Update: Robidas Out 4-6 months

We have an update on the injury to Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas.

He will be out four to six months after breaking his right leg during the loss to the Blackhawks Friday night. He had surgery early Saturday morning at UT Southwestern Medical Center and has been placed on the injured list.

The team has called up defenseman Jamie Oleksiak from the Texas Stars. He played 16 games in the NHL, recording two assists and 14 penalty minutes. So far with the AHL, he had three goals and five points.

With Robidas out 4-6 months with that broken leg, that'll take him until at earliest April for him to get back onto the ice. That's really troubling news for a team that has done well as of late. The thing is, defense is key to everything in the NHL nowadays, despite teams having superstar players. And even though the Stars have Tyler Seguin, their superstar right now, not having Stephane Robidas really hurts this defense, as well as puts more pressure on goaltender Kari Lehtonen to make important saves in the games he plays. I'm not sure how long the Stars can survive. They have been on fire as of late, but the loss of Robidas could put out that fire. I do hope they survive this and Oleksiak is the key to helping this team, but right now, I don't see anything good coming out of this. Let's just hope Tyler Seguin continues to stay right hot.

Tortorella Returns to New York

If anybody thinks that the Canucks coach will be booed in his return to Madison Square Garden today, you would be so wrong. Expect him to be warmly received.

Tortorella had seemed to have lost his players last season with the Rangers but I guess he didn't lose any warm feelings with the fans. His confrontational style played well with the fans of New York and how he always held his players accountable for the performance on the ice. This type of style will be what wins him over with Rangers fans tonight.

Unfortunately, the reason that got him kicked out last season was because the players rebelled against his totalitarian regime. They didn't like how he always blamed them for their poor performance and his drill sergeant attitude was what really turned players off. Plus, those tactics didn't work against the Boston Bruins in the playoffs when they were eliminated in 5 games.

He did, however, get results in the regular season while with the Rangers. He's had winning percentages above .500 in his tenure there. His teams have registered points in 63.4% of the games that they have played. And in the 2012 season, they made a quality playoff run and might have reached the Stanley Cup if they had some better puck luck against the Devils.

He has learned his lesson since being fired. He is less frequent in bashing his players for poor performance and has more of a cordial relationship with Vancouver media than he did with the New York media. Then again, the New York media tends to scrutinize everything and make everything a story. This is, he is still Tortorella, so if things aren't well, he'll go off like a volcano.

I would expect him to be welcomed warmly by Rangers fans, but not by the players. His style was what they didn't like in the first place, so don't expect the players to welcome him back warmly. But with that in mind, Tortorella did help the Rangers in my entire time there so anything sort of a small applause would not be acceptable. And the thing is, right now, the Canucks have to start playing better and that starts against a Rangers team that has been resurging as of a couple weeks, so with that in mind, Tortorella's going to have to be a genius in figuring out how to get pucks past Lundqvist and have his goaltenders and defenders play a bit better.

Blues-Sharks Recap: Sharks Back to Form?

Well, guess what. My first recap game opinion article of the season. And it's going to belong to the Blues-Sharks game that happened Friday afternoon.

Brent Burns was thinking that Friday's game was going to be different but never imagined how important it was to him. He got his first NHL hat trick and the Sharks ended a five-game losing streak to the St. Louis Blues with a 6-3 victory.

Joe Thornton, Tomas Hertl, and Tommy Wingels also scored for the Sharks. They've won their fourth straight and seven of eight. Antti Niemi stopped 21 of 24 shots for his 14th win of the season. Brian Elliot took the loss in his first loss in eight games that he has started.

Thornton now has 17 points in his past 15 games and the Sharks scored their first power-play goal since Nov. 15, a span of seven games. Couture has not scored in seven games and has one goal in his past 11.

So all in all, did the Sharks really win this or did the Blues choke it? In my opinion, I don't think the Blues choke it. Good goaltenders, like pitchers in baseball, get rocked. They've all been rocked. And Brian Elliot should not feel down like this, so there's no problem with the Blues losing this game. They're still in the playoff picture and as long as Elliot can continue to play well and the Blues offense, especially Alex Steen, continues to rocket up the score chart, they can win games. But this game was all about the Sharks and especially Brent Burns.

It must feel good for Burns to score his first career hat trick, but that overlooks a bit about how the Sharks have had problems with their offense in recent games. They've haven's had a power-play goal coming into this game since Nov. 15 and like I said two paragraphs ago, Couture has been ineffective and still is right now. This game was one that the Sharks desperately needed and Burns delivered. I want to see how well this offense, as well as goalie Antti Niemi, does against the high-powered Anaheim Ducks, who go to SJ tomorrow to play them. This game, I don't believe, proved nothing to me except that the Sharks can give up some pretty powerful offense in some games and now I'd like to see that against the Ducks Saturday night.

Robida Breaks Leg; Trouble For the Stars?

Hey, puck heads. Sorry that I've been away for a day or so but it was Thanksgiving and I did note on my Twitter that I would be returning to the blogger world today. Even though it's almost Saturday, we got some news coming out of tonight's Blackhawks-Stars game.

Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas broke his right leg Friday against the Blackhawks. He was hoping to kill off a Dallas penalty in the second period but slid hard into the boards beyond the goal line. He stayed down holding his leg just below the knee. The team says Robidas has a fracture and was taken to UT Southwestern Medical Center.

His 11th season with the Stars, Robidas has the longest tenure on the team. This is his 14th NHL season. Dallas played with five defenseman the rest of the way in their shootout loss to the Blackhawks.

Captain Jamie Benn said of Robidas' injury, "It's really tough. We hope he is all right. He is a big part of this team, and a big part of that back end and a pretty big leader."

I don't disagree with that. He has been by far the best defenseman the Stars have so far. The thing is, without his presence and his leadership, are the Stars going to be able to stay in the race? They've done well in the last few games thanks in part to guys like Tyler Seguin and Rich Peverley stepping up their line. But without a veteran defenseman like Robidas, it'll be hard for goaltender Kari Lehtonen to help keep pucks out of the net. When I saw the Stars play the Ducks back in October, they played well out of the gate because of their solid offensive core in Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Rich Peverley. The only problem they had was in the second period when the defensemen started to wear down. And now without Robidas, it'll be hard to say whether or not this team stays on this hot streak. My best guess is they'll cool off, but they'll stay in it. They just have to be careful because teams like the Blackhawks and the Predators in their own division, might run away with it.

Ericsson's Staying in Detroit

The Detroit Red Wings are keeping around one of their best defenseman, who is in the midst of closing in on 300 games with the Red Wings.

Ericsson has been signed to a six-year, $25.5 million extension, the team announced Wednesday morning. Ericsson was described as "really happy" abut the deal. He has never played for any NHL team but the Red Wings, and it seemed like with the way he played and the way the Wings loved his production, he wasn't willing to go anywhere else. Before the contract, he was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. That means he's off the market.

Ericsson said of Detroit, "I really like it here. For me to be able to get a deal done here, now, it means a lot for me and my family."

Ericsson made his debut when he was called up during the 2009 playoffs to fill in for injury holes. He became a regular player in the 2009-10 season. There was a point in time that coach Mike Babcock sat him for being a turnover machine.

This is a really good deal for the Red Wings. They don't have a lot of players who can really carry this team defensively. Jonathan Ericsson is definitely the right investment. And plus, with all of the injuries they have right now, I think it was wise to start thinking about a contract extension. And especially going into the game against the Boston Bruins, you can't have this type of cloud floating over a team, especially if they had some interest in keeping him around. Ericsson loves it in Detroit, his family is in Detroit. I can't imagine a scenario of him leaving. This is a good move for the Red Wings, it keeps Ericsson around, and one of their key defensive pieces is going to be around for a long time. Good for the Red Wings.

Where Should Martin Erat Go?

Apparently, one player in the NHL is not well suited to play for his current team. And because of that, he requested a trade.

Capitals forward Martin Erat wants out and the team has said it will try to accommodate his wishes. Erat said of his demands, "Since day one, I didn't get the chance here. I got traded here to be a top-six player but never got the chance, never played more than 15 minutes here, and it's time for me to move on."

GM George McPhee said the request happened earlier this season and has been in the office repeatedly. Erat also requested a trade from the Predators last season because of his limited playing time.

Erat was acquired at the trade deadline last spring, when Brooks Laich went out with an injury. Erat's been playing on the second line. Michael Latta was also picked up with Erat. Laich is back healthy this season and with the addition of Mikhail Grabovski, the Capitals have had too many forwards.

