The Vancouver Canucks take on the Chicago Blackhawks tonight. Guaranteed, there is sure to be loads of excitement and passion broiling between these two arch rivals at tonight’s game.
For the Canucks it’s the not the question of making the playoffs; it’s the question of picking up the urgency level and creating a competitive energy for the upcoming playoff run. The Canucks are looking to not only break the Blackhawks four game-winning streak, but also to escape their own lowly slump.
Move over, Tim Tebow. There’s a new trend taking shape in the city of Denver, and it’s all thanks to Colorado Avalanche rookie forward Gabriel Landeskog.
In case you haven’t heard of it yet (been living under a rock?), it’s called Landeskoging. The criteria involves falling face-down on the ice (or ground), legs bent at the knees, fists clenched next to the head.
It’s a question lingering on everyone’s mind; what’s wrong with the Vancouver Canucks?
It may be unjust to blame current captain Henrik Sedin and his brother, assistant captain, Daniel, who seemed to escape their slump recording a 3-point night between both of them Wednesday against the Phoenix Coyotes.
However, it does seem fair to give some of the blame to former captain Roberto Luongo.
Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche just keeps getting better and better. Scoring his first game winning goal last Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks, this young Swede sensation clearly has Calder Memorial Trophy written all over him.
The 19-year-old left-winger leads rookies in goals (20), is tied first for points (46) and is second both in plus-minus (19) and assists (26). Landeskog also continues to perform as an important and powerful player on the top line in Colorado, tied for second in points on his team and snatching current title of best plus-minus.
Minnesota Wild forward Devin Setoguchi lived out every NHLer’s worst nightmare Thursday night when he completely botched his shootout attempt against Carey Price and the Montreal Canadiens.
Phoenix Coyotes enforcer and Twitter star Paul Bissonnette wasted no time in finding humor with the situation, writing, “Never remember giving Setoguchi the ok to use my breakaway move. Whatever. I’m over it.”
Ouch. As a result, the Wild lost in the shootout 5-4.
With the NHL trade deadline now just three weeks away, the trade rumors are out in full force. Here are the latest:
Smyth Broadway Bound?
When Ryan Smyth returned to Edmonton this offseason, it was an emotional experience. The 35-year-old veteran was back home with the team that drafted him first overall back in the 1994 entry draft.
However, Smyth has yet to have his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s Cup, and with the Oilers sitting 13th in the Western Conference, 11 points out of the eighth and final playoff spot, he’ll have to be traded to complete the dream.
Marek Zidlicky is mad as hell, and he’s not going to take it anymore!
Hockey players are usually pretty good about discussing their frustrations with their teammates and coaches before going to the media. But Zidlicky, one of the Minnesota Wild’s veteran defensemen, appears as though he has had enough with head coach Mike Yeo.
“I can’t be quiet,” Zidlicky told the Star Tribune. “I think three games healthy scratch, it’s more than just like a healthy scratch. [Yeo’s] put me in this position that I am in right now. It’s not easy for me. It’s good for team probably because the guys played pretty well the last two games, but for me, I did everything what he wants me to do.”
With the majority of the hockey world captivated by the All-Star festivities that took place in Ottawa over the weekend, some may be surprised to know that there were still a few GMs hard at work. One of those general managers was Stan Bowman of the Chicago Blackhawks.
On Friday, Bowman, who previously said he was in the market for a center, was able to pick one up in Brendan Morrison.
The Blackhawks traded defenseman Brian Connelly, who was having a stellar season with the Rockford IceHogs, to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Morrison.
The Edmonton Oilers have had issues with their young stars falling victim to injuries.
First it was Jordan Eberle injuring his right knee, then it was rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who was put on the shelf after suffering a shoulder injury, and now former No. 1 overall pick Taylor Hall will be out for an undisclosed amount of time.
And while all three injuries are major blows to the Oilers’ roster, it was Hall’s freak injury that has everybody talking.
Thursday night began probably like almost every other game night for Montreal Canadiens forward Mike Cammalleri. However, midway through the second period of the Habs’ game against Eastern Conference rival Boston Bruins, Cammalleri felt a tap on his shoulder and was told to head back to the dressing room and that there would be a cab waiting for him outside to take him back to the team’s hotel in Boston.
He had been traded.
In the middle of a game.
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