Should Nabokov have won Vezina?

From David Pollak's entry in Working the Corners:

Finally, I’m just catching up to the fact that Martin Brodeur, not Evgeni Nabokov won the Vezina Trophy tonight. The GMs, not the media, vote on this one so it’s harder to explain the usual East Coast bias. I think maybe you just chalk it up to bad judgment.

Read the full entry here.

I completely disagree with Pollak here. Nabokov played on a far superior team than Brodeur did. If you look closely at the two rosters, they really are not comparable. The Sharks are loaded with speed and talent. Nabokov played extremely well, however, he was rarely relied on to carry the club.

On the other hand, Brodeur had a weak defense in front of him and played for a team that had trouble scoring goals. The Devils relied on his services far more than the Sharks did Nabokov's.

The GMs made the right decision.

Where does Hasek rank?

From Damien Cox of the Toronto Star:

So where does Hasek rate? Here's the best of the last 25 years:

1. Martin Brodeur.

By early next season Brodeur will own the record for wins by an NHL goalie, and is closing in on Terry Sawchuk's all-time mark for career shutouts. With three Stanley Cups, a historic Olympic gold and three Vezina Trophies, Brodeur sits at the top.

2. Dominik Hasek.

It's the two Hart Trophies that really grab you. While with Buffalo, Hasek was an army unto himself while playing the position as the moment struck him. He won the Vezina six times, stoned Canada and won gold in Nagano and finished up with a couple of Cups with the Wings.

3. Patrick Roy.

Seems crazy, huh? Saint Patrick, after all, redefined the way in which the position was played to many. He won the Vezina three times and backstopped Montreal and Colorado to Cups. Perhaps the absence of significant international success is the only missing piece from his wonderful resume.

Read the rest of his top five goaltenders of the last 25 years here.

I cannot say I disagree with these rankings. If you do, let us know in the comments section.

News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. The weekly release from the USHL.
2. By way of correction to an item posted yesterday, it is the Ducks, and not the NHL, that are fining Niedermayer $500,000. The NHLPA is working on getting that money refunded.
3. Canada will play Russia for World Under-18 Gold, Wednesday on TSN.
4. Memorial Cup History, 1931.
5. Vandals damage the new arena being constructed in Fargo, ND.
6. James Duthie would like to see the NHL stagger the start times of playoff games.
7. Everyone wants to talk about Sean Avery, including the New Yorker.
8. Pierre Lebrun says Marty Turco was the difference in the Ducks-Stars series.
9. Chris Elliott spends the day with the New York Rangers.
10. William Houston with his thoughts on the CBC's on-air quality.
11. Mike Smith discusses his Domi/King for Olczyk trade.
12. EJ Hradek's Morning Skate.
13. Ping-pong eases the pressure in San Jose.
14. Will Brian Burke be offered a 5-year, $23 million deal?
15. Scott Morrison notes that the Sharks have more to lose tonight.
16. Darren Eliot writes that the Bruins are now back on the NHL radar, despite their Game 7 loss.
17. Martin Brodeur has declined an invitation to join Team Canada.
18. Mark Emmons discusses the post-series handshake.
19. The Hot List from the Hockey News.
20. The Telus Cup is underway in Arnprior, Ontario.
21. A look at the draft eligible Justin (You Must be) Jokinen.
22. The Junior Report.
23. The Berlin Polar Bears have won the DEL Championship.
24. Team Great Britain finishes 4th at the World Division 1 championships.
25. Ken Campbell wants to see more Washington-Philadelphia games.

NHL Morning Papers (Wednesday Edition)

Here are the national morning papers:

• William Houston is sick of the Leafs-centric Hockey Night in Canada.
• Jarome Iginla is a fan like anyone else, so he is really enjoying how close the standings are this season, writes Erik Duhatschek.
• The Red Wings should be healthy for the playoffs, writes Kevin Allen of USA Today.
• The Art Ross Trophy is most likely to go to a Russian player this year, writes Wayne Scanlan.
• Damien Cox of the Toronto Star has some words of wisdom for the anti-visor club.

