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Crosby Fights in Defense of Malkin

Posted: Apr 5th 2009 7:10PM by Adam Gretz (author feed)
Filed under: Panthers, Penguins, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Sidney Crosby and the Florida Panthers have an infamous history of sorts, as the Penguins captain had a run-in with Brett McLean earlier this season. On Sunday, Crosby again found himself dropping the gloves with a member of the Panthers, as he squared off with defenseman Keith Ballard in the first period.

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Olli Jokinen Sent to Flames

Posted: Mar 4th 2009 12:45PM by Bruce Ciskie (author feed)
Filed under: Coyotes, Flames, Western

0 COMMENTS

The NHL trade action is heating up as the deadline approaches. TSN is reporting on their TradeCentre program that we've had our first trade involving a "big-name" player.

Olli Jokinen was a hot commodity around the NHL Draft last summer, as the Florida Panthers were looking to move him. Phoenix won the sweepstakes, with defenseman Keith Ballard being the centerpiece of the package they sent to Florida. The marriage, however, didn't last long, as Jokinen has been dealt to Calgary. The Flames send Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust, and a first-round pick, according to TSN.

More Coverage: NHL Trade Deadline Tracker

Continue Reading Olli Jokinen Sent to Flames

Newsmakers in the NHL: Florida Power Play Pounds Washington

Posted: Mar 2nd 2009 1:30AM by Adam Gretz (author feed)
Filed under: Capitals, Panthers, NHL Fans

1 COMMENT

Panthers 6, Capitals 2: After a couple of blowout losses this past week, the Florida Panthers rebounded for a convincing 6-2 win in Washington on Sunday, thanks in large part to a 3-for-6 effort from their power play. After Alexander Semin gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead, the Panthers picked up three consecutive power play goals on their way to a four goal first period.

Bryan McCabe registered four points in the win, while Stephen Weiss picked up a goal and two assists. Jay Bouwmeester, Brett McLean and Keith Ballard also added two points.

Continue Reading Newsmakers in the NHL: Florida Power Play Pounds Washington

Derek Morris Likely Done in Phoenix

Posted: Feb 28th 2009 7:10PM by Adam Gretz (author feed)
Filed under: Coyotes, NHL Rumors

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The Phoenix Coyotes will be hosting the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night, and it's likely they'll be taking the ice without defenseman Derek Morris. According to Darren Dreger of TSN, Morris has reportedly given general manager Don Maloney a list of teams he would be willing to accept a trade to.

Dreger also reports that until a trade can be made, Morris will not play for the Coyotes in order to avoid an injury.

Continue Reading Derek Morris Likely Done in Phoenix

Staying or Going: Olli Jokinen

Posted: Feb 27th 2009 3:30PM by Adam Gretz (author feed)
Filed under: Coyotes, NHL Rumors

0 COMMENTS

The Clash once posed the question: Should I stay or should I go now? We take a look at the big names surrounding the NHL trade deadline and whether they'll be staying in place or going to finish the season in another city.

Prior to this year's NHL entry draft, the Phoenix Coyotes acquired Olli Jokinen from the Florida Panthers for defensemen Nick Boynton and Keith Ballard, and a second-round pick. At the time, it looked a strong move for the Coyotes as they looked to emerge from the basement of the highly competitive Pacific Division.

Continue Reading Staying or Going: Olli Jokinen

What Team USA Could Look Like in Vancouver Olympics

Posted: Feb 19th 2009 12:00AM by Bruce Ciskie (author feed)
Filed under: Team USA, Olympic Hockey

3 COMMENTS

We're less than one year away from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Once again, the NHL will take a mid-season break and allow its players to participate in the Games.

After a wonderful run to silver in Salt Lake City back in 2002, Team USA was nothing short of disappointing in Torino three years ago. The Americans went just 1-3-1 in pool play, including an inexplicable tie against Latvia, before dropping a 4-3 decision to Finland in the quarterfinals. Heading into 2010, general manager Brian Burke has plenty of decisions to make, mainly surrounding the question of age.

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Newsmakers in the NHL: Welcome Back Paul Maurice

Posted: Dec 5th 2008 12:30AM by Adam Gretz (author feed)
Filed under: Avalanche, Canucks, Hurricanes, Penguins, Predators, Red Wings, NHL General, NHL Fans

1 COMMENT

Paul Maurice made his debut in his second stint with the Hurricanes on Thursday night, and, well, it wasn't exactly an impressive showing by Carolina, as the Penguins walked out of the building with a 5-2 win. Sidney Crosby registered four assists on the night, while Petr Sykora picked up a pair of power play goals to lead the Penguins.

Carolina goalie Michael Leighton struggled most of the night, giving up the five goals on only 22 shots. He struggled with puck control and wasn't exactly helped by his defense, as they were guilty of a few costly turnovers in the defensive zone. With the Hurricanes trailing 1-0 in the first, Josef Melichar (former Penguin) turned the puck over to Pascal Dupuis who ripped a shot behind Leighton giving the Penguins an early 2-0 lead.

Ruslan Fedotenko and Miroslav Satan also scored for the Penguins, while Tuomo Ruutu and Matt Cullen scored the only two goals of the night for Carolina. Both goals brought the Hurricanes to within two goals on the scoreboard, only to have the Penguins quickly strike back, squashing any momentum Carolina may have built.

The Hurricanes have now lost four of their past five games.

Continue Reading Newsmakers in the NHL: Welcome Back Paul Maurice

Olli Jokinen's Consecutive Games Played Streak Comes to an End

Posted: Nov 30th 2008 10:55AM by Adam Gretz (author feed)
Filed under: Coyotes, NHL Injuries

0 COMMENTS

Last night when the Phoenix Coyotes dropped a 3-2 decision to the San Jose Sharks, they did so without the services of center Olli Jokinen. It was only the second game Jokinen has missed since the 2002-03 season (the first one was Friday night's game in Colorado), snapping a streak of 397 consecutive games played. While it will never be confused with Cal Ripken Jr.'s ironman streak, it's still an impressive accomplishment to play in every NHL game for five consecutive seasons.

