NHL trade deadline[Q from Anthony] How will the trades at the deadline effect the playoff race?
[A] The Avalanche are the only Western Conference team that significantly improved at the trade deadline. Bottom line for the Western Conference: the Big Four has narrowed down to the Big Two, Detroit and Colorado.
Avalanche - [IN] Kasparaitis. [OUT] Berry, Nieminen. Bottom Line: The Avs added a Marchment-esque potentate to the blue line, but will live or die by the number of penalties he takes in the playoffs.
Hawks - [IN] Fitzgerald, Odelein. [OUT] Spacek. Bottom line: Odelein at -28 +/- will hope to improve that stat with the Hawks, Fitzgerald adds veteran toughness to the roster.
Coyotes - [IN] Hordichuk. [OUT] Safronov, Zainullin. Bottom Line: Not dealing Numminen was the smartest thing Phoenix did this season, and now the Yotes are the hottest team in the league. Will that carry over to the playoffs? No.
Oilers - [IN] Allen, York. [OUT] Poti, Murray, Brown. Bottom Line: 2 defenseman go, none return. York makes this team faster on the transition, if that is possible.
Kings - [IN] Donato, Ronning. [OUT] Fiset, Karalahti. Bottom Line: Ronning spreads the scoring across 3 lines, Kings and the Sharks have the best shot to upset one of the Big Two.
Wings - [IN] Slegr. [OUT] Butsyaev. Bottom Line: Wings get a solid defenseman for the playoffs, the strong get stronger.
Sharks - [IN] none [OUT] none. Bottom line: No right shooting D for help on the PP, no loss of young talent, Selanne leads team in goals scored, veteran leadership like Damphousse Ricci or Graves will show their value in the postseason.
Stars - [IN] Arnott, McKay, Malhotra. [OUT] Nieuwendyk, LangenBrunner, Rucinsky, Lyashenko, Brunet. Bottom Line: Losing Nieuwendyk will hurt faceoffs, Arnott has a bad back/rib, team gets bigger but the loss of vets hurts short-term.
Blues - [IN] Ferraro. [OUT] none. Bottom line: Will the Blues under perform, or play up to their talent level this postseason? My quarter says no.
Kings outwork Sharks 3-2
After clawing back to a 2-2 tie, Owen Nolan took umbrage with a collision in the neutral zone and shortly thereafter took a four minute high sticking penalty.
Adam Deadmarsh scored the game winning goal on the ensuing power play. Game Over.
Fan dies after being hit by puck13 year old Brittanie Cecil died after being hit by a puck at a Columbus Blue jackets game.
Statement from BlueJackets president Doug Maclean:
The Columbus Blue Jackets and Nationwide Arena are deeply saddened by the tragic accident that occurred during Saturday�s game. Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to Brittanie�s family and friends during this time of anguish. Our fans mean the world to us and this loss has had a profound affect on the entire Blue Jackets family.
[Our condolences go out to her family]
Player Profile -- Teemu Selanne
- 1st on team in goals [23], 1st on team in GW goals [6], 3rd on team in points [42].
- The Finnish Flash is part owner of the EPS Seahawks, a third-level league club based in Espoo, Finland.
- Teemu became the 2nd Finnish player [Jari Kurri the 1st], and the 69th NHL player to score 400 goals March 7th vs Ottawa.
- Selanne led the Finnish national team in goals [3 goals] and shots during the Olympics, and was tied for first in scoring [3 points].
Big_whiny_defenseman.com
Nabokov scores first NHL goal
Evgeni Nabokov's empty net goal capped a wild 7-4 San Jose win over Vancouver.
Other goals scored by goalies:
01/02/01 - Jose Theodore [MON]
02/15/00 - Martin Brodeur [NJ]
01/02/99 - Damian Rhodes [OTT]
04/17/97 - Martin Brodeur [NJ]
03/06/96 - Chris Osgood [DET]
04/11/89 - Ron Hextall [PHI]
12/08/87 - Ron Hextall [PHI]
11/28/79 - Billy Smith [NYI]
Sharks 0, Predators 2
When San Jose registers 2 shots on goal during the 1st period, you can tell it is going to be a rough night.
In the 2nd period, Alexander Korolyuk brought fans out of their seats with a stutter step and a head fake to get around a Nashville defenseman. Alex was unable to pull a goal out of the Doghouse.
With 7 minutes left in the game, Owen Nolan demolished Cale Hulse with repeated blows to the head. [Note to self: do not aggravate Owen Nolan when his team is on a 3 game losing streak].
Mike Dunham made 26 saves to pick up the W for the Predators.
Shark notes- Nabokov named player of the month for February. [Evgeni is tied for 2nd in shutouts with 7].
- Visit Tonie van Ringelestijn's fan photo gallery of the Sharks vs the Flyers [2/5/02].
- Question: Does the NHL need fixing after the Olympics?
Remove red line? Yes. 15 second faceoffs? No. Automatic icing? No. 4-on-4? No. Unretire Cam Neely? Yes.
- Question: Will the San Jose Sharks battle the Avalanche for the #2 playoff seed, or will they succumb to the stretch run slide of seasons past?
- Win an autographed Sharks stick from McAfee.com.
- Question: Did Ed Belfour go Mike Tyson on 2 televisions, 1 VCR, 1 clock, and 1 wall after being pulled in order to signal to mgmt. he wanted a trade?
The Doghouse lineAptly named the Doghouse line, Alex Korolyuk, Patrick Marleau, and Teemu Selanne have all spent time under the glare of Coach Sutter. With 8 goals and 14 assists in 5 games, this line has helped the Sharks run up a franchise best 7 game winning streak.
ESPN, the Mercury News, the Sporting News, and the Sharks Radio network have all run with the name.
[update] It looks like SharksBlameCanada coined the phrase "the Doghouse Line", or did Ross McKeon first toss it around? We previously posted another Sharks fan as the source of the name.
Sharkspage will wait a week, and award an autographed puck from "NHL superstar" Stephane Matteau to the fan who first used the name online.
