All hail the King Henrik Lundqvist reached a milestone in Sundays 1-0 win over the Boston Bruins, earning his 150th victory -- and 21st shutout -- as a Ranger. "It was a fun game," Lundqvist said. "This is what I was use...

GET WELL PAT! Reading about Pat Dapuzzos continuing efforts to come back from severe facial injuries suffered on Feb. 9, 2008 isnt pretty to be sure. "After 24 years, my career as an NHL linesman was over in an instant," Dap...

Remembering The Big Whistle Back in the day, I never saw Bill Chadwick officiate a game, but I sure did listen to him during his career as a television analyst on New York Rangers telecasts. "The Big Whistle" passed away Satur...

When the 2009-10 season began, there were expectations that one of the top rookies would call the Atlantic Division home. No one expected it would be Michael Del Zotto of the Rangers. Through eight games, Del Zotto leads all rookies in ...

So far, so good. Heading into Mondays game with the Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden, the New York Rangers were off to a very solid 4-1-0 record. Leading the way offensively with 4 goals and 3 assists was Marian Gaborik. Gabori...

"The height of the stick is not as important as the paddle, the paddle being the thicker part of the upper stick. You want it so that when you hold the stick just above the paddle, your stick is flat on the ice, because the paddles come i...

THE FIRST MASK Montreal Maroons goalie Clint Benedict briefly wore a mask in 1930, but coaches and opponents intimidated any would-be mask wearers in the intervening years. Coaches of that era believed the mask obscured a goalies vision, and...

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jay McKee is the definition of NHL-tough. A solid defensive defenseman, McKee currently leads the NHL in blocked shots with 36 through 11 games. He also plays a physical role beside young offensive defenseman...

"What a magical night, a true feel-good for everyone that gets involved. We appreciate Steve Yerrid for bringing this night back into the Times Forum for the 10th straight year and we are pleased to be able to hold this event in conjuncti...

The holiday gift-giving season is right around the corner so its not too early to start looking for the perfect gift for the hockey fan(s) in your family and your group of friends. Reflections 2009, The NHL Hockey Year in Photographs, ...

NHL NETWORK UNMASKS THE MASK November 1, 1959 became one of the landmark moments in NHL history when Hall of Fame goaltender Jacques Plante revolutionized his position -- and the sport -- by donning a facemask. Plantes mask, in addition t...

Wayne Gretzky broke a slew of records during a singular Hall of Fame career that literally rewrote the NHLs record book, but none were as bittersweet as the biggest record of them all -- the career points total. Twenty years ago today -- Oct. ...

HELSINKI -- There is no rest for the weary in the case of Florida goalie Tomas Vokoun. The Florida goalie exerted a good deal of energy Friday night at Hartwall Arena, frustrating the Chicago Blackhawks with a game-stealing 52 saves in a 4-3 sh...

"We tried to make too many fancy plays early in the game and then we found ourselves in a hockey game and they found a way to win it,.These guys had a real purpose in their game." -- Chicago coach Joel Quenneville ZURICH, Swit...

ZURICH, Switzerland -- The Lions of ZSC Zurich issued a proud roar Tuesday night that was heard throughout the hockey world. In dramatic fashion at Hallenstadion, before a riotous home crowd, the ZSC Zurich Lions handed the NHLs Chicago B...

Were it not for Tomas Kaberle, the Toronto Maple Leafs struggles might be a lot worse. At 1-7-4, the Leafs are on the bottom of the NHL standings. But things are looking up somewhat after they went 1-0-3 on the road last week -- largely b...

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- John Tavares is a bright, handsome 19-year-old whos carrying the weight of a hockey team on his young shoulders.   So far, hes not buckling under the load.   The New York Islanders took Tavares with the first pic...

Skrastins stands out on Dallas D Karlis Skrastins isnt the kind of guy who gets a lot of attention -- except from the goaltenders whose lives are a little easier when hes on the ice. While the Dallas Stars have adopted a more offens...

Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar, Montreal Canadiens left wing Mike Cammalleri and San Jose Sharks center Patrick Marleau have been named the NHL Three Stars for the week ending Oct. 25. The Los Angeles Kings knew they needed mor...

The Boston Bruins decided they wouldnt go down without a fight. As it turned out, they didnt go down at all. The visiting Bruins trailed the Ottawa Senators 3-1 with less than two minutes remaining. But Mark Recchi scored at 18:28, Davi...

Columbus, Ohio, your long local nightmare is over. In the teams eighth season, your Blue Jackets have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Can I get an amen?! Its absolutely fitting that Rick Na...

What the heck is going on in the Northwest Division? The Canucks and Flames dont seem to want to win the division crown, the Oilers and Wild have choked their way down the stretch and the Avalanche ...

Its funny how things turn out. On July 1 (it seems oh so long ago), St. Louis management team wasnt too thrilled with its peers in Vancouver. On the opening day of free agency, the Canucks signed ...

Boston Globe writer John Powers penned a terrific feature on Bruins power forward Milan Lucic . Theres a lot more to the burly winger than meets the eye. You can check it out here . As I read it, I ...

In the hockey business, March doesnt go out like a lamb. Instead, the month is like those silly, hard-to-open toys on the floor of my house and transforms into something more threatening. April! On...

Its spelled out right there in the rulebook, the Maple Leafs tough guy should sit for three or 10 games. - The lack of a suspension to Colton Orr for shoving a linesman is wrong on so many levels, it’s tough to know where to begin

After being honored for his past 20 years of service at The Hockey News, editor Jason Kay reflects on some of the most memorable stories. - I had the honor the other day of being recognized by our company for 20 years served at The Hockey News

Torontos slow start only amplifies why acquiring the young sniper from Boston was doomed from the beginning. - It’s enough to make Maple Leaf haters everywhere rejoice

Alls well in Mizzou... a great year for hockey books... Buffalo ownership blues... Koivus new duds... and more. - Random thoughts on a random Friday in October… • Chicago, Boston, Montreal, the Rangers, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have had their turns in recent years to the be

Of course not, but the Avs recent struggles on the ice and in the stands shows the importance of winning when it comes to capturing fans. - After a dreadful off-season, opening night was a welcome respite for the NHL, stocked with compelling storylines, entertaining matches, a bounty of goals, hits

Sens owner Eugene Melnyk can bellyache all he wants about Heatleys trade demand, but its not going to get him his money back. - It’s probably safe to say Dany Heatley isn’t tossing and turning at night over the grievance filed against him by Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk

With Daniel out and Henrik still putting up points, should Alain Vigneault put the two on separate lines? - The hockey world in general, and the Vancouver Canucks in particular, have always wondered how the Sedin twins would do if they were split up

The four-man group will surely recommend the hammer be brought down on several of the unions upper-management in the hopes of a fresh start

A dangerous hit from behind on Scott Gomez Tuesday night should have the league levying a long suspension on the talented Thrasher. - Slava Kozlov doesn’t exactly fit the profile of an on-ice menace, but NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell should treat him like one when looking at Kozlov&

Phoenix drew less than 7,000 for their Thursday night tilt and the Coyotes arent alone in their ticket troubles. - It’s not as though the situation in Phoenix needed to look any worse, but did anyone notice the announced attendance figure for Thursday night’s game at Jobing

Its seems like a simple equation but teams are continuing to forget that hustle goes a long way towards putting wins on the board. - Hockey, like any sport, inspires a follow-the-leader mentality

A young Ontario League player lies in critical condition because of a hit over the weekend. But what can be done to stop this from happening? - A lot of furious typing and screeching will come out of the media machine thanks to Michael Liambas’ hit on young Ben Fanelli on the weekend

Sending the first round pick to the American League might be a sound hockey move, but having the youngster turn on the team might be the consequence