In 23 games this season, he has had no goals. He has a no-trade clause, but that's likely to be flexible come the time that they trade him.

Martin Erat is one of those guys who wants playing time wherever he goes. But it seems he always gets traded to another team who has one of their players injured or out because of injury. I feel sorry that he's not been able to feel at home on a team that wants him. I understand why he wants to be traded. He wants to go somewhere where he can be effective and be able to produce with a talented offense. The Capitals have too many people, and with Grabovski and Laich playing a lot of ice time, it seems that Erat is the odd man out.

I'm not sure where he should go. There are plenty of teams that can pick him up. They're not likely to be contenders for the Cup, but teams like the Panthers, Islanders, Flames, and Stars would be good spots for Erat. But again, I'm not entirely sure where he'll be able to fit in. The Flames just traded away Tim Jackman and acquired Lane McDermid so I'm not sure if Calgary is going to work, but it might be a nice opportunity. For any other team, they might be willing to take a chance on Martin Erat. Thing is, he has to produce and that means getting out of the slump that he's been in and be an effective scorer on any line for any team that he joins.

How Many Games For Kevin Westgarth?

Looks like another NHL player is going to get the call from Brendan Shanahan. And that distinction belongs to Hurricanes forward Kevin Westgarth.

He will face a phone hearing on Tuesday for his hit that injured Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki.

Borowiecki lost his balance skating away from Westgarth and slid into the boards during the first period. Westgarth pursued the puck, but hit the defenseman from behind as he tried to stand up. Borowiecki did not return to the game and the Senators announced on Twitter that he had a stiff neck, which is not an injury but stiff necks makes it very hard to turn your head.

The league announced it will be based on the boarding rule. I'm not as familiar with the boarding rule as I am with head shots, but in my estimation, boarding rules usually get between two to five games. My best guess is three or four. Boarding is a very serious injury. Dan Boyle was hit into the boards by Maxim Lapierre when he was injured in that Sharks-Blues game and Lapierre got five games for it. So it is possible that perhaps Westgarth could suffer the same consequences but Borowiecki was not seriously injured on the play as Boyle was, so that's why I believe he will get between three or four games for this.

Sbisa and Fasth Out Again

Just when the Ducks thought they were getting some players back from injury, they end up losing them again to injury.

Defenseman Luca Sbisa will be out at least six to eight weeks with a torn tendon in his right hand. And backup goaltender Viktor Fasth will miss another 3-4 weeks with muscle inflammation in his lower body. Fasth was a late scratch in Friday's game against the Lightning and Jonas Hiller started in goal.

Due to the injuries sustained by Fasth and Sbisa, the Ducks have recalled goalie Frederik Andersen and defenseman Nolan Yonkman from Norfolk in the AHL. Sami Vatanen was recalled on Friday and scored a goal in Saturday's game against the Coyotes.

Sbisa and Fasth have been through significant injury problems for the first part of this season. Sbisa missed the first 15 games of the regular season with an injured ankle. He got hurt again in the Ducks' 1-0 OT victory against the Lightning on Friday. He will have surgery on that wrist Monday.

Fasth was expected to start, but was scratched late when he got hurt in warmups. He missed a month earlier this season with a lower-body injury and only appeared in five games.

Andersen has had a great start to his NHL career. He went 6-1 with a 1.66 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage. He is the first goalie in nearly two decades to begin his NHL career with six straight victories.

As Ducks fan all know, they have fought through major significant injury issues while at the same time, leading the NHL standings for most of the season.

Koivu has not played since Oct. 27 because of a concussion. Jakob Silfverberg broke his hand in late October, and will still need another month. Sheldon Souray is still out after surgery on a torn ligament in his right wrist and is expected to be back in January.

I'm surprised the Ducks are this good, despite all the injury problems they've had. One reason they've been able to stay in games is because of Andersen and Hiller, who have backstopped this team, as well as a tandem of great defenseman like Ben Lovejoy and Cam Fowler, who have been able to keep pucks out of their own end and have given guys like Perry and Getzlaf a great way to score. As for the injury mess of Fasth and Sbisa, I honestly think that the Ducks do play better without Sbisa. Sbisa's line, before he went out, has had problems keeping the puck out of the net. It's not all his fault but his injuries, as well as him moving slower than he usually is, is something to be of concern about. As for Fasth, I'm not sure what I can say, except that I hope he gets better. The thing is, he could possibly be on the trade block come February. The Ducks can't afford to keep three really good goaltenders around. I doubt the Ducks will trade away Andersen, considering that he has played well for them so far and Bob Murray is not the type of guy to trade away talent that the Ducks need. Either way, Sbisa and Fasth are out again, and the Ducks will have to deal with their absences.

Reformation of Steve Mason

Remember Steve Mason? He was once the goaltender for the Columbus Blue Jackets when they went to their only Stanley Cup playoff appearance and when he won the Calder Trophy. After that, he has struggled, the Blue Jackets have been eliminated every year, and now he had been traded to the Philadelphia Flyers where he seems to have gotten his game back together.

He came to Philadelphia with a hope that he could get some answers into how to restructure his game. He flipped through magazines and newspapers, looking for something that might give him the edge. One thing he did find was that the goalie should focus on segments within the game as just one game. He says that he sees the game more as a neighborhood of nine segments.

He said, "I just break it down into a pretty much seven-minute increments of a period."

This, of course, is referencing to the three TV timeouts per period, which, adding up, totals nine segments in three periods. He talks to his teammates sometimes and compares notes on what he's seeing from his crease to what the skaters are seeing.

Mason doesn't pay attention to numbers on the scoreboard (no player should, in my opinion). He doesn't keep score. Even when the Flyers were losing despite his best efforts to keep them in the game, Mason does his best to distance himself from his teammates. He didn't want his own performance to falter when his other teammates were slumping.

He gives credits to goalie coach Jeff Reese with a lot of the improvements in his game. Apparently, because he's been playing so well, he's considered for the Olympics.

I won't say anything on whether he should be considered for the Olympics, because that's not my area of expertise, but I will say that Mason looks like he has revisioned himself in a way that helps out the Flyers. I like how he has been able to cut this down to see it as just one game at a time per seven minutes of play. And even though the Flyers haven't been doing too well, he's been able to stop a lot of pucks because of the way he visions his gameplay. They've won five of their last six games thanks to good goaltending. Look for Mason to continue his strong goaltending and hopefully help the Flyers get back into the playoff picture.

What's Next for Semyon Varlamov?

It's been news for about a month or so, and today, more news came out about the alleged assault by Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov on his girlfriend.

The goalie has been charged with third-degree assault on Friday morning after his girlfriend accused him of kicking, stomping on, dragging, and threatening her in late October.

His 24-year-old girlfriend said the encounter happened on Oct. 28 at her home in the 1700 block neighborhood of Bassett Street. She had bruises consistent with the physical encounter, the police report indicated.

The couple has had a history of domestic disturbances, according to the girlfriend's attorney. He says this is the fourth or fifth time they have had run-ins with one another. They have been together for about four years since meeting in Russia and she works as a model in the U.S.

She said about the charges, "I want everyone to know, all the fans to know, that he's not the great Semyon Varlamov. Great people don't beat up their women. They don't belittle them...throw out like dogs. I want people to know this, that this man can be an animal."

This story does not change my opinion over Semyon Varlamov in any way. I knew he was a goon from the moment I heard about this and when I saw and read that she had bruise marks that were consistent with the injury, I knew that she had a case on this and that it wouldn't look good for Varlamov. Some people have been riding me saying that he should play despite the charges and all that. But this type of act really should be the reason he shouldn't be playing. This should be like what the NHL does for players who target the heads of other players in games, when they suspend them indefinitely pending a hearing over a head hit. They should suspend him indefinitely pending what happens in this case. From a hockey standpoint, I know this doesn't make the Avalanche look good and even though they're on a torrid pace right now, what will happen if Varlamov actually gets suspended or is given a leave of absence for long-term? In my opinion, Varlamov should be out until we get more on the case and what seems to be transpiring in this. I don't know what's going to happen in the next few days or so, whether he's going to play or not, but there's a strong belief, at least on my part, that he shouldn't be playing while this is going on.

What Should the Devils Do With Jaromir Jagr?

The most productive and charismatic star in the NHL, Jaromir Jagr could end up heading back to the Czech League and the NHL can't afford that.

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello should consider offering Jagr a contract extension and today at the most. Jagr said in August that it could be his last season and then in September he said it depended on how well he played. Well, right now, he certainly looks like a beast out there. He said he plans to finish his career in the Czech League. He currently is an owner of the Kladno team.

