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By Mitch Cole (@DirtyWaterBuzz)

The Boston Bruins have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, something nobody imagined they would do this year.

Squaring off against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a team loaded with offensive firepower that was averaging over four goal per game, many viewed the Bruins as the underdogs, overmatched by a high powered Penguins team that had just steamrolled the Ottawa Senators like they were in two different leagues.

After one period of play in Game One, it appeared that Pittsburgh had a good chance to blow the Bruins out of the building. Despite being down by one. They had gotten plenty of chances on offense, and it looked as if it could have been a 3-1 or 4-1 game already, had it not been for a few pucks off the post or a couple of great saves by Tuukka Rask.

However, after the second period, the Penguins appeared to lose their cool. Sidney Crosby elbowed and poked Tuukka Rask with his stick, and then tried to get under the skin of Zdeno Chara, and Evgeni Malkin dropped the gloves with Patrice Bergeron. All of this was after being shut out for just 40 minutes of play. Two more third period goals would lead the Bruins to a 3-0 victory in Game One.

Game Two proved to be a dominant showing by the Bruins. Brad Marchand scored just 30 seconds into the game, and the Bruins would chase Tomas Vokoun from the game in the middle of the first period after giving up three goals. Marc-Andre Fleury didn’t fare much better, and he gave up three goals himself, leading to a 6-1 rout of the Penguins.

Game Three was a much different story. The Penguins came to Boston and did what they should have done all along: Lock it down defensively. It was a close game the whole way. After David Krejci scored early to put the Bruins up 1-0, Chris Kunitz beat Tuukka Rask off of a faceoff to tie the game at one. The Bruins lost a key forward in the second period, though. Gregory Campbell, the center of Boston’s famed fourth line known as the “Merlot Line”, laid out to block am Evgeni Malkin shot on the penalty kill. While Campbell blocked the shot, the puck hit him in the right leg, breaking his fibula. Campbell showed tremendous courage and guts, though, getting back on his feet and painfully putting himself in shooting lanes and waving his stick at the puck carrier. Campbell finished his shift on the penalty kill and remained on the ice for another 47 seconds before the puck was cleared and he was able to make it to the Bruins’ bench.

“For what he went through, he showed a lot of guts to stay out there and to still try and play”, Bruins head coach Claude Julien said following Game Three. “Obviously it was a pretty serious injury, so that’s just the kind of player he is, and it doesn’t surprise me, it doesn’t surprise his teammates, but certainly shows the character of that player, and that’s why we appreciate having him on our team.”

“I saw it, yeah”, goalie Tuukka Rask said following Game Three. “A guy had a lane and he sacrificed his body. It was a great thing, just a bad thing he got hurt. He blocks a lot of shots, he took one for the team there, and we really wanted to win this for him.”

In double overtime, Jaromir Jagr won a puck battle along the boards in the neutral zone against Evgeni Malkin. He then passed it up to Brad Marchand, who got a step on Deryk Engelland and delivered a pass to Patrice Bergeron, who tipped the puck past goaltender Tomas Vokoun.

“It was first of all a great play by Jags (Jagr) to take the puck on the wall and just fighting and getting the loose puck to Marsh (Marchand), and we do that chemistry where we know where we’re going on the ice”, Bergeron said after the game. “I knew he was going to try to find me there if I was driving the net, and I just went to the net and tried to have my stick on the ice, and he found me.”

“Well, that’s what happens when you’ve been together for three years, as a duo anyways, they’ve learned to play with each other extremely well, and as you probably know, obviously Jags made a big play in front of their bench to get the puck to them, but, it’s about driving the net, and Bergy (Bergeron) drove hard and had a guy on him and managed to get his stick in the right place and March (Marchand) made a great play”, Julien said. ” He was extremely patient.  He could’ve got rid of that puck a little bit earlier, but he waited for Bergy to get in position before he slid over.”

Game Four was a much tighter game than the previous three, and it wasn’t until the third period that the scoreless tie was broken. Brad Marchand carried the puck in to the Pittsburgh zone, then stopped and curled around just inside the blue line. Marchand found Adam McQuaid streaking through the neutral zone, and fed him a pass as he entered the offensive zone. McQuaid one timed the shot, and it appeared to deflect off of Jarome Iginla’s stick to beat Tomas Vokoun. And what poetic justice it is that the series winning goal was tipped by Jarome Iginla, the player who snubbed the Bruins in order to go to Pittsburgh and play with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

But how did the Bruins win the series? How did they manage to hold the potent Pittsburgh offense to just two goals in four games?

They did it with outstanding goaltending from Tuukka Rask, and by shutting down Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The Bruins’ defense did a tremendous job taking away time and space from Crosby and Malkin, forcing them to pass it around the zone until the Bruins forced a turnover, or forcing them to take bad shots that would then be blocked and taken the other way for scoring chances.

The Bruins’ defensive play also allowed them to take advantage of and expose the weak Pittsburgh defense. Boston took advantage of the Penguins’ turnovers in the offensive zone and was able to create odd man rushes. Pittsburgh’s offense first system stood no chance against Boston’s defense first system, at the end of the day.

“I’ve been here for six years.  I think I’ve been fired five times”, Julien said of his system and the criticism it has faced over the years. “You know, those kinds of things really are not important to me.  What’s important is the results. As long as the people I work for appreciate what we do, that’s what matters.  At the end of the day winning hockey games for our fans and for the city is what matters to me. That stuff is really no bother to me.”

Julien said he also felt as if this series could have gone either way, despite the sweep.

“This series here against Pittsburgh was not a 4-0 series”, he said. “I really felt that the breaks went our way in this series on a lot of occasions.  You just have to look back right at the end of the game where Malkin has the open net and Zdeno makes the arm save. They dinged some shots off the post.  If those go in, it’s a different series. That’s the unfortunate part of this game, you know, sometimes as a team, you don’t get the breaks and you wonder what you have to do. I think that’s where Pittsburgh was a little snake bitten that way, and we were the team that was taking advantage of our breaks. That’s not to say we didn’t play well, because when you allow two goals to a team like that in four games, your team certainly deserves some credit.

“I think defensively our guys did a great job against their top players of taking away time and space. When we did allow them to get some scoring chances, we had a goaltender that stood tall for us. You look at both games here in Boston, it could have gone either way, really could have. The first game in Pittsburgh was one of those games where I thought, you know, in the third period was a turning point for us. It had been pretty even till the third period. Then we scored some goals that put the game away. The second game is one I’m sure they would like to have back.  But if you take that one away, it was a pretty hard-fought series.Like I said, sometimes breaks go your way. I said it two years ago, you don’t win a Cup or get a chance to play for the Cup without getting breaks along the way, and we got those.”

