“I still feel I can play and contribute to a team,” Primeau told the Sun. “Hopefully someone steps forward and gives me a chance.”

“My ultimate wish is to come back to Toronto for another season and be a veteran (presence) to help the younger guys. But it seems to be looking dimmer and dimmer as the days go on.”

With the Maple Leafs becoming a younger team each year and very unlikely to win the Stanley Cup this season, is it really fitting for a 15-year veteran who has never won a Stanley Cup to return to Toronto?

No.

The Maple Leafs have too many bottom-six forwards (which Primeau is) for him to fit on the roster. Even if he were to play on the wing, he still wouldn’t fit. Colby Armstrong, Luca Caputi, Colton Orr, Mike Brown, and Fredrick Sjostrom all have more important roles with the Maple Leafs, and add just as much grit, if not more.

At age 35, if Primeau were to return to the Maple Leafs, he would be the oldest player on the roster (current oldest player is Jean-Sebastien Giguere at age 33) and the oldest forward on the roster by seven years.

Not just that, but the signing of Primeau would also take away crucial cap space from general manager Brian Burke, who is currently trying to use that cap space, and possibly Tomas Kaberle, to fill the forward hole in the Maple Leafs lineup.

With that being said, not only would returning to Toronto be a poor career decision by Primeau, but it would also be a poor decision by Burke, who already has enough veterans on the roster.

Primeau has scored just 194 points (69 goals, 125 assists) in 774 regular season games. Three of those goals and five of those assists came in 54 games with the Maple Leafs in 2009-2010. He was acquired from the Calgary Flames in July of 2009 along with a 2011 second-round draft pick for Anton Stralman, Colin Stuart, and a 2012 seventh-round draft pick.

Follow Lukas on Twitter @lukas_nhl. Check out Buds In Blue for in-depth analysis, opinion, news, and rumors on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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Under the new rules, it is believed that several loopholes of the prior agreement have been closed, allowing Kovalchuk’s 15-year, $100 million deal to be accepted by league standards.

While this newest deal is for slightly less money than the 17-year, $102 million deal, there is no denying that Kovalchuk has emerged from the squabbles as one of the richest men in NHL history.

With both sides at odds for more than a month, the agreement is a breath of fresh air in what was quickly becoming an ugly showdown between the NHL, New Jersey Devils and NHLPA.

As much as Kovalchuk’s deals have been in the headlines, there have also been whispers that Marc Savard, Roberto Luongo, Chris Pronger, Marian Hossa, and other player's contracts were under investigation by the NHL. It is believed that these “questionable deals” will now be grandfathered in and, as such, are legit deals and will no longer be challenged by the NHL.

As part of the negotiations, it appears as if the NHL and NHLPA have agreed that these questionable contracts will be the last of their kind, which seems like a pretty great deal for the teams that have gotten away with a questionable contract, don’t you think?

The perception is that the New Jersey Devils and others were given an exception by the NHL that has benefited both the teams in question and the players—something that is not likely to sit lightly with the GM’s who played by the rules.

The fact that the NHL and NHLPA have elected to switch gears and change the rules two years before the current CBA is set to be renegotiated is both curious and dangerous in my mind.

Could we see further amendments to the current and/or future CBA’s? What is the purpose of agreeing on a CBA if the president has been set to change it without consequence?

Savard's agent, Larry Kelly, suggested on Thursday that if the Savard contract was not accepted by the NHL that he would sue the league—something neither side really wanted.

The amendment gives NHL owners and general managers a template of sorts from which all new contracts will be draw from. The direction from the NHL will be welcomed by everyone involved, as it should clear up any misconceptions going forward.

With today’s 5 P.M. deadline having already passed, it is unknown if the two sides will be able to sign all the paperwork associated with the amendments and the contract. Details should emerge shortly.

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The first signing was former Philadelphia Flyer and Atlantic Division junkie Arron Asham who signed for one year and $700,000. The second signing that occurred late this morning was former Edmonton Oiler Mike Comrie.

That's right, Pens fans, Lizzie McGuire is coming to the city of Pittsburgh.

Comrie signed a one-year deal with the Pens worth $500,000 .

This is a massive pay cut from his most recent contract with Edmonton, a one-year contract worth $1.125 million.

Was Comrie desperate to get a team when he realized a signing might not happen? Or maybe does he have a feeling the Pens could have a good season?

Who knows, maybe both.

Anyone who is scratching their head about the signing, take a look at the price tag and length of the contact that should silence any concerns...for the moment, that is.

The Pens have been looking for some cheap depth to their wings, a position that many analysts accused the Pens of being far too weak. Despite Comrie being a center, his position there may not be guaranteed.

The signing does bring up the idea of whether GM Ray Shero and the Pens coaching staff want to promote players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The way the team was hyping players like Eric Tangradi, Nick Johnson, and Mark Letestu seemed as if a permanent call-up was in order.

On top of that, the Pens were feeling the pressure from the cap so why not bring up someone who has been playing the system?

Rumors have been floating around about where Comrie will fit in the line up. So far, Puck Daddy has noted that Comrie's agent Ritch Winters will be playing on Sidney Crosby's line. There's a good chance he will play on the left side, possibly moving Chris Kunitz to the right side which would bump Pascal Dupuis to another line.

Here's where I have a problem.

Comrie's numbers aren't anything special. After about a 10-year career, Comrie has played only one full 82-game season and one season of 80 games. Both seasons included career high numbers of 60 points.

The last time he hit that number was Crosby's rookie year in 2005-2006.

I won't knock on Comrie's game. He may be on the small side, 5'10" and 185 lbs, but the guy is as tough as nails.

With that said, is he first line material?

I don't think so.

I really liked what I saw when Crosby was flanked by Dupuis and Kunitz and I don't see why either would get the boot, especially Dupuis who blossomed at the tail end of the season.

So while the signing itself can only benefit the Pens because Comrie is receiving NHL minimum and a one-shot trial, you have to wonder about the fate of other players on the team.

On August 27, Shero was quoted in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review talking about wanting a more competitive atmosphere on the ice.

"Is Tyler Kennedy good enough to play higher in the lineup? Tyler has to prove it to us in camp. Same with Max (Talbot). His game last year - is that it? Where are we with Max? I like competition with the role guys we have. I'm looking at a number of players to get off to good starts."

Perhaps this signing is more to light a fire under some players who have been struggling, like Talbot and Kennedy? Talbot more than Kennedy should be concerned about this signing as he and Comrie play similar styles.

The fact that Talbot scored the Cup clinching game-winner in 2009 is only going to carry him so far at this point. Other than Malkin, he's the one who needs to come out fighting the most this season.

Training camp just got even more interesting.

May the best hockey player win a spot on opening night.

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Rebuilding.

For most fans, this year is about optimism. Not necessarily optimism from a perspective of the right now, but for the still to come.

The Oilers are a team which are looking to regain momentum. Key injuries stole some of the momentum last season, which created frustration and eventually a disconnect from the coaching staff, players, and management. Things became so dysfunctional that most of the older players have been moved out of the team, leaving only Ales Hemsky and Shawn Horcoff as the remaining hold overs from the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals.

The team this year still has major holes on defence and in goal where the signing of Nicolai Khabibulin has been seen as a major mistake, one the team will live with for three more years. The prison sentence for drinking and driving only adds to the sense of a bad deal.

The new additions on offence of Jordan Eberle, Magnus Paajarvi, and Taylor Hall mean that the Oilers will have potent offensive potential to be a good scoring team for years to come. Sam Gagner also will come back into this year looking to build on his first line stats together with Dustin Penner and possibly Ales Hemsky to make a solid first line.

The glaring weakness is on defence, where only a few solid players are in place, means the team will likely give up plenty of goals. Veteran Khabibulin and the kids in goal will struggle. I expect that Jeff Deslauriers is perceived as the odd man out who may get sent on waivers to the AHL if Khabibulin is able to push his appeal back to the end of this season.

The Sheldon Souray saga continues to unfold, and the Oilers will probably have the player at camp and maybe a month or so into the season so he can prove he has not broken down completely after a nagging wrist injury sent him to hospital with an infection just before the trade deadline. His published trade request only made things worse for the team and himself.

The fans and the team will hope optimism for the later years will help the team get over yet another year where they languish out of the playoffs. If the Oilers are a high scoring team, fans will forgive their youthful mistakes. If they are basically the same as last season with hope gone early, then once again fans will be left with nothing but a wait for the 2011 draft to look forward to after Christmas.

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Kovalchuk is an elite talent in the NHL and there is no doubt about it. Kovalchuk showed that even more than usual when he became a member of the New Jersey Devils, as he tallied 27 points in 27 games. Surprisingly, that isn't very good for him, but if you look at the circumstances he was under it is outstanding. When Kovalchuk came over to New Jersey from Atlanta he had to deal with a new team, new players, and a completely different philosophy than in Atlanta and he played very well.

