Free Agent Frenzy: 10 Best Centers

Nearing the end of the Free Agency Frenzy pieces, we now move to the center position. The center can be the anchor of the offense, the captain of the penalty kill and provide the edge needed for a goal with a decisive face-off win. This year's crop of centers is filled with players who've donned the 'C' on their jersey during their careers and for others, their penalty killing abilities have gotten them to where they are in their career today.

10) Joe Sakic - Someone needs to relay the message to Joe that it's over. He's won a couple Cups, has numbers that'll surely get him into the hockey hall of fame and there's simply no reason to return to the rebuilding Colorado Avalanche for a 21st NHL season. Sakic has just played in 59 games since the start of the 2007-08 season, but his production has still been there. His 52 points in those 59 games and role as one of the best captains in the NHL is still there, when he's healthy. Sakic can still compete at a high level, but can his body truly hold up for another season? Another reason as to why he's ranked at #10 on this list is because he's basically a lock to remain in Colorado and mentor centers such as Matthew Duchene and Paul Stastny, taking the fun out of him being a free agent out of him.

9) Rob Niedermayer - Being the brother of the Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer, it's unlikely we'll see Rob leave for anywhere else, but the option is still there. Rob Niedermayer is coming off a year of highs and lows. His 14 goals were his highest total since the 2005-06 campaign, but he also had a career-worst -17 in 79 games. Fact remains that Niedermayer's presence in a locker room and playoff experience of 104 career playoff games where he's registered 39 points will be gladly taken by any contending team.

8) Jason Williams - When the Atlanta Thrashers signed center Jason Williams over the summer of 2008 to a one-year 2.2 million dollar deal, the move was regarded as a signing that could prove to be a sleeper. Even though Williams had missed the final 35 games of the Blackhawks 2007-08 season with a sports hernia his numbers proved to be impressive as he posted 36 points (13 goals) in 43 games for Chicago. In Atlanta, the Thrashers found themselves in the basement once again due in large part to an anemic powerplay and the inconsistent play of their goaltenders and Williams was traded to Columbus. In Columbus, Williams took great advantage of the familiar division as he played with the Red Wings along with the Blackhawks in the Central throughout his career. His presence in Columbus gave the Jackets a solidified secondary scoring center to skate alongside Antoine Vermette and to largely take the pressure off Rick Nash to carry the team. In his 39 games with the Blue Jackets, Williams' 29 points and +5 made him an added weapon to their offensive arsenal. At 28 years old, the number of teams in the market for a center like Williams should be quite high.

7) Steve Sullivan - The journey of Predators forward Steve Sullivan has undoubtedly been a trying one. After missing the final 20 games of the Predators 2006-07 regular season and all 5 of their playoff games against the Sharks with a back injury, the Preds looked towards next year and the returning health of Steve Sullivan. However, his 'back spasms' led to the Ontario native missed all of the 2007-08 campaign where he required major surgery on his back. The surgery's rehabilitation almost forced Sullivan to miss the first 40 games of the Predators 2008-09 season. Upon his return, nobody could have expected that he'd return so loudly, where he tallied 32 points in 41 games for the Nashville Predators and eventually winning the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Although he's played primarily as a left-winger during his tenure in Nashville, Sullivan is an experienced center, but his capability to play both positions only makes him more valuable.

6) Robert Lang - When the Montreal Canadiens acquired veteran center and 87-playoff game veteran center Robert Lang, the feeling among the Northeast Division was something along the lines of "Oh, (expletive).". Lang's addition into the already stacked Montreal offense seemed to push the Habs over the top. As most of the Montreal Canadiens roster either didn't live up to expectations or didn't stay healthy, Robert Lang became the biggest offensive threat on the Habs offense. In 50 games, Lang scored 18 goals and tallied 21 assists, finishing with a +6. His 17 points on the powerplay proved to be just what Montreal needed when centers such as Saku Koivu and Tomas Plekanec failed to produce numbers that made the 2007-08 Habs so effective. Despite Lang's season being ended by a torn achilles tendon injury, the 38 year old still has the skills to be a great supporting center to any contending club.

5) Saku Koivu - The oft wrongly criticized (my opinion) Montreal captain Saku Koivu appears to be leaving Montreal. After a rumored deal was put on the table for Alex Kovalev to take off as full-time captain, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Koivu returns to Montreal willing to resign as captain. At 35, Koivu still has the endurance and stamina to compete at a high level. He was ranked 3rd for Montreal's time on ice among forwards, and Koivu's exceptional two-way play found the Finland gaining great time on the penalty kill and powerplay. In my opinion, he'll end up in Minnesota to provide some veteran leadership on a young club and play along side his little brother Mikko.

4) Nik Antropov - The Kazakh winger and center truly had a career year. He set a new career high in points with 59 for the Rangers and Maple Leafs, and also had a career low -14 in 81 games. The 6'6 center, who is also able to play on the wing scored a total of 28 goals, a new career high. It's beginning to appear as if Antropov's reaching his potential and entering the prime of his career as he's scoring more goals than the season before since the lockout. The 1oth overall pick in 1998's NHL draft scored 3 points in the Rangers 7-game series loss against the Washington Capitals and was often the only player looking to actually care out there by the end of it. His late season efforts with the Rangers certainly increased his stock and with the cap space freed up by Naslund's retirement in New York, Antropov has a decent chance of staying in red, white and blue and in Manhattan.

3) Mats Sundin - At this time last season, all the talk was about free agent center Mats Sundin and where he was going. Montreal was the favorite, then Detroit was, then New York was and by the end of it, Vancouver left as in the winner...in December. The Mats Sundin saga was similar to that of Brett Favre's which by the end of it got progressively more annoying and by the end of it, we had had enough. Regardless of the story, Sundin provided to be the extra edge the Canucks needed to win the division. Sundin instantly became a captain of the Canucks powerplay where he scored 14 of his 28 total points in 48 regular season games. In the Canucks chase for their first Stanley Cup ever, Sundin's presence and poise helped the Canucks effort. His 8 points in 8 playoff games and shooting percentage of 20 showed that the 38 year old's still got it. Approaching 39 and still without a Stanley Cup championship on his resume, the Swedish native will more than likely end up signing with a Stanley Cup favorite for one final go round.