The Bruins will now face a new challenge in the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals. Game One is Wednesday night in Chicago, and the Bruins must continue their dominant play if they want to win their second Stanley Cup in three years.

The post Boston Bruins Sweep Pittsburgh Penguins, Advance To Stanley Cup Finals appeared first on The Hockey Guys.

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Weathered faces and post-season surgeries have become the norm for NHL hockey players. A puck to the nose here, a stick to the face there, get stitched up and back out on the ice they go. Usually it comes down to their feet; if they can still skate, they can still play.

In Gregory Campbell’s situation last night, he had one working leg and that was enough to keep him on the ice for the rest of his team’s short-handed shift.

While blocking a shot on a late second period shift with his team down a skater, Campbell suffered what was reported today by ESPN Boston as a broken right fibula. He will miss the remainder of the Playoffs but he wasn’t about to miss the remainder of his shift. Unable to do much of anything, the fourth-liner stayed on the ice instead of attempting what would be a long change and ultimately give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 5-on-3 with the score tied at one apiece.

VIDEO:Gregory Campbell Breaks His Leg Blocking Shot in Game 3

Taking up as much room as he could and continuing to get in the way of shots and passes despite having just one leg to put any pressure on, he exemplified the type of player he is and what kind of guts it takes to play in the National Hockey League.

“He showed a lot of guys to stay out there and to still try and play,” Bruins’ head coach Claude Julien said of the effort he saw from Campbell despite the obvious discomfort he was feeling. “ Obviously it was a pretty serious injury, so that’s just the kind of player he is, and it doesn’t surprise me, it doesn’t surprising his teammates, but certainly it shows the character of that player, and that’s why we appreciate having him on our team.”

Campbell eventually made his way to the bench, 50-seconds after the injury occurred, and was rewarded with an ovation of applause from the Boston fans at TD Garden as he made his way down the tunnel to the locker room.

His coach wasn’t the only person praising his effort. Patrice Bergeron who scored the game winning goal in double overtime also talked about his teammate and what he does for their club.

“It was a huge play by him,” Bergeron said after the game. “That’s the way he is. He sacrifices the body, for the better of the team.”

The Boston Bruins will have to replace Campbell’s spot on the fourth line, known as the Merlot Line, where he plays alongside with Shawn Thornton and Daniel Paille. One possible candidate for the position is former-Devil and Boston raised, Jay Pandolfo. Pandolfo has not been in the lineup since April 6th when the Bruins faced Montreal. In 18-games this season, the veteran left wing was unable to score any points.

More Eastern Conference Final Stories:

Eastern Conference Finals: Pittsburgh Penguins Have a Goalie Problem, Bylsma Has His Starter

Eastern Conference Finals: Crosby, Penguins Need To Stick To Their Own Style Of Hockey in Game 2

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Eastern Conference Finals, Bruins vs Penguins Preview

Follow Kristin on Twitter @K_Tullo

The post Eastern Conference Finals: Bruins Bruised, Not Battered appeared first on The Hockey Guys.

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Unable to win either of their first two home games in a series that determines who will be representing the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals, Pittsburgh Penguins’ head coach Dan Bylsma has a tough decision to make; who will start in goal when the Penguins begin their quest for a comeback on Wednesday night in Boston?

Bylsma already knows the answer, but he’s not showing his cards.

Giving up his sixth goal in just over three periods of play in the Eastern Conference Finals was enough to send Tomas Vokoun to the bench he once spent time on as the backup to Marc-Andre Fleury. Bylsma called the move to change his goaltenders in the middle of Game 2 a way to give his team a “jolt”, something the Penguins desperately needed after falling to the visiting Bruins 3-0 two nights prior and looking as though they were headed in the same direction, down by three with four minutes to go in the first.

Unfortunately, the jolt was short lived.

After Brandon Sutter cut the deficit to 3-1 and revived the crowd at Consol Energy Center, Brad Marchand scored his second of the night and fourth of the Playoffs and increased the Bruins’ lead.

Each goalie gave up three goals in Monday’s 6-1 loss, including Vokoun’s three goals on 12 shots and while Bylsma wouldn’t put a name to his starting goalie in his off-day press conference, his comments make it all but certain that he is sticking with Tomas Vokoun.

“Last night it was a situation where I don’t think through the first three goals, we’re really faulting Tomas for those goals or pulling him because of his performance,” Bylsma said of his decision process.

His comments the day after the defeat were similar to his original comments following the game, in which he said the goals that were scored makes it “tough to evaluate”. As for Vokoun himself, it wasn’t how many goals he let by him but how quickly he let them in.

“For me it wasn’t a matter of letting three goals in,” Vokoun said on Tuesday afternoon. ” It was a matter of not letting the team capture momentum, make the big save at the start of the game when we needed it.”

What isn’t tough to evaluate is that regardless of who starts between the pipes tomorrow night, the team in front of him has to be better. Evgeni Malkin lead the Penguins with five shots on goal and believes the defensive zone coverage could use some changes. The Russian forward who was a part of the Penguins team that won more than one series after being in a 0-2 hole on their way to a Stanley Cup victory in 2009 also feels it helps to know that no comeback is impossible.

” We have great experience,” Malkin said of the situation. ” It’s not over, it’s Playoffs, it’s a tough situation, it’s a tough time, but it’s not over.”

With a focus on Vokoun not being the sole reason for the Penguins to fall behind in the series 0-2, it seems as though the coach could be making a case as to why he would give Vokoun another chance to continue what he did in the two prior rounds when he filled in for Fleury to finish off the Islanders before finishing the Ottawa Senators in five games.

“Everyone we put on the ice for Game 3 is going to give us the best chance to win the hockey game,” was all Bylsma was willing to share.

Follow Kristin on Twitter @K_Tullo

The post Eastern Conference Finals: Pittsburgh Penguins Have a Goalie Problem, Bylsma Has His Starter appeared first on The Hockey Guys.

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“Physicality” is often a term used to describe the Boston Bruins and heading into the Eastern Conference Finals, Pittsburgh Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby recognized that he may be one of the targets that his opponent would want to get physical with.

“ I’m sure whether I broke a jaw or not, I’m sure they will be pretty physical and try to finish their hits,” Crosby said in the pre-series press conference. “Everything you could expect in the playoffs.”

