Hey, long time no post.

Just to let you guys know, the podcast probably won’t pick up until the week of January 11th, but we’re still not sure. It depends when we can get studio time at the college. We won’t find out what’s available until we go back, which is the week of the 11th. I think 2009 should be a good year for us here at the blog. Make sure you listen in for our special trade deadline episode, where we will go through every notable trade that was made, and offer our two cents, as well as who we feel won the trade. During the playoffs you will see beefed up coverage as well, we will be getting in depth into each match up. Should be fun!

Just some other news that some may find interesting, especially goaltenders. TPS has been bought out, so prepare to see goaltenders who currently wear their equipment switch to other brands. There’s been quite a bidding war going on for some of the soon-to-be-former TPS goalies, with Vaughn recently signing Josh Harding to a contract, and extending the current Vaughn wearer Steve Mason’s contract for three more seasons.

Henrik Lundqvist’s party was asking for too much money, so Vaughn has backed out of a deal with him. He’s expected to sign with CCM sometime soon. Lundqvist would have liked to have signed with Vaughn, seeing as he wore their equipment back in Europe, but I guess money talks.

Roloson in Edmonton is likely switching to Vaughn as well, so watch for the equipment changes in the new year!

Tags: goaltending, harding, lundqvist, podcast, roloson

Twenty-nine teams had a shot a a top-tier goaltender, who won the Stanley Cup no less than 4 seasons ago, and every single one passed on him. Now that doesn’t mean the twenty-nine teams thought they wouldn’t improve if they took Nikolai Khabibulin, there are about 5 teams I can name off the top of my head that would benefit greatly from the addition of Khabibulin (*cough Nashville,Ottawa,Detroit,Boston,Colorado *cough*). Sure, if you force the Blackhawks to release Khabibulin then you can reduce the hefty price tag of 6.75 Million, but then he’ll be free to sign anywhere he wants. If you’re a struggling team, then don’t bet on him coming your way.

My explantion is that General Managers are afraid of taking risks. Mis-managing the cap can lead to tough decisions, and may cost them their job.

Although the addition of Khabibulin may boost the club’s talent level, GMs aren’t willing to sacrifice that much money under the cap. They would rather take the risk and sign him on an open market, or trade for him, dumping some salary in return. We’ve seen this time and time again, with both big and small name players.

Where will Khabby end up? That’s yet to be seen. Hopefully it’s somewhere where they need him, as it was clear he wasn’t needed in Chicago. I’m just hoping the place doesn’t end up being Russia. He is far too talented to let go. He left once before during a salary dispute, in the 1999-2000 season, so I’m sure he wouldn’t hesitate leaving now.

To the twenty-nine General Managers in the league who can get Khabibulin, do it! Get him! He’s well worth the risk!

Tags: blackhawks, chicago, goaltending, khabibulin, waivers

At the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to make Marc-Andre Fleury the second goalie ever to be drafted first overall. The first, of course, being Rick DiPietro of the New York Islanders. Both of those goaltenders had something else in common at the beginning of the 2007-2008 season. They had not lived up to the hype of a first overall pick, unlike other first round picks like Ilya Kovalchuk and Rick Nash (despite injuries).

That changed once last season came to an end. Fleury was around to see the last game, and although it probably didn’t end the way he wanted it to, he gained valuable experience. It all started when he came back from a somewhat severe ankle injury sustained in early December. He came back with a renewed attitude, and noticeably whiter pads. Ty Conklin shined in his absence, but Fleury wasn’t about to let the starting role get away from him.

In the games prior to the injury, Fleury was 9-8-1. Hardly impressive, right? When he came back, he posted a 10-2-1 record, then followed that with a 14-6 playoff run. Was it his rehab from the ankle injury that caused such a dramatic change? Maybe. Was it because he stopped wearing those God-awful bright yellow pads? Believe it or not, it probably had something to do with it. While rehabbing from his ankle injury, Fleury received a letter from an Ottawa-area optometrist telling him that his yellow pads were more than just an eyesore, they were costing him goals. In the letter she told him that yellow is one of the easiest colours for the human eye to pick up. Players whizzing down the wing will catch a small glimpse of yellow in the corner of their eye, and immediately know where the net is. A switch to white would allow him to blend into the ice, possibly making him look bigger as well. Fleury took her advice, made the switch, and went on to sweep the optometrist’s beloved Senators in the first round of the playoffs.

This year Fleury hopes to build on the success of last year. Having guys like Malkin and Crosby shooting in the other direction sure helps. Ty Conklin moved on and signed with Detroit, so that allows Dany Sabourin to sneak into the backup role. This upcoming season for Marc-Andre Fleury is an exciting one. He has complete confidence from his coaches and teammates for the first time in a while, and now has confidence in himself. A strong playoff experience can work wonders on players, especially young goaltenders like Fleury.

Tags: fleury, goaltending, marc-andre, penguins, pittsburgh, sabourin

General Manager Bob Gainey raised more than a few eyebrows when he traded away star netminder Cristobal Huet at the trading deadline last season. Montreal was well on their way to the playoffs, and was ready to do some serious damage. Why would they be selling at the deadline?

Why? Because Bob Gainey, my friends, is a hockey genius. Montreal is a young team and are only getting better. Although they finished 1st in the Eastern Conference with 104 points, they would have been in some tough competition against the powerhouse Western Conference, that is if they even made it to the finals with Huet. Gainey did a smart thing, believe it or not. He gave Carey Price a tremendous head start in his career. Carey Price has a reputation of never cracking under pressure, a quality that shone bright during the 2006-2007 Calder Cup playoffs. The Stanley Cup playoffs has some of the most intense pressure an NHL player will face in their entire lives. Carey Price faced that pressure at age 20.

Although he did start to show some cracks, Carey Price gained valuable experience as the #1 man during the 2008 playoffs. This upcoming season, the Habs will probably be in the same situation again. They will be one of the top teams heading into the playoffs. Won’t Canadiens fans feel more comfortable knowing they have a goaltender with playoff experience going into it? Huet would have surely walked after the season if he wasn’t dealt at the deadline, leaving the Canadiens with an unproven young prodigy in net.

Price has the skill and the mind to be one of the top goaltenders in the league for years to come, and he may reach that plateau sooner than fans may think. Next year I expect Price to lead the way in many of the stat categories for goaltenders, surpassing perennial all-stars such as Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo. It’s not as far-fetched as it seems. Carey Price is a once-in-a-generation type of goaltender, and I expect big things out of him this year.

The back-up spot for the Habs will likely be locked up by Jaroslav Halak, another young and exciting goalie, unless either Marc Denis or Cedrick Desjardins really start to rip it up in the minors. We may see a same situation as we did last year, where the Habs may send Halak down to Hamilton to get some work, to stay fresh, and they may let Denis or Desjardins get some action.

Last season’s focus for the Canadiens was on their potent offense, while this season may be the year of the netminder. Get ready Montreal, you’re in for a ride.

Tags: carey price, cedrick desjardins, goaltending, jaroslav halak, marc denis, montreal canadiens