The NHL would be losing that star if Jagr signed anywhere else next season. Clearly, I don't think he wants to leave the NHL and we shouldn't say goodbye. That goes the same for Teemu Selanne, who said he would retire after this season. The NHL doesn't want to lose both of them in the same season.

He is one of the greatest scorers in NHL history and is one of the most entertaining characters the NHL has ever seen. He might not be as productive or dynamic as he was previous seasons in the league, but everybody still sits down to see Jaromir Jagr take a shift.

Jagr has proven to be a massive athletic presence for anybody. He is funny, illuminating and insightful whenever he speaks. He's like a Cracker Jack box. You never know what you will find in him that's not funny or humorous.

But here's the bottom line: Jaromir Jagr will choose what he wants to do. If I were Lou Lamiorello, I would consider trying to get Jagr a contract extension. But Jagr will choose what he wants to do. If he wants to play for another NHL team, the Devils are willing to give him that. If he wants to return to the Czech League, I think the Devils will let that happen too. The NHL doesn't want to see him go and I could understand why. But it's his decision to make. The NHL has no choice but to either accept that or try some way to keep him around for another year or so. So the Devils could consider handing him a contract extension. If he wants to sign it, that's great news for the Devils. If not, well, hopefully Jagr can end his career either in the NHL or in the Czech League, where he says he wants to. He has a year to figure this out. In the meantime, he's the best productive scorer the Devils have right now.

Top Surprises and Disappointments

So as we are through with one quarter of the season, let's look at some of the biggest surprises and disappointments of the NHL season so far.

1. The Colorado Avalanche

Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy are certainly becoming a powerhouse team again in the front office of the Avalanche. Their 15-5 record makes them much, much better than projected. They appear to be one of the most dangerous team the NHL has so far. They may be hurt by the loss of Matt Duchene for a while, but the Avs have shown they can win without having to score a lot. And Semyon Varlamov has been a dangerous force in net.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning

Coach Jon Cooper is a genius. He makes sure his team has a strong defensive play. And they have shown to be more focused on it than in the past. Steven Stamkos is still out with a broken leg, but the Lightning believe they can still stay in the Eastern Conference race without him. The key here is Ben Bishop, their goalie. He has provided the team with the most consistent goaltending and is currently 13-3 with a .921 save percentage.

3. Alex Steen (St. Louis Blues)

This was a surprise, considering that Alex Ovechkin would lead the NHL in this category, but Steen has 17 goals so far on the season. He's been able to shoot more and gets more ice time than he's been getting the past few seasons. So far, he's had a career season.

4. Phoenix Coyotes

A 14-4-3 record can't slow down this team. They are considered the best team in the West and in my opinion, the best in the West. They've been able to stay competitive thanks to their defense. And they're fourth in scoring with 3.29 goals a game. Mike Ribeiro has helped as well, but the Coyotes are getting consistent scoring from everybody as well as defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Keith Yandle.

5. Sean Monahan (Calgary Flames)

This guy has cooled off a bit lately but he has eight goals in his first 22 games. He's a mature and ready center who seems as though he'll be able to provide for Calgary what Jarome Iginla left behind when he was traded. Look for him to be a consistent player for a really long time.

Here are the top five disappointments so far in this season

1. Columbus Blue Jackets

They've been constantly disappointing their fans and everybody in the NHL season after season. They surged late last season but the Wild won the playoff spot to keep them out. Their momentum hasn't carried over into this season. Ranked 12th in the Eastern Conference, they've had a really messy defense. Marian Gaborik is certainly not being a superstar right now, but hopefully they'll get a boost when Nathan Horton returns from offseason shoulder surgery.

2. The Eastern Conference

Apart from the Tampa Bay Lightning, most of the Eastern Conference would not qualify for a playoff spot in the West. Western teams dominate the East with a record of 87-34-16 so far this season.

3. Coyotes fans

Improvements on and off the ice have not translated to fans filling up the arena. They rank last in attendance at fewer than 13,000 a game. Their attendance grows, however, when some snowbirds who spend Christmas in Phoenix, arrive in late November.

4. Stephen Weiss (Detroit Red Wings)

I'm sure GM Ken Holland is regretting this season to sign Stephen Weiss. He was signed to provide a charge in offensive output that lost a fright factor the past few seasons and never made it to the Stanley Cup. But the Red Wings are not fearful because of him. Weiss had a season-ending wrist surgery last season and hasn't been a factor in what the Wings want. He currently has two goals and three points in 17 games that he has played and is currently on IR with an injury. I'm not sure what the Red Wings should do right now, but he hasn't been acting like a No. 2 center for this team and it'll be surprising if he continues to do so.

5. Edmonton Oilers

Like the Blue Jackets, year-after-year they continue to disappoint. Everybody in the hockey kingdom is waiting for the Oilers to rise up and be great because of their young talent, but they're not getting it so far this season. Ilya Bryzgalov has been signed to help out their goaltending, their biggest need, but other than that, there's not being able to provide their young talent with consistency. Their support players are certainly not helping right now with the young stars they currently have.

There's your biggest surprises and disappointments. And remember, it's only the first quarter of the season. We have many more months to go. Will some teams, like the Oilers and Blue Jackets, rise and be great this season? Will Alex Steen continue his hot torrid pace? We'll see how the season goes.

Will Tim Jackman Be the Key for the Ducks?

In the midst of a losing streak, the Anaheim Ducks have pulled off another trade that they hope might work.

The Ducks have acquired right wing Tim Jackman from the Calgary Flames in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2014 draft. They made this trade Thursday.

Jackman currently has one goal and 41 penalty minutes in 10 games for Calgary this season. He has spent parts of 10 seasons with five clubs that include the New York Islanders, Kings, Coyotes, and Blue Jackets. Jackman reports to the Ducks, who are still leading the overall NHL, despite a five-game losing streak that they are currently in.

The Ducks are currently not making this trade because he can score goals and be an offensive production. They're clearly bringing him in because he provides grit and toughness to a team that really doesn't have it. I said at the beginning of the year that the Ducks will not compete as a tough unit unless they have a guy who can provide fighting and toughness on the ice. Matt Beleskey does not provide that unfortunately. And since George Parros left, they really haven't had anybody who is a tough-as-nails type of player. So they bring in Jackman, who can do it. It certainly feels like the right move. They need somebody like this and I think Jackman fits the bill. He's not the key to the Ducks success, but he can provide toughness if needed.

What Should the Sabres Do With Grigorenko?

Looks like rookie Mikhail Grigorenko is not headed to the American Hockey League, at least not anytime soon. That's because the NHL, today blocked the Sabres' attempt to send him to the AHL on a conditioning assignment.

Under league rules, a player under 20 who was drafted out of the CHL (Canadian Hockey League) cannot be sent to the AHL. The Sabres had intended to send him to their affiliate in Rochester, N.Y. on a conditioning assignment. He would have been in the minors for 14 of Rochester's games. However, the league saw otherwise with him.

The Sabres tweeted out earlier today: "The team respects the league's decision."

Grigorenko was drafted 12th overall in 2012 by the Sabres. After the NHL lockout, he was recalled from Quebec. He played 25 games of last season and was returned because the Sabres didn't deem him "NHL-ready."

This season, so far, he has two goals (against my Ducks) and an assist in the 15 games that he has played. Newly hired president of hockey operations Pat LaFontaine is changing the culture and philosophy of the Sabres by sending down guys who aren't ready to play in the NHL as well as ones that he feels need more time and an opportunity to play more games. Nikita Zadorov was sent back to his junior team while Johan Larsson and Rasmus Ristolainen were sent back to the AHL.

But Grigorenko was a surprising attempt, in my opinion, for LaFontaine to make. I mean, he hasn't exactly produced in the games that he has played. But the Sabres are having all kinds of problems on offense and that's not entirely Grigorenko's fault. I don't think he should be sent down to the AHL on conditioning or otherwise. I think he's produced enough to earn his spot and sending him down to the AHL means that it's going to hurt Buffalo in the long run. They can't afford to send everybody down because they can't produce. Grigorenko is one of the few guys who can put together an offensive output. Problem is that he doesn't exactly have the guys to help him. So the Sabres could consider keeping Grigorenko around. Trust me, he helps this Sabres offense.

Will the Youth Movement Help the Sabres?

The Buffalo Sabres have begun their roster shakeup, starting with their rookies.

Defenseman Nikita Zadorov was returned to the London Knights and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and center Johan Larsson have been assigned to the Sabres' AHL affiliate Rochester Americans.