What nobody was expecting though, was that Crosby himself would be at the center of some of the scrums that occurred in Game 1 between the Bruins and Penguins. As a Captain that has both lifted the Stanley Cup as well as seen the opportunity to do it again pass him by, Crosby should know that you can’t beat your opponent at their own game, a lesson the Captain should have learned in the 2011-2012 Quarterfinals when they were ousted from the playoffs after trying to beat the Philadelphia Flyers at their own game.  However, after two period of play between the Bruins and Penguins, it seemed as though they have not learned that taking your opponents identity of being the more physical of the two, won’t help them advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for the third time in five years.

Still, it was Sidney Crosby that initiated contact between himself and Boston’s goaltender, Tuukka Rask, as the goalie was skating to the bench following the second period in which the Penguins trailed 1-0 at home. The slight elbow to Rask didn’t take him off track as he proceeded to skate to his original destination and rather than frustrating the goalie that has been known for his hot-headed explosions, it seemed to instead infuriate Crosby that he didn’t get the attention he was seeking. Skating back after Rask before standing in front of him and cross checking him, Crosby still did not get a reaction and took his antics elsewhere, to 6’9 Zdeno Chara.

A stick to the back of Chara’s leg was all it took for the two to dance around one another, surrounded by referees and teammates as they shouted at one another.While it didn’t escalate into anything more than words, it did expose the emotions that Pittsburgh was feeling after being down in a game in front of their own fans.

“I saw Sidney push our goaltender as he’s skating off,” Bruins’ head coach Claude Julien said of the altercation between Crosby and his players. “ This is playoff hockey. Those things are going to happen. Don’t whine or complain about it, you just deal with it. What we had to deal with tonight was winning a hockey game. That’s all that mattered.”

Shoving matches don’t come as a surprise to Julien, whose team did win the hockey game, taking the series lead after defeating the Penguins 3-0.

After the game, Jerome Iginla recognized that maybe his teammates did poke their noses in places they didn’t need to, when he spoke to Shelly Anderson of the Pittsburgh Post- Gazette, “We– myself included– probably got into a couple of scrums we don’t need to.”

Heading into Game 2 tonight at the Consol Energy Center, the Penguins will need to play their own game and not the game that the Bruins can beat them at. The last time the Penguins tried to take their opponents identity, they watched the Flyers advance to the the Semi-Finals.

Whatever the reason may have been for Crosby to instigate things with Rask and Chara, he will be doing himself and his team a favor by putting that energy into what he has been more effective at– putting the puck in the net.

Follow Kristin on Twitter @K_Tullo

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A look at the final four. How do the goalies stack up heading in to the NHL Conference Finals?

As the shortened season progressed, many wondered if the LA Kings would have the chance to compete for a 2nd straight Stanley Cup.

Jonathan Quick was underwhelming in net most of the year, posting only a .902 save percentage with 1 shutout. Often times, his backup, Johnathan Bernier outperformed him. Fast forward to the 1st of June here and Quick is now talked about as a potential Conn Symthe winner.

So far in the playoffs, Quick has dazzled with a .948 save percentage to go along with 3 shutouts. Quick’s agility and ability to read the play are top notch. While not the biggest goalie, Quick uses his speed to stay aggressive and to recover when caught out of position.

Numerous times, Quick is able to recover on a play based on how fast he is in net. Also, we have seen in the playoffs this year that Quick has not let the rare goal he gives up bother him at all–he is 100 percent mentally focused. He may be the ultimate playoff goaltender– cool under pressure and plays to the very best of his abilities.

Quick’s counterpart in these conference finals, Corey Crawford has certainly had an interesting road to where he is today.

Many wondered if Crawford would ever put it together after struggling to stay consistent after posting a sub .900 save percentage in the Blackhawks 2012 playoff run.

This regular season and playoff run have been a far different story however. Down 3-1 against the Red Wings, Crawford put together 3 straight outstanding games, often making big save after big save. Crawford has finally seemed to play consistent as his outstanding regular season play has continued through this playoff run. Crawford has done very well in not leaving the top of the net exposed by dropping his glovehand too much. His ability to limit rebounds and steer the ones he can’t coral into the corners.

If Crawford has truly mastered the mental side of the game, he could give Mr. Quick and the Kings a real run for their money.

Over in the Easter Conference, the Penguins’ Tomas Voukon has supplanted Marc-Andre Fleury and has flourished.

After Fleury continued to show signs of reverting to the goalie who played against the Flyers in the playoffs last year (no rebound control, very weak goals and no mental stability), Voukon has come in to the tune of a .941 save percentage and a 6-1 record.

Voukon hadn’t played in a playoff game since 2007 and had never won a playoff series. Voukon has the added advantage of only playing 20 games in the regular season. While Voukon is by far the oldest playoff goaltender at 36, but still has great awareness in net.

Voukon has been a vacuum in net which has completely shut down and frustrated opposing offenses. It will be interesting to see how he performs against a much higher powered Bruins team compared to the Senators. A team like the Bruins could crash the net hard on Voukun could lead to many issues.

Finally, the Bruins’ Tuukka Rask has finally shown that he can replace Tim Thomas.

Rask’s flexibility is better than almost every goalie and his 6’3 frame allows him to see over guys in front of the net.

Rask has had a few stinkers in the playoffs so far, however. Rask had some trouble with heading down into the butterfly too early, opening up the top portion of the net.

Rask is at his best when he stays aggressive and challenges the shooter. When he stays too deep in his net and relies on his size, Rask gets in trouble and tends to leave too many rebounds out front of the net.

If Rask can stay unrattled from what the Penguins throw at him — even some cheap shots — the Bruins stand a much better chance. Can he play consistently enough to hold off the Penguins supercharged offense? In this series especially, the goaltending could be the difference

The post The Four Remaining Goalies: Their path to the NHL Conference Finals appeared first on The Hockey Guys.

Photo credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Nassau Coliseum was quite different Tuesday than it had been three days prior. The ice was gone and instead of fans there were only workers. There was no cheering anymore, just the sound of silence.

But as the New York Islanders gathered their things and said goodbye to the 2013 season, they fondly remembered one last time the excitement and adrenaline that they received from the fans at the Coliseum.

“I’ve heard a lot about it over the three years I’ve been here and I’ve never really seen it,” Matt Martin said of the atmosphere for games 3, 4 and 6. “The last three home games and in the playoffs, it was just electrifying. It made a huge difference for us I think. It turned into the funnest rink in the league to play in.”

Other members of the team were quick to comment on how exciting it was to play in the building.

“The best experience I’ve ever been a part of,” David Ullstrom said. “I’ve played some juniors or something, but this barn was rocking. It was a great experience.”

Michael Grabner added: “It was a great atmosphere. They all told us how this building is going to get in the playoffs, but I think it exceeded my expectations. It was a lot of fun and I hope we can have that next year.”

