Sens Look Forward to Game One

The Ottawa Senators were happy with what they saw early in the preseason before they sat their stars to play the schlubs.

They had the 3rd best Powerplay and a lot of offense in the first 3 games of the preseason. Kovalev, Selanne and Morrison/bouchard seemed to click automatically and should make up for a lack-lustre offense last season. The Sens suffered all around last year but they hope to sign Fata at the 20 game mark to add some depth and they feel confident that they can sneak into the playoffs this season.

They also seemed to solve at least some of their defensive woes with the signings of Kaberle and Gill on the points to add finesse on the powerplay and strength on the checking line respectively. Kaberle landed 5 big assists, 3 on the PP in the preseason showing that he was a strong investment. Gill added grit and brute force to the now intimidating offense. Youngsters Whitney and Novak seem to have drastically improved from last seasons weak performances as well as they rerated very well.

Last, but not least, the Senators signed big-time #1 goaltender Chris Osgood in the offseason and that move seemed to prove the most useful so far as Turek slid nicely into a backup role, a role which he is comfortable and confident in. Osgood posted decent numbers in a preseason where he had to tend behind a very weak scrub lineup for the last 5 games when GM Schmucky insisted he continue playing despite being slaughtered with shots. He posted a shutout vs. the Pens to close out the preseason.

GO SENS GO!

Just one of the Boys

The Blues played a girl in the preseason and damned if she didn't perform. Playing on a line that amounted to no more then a 3rd line. Hayley Wickenheiser came out and not only did she not embarass herself she all but played herself onto the team. While noone thinks she will score 30 goals and get 60 assists but many insiders feel that her 2 goals and 3 assists on the top line of the Blues during the preseason could translate into a bonified 2nd line position for the first woman in the history of clutch to play in the regular season. Only time will tell if she can translate her preseason sucess into a regular season run and you can be sure that GM Foley will be quick on the trigger if she starts to struggle in the regular season. Make no mistake however that sucess in the regular season could land the this phenominal woman a pro spot for life and perhaps win herself a few fans along the way.
The only blemish to the preseason was against the Canes when Hayley was vicously attacked by several of the Canes and when Dan Hamhuis came to her rescue it got ugly and now Hamhuis will sit for 9 more games. Team Captain Jeff Jillson had these comments about the incident, "Dan did what he had to. One of our teamates was being put down by the other team and that will not be tolorated. It doesn't matter that she is a girl and I am sure that if the situation repeats itself then the results will be the same. GM Foley has made a lot of solid moves this offseason and we have a lot of depth on D and up front. This team is built to go deep and we will be looking to make an impact this season."

Rangers End Preseason on High Note

Alfredsson named first star in return. Bertuzzi ties for presason points lead. Pilar top point getter for defencemen.

The New York Rangers ended an impressive preseason by welcoming the return of one hero and getting worrisome news about another.

Daniel Alfredsson returned from an 11 game suspension and was dominant against a poorly disciplined Flyer squad. Alfredsson set up two powerplay goals and scored another to finish with three points and the game's first star.

There was some bad news as Pavel Bure will miss the season opener due to an injury sustained last game. The Russian Rocket was hoping to make the start but is still on the limp. Bure was expected to miss only one game and there is some concern the injury may be worse than expected.

"Not true," said Bure. "I'll be back for the second game of the season.

Two other key aquistions of the off season were impressive as well. Bertuzzi netted another 2 points to finish in a tie for the preseason point lead with 13 while young Karel Pilar finished with the top points for defenceman with 9.

Those who were tuning in to see the Sundin - Bertuzzi - Alfredsson line suit up for the first time were disapointed as Fedorov was put on Sundin's right wing and Alfredsson was paired with Ribeiro and Dumont.

"We thought the speed of Fedorov would compliment Sundin and Bertuzzi," explained coach Nielson. "Instead of putting all our eggs in one basket we decided to spread our biggest shooters across all our lines. Ribeiro - Dumont - Alfredsson gave us a line with great speed, defence, passing and scoring and they looked great together. That allowed Ponikarovsky to add size, speed, and scoring to Par Backer's line."

The Flyers, who finish the preseason with a eye popping average of 53 penalty minutes per game, handed the Rangers 13 power plays as they tried to revert to 1970's Broadstreet Bully hockey. The Rangers were happy to take advantage of the extra man time and only some great saves stopped this from being a bigger rout.

Rangers End Preseason on High Note

Alfredsson named first star in return. Bertuzzi ties for presason points lead. Pilar top point getter for defencemen.

The New York Rangers ended an impressive preseason by welcoming the return of one hero and getting worrisome news about another.

Daniel Alfredsson returned from an 11 game suspension and was dominant against a poorly disciplined Flyer squad. Alfredsson set up two powerplay goals and scored another to finish with three points and the game's first star.

There was some bad news as Pavel Bure will miss the season opener due to an injury sustained last game. The Russian Rocket was hoping to make the start but is still on the limp. Bure was expected to miss only one game and there is some concern the injury may be worse than expected.

"Not true," said Bure. "I'll be back for the second game of the season.

Two other key aquistions of the off season were impressive as well. Bertuzzi netted another 2 points to finish in a tie for the preseason point lead with 13 while young Karel Pilar finished with the top points for defenceman with 9.

Those who were tuning in to see the Sundin - Bertuzzi - Alfredsson line suit up for the first time were disapointed as Fedorov was put on Sundin's right wing and Alfredsson was paired with Ribeiro and Dumont.

"We thought the speed of Fedorov would compliment Sundin and Bertuzzi," explained coach Nielson. "Instead of putting all our eggs in one basket we decided to spread our biggest shooters across all our lines. Ribeiro - Dumont - Alfredsson gave us a line with great speed, defence, passing and scoring and they looked great together. That allowed Ponikarovsky to add size, speed, and scoring to Par Backer's line."

The Flyers, who finish the preseason with a eye popping average of 53 penalty minutes per game, handed the Rangers 13 power plays as they tried to revert to 1970's Broadstreet Bully hockey. The Rangers were happy to take advantage of the extra man time and only some great saves stopped this from being a bigger rout.

JUNIOR CANES NEED BLUELINE HERO, ENTER WEBER

Carolina

The preseason can often lead to a big regular season. That is the hope for top prospect Shea Weber.

With 9 assists and 11 points, Weber was tied for the lead in both categories, an accomplishment which he recognizes doesn't mean a whole lot, but the confidence of the achievement could lead to a big season.

"I do not want to think about the points that much," said Weber, "but rather just keep going out and producing. I am not one of the guys that loves the stat sheets at the end of the game. I know if I played well or not, regardless of what the score sheet says. My first responsibility is always in my own end. After that, anything I get is a bonus."

Weber is now in his 3rd full season as a defenseman in the CLUTCH league. His potential has always been recognized but this season is a truly important one for the young defender.

Last season, Weber's long time defense partner Dion Phaneuf was called up to the Carolina Hurricanes pro squad. Dion and Shea have not only platooned the Canes blueline, they also won a gold medal at the World Junior Championships in 2004 as the club’s top tandem.

"Seeing Dion go to the show this year is a real eye opener for me," said Weber. "He definitely deserves anything he gets because he is a rock but at the same time, there is this feeling like I need to get there as well. I need to prove I belong up there with him and that is my focus right now."

After this preseason, it would appear he is well on his way.

This is getting ridiculous...

After starting the preseason 0-2-0, with two flat out ugly losses involving more whistles than when Brady Quinn walks by a construction site, the Boston Bruins hosted their divisional foe and defending Adams Division champion, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Finally, the upgrades made by the team paid off, as the hosts got off to a fast start. Boston took the lead at 04:51 when Andy McDonald and Martin Havlat combined to assist offseason addition Patrick Traverse on his first goal of the season, as the defenseman fired a one-timer ast J-S Aubin to make the red light get dizzy.

You know... because it was spinning around and around. Try and keep up.

The joy was extended six minutes later when Andrej Meszaros notched his first goal with the parent club at 10:58 off of a Lars Jonnson redirection. The Bruins had not only a lead, but a two goal lead!

And of course, that would not last. Seven minutes later, following a Scott Balan roughing call and subsequent penalty kill, Mikko Koivu played "top this" with Bruin Saku Koivu and scored at 17:59 off of a Patrik Elias feeder. Out of frustration and somewhat desperation, at 19:33, Bill Guerin found himself sitting for a goalie interference call.

The penalty would be costly as the Bruins had to came out to start the second period on the penalty kill. As has been a multi-season trend, they started slowly and gave up the early power play goal at 00:36 of the period to Miroslav Satan, knotting the game at two.

Despite outshooting the visitors, thirteen to eight, in the period, the Bruins would not mount a serious offensive attack. They failed to score, even with a two minute power play advantage after Stephen Webb's elbowing foul, and managed to give up a third goal at 11:45 to Sergei Zubov.

Even worse, Tim Connolly had to leave the game midway through the period following a non-call injury. His condition was unknown at press time.

