NHL Free Agency: One Player from Each Team Who Will Be Packing His Bags
The 2010-2011 National Hockey League regular season concluded and the Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us. For those teams in the playoffs, winning the Stanley Cup will be the main focus until one team emerges as the best club in the NHL.
As one team after another falls out of the tournament, management will turn their attention to improving their organizations for next season. Free agency is one method general managers use to achieve that objective.
The free-agent signing period begins on July 1, 2011. One player from each team will be heading out of town. Here are the players who will be moving on to new teams.
Anaheim Ducks: Will Let Andreas Lilja Fly Away
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The Anaheim Ducks signed big (6'3", 220 lbs) defenseman Andreas Lilja at the start of the 2010-2011 season to a one-year contract after he was released from his tryout with the San Jose Sharks.
Lilja appeared in 52 games for the Ducks. He scored one goal and assisted on six others for seven total points. Those numbers are acceptable for a defensive defenseman, however, his plus/minus rating of minus-15 is not. That number combined with a solid defensive unit in Anaheim will spell the end of Lilja's days in Southern California.
The smooth skating defenseman is near the end of his professional career. He may be able to help a young defensive corps for a year or two. He certainly has the experience and knowledge to do so, as he earned a Stanley Cup ring with the 2007-2008 Detroit Red Wings.
This writer had the pleasure of watching the Swedish born rearguard play quite often during his American Hockey League days in Lowell in 2000-2001. There was no question that Lilja would enjoy a long NHL career.
Atlanta Thrashers: Former Hobey Baker Winner Will Need To Find a New Nest
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The good news in Atlanta is the organization has most of its big-name players under contract for at least one more season. Two players who play key roles for the Thrashers, Radek Dvorak and Eric Boulton, are unrestricted free agents (UFAs), but it is believed Atlanta will re-sign the two veterans.
The Thrashers have five other UFAs this offseason. Three are defensemen (Freddy Meyer, Noah Welch, and Jaimie Sifers) and the other two are forwards (Jason Krog and Jared Ross). Of that group, Atlanta will most likely not ask Krop to return. Unfortunately for the former University of New Hampshire standout, his college success has not carried over into the National Hockey League. Since the 1999-2000 season, when Krog made his NHL debut with the New York Islanders, the Fernie, British Columbia native has played in only 202 games. In those games, he has registered 59 points.
The 2010-2011 season was Krog's second year with the Thrashers. In 2006-2007, he played in 14 games with Atlanta before signing with Vancouver. Krog signed a two-year contract to return to the Thrashers lineup in July of 2009. Since then, he has been recalled from the club's American Hockey League affiliate in Chicago for two games, but Krog did not see game action.
According to capgeek.com, Krog's contract called for him to be paid $500,000 per season for two seasons. That means the Thrashers have paid Krog $1.1 million to be a minor leaguer. He does not receive a reduced salary while playing in the AHL.
With the Thrashers being rumored to be on the move to Canada, they do not want money to be spent on fringe players. It is not certain where Jason Krog will apply his wares next season, but what is certain is that he will not be doing it in Atlanta.
Boston Bruins: Michael Ryder Most Likely To Leave the Den
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The Boston Bruins have most of their core players locked up for the foreseeable future. The exceptions are Mark Recchi, Tomas Kaberle and Michael Ryder. Recchi has said he will not return if the club wins the Stanley Cup. Kaberle has quietly been in negotiations with the team. Ryder has not been approached by the organization, as of yet. It is widely believed that he needs to have a big playoff performance in order to remain with the Bruins.
Ryder has been a source of frustration to the club this season. He has the ability to be a pure goal scorer. He has scored at every level he's played at, including the NHL. In seven seasons in The Show, Ryder has scored 25 or more goals four times. This season he scored 18 goals, but he was not a consistent performer. At times he appeared disinterested on the ice and lacked focus. His plus/minus rating of minus-1 can attest to that. Coach Claude Julien's systems are based on defense first and Ryder's approach to the game earned the Newfoundland, Canada native a trip to the press box in a handful of games, as a healthy scratch.
To his credit, Ryder finished the season on a strong note. He picked up three points in his last five games and was a plus-4. This may have been enough to earn the 31-year-old winger a reprieve. He will certainly get the opportunity to play and score in the playoffs. If he does, Boston may decide he is worth keeping. But with one foot out the door and the other on a banana peel, look for this to be Ryder's final appearance in a black-and-gold uniform.