During all three home playoff games, the building was sold out and the decibel level was off the charts. During Game 3 it was so loud that Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald spent part of the game having to yell to one another to communicate.

“I remember for game [three] I was on the blue line getting ready for the game and my ears were actually hurting,” Hamonic described. “It was pretty loud. I was thinking like this might be bad actually. It’s too loud out there and me and A-mac were sitting there yelling at each other on the ice. We like to talk a lot, but you couldn’t hear much. It was unbelievable. I mean you come over from the hotel in the morning and everyone’s sitting there having a couple pops at 9 a.m. on a Sunday morning. It just shows how revved up everyone was.”

The Coliseum was a true home ice advantage for the Islanders. Despite being one the oldest, and most dilapidated, buildings in the league it still has it’s charms.

“When you get the old buildings and the old acoustics it does make a difference,” Brad Boyes said of the Coliseum. “You realize that and then when it came to playoffs it was nuts. The home ice advantage thing kind of slips away in the new age because of the new buildings… Being a visiting team is not as intimidating as is, but for us…I think the home ice advantage was an advantage. It definitely helped us.”

Grabner later said that playing home playoff games “was the most fun I had playing hockey in a long time.” And Kyle Okposo believes the experience only adds to the drive of players wanting to return to the postseason.

“To see the building the way it was, it makes you hungry for next year,” he said.

The post Despite Early Exit, Coliseum Was True Advantage for New York Islanders appeared first on The Hockey Guys.

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By Ryan Holmer (@ProspectReport)

Talk about a confusing night. I shut off my computer, and phone at 1:00 am on Wednesday, March 27th with the thought that Iginla to the Bruins was essentially completed. Conflicting reports had been surfacing all night on the Twitter-verse, but general consensus was that Iginla was indeed going to Boston. When I woke up this morning, I was a bit surprised by messages flooding my inbox, and the front-page of TSN. Jarome Iginla was not traded to Boston, and was in fact traded to the powerhouse, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In return for the Flames’ captain and Franchise leader in virtually everything, the Calgary Flames receive a 1st round pick in 2013, Prospect Ben Hanowski and Kenneth Agostino. The package at first glance, and maybe even second – is hardly enough for the Flames’ icon, who’s dedicated his entire career to a team that has never really given that #1 centre to play with. However, when you consider the fact that Iginla is a pure rental, and may indeed sign with Calgary in the summer (provided he wins the Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh), the deal looks pretty fair.

Picture Courtesy of Getty Images

Before I got into the trade, I’m going to take a look back at Iginla’s career as a Calgary Flame, and everything he’s done for the franchise…

On December 19th, 1995 –  the Calgary Flames made a splash. They traded Joe Nieuwendyk to the Dallas Stars for Corey Millen and this young player named Jarome Iginla. Iginla was drafted 11th overall in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, and had not played in an NHL game yet. He made his debut for the Flames in the 1995-96′ playoffs. In his first two games, and only games that season – he put up two points (1 goal, and 1 assist). Flame’s fans were excited for what this youngster had to offer, but at the time were still disappointed at the loss of Joe Nieuwendyk. No one knew that Iginla would become the franchise leader in virtually every category, lead, and carry the team I might add, for the next 15 seasons, and be one of the most prolific goal scorers in the National Hockey League.

Iginla had two 50-goal season for Calgary, and three seasons where he recorded more than 90 points. He’s currently riding 11 seasons with 30+ goals, a feat that is extremely hard to accomplish. He’s won the Rocket Richard, two Olympic Gold Medals, the Art Ross, the King Clancy Award, the Mark Messier Award and several others. He’s regarded as most by one of the best captains ever to play, and one of the most genuine, classiest players that you will ever meet.

Some say he never did what other great players have done, win a Stanley Cup for his team. I counter with the fact that he never had anyone to really play with. His shoulders are wide, and there’s no wonder he wins the Flames annual Iron Man every year – he carries Calgary every year. Pittsburgh will be the first time that he will actually be able to play with elite players, and I’m looking forward to the day that Iginla hoists the Stanley Cup.

Here is a video that I found, courtesy of Youtube. It’s a Jarome Iginla tribute, which does a very good job showcasing what he has to offer, and what a player he is.

Jarome Iginla will be missed in Calgary, as he was the face of the franchise, an icon in Calgary, highly regarded in the community, and their leader.

Now to analyze the trade.

Ben Hanowski and Kenneth Agostino are not household names, as they play in the NCAA, and many fans are not familiar with players in that league.

Hanowksi was drafted in the 3rd round, 63rd overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He’s a big-bodied(6’2″, 200 lbs) goal scorer, whom is gifted offensively. His has good vision, and plays well defensively. His combination of size and skill is something that Calgary hasn’t had for a while. He has until August 15th to sign with Calgary, and is likely to get a chance playing in the NHL. You’ll have conflicting reports about him, as soon say he’s ready for the jump to the NHL, and others are skeptical. I’ve watched Hanowski a lot, and feels he’s underrated. He’s by no stretch an A-level prospect, but an underrated one.

Agostino is hard-working and has strong skating ability. His compete level is what attracts most scouts to him, and while his offensive numbers haven’t been up to par, he has good potential to be a solid two-way forward for Calgary. He has a chance of turning pro next season, he is likely to finish out his NCAA career.

The 1st round pick is where the money is. With a deep draft coming up, Calgary and Feaster – whom has a terrible draft record, will need to have a perfect draft. Considering the Penguins pick will likely be in the 27-30 range, there is still a possibility that Calgary will draft a good player. With two 1st round picks, and presumably more – Calgary is certainly heading in the right direction.

The post Jarome Iginla: The End Of An Era In Calgary appeared first on The Hockey Guys.

Photo courtesy of Todd Korol/Reuters

By: Christian Roatis (@CRoatis)

The list has been submitted – or so say the juggernauts of mainstream media, TSN and RDS. On that list are said to be 4 teams: the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Boston Bruins, the Los Angeles Kings and the Chicago Blackhawks. What do those teams have in common? First of off, they are the last four teams to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup contenders and are all serious contenders to do it once more this coming June; they also all currently reside near the attic of the NHL standings. The other thing these teams have in common however is a nice selection of top tier prospects and a mix of young players that could entice GM Jay Feaster into dealing the Calgary Flames’ biggest and brightest star – the face of the franchise – Jarome Iginla.