2) Michael Cammalleri - The Calgary Flames forward absolutely tore goaltenders apart this season. Following a 2007-08 season hindered by a rib injury, the 27 year old lefty went on a torrid powerplay pace through 2008-09 and becoming the Flames best offensive weapon. His 19 goals and 14 assists on the powerplay were tops among Calgary players and his 3.5 million dollar a year salary is sure to go up. Poising the question, does Calgary have the cap space to retain the Ontario native? Following the trading for the rights to Jay Bouwmeester, the Flames have less than 24 hours to re-sign the defensemen before he becomes a free agent. In all likelihood, if Cammalleri is bound to return to the Saddledome, it'll be if Jay Bouwmeester is not in Calgary.

1) Henrik Sedin - One half of perhaps the most expensive prize of this off-season, Henrik Sedin and his twin brother Daniel are both free agents at the stroke of midnight on July 1st. The rumored asking price in total for the twins comes out to about 126 million dollars over the next 12 years and to be honest, they're worth it. Henrik is coming off another strong season in British Columbia where he posted 82 points with 22 goals in 82 games. The Sedin's also create a supreme threat on the powerplay, Henrik especially with his 22 assists on the powerplay. Another reason why he's touted as the best free agent center by me is because of his durability. In his entire 8-year NHL career, he's missed just 10 games and has become more effective every season.

Free Agent Frenzy: 10 Best Left Wingers

In the third of five 'Free Agent Frenzy' pieces, we're moving up to the forward position and addressing the 10 Best Left Wingers available come July 1st. Although this year's crop of left-wingers doesn't really compare evenly to the talent of available right wingers, as always they're still many good and valuable players available. However, this piece will not put Dany Heatley on the list regardless of him being on the move, because he's simply not a free agent. In this year's field of left-wingers, the amount of solid defensive forwards on the left side is especially staggering and overwhelms the category.

10) Taylor Pyatt - Following two consecutive years with 37 points for the Canucks, 2008-09 was an overwhelmingly difficult year for 27 year old Taylor Pyatt. After being sidelined for 8 games with a broken foot, Pyatt was trying to string together a consistent year and was on pace to finish strongly when tragedy struck. Seemingly hours following a Vancouver overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks in which Pyatt recorded his 9th assist of the season in what had been a frustrating year, news broke of a car crash that took the life of Pyatt's fiancee. Devastated by the loss, Pyatt elected to take time off from the sport he loved and grieve. He didn't return until the Western Conference Semifinals where in 4 games, he was held off the board and finished with a -3. Although 2008-09 was considered a down year for the former 13th overall pick, Pyatt still has the talent and skill to return back to form. His 86 hits, 35 blocked shots and penalty killing ability will make the Thunder Bay native a good signing for any team at a reasonable price.

9) Travis Moen - It's not often that you see two teams trade within the division but on the NHL Trading Deadline, Travis Moen found himself packing his bags and leaving the Ducks of Southern California for California's northern jewel and hockey power, the San Jose Sharks. Moen's grinder style of play ejected some life into the rather soft Sharks line-up and took ease off of Jody Shelley to be the premiere enforcer in the Sharks line-up. His 171 hits were tops among Sharks forwards, and was a solid defensive performer with his 42 blocked shots and his average of 20 shifts a game make him a grinder worth keeping an eye on in this year's free agency among teams in need of a youthful down-and-dirty type of player.

8) Ville Peltonen - Who? Why it's every one's favorite 36 year old Finnish forward from the Florida Panthers! The 8-year NHL veteran had another note-worthy year for the Florida Panthers with 31 points in 79 games playing on the Panthers third line. For 1.1 million, Peltonen brings a team everything they could want in a third line forward. He can score, assist, contribute finely on the penalty kill (his 197+ minutes on the penalty kill was good for first on the Panthers among forwards) and can even create chances on the rush on a penalty kill with his 44 takeaways in 2008-09. Despite his age, Peltonen can undoubtedly become a steal for any team willing to take the risk of the Florida Finn.

7) Brendan Shanahan - Honestly, I feel like he's so high on my list based on the name alone. What he brings to any club, even at the age of 40 is more than welcomed to any team. He was brought in to the New Jersey Devils late in the year with the intentions of helping the Devils add more offensive power and compete against teams such as Washington and the Boston Bruins. However, the experiment didn't work out as planned for New Jersey as Shanny's 34 games he had just 14 points along with a -2. His 29 penalty minutes were a surprise to me anyhow, as he was just 6 shy of matching his 2007-08 total in 39 less games. It'd be a stretch to say the 1,354 career point man has "lost it", but it's possible that he needs a full season of play to be productive, which is something at the age of 40 his body may not be able to handle. Perhaps a return to the Rangers is in the works as with Naslund's departure and boatload of free agents (restricted and unrestricted) ready to hit the open market that the veteran could be brought back for another go 'round in Manhattan for close to a million.

6) P.J Axelsson - The man known as 'Axe' in the Bruins locker room and mainstay on the roster since 1997 may appear to be on the out's in Boston due to the lack of cap space and roster room. It's an absolute shame given the penalty killer's success in Boston, especially in 2008-09. P.J's 30 points were the highest the Swede has recorded since the 2002-03 season (36) and his leadership qualities led to an 'A' on his jersey for much of the season. It's clear that even at the age of 34, Axelsson is still among the best penalty killers in the Eastern Conference, and perhaps the NHL. His veteran know-how, resistance to major injury and defensive capabilities make him a valuable asset to any contending team looking for that extra edge on the penalty kill.

5) Ruslan Fedotenko - The pride of the Ukraine, Ruslan Fedotenko experienced success he hadn't felt in the Steel City since his days with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 30 year old winger's 39 points and career-high +18 took great pressure off of the Penguins top line as he proved to be a pivotal secondary scorer for Dan Bylsma's Pens. Fedotenko's stocked has surely risen due in large part to his 2009 playoff performance where he registered 14 points and +9 in the Penguins 24 games en route to their third Stanley Cup in franchise history. With Miroslav Satan's cap hit off the books and unlikely chance of re-signing in the 'Burgh, Fedotenko could be rewarded with a nice pay raise, by another team if not the Penguins.