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Buffalo Sabres: Patrick Lalime Will Be Shuffling off to a New City
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If your name is not Ryan Miller and you are a backup goaltender in Buffalo, there is a very strong chance that most of the game action you will see is from the end of the bench. However, if you are the third-string puckstopper, you are guaranteed a perch in the press box. This was the fate of Patrick Lalime.
The Sabres signed Lalime in July of 2008 and he has enjoyed somewhat limited success as Miller's back up, but he slipped to third-string status and played in only seven games this season, going 0-5-0. He has a goals-against average of 2.96 and a save percentage of .890. Numbers like those do not keep you employed with your NHL club.
During the course of his 12-year NHL career, the 36-year-old netminder has compiled a goals-against average of 2.58 and a save percentage of .905. Lalime will not be pulling on a blue-and-gold jersey next season and, at his age with those career numbers, he may not be wearing any new colors. Time will tell.
Calgary Flames: Fredrik Modin Not Setting the World on Fire
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In a recent news conference, Calgary's interim general manager Jay Feaster referred to forward Fredrik Modin as "broken down." That is not exactly what a player wants to hear his boss say about him, but after acquiring Modin from the Atlanta Thrashers at the 2011 NHL trade deadline, the native of Sundsvall, Sweden played in just four games. He registered zero points and was a minus-3. It was thought that Modin needed a change of scenery to jump start his career, after scoring only seven goals and three assists in 36 games with the Thrashers.
On the season, Modin finished with 10 points in 40 games and a minus-14. He missed the final 11 games of the season due to a back injury.
It was hoped Modin could provide veteran leadership to a team trying to make the playoffs. Modin has been in the league for 15 seasons and has his named etched into the Stanley Cup as a member of the 2004 champion Tampa Bay Lightning. But so far, that has not been the case in Calgary.
Injuries, lack of scoring and lack of detail to defense will most likely mean the end of the Modin experiment in Calgary.
Carolina Hurricanes: Cory Stillman May Be Part of the Winds of Change in Raleigh
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When an NHL club does not make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it is inevitable that changes will be made. Such will be the case for the Carolina Hurricanes. The player most likely to be affected by those changes could be fan-favorite Cory Stillman.
Stillman was brought in for a third stint with the Hurricanes via a trade with the Florida Panthers on February 28, 2011. In 21 games with Carolina, Stillman notched five goals and 11 assists for 16 points. He was a plus-2 during that stretch. On the season, the 37-year-old forward totaled 12 goals and 27 assists for 39 points. He played in 65 games between the two teams.
Stillman's 16 points in 21 games show the veteran still has the tools to be a productive player in the right environment, but Carolina has good, young, less-expensive talent knocking on the door. General manager Jim Rutherford may decide to see if any of them are the next Jeff Skinner. If he does, it will mean the end of Cory Stillman's return to Raleigh.
Chicago Blackhawks: Marty Turco May Not Be the Second Goalie in the Second City
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On August 2, 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks signed goaltender Marty Turco away from the Dallas Stars (where Turco manned the crease for nine seasons) to replace the departed Antti Niemi. Niemi led the 'Hawks to the Stanley Cup last spring, but he signed with San Jose in the offseason without much of a fight from Chicago. Unfortunately, as some of us know all too well, things do not always go as planned. Turco struggled throughout the 2010-2011 season and he was replaced by rookie Corey Crawford.
Turco posted an 11-11-3 record with a goals-against average of 3.02 and a .897 save percentage. Blackhawks management and fans were expecting much more from the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native.
Chicago is paying the 37-year-old netminder $1.3 million. That is money that could be used to pick up a new, younger, backup puckstopper next season.
Marty Turco may have a season or two left in him. Then again...maybe not.
Colorado Avalanche: Peter Budaj Will Come Down from the Mountain
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Another goaltender who will be leaving for destinations unknown will be Colorado's Peter Budaj. Budaj is a steady backup netminder, but the Avalanche missed the playoffs again this season and a big reason for it was their lack of a strong presence between the pipes. Simply put, the team's goaltending was not good enough.
Budaj's numbers were disappointing. He compiled a win/loss record of 15-21-4 with a goals-against average of 3.20 and an .895 save percentage. Poor numbers for an up-and-coming club.