Kovalchuk's contract with the Devils is a 15-year deal with an annual cap hit of $6.66 million per season.

On a side note, the Devils are now approximately three and a half million dollars over the cap, which means they will have to move a player or two. The Devils will now look to clear some cap via trade. Bryce Salvador, Colin White, Dainius Zubrus, and Brian Rolston are the most likely trade candidates.

Whether any of them are moved remains to be seen but I am sure about two things:

1. Ilya Kovalchuk is a Devil.

2. Somebody will be traded.

If you have any questions or comments about anything (news, rumors, etc...), feel free to email me at NHLToddCordell@Gmail.com anytime, thanks.

This article can also be found at MTRMedia.com and Sportshaze.com

Follow me on twitter for the latest news and rumors @ToddNHL

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Ilya Kovalchuk's attempted contract(s) with the New Jersey Devils opened a firestorm of posturing between the league and the Players' Association that began with the league denying Kovalchuk's contract and now ends with an amendment to the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

According to TSN, Ilya Kovalchuk's 15-year, $100 million deal, along with the long-term deals of Chicago's Marian Hossa, Boston's Marc Savard, and Vancouver's Roberto Luongo (among others) will all be grandfathered into the new agreement. Kovalchuk's deal will be the last of its kind.

Sources are indicating that there will be new, specific language in the amendment of the CBA that changes how long-term contracts passing ages 35 and 40 of a player are treated with regard to the salary cap. Sportsnet is reporting that teams will no longer be able to extend a contract to lower a cap number.

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According to TSN, a deal has been reached between the NHL and the NHLPA. Both parties are working hard so that the paperwork will be filed in time for the 5 PM deadline. Kovalchuk will be making $100 million over 15 years. Both Kovalchuk and the Devils got the contract they wanted. All the Devils have to do now is unload a contract and they are ready for the start of the 2010-2011 NHL season.

Who will go?

The Devils are a few million over the cap. Salvador, Rolston, Elias, Zajac, and Langenbrunner are names that have been thrown around in recent rumors. I suspect either Salvador or Rolston will be traded or demoted to the minors before the start of the season. That's the best move the Devils could make without trading away assets.

Expect GM Lou Lamoriello to make at least one deal soon. Think about it this way: minus Salvador/Rolston for Ilya Kovalchuk? I'd do that any day of the week. Heck, even Glen Sather would. 

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Also related to Kovalchuk's contract:

• Chris Pronger- Larry Brooks of the New York Post has reported that the NHL has reviewed and accepted Pronger's contract. I honestly believe that contract is worse than any of the Devils' offers. If they finally reviewed and accepted Pronger's contract, the acceptance of the Devils' latest offer is inevitable.

Marc Savard

Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe is reporting that Boston GM Peter Chiarelli met with Savard last month and reassured him that he will not be traded. He could be bluffing. 

Thomas Greiss

David Pollak of San Jose Mercury News reports that the young goaltender admitted being upset with the signing of Antti Niemi. He has confirmed that he has talked to GM Doug WIlson about his situation and future with the club. 

Bill Guerin

Mark Miller of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Philadelphia-Flyers-?urn=nhl-266819" target="_blank">veteran winger Bill Guerin might tryout for the Philadelpha Flyers. All this buzz is coming from his skate with the team on Wednesday. Could he be a fit? A veteran winger with offensive presence should be a fit on most teams especially one who's on the hunt for the Cup. Also some sources are saying that he might land in LA?

Kirk Maltby

According to George Sipple of the Detroit Free News, the Red Wings are waiting on veteran forward Kirk Maltby on whether or not he accepts their one year contract. He should be re-signing with the club soon.

Signings Around the League:

• Carey Price (MTL): $5.5M (2 Years)
• Chris Stewart (COL): $5.75M (2 Years)
• Mike Comrie (PIT): $500K (1 Year)
• Roman Wick (OTT): ELC

Stay tuned for more updates coming soon!

• Added news on Bill Guerin
• Added signings from past two days including today
• Kovalchuk has signed with the Devils!

Follow me on Twitter (@BR_JohnTabone)!

For questions concerning my articles, please inbox me or write on my B/R profile's bulletin board.

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No matter how extensive your hockey knowledge may be, you could not have predicted the elements of the season and playoffs that took the Flyers within two wins of hoisting the Cup. 

Maybe you predicted that Ray Emery wasn’t the answer to the Flyers’ goaltending woes. Admittedly, you were right. But you didn’t predict the apparent answer would be Michael Leighton, with a backup cast that featured Brian Boucher starting in the playoffs, playing time for Johan Backlund and Jeremy Duchesne, and a roster appearance by Sebastian Caron.

Maybe you predicted the Flyers would make the playoffs. Again, that came true. But you didn’t predict they would eek their way into the seventh spot on the last day of the season, in a shootout against one of the league’s better shootout goaltenders in Henrik Lundqvist, in a game of winner-go-big, loser-go-home. 

Hey, maybe you even predicted the Flyers would make the Stanley Cup Finals. A number of analysts made that prediction at the start of the season. But did you stick by that prediction when the team lost all four games to the Atlanta Thrashers over the course of the season? What about when the Flyers were in fourteenth place in the Eastern Conference? Or when the team was down three games to zero against the Boston Bruins (or three goals to zero in Game Seven of that same series)?

The 2009-10 season was filled with the unpredictable for Philadelphia Flyers’ fans. We learned never to assume, and to expect the unexpected (incidentally, that is exactly why we all believed that Patrick Kane was mistaken about scoring in overtime of Game Six, and the puck was simply lost in Leighton’s equipment, right?). We learned that you cannot predict what will happen in a season.

But October 7^th is still more than a month away. So let’s predict anyway.

Prediction No. 1: Nikolai Zherdev will not be Simon Gagne. This is good news and bad news. The good news is, Zherdev will be able to play more than 58 games in the regular season because he doesn’t have Gagne’s history of concussions and lower body injuries. The bad news: 58 games with Simon Gagne is infinitely greater than 82 with Nik Zherdev. The Flyers lost a major goal scorer in Gagne, and brought in an adequate-at-best, aggravating-at-worst replacement on the left wing for Mike Richards’ top line.

Of course, part of the move was financial; Gagne’s $5.25 million cap hit freed up room for the Flyers to make some offseason acquisitions.

Unfortunately, those acquisitions turned out to include Zherdev at $2 million, Jody Shelley at $1.1 million (or $550k per goal scored), Sean O’Donnell at $1 million (to either play the 6^th defensive position, or ride the bench), and Matt Walker at $1.7 million (to do the job O’Donnell doesn’t). Altogether, the team spent $5.8 million to acquire four players who likely won’t provide half the production that Gagne would have at $5.25 million.

So, let me alter my first prediction from “Zherdev will not be Gagne” to  “Zherdev, Shelley, O’Donnell, and Walker will not be Gagne.”

Prediction No. 2: Goaltending will keep fans nervous all season. Again.

The Flyers probably have a generic template they use before each season when asked about goaltending. It would read something like this:

Despite the high-priced goalies available during the offseason, the Philadelphia Flyers are confident that __________ is the right goaltender to take this team to the Stanley Cup Finals.  _____________ has shown excellent potential, and is certainly the permanent solution to the goaltending problem of years past. Seriously, it’s going to be different this year. We promise.

Every single season, the Flyers seem competitive but fans have to worry about what will happen with their starting netminder. Recent failed experiments have included Ray Emery, Martin Biron, Antero Niittymaki, Robert Esche, Roman Cechmanek—never mind, this is too frustrating to talk about.

Change of plans.

New Prediction No. 2: Michael Leighton is a reliable net presence and by spending a full year with the team, he develops the ability to be a stellar goaltender.

It’s more comforting to believe that than to assume he’s another piece of the Emery-Biron-Niittymaki-etc. boogeyman that has terrorized Flyers fans since the days of Hextall. Right?

Prediction No. 3: The Flyers defensive core proves to be one of the best in the league.

The Flyers had a terrific defense for most of last year, and they have only improved it. Braydon Coburn struggled early, and perhaps most fans would like for him to develop more quickly, but he’s proven to fit in well as a No. 3 or No. 4 defenseman.

Matt Carle made huge strides last season as Chris Pronger’s partner, and if he continues to perform well, the Flyers’ top four defensemen (Carle, Coburn, Pronger, and Kimmo Timonen) are the most balanced top four in the league, capable of scoring, blocking shots, and shutting down superstars. 

