Conroy sees some 2004 Flames in the 2008/09 version of the Flames

From Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun:

"We're not in the offensive mode like we were with Juice (Kristian Huselius) and Tangs (Alex Tanguay), but we're kind of like getting back to the team of '04 with grit," said the veteran Flames centre.

"We'll make it really uncomfortable to play against. Do you really want those guys like (Todd) Bertuzzi and Iggy coming at you and those young guys flying at you, too? I'm starting to see a lot more similarities."

Ever since the Calgary Flames went to the Stanley Cup final four years ago, one of the most popular exercises in town has been drawing comparisons between that team and the current squad. As Conroy essentially points out, the common ingredients missing the last three campaigns revolve around grit, tenacity and intimidation.

Read the entire article here.

I'm not so sure I buy Conroy's comparison, but it sure doesn't hurt to toss out those comparisons and raise expectations for next season. The Flames should be a tougher team to play against next season, at least physically.

Iginla isn't surprised that some are skeptical of the Bertuzzi signing

From Steve Macfarlane of the Calgary Sun:

"No, I'm not surprised," Iginla said yesterday at Calgary Centennial Arenas amid his five-day hockey school for kids. "It's big issues.

"Also, in Calgary, it's a very passionate hockey city, which is great -- it's one of the reasons why it is so great to play here."

Read the entire story here.

Bertuzzi can thank Iginla for already being his most supportive teammate. Iginla is demonstrating why he is arguably the best captain in the NHL.

Are old free agents worth the price?

From Dave Staples of the Edmonton Journal:

In the summer of '07, there was a group of old hockey players with great reputations that could be signed as free agents, exciting names that excited fans across the NHL: Michael Nylander, Jason Blake, Paul Kariya, Keith Tkachuk, Brendan Shanahan, Bill Guerin, Chris Drury, Brian Rafalski, Sheldon Souray, Ryan Smyth, Roman Hamrlik, Ray Whitney, Todd Bertuzzi.

But, after one season, how many of these players provided good value for the teams that signed them?

Read the entire post from Cult of Hockey here.

Staples makes a sound argument for being extremely cautious when throwing big money at aging free agents.

What some Calgary fans think of the Bertuzzi signing

From the Calgary Sun:

Here's a sampling of the feedback we got from readers after the Flames signed Todd Bertuzzi

Not only is Todd Bertuzzi a bum, but so are Ken King and the owners of the Calgary Flames for hiring him. I used to think this was a class organization, not any more.

Jake Mcarthur

Read the entire article here.

I have to admit, I like the signing. Bertuzzi is a cheaper, younger and more productive version of Owen Nolan.

So happy together

From Scott Cruickshank of the Calgary Herald:

"But I'm really excited to be back with Mike," Bertuzzi continued. "I know the kind of style that Mike coaches and how he wants to win at all costs."

Keenan figures that Bertuzzi -- 33 years old and fresh off a 40-point campaign in Anaheim -- can still be an offensive factor.

"I think he's going to contribute because of his size and strength," said Keenan. "In the NHL today, you need to have that skating ability, and he's definitely a big man who can move pretty well."

Read the entire article here.

Keenan is arguably the perfect coach to try and get Bertuzzi's career back on track but even if he doesn't, the risk is not that high for the Flames organization.

Comparing Todd Bertuzzi and Owen Nolan

When news broke today that Todd Bertuzzi had signed a one-year pact worth $1.9 million with the Calgary Flames, some people raised their eyebrows and said, “Why?” In contrast, on Sunday, the Minnesota Wild signed Owen Nolan to a two-year pact worth 2yr, $5.5 million; news of Nolan’s signing was met with less scepticism.

For argument’s sake, let’s assume Bertuzzi was signed to replace Nolan (which I believe he was). With that said, we will now take a closer look at how these two players compare, and see who comes out ahead.

Bertuzzi’s numbers versus Nolan’s numbers

Last season, Bertuzzi registered 40 points in 68 games and had 97 PIMs; while Nolan registered 32 points in 77 games and 71 PIMs. First, let’s establish the fact that both of these players are power-forwards who have already seen their best days on a hockey rink. That being said, both players can still play the game at a level that merits 2nd-3rd line ice-time.

While there numbers from last season are fairly similar, if you take a look at each player’s respective career numbers, then their similarities become even more apparent. For instance, Bertuzzi has a career 0.73 points-per-game; as compared to Nolan’s career 0.75 points-per-game. Further, Bertuzzi has a career 1.4 PIM-per-game; while Nolan sports a career 1.6 PIM-per-game.