Also, Mikhail Grigorenko is on conditioning assignment for the Amerks. He will be there a maximum of 14 days.  Grigorenko will be able to play in six games through Nov. 30 with the Amerks.

There was a point in time when the NHL teams could skirt rules in terms of conditioning assignments. The New Jersey Devils, a long time ago, assigned Vlastimil Kroupa assigned on conditioning for the first four months of the 97-98 season.

But enough about the conditioning assignments and assignments and whatever. The point is, these guys will not be in the NHL for some time to come. In the meantime, no call-ups have been announced but we can expect that they will be coming.

The problem is the next team coming in is the red-hot St. Louis Blues. The people coming up, however, will join the game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night.

I'll be short with my opinion on this one because I just picked this out of a hat. The Sabres couldn't afford to keep all these rookies up in the NHL. Some of them weren't ready and the others were not exactly part of the team yet. The Sabres are in a rebuilding mode, but bringing rookies up too early constitutes some problems, especially for the rookies who are not conditioned for the NHL yet. So these kind of moves make sense. I would expect Grigorenko to keep playing with the Sabres after his conditioning assignment. He has been productive on his line and I'd be surprised if they send him back down after conditioning. In the meantime, the Sabres have to do what they have to do to play by the rules, as well as rebuild their badly-damaged team.

Ilya Bryzgalov: Will He Save the Oilers?

It's been five months since Bryzgalov was bought by the Philadelphia Flyers. Now he's back in the NHL.

The Oilers announced on Sunday that they intend to call him up from his conditioning assignment with the Oklahoma City Barons. He went 1-1 during his stint there and stopped 25 of 26 shots Saturday against the Abbotsford Heat. He had a 3.03 GAA and a .880 save percentage.

He signed with the Oilers on Nov. 8 but needed conditioning since he had not been in the league since the Flyers bought him out and the only shots he faced was in training camp with the ECHL's Las Vegas Wranglers.

There's no word on whether he will start for the Oilers on Tuesday. Devan Dubnyk ended his losing streak by stopping 33 of 35 shots against the Flames on Saturday, so it's probable he could be getting the start.

If Bryzgalov does play, however, he will be facing Sergei Bobrovsky, his former teammate on the Flyers. The Flyers traded Bobrovsky to the Columbus Blue Jackets last season when they committed to Bryzgalov.

For Bryzgalov, this is definitely what he needs to get back into the NHL. He's been mainly out of the league all year and it'll be interesting to see how well he does against the Blue Jackets and Bobrovsky. I definitely think he's an upgrade over Dubnyk. Dubnyk's been having a terrible year so far and his defense has been one of the reasons. But the other reason is that they don't have elite goaltending to help them. I would've expected teams like the Anaheim Ducks, who have too many goalies, to trade one of their goalies to Edmonton, but the Oilers didn't want to wait for that to happen, so they napped Bryzgalov. I hope he can save the Oilers and bring them back up into the Western Conference, because right now, they're in the gutters and they're starting to get too far behind because of the surges by the Kings, Stars, Ducks, and Sharks.

Did the Maple Leafs Get Redemption?

Van Riemsdyk was the story of last night's game. He scored twice and Nikolai Kulemin got the winner and the Maple Leafs finally snapped a three-game losing skid and won 4-2 over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.

The Leafs' newly acquired center Peter Holland was put on the top line between Kessel and van Riemsdyk. It allowed van Riemdsyk to move back to his position of left winger. That seemed to pay off big time, as he scored his eighth and ninth goals of the season.

But, however, it was not without a bit of drama. With the Leafs up 3-1 in the third, a collision between tough guy John Scott and Dion Phaneuf sparked tempers. In the next stoppage of play, Cody McCormick was cross-checked by Phaneuf and the two exchanged words. Colton Orr of the Leafs immediately stepped in and was immediately given a 10-minute misconduct.

Even if the Leafs win, they were not without words and rivalry for the Buffalo Sabres. They managed to get the second game out of the home-and-home, but the Leafs didn't redeem themselves in my eyes. They still fail to win at Buffalo, which is a huge must if you're planning on being a superstar team in the playoffs. Plus, it was the worst team in the NHL and the Sabres were able to win  one of those games. So no, the Leafs did not redeem themselves yet. They still have more games with the Sabres in the coming months and it'll be interesting to see how the Leafs team does against Buffalo, as well as other teams in the NHL.

Will Holland Prove the Difference for the Leafs?

The Maple Leafs are hurting at center. Today, they solved a problem for one of them.

And that name is Peter Holland. They acquired him from the Anaheim Ducks, along with forward Brad Staubitz, in exchange for defenseman Jesse Blacker and a third and a seventh-round pick.

Holland was a former first-round pick for the Ducks, but has a goal in four games this season for the Ducks. He lead the AHL's Norfolk Admirals with nine points. He has five goals and seven points in 29 career games in the NHL.

Unfortunately, the Ducks never gave Holland enough ice time. He could, however, be getting a bigger role with the Maple Leafs as three of their top centers are out. Two (Tyler Bozak, Dave Bolland) are injured and one (Nazem Kadri) is suspended for three games.

The Maple Leafs will assign Staubtiz to the Marlies, the Maple Leafs' AHL affiliate, while Blacker will go to Norfolk. For Blacker, he has 29 points and 110 penalty minutes in 130 career AHL games.

If Holland plays more than 25 NHL games this season, that third-round pick will become a second-round pick. The seventh-rounder is the return of the pick that the Ducks gave up in that David Steckel trade.

This says pretty much nothing about the Ducks. They didn't want him and Holland wanted more time in the NHL, which is understandable. The problem he had with the Ducks is that they're on the verge of having too many centers, with the return of Ryan Getzlaf and guys like Mathieu Perreault and Saku Koivu taking charge on the lines. So in reality, Holland was the odd one out.

With the Maple Leafs, he'll have more time until they get all their centers back. Holland will most likely play the games that Bolland and Bozak sit out because of their injuries. When Kadri comes back, I would still expect him to play until they have all their centers back. The Maple Leafs got the good deal out of this in the short-term. In the long-term, I don't know what's going to happen to Peter Holland. But right now, the Leafs need him and he's happy to be there.

Will the Blue Jackets Survive Without Gaborik?

Looks like the trouble for the Columbus Blue Jackets just got worse.

Right winger Marian Gaborik will miss between four to six weeks because of a sprained left knee. He was injured in the club's 3-2 overtime loss at the Bruins on Thursday night. He shares the team lead with five goals and six assists in 17 games this season.

The 31-year old Slovakian player has been a 40-goal or more scorer three times and has at least 30 goals in a season seven times in his NHL career. But that's not the bigger issue right now.

The Blue Jackets' struggle extend beyond Marian Gaborik. Let's be fair, though. They've been able to stay in games because of Gaborik, but without him, I'm not sure where the Blue Jackets will be going now. They have a tough road trip ahead in Western Canada and without Gaborik, I don't think they'll be able to win most of those games. The only game I see them winning is the Edmonton game but beyond that, I'm not sure.

So in all terms, no. I don't believe the Blue Jackets will survive this. They don't survive in the standings anyway with him. This is depressing for the Blue Jackets, their organization, and their fans. They had a magnificent run and almost made the playoffs last season. And now look how far they've fallen off the map again. The Blue Jackets are gonna be in a world of hurt in the coming weeks.

Maple Leafs-Sabres Preview: Return of Brawling?

The Buffalo Sabres have a new head coach and a new President of Hockey Operations. Toronto Maple Leafs have two players injured and one player suspended. They meet tonight in Buffalo.

This is their first meeting since that Sept. 22 preseason game which featured a line brawl, a 10-game suspension for David Clarkson, a pre-season suspension for Phil Kessel and a fine for former Buffalo coach Ron Rolston for putting tough guy John Scott on the ice when tempers were boiling over.

However, don't believe that the two teams will pick up where they left off. No chaos because the league always warns teams with a history of bad blood and will be punished harshly if it happens again. Also, Rolston was fired this week and the Sabres have bigger issues than a feud with the Maple Leafs. Ted Nolan, the new head coach of the Sabres, is back behind the bench in Buffalo for the first time since 1997.

So they can't brawl tonight. And John Scott is back on the ice and he believes he wants to change his image. But the Sabres also need to change the way they play, because they've had a poor showing on offense and the defense hasn't been able to help Ryan Miller or Jhonas Enroth keep pucks out of the net. As for the Maple Leafs, they've got three guys out right now, one to suspension and two to injury. But despite what their troubles might be right now, I think the Sabres have it worse because they don't have a general manager and the culture and the way they play offense needs to play. Right now, it's being exposed by the better teams. I think the Maple Leafs will find a way to expose them tonight, one way or another. These things don't just change overnight. They take time and right now is not the time for them to change. The Maple Leafs are too fast and too strong for Buffalo to contend with. So with that said, I think the Maple Leafs walk into Buffalo tonight and walk out with a win.