Here are the Eastern Conference morning papers:

• The Thrashers were so bad at practice yesterday that they were kicked off the ice by assistant coach Brad McCrimmon, writes Craig Custance.
• The Bruins were better last night than they were on Monday, but still not good enough, writes Kevin Paul Dupont. On the injury front, the team will be without Aaron Ward for about the next two weeks with a bruised right foot.
• The Sabres got a big victory over the Flyers on Tuesday night, writes John Vogl of the Buffalo News. Lindy Ruff challenged defenseman Dmitri Kalinin at practice yesterday in front of his teammates.
• After losing 6-1 to the Devils a few weeks back, the Hurricanes had a team meeting and have been a different team ever since.
• The Rangers still got a point out of their 4-3 shootout loss last night, but they haven't been as sharp the past week of play, writes Larry Brooks. "A lot of parts of my game are pretty good and some parts just have to be better. I can't excuse myself for bad bounces. I just have to be better," said Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist after last night's contest.
• Sam Donnellon of the Philadelphia Daily News says the Flyers aren't as urgent as they need to be, in their pursuit of a playoff spot. Daniel Briere missed last night's game with a shoulder injury.
• The Penguins rode the return of Sidney Crosby to a 2-0 victory over the Lightning, writes Shelly Anderson. Marc-Andre Fleury got the start again last night, which means Michel Therien is sticking to his policy.
• Cristobal Huet is questionable for tonight's game with a back problem, writes Tarik El-Bashir.
• Craig Anderson recorded his second consecutive shutout last night, as the Panthers defeated the Bruins 1-0 in overtime.
• Pat Hickey wonders if Guy Carbonneau will start Carey Price or Jaroslav Halak tonight versus Phoenix.
• The Devils got big goals from their top players when they needed them last night in a win over the Maple Leafs.
• The Islanders defeated the Rangers at MSG with backup Wade Dubielewicz between the pipes.
• Daniel Alfredsson is questionable for tonight's game against the Sharks. Bryan Murray escaped extra punishment from the NHL for his game misconduct on Monday.
• The Lightning continued their losing ways last night with a 2-0 shutout loss to the Penguins.
• The Leafs were defeated last night by a better team, writes Mark Zwolinksi. Martin Brodeur was the difference on Tuesday, writes Terry Koshan.

Here are the Western Conference morning papers:

• Craig Conroy toughed out yesterday's game against the Blue Jackets with a sore knee, and then went on to score the game's only goal in the Flames' 1-0 shutout victory. Miikka Kiprusoff made sure he proved who was the team's number one netminder last night.
• The Jackets just couldn't get on the scoresheet last night and it may have cost them their playoffs chances, writes Tom Reed. Apparently lots of Columbus players have embraced the leadership roles that were opened up by the Adam Foote and Sergei Fedorov trades last week.
• Even though they are playing great hockey, the Stars are not far ahead of the their division rivals, writes Chuck Carlton.
• The Wings are expected to have Brian Rafalski back in their lineup tonight, and Nicklas Lidstrom should be soon to follow.
• The Kings lost their fifth straight game last night by a score of 3-2 to the Blues.
• The Predators recorded their second straight important road victory last night, with a 5-1 win at Edmonton.
• Jody Shelley has been a very important addition for the Sharks, writes Mark Purdy.
• The Blues ended their six-game losing streak last night with a victory over the lowly Kings, writes Jeremy Rutherford. The Blues are excited to get on the road and come together.
• The Blackhawks are creeping back into playoff contention with their victory over the Wild last night, writes Chris Kuc.
• Peter Forsberg returned to the Avalanche lineup last night and the team came away with a 2-1 victory over the Canucks. Woody Paige gives his take on Forsberg's return.
• The Oilers were defeated at home by the Predators, writes Joanne Ireland. Mathieu Garon couldn't make the big stops last night.
• The Coyotes have to win the little battles tonight versus the Stars, writes Jim Gintonio.
• With last night's loss to the Avs, the Canucks have fallen out of playoff position.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

Email any thoughts, ideas or suggestions to illegalcurve@gmail.com

NHL Morning Papers (Thursday Edition)

Here are the Eastern Conference morning papers:

• The Thrashers can thank Kari Lehtonen for their 3-2 shootout victory over the Capitals last night because they were outplayed, writes Craig Custance of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. As a thank you to the fans, the Thrashers have raised season ticket prices for next year. (Writer's note: Good move by Atlanta. This should decrease their attendance from 14 people to 12 for next season.)
• The Bruins played a playoff-type game versus Pittsburgh last night and came away with a 2-1 road victory, writes Kevin Paul Dupont. Unfortunately for the Bruins, last night's win came at the cost of a scary injury to Aaron Ward.
• The Sabres only got one last night and it was uncharacteristically from Paul Gaustad, but that was enough to defeat the Maple Leafs 1-0. The Sabres can thank Ryan Miller for last night's win, writes John Vogl of the Buffalo News.
• It appears that Hurricanes center Matt Cullen will be out of the line-up for quite a bit longer as he is still suffering from vision problems.
• Larry Brooks of the NY Post has all the details behind the Henrik Lundqvist contract extension.
• With Braydon Coburn still out for an extended period of time, the Flyers have decided to call-up Ryan Parent from the AHL. With the Parent call-up, the Flyers aren't exactly following their pre-season plan, writes Ed Moran of the Philadelphia Daily News.
• "We played a team that was hungry to play, and we weren't. It's pretty simple," said Pens head coach Michel Therrien after his team's 2-1 loss to Boston. According to Therrien there is a good chance that Dany Sabourin will start between the pipes tonight versus Carolina.
• The Capitals lost 2-1 in overtime to Atlanta last night, leaving them in a three-way tie for first place with the Thrashers and Hurricanes. (Writer's note: I'm sick of having to write first place in that division. None of these teams deserve "first place" beside their team name.)
• The Leafs didn't play a bad game, they just couldn't squeeze on past Ryan Miller and that was the difference as they were defeated 1-0 on Mats Sundin's 37th birthday. If you expected the Leafs to tank the rest of the season, you were wrong. (Writer's note: Who in their right mind tanks a season these days? The draft order for the top picks is done by lottery anyways.)
• Here is some information on the long and drawn out attempted sale of the Lightning, courtesy of Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune.
• Senators coach John Paddock shuffled his lines last night, but that mattered not as the Sens were defeated 3-2 by the Devils in overtime. "I'm still looking around and I'd like to make at least one more move," said Senators GM Bryan Murray.
• Chris Simon is eligible to return to the Islanders line-up next week, writes Erik Boland of Newsday.
• With last night's overtime victory, Devils netminder Martin Brodeur recorded his 30th win of the season, marking the 12th time he's done that in his career. The Devils have scaled down their expectations for the remainder of the season, eyeing the Atlantic Division crown instead of the Eastern Conference leading Senators.
• Here is a nice Valentine's Day story about the Beliveau's, courtesy of Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette. After leading the Habs to last night's 2-1 overtime victory over the Panthers, Pat Hickey thinks starting Carey Price on Saturday is the logical choice.
• The Panthers think they got hosed on the penalty call versus Jassen Cullimore in overtime, and weren't happy about it after their 2-1 overtime loss to the Habs. (Writer's note: I was watching the game at the time of the penalty, and it was an awful call. Sometimes you wonder what game these refs are watching...)

Here are the Western Conference morning papers:

• Curtis Zupke of the Orange County Register examines Brian Burke's options heading into the trade deadline.
• Last night's 7-2 home loss to the Blackhawks may have been the Jackets most painful loss since the franchise's inception to the NHL, writes Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch. Portzline's colleague at the Dispatch, Michael Arace, believes the Jackets playoff hopes have fallen by the wayside. Fredrik Norrena didn't play well last night but at least he manned up and shouldered the blame for last night's loss.
• Here is the newspaper article touching on the Stars' decision to lower season ticket prices that I linked yesterday afternoon.
• Even though he is in the midst of an awful slump, Eric Belanger is continuing to stay positive, writes Michael Russo.
• The Predators enjoy having the luxury of being able to start two goalies with equal confidence, writes John Glennon of the Tennessean. The Predators are hoping to have winger Jordin Tootoo back in the line-up this weekend.
• The Sharks believe they have to change the way they play at the end of games, writes Mark Emmons of the San Jose Mercury News.
• The Blues raised ticket prices yesterday and didn't really explain why in this article by Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. (Writer's note: Don't really understand how this team can justify raising ticket prices...)
• Apparently Mike Keenan is looking towards winning 700 NHL games, writes Scott Cruickshank of the Calgary Herald. Meanwhile, the Flames' fighters have been having trouble finding dance-mates.
• If the Blackhawks are going to make a run at the playoffs, they better continue playing as well as they did in their 7-2 victory over the Blue Jackets, writes Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune.
• The Avalanche can't seem to shake the injury bug, as Brett Clark is now on the mend, and Paul Stastny is now out with a groin injury.
• Ales Hemsky has been playing lately with an injured wrist, which may be contributing to his recent struggles.
• Wayne Gretzky is still confident in his team's ability to turn it round even though they are in the midst of a four-game losing skid.
• The Canucks are calling tonight's game versus the Wild a "must win." The Canucks are excited to get Willie Mitchell back on their blueline for tonight's game.
• Wings GM Ken Holland thinks there will be three-to-four significant deals before the February 26th trade deadline.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