Colorado is building a good, young, speedy team. It needs dependable goaltending to keep them in games night in and night out. This season the club did not have that go-to-guy who could make the big save when needed. It is going to take a big chunk of change to get one, and by letting Budaj go in free agency, the organization will have $1.25 million to put towards a top-flight netminder.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Ethan Moreau Will Be Sporting New Attire Next Season
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Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson has his work cut out for him this offseason. He needs to find a way to improve his club and get it back on the playoff track. One way to do that is to sign some, or all, of his team's 15 unrestricted free agents. Since it became apparent his club would not qualify for the postseason, he began to evaluate each player in order to decide who he would like to bring back to Columbus.
One player who will most likely be on the move is veteran forward Ethan Moreau. The 37-year-old winger came to the Blue Jackets from the Edmonton Oilers during the season. His job with the Blue Jackets was to provide leadership and help propel the club into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He has played in the playoffs six times, advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2006 with the Oilers. As we know, he and the rest of the Blue Jackets are watching the playoffs on television this year.
Statistically, Moreau had an abysmal minus-27 this season to go along with 24 points.
Moreau has reached the 20-goal mark once and has never scored over 32 points in a season. His $2 million salary could bring in a leader who can consistently score 20 goals each season and help return the team to the playoffs.
Dallas Stars: Brad Richards Will Continue To Shine Brightly in Another NHL City
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Brad Richards. Need I say more?
Seriously, is there anyone who does not expect Brad Richards to leave the Dallas Stars this summer? Richards himself did not comment on the speculation when asked by the media in Texas the day after the club was eliminated from playoff contention, but it is no secret he is the most coveted UFA on the market this summer.
His recently-expired contract paid him $7.8 million this season. It is believed he will command a salary in the $10 million range and that teams are already lining up to make their offers (even though, under league bylaws, offers cannot be tendered until midnight of July 1 each summer).
Richards finished 10th in the league in scoring this season, with 77 points on 28 goals and 49 assists. The 30-year-old native of Murray Harbour, PEI is a 10-year veteran of NHL wars. He has played in 772 career games and has amassed 716 points. The winger needs four more goals to reach the 500 pinnacle for his career.
In the playoffs, Richards has 62 points in 63 games. He was a major cog in the Tampa Bay Lightning's run to the Stanley Cup in 2004 as he posted 26 points in 23 games played.
Unfortunately for Dallas fans, it looks like they have watched their favorite superstar play his last game in green and gold.
Detroit Red Wings: Mike Modano Will Drive out of the Motor City
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Detroit Red Wing Mike Modano needs no introduction anywhere.
He is at the end of his storied career and he is arguably the greatest American-born player in the history of the National Hockey League.
After spending 20 seasons with the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars organization, Modano signed as a free agent last summer with Detroit to finish his career close to his hometown of Livonia, Michigan. He scored in his first game with the Wings, but he suffered a wrist injury that limited him to 40 games with the winged wheel on his sweater. In those 40 games, the 6'3" center scored four goals and 11 assists for 15 points.
Some of Modano's career accomplishments include 561 goals and 1,374 points (both are the most ever scored by an American-born player). He remains Dallas' all-time leading scorer. Modano was a member of the silver-medal winning Team USA in the 2002 Winter Olympics. He has appeared in seven NHL All-Star games and won the Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999.
Mr. Modano, you have a call on line No. 1. It's the Hockey Hall of Fame calling.
Edmonton Oilers: Jason Strudwick Will Slip out of Town
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The Edmonton Oilers can look at this season as one of small successes. Of course, the club failed to make the playoffs, but the youth movement is strong. Their 2010 No. 1 draft pick, Taylor Hall, saw action in 65 games and scored 22 goals while fellow rookie Jordan Eberle led the team in scoring with 43 points.
The organization did not win the draft lottery for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, but it retained this year's No. 1 selection. If they do not trade the pick, the youth movement will be in full swing.
A youth movement, of course, is not good news for some veterans. One seasoned vet who most likely will be a casualty of the newer, younger Oilers will be defenseman Jason Strudwick.
The 35-year-old veteran of 14 seasons is a leader off the ice. He has been helpful with the young blueliners on the team, but his plus/minus statistic has been among the worst in the NHL. He posted a minus-16 in 2010-2011. Strudwick was a minus-18 in 2009-2010 and a minus-4 in 2008-2009. That is a minus-34 in three seasons. An NHL club expects better from its defensemen. Granted, all but Ryan Whitney finished on the minus side of the ledger, however, Strudwick's minus-16 was the worst among Oiler rearguards.
