When I think about it it makes me feel like history had already been written and we just got to watch it unfold.  I mean to think that Canada’s current superstar was the one to put the biscuit in the basket securing the gold for the home team on its home ice.  The last time that was done was the 1980 U.S. win in Lake Placid.  For Canada it was the first time in their history winning gold on their home turf.

Other Tidbits:

The Bruins still want Keith Tkachuk and may be pursuing him,  even though Tkachuk has said he doesn’t want to leave St. Louis.

The big rumor out of Boston is that the Bruins and the Edmonton Oilers are working on a big trade involving several players.  The rumored deal would bring F Andrew Cogliano and a defenseman to Boston.  We know the Oilers want to dump several players – especially the big contracts – so this would make sense.

In addition, Cogliano may be the scorer they’re looking for. However, the Bruins have other options.  They may try to pry Tomas Kaberle from the Leafs today, or deal for Cory Stillman.

More Rumors From the Ice.

Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray was spotted at the Atlanta Thrashers-Toronto Maple Leafs game, which might indicate that something is going on between the Leafs and Ducks.  Meanwhile, Leafs scouts have been spotted at previous Ducks games, only furthering the speculation.  Rumor is that Murray has been entertaining numerous trade scenarios.  Teams have inquired about the availability of Bobby Ryan and Scott Niedermayer, but it appears Ryan isn’t going anywhere while Niedermayer may be trade bait.  Two names that keep coming up in Ducks trade talks are Joffrey Lupul and Jean-Sebastien Giguere, so those guys may be moved at some point this season.  Though the Leafs will likely stay away from Giguere, Lupul might be the guy they’re after.  One possible scenario might be a Giguere for Vesa Toskala deal, with other pieces involved.

Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak going to the St.Louis Blues is looking like a possibility. Some have felt Halak should be starting over Carey Price in Montreal, but since that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, it might be time they spun their backup goalie into some gold.  One possible destination for Halak is Philadelphia, where Flyers starting goalie Ray Emery is hurt and while backup Brian Boucher is taking on the No. 1 job, there seems to be no long-term option there, so Halak might be the fix.

Another rumor is that the St. Louis Blues are interested.  With Chris Mason and Ty Conklin, though, it doesn’t seem it’s an urgent matter.  As with every goalie rumor, the Detroit Red Wings might be looking this direction, too, but acquiring Halak might mess with the development of Jimmy Howard so the Wings might be favoring a short-term veteran stop-gap.  Even so, NHL scouts say that teams are interested in Halak.

Habs backup goalie Jaroslav Halak has gotten more ice time than franchise goalie Carey Price, which might mean the latter player will soon be traded.  More and more, it appears management is pushing to see if Halak has what it takes to be a top NHL goalie, and he’s definitely shown flashes.  Price was supposed to be Montreal’s goalie of today and the future, things just aren’t working out that way.  The 2005 fifth overall draft pick took the NHL by storm in his rookie year, with a .920 save percentage in 41 games played and an average of a Quality Start per game.  Unfortunately, goaltending performances fluctuate from season to season more often than at any other position, and too many expectations were placed on the British Columbia native too soon.  The past year has been nothing short of a disaster for Price, but maybe he will get a second chance to prove he’s a starting goalie elsewhere.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Lidstrom became the first European defenseman and eighth overall to reach 1,000 points, assisting on two goals in his teams 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.  Lidstrom is a six-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s best defenseman.  Last nights game also showed that forward Pavel Datsyuk is beginning the year the same way he closed out last season, on the injury list.  He is showing that even though he is considered one of the best two way players in the league, you have to be healthy to be effective.  Detroit desperately needs Datsyuk to get on track to make their offense as potent as it can be.  With the tough competition in the western conference this year the aging Wings will need all the help they can get.

Well it seems like the possibility of the NHL playing again in Quebec City is not that far off.  They have announced their  intention to build a new arena in the hopes of bringing back an NHL team and one day hosting the Winter Olympics.  The City’s mayor has hired an engineering firm SNC Lavalin to conduct a feasibility study.  He hopes to see the arena built from 2010 to 2012.  The Mayor expects the arena to cost $400 million, with the city contributing $50 million to the project. He wants the federal and provincial governments to each pony up $175 million under infrastructure programs.  Quebec lost the Nordiques in 1995, when they left to become the Colorado Avalanche who went on to win the Stanley cup in 1996.  The aging Colisee arena has been cited as the main reason for the city’s inability to attract another NHL team.  I hope that the city can get this deal done because it would be awesome for hockey and its fans to have another Canadian team in the league, not to mention the rivalries that would be rekindled.