Age

Nolan turned 36 years old in February and is entering his 19th season in the NHL. On the other hand, Bertuzzi turned 33 in February and is entering his 14th season in the NHL. So, Nolan is 3 years older than Bertuzzi, and has endured 5 more seasons of NHL play than the man who is essentially replacing him.

Each player’s attitude

Bertuzzi’s “incident” aside, both players have been known around the NHL to be a little moody and ornery from time to time. Interestingly enough, both Bertuzzi and Nolan have played on five teams over their career thus far; with Minnesota and Calgary being their sixth respectively. Whether each player’s movement was based on production/attitude is obviously open to interpretation; but the point is certainly worth mentioning.

Wow, are these two players similar

Considering both play the wing and a gritty style, just by looking at the numbers, it would be hard to determine who’s who. However, if there had been no “incident,” then teams would probably prefer Bertuzzi because he is younger, has had less of a physical toll on his body, and has recently been a little bit more productive.

Alas, Bertuzzi signed for $1.9 million for one season and the older Nolan signed for an average of $2.75 million over two seasons.

That leaves us to formulate the following opinion...

Two conclusions

Two conclusions can be deduced from this article: 1. Todd Bertuzzi’s “incident” has clearly cost him millions of dollars and, 2. The Flames may have gotten a bargain in Bertuzzi.

For Illegal Curve, I’m Richard Pollock.

Wings looking at Sundin and Bertuzzi

From the Detroit Free Press:

Holland told me has spoken to representatives for both Todd Bertuzzi and Mats Sundin. Sundin is one of the most coveted free agents on the market, though, so unless he badly wants to come to Detroit, he’s probably going to go out of price range.

Regarding Bertuzzi, whom the Wings traded for in February of 2007 and tried to re-sign last summer, Holland said he would “stay in touch” with Bertuzzi’s agent. “I was happy with the job he did here,” Holland said of Bertuzzi. “We’re exploring.”

Read the entire article here.

Ken Holland is a very smart GM. He knows Sundin would fit in perfectly in Detroit but won't overpay for him. As for Bertuzzi, he looks like a prime buy-low candidate and Holland is smart to give him a look. The pressure he'd face in Detroit would be minimal.

Nothing personal between Burke and Bertuzzi

From Dan Wood of the Orange County Register:

"This is dictated by our cap situation and our budget situation — nothing more, nothing less," Burke said. "It's a tough day for me because obviously I've been through a lot of battles with Todd Bertuzzi. He played some great hockey for me. There's no beef with the player whatsoever."

Read the entire article here.

Burke has arguably been Bertuzzi's biggest supporter throughout the past five years, so his buyout of the forward on Friday was obviously difficult for him. Nonetheless, Burke has to do what he thinks is best for the Anaheim Ducks at this time and not let personal relationships get in the way of that goal. Give him credit for buying out the veteran winger and moving on.

Ducks waive Bertuzzi

From Sportsnet:

The Anaheim Ducks have placed forward Todd Bertuzzi on waivers for the purpose
buying out his contract, Sportsnet has learned.

Read the entire report here.

I have to admit I am a bit surprised by this development. Bertuzzi was entering the last year of his contract and the Ducks aren't exactly loaded with offense up front. Nonetheless, Bertuzzi was overpaid last season and would have been overpaid this season, so I guess Brian Burke wants the financial flexibility (especially with Niedermayer returning) to make a couple more moves.

NHL Morning Papers: Playoff Teams (Wednesday Edition)

Here are the morning papers for the Western Conference playoff match ups:

Detroit versus Nashville:

• Mike Babcock has demonstrated terrific composure when under pressure, writes Michael Rosenberg. The return of Michigan native David Legwand has caused headaches for the Red Wings, writes Helene St. James. Nashville coach Barry Trotz likes tough hockey and that is why he saw no problems with Niklas Kronwall's hit on Radek Bonk in Game 3.
• John Glennon of the Tennessean is wondering how the Predators will react in Game 4 after their comeback victory on Monday night. The return of David Legwand has really given the Predators the scoring depth they lacked to end the season.

San Jose versus Calgary:

• You could see the relief on Joe Thornton's face after he scored arguably the biggest goal of his NHL career last night. Thornton saved the series for the Sharks last night, writes Mark Purdy. To reference Evgeni Nabokov's post-game comments on Sunday, the boys became men on Tuesday night.
• Calgary only mustered a measly ten shots on net last night, writes George Johnson. The intensity of last night's game was apparent from the outset, writes Scott Cruickshank. The remaining best-of-three series will be decided by which team's stars want it most, opines Eric Francis.