Email any thoughts, ideas or suggestions to illegalcurve@gmail.com

Fantasy Watch: Goalie Starts

Feb 4th - 10th

Anaheim Ducks (4) – Giguere has been struggling lately and should give a start up to Hiller

Atlanta Thrashers (3) – Hedberg should get one start this week.

Boston Bruins (3) – Look for Thomas to start all three games this week.

Buffalo Sabres (4) – With four games on the schedule expect Thibault to steal a start.

Carolina Hurricanes (3) – Ward should receive all three starts this week.

Calgary Flames (4) – Kiprusoff has a busy week ahead of him but don't be surprised to see him in all four games.

Chicago Blackhawks (3) – Expect Lalime to steal a start this week.

Columbus Blue Jackets (4) – Norrena should make an appearance this week with four games on the schedule

Colorado Avalanche (3) – Theodore is day-to-day, making Budaj the undisputed starter.

Dallas Stars (3) – Turco should get all three starts this week.

Detroit Red Wings (4) – Expect Osgood and Hasek to split the starts this week.

Edmonton Oilers (3) – Roloson has been awful in the games he's played in, so look for a steady dose of Garon this week.

Florida Panthers (4) – Vokoun should get all four starts this week.

Los Angeles Kings (4) – With a busy schedule Aubin may make an appearance this week.

Minnesota Wild (4) – Backstrom has gotten hot and will continue to start on a regular basis until he falters.

Montreal Canadiens (3) – Huet should get all three starts this week.

Nashville Predators (4) – Look for Ellis to receive at least one start during this busy week.

New Jersey Devils (4) – Brodeur rarely gets a rest and should be ready to go for all four games this week.

New York Islanders (3) – Expect DiPietro to start all three games this week.

New York Rangers (4) – Valiquette recently gave Lundqvist a rest, so expect Lundqvist to start all four games this week.

Ottawa Senators (3) – Emery has struggled recently and will probably get one start this week.

Philadelphia Flyers (4) – Biron and Nittymaki have been splitting time.

Phoenix Coyotes (4) – Tellqvist may steal a start during this busy week.

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) – Sabourin and Conklin will continue to split starts while Fleury remains
sidelined.

San Jose Sharks (3) – Nabokov should get all three starts this week.

St. Louis Blues (3) – Look for Legace to start all the games this week.

Tampa Bay Lightining (3) – Ramo and Holmqvist will continue to split the starts.

Toronto Maple Leafs (3) – Expect to see Toskala in net for all three games this week.

Vancouver Canucks (4) – Luongo is back and should get all four starts this week.

Washington Capitals – Johnson may steal a start with four games this week.


For Illegal Curve, I'm Jonny Remis

NHL Morning Papers (Monday Edition)

Here are the national morning papers:

• As Dave Shoalts of the Globe & Mail tells us, it didn't take long for the new boss of the NHLPA to have a disagreement with Gary Bettman.
• Shoalts provides readers with a recap of yesterday's All-Star Game.
• Mark Spector of the National Post has an interesting article on the modesty and humbleness of NHL players.
• Mike Brehm of USA Today gives the players' perspective of all these long-term contracts being signed in the NHL.

