Tuesday Rewind: DGB’s Suspension Chart

There’s not a whole lot happening in the NHL right now. That massive Kovalchuk contract was bounced by the league. We could talk about that for a bit, but chances are he’ll just resign with New Jersey all over again. Boring. We could speculate about where Antti Niemi will go, (Washington is my guess), but your guess is as good as mine.

Instead, let’s bask in the hilarity that Down Goes Brown constantly brings to the NHL blogging scene:

{DGB}

If you don’t read DGB on a consistent basis, you’re seriously missing out. You should definitely check out his take on the whole Kovalchuk mess as well. We’ve discussed the merits of the suspensions (and non-suspensions) handed out by the NHL in the past, and at times, it really does seem as random and senseless as this flowchart. We saw the ridiculous over-reaction from the league over Sean Avery’s comments, and we’ve seen the league turn a blind eye to violent and suspension-worthy hits.

Still good to know that ‘The View’ plays a big part in the disciplinary actions of the NHL.

Kovalchuk Becomes an UFA All Over Again

The results of the Kovalchuk’s arbitration hearing were released just a few minutes ago, and the arbiter has ruled in favor of the NHL, voiding Ilya Kovalchuk’s contract with the New Jersey Devils.

“Richard Bloch, the arbitrator, ruled today that Kovalchuk’s 17-year, $102 million contract with the New Jersey Devils should be voided, so the 27-year old sniper will once again be on the free agent market. Bloch denied the NHL Players’ Association’s grievance on Kovalchuk’s behalf, ruling that the league was within its legal rights to reject the contract.

Bloch heard arguments from both the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association, over two days in Boston last week. His decision came late Monday afternoon.

Upon hearing of Bloch’s ruling that the league properly rejected the Kovalchuk contract, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly released the following statement:

“We want to thank Arbitrator Bloch for his prompt resolution of a complex issue. His ruling is consistent with the League’s view of the manner in which the Collective Bargaining Agreement should deal with contracts that circumvent the Salary Cap.”

The NHL rejected the record contract on July 21, on grounds that it circumvented the league’s salary cap,and from there it went to the arbitrator. The rejection was likely due to the way the deal is structured. Kovalchuk was due to earn $6 million in each of the next two seasons, $11.5 million from 2012-17 and $10.5 million the following year. The salary was scheduled to fall off after that until he made $550,000 annually in the final five years of the deal. He would have been 44 years old when the contract concluded in 2027.

The Devils can choose to re-work the contract in hopes of getting it approved, or Kovalchuk could look elsewhere. Kovalchuk registered 41 goals and 44 assists in 76 games split between Atlanta and New Jersey last season. {TSN.com}

So Kovalchuk is free to sign with another team, but is there really any other option for him? The only other option for Kovy a few weeks ago was LA, but they killed some of their cap space by signing Alex Ponikarovsky. Aside from one or two year deals from other teams, it doesn’t seem like Kovalchuk has a whole lot of options – I think it’s much more likely that Kovalchuk and the Devils rework this deal and make it work.

Who Will Win the Cup Next – Washington or Pittsburgh?

The powerhouses in the Eastern Conference drastically underperformed in the playoffs last year, as the top three seeds (Capitals, Devils and Sabres) were all bounced in the first round, while the Penguins only managed to defeat the Senators before losing a seven-game series to Montreal. Both the Penguins and Capitals had their own troubles during the playoffs, but which team will win the Cup first?

The Capitals had a dominant regular season – winning the President’s Trophy for the NHL’s best record, the Caps outgunned their opponents with their offensive attack. Washington notched a league best 313 goals for, while Alex Ovechkin finished with 109 of those points, placing him third overall in the NHL. The Capitals, although offensively potent, were unable to gain any stability in net during the playoffs, switching between veteran goaltender Jose Theodore and Semyon Varlamov. Offensive-defenseman Mike Green was non-existent during the postseason, recording only three assists over the seven games against the Canadians. While the Capitals posses a wealth of goal scoring threats, question marks still surround their goaltending and blueline, and if Ted Leonsis wants to start planning a Cup parade in DC, they’ll have to start filling the gaps soon. Yes, the Capitals can score, but special teams and goaltending win championships.

The Penguins, on the other hand, have had a great deal of success in the playoffs. Winning the East in both the 2008 and 2009 seasons, the Penguins core (Malkin, Crosby, Staal, Orpik, Fleury) are hardened playoff veterans, playing in 56 total postseason games over the last three years. In their second-round loss to the surging Montreal Canadians last year, the Penguins looked a bit tired and weary, and those back-to-back runs to the Final seemed to take their toll. Much like the Blackhawks, the front office in Pittsburgh was determined to keep their key players locked down to long contracts, and the heart of this team seems to be staying put.