4) Jere Lehtinen - Obviously, any time a 3-time Selke Trophy winner dips to number four on a list of available players there has to be a valid reason. Lehtinen's no exception, the inability to stay healthy for a full 82 game season should be a fast rising issue for the 36 year old. Upper-body and groin injuries held the Finland native to just 48 games in 2008-09, but as always he proved to be effective when healthy. His 24 points in 48 games (a point every two games for you mathematics majors) and 7 powerplay points were a contributing factor to his still top 5 ranking on my list of players available. Although Lehtinen missed 33 games of the 2007-08 regular season with a sports hernia and the final 4 games of the Stars unsuccesful quest to defeat the Red Wings in the Western Conference Finals, he's still a very solid two-way player for just about any team in the NHL. Despite his 4-million dollar a year paydays being behind him, Lehtinen still has the chance to bring in a decent chunk of change from someone this summer.

3) Erik Cole - Following a failed change of scenery in Edmonton, Erik Cole found himself back in Raleigh playing for the Cardiac 'Canes by the NHL trading deadline. Cole's reemergence into the Hurricanes line-up proved to provide just the spark needed for the Hurricanes push into the 6th seed of the Eastern Conference. His 15 points in 17 games and two-way style of play benefitted the 'Canes playmaking opportunities as Cole wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty to make something happen. His late season play would be sure to add to his stock, had it come in some place other than Carolina as with the lack of success in Edmonton teams are raising their eyebrows and wondering if Cole can produce in someplace other than Carolina.

2) Alex Tanguay - After a rumored dispute with Calgary coach Mike Keenan found Alex Tanguay in Montreal, the super-line set to destroy the Eastern Conference was aligned. A line of Tanguay, Saku Koivu and Alexei Kovalev was sure to feast upon the goaltender of the NHL in the Canadiens journey to a 25th Stanley Cup victory, right? Despite the talent, the numbers never quite added up for Montreal's benefit as Tanguay's battles with a seperated shoulder and minor injuries led to the winger missing 32 games for the Habs and even kept him out of two of Montreal's four playoff games against the arch-rival Bruins. Regardless, Tanguay still put together a solid season for an injury-riddled Canadiens team with his 41 points, +13 and 16 goals on just 76 shots. The addition of Tanguay bolstered the already potent Habs powerplay where he contributed for 16 points on the powerplay and his presence in Montreal was surely welcomed by teammates and fans alike. It's believable that barring any major upgrade at the left wing position, that Tanguay will be back in his hometown playing for le bleu, blanc and rogue.

1) Daniel Sedin - This one was fairly obvious, no? One half of possibly the best 1-2 punch in the Western Conference, Daniel Sedin had another career year out in British Columbia. The Canucks winger lit the lamp for 31 goals and added 51 assists on the Vancouver top line attributing to the Canucks capture of the Northwest Division title. He's also part of the NHL's top prized two-for-one deal as he's sure to sign with whoever his twin brother Henrik chooses to sign. With a rumored asking price of 126 million combined for the two over 12 years, the list of teams in the running for the Swedish twins drops dramatically. However, at the end of the day come July 1st, 2nd or even 3rd, the Sedins will be two of the richest NHL players in the league.

Free Agent Frenzy: 10 Best Defensemen

Continuing on the "Free Agent Frenzy" pieces, we have the ten best defensemen available come July 1st. In what is rapidly becoming an aging position, the market for defensemen is sure to be big for teams looking to add that big physical presence or that puck-moving defensemen to put their club over the edge for the Stanley Cup.

10) Mathieu Schneider - What a year it's been for the 40 year old defensemen. Schneider's season began in Anaheim, but not for long as he was sent to Atlanta before the season began in a cap-crunching move. In Atlanta, Schneider was relied upon to become a pivotal role player on the Thrashers powerplay. However, the Schneider experiment failed as in 44 games the blue-liner had just 4 points on the Thrashers powerplay and was traded to Montreal days before the trading deadline. In Montreal, Schneider provided a spark to the revitalized Canadiens powerplay with 14 out of his 17 points coming on the powerplay. By season's end, Schneider was battling shoulder injuries and was useless in the Habs 4 game sweep out of the playoffs by the Boston Bruins. Even at 40, Schneider can provide a great veteran presence on a blue-line and is still a very capable weapon for any team's powerplay. His pay day will undoubtedly not be nearly as lucrative as his current 5.6 million dollar salary.

9) Niclas Havelid - Along with Schneider, Niclas Havelid found himself to be exiting Atlanta during the week of the NHL Trade Deadline. The 36 year old's 190 blocked shots put him among the Devils/Thrashers leader and with 37 takeaways he's still a very valuable defensive minded defensemen. With a 2.7 million dollar cap hit, Havelid's future with the Devils is uncertain. The Devils already have their hands full trying to hold on to goaltender Scott Clemmensen, defensive forward John Madden, defensemen Johnny Oduya and speedy winger Brian Gionta so it's entirely possible that Niclas Havelid could be seeking a new home come July.

8) Johnny Oduya - Along with Havelid, 27 year old defensemen Johnny Oduya is another Devil without a contract. In just his 3rd full NHL season, all with the Devils, Oduya is certainly developing a name for himself as a clutch defensmen. 3 of his 7 goals in the 2008-09 campaign came in the final five minutes of the game and 8 of his 22 assists came with under five minutes left in play. After two straight seasons with a +/- over 20 and when you factor in his youth Oduya is certainly a player who can fly under the radar in Newark. His current cap hit of 600,000 is nothing and will certainly get a nice pay raise, likely double his current salary whether it be from the Devils or perhaps the Calgary Flames to re-join coach Brent Sutter as the Flames are in the market for a lower tier defensemen this off-season.

7) Derek Morris - It can be said that 2008-09 was somewhat of a underachieving year for Edmonton native and 'Yotes/Rangers defensemen Derek Morris. The 30 year old's play in the desert took a hit as he struggled to post solid numbers under coach Wayne Gretzky and found himself traded to the Big Apple in a deadline deal. His decrease in powerplay points will surely hurt 1996's 13th overall draft pick in this year's market. Although Morris' numbers picked up in New York with the Rangers, how could a team be sold that Morris wouldn't throw in the proverbial towel if he signs with a team that ends up being a non-contender as he displayed in Phoenix? Morris will surely find a team to sign with and probably with ease, but I for one am doubting the notion that any team is going to offer him more than the 3.9 million dollars a year salary he currently makes or even as much.