3 Games Enough for Kadri?

Nazem Kadri isn't going to be in the Maple Leafs system for the next couple of games. The center received a match penalty for a questionable hit on Wednesday night's game against the Wild. And now he has received a three-game suspension for that first hit on Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom.

Disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan noted in his video that collisions with goalies happen in games when they drive to the hit to score, but said that Kadri's hit was a reckless one.

He said, "This is not a glancing blow. It' is a direct and forceful blow to the head by Kadri's forearm that causes a serious injury."

Backstrom was replaced by Josh Harding and did not return to the game. After the game, the team said that Backstrom had an upper-body injury.

This isn't the first time a player injured a goalie on a reckless play. Two season ago, Shanahan gave Jordin Tootoo a two-game suspension for running into Sabres goalie Ryan Miller.

This suspension is likely to hurt the Maple Leafs for the next three games. The problem is they're already without centers Tyler Bozak and Dave Bolland because of their respective injuries. It's three games but a lot can happen in three games and I don't know if the Maple Leafs can withstand this, plus the two injuries to their respective centers.

In terms of the suspension, it was enough. The head is the main target. Obviously, in my view, you have to sit a few games for that. And this was a phone hearing, so it shouldn't have exceeded three games. So, the suspension was true and the Maple Leafs will have a lot of working around to do for the next three games, as well as the games in which Bolland and Bozak will still be out.

Versteeg Returns to the Blackhawks

The Florida Panthers have made their first big step in rebuilding their badly-damaged franchise. GM Dale Tallon has already made a coaching change and that was only his first step.

On Thursday night, Tallon announced that he is shipping out right winger Kris Versteeg in a four-player deal. His new team: the Chicago Blackhawks, his old team, where he won the 2010 Stanley Cup. He is sent to Chicago along with minor league forward Philippe Lefebvre. Forward Jimmy Hayes and defenseman Dylan Olsen were sent to Florida. Lefebvre, however, will have to remain in the ECHL for now, but the Blackhawks are not as excited about him right now as they are Kris Versteeg.

Versteeg was a two-time 20-goal scorer in Chicago and had six goals and 14 points during their 2010 Cup run. He was one of 10 players the Blackhawks had to ship out the following summer to get under the salary cup. In his case, he went to the Maple Leafs in exchange for Viktor Stalberg. He'll now be filling a third-line hole that was left by Stalberg's departure to the Nashville Predators.

Versteeg was signed by the Panthers in 2011-12 to a four-year contract, but apparently, the Panthers saw that they needed to cut ties in order to rebuild their team. He was also injured most of last season and was in a slump this season, with two goals and seven points in 18 games.

The Panthers are getting virtually nothing out of this deal, as the two players coming back haven't played in the NHL that much and haven't entirely produced in the games they were playing. But for the Panthers, this is a rebuilding situation. And they're trying to get the players they think can help do that. I'm not sure what Olsen or Hayes will bring to the Panthers, but hopefully it's some offensive and defensive production.

The Blackhawks got a big deal out of this. Versteeg may be in a slump but he's beloved by the Blackhawks organization and their fans. With this in mind, I think Versteeg might get out of his slump and help the Blackhawks. I'm not saying they're terrible right now, but not having Stalberg really hurt this team in a way. Now that Versteeg comes back into the mix, I'm sure he'll be able to produce for the Blackhawks quickly. It's a good deal for them. They get Versteeg and because of that, they get some more offense.

Ducks-Lightning Preview: Will the Ducks Rebound?

My Ducks lost a hard game to the second worst team in the NHL, the Florida Panthers. Tonight, they look to rebound against the #1 team in the Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This is a match of the top points leaders in both conferences. The Ducks, at 15-4-1, have the best record in the NHL. The Tampa Bay Lightning have the best record in the Eastern Conference. So here's some keys to tonight's game:

Injuries
Steven Stamkos is out approximately three months because of the broken tibia he suffered in the Bruins game. For the third consecutive game, Ryan Getzlaf will be out of the lineup. Sami Salo is day-to-day for the Lightning and Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller is recovering from the flu.

Goaltending
Ducks' goaltender Frederik Andersen is a major surprise so far this season, going 6-1-0 with a 1.66 GAA and a .943 save percentage. Ben Bishop of the Lightning is 12-2 with a 2.02 GAA and a .930 save percentage.

Offense
The Ducks have the NHL's third-highest scoring offense, at an average of 3.35 goals per game. The Lightning rank eighth in that category. However, the edge in offense goes to the Ducks because they have had the more productive secondary scoring while Tampa mainly relies on Malone and St. Louis to provide a general portion of their offense.

Defense
Hampus Lindholm is posting a plus-14 with the Ducks. However, the Ducks have the 26th ranked penalty kill while the Lightning are ranked fifth in penalty killing, while the Ducks have a poor power play.

Home/road record
The Lightning are 7-2 at home, while the Ducks are 7-4-1 on the road.

Those all said, this is a very interesting matchup. While I believe the Ducks have a good offense and they can give Tampa a run for its money, Tampa's starting to look solid on defense and the penalty kill has been excellent for them for the better part of this season. That's why they are ranked 1st in the Eastern Conference. They've been able to play defense.

The Ducks will be without much of their offense, as Ryan Getzlaf is still out and whether or not Corey Perry will play tonight because of a flu. Unfortunately, the flu bug is starting to hit many of these Ducks players, like Perry, Hiller, and even Kyle Palmieri was out in the game against Florida because of the flu. It has not been a great start in terms of injuries for the Ducks. They've lost a lot of guys and although they're getting some of them back, I don't think that'll be enough to overpower the Lightning. That said, I think the Lightning get the win tonight because of their defense and the way they play at home, as well as Ben Bishop playing exceptionally well for them right now.

What Will Happen to Patrick Eaves?

Another Red Wing has been put on waivers in a cost-trimming move. That next player is forward Patrick Eaves.

If Eaves clears by noon on Friday, he can be sent down to the minors. He is in the last year of a contract worth $1.2 million. He has good speed, but is not a big offensive gun. He was injured for the beginning of the season and appeared in only three games with no points and a minus-2 in rating.

The Wings have too many forwards. They waived Jordin Tootoo last week and he might be sent down to Grand Rapids of the AHL to make room for the return of defenseman Jonathan Ericsson when he comes off from injured reserve. The Wings will need him to overturn a six-game losing streak tonight against the Capitals at Joe Louis Arena.

As for Eaves, some people, especially those close with the Red Wings, probably saw this coming. His speed doesn't mean anything if he can't offensively contribute and that's a bad sign for him. Now, he has been injured, I get that. But the Wings aren't a team that likes to wait around and see the contribution of a player go up. They want to see him produce right off the bat and apparently Eaves didn't fit that bill for him. So now he's likely to get sent down to the AHL. I'm not sure a team will want to pick him up, especially one that's been injured and hasn't played well of late.

Flyers-Penguins Preview: Will the Flyers Win?

Tonight is another Battle of Pennsylvania, as the Flyers and the Penguins clash together in Pittsburgh.

There have been two offenses about these teams this season: The Penguins can score but the Flyers can't. Except for the last two games.

The Penguins' offense has seemed to have its tires blown out, as they have been held to one goal in each of the last two games while the Flyers have scored nine over that period.

The Flyers seem to have responded to owner Ed Snider calling the team's offensive effort "pathetic." They've already had a coaching change in Craig Berube and the next thing that usually happens is the players will be moving. So the Flyers made sure to respond so that none of their butts don't get canned.

Claude Giroux has finally scored some goals and is back to his usual ways of being a threat on the ice. He was robbed last night in a big effort in Ottawa and prevented him from getting goals in back-to-back games.

The Flyers are finally getting healthy. Vincent Lecavalier and Steve Downie were injured in the 7-0 loss to the Capitals some weeks ago. Lecavalier missed one game, but Downie missed five and returned on Tuesday. The Flyers' offense is coming back, as all three lines are now capable of scoring.

The Penguins, meanwhile, have problems of their own. Evgeni Malkin has no goals in the past 10, although he does have assists in the past four. At this rate, he could have 15 goals by the end of the season. However, his line mate, James Neal, has been injured for all but the last game. Sidney Crosby has no points in his last two games and no goals in the last seven. Alarming trend for the Penguins, who rely on Crosby and Malkin, to provide the scoring sheet.