I think the Capitals could get to the promised land before the Penguins can add another banner to their rafters if the add some depth on defense and a solid and consistent #1 goaltender in net, but to me, the Penguins have the edge in this debate. Not only do they have the high scoring threats in Crosby and Malkin, as well as a legitimate starting goaltender in Marc-Andre Fleury, but their cornerstone players are still young, and signed to longer contracts.

Heritage Classic Jerseys Released

The Winter Classic isn’t the only outdoor NHL game being held next season, as the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadians will face off in McMahon Stadium for the Heritage Classic.

“The Flames will pay tribute to their heritage by wearing a special jersey that was designed with the help of Reebok to give it a vintage look. The Canadiens will wear their traditional white road jerseys, but modifications to the player numbers will reflect the color combinations worn on their white jerseys throughout their history — specifically how the numbers appeared during both the 1986 and 1989 Stanley Cup Finals against the Flames.

The 2003 Heritage Classic featured the Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers and was played in front of 57,167 fans at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. The game was contested in sub-zero temperatures and is probably best remembered for the images of Canadiens goaltender Jose Theodore donning a toque over his mask than for Montreal’s 4-3 victory. The temperature at the game — which was played in late November, 171 miles north of McMahon Stadium — was minus-4 degrees Fahrenheit. Fans in Calgary should expect warmer weather in late February, when the average temperature in the area is between 22 and 30 degrees.

McMahon Stadium might not carry the same cachet as historic Wrigley Field and Fenway Park does with fans in the United States, but the 50-year-old building has had its share of historic moments. It was constructed over a 100-day period in 1960 and later expanded to its current capacity in 1988 to serve as the site of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Winter Olympics. The Grey Cup has been held at McMahon Stadium in 1975, 1993, 2000 and 2009.” {NHL.com}

The Flames, although not rolling with a traditionally precise replication of some of their older uniforms, are still paying homage to their history:

“The Calgary Flames unveiled the specially designed uniform they will don at the Heritage Classic. It pays tribute to the Calgary Tigers, the first major professional team in the city. It existed from 1920 to 1927 and was the first team in Calgary to compete for the Stanley Cup.” {Icethetics}

McMahon Stadium has a listed capacity of a little over 35,000, but when it hosted the CFL’s Grey Cup, the stadium held 46,020 fans, and the turnout should be just as good, if not better, for the Heritage Classic. Yeah, it’s not the Winter Classic (as all have been played in the US thus far), but it’s a decent consolation prize.

With Niemi Gone, Who’s the Best Goaltender in the Central?

In case you’ve missed the news, Niemi is no longer the starter in Chicago, as the Hawks have walked away from his $2.75 million dollar arbitration award, rending him an unrestricted free agent. Veteran keeper Marty Turco was brought in yesterday to fill the starter role in the Windy City, and amidst all of the reaction to the deal, a bigger question has surfaced – who’s got the edge in the Central Division between the pipes?

Granted, it’s a question that will be answered during the season, but the goaltending situation in the Central Division has changed considerably since last year, and this division is one of the most competitive in the NHL. In 2009, the Central Division sent four of its teams to the playoffs, accounting for half of all teams in the West. With the addition of Marty Turco and Jaroslav Halak to the Central, who’s the the best all-around keeper?

Chicago Blackhawks: Marty Turco – Corey Crawford – Christobal Huet

It’s pretty much common knowledge that Chicago will bury Huet’s troublesome contract in the AHL, so realistically, it’ll likely be a Turco-Crawford tandem. Yesterday, I came out against the Turco deal, saying that the Hawks had dealt away a promising player for a marginal financial gain. I’ll step back from the ledge a bit. If Turco gets as good a performance from Seabrook, Keith and Hjalmarsson that they got last year, Turco may not have to be all that great. Arguably, Dallas had a terrible defensive core in front of Turco, and he still recorded a respectable .913 SV% and 22 wins. The real question marks should be surrounding Corey Crawford rather than Turco, because Crawford will get a healthy amount of starts behind Marty, and he’s now becoming the future for the Hawks in net. If Crawford develops into a solid starter by 2012, Hawks fans everywhere will quickly forget about Niemi.

St. Louis Blues: Jaroslav Halak – Ty Conklin

Jettisoning painfully mediocre goaltender Chris Mason, the Blues made one of the first offseason splashes by acquiring Jaroslav Halak from the Canadians for a couple of prospects. During the postseason, Halak was remarkably suffocating in net, helping the Habs bounce both the Penguins and the Capitals before succumbing to the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Final. But will his performance translate into regular season success for the Blues?

His regular season record with the Canadians is encouraging enough (26W, 13L), and his save percentage during the season (.924) is nearly identical to the SV% he posted over 18 games in the postseason (.923). He gives the full appearance of a young goaltender who’s primed to become a franchise player – but he could turn into a bust just like any other young goaltender content with his raise after a stellar playoff performance. Blues fans have every right to be stoked about this addition, and by all accounts, the tandem of Ty Conklin and Halak should give St. Louis some much needed stability in net, but Jaro still has to prove he can be a winning goaltender all season long.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Steve Mason – Mathieu Garon

The Blue Jackets took a step backwards last season, missing the playoffs entirely in 2010, and unfortunately, rookie standout Steve Mason experienced the dreaded sophomore slump. His rookie year was Calder-trophy worthy, recording 33 wins, and 10 shutouts, but his performance really fell off the map in 2010. His goals against average rose to 3.06, allowing 163 goals against as the Blue Jackets quickly plummeted to the basement of the Western Conference.