6) Francois Beauchemin - Chances are if F.B had played in more than 20 games this year for the Anaheim Ducks he'd be higher on this list. However, due to a torn ACL Beauchemin missed the final 62 games of the Ducks regular season before returning to the line-up for Anaheim's push towards their second Stanley Cup in 3 years. In Francois' 20 regular season games, he scored 4 goals, including 2 game winning goals and tallied 1 assist. In 13 post-season games for Anaheim, Beauchemin registered 31 hits and finished with a +1, showing potential suitors that his physical game was still there even after the surgery. In all likelihood, the team that can sign Francois Beauchemin to a contract this off-season will be making one of the better choices in the sure to be wild free agency market.

5) Scott Niedermayer - The only reason he's lower on this list is because he's pretty much a lock to return to the Anaheim Ducks. How much does the captain still have left in the tank? The soon to be 36 year old blue-liner still has his scoring touch, registering 59 points in 82 games with the Ducks. With Pronger now a member of the Flyers, the load on Scott's back may have just gotten a little bit heavier.

4) Mattias Ohlund - Vancouver's alternate captain and all-time scoring leader among defensemen Mattias Ohlund is set for a new contract. The 32 year old Swede is coming off yet another strong season for the Canucks where he led the Vancouver blue-line to their second divisional title since 2006-07. Ohlund's +14 was second to Willie Mitchell (+29) for the lead on the Canucks point. Ohlund was still a premiere force on the defensive aspect of the Canucks game as he blocked over 150 shots and led the Canucks in shifts and shifts per game. There's no denying that Ohlund's services are greatly taken on any team and with the Canucks having their plate full with re-signing the Sedins, extending Luongo and looking to make a splash in the free agent market it's possible that the 2006 Olympic gold medalist will be moving to another city.

3) Rob Blake - Will age ever catch up to Rob Blake? It doesn't appear to be, for the time being. The 39 year old former King, Avalanche and now Shark had his best season since 2005-06 as he and Dan Boyle became one of the best defensive pairings in the National Hockey League. Blake's +15 was the best among Sharks defensemen and his 45 points were second only to Dan Boyle. With age, the concerns about endurance become a big issue with teams interested in the services of the 18 year NHL veteran. However, Blake's 26.8 shifts a game average and 21+ minutes of time on ice per game give teams reason to not be concerned.

2) Michael Komisarek - Loathed by Boston, loved by Montreal and an undeserving All-Star. Just a few terms and situations that can be used to describe 6'4 Habs defensemen Michael Komisarek. Whether you love his style of play or not (personally, I hate it. Eye-gouging and turtling have never been huge in my book.) fact remains that he's one of the best stay-at-home defensemen in the NHL. The rumored asking price for Komi has become one of the better laughs in the NHL as Komisarek's agent reportedly wants a 5 year contract worth atleast 35 million dollars in total. One issue for potential suitors of the 27 year old bruiser is his lack of showing up in the Canadiens first round series against the Boston Bruins, where his poor attitude was shown as he found himself ejected from Game 4 following a cowardly attack on Milan Lucic from behind after losing a fight against his arch-rival. If the Habs chose to move on from Komisarek and attempt to sign Bouwmeester, Beauchemin or Ohlund I'd expect to see Komisarek dawn the blue, orange and white and sign with the New York Islanders.

1) Jay Bouwmeester - Undoubtedly the biggest prize of the deadline and now the off-season in the market of defensemen is Florida Panthers 6'4 blue-liner Jay Bouwmeester. Following another 40+ point season in Sunrise, Florida it appears Jay-Bo is ready for his big pay day. His 20 powerplay points and upside certainly put the 25 year old at the top of every NHL GM's July 1st wish list. Despite the upside, Bouwmeester's 'disappearance' during the Panthers push to making the playoffs could be a turn-off to some teams who could view this as a sign that perhaps Jay couldn't handle the pressure and intensity of a hockey town or the playoffs. No matter how badly he performed for the last month of the season when looking at his -9 after the trading deadline, Bo's undoubtedly getting his big payday from some team out there.

Report: B's Offer Kessel To Leafs For Kaberle, 7th Overall Pick

This stove's already heating up in the early hours of the morning here on Draft Day.

According to sources from TSN.ca, it's being reported that the Bruins have offered RW Phil Kessel to the Toronto Maple Leafs for defensemen Tomas Kaberle and the seventh overall pick in the 2009 Draft. Kessel, is set to become a restricted free agent come July 1 and it appears that his rumored asking price of $5 million per season is simply too much for the Bruins to add onto their salary cap. Assuming that this report has accuracy to it, it may appear as if Kessel's negotiations have not gone in the Bruins favor and they're not utilizing all options to get the most worth in return for Phil The Thrill.

Kaberle is coming off a season where he battled injuries to his right hand, an injury that kept him out of the lineup for 25 games. However, Kaberle still put together a solid year for the blue and white with his 31 points, 19 of which coming on the powerplay. Kaberle's last healthy season came in 2007-08 where he posted 53 points, including 45 assists in 82 games for the Maple Leafs. Since the lock-out, the Bruins have been highly criticized by analysts and fans alike for their lack of a puck moving defensemen, and Tomas Kaberle could be the perfect fit for filling this void on the Boston blue-line.

It's no secret that new Leafs GM Brian Burke is a fan of North American players and Phil Kessel may just be what the Leafs need. Although with his youth, Kessel's a fast and lethal scorer and his price tag is sure to be less expensive than fellow free agents Marian Hossa and Marian Gaborik making him an even more friendly option to Toronto's needs. If Toronto can lock-up the 22 year old Wisconsin native long term, it'll certainly be an upgrade and key building block in the rebuilding of Toronto into a contending team for many years to come.

Along with Kaberle, the Bruins would receive the seventh overall pick in this year's very deep draft, addressing the issue of moving up in the draft, a topic which Chiarelli had touched on in a radio interview earlier this week. If this move is to happen, the Bruins would likely be in the position to select Zach Kassian, Brayden Schenn, or perhaps Jared Cowen.

I'll be following this story along with the other developing stories on draft day in Montreal.

Free Agent Frenzy: 10 Best Goaltenders

We're just six short days away from every hockey fans favorite part of the off-season, the start of free agency. This year, the focus is on the forwards and the potential of monstrous contracts even in this rough economic climate for the NHL. However, for many teams there are holes within their team that begin in between the iron in the goaltending department. Some of these teams heading into next season without a solidified goaltending situation include the Colorado Avalanche, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues and even the Detroit Red Wings. Kickin' off the series of 'Free Agent Frenzy' pieces we have the 10 best available unrestricted free agent goaltenders come July 1st.