Having Andrej Meszaros in the mix makes the force even more impressive, as Meszaros is capable of being a No. 2, No. 3, or No. 4 defenseman if other players struggle. Finally, the Flyers have three choices for the sixth spot: young Oskars Bartulis, who saw playing time last season; veteran Sean O’Donnell, and big man Matt Walker. 

Despite the fact that the Flyers could be wasting as much as $2.8 million on defensive scratches, there is no arguing with that kind of depth at the defensive position. 

Prediction No. 4: The Flyers will get consistent scoring from at least three lines. Except when no one is scoring.

Despite the absence of Gagne, the Flyers are still loaded on the top three lines. If Scott Hartnell and/or Ville Leino and/or Danny Briere continue to perform the way they did in the playoffs, their line will put up significant numbers as long as they play together. The Flyers should expect to see plenty of production at the center position, with Briere, Richards, Jeff Carter, and Claude Giroux spending time as the centers of the top three lines (one, likely Carter, may see more time on the wing). 

James van Riemsdyk remains a bit of a question mark, but the sophomore showed some flashes of brilliance in 2009-10, and the No. 2 pick from 2007 should continue to improve and play well. Besides, he had to watch the No. 1 pick from that same draft end his season, so is it too optimistic to expect him to come into 10-11 with a chip on his shoulder?

Caveat: Every now and then in 09-10, the Flyers just stopped scoring, particularly against teams like Edmonton and Minnesota. Unless Nik Zherdev has brought a magic hockey stick with him, Flyers fans may need to prepare themselves for similar slumps again this year. But hey, those slumps got us to the Stanley Cup Finals! Right?

Prediction No. 5 will have to wait a minute while we recap:

The Flyers have strength on defense, maybe too much strength. The offense is capable of scoring at any point in the game, not just when the No. 1 line is on the ice…or, it’s incapable of scoring altogether. The longest tenured Flyer of 09-10 is now in Tampa Bay and has been replaced by a whiny, ostracized former Ranger, a tough non-scoring former Ranger, and two pricey No. 6 and No. 7 defensemen. And the goaltender, for the umpteenth consecutive year, is a question mark.

So naturally, prediction No. 5 is: Stanley Cup Champions, baby!

Why not?  Last year’s team climbed out of the basement of the Eastern Conference to punch a ticket to the playoffs in game 82, lulled the Bruins into a false sense of security before coming back from 3-0 twice in a series, played the Conference Finals on home ice as a No. 7 seed, and came an overtime goal away from playing a Game Seven for the Stanley Cup. Who says they can’t do it again?

The NHL season and playoffs are entirely unpredictable. Stars rise out of nowhere, pivotal players suffer injuries, teams go into unexplained slumps, every game counts, and yet sometimes only one game truly matters. So since we really are incapable of predicting what will happen between now and June, it only makes sense to believe this is the year.

What’s the point of watching on October 7^th if it isn’t?

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Goaltending

More specifically: Rick DiPietro. We can talk about the contract and the eleven years left on it until we are blue in the face but at the end of the day, it really does not matter long term.

What does matter is if Rick can return at all. Once that question is answered, it is followed by one more important question—can he approach the high level we all know he is capable of?

The guy is still young, but all of those surgeries on knees and hips and let's not forget the multiple concussions that will take their toll on anyone.

There is always conjecture about Rick but as we are seeing right now, there is no way anyone knows—including Rick himself—whether he will be able to shoulder the load of an NHL season.

The one thing that remains a constant is the Islanders have Dwayne Roloson. Roloson more than proved that he is still a very capable net minder and can still play at a high level.

Assuming that DiPietro cannot play, AHL standout goaltender Nathan Lawson will likely back up Roloson.

Depth Chart -
1 - Dwayne Roloson
2 - Rick DiPietro
3 - Nathan Lawson

Defense

I can say with a degree of certainty that this will be the best group of defensemen the Islanders will put on the ice in many years, possibly since 1997.

Mark Streit is at the head of the class. He will shoulder the power play minutes and be the Islanders No. 1 guy on defense.

He isn't alone any more.

Garth Snow pulled a rabbit out of his hat trading for James Wisniewski. He is the perfect No. 2 guy behind Streit. Islander fans will love this kid once they see him in action.

Mark Eaton is a dependable veteran via free agency.

Milan Jurcina is a nice depth player and adds much needed size at the blue line at 6' 4" and 235 pounds.

The Islanders will also bring back Jack Hillen, Andrew McDonald, oft-injured Radek Martinek, Bruno Gervais, Dylan Reese, and Dustin Kohn to round out the rest of the group.

One thing that can be counted on this year: Whoever plays goal for the Islanders can expect to see less traffic in front of the net and a much more soundly defended zone in front of him.

Garth Snow and his crew have done an excellent job building the Islanders defensive unit this season, and for once I am excited about the Islanders on that side of the puck.

Depth Chart -

1) Mark Streit
2) James Wisniewski
3) Mark Eaton
4) Milan Jurcina
5) Jack Hillen
6) Radek Martinek
7) Andrew McDonald
8) Bruno Gervais

Wingers

Here is an Islander weak spot. Traditionally, this is where an awful lot of goals come from that a team scores and where the Islanders will look to try and improve this season.

Kyle Okposo has got to take the bull by the horns this year and show everyone that he is ready to be a star player in the NHL. He simply cannot go large periods of time invisible like he did at points last season. Islander fans want to cheer for him and are waiting for him to show the rest of the league what we all believe about him.

He needs to add consistency to his game. In a league where 22-year-old captains are winning Stanley Cups, age is no longer an excuse for underachieving.

Another huge question is whether Matt Moulsen's 30-goal campaign was an aberration or the start of a late-blooming career scoring goals in the NHL.

Trent Hunter will skate around hard, hit people, be dependable in his own end, and score around 15 goals.

Blake Comeau has to also continue to improve and take that next step.

Rob Shremp showed flashes of brilliance last season after being exiled from Edmonton. This is one kid I can see special things from this season and could be the next breakout star if the Islanders are going to challenge for a playoff spot. At the very least he is a shootout specialist who will score more often than not.

After those guys, what else is there? That's 5 winger positions out of 8 available spots on the Islanders opening night roster. Who will fill out the rest of the winger positions?

We have unproven talents in Jesse Joensuu, and Matt Martin—who I would love to see get a long term shot—who have had cups of coffee with the Islanders.

Depth players P.A. Parentau, Jon Sim, Andy Hilbert, Joel Rechlecz, and Zenon Konopka round out the group.

Make no mistake, if the Islanders are to take the next step this year and challenge for a playoff spot someone will have to step up in the winger department.

Could 2010 first-round pick Nino Niederreiter make the team and contribute? How about ultra-talented Russian draft pick Kirill Kabanov? Odds are they will not start the season on the club.

The Islanders are not in a position to add from the free agent pool. They are going to improve from within, or not improve at all.

Depth Chart -

1) Kyle Okposo
2) Matt Moulsen
3) Trent Hunter
4) Blake Comeau
5) Rob Schremp
6) Jon Sim
7) Jesse Joensuu
8) Andy Hilbert
9) Matt Martin
10) Zenon Konopka

Center

Here is another position that the Islanders are just about set at.

John Tavares was everything realistic expectations could have hoped for. His sophomore season should give us more of a picture of the kind of player he will be.

People keep talking about Stephen Stamkos as a measuring stick for Tavares' encore season. This comparison is not fair for one reason: the talent around Stamkos dwarfs what is around Tavares.

If we have to put a number on how many goals would label Tavares' second season a success, that number would be 35.

Doug Weight has resigned with the Islanders. We all know he is a very talented playmaker. We also know that we simply cannot count on him playing more than 35 games.

Josh Bailey needs to improve. Yes, he is only 20, but that is no longer an excuse one can use in the NHL. Bailey is entering his third NHL season. Sixteen goals and 35 points are not totals that are going to wow anyone. If he is going to be the player Snow envisioned when he drafted him, then he is going to show that this season.

Frans Neilson scored 12 goals and had 38 points last year and will also look to improve on those numbers.

Rob Schremp and Andy Hilbert will fill in at center if and when there are injuries.

Depth Chart -
1) John Tavares
2) Doug Weight
3) Josh Bailey
4) Frans Nielson
5) Rob Schremp
6) Andy Hilbert

Overall the Islanders are in a much better position this season than last and should look to improve on last season's 79 point total.

Keys to a Successful Season

1) Solid defense will get the team more wins on its own even without much improvement from the forward crew. Most importantly the Islanders need to bring down the amount of goals allowed—264 last season. Only Edmonton (284) and Toronto (267) allowed more.

Roloson will do fine if he is shouldered with the goaltending load. The Islanders' revamped defense will no doubt be a drastic improvement over last season's, and if the goals allowed total is in the 215-220 range, then the Islanders should be in business to at least challenge for a playoff spot even without much improvement on the goals-for side.