If Steve Mason recovers his rookie-year form, he could legitimately top this list. During the 2009 season, he showed flashes of absolute brilliance, and if his disastrous sophomore stint is really an anomaly, Mason could catapult the Jackets back into playoff contention. Backup Mathieu Garon saw 35 starts last year, and won 12 of them (2 of those 12 being shutouts), and he’ll provide decent support from the bench, but all eyes are on Mason in Columbus.

Detroit Red Wings: Jimmy Howard – Chris Osgood

The Red Wings had a terrible first half of the season, but rebounded well enough to snag the fifth spot in the West, defeating the surging Coyotes in the first round before getting bounced in the conference semi-finals. Instead of relying on veteran goaltender Chris Osgood, the Wings let youngster Jimmy Howard take the reigns, and he didn’t disappoint. Notching 37 wins over 63 starts, Howard recorded a .924 SV% as well as a 2.26 GAA, leading the Wings to the postseason, despite having only played in 9 total NHL games before last year.

The Central Division is now loaded with a ton of young goaltenders with potential, and Howard might be among the most promising in the entire league. Sure, he’s had the benefit of defensive powerhouses like Nik Lidstrom and Pavel Datsuk, but after last season, Howard has proven his ability to win as a starter. Osgood will provide a 15-20 game cushion from the bench, provided Howard stays healthy, but the Wings have a solid tandem in net.

Nashville Predators: Pekka Rinne

After the Predators dealt backup Dan Ellis to Montreal (he would eventually sign with Tampa Bay), it left only Pekka Rinne to handle the goaltending duties in Nashville. Last season, Rinne posted 32 wins, 7 shutouts and .911 save percentage over 58 total starts. The Finnish goaltender helped the Predators reach the playoffs, and took two wins from the eventual Stanley Cup Champions in the first round before bowing out in six games.

Nashville’s defense is a little thin on first rate talent – Shea Weber and Ryan Suter could likely crack any teams top two pairings, but the depth really ends with them. The Predators were directly in the middle of the pack in goals against, and unlike the Wings or the Hawks, Rinne didn’t have the luxury of consistent defense in front of him. Couple that existing mediocrity with the departure of Dan Hamuis, and it seems like the biggest problem the Preds have is on the blueline. That being said, he’s still fairly young (28), and assuming he can stay healthy, still has five-ish years of productive hockey left, if not more.

Turco Signing in Chicago?

There’s been some speculation surrounding UFA Marty Turco, and some rumors about his possible destination have picked up steam – and with the goaltending issues surrounding the Blackhawks, it looks like Turco is very close to landing in Chicago.

“According to a report, the Chicago Blackhawks are ready to sign free-agent goaltender Marty Turco to one-year, $1.75 million dollar deal. This would spell the end of Antti Niemi, who won a $2.75 million dollar arbitration award last week, after leading the Hawks to a Stanley Cup title. Now the Hawks have until mid-day monday to either trade Niemi or walk away from his arbitration, making him a unrestricted free agent” {TSN.ca}

TSN is obviously a reputable news outlet, but I’m filing this as a rumor, seeing as how this ‘report’ doesn’t cite its source. We knew that the Niemi situation would have to come to a conclusion soon, seeing as how Chicago would have 48 hours to act upon the arbitration award. I’m not sure I understand the logic in letting him become a UFA – why not accept the award, and if the organization decides to move on, trade Niemi for picks at least, and sign a UFA keeper like Turco or Jose Thedore?

“Turco’s contract may already be signed and in Bowman’s desk drawer. An internet story out today indicates Turco has said he won’t be going to Philadelphia. His agent has recently commented his client will be on a contender. That doesn’t leave too many available options.

In some ways Turco appears to be on the down side of his career, although the Stars haven’t been a playoff quality team for the last couple of seasons. Turco will probably play for the Hawks at a deep discount. Possibly he could sign here for at least one million dollars less than Niemi’s $2.75 million award.” {Hockey Independent}

The Hawks are actually willing to walk away from Niemi for a one million dollar a year break on their payroll? That’s absolutely crazy. Niemi has serious upside and potential, and Turco might be a decent replacement – for next season. What else could you possibly get out of him? The fact that Chicago is only offering him a one-year deal really tells you all you need to know - they don’t even expect much out of him either.

This rumor could really all be total garbage – and for the sake of the Hawks organization, I hope it is. Sacrificing young talent for aging veterans is simply a poor plan for the future.

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