The power play for the Penguins is 0-for-9 from the past three games. And the penalty kill for the Flyers is 16 of 17 situations. Bad news for the Penguins there.At least they've killed off their last 17.

I'm not sure that the Penguins can solve their offensive problems tonight. Philadelphia is coming in, off a big win in Ottawa, and they'll be hungry to take advantage of the Penguins' poor offensive play. In that case, I believe the Flyers will win this game because the Penguins won't have enough time to solve their offensive problems before Claude Giroux and the rest of the Flyers put the goals in net.

Sabres Fire GM and Coach

The Buffalo Sabres have the worst record in the league at 4-15-1, and today they announced their intentions of rebuilding by overhauling their hockey department. That includes hiring Pat LaFontaine and Ted Nolan and firing coach Ron Rolston and GM Darcy Regier.

LaFontaine will be the new president of hockey operations and Nolan will be the interim coach for now.

LaFontaine said of Nolan, "There's no one that can bring a group of players together than Ted Nolan."

Nolan was the NHL coach of the year in 1996-97 when his team was considered "the hardest working team in hockey."

This comes on the heels of Tuesday's 3-2 shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings. Nolan, however, hasn't been in the NHL since a two-year stint with the New York Islanders from 2006 to 2008.

Honestly, everybody in the NHL knew this was coming at one point. I just didn't think it would be this early. The problem that the Sabres have is that they believe they can rebuild within this NHL year and be an elite team in time for the playoffs. I don't think so. This rebuilding process, especially one like the Sabres, is expected to take a few years. Their offense is having problems and the defense hasn't been helping enough to give Ryan Miller and Jhonas Enroth some breathing room. They've had to do all the work themselves and as a result, have been getting scored upon more than they're used to. Right now, I think Ted Nolan can help turn this team around but it's not going to turn around all the way. Again, they need time and they're not expected to be an elite team this year. The Sabres have problems and it'll take years before the problems are subsided and they're elite again.

Will the Lightning Survive without Stamkos?

A very painful day for Lightning fans. Not only did they lose to the Bruins 3-0, but their star Steven Stamkos might also be out long-term.

Stamkos suffered a broken leg in the Monday afternoon Lightning-Bruins game after crashing into the post. He is scheduled to have surgery for the broken right tibia and is out indefinitely. Stamkos is tied for the league's lead in scoring with Sidney Crosby of the Penguins and was to be a key player for Team Canada at the Sochi Olympics this coming February.

Stamkos backchecked on a play late in the second period and got tied up with Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton. They both went into the net hard, but it was Stamkos' left skate that hit the post and his right leg crashed into it in the shin area. He went down to the ice in pain and grabbed his leg above the ankle.

A stretcher was brought out and Stamkos was taken off to applause. He had both hands on his face in apparent pain as well as pain that he won't be able to skate for the Lightning indefinitely.

Coach Jon Cooper said, "It's obviously tough to see him go down, not only for our team - he's one of the best players in the world."

I'm not going to argue with that. He is one of the best players in the world. But since he is the leading goal scorer and very important to this Lightning team, it's going to be hard for them to deal without Stamkos for an extended period of time. I think they'll survive but they're not going to stay in first place in the Eastern Conference and that's because of how well the Bruins and Penguins are playing. This is a tough loss that the Lightning will have to contend with, but right now, I think Martin St. Louis and Ryan Malone can keep this team's spirits up and be able to help them win games. It's tough to lose a highly skilled player like Stamkos but the Lightning will have to deal with his absence for games to come.

A Look at Up-and-Coming Free Agents

I guess it's never too early to talk about the next free agent class, even if we're in the middle of November and there's plenty of hockey left for these guys to play for their respective teams. But while that might be happening, you may recall that Henrik and Daniel Sedin were given contracts by the Vancouver Canucks, effectively taking them out of the free agent market. So while they enjoy the life in Vancouver for years to come, let's take a look at some other upcoming free agents who might or might not resign with their respective teams.

1. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers)
If Lundqvist tested the market, there would be a war over who would have them. But at the same time, if Lundqvist were to leave, the Rangers would be in a swamp. He's by far their most effective player and their most important one as well. I can't imagine a scenario where the Rangers wouldn't offer him a contract to stay long-term. He's as important to this franchise as Sidney Crosby is to the Penguins. So with that said, it's most likely he'll stay with the Rangers on a long-term deal.

2. Winger Thomas Vanek (New York Islanders)
The Islanders got him in attempt to boost their offense, so it's no surprise they'll try to re-sign him. But Vanek might want to test the market. He has a year-round house in Minnesota and former teammate Jason Pominville is playing with the Wild. There's a chance of a reunion if Vanek decides to leave the Islanders and test the market. If he does, the Wild probably will be the first to pick him up. They seem to want all the former Sabres.

3. Defenseman Dion Phaneuf (Toronto Maple Leafs)
He's one of those guys who's been both loved and hated by Maple Leafs fans. So far, he's had a good season but he hasn't been a star for them as of late. However, his defensive production is one of the reasons why the Maple Leafs have been winning games. He's a plus-10 with seven points in 15 games. That's also a big plus. So look for Phaneuf to stay with the Maple Leafs for the coming future.

4. Goalie Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres)
He's not going to stay in Buffalo, no matter what. They're in a rebuild and he doesn't want to be a part of it. He's played well and some team will take a chance on him, like Edmonton or Florida, so look for Miller to be traded come this trade deadline and test the market this coming summer.

5. Winger Ryan Callahan (New York Rangers)
If they're going to re-sign Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers will also have to make a deal with Callahan. They seem to come as a package, even though they're not. He offers goal and leadership, two things essential to this team right now. He is the captain and it doesn't seem like he would leave before they make a strong run to the Stanley Cup. Plus, he seems like a Ranger for life.

6. Left winger Mike Cammalleri (Calgary Flames)
This is my last essential free agent. Injuries have been a big problem to Cammalleri's production in recent years. He has, however, scored 28 goals in the last 79 games he has played. The Flames are still rebuilding and I don't think Cammalleri is a part of that plan. He could be a fit for a team looking for some offense. My guess is he'll either be traded or test the market over the summer.

Those are your up-and-coming free agents. There are more, like Marian Gaborik and other players like that, but these are the biggest names in the summer. Enjoy your Sunday hockey, puck heads!

NHL Saturday Preview

It's another Saturday in the world of the NHL. Plenty of games going on today and plenty of small things to talk about. Here's a couple headlines from tonight's schedule:

Fresh Start for the Panthers
Peter Horachek is expected to make his coaching debut after the Panthers fired Kevin Dineen. The Panthers, however, do have their problems beyond the coaching, such as goaltending and a bad offense. A coaching change tends to bring a temporary surge because players tend to audition for playing time when a new coach is behind the bench. GM Dale Tallon could be getting the boot if the coaching change doesn't bring immediate results. The Panthers play in Ottawa tonight and it'll be hard to win there for the Panthers. The Senators have been good as of late.

Crosby vs. Steen
Alex Steen leads the NHL in goals, while Crosby leads the league in points. Oh, and Steen has a goal and 10 assists in 14 games against the Penguins.

The Game No One Cares About
This game is already going on, but it's a battle of two bad teams: The Edmonton Oilers and the Philadelphia Flyers. If Ilya Bryzgalov were playing, this would be a fantastic game. However, he's not and it's just a battle of two bad teams. The Flyers might be motivated after owner Ed Snider, called the team "pathetic." Meanwhile, the Oilers have a league's worst 3.82 goals-against average. If Bryzgalov isn't playing, I don't expect that number to change anytime soon.

Filppula Returns to Detroit
Sort of a homecoming for Valtteri Filppula. He signed with the Lightning during the offseason and tonight he makes his return to the Motor City. Problem is, Stephen Weiss, the guy who replaced him, got hurt. So maybe a homecoming but not against the guy that replaced him.

Those are the juicy headlines for this Saturday hockey. Good luck to your teams if you're playing today. And have a happy Saturday!

Can Ilya Bryzgalov Help the Oilers?

A goaltender is back in the NHL, joining the team that's going to play the team that bought him out a couple seasons ago.

The Edmonton Oilers announced Friday night on Twitter that the team has reached an agreement on a one-year deal with Ilya Bryzgalov. The Oilers are playing his old team, the Philadelphia Flyers, on Saturday afternoon.