Strudwick is not offensively gifted. His 13 career goals attest to that.
The Oilers youth movement and Strudwick's defensive shortcomings may end his stay in Northern Alberta.
Florida Panthers: Patrick Rissmiller Will Be on the Prowl for a New Team
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Patrick Rissmiller entered the National Hockey League during the 2005-2006 season with the San Jose Sharks. He spent parts of four seasons with the Sharks where he established himself as a steady stay-at-home defenseman. His 46 career points in 192 NHL games proves he will not light the lamp on a regular basis.
Since then, the Belmont, Massachusetts native has worn the uniforms of the New York Rangers, Atlanta Thrashers and the Florida Panthers. In between those stops, Rissmiller has spent the majority of his career in the American Hockey League. The knock on him seems to be his lack of aggressiveness in the corners and along the boards. At 6'4" 225 lbs, he certainly has the size to knock opponents off their blades, but he is unable to due to his passive style of play
He has also been the victim of the numbers game when he was good enough to stay with the big clubs, but was eventually shipped off to the farm team because of the presence of more talented defensemen.
At 32 years of age, it is time for Rissmiller to either sink or swim with an NHL organization. Unfortunately for Patrick Rissmiller, he will not be swimming in Florida.
Los Angeles Kings: Alexei Ponikarovsky Will Look for a Different Throne
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The Los Angeles Kings signed Alexei Ponikarovsky as a free agent for the 2010-2011 season with the hope he would resurrect a career that had gone stale in Pittsburgh.
Ponikarovsky has seen ice time in even strength and power-play situations with Los Angeles, but has been an offensive disappointment. In 61 games with the Kings, the Ukrainian-born forward scored just five goals. He had 10 assists, giving him 15 points on the season.
Ponikarovsky has the size (6'4" 226 lbs) and strength to be a power forward. He also possesses the skill to score goals in bunches (he topped the 20-goal mark with Toronto three times), but he has become an enigma on the ice. His reputation is that he plays hard when he wants to, which is not often enough to have an impact on a game or a season. In 554 career games, Ponikarovsky has scored 221 goals and 160 assists for 281 points. Those are good numbers for a third-line role player, but not good enough for a player of Ponikarovsky's size and skills.
Alexei Ponikarovsky has managed to play his way out of Toronto and Pittsburgh and at $3.2 million per season, he will be looking for something other than a crown to put on his head next season.
Minnesota Wild: Chuck Kobasew Will Leave the Forest
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The Minnesota Wild are another team that did not play its way into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This is the second consecutive season the Wild are not competing for hockey's ultimate prize and this does not sit well with the fans in the State of Hockey.
The organization has been trying to find that good blend of veterans and youth and it is on the right course. Management will continue to put the pieces together during this offseason which, of course, means some players will be back for the 2011-2012 season while others will not.
One player who most likely will not return is veteran Chuck Kobasew. The 28-year-old forward has been in the NHL for nine seasons. This season he was used in a defensive role and expected to contribute offensively as well. Kobasew was less than adequate on the defensive side of the puck and offensively challenged. The native of Vancouver, BC has achieved 20 or more goals three times during his career, but managed only nine in 2010-2011. He added seven assists. His 16 points and minus-6 rating are not what Wild management can accept while paying $2.3 million per season for Kobasew's services.
Chuck Kobasew is young enough to get a look from a different NHL team, but to remain with that team, he will need to provide more offensively and defend more diligently.
Montreal Canadiens: Paul Mara Will Not Need To Learn French
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The Montreal Canadiens are once again in the playoffs, taking on their arch-rival Boston in the first round.
Boston-born Paul Mara played for the Bruins in 2006-2007 and was looking forward to meeting up against his former team. Sadly for Mara, he was a healthy scratch for Game 1 in Boston. His family and friends will need to wait for another day to watch the defenseman play in Boston's TD Garden. Whether that will be in the red, white and blue of Les Canadiens is another story.
Montreal traded for the 6'4" rearguard at the 2011 NHL trade deadline with the hopes he would shore up a defense that was prone to leaving goaltender Carey Price to make more than one save at a time. Mara was also brought in for his experience. This is his 12th season in the NHL.
