Giroux Returning to Lineup posted by Jeff Ponder

Claude Giroux is proving that concussions do not have a set timetable for return.  For some players, problems with concussions have spanned throughout multiple seasons.

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins has missed 68 games – and counting – with a concussion.  David Perron of the St. Louis Blues recently missed 97 games with a concussion issue.  It seems that Giroux will miss just four games.

Reports suggest that Giroux will be back in the lineup tonight in Dallas.

Giroux has been sidelined since December 10 after colliding with teammate Wayne Simmonds.  When Giroux missed his first game, he was the league’s leading scorer with 39 points.  Currently, he is tied for first with Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh), Phil Kessel (Toronto) and Henrik Sedin (Vancouver).

During practice Tuesday morning, Giroux rejoined his linemates, Jaromir Jagr and Scott Hartnell, while also spending time on the first power-play unit.  It was Giroux’s third straight day of practice.

In an interview with Philly.com, Giroux stated that he “felt good.”

The timing of Giroux’s return could not have come at a better time.  One week ago today, Flyers captain Chris Pronger was informed that he would be sidelined for the rest of the season with severe post-concussion syndrome.

Philadelphia Flyers Sign Jaromir Jagr posted by Jeff Ponder

It’s official; Jaromir Jagr is back in the NHL.

Just an hour after it was announced that the Pittsburgh Penguins pulled out of the Jagr-sweepstakes, their division rival swooped in and took him.

Jagr, who has taken a three-season leave of absence from the NHL to play with Avangard Omsk of the KHL, was one of the most-sought after free-agents this summer.  The native of Kladno, Czechoslovakia showed that he still could get it done in the Olympics in Vancouver last year and talks of him returning to the NHL began immediately after.

Jagr is ninth on the NHL all-time leading point-scorers with 646 goals, 953 assists and 1599 total-points. 

Philadelphia, who traded away marquee players Mike Richards and Jeff Carter last week, are getting a proven goal scorer to add to a young offense.  Jagr will likely play on the top line with forwards Claude Giroux and Danny Briere to at least start training camp. 

The deal is reportedly a one year contract worth $3.3 million.

Follow Jeff Ponder on Twitter (@jponder94) for all the latest updates on free-agent signings today.

Analysis of Today’s Moves by the Philadelphia Flyers posted by Jeff Ponder

With the trades made today, one would think that the Flyers are coming off a dreadful season.

This is not the case, as Flyers GM Paul Holmgren saw his team finish second in the Eastern Conference and third in the entire NHL with 106 points.  Yet today could be the biggest day for player movement in Flyers franchise history.

First, the Flyers announced that they had traded team captain Mike Richards to the Los Angeles Kings for center Brayden Schenn, right wing Wayne Simmonds and a 2012 second round draft selection.  But that was just the beginning of the whole shebang. 

Just minutes later, it was released that the Flyers had moved leading goal-scorer Jeff Carter from the roster as well.  Carter was dealt to the Columbus Blue Jackets for forward Jakub Voracek and a first and third round draft selection in the 2011 NHL draft. 

Wait… there’s more.

Ilya Bryzgalov, who’s rights were recently acquired from the Phoenix Coyotes for the rights to AHLer Matt Clackson and a 2012 third round draft selection, was signed to a 9-year, $51 million contract just after the two trades were approved by the NHL. 

Many questions are surfacing from fans and media alike; why trade so much offensive talent?

The answer can be summed up to one statement: the NHL, above all else, is a business.  Trading Richards and Carter freed up a ton of money and the extra dollars went straight into Bryzgalov’s pocket.  Richards will be entering the fourth year of his 12-year, $69 million contract.  Jeff Carter, who recently signed an 11-year, $58 million contract this past season, is just starting his new contract this season. 

Goalie Annti Niemi Out Of Job posted by Richard Kagan

Annti Niemi is pounding the pavement looking for a goaltending job.  This development is old news but I felt this merits a comment.  Hockey must be a tough business.  This position is possibly the most important for a team in the playoffs.  The big question for the 'Hawks going into the playoffs was who would start in goal in the playoffs, Niemi or Huet.  Niemi finished strong in the regular season to earn the shot and he ran with it. 

I am not going to spout statistics here.  I am giving my gut reaction.  I thought Niemi was great in the playoffs, possibly winning a game or two by himself. He made saves that took away goals.  He came up huge in big situatons.  He was hard to score on close in, and made key saves against the Flyers in the 6th game.  A goal might have changed the complexion of the game, but Niemi came through.  Now he is a victim of the "Hawks messed up salary cap. 