2) Young forwards must continue growth. Yes, reliable defense is important. So is scoring goals. You may be shocked to know that the Islanders scored just as many goals as rivals NY Rangers and the NJ Devils with 222. If the Islanders can improve that total to 240, that would be a nice step in the development of the young corps of forwards.

3) Special teams. The Islanders were near the bottom of the heap on power play percentage at 16%. An improvement to 18-19% is not too much to ask and is necessary for any successful NHL franchise. If goal totals on the season are to improve, this is where the extra goals have to come from.

The Islanders were at the bottom of the heap in penalty killing at a horrid 76.3 percent, good for 29th in the NHL. That number needs to be at least 82-85 percent and, with the Islanders' revamped defense, should be possible.

So many people think goal scoring is the Islanders biggest problem. They would be wrong. This is why it was so important for Snow and Company to improve team defense. Increase your penalty killing efficiency to the mid-80 percent range and you will challenge for that playoff spot.

Post your thoughts in the comment section and voice your opinion on where the Islanders need to improve.

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My take: I think the NHL will make the decision today regardless of what it is. If the NHL does not act fast, they could lose him to the KHL. No matter what way you look at it, Kovalchuk doesn't have a job right now.

Bill Guerin is in talks with several teams. It is believed the LA Kings are among them.

My take: Bill Guerin would be a great fit in LA, as he would provide grit and offense as well as a ton of leadership and experience.

Dmitry Chesnokov of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Slava Kozlov is expected to sign in the KHL.

My take: I have always liked Kozlov, but everyone knew he wanted a good chunk of money and would not get that in the NHL.

Jack Edwards of NESN.com is reporting the Bruins are not shopping Marc Savard.

My take: In my honest opinion, I don't think there would really be any interest in Savard if he were available, as his age, salary, and history of injuries would scare teams off.

Former Oiler Patrick O'Sullivan is generating some interest, but he would likely have to take $750,000 or less to fetch himself a contract. Various media outlets are reporting that the Penguins could be a fit.

My take: I think the Penguins would be a good fit as long as he signs at a low price. He has all the talent in the world but can never seem to get it together. Playing with Malkin or Crosby would definitely help.

If you have any questions or comments about anything (news, rumors, etc...), feel free to email me at NHLToddCordell@Gmail.com anytime, thanks.

This article can also be found at MTRMedia.com and Sportshaze.com

Follow me on twitter for the latest news and rumors @ToddNHL

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

2010 Record: 32-37-13 (77 Points), 14^th in the Eastern Conference

Roster Changes

2010-2011 Notable Arrivals: C Marty Reasoner (CBJ), D Dennis Wideman (BOS),  RW Byron Bitz (BOS), RW Steve Bernier (VAN), RW Michael Grabner (VAN),  LW Chris Higgins (NYR), D Nathan Paetsch (BUF)

2010-2011 Notable Departures: RW Nathan Horton (BOS), C Gregory Campbell (BOS), D Keith Ballard (VAN), Steve Reinprecht (UFA)

Panthers Report Card

Forwards: With a new GM in town in Dale Tallon, many changes have taken place within the Florida Panthers organization.

This is no more evident than within the team’s forward group. The focus appears to have been to add some depth in the likes of C Marty Reasoner and LW Chris Higgins and to get a little bit young by acquiring RW Michael Grabner and RW Steve Bernier.

Last season, the Panthers were a team that had trouble scoring, and the concussion issues of leading 2009 scorer David Booth did nothing but complicate matters. However, this season, the Panthers are hoping to get offensive contributions from all four lines. Star Czech forward Michael Frolik and Canadian Stephen Weiss will be looked upon to lead the attack for Florida. They also hope for a quick recovery for Booth, as he will be expected to be the top line left winger.

Panthers will also need contributions from veterans such as Cory Stillman and Radek Dvorak. Michael Grabner should make an immediate impact, as he will finally have the opportunity to skate a regular shift on the right side.

Overall, the Panthers may not have the most talented group up front, but there are definitely elements in place that give them a chance to compete each and every night.

Overall Grade: C-

Top Fantasy Forwards in 2010/2011: C Stephen Weiss (28G/32A/60Pts/-7), C/RW Michael Frolik (22G/22A/43Pts/-4), LW Cory Stillman (15G/22A/37pts/-3)

Defence: The Panthers, despite the loss of Keith Ballard, have a fairly strong top four in their defence corps. The defence is lead by Captain Bryan McCabe and newly acquired Dennis Wideman. Both are veteran defenders with offensive upside, but are capable of playing in a shut down role as well.

Sophomore defender Dmitry Kulikov and rookie defender Keaton Ellerby, who will likely spend his first full season with the club, round out a very mobile group. It is quite possible that 2010 first round pick Erik Gudbranson of the Kingston Frontenacs gets an opportunity to crack the top six right out of training camp. This would definitely strengthen a young but talented back end in Florida.

It is difficult to speculate how this group will perform, but it will definitely contain a nice mix of youth and veteran leadership. The success of the team will likely be attributed to how well they play for 82 games this season.

Overall Grade: B

Top Fantasy Defenders in 2010/2011: Bryan McCabe (21G/22A/43Pts/-4), Dennis Wideman (6G/24A/30Pts/-14)

Goaltending: In goal lies the strongest aspect of the Florida Panthers with two established veterans in goal and likely the best goaltending prospect of any NHL club today.

In Tomas Vokoun, who returns for the final year of his contract, the Panthers have a steady goaltender who is used to seeing a lot of rubber over the course of the season. Vokoun is also very much a work horse and will once again see a majority of the starts between the pipes.

Scott Clemmenson is a decent back up and can definitely do the job when Vokoun needs a rest.

However, the player Panthers fans are most excited about is 21-year-old Swedish goaltender Jacob Markstrom. The goaltender has signed a three year entry level deal with the Panthers and will likely play his first professional season with the team’s AHL affiliate in Rochester.

However, it could be sooner rather than later that we see Markstrom in goal for the big club. This is one area where the Panthers should be steady all season long.

Overall Grade: A-

Top Fantasy Goaltender in 2010/2011: Tomas Vokoun (23-28-11/2.55GAA/.920SV %), Jacob Markstrom (SEL Stats: 43 GP/2.01/.927SV%)

Prospects Watch (via hockeysfuture.com)

Top 5 Thrashers Prospects: Rank top 5 prospects with name, age, position, when drafted (rd. + pick) where they will play this yr and why they will help in the future.

1. G Jacob Markstrom

Age: 20

Drafted: 2009, second round, 31^st overall

Previous Team: Brynas (SEL)

Key Attributes: Likely the best goaltending prospect for any NHL team. Markstrom is a technically sound and all around solid goalie. He is big and covers a lot of the net; he is skilled but also very mentally strong in goal. He still needs a bit of work with rebound control but has tremendous upside regardless. He will play this season in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, and once fine tuned, should be poised for action next season.

2. D Erik Gudbranson

Age: 18

Drafted: 2010, third Overall

Current Team: Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

Key Attributes: Solid two way defender that can play a physical brand of hockey. He plays with skill, toughness and also great leadership. He can also contribute offensively by joining the rush or using a big shot from the back end.

3. C Nick Bjugstad

Age: 18

Drafted: 2010, 19^th Overall

Current Team: University of Minnesota (NCAA)

Key Attributes: Likely going to play a huge role as a power forward. His size is an asset, and has great speed and skill that will allow him to perform at a high level in the NHL. He can be physical and create scoring chances for himself using his large frame. He will have time to hone his game in the college ranks before making the jump to the pro level.

4. RW Michael Grabner

Age: 22

Drafted: 2006, 14^th Overall (By Vancouver)

Previous Team: Vancouver Canucks/ Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Key Attributes: His game can be described with two simple words: skating and skill. He has great hands, tremendous speed, and is tough to stop when around the net. While inconsistency has been an issue, he will get a great opportunity in Florida this year to play as a top six forward, something he could not have done in Vancouver.

5. D Keaton Ellerby

Age: 22

Drafted: 2007, 10^th Overall

Current Team: Rochester Americans (AHL)

Key Attributes: Ellerby was a raw talent coming out of juniors, but has shown a lot of growth both physically and in hockey-wise in the past two seasons. He is a crisp passer and brings a physical yet disciplined tone to the ice. He played a few games in the NHL last season and should have an opportunity this year to play for the Panthers right out of camp.

Fantasy Outlook

Analysts’ Fantasy Stud: C Michael Frolik

Frolik had a decent sophomore season with the Panthers but is on the verge of a breakout season. Frolik has explosive speed, is a good playmaker, and has a scoring touch as well. He can likely be had in the middle rounds of most drafts, and at only 22 years of age, is a great option in keeper in dynasty leagues. Frolik will likely score between 50 and 70 points this season and will only continue to improve.