Bryzgalov was bought out by the Flyers on a compliant buyout that took the remainder of his nine-year, $51 million contract off the Flyers' cap hit.

Bryzgalov now joins a team that has the league's worst goals-against average at 3.82. His career goals-against average is 2.55. Last season with the Flyers it was 2.79. This signing comes off a trade that the Oilers had made with the Calgary Flames, sending minor league goaltender Olivier Roy and defenseman Ladislav Smid to the flames in exchange for two prospects. Apparently, the Oilers are now becoming the Sabres, in terms of rebuilding for the future.

But what Bryzgalov does bring to the Oilers is goaltending, which they were certainly lacking. Bryzgalov's been out of the game for a while, so I'm not sure if he's going to be dominant that early on for the Oilers. But he definitely brings some help to this team, because their goaltending is so horrible and they're at the bottom of the Western Conference and struggling to get by. And because of the trade with the Flames, they believe they don't want Olivier Roy and Ladislav Smid anymore. I'm a little shocked that Smid got traded, considering that he signed a four-year deal over the summer to stay with the Oilers. I guess things change in a hurry.

Look for Bryzgalov to help this team. He might not be effective early, but once time progresses and he's able to get his bearings, he might just be what the doctor ordered for this Oilers team.

How Many Games for Jesse Winchester?

I said the Florida Panthers had problems beyond the coaching staff. Well, it looks like they might be without forward Jesse Winchester for a couple of games.

The Department of Player Safety has announced that they will hold a hearing with Winchester over his elbow hit against the Boston Bruins' Chris Kelly. The incident occurred at 4:57 of the first period in the Bruins zone. Winchester's skates were off the ice when his elbow connected with Kelly's jaw.

No penalty was called, but Gregory Campbell of the Bruins fought Winchester in the next shift. Kelly went to the dressing room but was able to return to the game. Winchester scored the only goal in the Panthers' 4-1 loss to the Bruins.

The league said the hearing will take place by phone, so that means five games or fewer. It was directed towards the head, so you have to sit for a few games when you do that. And I expected it to be by phone. This wasn't a serious hit and Kelly was able to return to the ice, so I would expect for Winchester to be suspended for at least two to three games. But missing him for a few games puts a lot of pressure on the Panthers, because they have virtually nothing on offense and defense to help this team. Losing Winchester basically writes them off for a few games.

Where Do The Panthers Go From Here?

The Florida Panthers are in a seven-game losing streak. And Friday morning, GM Dale Tallon decided to make a change by firing coach Kevin Dineen and assistants Gord Murphy and Craig Ramsay.

The Panthers are 3-9-4 so far on this season and some people, especially those in Miami, could probably see this coming. Peter Horachek, the head coach of San Antonio of the American Hockey League will be the interim coach and former Panthers Brian Skrudland and John Madden will be the assistant coaches. Horachek is free to add another assistant to his staff.

However, Dale Tallon believes that the coaching staff is not entirely to blame for the poor start.

"Our better players have to start playing better or we will get better players," he said.

He said he had been considering a coaching change for a while and after the 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, he thinks that was "one of many" final straws. The Panthers had won the 2011-12 Southeast Division title under Dineen but were last in the league in the 2012-13 lockout-shortened season.

Unfortunately, for the Panthers, their problems exist beyond the coaches. Their goal scoring production has not been as great. Their leader is Brad Boyes, who has only five and that's not good news for this team. And the goaltending has been shoddy. They have allowed the second-most goals this year. Tim Thomas was brought in to be the No. 1, but with a year off, not entirely easy to get back onto the ice and excel, especially at age 39, which he is. Jacob Markstrom, their backup, has been exposed because of the poor defense that they portray. And speaking of poor defense, Brian Campbell and Tom Gilbert are the only defenseman with plus ratings. They lack a crease-clearing and stay-at-home type of defenseman. The return of Captain Ed Jovanovski might help, but with the Panthers' problems right now, I'm not sure how much of an upgrade he'll be. Good news for the Panthers: At least their young stars are progressing. Jonathan Huberdeau, the 2012-13 rookie of the year, has eight points this season and that's a good start.

Right now, these Panthers look deflated. They can't score and they can't play defense and it's making it hard on their goaltenders to stay in the game. The coach might be gone, but there are problems with this team that exist beyond the coaching staff. They're gonna have to figure this out quick or they're gonna to be in the cellar of the Eastern Conference for perhaps the entire season.

Blue Jackets Continue to Lose

Every year and every day of time, it seems the Columbus Blue Jackets are always the team that underachieves, underproduces, and flattens out against the teams that they are expected to beat. And while, tonight, the New York Rangers were on a tear, they should've expected to play a better game than what they did.

Thanks to Carl Hagelin and goaltender Cam Talbot, the Rangers are still on a tear, and the Blue Jackets are looking like a team that's repeating its own history and look like they've reached a tipping point.

The Rangers won 4-2 over the Jackets on Thursday night in Columbus. Hagelin scored two goals, one of them being from an opposing player. And Cam Talbot looked mighty fine in net with a 32 save effort.

The Blue Jackets have now lost five in a row and forward Brandon Dubinsky and head coach Todd Richards seem like they have had enough.

"There's really nothing left to say," said Dubinsky, "It's flat-out embarrassing for us, our fans, for the organization. Thank God for (Bobrovsky). It could have been 10-1 before we had an opportunity to come for the third period."

That quote is just a wow moment because these Blue Jackets certainly don't look like a team that's willing to contribute to anything. Last season, they closed on a 19-5-5 tear, which was the second-best record down the stretch of the entire NHL. But now they are 5-10-0 on the season and are close to the basement of the Eastern Conference in their first year since moving from the West with the Detroit Red Wings.

I don't think the Rangers deserved this win. I know they're probably celebrating right now, but everything tonight was on the Blue Jackets. The Rangers didn't really put together a solid effort tonight in my mind. That was all thanks to the bad efforts given by the Blue Jackets, especially that one bad goal scored on Brobovsky by his own player. This shows everything that the Blue Jackets. They stumble early, seem to get back up, and then stumble again. This defense looks horrific and the offense is certainly not picking up its game. I'm sure the people in Columbus are restless on the fact that this team does not produce day-in and day-out. I feel sorry for their fans. They should've put together a better effort, especially tonight against the Rangers. Right now, I don't know what else to say about this team. All that I know is they either need to pick up their game and start producing on offense and defense and give Bobrovsky some help (he's their lone bright-spot), or get somebody that can help this team up. Because right now, they don't look good and their production on the ice shows it.

Will Teams Take a Chance on Jordin Tootoo?

The Detroit Red Wings found that their little-used forward Jordin Tootoo was no longer of importance to them. Less than 24 hours ago, they put him on waivers.

GM Ken Holland said Tootoo will be assigned to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids, Michigan, if he is not claimed by another NHL team by Thursday's noon deadline. That would free up $925, 000 in cap space for the Red Wings.

Unfortunately, the Red Wings believe that Tootoo did not fit into the system the Wings were having and have been trying to trade him but haven't been able to get as much as a draft pick in return.

He was signed in 2012 to add grit to the Wings team, but never fit into the system. He played 42 games last season and only contributed eight points. For the Wings, that didn't seem to be enough.

When the playoffs came, Tootoo only played once and sat otherwise as a healthy scratch. He currently has no points and is a minus-4 in the eight appearances he has played this season.

Jordin Tootoo is one of those players who is more of an agitator and tends to get into fights rather than contribute to goal production and assists. The fact of the matter is, the game is no longer about fighting. You have to contribute somewhat to goal scoring and assisting. That's what John Scott is having trouble with with the Buffalo Sabres. The NHL does not need as many penalty minutes as Tootoo might be getting right now. You have to produce and not with penalty minutes and such like that. To stay in the lineup, you have to score goals and you have to provide assists. Tootoo's going to have to learn that in Grand Rapids. The game has changed so much that people are fighting less and producing more for their team. Hopefully, if a team does take a chance in the NHL, he'll learn that he's only being picked up for grit and goal scoring and not for the penalty minutes.

Should Tyutin Blast American Laws?

Let's get back into the Semyon Varlamov incident, where he allegedly threw his girlfriend against a wall and stomped her in a drunken rampage. I don't like saying that, but I don't have better words for it at this moment.

There's a report out of the Calgary Sun that fellow Russian and NHL player Fedor Tyutin is sticking by the goaltender's side and is blasting American laws that he says favors women. He told R-sport, a Russian outlet, "It's just American laws are on the women's side, that's why they can go to the police for any little thing, complain, and bring a lot of problems to men."