To put the game away, Satan added a second goal in the third period to make the final 4-2. The Bruins appeared winded in the third, being outshot by a nearly three-to-one margin, though the defense suffered when Lars Jonnson was ejected at 02:36 for a highsticking incident involving John Madden, who also left the game.

Elias, Satan, and Zubov swept the game stars category for the visitors as, in typical Bruins fashion, 17,565 fans went home sad. The Bruins will try - again - to break into the win column when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets.

JUNIOR CANES, LOCKED AND LOADED FOR UPCOMING SEASON

Carolina

As the preseason begins to wind down for the mighty junior Canes, one thing has become apparent. This squad is ready to continue their legacy as one of the stronger programs in CLUTCH.


Currently tied for the league lead in points, the speedy playmaker Colin Fraser leads the charge with 11 points in 7 games while the blueline gunner Shea Weber sits with 9 points.

"He leads this team right now," said head coach Craig Hartsburg. "He is the most creative offensive player on this team and he makes the guys around him more dangerous in the goal area. I think he is set for a really big year offensively and I will do what I can to make sure he has the weapons to assure that."

Rookie center Dustin Penner has begun to show he will likely be the power play catalyst and leads the squad with 5 goals. Penner, who has incredible size and strength, has made a home early in front of opposing teams nets and the team looks for more of that as the season draws near.

The Finnish duo of Lauri Tukonen and Lauri Koripikoski have caused nightmares for opposing d with their combination of size, speed and skill and both players have put up a point a game pace in the preseason, playing with both Dustin Penner and Fraser.

"I have felt quite comfortable tossing them out with any one of our three top centers," said Hartsburg, "the only trend I see continuing is that these two need to play with one another. They feed off each others energy and it just seemed that when I put them out with Fraser, a lot of matchup problems occurred. Right now, that is our top line and I will begin the season as such."

Jonathan Boutin has also been equally impressive, with a solid 2.63 goals against while sporting a .902 save percentile.

Overall, the Canes true strength is their overall depth. With players like Mike Richards, Jeremy Colliton and Stephen Dixon taking care of the shut down role, Corey Perry, Anthony Stewart and Much Mancari adding to the offensive depth up front and a very strong blueline with players like Brayden Coburn, Jordan Smith and Cam Barker, the team looks like it is ready to make some noise this season.

"As long as we stay on the same page and work as a unit, this year should be a good one for this group of kids. We all have roles, we all have jobs to do, and I expect nothing other than these guys fulfilling those tasks every game."

"We know what this year is all about," said Cam Barker. "For most of these guys, this is the step to the next level and for those here that will not be attempting that step, it is the final kick at the can. We know we can succeed and we know this team can roll with anyone in this league. But talk is cheap until you prove something. This year we want to prove we are the top club here."

CANES LEAVE PHILLY WITH 5 GOALS, 18 POWER PLAYS

After spending more than half the game on the power play, and watching several Philadelphia hacks continue to assault their players, the Carolina Hurricanes walked away with a win and a suspension.

"What a waste of time that game was," said Daniel Briere, who finished the contest with 2 power play goals. "We had 18 power plays and I think the only reason we only had that few is because the refs got tired of blowing the whistle at their craziness."

The Canes, however, did not back down from the Flyers as several bouts occurred. Shane Doan, Gord Dwyer and Brendan Shanahan all had tilts in the match and did well in all three.

"You back down in a game like this, they will own you all season long," said captain Shane Doan, who received a 4 game suspension after his altercation. "I wanted to show them that their style of hockey is not going to fly here, pun intended. I took the battle into my own hands and we will see how it goes from here on in. Personally, I like winning more than dealing with bullies, but it was nice to take the win and teach them a lesson."

The Canes only have one more preseason game left before beginning the regular season. So far the Canes have received contributions form several members, including 2 2 point performances from Dany Heatley and Brian Gionta in their one and only game.

Panthers Organization Annouces Captains

FLORIDA - The Florida Panthers officially announced the players who would be captains.

Last season Owen Nolan was given back the C and performed like one on and off the ice. On the ice he led the team with 40 goals and was 3rd in team scoring with 88 points. Nolan will wear the C again this season.


"It is truly an honor to be once again the captain of this team." Nolan told the press conference. "My job as captain is an easy one on this team. We have so many leaders."

Asked what he thought his team can achieve this year and their was no hesitation in Panthers Captain response.

"We are still feeling the sting from last years game 7 Conference Final against the Champion Islanders. We are confident that we can avenge last years loss and win it all this year. We will really miss Rathje but other then him our other core player are still here from last year and they too still have a bad taste in their mouths from last years defeat. We are a confident and determined group and that is a problem the rest of the league will have to deal with the best they can."

Petr Bondra! The ageless wonder of the Panthers has been named assistant captain. Bondra is coming of an award winning year the seen him lead the league in assists to take home the Wayne Gretzky Trophy and he also won the Bill Mastersons' Trophy for his dedication and sportsmanship.

"This year is going to be a good year for us as a team." Bondra told the press conference. "There is a confidence in our dressing room like this is our year. Every one is relaxed and anxious to get the season on the way."

Bondra was asked about his plans or lack there of for retiring and had this to say.

"I haven't even considered it as a possibility. And I will not decide that until the end of the season. My contract is up so it will be an option for me to consider at the end of the season as to weather a) the Panthers want me back b) they don't want me back but I still want to play or c) retire. As of this moment there is no thought of retiring at this time. As long as I feel I can contribute and perform at this level then I see no reason why this would be my last year."

Last but not least in the trio of Captains is young superstar Stephen Weiss. Weiss is coming off his best season. Stephen was 5th in team goals (26), and 4th in both team assists (45) and points with 71.

He capped off his stellar year by winning the Selke as the league best defensive forward finishing the year off with an amazing + 35.

"This is amazing." Weiss told reporters. "It is another honor that I have received in the last few months. Winning the Selke was "wow" to me and when Mr. Perrault came to me and told me I would be an assistant captain this year it was another "wow" moment for me. This will be another learning experience for me and I have two of the best leaders in the league as mentors in Nolan and Bondra. I am ready for this leadership role and ready to help lead this team to winning the Stanley Cup."

BRADLEY STARTING TO SHOW WORTH

A future power forward for the Canes, Matt Bradley has shown some flashes of what is to come.

Bradley, 27, is a ferocious open ice hitter who is strong and willing to get physically involved. This preseason, however, he has shown a bit of what the Canes expect of him in the future.

"He is rugged, he is mean and he plays with an edge," said head coach Joel Quenneville. "We will not be depending on him as much this year with our right side being so strong, but he has a solid future with this organization. We locked him up for 4 years and the hope is he will mature into that second line winger that can cause matchup troubles for the opposition. He is pretty good at everything he does, he just needs time to develop all his tools."

Bradley leads the club with 7 points and has shown a bit of chemistry with center Trevor Letowski.

"I just want to get in there and shown what I can do," said Bradley. "This season I think I am set to be a fourth line energy type of guy, and that is fine, but I hope I can find some more ice time. I think I can produce at this level and maybe this preseason can give an indication to the team I have what it takes. We will see though."

The Canes rookie defenseman Tomas Mojzis, one of the top offensive defensemen in junior last year, was injured in a game against the St Louis Blues. Mojzis was blind sided in an unprovoked vicious hit by Dan Hamhuis, and is said to be out indefinitely. The league currently has the video of the incident and will likely take appropriate action.

New Buffalo GM does not disappoint

Buffalo - A.P.

New General Manager Keith Pierson and the new Buffalo Sabres do not disappoint in their 4 to 1 home rout win of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

From the begging of the game, Buffalo controlled the game tempo as they out shot Tampa Bay 14 to 8 and converted a five-minute power play when Mathieu Schneider elbowed a fellow Buffalo Sabre player. Newly returned Captain Josef Vasicek fresh off of a day-to-day injury scored the power play goal with assistance coming from Alyn McCauley and Matt Pettinger.

Matt Pettinger ended up going on to be player of the game as he posted another goal and assist following the Josef Vasicek power play goal. The 2nd and 3rd star were Josef Vasicek and Rick Dipietro respectively.

After the game, the media caught up with General Manager Keith Pierson and bombarded him with questions concerning the salary cap issue. “Please don’t worry, the salary cap situation is under control. We are in talks with a few teams and are in the works of working out a deal that will bring us under the cap while not hurting our core group of players who we plan to ride to the Stanley Cup. Just be patient and you shall see.”

Canucks sent to Europe

With preseason underway an interesting opportunity was presented by the Boston Gm Mr Joshua.With the Canuck veterans needing some dry land training and a lot of aches and pains taken care of the Boston gm let the cat out of the bag.

He has been hiding in an undisclosed spa and retreat that has said that it has knocked 15 lbs off of him and gotten him into the best shape of his life.He has been recomending some sort of holistic massage treatment The 10 Canucks sent over were unnamed and will be hidden from the public. The treatment they wil recieve will be a full body massage treatment performed by Helga and her girls.This treatment is unusual in Canada but its rewards have been shown by the Italian soccer team before the world cup.