Analysts’ Player to Avoid: D Bryan McCabe

McCabe is a very hard player to judge, as his production is not always a guarantee. During a good season he can score 20 goals and put up 80+ PIMS; however, his mediocre defensive play is a +/- killer. However, McCabe has also seen his fair share of injuries playing all 82 games twice in the last eight seasons.

While McCabe might be a valuable option in points only and PIMS, leagues do not draft him for merely back end production in most leagues.

Analysts’ Sleeper Special: RW Michael Repik

Michal Repik is very much the essence of a sleeper pick. He will very much be under the radar in 2010-2011 with a talented rookie class making its way into the NHL this year. Repik had an excellent first professional season in Rochester, recording 53 points in 60 games and will hope to carry over that production into the NHL. He is worth a look in the late rounds of most drafts and is a viable option late in keeper and dynasty drafts, as he is only 21 years old.

Expectations and Prediction:

The Panthers are in the midst of another rebuilding season. They have given up on forward Nathan Horton, who failed to reach expectations since being drafted by the club. They have turned to a youthful core group of forwards and a very young group of defenders.

It is likely that goaltender Tomas Vokoun will be dealt by the trade deadline, and if not, will become a UFA at season’s end paving the way for prospect Jacob Markstrom. It will likely be a season of struggles for the Panthers as they will not score very often nor will they be able to keep the puck out of their own goal, especially in the early part of the season as their young defenders will need time to grow and mature.

Prediction: 15^th in the Eastern Conference

Overall Grade: C+

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

As many of you already know, this is not the case. The news we've all been waiting for throughout the offseason has finally arrived. Habs fans can breathe a sigh of relief, Carey Price will officially remain with the Montreal Canadiens after signing a two-year $5.5 million agreement; words that we all certainly expected to hear, it's just the time-frame we weren't sure of. 

Price's agent, Gerry Johansson, tells the Montreal Gazette about how smooth the deal went in terms of negotiations: “There wasn’t any gamesmanship; it was very professional and very positive. It’s really refreshing when you start out with a team being upfront, saying, ‘We like the player, here’s our situation.'"

During a conference call, Price went on to say that he's "happy that all this is over" explaining he's "ready to play a big amount of games this season and will have to earn his spot in front of the cage." It should be a relatively easy task for the 23-year-old British Columbia native. 

Unless journeyman backup goalie Alex Auld has something to say about it, Price will be the go-to goalie in Montreal.  Yet, anything can happen when your the second string gatekeeper in Montreal. As we've seen throughout the years, sometimes one is indeed the loneliest number.

With Hal Gill, Brian Gionta, and Lars Eller showing up at the training facility in Brossard yesterday, all signs point to the summer Blues (no pun intended, I guess) officially being over. 

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

It is a huge night for Colorado Avalanche fans as they have announced the signing of 2009-2010 leading goal scorer and restricted free agent Chris Stewart to a two-year contract worth $6 million.

The deal comes only weeks before the start of training camp and many fans were beginning to worry about whether the 22-year-old would be under contract in time for camp. However, the Avalanche are pleased to be bringing the bulky power forward back into the fold.

During what was a break out season last year Stewart posted 29 goals and 34 assists playing most of his minutes along side superstar centre Paul Stastny. Stewart was one of many Lake Erie graduates that played a large part in a quite surprising playoff birth for the avalanche after finishing 15th in the Western Conference in the previous season.

With Stewart now signed much of the attention will turned to RFA right winger Peter Mueller and whether or not he will resign with the Avalanche. Mueller is still recovering from post concussion syndrom after a collision that took place at the end of the regular season on the end of a Rob Blake head shot. The Avalanche hope that Mueller will recover in time for training camp as well.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

When Detroit went through its injuries  last year, it was a lot less Detroit Red Wings and a lot more Detroit Griffins.

At one point in time, Detroit had a total of ten regulars out of the lineup due to injuries, including top players Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, and Tomas Holmstrom.

Throw that in and the fact that the Red Wings got bitten huge by the salary cap the previous summer, it looked like a grim time in Hockeytown.

Detroit, who is usually battling San Jose for top seed in West, was battling the Dallas Stars, Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks for eighth place.

Wins were coming few and far between but many broadcasters and analysts ignored the fact that the Red Wings were battling injuries and pointing more towards the fact that the Red Wings are getting too old to compete with the fast, quick-paced NHL.

As the season wore on, it seemed like every game a new wing was clipped.

Everybody started to count Detroit out of the playoffs, 30 games in.

By game 61, the Olympic break, Detroit found themselves in ninth place in the Western Conference with 68 points.

Tomas Holmstrom, who was injured stayed home from the Olympics and teammate Johan Franzen, who had come back two games before from a torn knee ligament, took his place.

Zetterberg, Lidstrom and Kronwall were representing Sweden.

Datsyuk was with Russia.

Rafalski on USA.

Filppula played with his home team Finland.

Luckily for the Red Wings though, Russia, Sweden, and Finland ended early and Rafalski was the only Wing to play in the finals.

When NHL resumed after the break, the Red Wings took off on tear going 16-3-2 to close out the season and sliding into fifth place in the Western Conference.

Detroit faced off in the first round against a younger, much quicker Phoenix Coyotes team. After a couple scares, Detroit disposed of them in seven games and found themselves in the Western Conference semi-finals facing off against the Sharks.

Detroit didn't play poorly and with the help of the refs, the Sharks knocked off the Red Wings in five games.

Detroit headed into the offseason with many RFA's to resign and waiting for the decision of Nicklas Lidstrom and his future plans.

Lidstrom made his decision to come back, and he was re-signed. Next came Holmstrom, than Bertuzzi. 

Holland than made his moves with the RFA's signing Eaves, Miller, Meech, and Helm in that order.

Adding in the return of Hudler, Detroit gained some old scoring touch from 2009.

The biggest news of the summer came in early August when Detroit signed the best American-born scorer, Mike Modano, to a one-year contract.

The reacquires and new additions to the team show that Detroit isn't ready to give up.

The way Detroit came out of the Olympic break shows that Detroit is still the same team that has dominated the NHL since the mid-90's.

With all due respect to the Chicago Blackhawks, they had a tremendous season and a magical Cup run, but they didn't confront the Red Wings on their way to winning their first Cup since 1961.

When the Red Wings played the Blackhawks with a fully healthy team, Detroit defeated Chicago in the three games they played. When Detroit battled injuries, Chicago won the three games.

This upcoming Detroit team has something that they did lack last year: scoring, full health, and depth.

Adding Mike Modano gives Detroit a player that will start on the third line but has the flexibility to move up to the second, and maybe if need be the first line.

Jiri Hudler makes Detroit's power play that much better and another player that will join Modano on the third line but can put in time on the first or second line.

Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk had one of the worst seasons in their respective careers, and know that they will be looking to improve on that.

Mike Babcock wants them to play on the same line, like they did in 2007-2008 and we all know what happened when they did.

Detroit's main focus is to shut up the critics and show the NHL that they are still the dominate force they have been for a while now.

All we can do is wait.

And the last time the Red Wings went into a season where they were deemed 'too old', well, go google '2008 Stanley Cup playoffs'.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

The thought process of general managers who have succeeded (or in the case of the Devils, attempted) in signing players to these types of contracts is that by signing players to contracts where dollar value declines significantly towards the end of the contract, they're able to reduce said player's salary cap hit, therefore having more cap space left over to invest in other quality players.

In the salary cap era, where a relatively low salary cap ceiling of 59.4 million has forced many quality teams to dismantle their roster (like 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks, who've parted with nine players from their championship run), signing these lifetime contracts only makes sense, right?

The salary cap system was implemented in the NHL's first post-lockout season in 2006, and that year it debuted with a ceiling of 39 million dollars. By 2008 it was up to 50.3 million, and last year had a ceiling of 56.8 million dollars.

If the cap has risen 20 million dollars over a six year span, why is it that teams are signing players to contracts that don't expire for a decade based on today's number? And what if the NHL decides to get rid of the salary cap at some point?

The NHL Players Association is currently hiring for a new executive director, and the leading candidate for the position is Donald Fehr, formerly the executive director of the MLB players association from 1986-2009.

If Fehr is hired, who's to say he doesn't fight to get rid of the salary cap when the NHL's collective bargaining agreement expires in two years?  That's exactly what happened in 1995, which led to a locked out season in the MLB.

Other than financial shortsightedness, the risk of signing players to between 10 and 15 year contract is exorbitant. Some teams haven't had to wait long to feel the negative repercussions of signing players to such lengthy deals.