Varlamov was arrested on second-degree kidnapping and third-degree assault charges stemming from the alleged incident. The victim was hospitalized for her injuries. The lawyer for the victim believes that Varlamov was excessively drunk the night of the incident. Varlamov posted bond and was released. He played in the Friday night 3-2 overtime win over the Dallas Stars in Dallas, in a game which I believe he shouldn't have played.

Look, I've been getting a lot of feedback from people saying that he should just play, regardless of the law and what he had recently been through. But I'm not with these people and I'm not sure anybody who's been a victim like this sometime in their lives should better. And I don't agree with Fedor Tyutin's belief that our laws favor women. Our laws do not favor women. Our laws favor both sides and are there to protect the people from harm or injustice. They help to put away the bad people who've done harm to the particular people. It's the same for men as it is for women. The problem is Fedor Tyutin has not understood how the American justice system works. In it, everybody is innocent until proven guilty. But, in my case, the physical evidence on the woman might all that be needed. It doesn't matter whether it's male or female. If there's any evidence of brutality, there's gonna be charges filed. You cannot hit anybody, whether male or female. Everybody learns this when they are young and somehow we have it when we are older because we can't figure out how to walk away from situations when they get intense. Varlamov didn't walk away from a bad situation. He, instead, just made it worse and that's why I believe he shouldn't have played. He should face justice before deciding to step back onto the ice. Any team should not be having this in their locker room. It should be like players who are called for a hearing on hits. They are suspended until further notice. That's what Varlamov should've gotten and I'm surprised he played in the game. I'm sorry, but it's the truth for any sport. You can't engage in acts that will possibly have consequences to it. Hitting a women is one of them and Varlamov didn't learn that. So now he'll face the law and we'll see what will happen to him.

Fedor Tyutin, you need to stay out of how American law works. Our laws do not favor women. Our laws protect everybody, even the men, from harm. That's how we're able to stay a safe country a high percentage of the time. And here's the biggest thing that you should learn and I said it before: Everybody is innocent until proven guilty. There will be people, like me, who don't like what he did and say that he shouldn't be playing, but that's how law works. So stay out of it and just keep playing hockey.

Is Seguin Winning It With the Stars?

Boston is probably regretting sending their star 2010 first-round pick Tyler Seguin to the Dallas Stars. He is already off to a monstrous start with the team.

Seguin returns to Boston tonight for the first time since being traded in the summer. And after the first month of the season, Tyler Seguin has clearly proven him to be the best thing the Stars got this reason. Here's a couple of reasons:

Fast Start
It's always good to be off to a fast start, especially for a star player like Seguin. He has 15 points in 14 games and leads Stars forwards in average ice time with 18:45, up from 17:00 last season with the Bruins. He has four multi-point games, compared to the six that he got all of last season. Also, it's a big turnaround for him. He started slow last season and only had one goal during Boston's playoff run. Good for him. If the Stars want to get back into the playoffs, they need his fast start and his production to be able to stay in it.

No controversies
He has no Twitter account. Well, that's good for a player who tends to go on the offensive every time he thinks his reputation is being harmed by others. Gotta have fixed skin to be on Twitter, like Johnny Manziel.

Rich Peverley
He plays center, he's versatile, and he came with Seguin in the trade. He plays on his line and has a checking role that's crucial to how this Stars offense plays. He also kills penalties and already has won 58% of his face-offs.

More options for Lindy Ruff
More flexibility was given to him. Jamie Benn is not back at his position of wing, where he's always been better at than at center. Seguin will probably have to work on his face-offs though. He's only won 37% of them so far. Not good, especially when Kari Lehtonen has problems in net sometimes.

Impact of Loui Eriksson
A former Star, but all might remember him recently from suffering a concussion from a hit by the Sabres' John Scott. He had three points in eight games before going out with that concussion. Even with Reilly Smith, Seguin still outscores them 15-10 and Peverley has seven points so far for the Stars. That's a big contribution and the Bruins got the bad deal by picking up players that couldn't produce for the Stars and are not producing now.

Either way, the Stars look to be the favorites to win this game. Tyler Seguin has fit in beautifully with this role and the Stars are glad to have this guy on their team. Look for them to be a threat. They can score and produce. That's something teams will have to look out for when they're playing them. Anyway, in my opinion, the Stars won the trade and they're winning big on the ice because of it.

Arnott Announces Retirement

Jason Arnott was the man behind the New Jersey Devils' second Stanley Cup title. Now the man has officially announced his retirement from the NHL on Tuesday.

Arnott has not been in the league since the 2011-12 season, when he was with the St. Louis Blues. He signed with the Rangers last season but didn't pass the physical and ended up on the outs.

His totals for his career: 417 goals, 521 assists, 938 points and 1,242 penalty minutes over a period of 1,244 career regular-season games. He played with the Oilers, Devils, Stars, Predators, Capitals, and Blues during his career. He was the Predators captain from 2007 to 2010 and rejoined the Devils in an offseason trade after the 2009-10 season.

I don't know much on Jason Arnott, except that he has had a miraculous career and he'll walk away with a Stanley Cup ring on his finger. Congratulations to Arnott on such a career and I hope you have a happy retirement and wherever you end up, whether's it in the NHL front office or with a team in any capacity, I hope you're happy with what you've accomplished and what you'll do in the future.

Why Are The Ducks Good on the Road?

The Anaheim Ducks have become somewhat of a powerhouse when on the road, and tonight, they can move atop the Pacific Division with a win at the New York Rangers.

NHL teams generally learn about themselves while at home and then prove themselves on the road. The Ducks have established that with a gritty showing on an eight-game road trip that ends tonight at Madison Square Garden.

They've lost the first two games of the trip but pulled themselves together and went 4-0-1 in the next five. If they can beat a somehow-hot Rangers team tonight, they will have earned 11 out of a potential 16 points on this trip.

10% of the Ducks' season was on this trip. They've grinded out three one-goal victories. The Rangers understand that, having gone 3-6 on a nine-game road trip to start their season and people had them written out until they won a couple games against the Islanders, Sabres, and Hurricanes.

One more point for the Ducks means they will move ahead of the Sharks in the most competitive division in the NHL. So here's some reasons why the Ducks are flirting with first place in their division.

Stars

Yes, that's right. Stars. Stars were being stars. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry delivered offensively. They've combined for 13 points over the past five games.

Only one small trade, but a big deal

The Ducks acquired Mathieu Perreault from the Washington Capitals and it has definitely paid off on the scoreboard and offensively. He has 13 points in 14 games, helping the offense that lost Beleskey, Jakob Silfverberg, Saku Koivu, and Teemu Selanne to injuries.

Rookies
Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen have stepped in for Sheldon Souray and Luca Sbisa and gotten the job done. Lindholm is a plus-11 averaging 19:25 a game. Vatanen is plus-3 playing 18 minutes a game.

Secondary scoring
A solid collection of players including Nick Bonino, Emerson Etem, Andrew Cogliano, and Kyle Palmieri have helped chip in goals for this team.

Bruce Boudreau
His ability to hold a team together despite what happens around him is a big plus for a guy who's used to holding one together.

The Ducks are playing well and they show it offensively. Tonight, they take on a team that has played well of late, the New York Rangers. Can they steal two points away from Madison Square Garden? We'll find out!

Will Kaleta Change His Play?

Patrick Kaleta was eligible to return from his 10-game suspension on Saturday, but the Buffalo Sabres had other ideas on mind.

The Sabres have put Kaleta on waivers. According to GM Darcy Regier, he states that "This was a move we thought was necessary to help Pat change his game and preserve his career in this league."

Kaleta did express a desire to change his playing style, a speech once told by Matt Cooke and ultimately worked. He was also suspended back in March of last season for a hit on Brad Richards of the New York Rangers from behind.

If no other teams claims Kaleta, he will report to Buffalo's American Hockey League affiliate in Rochester, New York.

Ultimately, this was the right move for the Sabres, who are having trouble on the ice with their team, as well as dealing with player suspensions, like his and most recently, John Scott. I wasn't surprised they sent him down, but I thought John Scott would be the one the Sabres would place on waivers. Ultimately, that didn't happen...yet. I would think Kaleta would change his style of play because he is becoming too aggressive and hitting too many people in places where it affects careers the most. Sending him down to the AHL ultimately helps him rebuild his image and get back into good graces with the league. I believe he'll remain a Sabre because the organization wants him but also wants him to change his behavior. Right now, it's a move worth taking. And hopefully Patrick Kaleta's time in the AHL will help him bring his image back up to the point where it's considered "respectable and acceptable" by the league.