Here are the Eastern Conference morning papers:

• Bill Tiller of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution gives an Atlanta perspective of All-Star weekend.
• After getting booed all weekend long, Marc Savard was happy to score the winning goal for the Eastern All-Stars and finally hear some cheers in Atlanta, writes Fluto Shinwaza of the Boston Globe. After being scored on twice early in the third period, Tim Thomas made sure to remember that the All-Star Game is supposed to be fun.
• Brian Campbell increased his price tag once again last night, writes Bucky Gleason of the Buffalo News.
• Eric Staal is being used to advertise for the NHL and, as a result, he has come to the realization that he is one of the young marketable stars of the NHL.
• Making his second All-Star appearance, Panthers goalie Tomas Vokoun wasn't as nervous as he was in his first appearance in the All-Star Game a few years ago and just made sure to enjoy himself over the weekend.
• With the 2009 All-Star Game slated for Montreal, Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette provides readers with the history of the game in Montreal.
• Rich Chere of the Newark Star-Ledger wonders what the Devils are going to do for a netminder once Martin Brodeur hangs up his blades.
• Sidney Crosby was clearly missed by both the fans and fellow players in Atlanta this weekend.
• Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star bashes the NHL Skills Competition. (Writer's note: This article raises many of the same points that Illegal Curve's Andrew M. brought up in his Cold Hard Rants yesterday.)
• Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun speculates that the NHL might cancel the All-Star Game altogether after 2009.
• Alexander Ovechkin always enjoys himself playing hockey, writes Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post.

Here are the Western Conference morning papers:

• Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun has an interesting piece on the evolution of Mike Keenan as a NHL coach. Meanwhile, George Johnson of the Calgary Herald provides readers with Jarome Iginla and Dion Phaneuf's perspectives of the All-Star Game.
• Terry Frei of the Denver Post suggests the Avalanche should attempt to make a trade for Thrashers superstar Marian Hossa.
• Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch believes Rick Nash has missed out on the All-Star Game MVP two years in a row because he is playing for the Blue Jackets.
• Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News examines the dynamic between co-GMs Les Jackson and Brett Hull and their possible plan of attack before the upcoming trade deadline.
• After watching yesterday’s NHL All-Star Game, Helene Elliot of the L.A. Times (should demand a pay-raise) thinks the league is in good hands with all its young talent.
• Sharks coach Ron Wilson sees Jacques Lemaire as the perfect tutor for Marian Gaborik even if the speedy Slovak sometimes craves more freedom.
• Ron Wilson was happy to be able to get to know other players around the NHL that he hadn’t had an opportunity to meet throughout the years.
• The Blues still see themselves contending for a playoff spot but the organization is not going to mortgage its future for a short-term fix, writes Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

NHL Morning Papers (Wednesday Edition)

Here are the national morning papers:

• Dave Shoalts of the Globe & Mail says that most of what John Ferguson Jr. did during his stint in Toronto was unsuccessful.
• Cliff Fletcher does not have very much time before the trade deadline arrives, writes Eric Duhatschek of the Globe & Mail.
• The NHL and Versus have agreed to extend their television contract for another three years.
• Mark Spector of the National Post tells readers that Cliff Fletcher has a big mess to clean up.
• Mike Brehm of USA Today providers readers with some news and notes from around the NHL.

Here are the Eastern Conference morning papers:

• Ilya Kovalchuk was ejected late in the first period as the Thrashers went on to lose their fourth straight game last night with a 4-0 loss to the Rangers. Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the details behind the confusing Thrashers and Hawks ownership situation.
• The Bruins were defeated 8-2 by the Canadiens last night, making that six losses to the Habs this season. Even with the drubbing handed to them by the Habs, the Bruins did get some good news on Tuesday with the announcement that Tim Thomas had been named to the All-Star team. Also, injured center Patrice Bergeron has returned from a club-ordered vacation to Aruba.
• Sabres coach Lindy Ruff accepts responsibility for his club's recent struggles, writes John Vogl of the Buffalo News.
• The Hurricanes gave up a shocking three short-handed goals yesterday in their 6-3 home loss to the Islanders, writes Luke Decock of the News Observer.
• With last night's 5-3 victory over the Senators, the Panthers moved within four points of the Southeast Division lead.
• The Canadiens were about as impressive as you can get last night in their dominant 8-2 victory over the division-rival Bruins.
• The Devils tied a franchise record with five power play goals last night in their 7-3 victory at Philadelphia yesterday. Meanwhile, both Martin Brodeur and Brent Sutter have pulled out of All-Star weekend.
• The Rangers finally looked like the team that everyone expected in the off-season, with a 4-0 dominating performance over the Thrashers last night. "We were a relentless team tonight," said coach Tom Renney after last night's game.
• The Islanders were 3 for 8 last night scoring on Carolina's power play, as they defeated the Hurricanes 6-3 at the RBC Center last night.
• The Senators were defeated 5-3 at Florida last night, and have only 15 wins registered in their last 32 games played. The return of Daniel Alfredsson to the Senators line up didn't help the team keep the puck out of their own net, which seems to be their biggest problem as of late.
• "We had a total letdown," Flyers coach John Stevens said after his team's embarrassing 7-3 home loss to the Devils. Sam Donnellon of the Philadelphia Daily News wonders if the Flyers fear the Devils.
• The Lightning recorded a 4-3 victory over visiting Edmonton yesterday to make it three straight wins, which has vaulted the Bolts back into playoff consideration. Bolts coach John Tortorella has been very impressed with the play of his team's fourth line.
• David Templeton of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette looks at the positive side of things when it comes to Sidney Crosby's ankle.
• Damien Cox of the Toronto Star wonders if Cliff Fletcher can save the Maple Leafs. Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun lists possible GM candidates for the Leafs. It shouldn't take John Ferguson Jr. too long to find work, writes Mike Zeisberger of the Sun.
• Bruce Boudreau will be making his first coaching experience in his home-town Toronto tonight as the Capitals visit the Leafs.

Here are the Western Conference morning papers:

• Both Corey Perry and Scott Niedermayer have been named to the All-Star team, writes Dan Wood of the Orange County Register. (Writer's note: How can anyone take the game seriously when Niedermayer is named to the team? While he is one of the top three defensemen in the game today, he has hardly played this season! C'mon NHL, give someone else the opportunity.)
• The Flames are now in first place in the Northwest Division, for the time being, after defeating division-rival Minnesota last night in a closely contested 2-1 game.
• The Blackhawks had their four-game winning streak snapped last night as they lost 3-2 in San Jose, writes Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune. (Injury news: Jonathan Toews is expected to be out for three more weeks.)
• "The desperation wasn't there for us tonight. Right from the get-go, you could tell," said Avalanche winger Ian Lapperierre after last night's 4-0 loss at home to Nashville. Meanwhile, Woody Paige of the Denver Post thinks that Colorado should host an outdoor game. For those who love rumors, both the New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs have had scouts following the Avalanche.
• "To win a game like this, down and coming back with such a big effort by so many guys, it's a turning point for our organization," said an excited Ken Hitchcock after his Blue Jackets came back from a third period deficit to defeat the Stars 4-2. Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch provides readers with the details of the minor swap between Colorado and Columbus. (Writer's note: Ken Hitchcock and Scott Howson have this club moving in the right direction. They may not generate much attention from the casual fan, but the Jackets should not be overlooked.)
• The Stars feel like they let two point slip away last night versus the Blue Jackets, writes Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News.
• Chris Osgood started his first game since being pulled from a game last week by coach Mike Babcock and was tremendous shutting out the Kings by a score of 3-0. Red Wings star Henrik Zetterberg has decided to take a week off to rest his ailing back.
• "Every single game is vital for us moving forward," said Oilers forward Marty Reasoner after his team's 4-3 loss at Tampa Bay last night. Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun wonders how the Oilers can expect to make the playoffs by losing games to the 29th and 30th ranked teams in the NHL.
• The best in the West defeated the worst in the West last night, as the Kings were beaten 3-0 by the powerful Red Wings.
• The Wild suffered a letdown last night after their inspiring victory over Vancouver on Monday and were defeated 2-1 by the Flames at the Saddledome. The Wild top forwards asked Jacques Lemaire for more ice-time and their wish has been granted, writes Michael Russo of the Star Tribune.
• The Predators separated themselves from the Avalanche at the beginning of the third period last night and cruised to a 4-0 victory. In the process, J.P. Dumont extended his point streak to thirteen games.
• Jim Gintonio of the Arizona Republic provides readers with the details behind the Ilya Brygalov contract extension.
• The Sharks ended their four-game winless streak last night with a 3-2 home victory over the Blackhawks.
• "We haven't paid as much attention to detail," said Blues coach Andy Murray in reference to his team's current five-game losing streak.
• In Vancouver, coach Alain Vigneault has challenged Roberto Luongo to play better. The Canucks have lost Kris Beech on waivers to the Capitals.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

NHL Morning Papers (Wednesday Edition)

Here are the national morning papers:

• Heading into the 2008 Entry Draft, Steven Stamkos and Drew Doughty are the two top North American skaters according to the NHL Central Scouting Service.
• Mark Spector of the National Post suggests now is the right time for Mats Sundin to be traded.
• USA Today's Kevin Allen believes Nicklas Lidstrom should be considered for the NHL MVP award.