Examples include goaltender Rick Dipietro, who in 2006 signed (at the time) a record 15 year contract worth 67.5 million dollars with the New York Islanders, while in 2008 Vincent Lecavalier signed an 11 year, 85 million dollar contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning after consecutive years of 40+ goals and 90+ points.

Since signing each of their contracts, Dipietro's dealt with career threatening injuries and only played 13 games the past two seasons, while Lecavalier has failed to hit 30 goals or eclipse 70 points in his last two campaigns. Lecavalier will make 10 million dollars annually for the next six seasons.

Last season, Johan Franzen was limited to 27 games in his first season after signing an 11 year deal slated to pay him 43.5 million dollars with the Detroit Red Wings.

Of course, something being considered a risky investment for a team isn't grounds for abolishment of these contracts.

The reason the NHL has began calling foul is the wild fire set off by the 17 year, 102 million dollar Ilya Kovalchuk contract proposed to the league by New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello. The gripe with the deal is that is that 90 million of the 102 of is paid in the first 10 seasons.

They league is calling it cap circumvention, and, well, it pretty much is. The contract is a deliberate attempt to exploit the salary cap system the NHL has established, and it's sad teams have resorted to such tactics.

Almost as sad is the fact that the NHL is just now doing something about it, as they've begun investigating the contracts of Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa and Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo, both of which were signed over a year ago.

The Hossa and Luongo contracts are similar in nature to the Kovalchuk deal, with both players making the peanut like salary of 750k and one million dollars in the final year of their contracts, respectively.

The NHL's actions have led other players, like Boston's Marc Savard–who's salary shrinks from seven million to 525k over a seven year span–to go on the defensive, with Savard's agent threatening to sue if the NHL void's his client's contract.

Illogical, risky, and exploitative of the NHL's salary cap system: the life time contract in today's NHL.

Lou Lamoriello, if the only way you can fit Ilya Kovalchuk on your teams roster is to sign him until the time you're 85, chances are you don't need Ilya Kovalchuk on your roster.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

The Blackhawks will kick off the month of April on April Fools' Day with a visit to the Columbus Blue Jackets. When these two teams met last season (five times) the Blackhawks gained a 3-2 advantage in those games and will need to play just as well or better in this game in order to win and keep pace for a playoff berth.

Following their away game in Columbus, the Blackhawks will return to the United Center to face the Tampa Bay Lightning. In action last season, these two team met one time and the Blackhawks won that lone game. Hopefully they can win this one as well.

Chicago will travel to Montreal after that to take on the Canadiens. The Canadiens and the Blackhawks played one game last season and the Blackhawks won that lone game.  This is the only game that these two teams will play this season.

Following their visit to Montreal, the Blackhawks will host the St. Louis Blues for the final time this coming season. During last season, the Blackhawks and the Blues met up a total of five times and the Blackhawks held a 3-2 advantage in those games. Being that this is the last game that these two teams will play against one another this coming season, it should be a good one.

Their final two games of the year will be played against the Detroit Red Wings. The first game will be played at Detroit and the second game (two days later) will be played in Chicago and will be the last game of the month of April and the last game of the regular season. Last season, these two team met six times and each team won three games a piece.

Look for these last two games to be two of the more intense games of the season for the Blackhawks as hopefully they are either poised to make the playoffs (and need a win or two against Detroit to get into the playoffs) or are already in and just want to tune up a bit against their arch rival.

The following is a look at their entire schedule for the month of April:

April 1st: Chicago at Columbus
April 3rd: Tampa Bay at Chicago
April 5th: Montreal at Chicago
April 6th: St. Louis at Chicago
April 8th: Chicago at Detroit
April 10th: Detroit at Chicago

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

After months of personnel inactivity, Colorado Avalanche management finally inked restricted free agent forward Chris Stewart to a new contract. Not surprisingly, it's a two-year deal that will pay Stewart a modest $2.5 million in 2011 and $3.25 million in 2012.

Stewart is coming off a breakout sophomore season in which he tallied 28 goals and 36 assists along with 73 penalty minutes and a plus-four rating in 77 games. He added three goals in six playoff games.

Given that they sat roughly $6.5 million under the NHL's $43.4 million salary cap floor, Stewart's new $2.85 million cap hit will bring them closer to that floor, as will still-unsigned restricted free agent Peter Muller's contract when he signs it.

If rookie Kevin Shattenkirk secures a roster spot, the $1.3 million cap hit that he carries will likely put the Avalanche over the floor. But if Shattenkirk struggles in camp, Avalanche General Manager Greg Sherman may have to make a signing or trade before the season starts.

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On Wednesday, GM Ken Holland sat down with Maltby and explained that, as the Wings already have more forwards under contract than they need, most of them several years younger than Maltby, offering him a one-way, NHL contract just isn't in the cards.

Maltby has been a Red Wing so long that some may forget that he actually started his NHL career with Edmonton, in 1993 and didn't come to the Red Wings until 1996.

Regardless, thinking of "Malts" as a life-long Wing isn't too far from the truth.

After all, he came right at the beginning of Detroit's 11-year, four championship run, became a fan-favorite upon joining the famous "Grind Line," and always showed up in the playoffs.

Kirk Maltby has had a career most other players would kill for, and now it appears that career might be at an end.

Malts has a few choices.

He can accept a two-way offer from the Wings that would likely see him start the season in Grand Rapids and don his No. 18 in red and white only if and when an injury occurs in Detroit.

He can chose to look elsewhere for employment, as there are many teams that wouldn't mind adding a four-time, veteran Cup winner to their fourth-line.

Or, he can call up Ken Holland, thank him for the offer, and tell him that he's more comfortable just calling it a career.

This last one is really the best of the bunch.

Even though the Wings' depth, again, more youthful than Maltby, has essentially pushed him out of a heretofore guaranteed roster spot, Kirk Maltby isn't really an AHL player.

Had the Wings not been able to sign Patrick Eaves, Drew Miller, and/or Justin Abdelkader, Maltby would likely have been welcomed back as a Red Wing roster player.

The decision to offer Maltby an option to start in the AHL isn't really indicative of where Holland feels his playing level is, but, as contracts go, it is the only financially viable option he can offer at this point.

As far as looking for a new gig outside of Detroit, if Maltby really considered that a possibility, he should have started looking before now.

It's likely that, even now, he could still sign on somewhere for the league minimum and perhaps help a younger team improve or make a playoff push.

But, his team options aren't likely to be many or all that appealing this late in the summer.

Inasmuch as his age and the Wings' financial constraints have marginalized his role in Detroit, and considering the deep roots he and his family have in the area, retiring is really the only sensible option for Kirk Maltby.

Were he to call it quits, there's no doubt Maltby would be honored by the team in a pre-game ceremony, be presented with a special gift, and likely have the whole night be named "Kirk Maltby Night".

Additionally, while Maltby's career really doesn't warrant a jersey retirement, I'd bet anyone who came to the Wings and wanted to wear No. 18 would be instructed to contact Malts to get his OK first (this is what Derek Meech did with Brendan Shanahan when he wanted to wear No. 14).

In short, Malts would retire with honor, fanfare, and a great send-off.

Additionally, referencing Greg Eno's take on the Wings' practices with regards to retirees, Maltby may also be offered another job in the organization that would keep him close to the game and the team.

You really couldn't design a better scenario for retirement.

The alternative would be to start riding to games in buses instead of private jets, or uprooting his family to play in another city for relative peanuts.

At this moment, Maltby is mulling his future, however, he should do right by himself, the team, and his family and give his career the honorable funeral it deserves.

Follow Matt on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MAhutter12

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It wasn't long ago—July 17th, to be exact—that the Devils and Kovalchuk had agreed on a 17-year, $102 million contract that ended up being rejected by the NHL.

This new contract agreement apparently calls for 15 years and $100 million, which would be a cap hit of $6.666 million (very appropriate for a team called the Devils, no?).

So, what has changed this time around? Well, the rumor circuit had been very tight, although Nick Kypreos reported first that the last five years of the contract total $10 million, making the deal significantly less front-loaded than the last contract.

The contract would then basically be broken down to 90 percent in the first 10 years and 10 percent in the last five years, which is obviously a significantly better structure than the previous version. It also invalidates the argument of not giving Kovalchuk a reason to play out the contract beyond the 10-year period, but depending on how the five years are structured, it could strengthen or weaken the argument.

Unfortunately, the whole situation seems to have become quite a struggle for the NHL. Instead of being a situation where the NHL is analyzing the Kovalchuk contract as a single item, it has turned into a power struggle between the National Hockey League and the Players Association.