Jokinen, 29, will be sidelined for two weeks with a shoulder injury suffered against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.

Originally a No. 3 overall pick of the Los Angeles Kings, Jokinen was eventually shipped to the New York Islanders where he played one season before then-general manager Mike Milbury made, in my opinion, one of the worst trades in NHL history. Just prior to the 2000 NHL entry draft, Milbury sent Jokinen, along with goaltender Roberto Luongo, to the Florida Panthers in exchange for forwards Oleg Kvasha and Mark Parrish.

After toiling in anonymity for four years in Florida, developing into a consistent 35-goal scorer, Jokinen was again part of a draft day trade this past offseason, when the Panthers shipped him to Phoenix for Keith Ballard, Nick Boynton and a second-round draft pick.

So far this season Jokinen has 18 points (7 goals, 11 assists) in 21 games for the Coyotes.

Panthers Rap Jokinen in Email to Season Ticket Holders

Posted: Jun 26th 2008 9:00AM by Eric McErlain (author feed)
Filed under: Miami, General NHL, Panthers, Coyotes

5 COMMENTS

Whenever an organization trades a star player, it's inevitable that a significant slice of your fan base isn't going to be happy. And when the fan base isn't happy, it tends to stop buying tickets and merchandise, the life blood of any professional sports franchise.

That also means that you better be talking to your fans about what you're doing and why you're doing it. Then again, there are times when you can be too honest. Case in point, an email that Ryan Powers, an account executive for the parent company that owns the Florida Panthers, sent to season ticket holders explaining the team's decision to deal captain Olli Jokinen to the Phoenix Coyotes. After explaining what he felt that defensemen Nick Boynton and Keith Ballard brought to the team, Powers took a piece out of Jokinen. Here's how it reads in today's Miami Herald:

``Olli is a great player, but he has shown no leadership or improvement, and he never came through for us when we needed him the most. As a stat, Jokinen scored 5 goals in the last 24 games, this is not acceptable for a Captain of an NHL organization. He played with little heart or passion and never had the determination to reach the playoffs. This move was done for one reason only, to make the postseason and return the passion and energy into this arena.''

Need I remind everyone that Jokinen is Florida's all-time career leader in goals, assists and points? Fans tend to remember contributions like that.

The team has since apologized, but the damage has been done. And with news like this floating around, is it any surprise we've heard reports that Jay Bouwmeester wants out of Florida too?

Latest NHL Photos

** FILE ** In this Nov. 10, 2007 file photo, San Jose Sharks center Jeremy Roenick reacts after scoring his 500th career goal against the Phoenix Coyotes in the second period of their NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif. The Sharks got off to a head start on their offseason moves, re-signing Roenick, forward Joe Pavelski and backup goaltender Brian Boucher on Wednesday, June 25, 2008, six days before the start of the free-agency period. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

OTTAWA, ON - JUNE 20: 17th overall pick, Jake Gardiner of the Anaheim Ducks talks with the media during the 2008 NHL Entry Draft at Scotiabank Place on June 20, 2008 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

Getty Images

** FILE **In this March 28, 2008 file photo, Carolina Hurricanes' Tuomo Ruutu (15), of Finland, brings the puck down the ice past Atlanta Thrashers' Chris Thorburn (27) during third period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C. The Hurricanes re-signed Ruutu on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 to a one-year contract worth $2.25 million. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker, File)

** FILE ** Broadcom Corp. co-founder Henry Samueli leaves the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, Calif. after a hearing Monday, June, 23, 2008. Samueli has been suspended indefinitely by the NHL. The decision by commissioner Gary Bettman comes a day after Samueli pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to the Securities and Exchange Commission. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

** FILE ** In this May 9, 2008 file photo, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, of Russia, skates against the Philadelphia Flyers in the third period during Game 1 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals in Pittsburgh. Until a deal is signed with the NHL, the founder of the new Russian-based Continental Hockey League says there is nothing wrong with his teams trying to poach star players, such as Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

This handout provided by Men's Vogue shows New York Rangers hockey player Sean Avery in the Men's Vogue fashion closet in New York last week. Avery, the NHL's No. 1 pest, is more gourmet than goon these days. Food, music and fashion are all on his plate as a summer intern at Vogue magazine. (AP Photo/Men's Vogue)

** FILE ** In this May 9, 2008 file photo, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, of Russia, speaks to the media after the Penguins beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 in Game 1 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals in Pittsburgh. Until a deal is signed with the NHL, the founder of the new Russian-based Continental Hockey League says there is nothing wrong with his teams trying to poach star players, such as Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

** FILE ** In this May 30, 2008 file photo, Pittsburgh Penguins' Evgeni Malkin, of Russia, participates in the NHL hockey team's practice at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh in preparation for game four of the Stanley Cup Finals. Until a deal is signed with the NHL, the founder of the new Russian-based Continental Hockey League says there is nothing wrong with his teams trying to poach star players, such as Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

New Tampa Bay Lightning owner Len Barrie, gestures during a news conference Monday morning June 23, 2008 with fellow owner Oren Koules, not shown, in Tampa, Fla. Koules and Barrie are two of an eight-man ownership group approved by the NHL last week. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

New Tampa Bay Lightning owner Oren Koules gestures during a news conference Monday morning June 23, 2008 with fellow owner Len Barrie in Tampa, Fla. Koules and Barrie are two of an eight-man ownership group approved by the NHL last week. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)