Minnesota versus Colorado:

• Don't count Michael Russo of the Star Tribune among those surprised by the Wild's letdown game last night. Jacques Lemaire did not hold back from blaming his defensemen for their poor play on Tuesday. Apparently controversial Denver Post columnist Mark Kiszla was forecasting the future for the Wild, writes Patrick Reusse.
• The Avalanche took control of yesterday's game early on, writes Adrian Dater. Woody Paige was not impressed with the Wild's pity violence to end Game 4. If the Avalanche want to win this series, they need more from Paul Stastny, opines Terry Frei.

Anaheim versus Dallas:

• With all the pressure squarely on their shoulders, the Ducks came out with a dominating first period in Dallas and went on to a 4-2 victory. You can't put a price on experience, writes Mark Whicker.
• The Stars came out with a very unimpressive performance in the first two periods last night, writes J.J. Taylor. Marty Turco put the onus on himself for not making some big saves early on. The Stars may have been able to pull off an impressive comeback had they been able to score on a four-minute power play in the third period.

The morning papers for teams that did not make the playoffs are soon to follow...

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

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

Fantasy Watch: Buy/Sell

BUY

F Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks
Marleau has been awful this year, but appears to be turning a corner in the New Year, scoring in four of his last five games. He has also been producing on San Jose's power-play unit, registering four assists in his last five games. Although this could just be a tease, a player with Marleau's talent is worth to take a gamble on. You don't lose the ability to become an 80 point player in the NHL overnight, and even though Marleau won't put up anything close the 78 points he did last year, the forward could still be in for a pleasant second half.

F Cory Stillman, Carolina Hurricanes
Stillman started the season on fire, scoring 31 points in his first 23 games but has struggled to keep up that astonishing pace and is currently enduring his worst month of the season. With only two points in his last eight games, Stillman's value has plummeted and may be in the trading block in your league. His recent scoring slump does bring a cause for concern, but with a potent Carolina lineup featuring three other 40+ point players, Stillman's slump should end in no time. If you can get Stillman for below market value, then do so now as he could heat up at any moment.

SELL

F Todd Bertuzzi, Anaheim Ducks
After enduring two unsuccessful stints with both Florida and Detroit, no one was sure how Bertuzzi would perform in his first year with the Ducks. Scoring only two points in his first seven games with Anaheim, Bertuzzi's miserable start was put to an end early after suffering yet another concussion. Unsure if Bertuzzi would ever step foot back on the ice, owners acted quickly and dropped the forward in favor of other options. Returning over a month later, Bertuzzi got off to another slow start but has since picked it up, scoring 13 points in his last 10 games. Due to his rugged style of play, Bertuzzi puts himself at an extreme risk of another serious injury that could end his season prematurely. With his value as high as it might be all season, it's advised to ship Bertuzzi off for other options.

F Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Minnesota Wild
Bouchard has been extremely streaky this year, often going several games without registering a point only to bounce back and post the odd multi point game, making owners shrug off his inconsistency.
After scoring only three points in his last seven games, Bouchard bounced back and posted his first four point night, much to the dismay of owners who probably had him on their bench after his awful week beforehand. My advice? Trade Bouchard to another team, avoid his scoreless nights and the headaches that come with debating whether or not to start him for the week.


For Illegal Curve, I'm Jonny Remis

Cold Hard Rants

October 16, 2007

Michael Jordan, the minor league baseball player extraordinaire, the legendary hawker of all things Nike, and a man who seemingly has zero social conscience despite his gazillions of dollars, once sent out a two word press release touting his return to basketball. Those two words were I’m back. (We will deal with whether or not the I’m conjunction is actually one or two words at a later date.)

Well considering I am at least, if not more, world renowned than MJ, I hereby announce that after a two-week hiatus from ranting, I am back. (Three words are obviously better than two.) I know my legions of fans were lamenting my absence, but I assure you, the valued reader, I was in Las Vegas not for my own entertainment but to do valuable CHR research on the negative impact that the potential for 24 hour gambling has on ones net worth. The answer can be summed up in the nugget of info that MGM is currently building an 8 BILLION dollar development in the middle of Las Vegas Boulevard.

Anyways, as I tend to do, I digress. I suppose this is a blog about hockey and not my own platform to impart my wisdom on un-suspecting web surfers, so I should talk about the “coldest (hearted) game on ice.”

As I was wiling away my hours in the Excalibur Hotel and Casino Sports-book, I noticed in one of the smallest televisions in the furthest away corner, an NHL game was being shown. Immediately suspecting that this was an egregious oversight on the part of the sports-book operators I expected them to change it to another series of greyhound races. But for some reason I have yet to figure out, they actually showed an entire NHL game!