The NHL is taking the opportunity to try to take advantage of a Players Association without a leader. Currently, the NHLPA has no leader after it took a step back to analyze the demands of potential hire Donald Fehr, leaving players, teams, and fans in limbo.

Remember, once the Kovalchuk contract is finalized, there will be fallout around the league in terms of players being traded or signed elsewhere. What could have been done over the course of weeks will now happen in a matter of days, uprooting families, etc. It's just a terrible mess the league has escalated to ensure a designed loophole in the CBA gets closed two years before a new CBA is negotiated at the bargaining table.

Without a leader, the NHL sees the opportunity to go after front-loaded contracts and try to eliminate any current loophole that exists in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. The strategy worked in rejecting the first Ilya Kovalchuk contract and was upheld by arbitrator Richard Bloch.

However, with rumors of an ultimatum being given to the NHLPA, it seems apparent the NHL is on the verge of possibly declaring war against the concept of front-loaded contracts.

The players who appear to be targeted include Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa, Roberto Luongo, and Marc Savard. The rumors have not been overlooked by Savard's agent, Larry Kelly, who has mentioned the possibility of suing the NHL if the contract was voided. What started out as a simple rejection of a contract is now potentially putting the league on a dangerous path of possible Armageddon.

Who is the biggest loser here? Unfortunately, it's the fans, who are constantly kept in limbo and fear another potential work stoppage between two sides that can't seem to get out of each other's way.

In a sport that has certainly regressed substantially in the United States sports landscape the last 15-plus years, the last thing the NHL needs is another black eye. However, this situation is looking like it may be a lot more similar to the loss of a limb rather than just a black eye. 

Let's hope they get it together, as egos need to be checked at the door—or a Commissioner on a potential power play could find himself short-handed in the end, without a profitable league, if the fans continue to be treated in such a poor and despicable way.

Want to discuss the Kovalchuk saga, the Devils, or hockey in general? Look me up and follow me on TWITTER @ LEVINAKL. 

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

2010 Record: 30-38-14 (74 points), fifth in NHL Northeast Division

Roster Changes

2010-2011 Notable Arrivals: Colby Armstrong (ATL), Mike Brown (ANH), Brett Lebda (DET), Marcel Mueller (DEL), Jussi Rynnas (SM-Iiiga), Kris Versteeg (CHI), Clarke MacArthur (ATL), Matt Lashoff (TB)

2010-2011 Notable Departures: Chris Didomenico (CHI), Garnet Exelby (FA), Jamie Lundmark (NSH), Ben Ondrus (EDM), Phillipe Paradis (CHI), Wayne Primeau (FA), Viktor Stalberg (CHI), Mike Van Ryn (Retirement)

Leafs Report Card

Forwards

Since the departure of Mats Sundin, the Leafs have lacked that No. 1 center and it was thought to many, that Brian Burke’s main goal was to fill that void on the Leafs roster.

This offseason, General Manager Brian Burke has so far failed address the team’s No. 1 priority in acquiring high caliber center to help feed the puck to sniper Phil Kessel.

However, Burke has managed to bring in some very serviceable second and third line players adding the likes of Colby Armstrong and Kris Versteeg , signing hot draft prospect Jerry D’Amigo to a three-year entry-level NHL contract.

As well, the front office expects top prospect Nazem Kadri to crack the opening night roster following training camp. He also just recently inked forward Clarke MacArthur to a one-year contract.

MacArthur will help the Leafs out in the goal scoring department this year. Always a very streaky goal scorer, MacArthur should provide good scoring depth on the Leafs squad.

Kadri certainly stood out during training camp and throughout the preseason leaving many experts to believe he had earned a roster spot with the big club last year. But it was not in the cards for Kadri as he was sent back to junior and proceeded to light up the Ontario Hockey League collecting 93 points in only 56 games.

The addition of these talented and skilled forwards (Versteeg, Kadri, D’Amigo, MacArthur, Armstrong) to the top two or three lines will mean more goals for an anemic Leafs offence.

This was very much an area that Toronto struggled in last season on even the best of nights. The addition of Mike Brown, who adds some much needed sandpaper to the bottom six and will provide Toronto with a wonderful penalty killer, giving the Leafs some more penalty killing depth going forward.

Top Fantasy Forwards in 2010-11

RW Phil Kessel (36G/30A/66Pts/-1), C Tyler Bozak (14G/40A/54Pts/+1), LW/RW Kris Versteeg (21G/31A/51Pts/+3), RW Colby Armstrong (15G/18A/33Pts/80PIM), C Nazem Kadri (17G/30A/47Pts/-10), C Mikhail Grabovski (15G/27A/42Pts/-5)

Overall Grade:  C 

Defence

The Leafs defense is easily the club’s most valuable asset. Brian Burke’s philosophy has always been to build from the goalie out and it is very evident with this year’s edition of the Leafs. Having committed around 65 percent of the cap towards their defense, the Leafs boast a potential Top Six that make at least $2.9 million dollars each. The question remaining is are they really worth that much?

The Leafs recently named Dion Phaneuf captain, and named Tomas Kaberle, Francois Beauchemin and Mike Komisarek alternates. These four will make up the Leafs top two pairings, how they’ll be matched up is anyone’s guess.

The bottom two will consist of Luke Schenn and one of Carl Gunnarsson, Brett Lebda or Jeff Finger. Finger will most likely be demoted to the AHL so his salary comes off the books, leaving the sixth man to be fought over by Gunnarsson and Lebda. The Leafs also have prospects Keith Aulie, Korbinian Holzer, Jesse Blacker, and Jiraj Mikus nipping at their heels.

Top Fantasy Defenders in 2010-11

Tomas Kaberle (5G/51A/56Pts/-7), Dion Phaneuf (14G/20A/34Pts/-1), Francois Beauchemin (9G/24A/33Pts/-4)

Overall Grade: A-

Goaltending

Last season the Leafs were second last in goals against and they really did nothing this offseason to address the situation in goal. At least that is what many critics would say when they see the movement by the Leafs during this offseason.

However, as many non-Leaf fans don’t know, the Leafs last year finished the last 20 games of the season earning 26 points, all of that can be attributed to a new found confidence in their goaltending.

Veteran net minder Jean Sebastian Giguere comes into this season as an expiring contract and will be motivated to earn another lucrative contract for himself. Giguere’s presence alone, along with goaltending coach Francois Allaire, helped young goalie Jonas “The Monster” Gustavsson in his rookie year that started off very shaky.

Many of the Leafs worst goaltending games were played when they had Vesa Toskala and Joey MacDonald in net, so the Leafs goaltending is not really as bad as it seemed.

I fully expect Gustavsson to eventually become the Leafs No. 1 goalie and Giguere to be dealt to a team in need of cap relief, just a little prediction for discussion sake.

Top Fantasy Goaltender in 2010-11

Jonas Gustavsson (20 W/18L/8OTL 2.65 GAA, .903 SV%)

Overall Grade: B

Top Five Prospect Watch

1. C Nazem Kadri

Age: 20

Drafted: Seventh overall by Leafs in 2009 NHL Entry Draft

Current Team: London Knights (Ontario Hockey League)

Key Attributes:  A very skilled, speedy forward. He’s fearless, plays with reckless abandon and it’s not scared to get physical. His size and strength remains his greatest issue going forward, but many people in the organization believe, at least Kadri’s strength with get better as he gets older and more used to the NHL game. Easily projects as the Leafs top line center in the coming years. 

2. G Jussi Rynnas

Age: 23

Drafted: Undrafted (Signed as a free agent in 2010)

Current Team:  Ässät (SM-liiga)

Key Attributes: Coming in at a lofty 6’5” and 215 lbs, Rynnas is one of the larger goaltenders the Leafs have ever had. When he sprawls out he can cover the bottom half of the net very well. Rynnas, who is the latest addition to an explosion of talented Finnish goaltenders hitting the NHL, joins Boston’s Tuukka Rask,Nashville’s Pekka Rinne and Calgary’s Miikka Kiprosoff among others.

3. LW Jerry D’Amigo

Age: 19

Drafted:  Sixth Round, 158th overall by the Leafs in 2009 NHL Entry Draft

Previous Team: Renesselaer Polytechnic Institute [RPI] (ECAC of the NCAA)

Key Attributes: A very skilled offensive talent, who is crafty and can finish well around the net. At 5’10” questions remain about his size, but again that part can be worked on. D’Amigo for all the good he can do, also is prone to the occasional brain fart in a game, making a terrible pass or forgetting assignments on the ice. At 19 years old though, the more experience he’ll get, the better his overall game will become. 

