Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our daily look at the previous night's action. During the offseason, it's our link dump that looks at some of the storylines and moves taking place around the league three times per week. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.
On Thursday, the Anaheim Ducks added some bulk to their lineup by acquiring 6-foot-5, 254-pound winger Evgeny Artyukhin from the Tampa Bay Lightning for forward Drew Miller and a third-round pick. Artyukhin, 26, played in 73 games with Tampa Bay this past season, registering six goals to go with 10 assists and 151 penalty minutes. One of the biggest players in the NHL and capable of dropping the gloves, Artyukhin will add even more toughness to an already big, and physical, Ducks lineup.
Dale Tallonmade a tremendous blunder this offseason when the qualifying offers for Cam Barker, Kris Versteeg and the team's other restricted free agents didn't get sent out in time. Tallon admitted it was his responsibility, admitted he screwed up, and in the end, worked out contract extensions with the key players (Barker, Versteeg), assuring that they wouldn't hit the open market as unrestricted free agents, free to sign with the highest bidder with no compensation coming back to Chicago.
We weren't far into the annual craziness of NHL free agency when the Edmonton Oilers suffered a significant loss.
Goalie Dwayne Roloson was a rock for this team over his three-plus seasons in northern Alberta. After practically carrying the Oilers to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, he performed well over the new contract he signed that summer in Edmonton. The 39-year-old wanted a two-year deal when he got to free agency this year, but Edmonton didn't offer that. With Roloson gone to the Islanders, Edmonton moved very quickly to find a new starter.
It's officially the offseason, meaning the time is right to look into the future. We continue our division-by-division preview of the potential wheeling and dealing with the Central Division.
The Chicago Blackhawks are trying to build off a magical season. Columbus got its first taste of playoff hockey, while St. Louis returned to the playoffs after a far-too-long absence. Meanwhile, Nashville is trying to rebound after just missing the cut for the Western Conference playoffs.
The Detroit Red Wings have hoisted the Stanley Cup 11 times in their history and this year, they're going to have the chance to do it for the 12th time. Wednesday night they defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 in overtime, winning the series in five games. In the Finals the Wings will face the Penguins and for the first time since the Oilers and Islanders did it in 1983 and 1984 the Stanley Cup finals will be a repeat of the previous season.
Despite missing Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom due to injury, the Wings closed out the Hawks on their home ice at the Joe. The scoreboard doesn't paint a clear picture of the game, either. If not for Hawks netminder Cristobal Huet, overtime likely would not have been necessary.
Red Wings 2, Blackhawks 1 (OT): Recap | Box Score Red Wings Win Series 4-1
Following Niklas Kronwall's hit on Martin Havlat Friday night, there's been plenty of discussion about the officiating in the Western Conference final. Actually, there's always a lot of discussion about officiating in the NHL, and following Detroit's 6-1 dismantling of Chicago on Sunday afternoon, Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville sounded off, blaming the referees for ruining a good hockey game. Seriously.
That sound you're hearing is Red Wings fans laughing out loud.
CHICAGO -- They are a mind-numbing machine, really, almost monotonous in their dominance, discipline and staying power. Sport in the 21st century isn't conducive to a dynasty lasting a dozen years, but the winged-wheel jersey and slimy octopus of the Detroit Red Wings have been lodged in our consciousness since 1997, good for four Stanley Cups and maybe a fifth next month.
Perhaps it was fitting that the Red Wings' first goal on Sunday came short-handed. After all, Detroit was without two significant contributors from the get-go in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.
Hart Trophy finalist Pavel Datsyuk missed his second game with an ankle injury, while Norris Trophy finalist Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit's captain and one of the great defenders in league history, was an unexpected scratch with a lower-body injury. The Wings, also without Kris Draper, shrugged off their missing men and cruised 6-1 at Chicago to take a three games to one lead in the series with Game 5 set for Wednesday at Detroit.
Huge news out of Chicago, where the Detroit Red Wings are severely crippled in their bid to gain a stranglehold on the Western Conference Finals. All-Everything defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom suffered a lower-body injury in Game 3 of the series Friday night and will miss Sunday's game. It's the first time in Lidstrom's career that he has sat out a Red Wings playoff game -- a streak of 228 games..
After jumping out to a 1-0 series lead in the Western Conference Final, Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock held a press conference on Monday and fielded a variety of questions from the media. For the most part, it was your typical, run-of-the-mill press conference.
About half way through, a reporter started asking Babcock about how he once joked that he was ready for the salary cap to break up the young talent the Chicago Blackhawks have assembled over the years. In Babcock's mind, he wasn't joking.
Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our daily look at the previous night's action. During the offseason, it's our link dump that looks at some of the storylines and moves taking place around the league three times per week. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.
We weren't far into the annual craziness of NHL free agency when the Edmonton Oilers suffered a significant loss.
It's officially the offseason, meaning the time is right to look into the future. We continue our division-by-division preview of the potential wheeling and dealing with the Central Division. 
The Detroit Red Wings have hoisted the Stanley Cup 11 times in their history and this year, they're going to have the chance to do it for the 12th time. Wednesday night they defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 in overtime, winning the series in five games. In the Finals the Wings will face the Penguins and for the first time since the Oilers and Islanders did it in 1983 and 1984 the Stanley Cup finals will be a repeat of the previous season. 
Following 
CHICAGO -- They are a mind-numbing machine, really, almost monotonous in their dominance, discipline and staying power. Sport in the 21st century isn't conducive to a dynasty lasting a dozen years, but the winged-wheel jersey and slimy octopus of the 
Perhaps it was fitting that the 
After jumping out to a 1-0 series lead in the Western Conference Final, Red Wings head coach 