After Nikolai Khabibulin took the Blackhawks to the Western conference finals some worried that with his departure to the Edmonton Oilers in the offseason that the goaltending duties would be well handled by Cristobal Huet.  Well, it seems that some of those fears are now being realized.  If backup netminder Antti Niemi continues to play well, and Cristobal Huet continues to struggle, there will be a change in goal for the Blackhawks.  This comes after Huet, the No. 1, was pulled last night after just seven minutes into the third period, after allowing three goals on five shots.

The chances of superstar forward Ilya Kovalchuk re-signing with the Atlanta Thrashers is 70-30 according to my sources.  But if he doesn’t want to re-sign with the Thrashers then it’s possible he may be traded to the Edmonton Oilers.  If the Thrashers are moving their captain and best player at the deadline, it means they can’t sign him and he’s going to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.  That complicates things for the team dealing and the team that’s interested because Atlanta wants to get something for a guy who’s going to walk, but can’t get market value for an impending unrestricted free agent.

Anaheim Ducks netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere could be headed north to the Toronto Maple Leafs after Vesa Toskala’s struggles.   Also, Jonas “The Monster” Gustavsson who is looking to unseat Toskala as the teams number 1 goalie got his first start last night and ended up losing 2-1.  There are reports that the Leafs are afraid that Toskala is not viable and that he will continue to struggle.  The leafs acquired Gustavsson in the offseason because they were not convinced that Toskala would be their future between the pipes.

It seems as though Semyon Varlomav playoff run last season has not won him any favors with the Washington Capitals coaching staff.  Head Coach Bruce Boudreau needs Varlamov to be mentally tougher.  He lets opposing teams score in bunches and that zaps his confidence.  In the playoffs it’s easier to keep your head in the game because everything is always on the line, sometimes you get caught up in the regular season feeling as if things should be easier only to find out they’re not.  The rookie needs to keep his chin up and all will be good, let’s remember he does have a few guys who can score in bunches of their own like MVP Alex Ovechkin.

I’m hearing rumblings of an NHL team moving back to Winnipeg.  Their have been ongoing negotiations with the Atlanta Thrashers to possibly relocate.  It’s no secret that the Thrashers are losing money (6 million a year to be exact) and now word comes that Canada’s richest man may be getting involved.  David Thomson is interested in bringing a team to the northern Manitoba city.  Thomson already owns the arena where the Manitoba Moose play and is looking to revive the history of the Jets.  The team left Winnipeg for Phoenix Arizona where they thought they would find greener pastures. Over fifteen years later that isn’t the case and that same team is hemorrhaging money.  Blackberry owner Jim Basillie is trying to acquire the Phoenix team and move it to Hamilton.  He hasn’t been successful yet which is why I feel Thomson is getting involved with the NHL, he is way to wealthy and influential to not get what he wants.

Stay tuned for more on this developing story. Follow us on Twitter @hockeylicious.

The new look Montreal Canadiens took to the ice at the Air Canada Center in downtown Toronto to take on the Maple leafs in their season opener, and what an opener it was.  The Canadiens came from behind in the third period to tie the game sending it to overtime where the Habs took control and scored the winning goal with just under 13 seconds showing on the clock.  The Canadiens looked impressive in their first game playing as a team.  So far the changes GM Bob Gainey made in the offseason are paying dividends, he just hopes they can continue to match tonight’s effort and intensity.

Mike Cammaelleri played a great game tonight that was just full of speed and energy collecting two assists.  He made an incredible pass on our first PP goal to forward Brian Gionta and finished with setting up the game winner. Gionta showed tonight how fast he is, how good his positioning is and my, oh my, just how good his hands are.  He managed to score only once, but his hands and offensive positioning gave him at least two other glorious chances.  He worked well with Scott Gomez as they always seemed to know where the other one was on the ice.  It was like the old days for the two players when they played together in New Jersey.  Defenseman Andrei Markov went down with what appeared to be a laceration (from Price’s skate) to the leg.

The real story may be though the solid play of goaltender Carey Price.  He stopped 43 shots en-route to the OT win.  Price has faced all kinds of criticism in this past off season due to his collapse after the all-star game and then especially for his performance in the playoffs losing to Boston in 4 straight games in the first round.  However last night Price flashed the talent and performance that management and the fans are looking for.  If Price continues this level of play ( and yes I know it’s only been one game ) then the Canadiens will be in the thick of the race for the Stanley Cup Trophy.