The asking price is rumoured to be a Top 4 D prospect, a good young roster player and a draft pick. You would assume the draft pick would be one of the first round variety but I’m sure Calgary would bump that down to a second round pick if they could get a better prospect. However earlier on Sunday night, Mark Spector reported from his twitter account that one of his sources confirmed the asking price was two prospects and a pick rather than the more specific asking mentioned above. On Monday TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported the asking price to be a 1st Round Pick, a top prospect and a secondary prospect. Regardless, let’s take a look at possible scenarios that could get this deal done.

Pittsburgh Penguins:

First of all, the Penguins just acquired Brenden Morrow from the Dallas Stars in exchange for Joe Morrow so the chances of any deal happening with the Pens is all but nil. Nonetheless we can explore what could have been. The Penguins are extremely deep in young defensemen and I’m sure Jay Feaster would have loved to have plucked one for himself. Also the Pens dealt for Douglas Murray on Monday and traded two 2nd round picks for him. So the Penguins are all but out of the chase. We’ll take a look at what could of been anyway and for arguments sake, we’ll use both reported asking prices and formulate a deal that makes sense for both clubs.

Option A: Top 4 D prospect, a good roster young player and a draft pick

(F) Tyler Kennedy, (D) Brian Dumoulin and a 2013 1st Round Pick for Jarome Iginla

This deal would make great sense from a Calgary Flame perspective. Tyler Kennedy is currently a serviceable top 9 forward in Pittsburgh and could probably fill in a top 6 spot with the Flames. He obviously wouldn’t come anywhere near replacing what Iginla brought to the team, but could sufficiently eat up minutes and put up a fair amount of points.

Brian Dumoulin is exactly what the Flames asked for in a “Top 4 D” prospect. Initially aquired this summer in the Jordan Staal deal, Dumoulin is a big and strong defensive defensemen that can also contribute offensively. Corey Pronman from Hockey Prospectus ranked him as the second best prospect in the Penguin organization this summer and had this to say about him: “He has very impressive offensive tools for a big defenseman, as he’s an above-average puck-handler and passer. Dumoulin has good overall instincts in both ends, and sees the ice pretty well. He could be a good #3 defenseman.” For a system lacking defensemen, Dumoulin could be a perfect fit for Calgary. (The entire Pittsburgh top 10 prospects can be found here)

The Flames want a first rounder and since Pittsburgh lacks one due to the Douglas Murray deal, maybe in a last ditch effort to land Iggy, they’ll accept to forfeiting the 1st.

Option B: Two prospects and a draft pick

(D) Derrick Pouliot, (D) Brian Dumoulin and a 2015 2nd Round Pick for Jarome Iginla

Pouliot, who was selected 8th overall by the Pens last year is an elite offensive talent and put up nine goals for 45 points in 44 games with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL last season. He was ranked the sixth prospect in Penguins organization last summer by Corey Pronman who said this about him: “Pouliot is a gifted offensive defenseman. He’s an above-average skater with good acceleration and fine overall mobility. He’s a great puck-handler and puck-mover who can control the play well, looks calm and poised making plays, makes passes through tight spaces, and can make a lot of difficult plays seem effortless. Pouliot’s all-around game needs some work but could be a good second pairing defensemen Penguins .”

Along with Dumoulin, who was mentioned in the first scenario, the package coming back to the Flames is high quality and thus bumps the draft pick to the second round. A deal with the Pens won’t likely materialize though considering they found what they were looking for in Brendan Morrow and if that wasn’t enough, the Penguins lacking a 2nd Rounder for the next two seasons should just about do it. The Pens could also offer up (D) Olli Maata, (F) Beau Bennett or (D) Scott Harington if they think too highly of Derrick Pouliot or Brian Dumoulin.

Boston Bruins:

Described as a “motivated buyer” for Iginla by TSN’s Bob McKenzie, the Boston Bruins seem to be the front runners to land Jarome Iginla. The Penguins acquisitions of Morrow and Murray may spur the Bruins to go after the Flames captain even harder. One real issue that stands in the way is Bostons lack of high end D prospects. They do however posses a tidy selection of young forwards that could get a deal done.

Option A: Top 4 D prospect, a good young roster player and a draft pick

(D) Torey Krug, (F) Jordan Caron and a 2013 1st Round Pick for Jarome Iginla 

Unlike the Penguins, the only real top end prospect on the blue line is Torey Krug. Krug who was singed as a free agent out of college put up 10 goals and 34 points in 55 games with Providence of the AHL. Corey Pronman ranked him the 4th best prospect in the Bruins organization and said this about him last summer: ” He’s got plus tools across the board, as his skating, puck skills, and hockey instincts are all very high quality. Krug has brilliant edgework and is a very agile skater who closes gaps efficiently and can be a shifty player to check. He’s a dynamic offensive player who can lead rushes, dangle through opponents in full flight, and generate offense from the offensive blue line. He’s got solid defensive instincts and is generally positioned well. He could be a good second pairing defender and play on a top PP unit”  (Full article can be found here) Sounds perfect to me. A Top 4 D prospect. Just what the Flames need.

Jordan Caron on the other hand, was a former first round pick in 2009 and has seriously struggled this year. Just 10 goals and 15 points in 44 games. He’s played 8 NHL games this season recording an assist. If Feaster insists on a roster player then Caron is the guy but I’d much rather see him pick up Ryan Spooner who’s a fringe NHLer now but has much greater upside than Caron.

The quality coming back isn’t as great as what the Pens could offer so I think a 1st round pick is mandatory in a deal like this.

Option B: Two prospects and a draft pick

Two of: (D) Torey Krug, (F) Alexander Khokhlachev and Ryan Spooner plus a 2013 1st Round Pick for Jarome Iginla 

Krug I think should be a target in any deal because of his tremendous skills, relatively high upside and the hole he fills within the organization.

Alexander Khokhlachev on the other hand should also be a must get for Feaster. Khokhlachev scored 48 points in 29 OHL games with Windsor this year and was ranked the 2nd best prospect behind Dougie Hamilton by Pronman this summer. “Khokhlachev is an extremely skilled player with high-end hands and hockey sense who projects as a potential puck possession weapon if everything goes right. He has the ability to make dazzling individual moves while also being a very creative playmaker who can make top feeds. He’s got good agility and edgework, while also being a pretty determined player off the puck. His conditioning was an issue last year, but that area of his game seems fine now. His potential is between a fringe #1 and a very good #2 center.”

