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.

Should the Canucks Really Have Signed the Sedin Twins?

Looks like the Sedin twins are not moving from Vancouver anytime soon.

The Vancouver Canucks signed the twins to matching four-year contract extensions. They are signed for $28 million. Their contracts expire in 2017-18.

This season, Henrik has three goals and fifteen assists, while brother Daniel has six goals and nine assists.

It clearly wasn't surprising that the twins wanted to stay in Vancouver where they have spent their entire career so far. But they were many, among myself, that expected the twins to explore free agency in June and perhaps move somewhere else. But they're being signed weakens the free agent class for next summer. Plus, Henrik Sedin is the captain of this team and you would expect he might want to keep that C on his chest.

Look, the Canucks had some bad playoff performances the last two seasons, last playoffs in particular, because the Sedin twins did not produce enough to keep with the high-powered Sharks and their power play. They managed to get their goaltender situation out this summer but most of the money the Canucks have has been tied up among these two. The Canucks barely have a farm system and so far, even if they are 3rd in the West, they look like a team on the down spiral. I'm surprised they are 3rd. I thought they would slip between Los Angeles and Phoenix and possibly miss the playoffs. But right now, they're looking good. But I don't know for the future. The future has to be in their rookies and right now, they don't have anything. I don't see a good future for the Canucks. But right now, looks like the Sedin twins are here for the long run.

7 Games Enough for John Scott?

John Scott is no stranger to seeing limited time on the ice. And he'll do so lighter in the wallet after learning of his fate Thursday night.

The NHL has suspended him 7 games for his hit to the head of the Bruins' Loui Eriksson on Oct. 23. The Department of Player Safety announced the suspension after an in-person hearing with Scott. He missed the past three games on the indefinite suspension while the league decided his penalty.

Eriksson has missed the last three games for the Bruins and there is no timetable for his return.

Many, including myself, had expected Scott's suspension to be higher. He was involved in a preseason scuffle with Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel. But disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan states that Scott has no suspension history.

This isn't the first Sabre to be suspended this year. Forward Patrick Kaleta, who is a repeat offender, was banned 10 games Oct. 15 for his heat hit on the Blue Jackets' defenseman Jack Johnson.

I think that the suspension fits the crime. John Scott is a goon and is a prick. Although he should be out of the league, he doesn't look to be on the way out. But he definitely needs to step up his offensive output if the Sabres are going to be able to stay in the game. His one goal and many penalty minutes is something that the NHL does not need anymore. He needs to serve out his suspension, come back, and produce. He should be focusing on his offense and less on trying to pick fights. Wait until you need a spark to help the offense and then you can fight. Until then, focus on being an NHL player and less on being a goon.