The New York Islanders havent been able to hold onto a lead this season and it might be because they need better two-way play up front. - My Saturday night viewing schedule consisted of the Leafs-Canucks game followed by the horror flick Hostel 2

When the Atlanta Thrashers named Ilya Kovalchuk captain a year ago both his play and the teams spiked. Can the same happen in Minnesota? - Finally

The shot-blocking defender from Latvia talks about choosing to play in Dallas and the expectations for the Latvian team in Vancouver. - Karlis Skrastins isn’t a name that shows up on the scoresheet often – his point-per-game average is just 0

The third overall pick in 2008 missed a chunk of last season due to injury, but theres no doubt he is quickly learning how to be a successful NHLer

The Rangers, Avalanche and Kings are off to great starts despite predictions of doom. But can they keep it up? - Like that eighth beer on a night out on the town, pre-season predictions seem like a great idea at the time, but in the light of day the choice(s) becomes fraught with regret over the abs

A trio of current NHLers hold the distinction of begin pegged with the final pick of the draft and overcoming tough odds to make the show. - It doesn’t matter how impressive your scouting staff is, if you have any serious expectations of finding a serviceable skater with the very final sel

Edward Fraser talks with Mark Messier about his role with the Rangers, how he thinks the team will fare this season and The Messier Project. - Earlier in the summer, Mark Messier, one of the game’s all-time greatest and a legend in New York after helping the team snap a 54-year Stanley Cup

Hockey is a physical game and injuries are going to happen. And a much-ballyhooed head-shot rule isnt going to change that. - For lack of a better, appropriate term, crap happens

Overshadowed by the talent around him, including his defense partner, Brent Seabrook deserves more recognition. - Who is the most underrated player in the NHL? It’s a tough question and one with many answers

In 2005, Sergei Gonchars five-year contract seemed over the top, but time has proven it to be a wise investment. - It’s tough to have a contract in the NHL these days that doesn’t seem like an overpayment

With a couple of the best players in the game, a strong goalie and excellent support pieces, the Penguins are easily the team to beat. - I’m not a big fan of making a Stanley Cup prediction in October – or November, December and January for that matter

In the last of our look at the six NHL divisions, we examine the home of five teams with realistic playoff hopes. - CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS THN Prediction: Second in Western Conference Key additions: Marian Hossa, RW; Tomas Kopecky, LW; John Madden, C Key departures: Martin Havlat, RW; Nikolai Khabibu

The co-founder of the NHL Fans Association explains why its time for some serious changes to the game off the ice. - It’s time to start over

The co-founder of the NHL Fans Association looks back at the former union heads days at the top and what his firing means for the game. - September 2009 Paul Kelly Former Executive Director NHL Players’ Association No Fixed Address Dear Paul, I was filled with a sense of optimism o

The president of the NHL Fans Association grades the leagues management and lays out a plan for the future. - Clearly, there are two types of NHL fans.

The co-founder of the NHL Fans Association discusses results of a poll done on his organizations website. - The NHL Fans’ Association and The Hockey News have a few things in common.

The NHL Network host looks at each of the 30 NHL teams and the deals that will come back to bite them. - As teams set their rosters on the final day of September, you can only imagine what kind of thoughts are going through the minds of 30 GMs after lengthy internal debates with assistants, scouts,

Despite leading the Flyers to the conference final in 2008, Martin Biron still couldnt find a No. 1 this summer, but hes still planning on landing that long-term deal

The NHL Network host writes about the times had on the road from Detroit to Pittsburgh and everything in between, while covering the seven-game series

The NHL Network host looks back at the Traverse City prospect tourney, where he first got a glimpse at the Blues rookie whos taken St. Louis by storm

The NHL Network host discusses Josh Harding as a fit in Colorado, crease crashers becoming an issue and why Rod BrindAmour isnt done yet. - If someone were to ask you - name one team that needs a goaltender for next year - which team would you pick? For me, the answer is pretty obvious: the Color