This is an experiment of mammoth preportions and something that has not been done by a Clutch team before.Of course the Canucks Gm Blkhawk will go along to make sure that no players come to any harm.

Meanwhile the Canucks will fill there roster with thugs and also rans till the regular season commences.Teams would be advised to keep there heads up since these "kids" will try to make an impression.

Sens Let the Troops Rest

The Ottawa Senators have decided to protect their stars by placing them on the farm and calling up the farmers in their place.

In what many have called an 'odd move', Schmucky explained himself earlier today by saying, "We have confidence in our lines and we know where our pros stand in terms of lines and ice time. So, we are resting and protecting them from injury as well as giving ourselves the opportunity to watch some of our offseason JR callups perform against the pros. It should be a telling few games t osay the least as these youngin's vie for a spot on the team or prove themselves to be the first one called up in case of injury."

Schmucky will not rest his goalies though, as Turek and Ozzy Osgood have yet to play a GREAT game and the GM insists they need the ice to find their 'groove'.

The Defensive will remain the same with the exception of Tom Poti, who is undoubtedly the #1 man in Ottawa, and youngster Ryan Whitney who was injury prone last season. Kaberle and Gill will move up to the #1 and #4 lines in an attempt to 'lay the schmuck down' on opposing squads.

Rangers Look Good In Preseason Thus Far

A leading scorer, the second highest goals for, a goal a game scorer, and all while missing superstar Daniel Alfredsson. Is this really the New York Rangers?

The overhauled New York Ranger team is looking very impressive through the first 5 games of preseason.

The controversial Nash for Bertuzzi trade is paying big dividends as Bertuzzi is second in league scoring with 9 points in 5 games. Pavel Bure is proving he's still one of the most dangerous pure scorers in the league with 5 goals in 5 games, the team is second to the mighty Islanders in goals for with 22 in 5 games, and Daniel Alfredsson will start in 2 games which will add another massive threat to opposition goals against averages.

The teams juiced offence has come at the cost of defence as they are no longer playing the stifiling defensive game that frustrated teams so often last season.

"We're definitely focusing on offensive pressure more," said team captain JP Dumont. "Last season we scored by comittee and squeezed the life out of teams but with the offensive talent we have this season we're looking to open up and trade chances more. So far it's been sucessful."

"It's been fun," said the newly arrived Todd Bertuzzi. "When you have guys like Mats Sundin and Pavel Bure around it makes the game a lot more exciting."

"Coach Neilson has told us from day one that we're going to play defence by pressuring teams back into their own zone. I'm really happy to be here," said Karel Pilar who also arrived after the end of last season."

"We're not going to get to far ahead of ourselves," chimed in coach Neilson. "You use the tools you have. Guys like Ponikarovsky, Ribeiro, Dumont, and Girard have developed a little further and I like the look of our team so far. It's only preseason though. The true test hasn't even started yet."

Atlanta Red Hot Despite Expectations

Atlanta, GA - TICKER - Atlanta Red Hot Despite Expectations.

After 5 games of pre-season action, the Atlanta Thrashers are 3-2. Most would have thought that the team's third win would come well into the regular season. Let's review their off-season.

They traded away their franchise player in Dany Heatley to the Carolina Hurricanes for Brad Boyes, Carlo Colaicovo, and a high draft pick. These pieces were then subsequently sold off for young Goalie tandem Ray Emery and Marc-Andre Fleury, as well as defenseman Tim Gleason and Brendan Bell. They drafted Evgeny Malkin as well as future defensive stalwart Andy Rogers. Their help is at least a year away though.

Which is why the Thrashers offensive production is so surprising. Pontus Petterstrom, recently acquired Ryan Bayda, Justin Mapletoft, and Mikhail Yakubov are all averaging over a point a game. Enforcer Luke Sellars has even potted a pair.

But Atlanta is still getting outshot by a margin of 147-120. This could be in large part because of their 37.2 PIMs/game (ranked second behind just the Philadelphia Flyers). The team has responded, in large part due to Fleury's impressive play with a man down. His .914 save percentage is leading the Thrashers penalty kill to rank 13th in the league. He has 11 star points in those 5 games, and is currently third in the league in that category.

When the team gets their own advantage, they crash the net with a near reckless abandon, which has contributed to their 22.7% conversion rate on the power play (ranked second behind just the Florida Panthers). Of Petterstrom's three goals, two have come from the power play, and Bayda and Mapletoft each have one as well.

This defensively re-vamped club has taken the league by storm, and is taking everyone, including this reporter, by surprise.

Sens Juniors looking Strong

The Junior Senators are looking to have another strong season this year despite losing 5 players to promotions in the offseason.

So far, Ottawa is averaging over 3 goals a game which is nice considering their leading scorers are predicted to be some of their youngest players. Namely, Arsi Piispanen and Rostislav Olesz.

Arsi has started slowly with one goal and one assist and a -3 rating. GM Schmucky expects this to change as he plays with some possible line combinations over the next couple of games.

Olesz has started strong on the 2nd line for the Sens as he has landed 4 assists alongside leading scorer Tomas Troliga.

Also noteworthy is top notch prospect Alexander Semin's play as he has been very weak on the fist line landing himself only a single point in 3 games and a -3 rating.

Schmucky did not today that the actual performance of his JR squad is not of major concern. The development of his young players is key as the Sens try to build for the future in the Pro Clutch ranks.

Much ado about nothing

Ah...the signs of a new season starting. You know, the last few teams scrambling to get themselves back under the salary cap usually because of fiscal mismanagement, which tends to lead to a selling off of talent for some crap player or even worse, cash. Then there is the familiar sound of chat windows popping up with messages saying "i need 3C 5D 2RW 5LW 2G to get myself out of roster violations, and thats just my pro team!!" , which then leads to the team trading away quality picks, young players or stars for 10 stiff bodies that on the best of days, couldn't crack the 4th line of the Ducks franchise.


But it gets better, kind of like that smell of a popcorn bag in the microwave when its 80% finished....you cant wait for the last 20 seconds for the timer to end. You get overly excited, about popcorn you havent even ate yet. The same could be said about preseason. Teams getting overly optimistic over a teams 3-1 start, or how a certain player has come out of no where to score a ton. The same could be said about the other end of the spectrum, with teams who have 1-3 starts and are cursing this or that about their players and teams. But lest we forget, the season hasnt started yet. This period, for whatever its worth, is just the "smell" and "sounds" of the popping corn, but until you actually "taste" it, its all in your mind. Its not real.



Some could say that these are typical symptoms to an overly long and unpleasant offseason and that these emotional preseason blogs are the effects of this. Why then havent you seen the Leafs team come out with flags waving and parade routes being planned for their Pro AND Jr team's 3-1 start? There are still kernals to be popped people. Until then, its meaningless to be commenting about how good the popcorn really is.



Need some proof? Just ask any Toronto Raptor fan how their team is doing now after their record setting winning preseason record. Actually, maybe you shouldnt since their response might not be so nice. If you do, just offer them some of your popcorn. Im sure they will understand.

Buffalo's New GM

Buffalo – A.P.

The Buffalo Sabres announced today that they have hired a new General Manager to take over at the helm after the previous General Manager who went by the name of ENab hung himself for disappointing the fans of Buffalo.

When asked by the media if he (Keith) would bring Buffalo back to the promise land, he responded, “Fucking right I will.”

We also asked him what his first order of business was going to be and he had this to say, “Well it’s quite obvious, but before I get to that, I would like to announce the new Captain and Assistants of your new Buffalo Sabres. Taking over as Captain will be Josef Vasicek, with his Assistants being Trent Hunter and Yared Hagos. Not to be outdone, the new captain for the Buffalo Junior team is going to be Denis Kulyash. Now that I got that done and over with, my first real order of business as General Manager of the Buffalo Sabres is to get them within league regulation of the salary cap. At the moment, we, the Buffalo Sabres, sit at about $57.1 million in salary with the salary cap being $56 million, so that will need to be handled as soon as possible and I assure you, it will be.”

WEBER SETS TONE

Carolina

After 3 games, defenseman Shea Weber leads all blueliners in points after a 2 point performance Thursday night.

Weber, a right handed anchor, has managed to accumulate 5 points, including 4 assists on route to making himself one of the junior leagues most recognizable defenders.

"He has really come into his own these past couple seasons," stated head coach Craig Hartsburg. "I have found that since he arrived, he has improved in so many different areas that it is almost remarkable. I think this could be a big break out year for him offensively."

Weber, who is most known for his stellar play at the world junior championships in 2004 playing along side possible CLUTCH rookie of the year candidate Dion Phaneuf. The duo were Canada’s top pairing and we never scored on at any point, special teams or even strength, throughout the tournament.