The only reason I mention this game, is not because people were watching it (because they certainly weren’t), or because people were gambling on it (I think the exhibition Raptors-Celtics game from Italy got more action), but rather because of the criminal element involved in the game, namely one Todd Bertuzzi.

For whatever reason, during the recent out-cry against illegal hits, or blows to the head, or guys attempting to use their sticks as machetes, the name Todd Bertuzzi has gone unmentioned. More important than the name Bertuzzi, is the name Moore, as in Steve, the long forgotten, unlamented original victim of hockey’s recent on-ice violent spree. No matter what isn’t said by TVs chattering heads, this writer has not forgotten about Steve Moore, and the unprovoked, deliberate attack that was perpetrated against him by Todd Bertuzzi. I have heard all of the excuses for why Bertuzzi did it. I have heard all the defenses provided for him by people in the hockey world (believe me, I lived with someone from Vancouver, I have heard ALL the excuses), but in my humble opinion, the attack of Todd Bertuzzi was worse than any of the other recent incidences we have seen.

Todd Bertuzzi was skating behind Steve Moore. Moore was the definition of unsuspecting as last time I checked he didn’t have eyes in the back of his head. Bertuzzi sucker punched him in a way a WWE bad guy would have applauded. He grabbed his body as it was about to hit the ice, and pile-drove him head first into the ice. His intention can be understood no other way than an attempt to injure, severely, Steve Moore. It wasn’t a spur of the moment reaction to someone coming after him. It wasn’t a Darwinist survival of the fittest moment, it was simply the cold-hearted, and mean action of an individual who was upset with the outcome of a hockey game that his team was on the short end of.

At the end of the day, twenty games are what Todd Bertuzzi served. Twenty games for fracturing three vertebrae in Steve Moore’s neck. Twenty games for a grade three concussion. Twenty games for vertebral ligament damage. Twenty games for damaging the brachial plexus nerves. Twenty games for ruining someone and ending their livelihood. Twenty games.

And after twenty games, Todd Bertuzzi was re-instated into the NHL in part because of the, “significant uncertainty, anxiety, stress and emotional pain caused to Bertuzzi's family.”

Everytime Todd Bertuzzi dresses for an NHL game, everytime he touches the puck, everytime his skates make a cut into the ice, everytime he “face-washes” an opposing player, the NHL and Bertuzzi should be ashamed of themselves, for no one remembers the person who suffered the real “significant uncertainty, anxiety, stress and emotional pain”—Steve Moore.

For Illegal Curve, I am Andrew M.

About the writer: Formerly a speech writer for a Canadian Federal Politician, Andrew will be bringing his unique take on the hockey world to the illegal curve blog once a week, or more often if the rage needs to be released in a manner other than clobbering a referee over the head with a whiskey bottle. Mainly because he doesn’t have enough empty whiskey bottles at his disposal.

Tonights Linkage

Tonights Links

• The Senators talks with Dany Heatley hit a speedbump on Thursday as negociations took place for five hours but a deal could not be reached. TSN reports that Heatley is seeking $8.5 million while the Senators want to pay $7 million similar to Joe Thornton and Jarome Iginla. Somewhere Eugene Melnyk is cursing Daniel Brieres $10 million salary.
• Todd Bertuzzi is feeling lighter and younger skating with the Ducks. He is fitting in nicely with the Ducks and wants to repay his father...I mean General Manager Brian Burke for believing in him.
  
• Eric Duhatchek also wonders if the RBK Edge jerseys will go the way of the synthetic basketball
• Dean McAmmond accepts Steve Downies phone call apology.
  
• The Score lists 10 players not named Sidney Crosby to keep your eye on this upcoming season
• Teppo Numminen was released from the hospital. I wish the former Winnipeg Jet a speedy recovery, and hope to see him playing for the Sabres later this year.
• Apparently, Joffrey Lupul's wrist isn't broken. Unfortunately, their diagnosis was correct for Scottie Upshall and RJ Umberger who will miss up to six, and two weeks respectively.
• Donna Spencer wonders if Mike Keenan is a right fit for the Calgary Flames
• St. Louis Blues defenseman Jay McKee who is in the second year of a four year $16 million deal, will be out 4-6 weeks with a fractured right foot.
• Brendan Morrison could end his consecutive games played streak (512) with an injured wrist
  
• Sports Illustrated gives their Atlantic Division previews and lists the Rangers as the team to beat.