the-thrashers-year/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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Before the season starter, Atlanta star Ilya Kovalchuk brashly proclaimed "This is our year."

Crazy? Well, maybe not. Thrashers defenseman Ron Hainsey told FanHouse by phone this week that the team's forwards are so talented the club can contend, despite the fourth-worst finish in the league last year.

"We have a team that has no excuse except under-performance not to be in the playoffs," Hainsey said. "We match up with anyone, especially with our skill up front."

 

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]]> Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-10-08T12:00:00 00:00 Would Seattle Work for the NHL? http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/06/if-phoenix-wont-work-what-about-seattle/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/06/if-phoenix-wont-work-what-about-seattle/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/06/if-phoenix-wont-work-what-about-seattle/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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SEATTLE -- This lovely and affluent city seems on the surface to be natural hockey country. Seattle is about 115 miles from Canada, and it's a two-hour drive to Vancouver; it is a sporty, athletic town where people spend a lot of time indoors because of wet weather; and the only pro team in town during the winter now is the NFL since the NBA departed for Oklahoma City.

Plus, this was the first city in the United States to win the Stanley Cup -- the Seattle Metropolitans beat Montreal three games to one in 1917.

But Seattle, the 15th-largest metro area in the country, seldom gets mentioned as a potential NHL location. And there are plenty of arguments against it.

 

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]]> Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-10-06T10:30:00 00:00 Avalanche Desperate to Avoid Repeat http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/01/avalanche-desperate-to-avoid-repeat/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/01/avalanche-desperate-to-avoid-repeat/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/01/avalanche-desperate-to-avoid-repeat/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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Last season was an unmitigated disaster in Colorado. The Avalanche scored the fewest goals in the league and they gave up the most in the Western Conference.

So there was sweeping change in Denver. Out went general manager Francois Giguere and most of the front office, along with head coach Tony Granato and his assistants. In comes GM Greg Sherman and head coach Joe Sacco.

"It's been good," Avalanche center Paul Stastny told FanHouse by phone. "There's a little more structure. We don't ever want to repeat something like last year again. It's not just stricter, but everything is done to a 'T' -- either you're doing it right, or you're doing it wrong. Everyone is accountable. Everyone is still having fun, but we're making sure we do the job."

 

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]]> paul stastnyPaulStastny Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-10-01T10:00:00 00:00 Preds Look to Rebound Into Playoffs http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/29/nashville-looks-to-bounce-back/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/29/nashville-looks-to-bounce-back/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/29/nashville-looks-to-bounce-back/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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The Predators were part of the mad scramble for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference last season, but failed for the first time in five years. So going into Saturday's season opener at home against the Stars, the team is bent on preventing another near-miss.

Though Nashville made little news in the offseason, the Predators enjoyed a good preseason, winning four of six games, and head coach Barry Trotz likes what he sees.

 

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]]> Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-09-29T11:00:00 00:00 Last Season's Ending Drives Luongo http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/25/last-seasons-ending-drives-luongo/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/25/last-seasons-ending-drives-luongo/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/25/last-seasons-ending-drives-luongo/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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Roberto Luongo doesn't bristle when he's asked about the last game of the Canucks' 2008-2009 season. He gave up seven goals in Game 6 of Vancouver's conference semifinals loss to Chicago in May. That was decidedly unlike Luongo. He knows it, everyone knows it. And he's using the worst big-game performance of his career as fuel as a new campaign gets underway.

"It's tough to figure out," Luongo told FanHouse. "Obviously, I didn't have my best game, and there were a lot of factors that came together. But I'm trying to use it as motivation for this season. I'm not happy it happened, but I learned from it."

 

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]]> Brad LukowichChristian EhrhoffMartin HavlatMikael SamuelssonRoberto Luongo Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-09-25T10:00:00 00:00 Coyotes Focus Despite Unknown Future http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/22/coyotes-focus-on-the-ice-not-unsettled-future/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/22/coyotes-focus-on-the-ice-not-unsettled-future/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/22/coyotes-focus-on-the-ice-not-unsettled-future/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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What a strange spot for an NHL team to be in: the Coyotes don't know if they'll keep playing in Phoenix or if they'll be moved to Hamilton, Ontario; they don't know when their coach will be back and they don't know who their owner will be. That's life under bankruptcy, and the Phoenix players are doing the best they can under the less-than-ideal circumstances.

 

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]]> Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-09-22T14:00:00 00:00 Dany Heatley Arrives in San Jose http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/18/dany-heatley-arrives-in-san-jose/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/18/dany-heatley-arrives-in-san-jose/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/18/dany-heatley-arrives-in-san-jose/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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SAN JOSE -- Six days after the trade was completed sending Dany Heatley from Ottawa to San Jose, the Sharks' newest forward arrived at HP Pavilion.

In a press conference on the ice level of the arena, Heatley donned a No. 15 Sharks jersey and answered questions along with general manager Doug Wilson for 15 minutes. Before that., Heatley was on the ice briefly playing with presumptive linemates Joe Thornton and Devin Setoguchi. Earlier in the week, he'd gotten on the ice with his dad, Murray, as he waited for visa issues to be resolved.

"It definitely felt good," Heatley said of his morning workout Friday. "It was a lot of fun with those guys -- a lot more fun than skating by myself."

 

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]]> dany heatley Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-09-18T16:42:00 00:00 Looking at Sharks' Leadership Shakeup http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/17/taking-a-look-at-the-sharks-leadership-shakeup/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/17/taking-a-look-at-the-sharks-leadership-shakeup/ http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/17/taking-a-look-at-the-sharks-leadership-shakeup/#comments Susan Slusserby Susan Slusser

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SAN JOSE -- Few sports place the kind of emphasis on the captain's spot that hockey does, with the obvious exception of sailing. Many pro sports have no captains, or very few, such as the Yankees' Derek Jeter.

Does the captain matter in hockey? Is it a mere title for a veteran or for a vocal team leader? Can a determined captain take his team to the Stanley Cup finals or provide calm during an emotional series? Can an ineffective captain fail to provide the necessary leadership?

 

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]]> Susan Slusser susan-slusser 2009-09-17T11:00:00 00:00