"He has a special ability to really compliment anyone he plays with," said Phanuef. "He has a strong shot from the point, makes a fantastic first pass and he is as strong as anyone in the league. He will be up here next year, that I can tell you."

Currently, Weber is receiving plenty of gravy time on the power play. While his steady play in the back end never goes unnoticed, this is the sort of opportunity he has waited for some time now.

"I have been waiting for this time to come along. Guys like Mojzis and Corny have made it difficult to get into the limelight. I think this year I will get more opportunities to prove myself. Hopefully I do."

Fearless Predictions

Looking for some reassurance in Boston, GM Joshua Anderson paid a visit to local exotic dancer/fortune teller Nyomi, who will vary the thrills depending on the price you pay.

Anderson chose the deluxe package, for thirty minutes in the Champagne Room and ten guaranteed lock predictions.

While no one could document the back room shenanigans - pictures are banned on all the posted signage - they did write down these Stone Cold Locks:

1. One GM will constantly be on the cusp of being fired, then come through with scant minutes to spare and complete the task assigned to him. Two GMs will be fired for not filling their roster violations, and whine they did not know.

2. The winner of the Adams Division will improve by at least ten points, but will still lose in the first round.

3. The Atlanta Thrashers will play surprisingly well to open the season, scaring the crap out of the GM that his Master Plan is being thwarted by The Good Lord toying with him. Atlanta will trade all players who are semi-competent or better for enough parts to fill out the roster and future fourth round draft picks. As the team goes on a five game skid, the sound you hear will be a massive sigh of relief.

4. The reverse will occur in Phildelphia, where no degree of karma can fight the destruction of this offseason. An embattered fan base will cry for help... and not get it.

5. Despite the best efforts of these two teams - and the Ducks - the top pick will end up in Dallas. It will all be Matt Walker's fault.

6. Chicago's GM will get in a petty fight the GM of an Original 6 team. He will fight like a girl, just like Bob Pulford would.

7. Speaking of Pulford, in a sheer fit of disgust, The Last Blackhawks Fans Alive, blkhawk and JB-Hawks, will go insane after the annual "Just Wanted To Remind You We Don't Know What We're Doing" trade by the Chicago Blackhawks. The two will challenge Blackhawks brass of Pulford and Dale Tallon to prove they have some clue about running hockey by running a CLUTCH team. Amazingly, the offer will be acepted. The team they takeover will lose nine straight, and they will trade three first round draft picks for a center. The center will be lost for the season two nights later, in a bizarre incident involving Chris Chelios' chilli.

8. And speaking of the GM Known As Blkhawk, he will leave the league during the year. It won't be out of anger or anything, but because he is killed in a tragic incident involving a massage parlor, excessive lotion, and massive bleeding from his peas and carrot.

9. The only words the Kings GM will speak in chat for the next three months will be "alex mogilny avail". Repeatedly.

10. The next offseason will be quicker. Pretty safe wager here - it simply HAS to be.

Canucks happy to leave camp

The Vancouver Canucks broke training camp and headed to Annaheim to meet the Ducks.This game was a fairly evenly played one and the game was won 3-2 by the visitors. Jason King led the way with 2 goals and another youngster Gladskitk was rewarded with 2 assists. "It was nice to see the youngsters come threw for us" said a smiling gm Mr Blkhawk.Alex Ault stopped 21 of 23 shots and was very steady in the preseason opener.The pp needs some work as it went 0-4.

The Canucks then headed home for a game with division rivals Calgary.
This game should the old guys why the gm went out and installed some new blood.All 4 goals were scored by players that were aquired during the offseason.2 goals from Brad Richards including 1 on the pp led the Canucks to a 4-2 victory.Rick Nash and Karel Rachenek added the other goals. Again Alex Ault held us in the game until we got our skating legs. He stopped 29 of 31 shots and was named the 1st star of the game

Canucks travel to tinseltown for an afternoon encounter with the Kings. Hopefully they will be hungover for the early start.

DWYER LEADS CANES IN GOALS, HITS

Carolina

No one has ever accused Gordie Dwyer of being a fancy player, but on this night, he was the highlight reel.

After a bone-crushing open ice hit on former first overall centerman Alexandre Daigle, Dwyer got the ball rolling by maintaining incredible pressure in the offensive end by battling hard all game long.

"He set the tone and the rest of us just followed," said captain Shane Doan. "He is one of the guys that keep everything light around the room. On the ice though, he is a force and tonight he showed what he could do."

Although not injured physically, Daigle and his line ended up with a minus three at the hands of Dwyer, who aside from leading the game with hits, also led the game with goals, netting his first two of the preseason.

"Guys like Dwyer are key for any team," said defenseman Phillipe Boucher. "He plays hard, he has a knack for feeling that open ice hit and he is all heart. He is the type of guys who when the chips fall, he rallies the troops. It was pretty hard not to get excited when we saw him drop Daigle at center. It was devastating."

Well... shit... again

What the Boston Bruins lose in revenue with their play on the ice, they should make at least some of it back through their participation in the Lays! Krunchers program.

Sean Brown displayed his math skills by counting up an amazing number of penalty minutes during the game, showing he finds himself already in mid-season shape, which is good, since he will miss the next three games.

Once again, the Bruins were woeful on offense. Of course, they also found themselves in the man disadvantage for what felt like the majority of the game, including most of the first period. This man disadvantage certainly did not help matters, to say the least. The inability of offense to once again create opportunities also served to hurt the defense.

Due to the repeated whistles, though, the Bruins were unable to find any offensive rhythm. They took only two shots on goal in the first - which makes sense, given they played nearly seventeen minutes shorthanded, and for five minutes of it were down two men. Allowing only two goals under those conditions is a testament to Antero Niittymaki's mad goaltending skills. At least, Boston fans hope that is what it is a testament to, and not the fallacy of the Ottawa offense.

Again, the Bruins did a few notable plays, as Martin Samuelsson netted his first goal in the big leagues to pull within two, in the second period, and Samuelsson later assisted on the Tomas Kopecky's goal in the third period, earning him the third star of the game.

All in all, though, it was a night to be forgotten. The Bruins will next square off against the Pittsburgh Penguins, as Saku Koivu sets out to extract some vengance on the team that dealt him.

Well... shit.

The Boston Bruins entered the preseason with tempered expectations, but the hope of an improvement. The offense had seen some upgrades through development and the addition of Saku Koivu. Shooting accuracy was up in practices, Tim Connolly was returning to the point, the team appeared to have more scoring wingers than in the past.

Which is all fine and good - but they need to shoot the fucking puck to score!

In a simply embarrassing 4-1 loss at home against division foe Toronto, the Bruins were outshot by nearly a three-to-one margin, thirty-nine to fourteen. The Leafs had as many shots in both the first and second periods as the Bruins did the whole game, and all four Toronto goals came in the first period, when, arguably, the Bruins should have been freshest.

Being put on the penalty kill six times for twelve minutes, or one-fifth of the game, surely did not help matters. Head coach Robbie ftorek continued to scream at his team to not take such stupid penalties, but being the Bruins... it's what they do. Sean Brown and Martin Samuelsson led the team with four minutes a piece.

However, the team also failed to capitalize on its own opportunities for power play goals. In the second period, the Bruins had the man advantage following a Dennis Gauthier elbowing whistle at 12:09, and Shawn Horcoff roughing call at 18:53, though they still only attempted five shots on goal.

Seventeen thousand, five hundred sixty-five fans had to go home disappointed. The lone offensive bright spot for them came when hometown hero Andy McDonald scored on a pick-and-breakaway at 06:10 of the third period, beating Evgeni Nabokov to the glove side.

Despite the setback, the Bruins expect to rebound against the Senators, in Ottawa, tomorrow night.

Sens BLAST BOOOINS

The Ottawa Senators are pumped after their 1st preseason matchup with their division rivals, the Boston Bruins. The Senators seemed to outmatch the Bruins as they outshot them 49-19! Almost 50 shots! I think we only had 50 shots all of last season!

One bright spot for the Sens was the 2 goal effort by Teemu Selanne which saw both his linemates; Kovalev and Morrisson, add 2 assists on each goal! That line was clicking well and GM Schmucky is excited to see how they will match up vs. some of the top lines in the league this season.

Another huge bright spot was the Two goal effort by Pierre-Marc Bouchard! After signing a whopping 3.8 million dollar deal in the offseason, Bouchard seems to be earning every penny in his first outing as he scored two beauties, one of which was shorthanded.

GM Schmucky is going to tweek the D lineups a bit before tonights matchup but won't change much else as it seems the team was alive and ready...REMEMBER FOLKS, It's only preseason!

The Bruins Defensive Preview - The Top Tier

They're an odd tandem to say the least. Not as weird as Sean Brown and Sean Hill, mind you - but they are not exactly the peanut butter and jelly of defensive pairings.

"They" are Andrej Meszaros and Lars Jonsson, the top defensive line for the Boston Bruins this year. One is taking his first steps on the top level ice, while the other is turning into a veteran of that game. One saw the dreck of Providence last season, while the other took center stage for eighty games with the Bruins.