Check back later for late scores and updates.

As if it’s not enough for the Ducks to have two big forwards with outstanding skills, they added Bobby Ryan to the mix last season and Ryan had an exceptional rookie season, scoring highlight-reel goals and looking every bit like a future star. Assuming he can avoid a sophomore slump, Ryan should be more productive as he can handle at least a couple more minutes of ice time per game.  Though 38-year-old Teemu Selanne has lost a step, he’s still a valuable power play performer (scoring 28 of his 54 points with the man advantage) and, with the right linemates, he can help take some pressure off the young guns.  Andrew Ebbett earned his place on the second line.  He’s an undersized perimeter player with strong setup skills who has always managed to put up points.  If Ebbett can build on his rookie season, he would certainly provide good value.

As for the defense, they will be led once again by the return of defenseman Scott Neidermayer.  Neidermayer will anchor the blueline and look for help from Ryan Whitney.  Whitney struggled early in the season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but started to turn his game around after arriving in Anaheim via a trade. Whitney doesn’t use his size as much as he could, but his vision and puck skills make him a valuable contributor.  Adding James Wisniewski at the trade deadline was a stroke of genius, as he brings puckhandling, toughness and the ability to play in any situation.  Tough guy Sheldon Brookbank didn’t play a lot, but he was solid in limited minutes.  He’s inexpensive depth and plays the hard-nosed style that befits the Ducks, look for him to get extensive playing time.

Jonas Hiller emerged as a quality starter in his second NHL season, taking the reins from Jean-Sebastien Giguere down the stretch and into the playoffs where he was even better.  The natural progression would be for the 27-year-old Hiller to assume the starting job next season but despite Hiller’s breakthrough campaign in 2008-09, he hasn’t been handed the starting goaltending job entering this season.  Giguere, the veteran Cup winner from 2007, has been told he’s got an equal shot at it.  It’s a fascinating decision by head coach Randy Carlyle, given Hiller’s stellar play against San Jose and the Red Wings in the playoffs, but I also think it’s the correct one.  Maybe this hasn’t even played into Carlyle’s decision, but I think it’s important for the Ducks to rebuild Giguere’s asset value around the league.  It’s hardly a secret that Ducks GM Bob Murray tried to trade the goalie  in the offseason but found no takers for a player slated to earn $13 million over the final two years of his deal ($6 million this season and $7 million next season).  However, if Giguere recaptures some of his old form, then teams will have to give him a mulligan after he lost his focus following the death of his father last season.  I think a few teams will realize they’re not good enough in goal come December and will try to trade for the veteran.

All in all after last years performance the Ducks showed that they’re really a true contender to win the Stanley Cup.  A few minor tweaks here and there and we will once again be watching this team go deep into the playoffs.

As for the defense, former first round pick Brent Burns looks to forget a year that saw him injured and bouncing back and forth from forward to defenseman to build on his rising status.  Burns, a converted forward burst onto the scene as defenseman with 15 goals in 2007-8 and was named as the best defenseman at the 2008 World Championship.  Now, with Richards employing a system that allows the defense to join the rush and fully recover from concussion issues, Burns is primed to pick up where he left off and take his spot as a top defender in the NHL.  Power play quarterback Marek Zidlicky put up more than 40 points for the fourth time in his five NHL seasons, yet his minus-12 rating was the second-worst of his career. Perhaps he’d fare better in that regard with a steadier defensive partner, who could better cover when Zidlicky attacks in the offensive zone.  Though it doesn’t appear he’s ever going to be the kind of point producer he was in his years with the Philadelphia Flyers and he generally plays small for his size, Kim Johnsson is a solid top-four defenceman.  Coming off the first minus season of his career, Nick Schultz is nevertheless the closest thing the Wild have to a shutdown defenceman. His durability (at least 79 games for five straight seasons) and ability to log significant minutes has earned the 26-year-old respect as he enters his prime.  There are several holes that need to be filled on the blueline, but the Wild effectively have their top four covered so if they need any additional help during the season they can always pick up some help through a trade or someone from their farm club.