10) Antero Niittymaki - Niitty had a peculiar year in Philly to say the least. He was just as inconsistent as his teammate and fellow protector of the crease Marty Biron but his numbers weren't terrible either. Niittymaki went 15-8-6 with a 2.76 GAA in 32 games for the Flyers. As easy as it may be to write off Niitty as having a bad year, his numbers in fact very deceptive. In 7 of Niitty's 15 total losses when you count both regulation and overtime losses, he made 30 saves or more, including a 40 save effort in an overtime loss against the San Jose Sharks. He's not bound to get a major bump from his current 1.23 million dollar contract but the Finnish netminder has proved he's more than capable to perform decently in a platoon role.

9) Manny Legace - How far the Mighty Manny has fallen. Following a successful 2007-08 season where Legace earned a place on the Western Conference All-Star Team, Legace was in complete control of guarding the net for the Blues. His season struggles began early when Legace tripped on the carpet rolled out for vice-president wannabe Sarah Palin's puck drop between the Blues and Kings. Legace was injured during the spill and missed 5 games with an injured hip flexor. Inconsistency and a new found love for minor injuries found the Blues netminder with a 13-9-2 record and a .885 SV% and placed on waivers. Legace went unclaimed and played out the rest of the season with the Peoria Rivermen of the AHL. Legace went 14-7-1 with 3 shut-out's and a 2.00 GAA and was the goalie during the Rivermen's playoff run, which only lasted 7 games. There's no doubting that Legace still has the talent to compete in the NHL, but the injuries and confidence will be a big issue for teams with interest in the 36 year old goalie.

8) Martin Gerber - 2008-09 was a difficult year for the 34 year old Swiss goalie. For the first time since making the jump to the Eastern Conference, Martin Gerber looked frustrated and struggled to keep games close. Gerber's season began with the Senators, where he posted a 4-9-1 record along with a .899 SV%. Gerber's struggles mounted to 3 different call-up/demotions to the Binghampton Senators of the AHL until he was traded to Toronto during the NHL trading deadline. Gerber played considerably well considering the Maple Leafs (lack of) talent where he went 6-5-0 with a 3.23 GAA. His best Maple Leaf moment came when an irate Gerber threw a temper tantrum and bumped a referee, an action that cost him a three-game suspension. However, the 34 year old is still a more than capable as a back-up to any team in the NHL.

7) Craig Anderson - Before 2008-09, the Panthers goalie had never played more than 29 games in a season, but in 2008-09 he reached a new career milestone by playing in 31 games. No big deal, right? Well usually no, but when he consider Anderson's numbers it was truly a breakout season for the 28 year old. His 15-7-5 record and 3 shut-out's created a goaltending controversy mid-way through the Panthers season and Anderson finished the season with a .924SV%, good for 3rd in the NHL. Anderson's current salary of 550,000 dollars a season is sure to go up and it's likely that Anderson could stay in Florida with a reasonable offer when you consider the lack of NHL-quality netminders in the Panthers system. Tyler Plante went 5-10-1 while Chris Beckford-Tseu went 3-14-1 for the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.

6) Dwayne Roloson - If you didn't find yourself tipping your proverbial cap to this guy at the end of the season, then you're simply not a hockey fan. Dwayne Roloson started 36 consecutive games for the Edmonton Oilers in their attempt to make the playoffs in what many considered a disappointing year. Dwayne's best iron-man attempt wasn't enough to recharge the Oilers offense, who by seasons end left the 39 year old Ontario native out to dry. Roloson finished with a 28-24-9 record along with a .915 SV% and is up for a new contract. Barring any unforeseen incident and attempt to officially hand the torch to Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers expect Roloson to be back in Edmonton for the same amount of money, perhaps a little less.

5) Scott Clemmensen - New Jersey's Scott Clemmensen presents an interesting case for teams interested. Is he the real deal, or was he a beneficiary of New Jersey's defensive style of play? The soon to be 32 year old Iowa native went 25-13-1 with a 2.39 GAA in the absence of Devils mainstay Martin Brodeur. Clemm's play certainly kept the Devils in the race for the Atlantic Division and even the Eastern Conference but found himself demoted back down to the Lowell Devils when Marty returned. The Boston College alum is certain to get a boost from his current 550,000 dollar salary based on the numbers and poise he displayed but whether he can get it from the Devils or not is a topic for debate. Along with Clemmensen, the Devils back-up Kevin Weekes is an unrestricted free agent and could likely be brought back for cheaper money than Clemmensen. However, given Marty's age and injury woes experienced in 2008-09, it should be in the Devils best interest to keep Clemmensen in New Jersey, using some of the cap money freed up from the now retired Bobby Holik.

4) Manny Fernandez - Following major knee surgery that limited him to just 4 games in 2007-08, Manny Fernandez rebounded and rebounded well for the Boston Bruins. The 34 year old Fernandez went 16-8-3 for the Bruins, including a 2.59 GAA and went on to win the William Jennings Trophy with teammate Tim Thomas. Manny's health came into question when he was sidelined with an undisclosed injury that kept him out of the line-up for two games, and later sidelined for 4 games with a back injury. His injury provided Bruins fans to get a view of the future of the B's crease, Tuukka Rask. In Rask's one game, he made 35 saves to shut-out to New York Rangers. The health of Fernandez will certainly turn some teams off, but there's still no denying that when healthy, Fernandez is a goalie who can thrive in a platoon role with another goalie. At this point in his career, he himself has even stated that being a full time starter is likely out of the question due to his age and health. With Rask ready for the NHL, there's simply no room for Manny in Boston. He certainly won't receive the 4.3 million dollars a season he made in Boston, but Manny will undoubtedly find a team very shortly.

3) Ty Conklin - In recent years, Ty Conklin has become one of the best journeyman goaltenders in today's NHL, Alex Auld being his best competition. Following another strong season as a back-up to a contending team where he went 25-11-2 including a spectacular 6 shut-outs, the 33 year old goaltender is without a contract, again. Conklin's 750,000 dollar salary looks like a joke when you look at his numbers but his preference of a platoon/back-up role is what makes the deal so sweet for clubs looking to sign the UNH alum. Conklin's stated his desire to stay in Detroit, but with young goaltender Jimmy Howard beginning to look NHL ready down with the Grand Rapid Griffins of the AHL where he posted a 21-18-4 record with 4 shutouts and a .916 SV%. As much as Conklin may want to stay in Detroit it's possible that San Jose, Pittsburgh (again), Chicago and Philadelphia could be knocking on his door come July 1st.