Lars Jonnson is an offensive defenseman, scorer of thirteen goals - eighth most on the team - last season, and notcher of thirty-one assists, good for seventh on the team in points. He was also a skilled master of the hit, delivering one hundred sixty-six while racking up only twenty-six penalty minutes. "Act, don't react", he says is his key. "They catch the guy hitting back." Jonnson is seen as a dependable, safe option for the Bruins to pair with the rookie.

Andrej Meszaros is that rookie. The top defensive youth to be seen in Boston since Cam Neely, he will be thrust into a top role with the club, playing first line defense. His defensive acumen, though, will not be question, though his poise may be. While not a loose cannon on the ice like Sean Brown, Meszaros' maturity may be called into question early in the season as teams attempt to bait him into a stupid move.

The Bruins are banking this unit will serve them well. The skills are undoubtable, it will simply be a matter of if they properly mesh.

Projections -
Lars Jonnson - 82 games, 16-30-46
Andrej Meszaros - 82 games, 9-18-27

The Bruins Defensive Preview - Second Liners

One is a angel of free agent, arrived from Florida with thirty-six assists and only two penalty minutes in eighty-two games last year.

The other is a devil of a player who had more than ten penalty minutes for every point he was credited for - and had twenty-eight points in his seventy-seven games for Boston last season.

Together, they will make up the second defensive line for the Boston Bruins this year - the Brown Hill line, though neither is like sugar.

They are the Seans, Sean Hill and Sean Brown.

Sean Hill, arriving from Florida, was the team's top free agent signing this season. Blessed with a true defenseman's attributes - durable and disciplined, good puck control and accurate passing, defensive minded and competent with a slapshot - Hill will lead the second line defense in protecting Antero Niitimyakki and the Boston goal.

Sean Brown will be his counterpart on the opposite side of the rink. Stronger both defensively and offensively, Brown is a warrior... though some may call him a "goon". He is a attack-first, think-second guy, and for that reason, he led the team in penalty minutes last year with two hundred eighty-five. The team is already penciling him in for at least twelve games worth of suspensions.

They may seem like they go together as well as fire and ice, black and white, country and rap... but the Boston Bruins are banking on them keeping the red light off.

Projections -
Sean Hill - 82 games, 12-24-36
Sean Brown - 70 games, 4-20-24

The Bruins Defensive Preview - The Third Line Trio

But wait, you say - defensive tandems play in pairs, not threes!

Well, yes, that is technically correct. However, between Sean Brown's love of mid-season suspensions, and the fact that Scott Balan is no apple-eyed sweet cherub himself, it is projected by the Vegas odds that between the two of them, there will be twenty games lost to suspension (mostly on the part of Sean Brown). When Brown sits, one of these three will move up to the second line, making way for the third guy on the third line. When Balan sits, the other guy will play more. When the team needs a defensive line played that night, the third guy will anchor the fourth line. Heaven forbid all three happen in one game.

Patrick Traverse joined the club via free agency in the offseason. He was among the top defensive defensemen available after the first day frenzy, and was even more complementary to the Bruins roster given his low propensity for taking penalties and all-around toughness.

He has the ability to finish a shot, but is not really noted for his scoring. He will most likely be the third of the trio, based on the others bringing more to the table. However, when he is in, he won't go out and break the table with his play.

Radek Martinek, another of the four free agent defensive signings, will likely be the sixth defenseman. He has as much defensive talent as Traverse, but pairs it with a better shot and better puck control and passing. He, too, was signed on the second day of free agency, and Bruins management was quite happy to get his name on the bottom line. He will take more penalties than Traverse, so the two may swap on nights the team plays eight defensemen, but it will not be a significant amount more.

The top of the trio is youngster Scott Balan, a key piece in the decision to accept the Philadelphia offer on Andrew Raycroft. In fact, he was really the deciding factor. Balan is young and already solid; development will only improve his solid defensive skills. In strictly defensive terms, in fact, he is second only to Meszaros on this club. The only knocks against this stout twenty-five year old his penchant for penalties. It is likely we will be suspended at some point, which will account for additional time for Traverse.

Between the three, they will likely see some second line time, with the bulk in third and fourth lines.

Projections -
Scott Balan - 68 games; 7-12-19
Radek Martinek - 66 games; 5-16-21
Patrick Traverse - 56 games; 4-9-13

The Bruins Defensive Preview - The Limited Engagement Defenseman

Like a good college band such as Azure Bloom, there are several defensemen who will see limited action this year in order to gauge their effectiveness. Like the band, they are feeling out the water to see if their legs are under them and what sort of response they will get.

Team management is like the crowd - they want to see if these guys are worth investing in, but don't want to spend too much time or money on them, just in case they suck.

For these guys, the teams sees that preseason will be like a monthly subscription to Napster - a limited time investment. Also like Napster, once the initial investment is made, you may as well go for broke because the money is gone. Of course, one of these guys is more like the Rolling Stones than Azure Bloom - he is tried and true, but does he still have it?

Tuuka Makela joins the club from Providence. He played in seventy-seven games for the junior club last year, scoring nine goals and racking up twenty assists. Ironically, his twenty-nine points matched his -29 rating, but that was mostly attributable to the depravity that was the Bruins junior league club (eleven players on the club finished in the double-digit negatives). Management was keen, though, on his five power-play goals, showing a fierce competitiveness, and two hundred twelve hits - though only fifty-four penalty minutes, showing a cleanly aggressive approach.

Despite the upside, he likely will only see a few games worth of action. His puck control is lacking, and while he is a fairly good defensive player, there are several better. The team is expecting growth on the farm club, and probably ten games worth of action from him to float the tester balloon.

Ladislav Benysek was part of the team's free agent foray into the unrestricted market. No one is exactly sure from whence he came, but he is in Boston now. He is a more all-around player than Makela, which is why he will likely see more game time, but not a notable amount more. Benysek, though, is also considered to be expendable and would be a candidate for release, if necessary for roster issues. He was considered the low target among the Bruins' free agent signings, and was extended an offer "just in case" the other guys did not sign. Lo and behold - all did that day. Look for him to see probably eighteen games of action.

Zdenek Kutlak saw seventy games of action last season as a rookie for the Bruins. That number may be drastically cut, depending on which way the offense goes. He is projected to be used more often in games where the defense will be considered a top priority and the roster is bumped to eight defensemen, though will split that time with Richard Jackman. Jackman, on the other hand, will see time based on his veteran leadership, strength, and durability. He provides a better defense/offense punch than Kutlak, but has a tendency to take cheap penalties, racking up two hundred six minutes last year of box time. Both are projected to see twenty-two games this year, down from seventy and seventy-seven, respectively.

These four men will round out the defensive core as needed during the season. Back to the band analogy, none is expected to be releasing a greatest hits album this season, but the hope is one or two can score a top ten single.

Projections -
Zdenek Kutlak - 22 games, 2-13-15
Richard Jackman - 22 games, 3-10-13
Ladislav Benysek - 18 games, 2-5-7
Tuuka Makela - 10 games, 1-5-6

The Bruins Defensive Preview - The Low-Talent, No-Time D-men

Three members of the Bruins defensive roster are expected to see very little, if any, pro ice time this year. For one, that will be a change. For the others, it is their lot in life.

Cory Cross and Chris Therien, both in the final years of their contracts, have been in this boat before. Repeatedly.

Cross saw action in only two games, during the mid-year stretch, when the Bruins defense was in tatters. Sean Brown was suspended for a bogus mugging penalty, Jackman and Kaberle were injured, and Matt Walker was... well, Matt Walker. Cross filled in as the last defensive option for the team, and managed to not screw it up, holding the plus-minus even for his time on the ice and accumulating no penalty minutes.

Chris Therien, on the other hand, took to the ice early in the season as a late-line defenseman. When the team was off to its putrid start, though, some options were worked on and Therien found himself shuffled back to the farm system. In ten games with Boston, he scored no goals, but had two assists in a -4 rating.

Both men will find themselves in the farm, providing experience and leadership support for the other farmers as they develop their skill sets.

Bret Hedican, on the third hand, played in all eighty-two games for the Bruins last year, scoring five goals and notching twenty assists. On a team with a negative goal differential, he managed to finish +3, and notched only eight penalty minutes.

But time, it appears has not been kind to Bret Hedican. As he heads into a new season, he has reported to early camp in what appears to be weaker shape due to lost muscle mass. His endurance did not appear strong in the preiminary treadmill testing, and when told of his lackluster standings in the training testing, the intensity of pride did not spark in his eyes. His stickwork, furthermore, was sloppy, as he was skipping passes all over the ice and had the worst lost puck margin (gaveaways, if you would) of all defensive players but Cory Cross.