Niemi won a $2.75 million ruling in arbitration and the Hawks wouldn't pay it.  Lord, a man helps you win the Stanley Cup, which brought in millons of dollars in incidentals to the team.  The payments to the team in percentages for sold hockey jerseys could have paid for Niemi's salary.   I know hockey is a tough business and more players are making more money than ever before.   I don't know how you can let your Stanley Cup goalie go.  You have to find a way to pay him.

The fact that the Hawks apparently couldn't find a way or decided not to pay him speaks volumes about what previous management did to get the team in this kind of pickle.  The Hawks signed Marty Turco, a veteran, to the team.  He is expected to start.  Niemi is a younger goalie with talent on the upside.  He could get even better than how he played in the playoffs, and he was outstanding then.  In fact, he was considered by Hawks fans as a candidate for Conn Symthe (MVP) Award in the post-season.  What would that say, if he won the award?  Oh, we can't afford to keep him?

Kane's OT Goal Take Hawks To The Stanley Cup posted by Richard Kagan

Patrick Kane's drive from an odd angle eluded goalie Michael Leighton in OT of game 6 and the Chicago Blackhawks ousted the Philadelphia Flyers in a taut, thrilling finish to win Hockey's version of the Holy Grail.

The Hawks won the game 4-3, outplayed and outshot the Flyers for most the game. Yet the Flyers would not go away.  Scott Hartnell tied the game late in the third period at 3-3 to send the hometown fans in to a frenzy.  It appeared a Chicago team would yet again, find a way to lose a game they had all but won.  Antti Niemi, the Hawks goalie made a brilliant save in the final minute of the third period to keep his team from avoiding what would have been a terrible defeat.  He made some key saves in OT, and it was the heroics of Patrick Kane, a supremely talented winger, who came to the fore.  He was silent for most the Finals.  But he kept skating and found his game. His teammate, Jonathan Towes, had a great Playoffs performance and won the Conn Symthe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player.  If Antti Niemi won the award, no one would argue.  Niemi was stellar in goal throughout the playoffs, and especially in the clutch, when the Hawks needed a big save. And some of his stops were jaw-dropping.  Niemi will go down in 'Hawks history as the clutch playoff goalie.

The Hawks overall talent won over the grit and guttiness of the Flyers.  They played a great Finals, it just so happened that the Hawks were the better team, and played that way.

People will talk about how it has been 49 years since the Hawks last won the Cup.  But that drought is over, because the Hawks management made some great moves, acquiring key players in quest of the Holy Grail, that it finally found.

Hawks 1 Win From the Cup posted by Richard Kagan

The Chicago Blackhawks returned to the United Center and beat the Flyers 7-4 on Sunday to take a 3-2 games lead in the Cup Finals.  The Hawks need one more win to win their first Stanley Cup since 1961 when Bobby Hull was a young gunner.

That is a long time ago.  Last night Hull could been seen beaming as he and fellow Hall of Famer Stan Mikita looked on as the Hawks put on an offensive show.  Winger Dustin Byfuglien finally showed up last night, scoring 4 points on 2 goals.  Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews both had moments of brilliance.  Kane reminds one of Denis Savard.  He is so quick and graceful on the ice.  His wrap-a-round wrist shot went to the net and almost caught the Philly goalie off guard.  Goalie Michael Leighton was pulled after the first period, with the Hawks leading 3-0.  Philly scored twice in the second period while Chicago added another goal.   You have to admire the grit of the Flyers.  They sinply don't give up.  They played hard but not particularly smart.  And the Hawks made them pay.

Byfuglien threw his weight around and sent pesky Chris Pronger to the ice in a heap after a brutal check.  Pronger has been dishing it out good, and he got some back in return.

Antti Niemi made some great saves in the third period to keep the Flyers at bay.  The Hawks are going to have to play great in the next game in order to beat Philadelphia on their home ice.  Do they have one great game left in them?

Let's hope so, because that is what is going to take.  The Flyers are a very good, quick, opportunistic team that isn't going quietly into the night.  The Hawks are going to have to seize the Cup from them.  It should be a heck of a game.

Kane and Toews Need to Step Up posted by Richard Kagan

This is a very good Chicago Blackhawks team.  They have a 2-0 Cup Finals lead over the Flyers and their leading All-stars, Patrick Kane, and Jonathan Toews have been held scoreless.  That shows you the depth of this team.  Thank you Dave Bolland, et al.  Kane and Toews looked sharper in the last game, but still failed to score.  They are getting coaching and watching videos prior to game 3, that is for sure.