Mara is a very reliable defenseman. He is adept at shot blocking and keeping the front of the net clear of opponents who try to set up screens and score off rebounds.The problem with Mara being a member of the Canadiens comes from his lack of foot speed. The team is built on speed and Mara has never been known as a thoroughbred. This is the reason for his being scratched in Game 1 of the playoffs and will be the reason for Montreal management to let him test the free-agent waters.
There is most certainly a place in the NHL for Paul Mara. It just is not in Montreal.
Nashville Predators: Steve Sullivan Will Be Singing a New Tune in 2011-2012
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The Nashville Predators have relied on a healthy Steve Sullivan for five-and-a-half seasons. For three of those seasons, he did not disappoint by scoring 31 goals in 2005-2006, 22 goals in 2006-2007 and 17 in 2009-2010. In the other two-and-a-half seasons with the Preds, Sullivan has scored just nine, 11 and 10 goals.
When the 5'8" native of Timmins, Ontario is healthy, he is a scoring threat that opponents need to be wary of. However, he has battled back injuries throughout his career and has played only one full season in Music City.
Steve Sullivan has a couple of things working against him after his Predators either win the Stanley Cup or get eliminated in the playoffs. Those things are his inability to play a full season due to his back issues and his age (36 years old).
The Predators are paying Sullivan $3.75 million. The question management needs to address is whether they bring Sullivan back with an increase in pay, offer a "hometown" deal (no raise in pay and maybe a cut in pay), or cut him loose.
The thinking here is he will be free for the taking on July 1, 2011.
New Jersey Devils: Adam Mair Could Have Played Himself out of the Hot Seat
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The 2010-2011 New Jersey Devils were one of the clubs that did not qualify for the playoffs and changes will be made.
Adam Mair will undoubtedly be one of the changes in the Garden State.
After plying his trade for seven seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Mair was acquired by the Devils to provide a defensive presence to the forward lines. His minus-16 was not what management had in mind.
Offensively, the 6'1" center was not a factor. He scored one goal and four assists for five points in 65 games.
While earning $515,000 this season, Mair is earning slightly above the league-minimum salary. The Devils can sign a defensive center from another NHL team for around the same money who will be a more-than-adequate replacement for Mair.
New York Islanders: Doug Weight Will Be Sailing into Retirement
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The New York Islanders signed the veteran center on July 2, 2008. It is safe to say he has done all that was asked of him and more as a leader and a team captain.
His experience speaks for itself. Since entering the National Hockey League in 1991 with the New York Rangers, he has amassed 1,238 regular season games, 278 goals, 755 assists and 1,033 points while playing for New York, Edmonton, St. Louis, Carolina, Anaheim and the Islanders.
In the playoffs, Weight has compiled 72 points in 97 games. It took 14 years, but he finally got to drink from Lord Stanley's Cup in 2006 as a member of the NHL champion Carolina Hurricanes.
The 40-year-old from Mt. Clemens, Michigan has served his country well. Weight answered the call whenever USA Hockey asked him to wear the red, white and blue. Weight has played in two World Cup tournaments, three World Championships and three Winter Olympic Games.
Unfortunately, all of the action has led to injuries that have taken their toll on Weight's body. Last season he shut it down early and took a spot behind the bench to assist the coaching staff.
As of this writing, Doug Weight has not officially announced his retirement as a player, but it's a safe bet the announcement will come this summer.
New York Rangers: Alex Frolov's Run on Broadway Will Come To an End
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The neon lights were anything but bright on Alex Frolov during 2010-2011. The Rangers acquired him hoping he would repeat the 30-goal days he enjoyed as a Los Angeles King. It was not meant to be.
In 43 games with the Blueshirts, the Moscow native scored only seven goals and nine assists for 16 points. The good news for Frolov is he was a plus-4 in the plus/minus statistic.
According to the New York Rangers website, a major injury to his right knee included a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a second-degree sprain of the medial collateral ligament. A medial meniscus tear was also suffered on January 8, 2011. The injury ended Frolov's season. He will most likely miss all of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as well.
The knee injury was a blow to Frolov, but it did not seem to have the same effect on the Rangers. The team is in the playoffs without their 28-year-old winger.
At a price tag of $3 million this season combined with an injury as devastating as the one suffered by Frolov, it could mean the Rangers will not take a risk on his return. The injury itself may mark the end of his career, but if it is not, he will be looking for a job with a different NHL team come July 2011.