4. LW Brad Ross

Age:  18

Drafted: Second Round, 43rd overall by Leafs in 2010 NHL Entry Draft

Current Team: Portland WinterHawks (Western Hockey League)

Key Attributes:  Was regarded as the hardest player to play against in the Western Hockey League. Playing on a line with top draft picks Ryan Johansen (CLB) and Nino Niederreiter (NYI), allowed Ross to maybe gain a little more offence than he may have been capable of with other players. Still though, he has the potential to be a 20 goal, 200 PIM player in the NHL. 

5. D Keith Aulie

Age: 21

Drafted: Fourth Round, 116th overall by the Calgary Flames, 2007 NHL Entry Draft

Current Team: Toronto Marlies (American Hockey League)

Key Attributes:  Aulie is a classic stay-at-home defenceman, who brings size, leadership and a big body to the table. Not overly gifted offensively, Aulie will be mostly relied upon in the future to become a shut-down defenceman who the Leafs can play against other teams’ top players. Aulie is a very good skater for his size, which lends itself very well to the new, faster NHL. 

Fantasy Outlook

Analysts’ Fantasy Stud: RW Phil Kessel

He should easily get 30 goals if healthy, and provide a wonderful power-play option for your fantasy team.

Analysts’ Player to Avoid: D Dion Phaneuf

Has seen a rapid decline in offensive numbers lately and should not be a plus defenceman with the Leafs. Even with Kaberle feeding him the puck on the power-play last season, Phaneuf struggled mightily to score goals in his short time with the Leafs last season.

 Analysts’ Sleeper Special: D Carl Gunnarsson

One of Toronto’s best young defenders on the team, Gunnarsson is blessed with a gun from the point and will get to use it on the second unit of the powerplay. He was a plus defenceman last year and should be this year as well. Has the potential to put up 30-40 points this year if given the opportunity.

Expectations and Predictions

The Leafs should have a better season this year and could potentially push for a playoff spot if they manage to acquire or sign a few more offensive talents. For Leafs to succeed this year, they  will need to cut down on their goals against, improve their special teams, score more consistently, and lastly, get consistent goaltending for them to make the playoffs.

There are still a lot of “ifs” with this team, so right now we expect them to be on the outside looking in at the end of this season in the Eastern Conference.

Prediction: 11th place in Eastern Conference

Overall Team Grade: B-

Look for Day Three: Florida Panthers being posted tomorrow by Anthony Bumbaco. 

These article can be all found at SportsHaze.com 

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With Evgeni Nabokov parting ways with San Jose and opting to join the KHL's SKA St. Petersburg, the Sharks had to fill the huge void between the pipes.  Antero Niittymäki was signed on the first day of free agency, but he has never matched his solid international play during his mediocre NHL career. 

Most NHL experts consider Niitymäki a "middle of the road" goalie, but Niemi has huge upside and is coming off a playoffs in which he displayed many heroic performances in net.  He became the first Blackhawks goalie since Ed Belfour to record a playoff shutout and repeated the feat set by legendary net-minder Tony Esposito in 1974 by achieving two shutouts in one series against Nashville.

Those shutouts propelled the Blackhawks into the semifinals meeting with the Vancouver Canucks.  In a high-scoring series, Niemi out-dueled Roberto Luongo as Chicago marched on to the West Conference Finals.  It was a high-pressure series and Niemi proved his grit.

His outstanding play in net was pivotal as the Blackhawks swept the Sharks in the Western Conference Finals.  Niemi recorded two 40 plus save games during the series and his 94.8 percent save percentage against San Jose's prolific snipers was impressive.

Now it is his task to take the under-performing Sharks a step further by helping them reach the Stanley Cup Finals.  San Jose has been long-favored to lift the Cup, but seem to self-destruct every playoffs.  Their roster is loaded with stars, but the Sharks have failed to gel when it matters most.

Niemi outplayed the vastly experienced Nabokov in last year's Conference Finals and if he can repeat his stellar form in the 2011 playoffs, the Sharks have an excellent chance of finally living up to expectations and reaching the Stanley Cup Finals.

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After an entire summer of questions about Ilya Kovalchuk—where will he go? how much will he get, and for how long?—the circus appeared to be put to rest in late July when the New Jersey Devils announced they had signed the Russian sniper to a whopping, record-breaking, 17-year, $102 million contract.

While everyone was still trying to digest the very idea of such a ludicrous deal, the NHL immediately cried foul and informed the New Jersey Devils that they were not going to approve a deal that quite obviously circumvented the NHL's salary cap.

To say the deal was front-loaded is factual, but it doesn't capture the true audacity of the deal's structure.

The New Jersey Devils would have you, I, and the NHL believe that they planned to have Kovalchuk suit up until he was 44 years old and that, from age 39 on, he'd be playing for $550,000 per season.

Never mind the fact that $98.5 million of the proposed $102 million contract would be paid out within the first 11 years of the deal, this contract is totally on the up-and-up and filed in good faith (wink, wink).

The NHLPA promptly filed a grievance on behalf of Kovalchuk, and the whole matter was eventually reviewed by an independent arbitrator, who rightly upheld the league's incredulity by ruling in their favor on August 9th.

Kovalchuk was once again a free agent and he and the Devils were sent back to the drawing board to draft a contract that would resemble something not created in Fantasy Land.

What they've come back with is a 15-year, $100 million dollar deal.

Wow!  What a difference, eh?

They shaved a whole two years off of the original proposed contract, and with that, $2 million!

The previous contract would have resulted in a $6 million annual cap hit, a far cry from the actual $11.5 million that Kovalchuk would make in the richest years of the deal.

The new contract will up that cap hit to, wait for it...$6.6 million.

Yes, surely, this deal is much more in line with the league's salary cap restrictions and in no way circumvents or attempts to circumvent the cap.

Please.

Just take a look at the numbers reported in a piece by Bleacher Report's Tab Bamford on Wednesday. 

By reducing the salary to $1 million in years 11 thorough 13 and then upping the salary in years 14 and 15 to $3 and $4 million, respectively, the Devils seem to be making it painfully obvious that this contract, unlike the last one, isn't buyout-friendly and that, they truly believe Kovalchuk will be worth a combined $7 million at age 42.

And you thought the first contract was ridiculous.

The sharp drop-off in the final years of the 17-year contract rejected by the league in August was obviously put in place to make a buyout much easier once Kovalchuk entered his 40s.

But, you could suspend disbelief long enough to see that, perhaps, the Devils anticipated a drop-off in Kovalchuk's abilities in his later years and thus reduced his pay accordingly.

You could almost see that as likely.

This new contract makes the likeliness of a buyout, well...less likely, but the Devils' attempt to circumvent the cap is made even more obvious than before.

What this means is that, if the NHL is true to its convictions (and I'm not saying they are), then they should reject this deal even more quickly than they did the first one.

However, in so doing, they will have taken one step closer to open war with the NHLPA, and that means the fate of the entire NHL will start to hang in the balance.

As easy as it might be to lay this whole mess at the feet of Gary Bettman, doing so would be unfair.

The NHL was totally justified in rejecting Kovalchuk's first idiotic contract and will be totally justified if and when they throw this one out as well.

The blame, therefore, for the lockout/strike to come should be placed squarely on the New Jersey Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk.

After all, there is no mandate, guideline, or stipulation that, in order to play in the NHL, Ilya Kovalchuk must make over $10 million per year and must play under a long-term, $100 million contract.

But that's just the kind of delusion the Devils seem to be operating under.

Ensuring that the salary demands of a greedy, self-centered player be met is not something guaranteed by the CBA, but the New Jersey Devils management seems to think that it is.

The point is, none of this has to happen. 

In fact, if New Jersey GM Lou Lamoriello had done what Kings GM Dean Lombardi did earlier in the summer and gave Kovalchuk a "take it or leave it" deal that paid him handsomely, but without circumventing the salary cap, then none of this would be happening.

The principles of supply and demand would have simply priced Kovalchuk out of the market.

Think about it, if no one was willing to pay Kovalchuk his asking price, how long do you think he'd wait before either lowering his demands, or go to the KHL?

In business, be it a fruit stand or the NHL, the market always determines price of goods.

If you're asking $20 a pound for grapes, guess what, you're going to have a lot of rotten grapes on your hands.  Lower that to $1 per pound, and you'll see them flying off the shelves.

The same is true for hockey players.

If Kovalchuk was seeking, say, an eight-year deal at $8 million per, he'd not only have many more suitors, but by this point, an NHL contract.

Instead, Kovalchuk's greed, and the Devils' foolish willingness to satiate it have forced the NHL into a corner.

If and when the next strike or lockout comes to pass, which is looking more and more likely as this idiocy continues, make sure to send a basket of rotten grapes to Lou Lamoriello and Ilya Kovalchuk, for it is this dynamic duo of greed that will be to blame for all of us losing NHL hockey yet again.

Follow Matt on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MAhutter12

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