2) Martin Biron - When the Flyers obtained Martin Biron from the Buffalo Sabres back in February of 2007, the feeling in Philadelphia was that this guy was going to be the goalie that brings the Flyers back to the top of the NHL. However, the honeymoon in Philly never really took off. Biron's play, although solid has become a model of inconsistency on Broad Street. In two full seasons with the Flyers, Biron has posted a 59-39-14 record with a 2.67 GAA. On a team crippled by questionable signings and an unfavorable cap number, Biron appears to be on the outs in Philly, despite his contributions of taking the Flyers to the Conference Finals in 2008 and leading them again in the 2009 Playoffs. He'll likely get a minor raise from his current 3.5 million dollars a year salary, but don't expect it to happen in black and orange.

1) Nikolai Khabibulin - 2008-09 was a year for Blackhawks goalie Nikolai Khabibulin to prove himself. He began the season finding himself placed on waivers by the Chicago Blackhawks, who felt that newly signed goaltender Cristobal Huet could lead the 'Hawks into the playoffs better than the 13 year veteran. However, the man nicknamed the Bulin Wall proved all of his doubters in the front office wrong by going 25-8-7 for the Blackhawks and becoming their driving force into their 2009 run for the Stanley Cup. Despite getting injured in the Conference Finals against the Detroit Red Wings, Khabibulin's play spoke for itself as he went 8-6-0 with a .898SV% through the recurrence of the lower body injury that kept the 36 year old out of 12 regular season games late in the season. It's unlikely he'll see the 6.75 million dollars a year that he currently gets from the Blackhawks from anyone given his age, durability and health but he is without the doubt the biggest free agent goaltender in this year's market.

Chelios Wants To Play, But Can He?

Earlier this week, 47 year old defensemen Chris Chelios was told by the Red Wings front office that they were moving on and not re-signing the 25 year NHL veteran. Despite Detroit's move, the Chicago native says he still wants to play in the NHL. He went on to say he'd even prefer to play in the Eastern Conference to avoid the rigorous travels of the Western Conference. By his comments, we all know he wants to play, but does he still have enough in the tank to be a worthy signing for an Eastern Conference team?

Yes, he's a veteran, yes he's one of the best defensemen in the last 25 years (heck, the guy's played 25 years) but does his body have enough in the tank to withstand a 26th NHL season? The numbers don't favor Chelios' chances as in 28 games with the Red Wings he registered a grand total of zero points and finished with a +1. Although Chelios hasn't been a major point contributor like he once when you consider that he's yet to register over 39 points in a season since the 21st century but the concern with his zero points is valid for another reason.

During the 28 games that Chelios was in the line-up for, Detroit's offense was absolutely on fire. They scored 5 or more goals in 8 of those 28 games Chelios participated in including 2 6-goal efforts and a mammoth 8 goal explosion against Edmonton, and he was still held off the board? Jeremy Roenick may have tried to stir the Detroit pot when he came out and said Chelios never plays due to Wings bench boss Mike Babcock's 'disliking of North American players', but the Habs 2nd round draft choice in 1981 may just have lost it.

In 2007-08, in 69 games for the Wings, Chelios had 12 points but was held off the scoreboard in the Detroit's 2008 Stanley Cup Championship run. Cheli was held to a smaller role in the 08-09 campaign, and an even smaller role in the 2009 Playoffs, when he honestly looked out of sync and winded by the pace of play. By no means am I suggesting that Chelios' know-how wouldn't help a team such as Boston or Pittsburgh, but the days of playing more than 40 games may simply be behind the American blue-liner.

In recent years, the NHL has become a very youth-filled sport and shows no signs of slowing down. For Chelios to make an impression with any team, he's going to need to prove himself in a club's training camp and even then, nothing will be guaranteed for the player who'll turn 48 in January. Chelios, it's been nice, but it's time to move on from the playing days. Sure, there are playoff teams such as the Rangers, Capitals and Flyers among others that could use a veteran defensive defensemen on their blue-line to help their youth, but chances are it won't be you.

Perhaps it's time to make the switch from the press box in a suit to behind a bench in a suit as an assistant coach somewhere will be a good move for Chris Chelios, but I have a feeling that somehow, someway, this guy will end up fighting for a spot on an NHL club's roster in September.

Picture Note: I don't know what's funnier, the kid's sign which reads "Time To Retire Chelios", or the fact that the kid is wearing a Georges Laraque jersey.

Flyers At Fenway On New Year's Day?

Simply put, it's the worst kept secret in the National Hockey League. The Winter Classic on January 1st 2010 will be played at America's Most Beloved Ballpark and home to the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park. We already know the Bruins are set to play (obviously) as the home team but the B's opponent has been rumored and been a topic for discussion for months now. Currently, the newest rumor gaining legs is the idea that the Philadelphia Flyers will be skating against the black and gold on News Year Day.

At first, we thought it would surely be the Montreal Canadiens, the Bruins most bitter rivals since their introduction into the NHL, but we learned soon after that NBC and the NHL would like to keep the Winter Classic showcasing the American clubs. By simply looking at a map we'll realize that Montreal and Toronto are not in the race.

Surely, it'll be an Original Six team, right? It won't be Chicago or Detroit, they just played a game against each other at Wrigley so who's left? Insert the New York Rangers. Oh that's a classic, the iconic Boston versus New York rivalry that takes place on the Fenway Park diamond only this time the Red Sox and Yankees aren't involved. The history of the two clubs, talent level and television markets would surely go for this, right? The NHL's possibly planning to have a game at Yankee Stadium in the coming year (or two) and there's no way the Islanders are selling that out, so cross the New York Rangers off the list.

The options are dwindling by the minute. Then we learned about the Washington Capitals, an option that sort of left B's fans puzzling "Do we have a rivalry with Washington? I know they're good, but we only play them four times a year?". The thought of Ovechkin and the Caps coming to Fenway hit a nerve with some Bruins fans, feeling that this would give the NHL an excuse to spotlight Ovechkin more than the Bruins and the idea of a game at Fenway Park. No offence to Ovie, but he is quite the show stealer.