Ottawa Senators: Pascal Leclaire Will Step Down from Parliament Hill
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The Ottawa Senators had a bad start to their 2010-2011 season and it got worse from there.
One of the bones of contention, as it were, was goaltending. The Senators used five netminders this season before acquiring Craig Anderson from Colorado in February, 2011, letting him play the bulk of the remaining games.
The glut of goaltenders in the system means someone will need to be let go and that someone will be Pascal Laclaire.
At age 28, Leclaire should be a No. 1 puckstopper by now. He has been with Ottawa for two seasons after spending five seasons in Columbus. The Senators traded for Leclaire and saw him as being the starting goaltender.
Laclaire has been hot and cold since the trade. In two seasons as a Senator, he has a record of 16-21-3 which has forced Ottawa to scour the bushes for a starter who can win on a consistent basis.
The Senators are paying Leclaire $3 million this season. His career record of 61-76-15 attached to a goals-against average of 2.89 and a .904 save percentage will make it difficult for Ottawa to resign the eighth overall selection from the 2001 NHL Entry Draft and most likely will not do so.
Philadelphia Flyers: Nick Boynton Will Not Feel the Love This Summer
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In February 2011, the Philadelphia Flyers needed a defenseman. Coincidentally, Nick Boynton had been placed on waivers by the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. Remembering how Boynton made life tough for forwards in last spring's Stanley Cup Final, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren, scooped up the 32-year-old rearguard.
Boynton played 10 games for Philadelphia, compiling zero points. His plus/minus rating was minus-3.
The Flyers took on the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the playoffs, but Boynton was scratched from the first two games. The Flyers were missing Chris Pronger due to injury and this would have been Boynton's time to use his experience to help propel Philadelphia to a pair of wins against the Sabres.
Unless Boynton can get himself inserted into the lineup and make an impact on the Flyers' defense, it is a sign that he will not be returning to the City of Brotherly next season.
Phoenix Coyotes: Petr Prucha Will Wander the Desert Hoping To Find a New Team
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At the 2009 NHL trade deadline, the Phoenix Coyotes felt they needed to add offense. Management traded stalwart defenseman Derek Morris to the New York Rangers for defenseman Dmitri Kalinin, forwards Nigel Dawes and Petr Prucha. The team immediately became younger and the future looked bright in the desert.
Sadly for Prucha, things did not work out the way they were planned.
In 109 games played by Prucha since the trade, the native of Chrudim, Czech Republic has compiled a grand total of 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points.
Coyotes general manager Don Maloney made the decision to send Prucha to the Coyotes' American Hockey League team in San Antonio where the 28-year-old forward is finishing the season.
What looked to be a very good move for Prucha and the Coyotes in 2009 has proven to be the unraveling of a once promising career.
Petr Prucha will not be seen in the desert next season.
San Jose Sharks: Kent Huskins Will Swim in New Waters Next Season
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When hockey people talk about reliable defensemen, Kent Huskins' name will enter into the conversation.
Huskins is a solid seventh or eighth rearguard who can keep the front of the crease clear of opponents and win battles for loose pucks along the boards.
The one negative aspect of the big (6'4", 210 lbs) man's game is his lack of skating speed. He is not known to be fleet of foot and other clubs around the National Hockey League can take advantage of this by dumping the puck into his corner and sending a fast forward to win the race with Huskins.
Huskins will never be an offensive defenseman. He has a total of 60 points in 274 NHL games, but that is to be expected. Defense is his forte.
Unfortunately for the man from Almonte, Ontario, the Sharks are in possession of young, quick, defensemen which every club covets in today's NHL. The league is based on speed and a defenseman needs to be faster than opposing forwards.
At 31 years of age, there may still be a place in the NHL for Kent Huskins, but it is becoming apparent that it will not be in San Jose.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Alex Kovalev Will Not Need an Igloo Next Season
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Alex Kovalev has enjoyed a productive NHL career with the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins. The question that has followed the 38-year-old forward throughout his years in the NHL has been, how great could he have been if he applied himself consistently?
His scoring numbers from his 18-year career are extremely good. Kovalev has compiled 428 goals and 596 assists for a total of 1,024 points in 1,302 games. Those numbers may put him in the Hockey Hall of Fame, but there have been far too many nights when the man from Togliatti, Russia looked disinterested. The effort to make a difference, or to take over a game, was sorely lacking.