I was inclined to switch the 1st Round Pick to a second rounder however if the asking price is indeed a 1st, Jay Feaster could mention how Pittsburgh has improved with Morrow and may be able to pry that 1st rounder out of Peter Chiarelli hands. If not I’m sure Flames fans can live with a 2nd rounder considering the quality accompanying it to Calgary. Also it was reported by ESPN’s James Murphy that Calgary would want goaltender Malcom Subban in any deal involving Iginla. Considering Calgary’s depth at the goalie prospect position with Laurent Brossoit, Jon Gillies, Joni Ortio and Karri Ramo, I see this a little far fetched and I’m Calgary would back down that demand if they could ice one of the deals mentioned above. It was also reported that the Bruins consider Ryan Spooner and Subban to be untouchables.

Bruins could also offer (D) Matt Bartkowski, (D) Colby Cohen, (F) Dan Paille or (F) Rich Peverley.

Los Angeles Kings:

Some of Jarome Iginla’s best years – including his dominance during Calgary’s ’04 cup run -  came with Darryl Sutter behind the bench. It just so happens that’s exactly where he is right now with Los Angeles Kings. Not only this, but LA GM Dean Lombardi has coveted Iginla for years, making Los Angeles a possible motivated player for Iginla’s services. Los Angeles is stocked to the brim with promising young talent and has plenty of assets to get this deal done.

Option A: Top 4 D prospect, a good young roster player and a draft pick

 (D) Dereck Forbort, (F) Trevor Lewis and a (2013) 2nd Round Pick for Jarome Iginla

The Flames would almost certainly like to get their hands on Tyler Toffoli but the way he’s played this year, both in the AHL and NHL make him an unlikely piece in this deal. Nonetheless Calgary still has a nice selection to choose from. Dereck Forbort is a big strong defensemen that could project to be a Top 4 defensemen in this league, albiet with slightly limited offensive upside. He was the second ranked prospect in Corey Pronman’s evaluation of the Kings system this summer. He had this to say about Forbort, “Forbort is a very toolsy player with great upside. At 6’4”, he’s an above-average skater, puck-handler and passer who is tremendous in those areas for a player his size. Forbort can make scouts really dream on him when he’s on because he’s a big man who can rush the puck, make a top level pass, and run a power play. He has a good wingspan and is a fine stick-checker. He has top pairing tools, although reaching that ceiling is quickly becoming more unlikely.” (Full article can be found here)

Trevor Lewis, a 26 year old center, has had a pretty good start to the year with the Kings. He’s scored four goals for 11 points in 32 games while playing primarily third line minutes. He could probably slot into Calgary’s top six and put up slightly better numbers than he is now. All that of course is speculation and guess-work. Calgary could also ask for a Dwight King or maybe even Justin Williams in a package for Iggy. However in this case, I’d rather they tried to formulate something using option B as a blueprint.

The return is fairly good and since LA’s first rounder belongs to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Calgary will likely have to settle for a 2nd rounder if they do any business with the Kings. I suppose Calgary could ask for a 2014 1st rounder but I think it’d be wise to capitalize on the depth of this draft.

Also, I didn’t add the Kings’ backup goaltender Jonathan Bernier because I think he’s somewhat untouchable in a multi-piece deal like this. He’s put up great numbers this year in relief on Jonathan Quick – who had times has felt the effects of the Stanley Cup hangover – and his value has increased significantly as he’s shown he can play at this level. Maybe LA agrees to throw him into a deal at the last minute if they desire Iginla so much but I see it as unlikely.

Option B: Two prospects and a draft pick

Two of: (D) Dereck Forbort, (F) Linden Vey, (F) Nikolai Prokhorkin and (F) Jordan Weal plus a 2013 2nd Round Pick for Jarome Iginla 

Forbort is a very solid prospect and much like Torey Krug, I think should be included in any deal Calgary makes with Los Angeles.

Linden Vey on the other hand, has produced points at every level he’s played at. He put up 280 points over the span of 262 WHL games and has continued putting up points at the AHL level. Vey was the seventh ranked prospect in Los Angeles’ system this summer. “Vey is a pretty skilled player who on his best day can really bring scouts out of their seats. He has high-end hockey sense, showing the ability to make very impressive passes; it’s hard to find scouts who watch him and don’t talk about his hockey sense. Vey has pretty good hands and solid but not spectacular speed. He can play center and wing effectively. He has top-six upside, but with some uncertainty on that projection.”

Nikolai Prokhorkin is probably the wild card of these four prospects. He tried to come over to play in AHL, and did manage eight games, but eventually went back to Russia because of a contract dispute with the KHL’s CSKA Moscow who claimed he was under contract with their team until 2015. Nonetheless, Prokhorkin is undeniably skilled and if Feaster deems he’s worth the KHL flight risk -  associated with most young Russians – then I think it’s worth they take a stab at him. Prokhorkin was LA’s third ranked prospect this summer. “Prokhorkin has above-average puck skills and the same level of hockey sense, although he can flash high-end. He’s a great playmaker with a pass-first mentality and regularly finds ways to set up his teammates for scoring chances. Prokhorkin is a versatile player who can play wing or center and is fine defensively, too. He’s a big body player who doesn’t mind some physical play and will get into the after-the-whistle stuff. Prokhorkin is a roughly average skater whose top gear could be a tad better but could project to be a good second line forward.”

Finally the last prospect I think is worth looking at is Jordan Weal. Almost a carbon copy of Linden Vey, Weal scored big-time points in the WHL and for the most part has continued his success in the AHL. Pronman on the fourth ranked Weal, “Weal had a tremendous season, being named a WHL first team all-star in the East and scoring over 50 more points than the next best player on Regina. He’s very smart and a well above-average playmaker with top-end puck skills. His ability to create offense has been right at the top tier of the WHL for the last four seasons. Weal is a competitive player who will grind out board battles and backcheck well. He’s just an average skater who really lacks that top gear smaller players usually have to succeed. He could be a top-six forward.”

The Kings could also offer (F) Jordan Nolan, (F) Tanner Pearson, (F) Nick Shore, (F) Brandon Kozun, (D) Jake Muzzin or (G) Martin Jones. Fun Fact: Kozun and Jones are Calgary Hitmen alumni.

Chicago Blackhawks:

As many of the Blackhawks beat writers have mentioned in recent days, finding a spot for Iginla on the Hawks roster is something of a challenge. Hawks have Patrick Kane, Michael Frolik and Marian Hossa patrolling the right side of the ice on their top three lines. Trading for Iginla just to have him play fourth line minutes is not only silly, but will not happen. Even having Iggy play on your third line seems like a bit of a waste of talent. I’m sure if the Hawks acquire Iginla though, they’d move either Hossa or Kane to the left side. As for Frolik, I’d like to see him added into any deal Chicago makes for Iginla.