Here are the Eastern Conference morning papers:

• "We didn't show up," said Thrashers captain Bobby Holik after his team's 4-1 loss at home to the Flyers. Off the ice, the Thrashers are shocked that Ilya Kovalchuk will not be one of the starters in next month's All-Star Game in Atlanta.
• "When you don't work, you don't win," said Bruins coach Claude Julien after his team was defeated 1-0 by an ailing Hurricanes squad on Tuesday night. Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald says the Bruins were given a taste of their own medicine last night as the Hurricanes played the trap to perfection.
• Both Thomas Vanek and Ryan Miller were angry that the Sabres only mustered one and not two points in their team's 2-1 shootout loss to New Jersey last night.
• Hurricanes netminder Cam Ward admitted after last night's 1-0 shutout victory over Boston that the past week and a half had been difficult watching other goalies start for the Hurricanes. Carolina wasted no time getting Sergei Samsonov into the lineup, as the former Blackhawk dressed for last night's contest.
• "I don't think there's any spark around here right now," said a very disappointed Olli Jokinen after the Panthers' 3-1 loss at home to Pittsburgh last night. The Panthers have now lost eight of their last ten home games.
• The Habs were victorious 4-3 over the Blackhawks last night in what was a very entertaining game writes Red Fisher of the Montreal Gazette.
• After last night's 2-1 shootout win over Buffalo, judging by the post-game comments, it appears that Patrik Elias and coach Brent Sutter have ironed out many of the early season differences. Meanwhile, Martin Brodeur wants the NHL to award Newark the All Star Game in the near future.
• “We've put ourselves in the position where every second of hockey is crucial to us," said Rangers coach Tom Renney after his team's disastrous 5-3 loss to the Lightning on Tuesday night.
• The Islanders gave a valiant effort last night but were finally defeated in the sixth shootout round in their 3-2 loss at Vancouver.
• Not surprisingly, the very humble Daniel Alfredsson is honored to be starting for the Eastern Conference All-Star team.
• The Flyers were without five key players last night in Atlanta, but that didn't stop the Broadstreet Bullies from outworking the Thrashers en route to a 4-1 road victory.
• "The streak continues," said Penguins goalie Ty Conklin after his team defeated the Panthers 3-1 on the road, thus giving him a perfect 8-0 record since being recalled from the AHL.
• The Lightning are heading home on a high-note after defeating the Rangers 5-3 at MSG to end a four-game road trip.
• Rick Westhead of the Toronto Star has an interesting article evaluating Mats Sundin's worth. (Writer's note: While some of these trades seem unrealistic. If I were JFJ I would look into a deal like the one suggested by Craig Button.)
• Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post tells readers that Alexander Ovechkin will not be starting this year's All-Star game.

Here are the Western Conference morning papers:

• The Ducks are looking forward to playing against the Maple Leafs in a rare match-up between the two teams tonight in Southern California.
• A lackadaisical second period cost the Flames last night as they were defeated at home by the streaking Coyotes by a score of 3-1. Meanwhile, Scott Cruickshank of the Calgary Herald tells readers what fuels Flames leaders Jarome Iginla and Dion Phaneuf.
• The Blackhawks were defeated 4-3 in overtime last night at Montreal but they took many positives from the game, most importantly the fact that they left Montreal with one point in the standings.
• The Avalanche lost 1-0 to the Red Wings last night at Joe Louis Arena but the defeat was not from a lack of effort writes Adrian Dater of the Denver Post.
• "This was a good old-fashioned butt-kicking," said unhappy Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock after his team's 6-1 loss to the Blues on Wednesday. In other Blue Jackets news, young netminder Steve Mason has been through a whirlwind few days.
• Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News has an interesting piece about the new role Mike Modano has taken since Mike Ribiero established himself as the team's number one center.
• Not only did the Red Wings defeat the Avalanche last night but Chris Chelios became the second oldest player to ever play in the NHL. In other Wings news, Chris Osgood has signed a three-year extension with the Red Wings.
• Jarret Stoll is finally starting to regain his old form writes Joanne Ireland of the Edmonton Journal. In positive injury news, Oilers defenseman Matt Greene has started to skate on his own.
• It keeps getting worse for the Kings as they were hammered 7-0 on home-ice by the Predators last night.
• Michael Russo of the Star Tribune examines the possibility that Wild forward Pierre-Marc Bouchard will receive an offer-sheet this off-season.
• Everything went right for the Predators at Los Angeles on Tuesday writes John Glennon of the Tennessean.
• The Coyotes continued their streaking ways last night in Calgary writes Jim Gintonio of the Arizona Republic.
• There were no Sharks named to start the All-Star Game but that doesn't mean a couple of team members won't be added as reserves.
• Blues coach Andy Murray called for more offense on Tuesday and he got it as the Blues handed the Jackets a 6-1 defeat last night.
• It was a weird one, but the Canucks will take every win they can get writes Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

Fantasy Watch: Goalie Starts

Nov 26th – Dec 2nd

Anaheim Ducks (4) – Giguere owners no longer have to worry about Bryzgalov stealing starts.

Atlanta Thrashers (3) – With Lehtonen still on the shelf, Hedberg has been the #1 guy, winning his last four starts.

Boston Bruins (3) – Expect to see more of Rask with Fernandez still on the IR.

Buffalo Sabres (3) – Look for Miller to receive all three starts this week.

Carolina Hurricanes (3) – Ward has struggled over his last few games, but still should receive all three starts this week.

Calgary Flames (3) – Kiprusoff has started all 21 games for the Flames this season.

Chicago Blackhawks (3) – With only three games this week, expect the Blackhawks to start Khabibulin in all three.

Columbus Blue Jackets (3) – Look for Leclaire to receive all three starts this week.

Colorado Avalanche (3) – Theodore hasn't performed well enough to take over the #1 job, so expect to see Budaj start two games, with Theodore making at least one appearance

Dallas Stars (4) – Smith should receive one start this week with Dallas playing back-to-back games.

Detroit Red Wings (3) – Look for Osgood to appear in two games, while the Dominator will probably receive the other start.

Edmonton Oilers (3) – Garon is slowly taking over the starting role, but Roloson is still in the picture. Expect Garon to appear in two games to Roloson's one.

Florida Panthers (3) – Vokoun should receive all three starts this week.

Los Angeles Kings (2) – Look for LaBarbera to start both games this week.

Minnesota Wild (3) – Expect Harding to start every game until Backstrom is ready to return.

Montreal Canadiens (3) – Huet is still #1 in Montreal, so look for him to receive all three starts.

Nashville Predators (2) – Expect Mason to receive both starts for Nashville this week.

New Jersey Devils (3) – Expect Brodeur to start all three games this week.

New York Islanders (4) – Dubielewicz has only started one game for New York, so there's no reason to think that DiPeitro won't be in net for all four games this week.

New York Rangers (2) – Lundqvist has been a workhorse for the Rangers and should start both games this week.

Ottawa Senators (3) – Gerber is clearly the #1 guy in Ottawa, but will yield a start to Emery this week with back-to-back games.

Philadelphia Flyers (3) – Look for Biron to start all three games this week.

Phoenix Coyotes (3) – Expect newly acquired goalie, Ilya Bryzgalov, to appear in all three games this week.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2) – Fleury has struggled all year but should receive all three starts this week.

San Jose Sharks (2) – Nabokov should receive both starts this week.

St. Louis Blues (3) – With three games on the schedule, expect to see Legace start all of them.

Tampa Bay Lightining (3) – Holmqvist should see action in all three games this week.

Toronto Maple Leafs (3) – Toskala is the starter in Toronto and should appear in all three games.

Vancouver Canucks (3) – Luongo gives Vancouver the best chance to win and should start all three games this week.

Washington Capitals (4) – With four games on the schedule, Johnson will probably steal a start from Kolzig this week.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Jonny Remis