While NBC5 sportsreporter Kimmi Woodza was discussing a feature on prospect Andrej Meszaros, she spoke with Hedican, who was left reaching for a breath. She asked how he was feeling, and Hedican merely grunted. "It's a young man's game," he said between gasps. "I wonder sometimes if it is worth it nowadays."

It will be a definite role change for Hedican, but he, too, is expected to spend most of the year with the farm club. His experience and leadership, though, should serve well in developing the players, and it is hoped by management that someone like Pierre-Luc Edmond, Andreas Lindstrom, or Rick Kozack can pick up defensive skills from him while playing with the farm club.

The Bruins hope, though, that Hedican maintain himself while there. His defensive skills could come in handy versus a powerhouse club where the needs may shift, or if any of the new faces should falter.

Projections -
Cory Cross; 0 games, 0-0-0
Chris Therien; 0 games, 0-0-0
Bret Hedican; 0 games, 0-0-0

The Bruins Defensive Preview - The Defense

Because of some criticism - which was not unfounded - of previous player previews, the Boston Bruins public relations team has decided it will adjust the team preview series as follows - an over view of the position (like this one), followed by the a review of all limited/no-action players. Next will be a preview of the fourth-liner or the platoon squad, if applicable. Following that, each of the first three lines will be reviewed individually, at least until we get bored of doing it. For the defense, which we begin today, we will group them by pairings. We hope the readers continue to enjoy our in-depth team prognosis, and apologize to Scott Balan's mother, who thought her baby would get a full page devoted to him.

The Boston Bruins made a series of moves in the offseason which was made in the hopes of dropping the number of goals given up, which was... excessive, to say the least. The team allowed 273 goals in the previous season, twenty-fourth worst in the league, besting only the Penguins, who somehow managed to win the Adams with a -30 goal differential); the Blue Jackets, who were not helped by a seven game skid at the end of the year; the Sabres and Senators, who both finished twelve points behind the Bruins; the Ducks, who collapsed late in the year as well and gave up on the GM prior to The Amazing Alex; and the Thrashers, who didn't even try.

Because it spent so much time in the defensive half of the ice, the team also struggled to score goals, finishing with the ninth worst goal differential in the league. Amazingly, the Bruins were in the Adams Division title hunt until the last two weeks of the season, which is more a testament to the mediocrity of the Adams than the strength of the Bruins.

Wholesale changes were made to the defense, and only four of last year's regular defenseman will return this year. Two of the departed are minimal losses - Bret Hedican and Matt Walker - while a third, Fran Kaberle, was dealt at the deadline for the best prospects available in the hopes of negotiating his return after the season. Contract talks stalled, though, and Kaberle will not return.

Five of the seven defenseman expected to see ice time in more than half the games this season are new to the Fleet Center. Whether that will be an improvement or lipstick on a pig remains to be seen.

The Bruins Goalie Preview - The Men Who Get Shot At

"Andrew Raycroft has been traded to Philadelphia."

Say it again.

"Andrew Raycroft has been traded to Philadelphia."

One more time - it doesn't sound real.

"Andrew Raycroft has been traded to Philadelphia."

That's the key. That one move set off the series of events which Bruins fans are hoping will make everything all right this year. Starved for playoff hockey, the dealing of Raycroft was a cutting loose of the pain that accompanied his late-season melt down.

Though in fairness to him, "meltdown" may not be strong enough of a word. The way he crumbled was more like the controlled implosion of a skyscraper, with women and children cleared for blocks away to be kept safe. Children SHOULD have been kept out of the Fleet Center last spring, that's for sure. And they should always be kept away from Montreal and its GM.

Raycroft leaves town in exchange for Scott Balan and Antero Niittymaki, the goaltender who has led the Finnish team in several international tournaments. He also played three games for the Philadelphia Flyers last season, seeing action in forty-seven minutes of play. He allowed one goal against him in twenty shots, and the Bruins were impressed enough with what they saw it was decided he would be the man here. Whether he can withstand the pressure will be seen, but results thusfar are good.

John Grahame returns to the back up spot and is expected to see plenty of action. He may spell Niittymaki wrong, but he will also spell him in the net as well. He is projected to start twenty games, and will likely see action in another fifteen or so filling in for Niittymaki. Last season, he saw thirty-one games as a fill in for Raycroft, going 4-10-0 with a 3.60 goals against average. He also stopped eighty-six percent of the shots he faced.

Roman Malek got nineteen minutes of ice time during the year, stopping six of the seven shots he faced. He will be dressed for several of the games Grahame starts in order to rest Niittymaki. Sebastian Charpentier will backstop the farm league when Malek is needed elsewhere. But honestly, if these two see any significant ice, chances are the season is fucked.

JUNIOR CANES GET TOUGH

What is expected and what is delivered can often be two separate things. Colin Fraser wanted to put an exclamation that this year, his potential is realized.

After the first two games, the talented center notched a quick 4 points with 1 goal and 3 assists in two consecutive victories. His only goal was a much needed short handed game winning tally.

After starting game 1 with big Mark Mancari and Corey Perry, the offensive pivot was put with Lauri Tukonen, who did not disappoint with top line duty.

"It really looked like these guys had something to prove," said head coach Craig Hartsburg. "I did not even have to make a speech, they were possessed when the game started."

The Canes exploded to show early on that they would not be pushed around. Corey Perry, Brent Seabrook, Andrew Peters, Anthony Stewart and Jordan Smith all combined for a slew of fights throughout the 2 contest, putting 4 players in the top 6 in the league in penalty minutes.

"It was a statement to the league," said Stewart. "The Canes are not soft and we will not let anyone tell us otherwise."

Colin Fraser did not care, however, as he quickly built up some numbers offensively to do his part.

"The game requires a lot of added pieces," said Fraser. "This year is my turn to put the puck in the net. I like guys like Stewey and Smitty take care of that sort of thing. This year, the Canes are going to show why we should have won last year."

Jackets rout WIld 7-1 in preseason opener

Columbus, OH

The preseason is underway in Clutch, and the Blue Jackets got off to an excellent start with a 7-1 drubbing of rival Minnesota. Bryan Smolinski led the way with a 1 goal and 2 assists and youngster Jeff Tambellini netted 2 goals himself. Tambellini played an outstanding game finishing a whopping +5 on the night Goaltender Michael Tellqvist turned away 37 of 38 shots and Columbus cruised to an easy win. Duvie Westcott was ejected in third for a brutal crosscheck on Wild forward Blake Bellefeuille.

Trio of trades, many more options, plot Bruin future

The Boston Bruins, coming off of a successful prospect draft, found themselves in an enviable position of having extra junior-eligible players.

Not wishing to expend the resources to cut any of the junior players, the Bruins instead turned to the rade market.

There, they turned an eye on filling other roster's needs.

GM Joshua Anderson explained the strategy, saying, "The way we decied to play it was to figure who had roster holes they needed to fill. Look- we're fortunate things worked out for us. We made signings we needed to in order to meet the minimums. We then were able to draft solely for talent. That left us with flexibility."

The Bruins sent trade feelers on fourteen offers over the weekend. "It most all cases," Anderson explained, "we asked for a pick at least three seasons out. There was only one exception where we offered, I think, four players for a more recent pick. Our intent is not to steal from anyone - just to get some future draft picks so we have a continuing influx of youth."

The Bruins have completed three deals so far - with Calgary, Chicago, and Dallas. They've received three picks, some cash, and a junior netminder in return. "The goalie, " Anderson explained, "was only because Chicago refused to part with a pick. But we hope to turn him around to someone in need of a goalie pretty quickly."

Another two teams have rejected the Bruins overtures, citing alternative plans to fill the roster issue. A third has counterproposed, but the offer does not meet the Bruins' needs.

Teams with junior roster needs are encourage to contact GM Anderson and see if they can make a suitable arrangement.

Bruins retain, add sponsorship

The Boston Bruins announced today they had retained several key partnerships which were established in the prior year, as well as adding a new sponsorship deal for the 2009 season.

The team will cotinue to broadcast select games on NBC5 in the upcoming season. The deal is contingent on attendance levels at the game exceeding 14,000 per game for home contests. GM Joshua Anderson, in discussing the arrangement, seemed confident, saying "We believe this is an attainable figure. Last year, we cleared it by about three percent, when, in all honesty, we only had one 'marquis' draw. This year, we have a roster including six of the players identified by the league market research as 'Gotta See 'em!' guys. This can only help us draw more fans."

Similarly, Anderson opined, those same "Gotta See 'em!" guys should help exceed the expectations lined up with the cable television partner, which will broadcast the balance of the games. Fox Sports Net has agreed to an arrangement with an escalation clause based on the team accumulating seventy-five or more points over the course of the regular season. "With the additions we've made, this should be an easier goal," Anderson said. "I mean, we hit it on the head last year, and we should only be better this year."

The team retained it's Wal-Mart Red Light and Lay's Kruncher deals. The Wal-Mart deal sponsorship rewards a team for scoring two hundred or more goals in a year, with a kicker clause if the team breaks two hundred and fifty. Despite allowing two hundred seventy-three goals last year, the Bruins did manage to score two hundred fifty-nine, giving them an air of confidence they will exceed this target. The Lay's Kruncher deal, however, may be a more difficult task this year.