This Series is far from over.  Philadephia seems to have more lives than a cat.  They bounced Boston in game 7 trailing at one point 3-0 in the game, and won 4-3, after coming back from an 0-3 series deficit.  That is quite a feat.  So, don't count them out.  Trailing 2-0 for them is a piece of cake.  The Hawks have to withstand the initial Flyers blitz in the opening 5 minutes of the game, and then establish their own game.  One Chicago player termed a road win, a "greasy" win.  Right now, they'll take one any way it looks.  But all four lines have to do their part, and the defense needs to continue to play superlative.  Annti Niemi needs to put in another great game in goal. 

The Hawks need this game.  You don't want to give life to a ghost.  Win the game and see if the Flyers can rally from another big hole.  That is not very likely.  Both teams know this a big game.  It could be a pivotal game in the Finals.

Niemi Sparkles in 2-1 'Hawks Win posted by Richard Kagan

The Chicago Blackhawks won a 2-1 thriller to take a 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Finals.  Antti Niemi, the Blackhawks goalie was simply awesome in net as he made one great save after another to lead Chicago in a pulsating win.  The Finals resume with Game 3 back in Philadelphia.

As pourous as the Chicago defense was in their 6-5 win in Game one, Niemi and the defense was terrific in holding off a desperate Flyers effort.  Niemi made 32 saves, some of those defied description.  He was all over the crease and net, and cut off angles and made hard saves look easy coming up with some amazing blocks.  He was on his game.

The Hawks broke through for 2 quick goals and held on as fans gasped at the frenetic end to end action.  Earlier I wrote that Chicago would have to play well because the Flyers would push them.  In this game Philadephia pushed the Hawks to a high level, perhaps the best game we've seen them play in the playoffs thus far.  The Hawks played smart, and didn't take stupid penalties, and the score might have been higher except that Leighton made equally stellar saves for Philly.

But the two goal lead held up and now the Hawks are closer to the Cup than they've been in generations, it seems like eons ago.  How both teams played at the up and down pace for long lengths of time was incredible.  Viewers saw Prime-Time Hockey tonight.  And, Blackhawks fans saw their team take a 2-0 lead in the Finals.

Pronger – Byfuglien Battle Takes Center Stage posted by Jeff Ponder

Who would have thought that the battle of an aging defenseman and a 17-goal scorer would be the top story heading into the Stanley Cup Finals? 

Chris Pronger has made a living of punishing people when they decide to stand in front of his goaltender.  The 35-year old defenseman has amassed 18 penalty minutes thus far in the 2010 playoffs, including many cross-checking and interference calls while clearing out the front of his net.  But he does not seem to ever give it a rest.  Does Pronger seem to get terrified by the mere thought of Byfuglien standing in front with him?  He seemed to downplay the thought when he was asked if the media is blowing the Byfuglien – Pronger battle out of proportion.

“I think you guys are,” he said.  He also was not too impressed when he was told that the Chicago forward scored three game-winning goals in the Western Conference Final all from the slot.

“Congratulations,” he added.  “It's pretty easy to talk about it.  We got a lot of days before that first game.”

Byfuglien may have only punched in 17 goals in the 82-game regular season, but four of his eight goals in the playoffs have been game-winning goals, which is something that has soared his team into the Stanley Cup Finals.  So obviously Pronger isn't the first one to downplay Byfuglien's presence in front of the net.

“He's just another guy in front of the net,” commented Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo just before the Western Semifinal Series.  Luongo surrendered 23 goals to Chicago in the six-game series, including a hat-trick from Byfuglien in game three.
Continue reading "Pronger – Byfuglien Battle Takes Center Stage"

Hawks To Hoist Cup? posted by Richard Kagan

We know the Chicago Blackhawkss will open the Stanley Finals at home.  But will they be able to win and hoist the Cup on home ice?  That remains to be seen.  The series starts Saturday night and it will be a rollicking finals.  Both teams will bang the boards and each other.  We may see some fights.  We will certainly see goals. 

The question is can Antti Niemi continue his great playoff run for another ten days?  Whoever has the hot goalie will win the Finals.  Defense always wins it.  The Blackhawks have a great defensive corps and the guys need to step up now.

There is plenty of talent to go around.  The Hawks have four solid lines and are deep defensively.  Niemi has been terrific down the stretch. 

The Flyers will test the Hawks.  They will not back down.  The Hawks will have to play their best hockey to win.  It says here that the Flyers will push the Hawks to play great, and the series will end in 6 games. 

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