However, due in large part to the poor ratings on NBC during Ovechkin and the Capitals Eastern Conference Quarterfinals match-up against the New York Rangers the NHL on NBC has decided to go with someone besides the Caps. The next option in line, the Philadelphia Flyers, intrigues Bruins and NHL fans for quite a few reasons.

These teams may not be in the same division, but there's still a large share of bad blood between the two franchises. The base of the hatred stems from that fateful Saturday matinee against the Flyers on October 27th, 2007. In the first period of a scoreless game, Patrice Bergeron was leveled into the boards on a more-than-questionable hit by Flyers blue-liner Randy Jones. The Bruins went on to lose the game and Bergeron for the next 72 games of the regular season and entire playoffs. However, the rivalry didn't end after that contest.

Later in the year, when the teams met in the City of Brotherly Love (irony), Flyers forward and Sideshow-Bob-look-a-like Scott Hartnell decided he wanted to continue the Flyers team motive of board-and-run when he boarded Bruins defensemen Andrew Alberts, giving Alberts a concussion and ending his season prematurely. He followed that up with an attempt at boarding Bruins captain Zdeno Chara when an agitated Aaron Ward took matters into his own hands with some vigilante justice against the Flyers.

At the end of 2007-08, it was the Bruins who had the last laugh as they went 3-1-0 against the Broad Street Bullies including two over-time thrillers. The hatred between this team's has continued into the 2008-09 season where all four match-ups between the two Eastern Conference contenders was filled with hard hits, penalties and fisticuffs.

As a fan of thriving franchises in the NHL, these two teams match-up perfectly for the contest. Both teams can hit, score and make exceptionally great plays. Both clubs are back to competing at a high-level and are trying to return to the glory they brought to their cities in the 1970's. This may not be Clarke vs. Orr, or the Big Bad Bruins vs. the Broad Street Bullies, but this is as close as we're going to get if Montreal's not coming to Boston.

Bruins, Datsyuk Look To Hit Jackpot In Vegas

It's been just 6 days since the Pittsburgh Penguins won their 3rd Stanley Cup in franchise history when they beat the Detroit Red Wings in a phenomenal Game 7. The NHL off-season moves fast, and sometimes too fast when you look where we already are: the eve of the NHL Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas. 2009 marks the first time that the award ceremony has been moved from the annual location in downtown Toronto to the City of Sin. The 2009 Awards Ceremony has also put the limelight on new and interesting faces on the rise in the NHL.

The race for the Calder Memorial Trophy was led by one amazing goaltender out of Columbus, Steve Mason. The 21 year old 'tender out of Oakville, Ontario went 33-20-7 with a 2.29 GAA and a league leading 10 shut-outs. Opposing Mason for the Calder are wingers Bobby Ryan and Kris Versteeg. Versteeg, who was obtained from Boston in a 2006-07 (now regrettable) trade where the Bruins acquired just Brandon Bochenski in exchange for Versteeg has had a more than solid season for the 'Hawks. Versteeg scored 22 goals along with 31 assists and finished with a +15 in his first full NHL season. In Anaheim, the potential of the Ducks 2005 first round selection is just beginning to become reality as Bobby Ryan put together an incredibly strong season despite his journey beginning in the AHL. Ryan went on to score 31 goals in just 64 games for Anaheim and became a serious power-play weapon for the Ducks push to the playoffs. Despite the note-worthy playoff performances of both Versteeg and Ryan, you can't look at the numbers Mason posted as a rookie and not be impressed. When all is said and done, Steve Mason will join the likes of Martin Brodeur, Ed Belfour and Tony Esposito as Calder Trophy-winning goaltenders. My Pick: Steve Mason.

The Nicklas Lidstrom Memorial Trophy, I mean the James Norris Memorial Trophy is given to the NHL player who demonstrates the best play as a blue-liner. Lidstrom, a 6-time winner of the Norris has dominated the competition to say the least, however this year's race may be the tightest Lidstrom has ever competed in. Attempting to knock Lidstrom down are two Eastern Conference defensemen; Capitals d-man and mohawk fan Mike Green and Boston captain Zdeno Chara. Along with setting a new NHL record for the hardest slap-shot during the All-Star Weekend in Montreal, Chara is coming off a strong season where he finished with 50 points and a +23. In Washington, Green set an NHL record when he scored in 8 consecutive games for the Capitals and finished with 31 goals, including 18 powerplay tallies. Despite the reputation of Lidstrom and Green's offensive talent, this trophy's heading back to Boston as Zdeno Chara will join the likes of legendary Boston defensemen such as Bobby Orr and Ray Bourque as he'll bring home the Norris. My Pick: Zdeno Chara.

The Lady Byng Trophy, named after the wife of at-the-time Canada General Governor is awarded to the player who expresses the most "gentlemanly" conduct in the game. This year's nominee's are Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk, Devils winger Zach Parise and Tampa's Marty St. Louis. My Pick: Zach Parise

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is simply put, the NHL's perseverance award. Cancer survivors such as Jason Blake, Phil Kessel and Saku Koivu have all taken the trophy home in recent years and the awarding of the Trophy is in my opinion, a two-man race. Despite the longevity of Chris Chelios' career, he really wasn't plagued by any injuries or had to over-come anything to find himself in the press box for 44 games this season. This brings it down to Steve Sullivan of the Nashville Predators and Richard Zednik, who both came back from serious injuries to return to the game they love. Sullivan was forced to miss all the 2007-08 campaign due to major back surgery and his return to Nashville was more than welcome this year as he registered 32 points in 41 games for the Preds. Then there's Richard Zednik, who's life was in considerable danger last year when he caught a skate in the jugular and needed to be rushed to a local hospital. My Pick: Steve Sullivan.

The Vezina Trophy is in easy terms: the ultimate award for a goaltender in the National Hockey League. When Martin Brodeur went down in November, the chase for the Vezina blew open. Emerging from this pack as a front runner and favorite was Bruins goalie Tim Thomas. Thomas went 36-11-7 and led the NHL in both GAA and SV%. Opposing him is Columbus phenom Steve Mason (33-20-7) and Wild netminder Niklas Backstrom (37-24-8). Despite Backstrom's anchoring of the Wild and Mason's NHL-leading 10 shutout's, this one's all Thomas. My Pick: Tim Thomas.

The Lester B. Pearson trophy goes towards the NHL player who is considered "most outstanding" by the members of the National Hockey League Players Association. The nominee's are Pittsburgh Penguins and Mrs. Malkin's soup junkie Evgeni Malkin, Caps winger Alex Ovechkin and Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk. For me, the choice is simple. Malkin's numbers are just undeniable. My Pick: Evgeni Malkin.