The Penguins brought Kovalev back for a second kick at the can this season in order to make up for the loss of superstars Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. Kovalev disappointed many fans by putting up two goals and five assists in 20 games as a Penguin. When he arrived from the Senators, he had only 27 points in 54 games. For the season, Kovalev scored 34 points in 74 games.
Kovalev is presently earning $5 million per season.
The thinking here is Alex Kovalev will need to put the Penguins on his back and carry them to the Stanley Cup championship in order to earn a new contract from general manager Ray Shero.
St. Louis Blues: Dave Scatchard Will Leave the Land of the Arch
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The St. Louis Blues have 10 unrestricted free agents. Management, of course, is in the process of deciding which players to offer new contracts and which players to cut loose. One of those players who will be cut loose is 35-year-old Dave Scatchard.
The forward from Hinton, Alberta is in his 11th season in the NHL, however, he played in only eight games with the Blues, contributing one assist. He spent the remainder of the season in the American Hockey League.
Scatchard has not been able to crack the lineup of an NHL team and has become a minor leaguer. He has spent the majority of the last two seasons in the minors.
Given Scatchard's age and lack of playing time in St. Louis, it is easy for one to think he will not be returning to St. Louis for the 2011-2012 season.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Mathieu Roy Has Been Less Than Electric
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Mathieu Roy is a victim. He is the victim of being part of an organization that has some very good NHL defensemen.
The Lightning challenged for first place in the Eastern Conference most of this season and, as the adage goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The Lightning's defense corp has not been broken.
Roy spent almost all of the 2010-2011 season in the American Hockey League. He saw action in four games with Tampa Bay, picking up zero points. He was a minus-2 and averaged around three minutes of ice time per game.
The 27-year-old blueliner will be far better served applying his trade with a club that needs a young, mobile defender.
Roy needs a fresh start in a new city and will get it in 2011-2012.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Aaron Voros Will Fall from the Tree
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The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired winger Aaron Voros in February 2011 to add grit and toughness to their lineup. He reported directly to the Leafs American Hockey League team, the Toronto Marlies, and did not see game action with the Leafs.
As an NHLer, Voros played in 162 career games with Minnesota, New York Rangers and Anaheim.
The 29-year-old Voros has amassed 18 goals and 19 assists for 37 points. He has also accumulated 395 penalty minutes along the way. His plus/minus statistic is minus-22 for his career.
Aaron Voros has applied his trade or, mostly, his fists, to the minor leagues over the majority of his professional career. The Leafs already have Colton Orr to do that at the NHL level, making it hard to see anyone coming in and challenging Orr for that spot on the roster.
Look for Voros to move onto an organization where he will be able to protect his teammates at the NHL level.
Vancouver Canucks: Raffi Torres May Not Be in BC Much Longer
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Raffi Torres was a highly sought-after player at the 2010 NHL trade deadline. He was known as a player who scored timely goals and the Vancouver Canucks won the sweepstakes.
Torres, though, has not lived up to his potential. He is an energy player who likes to play a physical game. That physical style has resulted in his having to face disciplinary hearings and suspension. He was forced to serve a four-game suspension that extended into the first two games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a hit to the head of Edmonton's Jordan Eberle .
Torres, who is 29 years old, has played in 512 career games with New York, Edmonton, Columbus, Buffalo and Vancouver. He has amassed 112 goals and 99 assists for 211 points. Not the numbers he was expected to put up after a junior hockey career of scoring 60-plus points in three consecutive seasons.
Raffi Torres is beginning to gain a reputation of a player who does not shy away from the occasional "dirty hit" on opponents which could result in more suspensions.
The Canucks will need to decide whether there is a place in the organization for him. It says here, there is not.
Washington Capitals: Dany Sabourin Will Be Voted out of Washington DC
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Goaltender Dany Sabourin became a member of the Washington Capitals organization on July 1, 2010 at the cost of $600,000 per season.
Sabourin has also played for Calgary, Pittsburgh and Vancouver.
He has spent most of his career in the American Hockey League, accruing decent numbers, but not good enough to be recalled to the NHL in order to earn a starting job. He has been recalled enough to play in 57 NHL games where he has a record of 18-25-4. His goals-against average is 2.87 and he also carries a save percentage of .898
The 30-year-old netminder's contract carries a cap hit of $600,000. That is money that could be spent elsewhere to improve the Eastern Conference champions and help propel the club to a Stanley Cup.
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