Option A: Top 4 D prospect, a good young roster player and a draft pick

(D) Adam Clendening, (F) Michael Frolik and a 1st Round Pick for Jarome Iginla

Clendening is a fairly high end offensive defensemen who’s put up six goals and 37 points in 61 AHL games this season. Ranked sixth among Blackhawk prospects, Pronman said this about him, “Clendening has very impressive offensive potential as he will flash elite offensive upside from the blue line with well above-average puck skills and puck-moving instincts. He can make wow-caliber plays and he’s the rare defender who has the skills to create a scoring chance out of nothing. Clendening skates at a decent level, too, with good mobility. He has all the tools except he is the kind of player who shoots himself in the foot several times a game. Clendending’s hockey sense can shine at times and look really bad at other times in terms of his overly risky style and consistent turnovers. He’s a bit of a liability in his own end. He has top-end offensive upside and top four potential, but is a project.” (Full article here)

Frolik was once a promising young player with the Florida Panthers organization before being shipped to Chicago and losing all lustre associated with him. Selected 10th overall in 2006, Frolik put up back to back 40 point seasons during his rookie and sophomore campaigns. His play however dropped off a cliff from there, never eclipsing 10 goals or 30 points over his next four seasons. He’s never really been given a consistent chance to succeed in Chicago and if Calgary blows it all up, a chance is exactly what he’ll get. Frolik is a free agent after next season and carries a $2.33 million cap hit so giving him a chance to rekindle is offensive touch in Calgary is definitely worth a shot.

The massive risk associated with this package would make getting a 1st round pick a must. Much like the first LA package, I’d be more comfortable with Jay Feaster working off of Option B.

Option B: Two prospects and a draft pick

Two of: (D) Adam Clendening, (F) Teuvo Teravainen, (F) Brandon Pirri, (F) Mark McNeill plus a 1st Round Pick for Jarome Iginla  

Unlike Forbort and Krug, I don’t think Clendening is a mandatory piece to this deal. The risk associated is substantial and he doesn’t project to be anything special so there won’t be any lost sleep if Clendening isn’t part of the deal.

I’ll admit I was pretty amped when it became clear that Teuvo Teravainen would be available at pick 14 during last years NHL Entry Draft and I was equally disgruntled when Calgary dealt that pick to Buffalo. Teravainen was eventually snatched up by the Hawks at 18th overall while Calgary would select Mark Jankowski with the 21st pick they got from Buffalo. Teravainen would be ranked the top prospect in Chicago’s system. “Teravainen is a simply dazzling offensive talent who can beat a defence in many ways. He’s a high-end puck-handler and passer who regularly makes highlight reel plays, but his vision and patience are even more impressive. Teravainen can make plays through tight spaces and make quick plays but also has the ability to slow the game down and create from the perimeter. He’s also an above-average to plus skater who has a solid one-timer. He can play center and wing effectively, doing the former frequently in recent viewings, and he plays fine defence. He could be a top line forward.” said Pronman of him.

Brandon Pirri who was taken 59th overall in 2009 has found some consistency at the AHL level, putting up good numbers yearly. 19 goals for 53 points in 63 games so far this season and he might be ready to ply his trade in the big leagues. Ranked third by Pronman this summer, “Pirri is a top-end puck-handler with terrific hand-eye coordination and can really excel as an individual creator and as a playmaker. His offensive hockey sense is plus as he’s creative, has great vision, makes good reads off the puck, and his decisions are pretty quick. Pirri’s physical game was better this year as well. Pirri’s skating is below-average, and it’s his main weakness going forward. He could be a very good second line center.”

Finally, Mark McNeill was selected a couple picks behind Sven Baertschi in 2011 and has played exactly as advertised ever since. A big strong two-way center that can score. “”He’s the whole package” said one scout when describing McNeill—he’s a great do it all type of player. McNeill is interesting because different scouts will praise him for different things, with one lauding him for his power game, and another for his puck possession skills, and another for his defense. McNeill is a solid to above-average skater, puck-handler, passer, shooter, and physical player who plays well in his own end.” said Pronman of the fourth ranked Blackhawk prospect. “It’s hard to pinpoint a real weakness in McNeill’s game. That said, given the glowing scouting reports I’ve heard and from what I’ve seen of him though, I’d expect a little more production. He could be an above-average second line center.”

Other players Chicago could include (F) Dave Bolland, (F) Marcus Kruger, (F) Jeremy Morin, (F) Phillip Danault, (D) Dillion Fournier, (D) Stephen Johns or (D) Steve Montador.

The trading of Jarome Iginla will always be a touchy subject with every Flames fan and no matter what the deal is, chances are the fan base won’t be satisfied. There’s also a good chance he doesn’t go anywhere and he remains with the Calgary Flames. Another scenario is that Iginla does get dealt, wins a cup and then resigns back with Calgary on July 3rd and plays out the remainder of his career with the Flames. Whatever happens, there’s no denying that trading the face franchise is what Calgary needs to rebuild itself back into the Stanley Cup contender it once was. Sitting 14th in the Western Conference and saying “we’re going for it” just doesn’t cut it and if all that isn’t enough to convince Flames fans that this is the right way to go, consider this: Doesn’t the man who’s given this team and this city so much deserve a shot at ultimate glory? Doesn’t Jarome Iginla deserve one last chance to win hockey’s ultimate prize?

Special thanks to ESPN and Hockey Prospectus writer Corey Pronman for allowing his prospect insight be included in this article. You can follow him on twitter @coreypronman.

The post Jarome Iginla: A Look At The Calgary Flames’ Options appeared first on The Hockey Guys.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Bennett / Getty Images

By Todd Cordell (@ToddCordell)

With the trade freeze set to lift in the Ontario Hockey League Wednesday, August 1st, many OHL teams are getting set to make changes and finalize their rosters heading into the season, which starts in September.

Many teams are facing a lot of uncertainty, especially with a potential NHL lockout impacting some of their decisions. Though players could still play in the AHL, some NHL teams would rather have their prospects go back to the OHL if they’re not playing in the NHL. Obviously if there is a lockout, the prospects won’t be given a chance to earn a spot on the NHL team that owns their rights.

With all of that said, no team faces more uncertainty than the Barrie Colts.

In the OHL, teams can keep five overage players until November, then they have to cut down to four until the deadline and teams can only keep and utilize three overage players after the trade deadline in January. While getting under the five limit isn’t a problem for most teams, the Colts make for an odd exception.

As of right now, the Colts have nine players eligible to return as overagers. Winnipeg Jets prospect Ivan Telegin, Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Reid McNeill and Los Angeles Kings prospect Tanner Pearson headline the group and are all expected to make the jump and turn pro this year.  Along with those three overagers, the Colts also have Buffalo Sabres prospect Gregg Sutch as well as Steven Beyers,  Chris Buonomo, Ryan O’Connor, Derek Hartwick and Mathias Niederberger.