Is Vinny Lecavalier playing well enough to earn a spot? What effect will injuries to certain players have? Does Dustin Penner fit into the mix? - Watching the Tampa Bay Lightning during the month of October convinced me superstar right winger Martin St-Louis is desperately trying to play his way ont

Florida is finding out what former GM Jay Feaster bet on in 2007: that Tomas Vokoun cant get it done when it counts. - Shortly after the 2006-07 season ended in another first-round playoff exit for the Tampa Bay Lightning, I began receiving calls from Predators GM David Poile offering to solve our

The former Tampa GM and Cup champion writes why Toronto GM Brian Burke is among the best managers in the game today. - Give Toronto GM Brian Burke high marks, not just for rebuilding the Toronto Maple Leafs and giving Leafs Nation hope, but for stirring the pot across Canada as well

Bringing in a player who puts himself above the team puts Sharks coach Todd McLellan in a tough position and team chemistry in peril. - While it is still early, Bryan Murray is my front-runner for executive of the year honors this season

The former GM of the Lightning talks about how NTCs are handcuffing potential moves and why they shouldnt be allowed. - Article 11.8 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NHL and NHLPA permits “individually negotiated limitations on player movement,” better kn

The former NHL GM talks about the value of analytics and how it can make a big difference in evaluating players performances. - I have been asked a lot this past year, “Are you still doing the statistics thing?” My answer is, “analytics, not statistics

The former NHL GM looks takes a statistical look at the teams that remain in the playoff hunt. - The 2008-09 regular season is down to the last few days

The former NHL GM talks about whos buying and selling and keeping tabs on players he drafted. - The much discussed, written and speculated about trade deadline is upon us again

The former NHL GM looks at four teams who have underachieved this season and what their cap situation is moving forward. - The All-Star Game is over.

The former NHL GM explains why Detroits wealth of experience is a big reason for their continued success. - I started working for the Chicago Blackhawks well into the 1999-2000 season.

Toronto, ON - The Ontario Hockey League today announced the results of its review of an incident which occurred in the game played in Kitchener on Friday, October 30th, 2009 between the Kitchener Rangers and the visiting Erie Otters. Read more »Original post blogged on b2evolution.

With the good news that Ben Fanellis condition has improved, theres also news that Otters forward Mike Liambas was in town today to meet with OHL commish Dave Branch. Read more »Original post blogged on b2evolution.

The Kitchener Rangers released an update Tuesday afternoon on the condition of rookie defenceman Ben Fanelli. Read more »Original post blogged on b2evolution.

The Sarnia Sting have become the second team today to clear up their overage situation. Read more »Original post blogged on b2evolution.

The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds have started their week by making a pair of deals. Read more »Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Ovechkin to miss only his 5th game in 5 years The Caps are in the swamp tonight to face the Devils and they will be without Alex Ovechkin, their top scorer and the NHLâ &tm;s two-time reigning MVP, for only the 5th time in the last 5 years. The Caps have enough reinforcements within the lineup to

This news just in from the Atlanta Thrashers: Kari Lehtonen underwent successful back surgery on Friday, Oct. 30 at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY. The procedure, which was performed by neurosurgeon, Dr. Paul Maurer, was to remove edges of bone that were applying pressure to nerve roots

Pittsburgh is an interesting sports town to live in. First of all, when things are going well for a stretch or a player gets hot, it or he is the best in history. On the contrary, whenever there are slight bumps in the road, or we experience the regular peaks and valleys of a season, mass hysteria b

It was not always pretty but a few things happened last night in the Canucks 4-1 win over the Rangers. First they won, always good and certainly not an expected result with the current line up and state of play. This wont be long as I am busy with some work projects but I will bring up a few poi

This season has been a remarkable story for players that have had aspersions cast onto them recently and yet have thrived like no ones business....Here are my top ten guys who have really gotten their "Come-Uppance." #10 Dany Heatley Twelth in scoring with 17 points in 15 games. It pains me to pu