However, they will have to continue the solid defensive play that has been their trademark and continue to receive elite goaltending from Niklas Backstrom in order to return to the playoffs.  The undrafted free agent finished third in the Vezina voting and finished with a career high 37 wins and was top 5 in both GAA (2.33) and save percentage (.923). He also received a four-year contract extension to remain the last line of defense for the Wild.  When healthy, this team was a threat for both the playoffs and more but, when injured, they sputtered offensively and relied heavily on their spectacular goaltending.  Josh Harding will return to serve as the backup to Backstrom.  The 25-year-old went 3-9-1 with a 2.21 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in 19 games last season.  Originally a second round selection (38th overall) of Minnesota in the 2002 draft, Harding is 19-27-4 with a 2.49 GAA and .920 save percentage in 58 career games.  The Wild also signed veteran goaltender Wade Dubielewicz to add depth.  The 30-year-old has a career record of 17-15-1 with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage in 40 career appearances with the New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets.  The move gives the Wild a third goaltender on the roster and more stability should they decide to trade backup Harding.

Minnesota made some sweeping changes when it comes to the overall franchise.  I for one am excited to see what kind of hockey they are capable of as well as if all the changes will work out for them.  They seem to be so close to making a run for the most coveted sports trophy on the planet, The Stanley Cup.

A horrible start to his second season limited Gagner’s production, but he finished strong (21 points in the final 20 games) for the second season in a row, leaving some room for optimism going into next year, but he has to be able to produce right from the get-go; otherwise, the Oilers could be left in the lurch like they were last season.  Similarly, Cogliano’s production dipped slightly in his second season, but his speed makes him a threat offensively and enhances his ability as a checker.  Like the other young Oilers, though, Cogliano simply has to be better next year.  Like fellow young forwards Gagner and Cogliano, Robert Nilsson’s game slipped last season, though he had brief stretches during which he was productive.  He might be better off with a fresh start, either elsewhere or with the new coach in Edmonton.  Shawn Horcoff is ostensibly the Oilers’ number one centre, a prospect that looked much better coming off 50 points in 53 games (2007-2008) than it does coming off a season in which he scored 53 points in 80 games (2008-2009).  Horcoff is a very sound two-way player but his offensive production has ebbed and flowed since lockout, so it’s tough to count on him to anchor the top scoring unit.  On the second line, however, he may be ideal.  Perhaps the only young forward who at least met expectations, Marc Pouliot, had a solid, if unspectacular, season.  Pouliot doesn’t seem to have the offensive flair to be a top six forward, but could carve out a solid career.

When healthy, the Oilers’ blueline is a formidable group.  Lubomir Visnovsky’s season ended in early February, but he was excellent in his first season with the Oilers. His mobility and ability to move the puck helps him dictate the pace of the game and the Oilers’ push for the postseason was obviously hindered when they lost Visnovsky’s 23 minutes per game from the lineup.  Sheldon Souray’s first season in Edmonton may have been a washout, but he was an impact performer last season, scoring 23 goals to tie for second among NHL defencemen.  Souray’s point shot is devastating, no doubt, but just as important for the Oilers was that Souray was a plus player for the first time since the lockout.  25-year-old Denis Grebeshkov was one of the most improved defencemen in the league last season, emerging as a legitimate top four defenceman, particularly with Visnovsky absent in the second half of the season.  Grebeshkov’s emergence also gives the Oilers an abundance of capable offensive defenceman.

Edmonton’s penalty killing was 77.5 percent, ranking them 27th in the league.  That cost them more than 16 goals this season, only the Toronto Maple Leafs penalty killing proved more costly.  This will have to change in order for the Oilers to win a few more close games.  As I mentioned earlier they fell just short of the playoffs last season, a couple more wins and they would have been playing for a chance to win Lord Stanley’s cup.

When it comes to the goaltending situation the Oilers find themselves in decent shape.  They signed Khabibulin to take over the starting role for Dwayne Roloson who left and signed with the New York Islander’s.  So, can the Oilers hypnotize (or con) goaltender Khabibulin into believing that they have an option to dump him and void his deal after each season in his latest four-year contract?  After his reawakening in a contract year with the Chicago Blackhawks, the issue isn’t whether he has anything left; it’s his motivation.  He is 36 years old which is an improvement over Roloson who was just over 40.  Edmonton hopes he plays like he did in last years playoffs.  If he gives a repeat performance this season then the Oilers will be very competitive.  As for the backup role, Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers only got seven starts with the Oilers, with none coming from December 1 through April 9, so it’s hard to know how good he can be. Although  Drouin-Deslauriers will have a more significant backup role, with 20 starts in the plan, for next season.  This should help keep Khabibulin fresh throughout the year.

They aren’t that far away, but it’s time the Oilers went into a season with more than enough talent on hand, rather than hoping they have enough if everything works out as hoped.