Hey Canuck fans, have I got a great deal for you! How would you like to relive the magical days of Don Gibson, from the monumental moment he was drafted in the third round in 1986 to his epic 14-game call-up during the 1990-91 season? You would? Well, how about settling for a hockey card that lists his three career NHL assists?
For the low, low price of $1,000,000 you too can relive the magic of Gibson's career with the Canucks with a limited edition one-of-a-kind hockey card printed by Upper Deck. And heck, the seller is even throwing in the rest of the set for free. Sold yet?
While talking to Jeff Kealty, chief amateur scout of the Nashville Predators, and Tod Button, Calgary Flames director of scouting, about the NCAA vs. Major Junior debate a couple of weeks ago, we also briefly discussed the mindset behind taking the best available player in the draft vs. drafting for a specific need.
Unlike the NFL and NBA drafts, you're not going to get immediate returns on your picks in the NHL. It happens, sure, but for the most part, you're going to be waiting two, three, or sometimes even four years before a player makes the NHL and actually makes a sizable impact for your team.
Last week, Mike Keenan was axed after two years, with general manager Darryl Sutter saying that the team wanted to move in a different direction as they try to bring Calgary a Stanley Cup. That direction might be backward, as Sutter is sending overtures that he wants his old job back.
If Pittsburgh's Marc-Andre Fleury and Carolina's Cam Ward can repeat their Game 1 performances, when the two youngsters matched each other save-for-save in the Penguins 3-2 win, this series likely won't be decided until a seventh game.
Ward, 25, and Fleury, 24, have already helped lead teams to the Stanley Cup Final, while Ward not only won the whole thing as a rookie in 2005-06, he also took home the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
So, are these two guys considered elite, franchise goaltenders?
Aside from helping lead his team to the postseason for the first time in franchise history, Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Steve Mason has an opportunity to take home some serious hardware at the NHL's award ceremony in June. After being named as one of the finalists for the Calder Trophy as the top rookie, the 20-year-old Mason is also a nominee for the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender. Joining Mason as finalists are Boston's Tim Thomas and Minnesota's Niklas Backstrom.
The math says a team that leads an NHL playoff series 3-2 goes on to win the series 80% of the time. With Chicago and Calgary tied at two wins apiece heading into Saturday's fifth game, a lot was obviously on the line.
While the Blackhawks easily won the game 5-1, it was not the big story of the night. That would end up being the obvious tension between Flames head coach Mike Keenan and the starting goalie he pulled in the second period, Miikka Kiprusoff.
As the third overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Jonathan Toews has always been blessed with exceptional talent. He's excelled on the ice during his first two years in Chicago, he's currently the youngest captain in the NHL, and now that he's getting an opportunity to shine in the playoff spotlight, he's certainly not disappointing.
Toews scored a pair of goals in the second period on Saturday night, as the Blackhawks erased an early deficit to pull out a 3-2 win in game 2 of their Western Conference quarterfinal. Chicago now has a 2-0 lead in the series as it heads to Calgary on Monday.
After the performance Martin Havlat put on in the third period and overtime of Chicago's 3-2 win on Thursday night, that seven-year playoff drought was almost worth it for long-suffering Blackhawks fans. After scoring the game-tying goal with just under eight minutes to play in regulation, Havlat buried the game-winner behind Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff just 12 seconds into the extra period, giving Chicago its first playoff win since April 18, 2002.
Exactly 1,230 regular season games have been played. We're down to the best eight teams in each conference. The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Wednesday night with four series lid-lifters.
The Western Conference is home to the league's best team (San Jose), the defending champion (Detroit), and the two most intriguing Cinderella stories in the league (St. Louis and Columbus). Can Cinderella put off the stroke of midnight, or will an established power advance their way to the Finals?
The Penguins and Flames played a highly entertaining game on Wednesday night, filled with outstanding goaltending, brutal physicality and an unlikely goal from hulking defenseman Hal Gill. It also featured the most ridiculous one-minute stretch of a team trying to score on an empty net in NHL history.
Trailing, 2-0, the Flames pulled goaltender Miikka Kipprusoff with just over a minute to play in regulation, and the Penguins suddenly became allergic to putting shots on goal.
Hey Canuck fans, have I got a great deal for you! How would you like to relive the magical days of Don Gibson, from the monumental moment he was drafted in the third round in 1986 to his epic 14-game call-up during the 1990-91 season? You would? Well, how about settling for a hockey card that lists his three career NHL assists?
While talking to Jeff Kealty, chief amateur scout of the Nashville Predators, and Tod Button, Calgary Flames director of scouting, about 
On the same day his team's main rival in Alberta 
If Pittsburgh's 
Aside from helping lead his team to the postseason for the first time in franchise history, Columbus Blue Jackets goalie 
The math says a team that leads an NHL playoff series 3-2 
