Looking To The Weekend

Super Bowl weekend is upon us and that means it's gonna be the time to bring out the tailgate. Potato chips, burgers, pizzas, you name it. Here in the Bay Area, everyone's excited and ready for the big game between the Broncos and Panthers. But before we get to Super Bowl Sunday, we still have a busy Saturday to look at. Yes, yes, I know, it's already Saturday, but I wasn't able to get to the news and notes last night, so I'll have to do it today. Hope you're ready to see what's ahead.

Let's take a look first at the dreadful Montreal Canadiens. Yes, they've been this bad. In order to have a chance to make it into the playoffs, they will have to go 18-9-4 in their final 31 games, which seems like a longshot, considering how they've been playing of late. Their goalie Carey Price is still out with injury and every day he's out, the Canadiens are still going towards rock bottom. 11 games remain on their February schedule, including six that sit outside the playoff picture and they also host Carolina and Philadelphia, the two teams that stand between them and the final Wild Card spot. Canadiens are going to have to get on a roll if they expect to beat those odds.

Next up is Toronto defenseman Roman Polak. The Maple Leafs are another team that's been dreadful and now they are looking to move him. He brings a lot of potential and as a pending UFA, he brings the perfect rental to any team looking for a short-term spark. He can handle a heavy workload and a quick right-handed shooter. Teams like Washington, Dallas, San Jose, and Los Angeles could be interested in this guy. He's one that can help a team in need and teams like Dallas and San Jose could certainly use him to help on defense.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are yet another team that's still trying to find their strengths. Good news is that they Joonas Korpisalo, a Finnish goalie who's playing well for them so far. He helped Columbus score a shootout win over Vancouver on Thursday night, and is 5-1-1 in his past seven starts and has allowed two or fewer goals in all but one game. If the Blue Jackets need some stability, there's sure to find it here, considering that Sergei Bobrovsky is still out until March and could be on the way out of Columbus if Korpisalo does so well. Then again, he might become the backup goaltender, but we'll see what happens.

When we first got the news that Cam Talbot was going to the Edmonton Oilers, we thought it was a risky move for the Oilers. He has only proved himself as a backup with the New York Rangers and got off to a real shaky start to start this season, but has rediscovered his form lately and has become one of the league's consistent stoppers. Talbot ranks third in save percentage with .937 since December 1, so look for him to continue being strong for his team. I don't think it'll help the Oilers get into the playoffs, but if the Oilers are looking for something to jumpstart their future in a new arena, Cam Talbot might just be the one.

It's bound to be one crazy weekend, puck heads. Today is Hockey Day and several teams are already in action. I won't bug you anymore. Get back to those TV sets and watch some NHL!!