For all of last season, Sean Brown single-handedly won the money and the escalation of two hundred fifty thousand by racking up two hundred eighty-five penalty minutes, include a five game stretch of almost fifty penalty minutes alone. However, Brown was playing first line time most of the season.

Heading into this year, Brown is expected to play second line defensive minutes after the promotion of rookie prodigy Andrej Meszaros. It will remain to be seen if he can rack up the same level of box sitting with the decreased ice time. If not, it is always possible one of the promoted kids will break out and earn his goon stripes.

Finally, the team added a hockey equipment manufacturer for the final sponsorship. "We're proud to announce we joining the 'Sturdy as KOHO' program for the upcoming season, which will provide a cash bonus for the team should we have players who see action in eighty or more games," Anderson announced. "We believe we will have the sturdy, dependable, and durable players who can make it through the season - much like their KOHO equipment."

In the previous season, ten players achieved this goal, including six who saw action in all eighty-two games.

Bruins captains, alternates return

The Boston Bruins proudly announced the return of the 'C' to Tim Connolly's sweater for the upcoming season.

"First off, it seems appropriate given that his last name starts with a "C", don't you think?" GM Joshua Anderson joked as he presented the honor. "This will be Tim's third season as our Captain, and he has served us with dignity, valour, and outstanding play."

Anderson continued, "He has earned this, and the player vote was unanimous. Congratulations, Tim."

Connolly assumed the podium and thanked his teammates for the honor. "I also must thank the people of Boston for sticking with us through this recent rough patch. I am looking forward to a playoff run with the talent we have assembled here, and plan to honor the...uh... honor of the captainship for that run!"

Connolly shared for the team lead in assists last year, with forty-eight, while playing the second line with Keith Tkachuk and Martin Havlat. He played in all eighty-two games for the Boston franchise, one of only six Bruins to do so. He was fifth on the team overall in total scoring, with sixty-two.

The team also announced it was awarding the Alternate Captainships to Keith Tkachuk for the third season, and Jochen Hecht for the second. Neither was invited to make a speech.

My Kingdom For a Power Cord!

The New York Rangers GM continues to sit and fume in frustration as he is unable to connect to mIRC for want of a power cord. Yes that's right. The mighty New York Ranger franchise has been brought to a screeching halt by the British power system. The Dell computer that was so carefully transported from Toronto Canada to London England has the ability to handle the different voltage across the ocean but the power cord to plug the computer into the wall is the issue at hand.

"We've had our scouts out scouring the country for the highest quality power cord but nothing yet," said an exasperated GM Burns. "I've been checking in on the league every few days on a lap top supplied by my school but I can't install anything on this computer without an admin password. I've got every techincian in the organization on this and we should be up and online within the next week. God willing."

New Juniors Join Sens

The newly drafted Junior Senators showed up to camp today and were greeted by.....well, nobody! Why might you ask? Because they are not expected to do too well this season and frankly, they stink.

The only Junior who may have some promise on the squad this year is overaged draftee Igor Volkov. Oddly given the number 1 (who the hell knows why)Volkov boasts a fairly high 66Scoring rating. For a player that was described as a great 2 way winger, Volkov seemed to aquire 1 way rates. His Scoring, passing and skating are decent but everything else is sub-par. Let's see what Schmucky can do with 1 year of camp eligibility and a possible midseason rerate.

Versteeg and Young both have fairly low ratings across the board. Young has a high intensity level and defensive rating but not much of anything else. However, these fellas are only 18 yrs old and thus, have 5 solid years of camps ahead of them. GM Schmucky cannot wait to start loading and developing these young future stars!

The Boston Bruins Season Preview - The Leftwingers

Two of the six faces on the left wing will be new to the Fleet Center this year, but are familiar to the logo. They are call-ups from the Providence club, Marin Samuelsson and Andreas Lindstrom.

Both,combined with returning winger Matt Hartigan, should see action this year as the Bruins prepare to shuffle their line-up based on match-ups, playing their more defensive unit against the stronger offenses, and attempting to exploit defenses whenever possible. Lindstrom is expected to draw the short straw, though, and see the least ice time.

Martin Havlat and Jochan Hecht will both return to lead the offensive output from the left side, which should continue to be entertaining and exciting for fans to watch. Both are planning - in their minds - to contend for the scoring title by hell or highwater.

The oddman out will be Pierre Turgeon, who is expected to see little, if any, game action.

The Boston Bruins Season Preview - Jochan Hecht

Jochen Hecht, the Boston team leader in both goals scored and points was one of only six players to see action in all eighty-two games last year. For good measure, he was lowest among top-tier players on the roster in penalty minutes, had ten power play goals, and buried five game winners.

About the only thing he did not do was strap on the pads and stop every puck fired at the net. But he may do it this year, just for fun.

Hecht will return to the top line, though it is uncertain if he will pair back up with Tim Connolly, or if he will play alongside Saku Koivu. Koivu is the best scoring option on the roster, but the team may decide to use him on the second line to exploit the match-up advantage.

"With improved options to distract from the defense, which focused on Jochan way too much last year," GM Joshua Anderson said in the pre-season press conference breaking down positions. "Furthermore, the defensive improvements we have made should also serve to decrease the amount of time we spend on the penalty kill - which should also serve to keep Jochan on the attack."

Big things are expected of Hecht as the team tries to return to the postseason. He is planning on not letting them down.

Prediction - 82 games, 41-52-93

The Boston Bruins Season Preview - Martin Havlat

Martin Havlat, the Bruins forward with the second most points last season - tied for the third most goals at twenty-six, and tied for the team lead with forty-eight assists, for seventy-four total - returns intent to prove he belongs on the first line.

He has a better attitude and improved pretty much every fact of his game to step up to the next level. "I spent most the summer with a speed and skating coach, and believe that will show on ice this fall. I also spent some time with a conditioning coach, which did wonders for my hair as well," Havlat explained.

He also spent extensive time with Jari Kurri, working on passing and puck control. Havlat explained, "The way I saw it, I couldn't just focus on one or two things. If I want to elevate my game, I want to do it across the board. I expect to be the man this year, and if this is what is necessary, than so be it - I thrive for it."

Asked if pending free agency after Season Seven contributed as well, Havlat shrugged. "Of course I am always aware of my contracts and the paychecks. It is not the motivation though. We embarrassed ourselves last year, and it is time to redeem us."

The devoted Boston fan base certainly hopes they will. Havlat is expected to start the year on the second line with Saku Koivu, n an effort to get an advantage on opponent's second line defenses.

Prediction - 82 games, 35-50-85

Capitals Name Captains

The Washington Capitals made a grand announcement recently to reveal the captains and alternates for CLUTCH 6 are... the same as those for CLUTCH 5. Patrick Marleau will return with the C, while Dan Boyle and Todd Warriner will each wear the A. The only new player with a funny letter on his sweater is junior Fabien Laniel who will lead the Kiddy Caps.

Marleau, 27, leads the way on the forward line as the No. 1 center and consistently shows good leadership and experience. Last season he scored 29 goals, dished out 39 assists and was +16 in 82 games. He also took just 4 PIMs.

Boyle, 30, is one of the leaders on the blue line for the Capitals. While not the top dog on defense, Dan does a good job keeping things organized and motivated in the back. Last year Boyle had four goals and 29 assists with 159 hits.

Warriner, 28, anchors the second forward line on the wing, and the speedy scorer is great on the ice and in the locker room. Last season Todd dealt with quite a bit of adversity, including a demotion to the third line, but he kept grinding and playing hard every night. A great example for the younger players in the ogranization, Warriner had 18 goals and 27 assists in 79 games last year.

Fabien Laniel will wear the C for the Kiddy Caps this season, and honestly we're not sure why. He had 13 goals, 13 assists and 246 PIMs in 63 games last season.

Capitals Ink Sponsorship Deals

The Washington Capitals put pen to paper on seven different sponsorship deals Friday in an effort to boost the club's finances and increase exposure around the nation. Last year Washington only completed two deals.

The first deal is with NBC TV and it will pay the club $1,000,000 if the team averages 14,000 fans per home game. Last season the Caps averaged 15,681 on home ice and with an improved roster in Year 6, this deal should be money in the bank.

Wal-Mart, the world's largest company, is involved in the second deal and it's all about goals. If Washington can light the lamp 200 or more times the club will earn $1,200,000. If the team tops the 250 mark, it's another $500,000 in cold, hard cash. Last year Washington netted 258 goals.

ESPN came to the table for the third deal, and it's worth $1,500,000 for earning a .400 or higher win percentage. An extra $500,000 will be earned if the club tops .600. In season 5 Washington was .524.