Let’s assume whether a new CBA gets worked out or not, McNeill, Telegin and Pearson all turn pro. That would be the best case scenario for the Colts in terms of trimming down to the maximum of five overagers, but the Colts still have to move at least one of their overage players before the season starts and another one by November. That means at least two guys need to be moved within the next few months.

I expect Sutch and Beyers will stick around as the Colts likely don’t want to lose any more offense than they already are in losing Telegin and Pearson up front who combined for over 70 goals and 150 points last season. That said, nothing is set in stone.

That would leave three defenseman in Buonomo, Hartwick and O’Connor as well as their 2011 starter in Niederberger.

Buonomo had a pretty good season last year but given the fact he hasn’t earned an NHL contract anywhere, he’ll want to play big minutes this season. With Alex Yuill and Aaron Ekblad expected to take even bigger roles and the Colts already having a lot of depth on defense, I wouldn’t be shocked if he was moved to play more elsewhere. That said, I’m not sure how much value he has around the league and it may be best for him and the Colts if they just give him a top-four role on defense.

I expect Hartwick to be moved out one way or the other. Some teams looking for depth on defense who can take on an overage player may give up a later draft pick, but if that’s not the case I expect him to be waived. I don’t expect him back with the Colts this year.

The Colts gave up a fair bit for Ryan O’Connor at the trade deadline last year, so I don’t think they would be to anxious to give him up. He’s experienced and is one of the better puck movers on the team, so they may just keep him. With that said, if a team offers up a good package for him, he could very well be on the move again.

Lastly, we have Niederberger who started for the Colts last year. He was very good for them in the regular season and exceptional for them in the post-season, but given the fact the Colts would have to use one of their overage spots and an import spot on him, he may be tough for the Colts to make room for. As I said, he’s a good goaltender but given the fact the Colts have a very good young goaltender in Alex Fotinos, who appears ready for a starting role, I wouldn’t be surprised if Niederberger was let go or traded. Some OHL teams could definitely use him as an upgrade in goal, but given the fact he’ll take one of the overage spots and one of two import spots on any team, it may be tough to find a spot.

As you can see, the Colts have some tough decisions upcoming that they’re going to have to deal with. They have to move at least one overager before the season and another one by November, so you could see some movement with them in that regard sooner than later. In the event an NHL team decides they would rather have their prospect, whether it be Telegin, Pearson or McNeill in the OHL rather than in the NHL or AHL, the Colts would obviously welcome them back. They would have to make more moves to clear spots for them, though, so either way the Colts will be faced with tough decisions.

Whatever route the Colts decide to take, they’ll have moves to make. Moves that can be made August 1st.

Follow me on twitter @ToddCordell

NHLToddCordell@Gmail.com

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(Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)

By Benjamin Woodward (@_BWoodward)

After months of speculation and enough rumors to fill the HockeyyInsiderr’s twitter feed for an entire calendar year, Rick Nash has finally been traded. The former Columbus Blue Jackets captain was dealt to the New York Rangers on Monday in exchange for a package centered around two-way pivot Brandon Dubinsky. The complete deal looked like this:

To New York: F Rick Nash, D Steven Delisle , 2013 Third Round Pick

To Columbus: F Brandon Dubinsky, F Artem Anisimov, D Tim Erixon, 2013 First Round Pick

On the surface, this looks to be a fair market price for a player who clearly had no desire to return to Ohio this fall. However, after setting the initial asking price absurdly high, General Manager Scott Howson set himself up to fail. In the nearly five-month-long stretch from the February 27 NHL trade deadline until now, Howson was believed to be asking for names like Jeff Skinner (Carolina), Tyler Seguin (Boston), and Ryan McDonagh (New York Rangers), in return for the first overall pick in the 2002 Entry Draft.

Ultimately, the Blue Jackets secured themselves a reasonable return for the five-time all-star, receiving three players that will make an immediate impact at the NHL level next season, along with an additional first round pick in what is perceived to be one of the deepest drafts in recent memory. Forwards Dubinsky and Anisimov could both see an exponential increase in point production with expanded roles in Columbus. New York native Tim Erixon is a swift-skating defenseman with a high hockey-IQ and the ability to put up a large number of points and quarterback a power-play unit. The addition of Erixon to a defense core that already includes Jack Johnson, James Wisniewski, David Savard, and 2012 second overall pick Ryan Murray, appears to put the Blue Jackets’ back-end in great shape for at least the next half-decade.

The merits of this deal for the Blueshirts are fairly obvious: it allows them to keep up with the ongoing arms race that has engulfed the Eastern Conference this summer. With a healthy Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh, and the Philadelphia Flyers’ possible acquisition of all-star blueliner Shea Weber, the top of the Eastern Conference has become much tougher to navigate. There is no denying the impressive skill and depth that lies with the Rangers’ forward core, especially after the acquisition of a former 40-goal scorer in Rick Nash. Let’s take a look here at how New York’s top-nine stacks up against the four other teams that I consider to be “elite” in the Eastern Conference (lines subject to change).

New York Rangers

Marian Gaborik – Brad Richards – Rick Nash

Ryan Callahan – Derek Stepan – Carl Hagelin

Chris Kreider – Brian Boyle – Taylor Pyatt

Philadelphia Flyers

Scott Hartnell – Claude Giroux – Jakub Voracek

Wayne Simmonds – Sean Couturier – Danny Briere

Brayden Schenn – Max Talbot – Matt Read

Boston Bruins

Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – Tyler Seguin

Milan Lucic – David Krejci – Nathan Horton

Rich Peverley – Chris Kelly – Jordan Caron

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pascal Dupuis – Sidney Crosby – Chris Kunitz

James Neal – Evgeni Malkin – Tyler Kennedy

Eric Tangradi – Brandon Sutter – Matt Cooke

Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin – Nicklas Backstrom – Troy Brouwer

Brooks Laich – Mike Ribiero – Marcus Johansson

Jay Beagle – Matt Hendricks – Jason Chimera

The strengths of each squad are evident: Philadelphia’s phenomenal team speed, Boston’s size and physicality, Pittsburgh and Washington’s all-world talent and New York’s two-way prowess. I’ll dive into extensive comparisons at a later date, but for today, I leave you with two questions.

1.) Which of these five groups of forwards to you believe to be the best?

2.) Will the Rangers’ acquisition of Nash force the hand of the other Eastern Conference squads in making a blockbuster deal of their own?

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