Not wanting to slight another national television power, the Capitals signed a deal with Fox Sports with a potential return of $1,250,000 in the regular season. Washington will earn the reward if they finish with more than 75 points. The club can also add $750,000 if they make it past the first round of the playoffs.

The next deal is with Viagra and will reward the club based on a strong individual performance by a player. If any Capital scores 40 or more goals, the team earns $2,000,000. If a player hits the lofty total of 57 goals, it's another $500,000 for the club.

Hockey company KOHO came calling for the next deal, and it will pay Washington $1,000,000 if any player plays 80+ games. Last season the club had 11 players reach that mark.

The last sponsorship deal is with internet giant Yahoo!. If the Capitals reach the playoffs, a deposit of $1,500,000 will be made in the team's bank account.

Club management is pleased to see the corporate world recognize the growing franchise in Washington, and everyone is excited to work with these new sponsors.

Senators Name C's and A's

Well the Ottawa Senators got their wish today as a rule change has been implemented allowing any player of the correct age to wear the C or A.

So, pending any other rule changes prior to Monday's captains and assistants deadline, this is what the C's and A's in Ottawa will look like:

Wearing the C this year will Alexei Kovalev. Fresh off of a big 4 year signing that could see him retire in Ottawa, Kovalev becomes the leader of his new squad. Coming off a near 80 pt season that saw him adjust to 3 different teams, Kovalev is expected to shine alongside Teemu Selanne and Brendan Morrisson. A leader by example, Alexei demonstrates great skill, maturity and poise and thus, should be a great Captain for the red, black and gold this year.

Michael Ryder will wear the first A this year for the Senators. Michael has consistently put up good numbers for Ottawa finishing in the top 5 in team scoring for the last three years. Ryder is young but has developed fine leadership skills up front for Ottawa and will definitely be a force this season on the 2nd line with Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Petr Nedved. This is Ryder's 2nd season as assistant captain with the Senators.

Finally, the only new addition to the Assistant Captains role on the Senators is veteran Defenseman Tom Poti. Poti is the #1 guy defensively for this squad now and has shown excellency on all levels after just one full season with the squad. Poti has been a great influence on young stay-at-home defenseman Ryan Whitney and has assisted with his extremely successful development.

Islanders Add Mr Norris

After trading Sergei Zubov away to the Calgary Flames for Wryan Whitney and a 1^st round draft pick, Islander GM Ryan Long was on the lookout for another veteran defenceman to support Zdeno Chara. “We were looking for another stellar blueliner, and we ended up getting the best of the best”.

The Islanders sent the 1^st rounder from the Zubov trade, winger Pavol Datsyuk and Kimmo Timmonen to the Phoenix Coyotes. In return, the received Niklas “Norris” Lidstrom and a 2^nd round pick next year.

“Nik has been the premier Dman the past 5 seasons in CLUTCH, as evidenced by his winning the Norris Trophy every year since the league begun. With him, Chara and Andy Delmore, we feel we have the best top 3 Dmen in the league. Add in Teppo Numminen, Keith Carney and Christian Ehroff, and we have the blueline squad to definitely push for a Stanley Cup repeat.

Lidstrom was obviously happy to join the reigning champions. “I`ve won individual awards, as well as international championships.

However the ultimate prize is the Stanley Cup, and the Islanders` have demonstrated they have what it takes to win. Hopefully, I can help them become the first back-to-back CLUTCH champions.”

GFHL to CLUTCH - "Step off, bitch!"

Global Fanasy Hockey League Commissioner Patrick McCoy issued a warning today to his respective counterpart in CLUTCH, Ryan Long.

"Ryan, I am not sure what sort of stunt you are trying to pull, but I assure you, it is a bad idea. I'm the Originator of the Crappy Commissioner Shtick around FSZ, so don't try to confuse people by stealing my gimmick."

McCoy was concerned because for several years now, he has held the corner on extended drafts, half-year offseasons, and out-of-date rulebooks.

However, based on recent incidents, the Australian Ryan Long, who assumed control of CLUTCH prior to season five, seems to have read McCoy's book, "If I Were Commissioner of a Good League, This Is How I Would Screw It Up". Of course, we know that is almost certainly not true, as McCoy lacks the commitment to write a book, and Long has issues reading books you don't color in.

CLUTCH completed the Season Six draft on Saturday, November 11. The draft, which much like the Oscars, had some presentations made before the actual event, took approximately four hours to complete three rounds. It was an act of sheer bravery and determination for Long to force the draft to that length.

"Frankly, I thought I was better than that. I was feeling a minimum six hour run in my bones, but was disappointed I couldn't stretch it much further," Long stated. "Mostly, I blame a few certain GMs who acquired picks during the draft, and were 'prepared', moving things along nicely. I felt we could go for McCoy's two day, eleven hour record."

Told of Long's comments, McCoy just chuckled. "Amateur. He should have refused to allow anyone to aid him - insisting on looking up players, verifying eligibility. That's an easy additional two hours right there. Plus, once you have 'resourceful' GMs who draft off-listers, you can stretch that an additional two, three hours, minimum."

"Even more than that, he should have had a plant - someone who could continuously pick guys who are already in the league," McCoy continued. "Since - as I said before - you are doing your own verifying, you can know they are in, 'miss' them, then have to go back when someone catches it six or seven picks later. Then you have to repick again, basically doubling the length. My god, who taught this rookie?"

When pressed for what the real issue was between Mr. Long and himself, McCoy sighed. "Look - I'm the bad Commissioner. That's how I am known. When you become a noun - 'Pulling a Wolfe', 'Wolfe-like offseason', a 'Canadian Pat', well - you have arrived. That is me. That is who I am. And now this freakin punk comes out of the woodwork and wants to steal the reputation I worked to build?" McCoy looked almost teary-eyed, saying "It's just a little dusty in here, jackass. But for ten seasons, the GFHL has been the place for the mediocre GM to come and not have to work that hard. If he thinks he is going to steal our bread-and-butter, well that bitch just better step the fuck back!"

Long responded, "Look - he is old news. He may have once been a great jerkoff, but I'm the new game in town. You want out-of-date rule books? I've got 'em. I'll even tell you they are being worked on, just to prove how 'devoted' I am, then ignore it for more than a year. And extended off-seasons? McCoy, unlike you and your drag-em out methods until the GM never replies to your emails, since he changed email addresses twice between sixth and ninth grade? I'll one-up you. I fire guys who never even see a game, all to make it look like THEY are the problem. Face it - you're HAL, I'm the new Mac."

Mini Camp opens in Whistler

The Vancouver Canucks opened a mini camp in Whistler Bc . They were put through some dry land training and spme gym work.
Newly named captain Dainius Zubrus was excited to be placed on a line with newcomer Mike Richards and Richard Zednick in the 1st scrimmage of camp. The 2nd line was made up of smooth passer Robert Lang and 2 more newly aquired players super sniper Rick Nash and wiley vet Mike Knuble.The checking line was made up of Craig Conroy centering Jere Letinen and Tyler Bouck. 4th line is Evgeny Gladskitk Scott Walker and Jason King who will get a chance to make an impression with selfish Ruslan Fedotenko continuing his holdout.

The defense is a work in progress this year Jordan Leopold and Karel Rachenek will battle with vet Aaron Ward for !st line duty.Andreas Holmqvist will probably end up on 2nd line duty.Steve McCarthy will anchor the 3rd pairinfg with stay at home d-man Mattius Norstrom.Ruslan Salei will be the 7th man in the rotation.

Goaltending will be Alex Aults to lose.He will be expected to keep the Canucks in the game and if he falters Byron Defoe is standing by to do the job.

Tomorrow the boys will skate in the morning and then some will golf and some have booked a local fishing charter.

FRASER THE NEW CENTER OF ATTENTION IN JUNIOR CANE-VILLE

Carolina

After a couple seasons fighting for some ice time, it seems that this year will mark the year of Colin Fraser. The tale continues today as young Colin Fraser has been given the vote of confidence by head coach Craig Harstburg to lead the young Carolina juniors into battle as ther top line center.

Flanking him will be the creative and gifted offensive star Corey Perry and the power forward with a cannon of a shot in Mark Mancari.

"This is a big year for me," said Fraser. "A lot of talk the past couple years was simply about me being able to put up any numbers in this level. I had a hard time getting ice time from some of the veterans on this team like Brandon Reid and Jeff Carter, but they graduated this year and hopefully this is the year I show off what I have learned while I have been here."

Corey Perry is also in the same situation. While he was acquired last year in a deal that sent sniper Joffrey Lupul to Toronto, Perry had expected to see more minutes last season. That did not happen with the glut of offensive talent on the right side, but several have left and Perry feels his time is now.

"I just want a chance to get my shot in the bigs," said Perry. "I Know I can play in this league and I know I can put up numbers they expect. If this is the opportunity that Mark, Colin and I get, then so be it. We will not let anyone down."

The Canes are quite excited about the opportunity to unite this talented trio and feel that if this line does not click, they have several options to find the proper fit.

Canes camp continues.