The Jack Adams Trophy is the NHL's form of a Coach of the Year award. This year's nominee's include Sharks coach Todd McLellan, Bruins coach Claude Julien and Blues bench-boss Andy Murray. McLellan coached the San Jose Sharks to their President's Trophy in their 18 year history and were seemingly favorites to capture the Stanley Cup but failed to get by the 8th seeded Anaheim Ducks in the 1st round. In Julien's two years with the Bruins, he's brought them from 13th to 8th, and then from 8th to 1st and has done nothing but help the development and get the full potential out of players such as David Krejci, Phil Kessel, Zdeno Chara and Tim Thomas. Behind bench in St. Louis, Murray worked wonders with essentially nothing. The Blues lost their best defensemen Erik Johnson before the season even began and lost top winger Paul Kariya in the first leg of the season but somehow found a way to sneak into the NHL Playoffs with a team effort. My Pick: Andy Murray.

The NHL Foundation Award recognizes the charity efforts of players within their community. This year's nominees are Columbus captain Rick Nash, Kings forward Dustin Brown and Habs leading goal scorer Alex Kovalev. My Pick: Alex Kovalev.

The Frank Selke Trophy is awarded to the forward who excels in the defensive aspects of the game and this year's nominees include two fresh faces: Flyers captain Mike Richards and Canucks center Ryan Kesler. While these two emerging forwards in the NHL look to capture their first Selke, current holder Pavel Datsyuk is looking to bring home the trophy for a 2nd straight season. My Pick: Pavel Datsyuk.

Undoubtedly, the biggest trophy at tonight's festivities in Vegas is the Hart Memorial Trophy. The Hart Trophy is awarded to the player voted to be the most valuable to his team and this year's contest includes three Russian superstars. Defending the Hart Trophy is current holder Alexander Ovechkin who is coming off yet another strong season in the nation's capital where he scored 109 points in 79 games. Opposing him is 2nd time nominee Pens superstar Evgeni Malkin and Pavel Datsyuk. Despite the strong season of both Datsyuk and Malkin, they are under nearly as much pressure as A.O due to their supporting cast. Ovechkin is without a doubt, the most valuable player to the Washington Capitals and in my opinion, the NHL. My Pick: Alexander Ovechkin.

Tim Thomas: From NHL Castaway To Vezina Favorite

"Is this real?"

This question has undoubtedly ran through the mind of Bruins netminder Tim Thomas at one point or another during his incredible season in between the iron for the Boston Bruins. Tim Thomas, yes the same Tim Thomas who just five years ago found himself playing in Europe wondering if he'd ever have another chance to step on an NHL rink is finally just a few votes away from reaching a milestone his career rightfully deserves. Tim Thomas, who turned 35 in April has seemingly gotten better every year during his tenure in Boston. Called up as an injury replacement for Hannu Toivonen in the midst of the horrid 2005-06 season, Thomas immediately earned a reputation as a wild-man in net. His style, or lack thereof made him a unique character on a rebuilding Bruins team.

As the season continued, Thomas eventually took over for the near useless Andrew Raycroft and went 12-13-10 with a .917 SV%. He was rewarded witha 3-year contract extension at mid-March and with the trading of Andrew Raycroft to Toronto, the job of full time starter for Boston was Thomas' for the taking. Thomas went 30-29-4 with the Bruins in 2006-07 as the team failed to make the playoffs for the second straight year. Thomas' numbers drop was often attributed to coach Dave Lewis' "over-working" of The Tank, who before 2006 had never played more than 54 games in any setting.

Despite Thomas' play, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli felt that the team had lacked the 'number one' goalie needed to guide the team back into the playoffs. This put the Bruins in the market for a goaltender, and the they got one. On July 1st, the Bruins went out and traded for Minnesota Wild netminder and Jennings Trophy co-winner Manny Fernandez in exchange for prospect Petr Kalus and a 2009 4th round pick. However, fate found Thomas' in Boston's crease yet again. After Fernandez went down with a season-ending knee injury just four games into his tenure with the Bruins, Thomas was once again relied on to be the starter in Boston's push for the playoffs.

A new coach and style of play found Thomas in a favorable position, his numbers went up, and for the first time in his career Thomas was playing in the NHL All-Star Game. Thomas continued to lead the Bruins and played a pivotal role in the team's return to the playoffs and near upset of the number one seeded Montreal Canadiens. The role of the once doubted Thomas was now clear, the role of Bruins starting goalie was officially his.

To put it simply, the 2008-09 season was Thomas' year. He dominated virtually every goaltending categoryin the NHL, finishing with the best SV% (.933) and GAA (2.10) among all NHL goalies. He continued to play up to his numbers during the Bruins bid for their first Stanley Cup in 37 years.

With no disrespect to the seasons of Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom and Columbus phenom Steve Mason, there's no conceivable reason why Thomas will not be leaving the Sin City without some hardware and an answer of "Yes, this is real.". You've earned it.

The T.A.B.B. 2009 Playoff Awards

For all, the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs drew to a close of extremes. Either you loved every second of Sidney Crosby hoisting the Cup in Detroit due to your respect for the Pens captain or for your incredible disdain for Detroit's recent dominance over the NHL. On the other hand, you could have hated seeing the Pens capture the Cup due to your disliking of Crosby (much like myself) and the entire Pittsburgh Penguins team. Fact is, whether it was a bitter, sweet or a bittersweet ending to the playoffs, you can't say it wasn't entertaining. With another year in the books, it's time to hand out the non-conventional awards of the playoffs invented by yours truly.

The Worst Playoff Slogan: "The Beard is Back" - Detroit Red Wings.

- Like, really? "The Beard is Back"? The beard never left when you consider that Detroit hasn't missed the playoffs since the 1989-90 season. A word for the Detroit Red Wing P.R staff, do your research before making another dumb slogan.

The Best Playoff Slogan: "We Want It" - Boston Bruins.

- Okay, maybe I'm being a homer here. In all seriousness though, the simplicity is there and clear as day. The Bruins wanted it, the fans wanted it, ownership wanted it and the city of Boston wanted it. However, thanks to Scott Walker and the rest of the Carolina Hurricanes, they'll have to want it more next year, and so on and so forth until they get it.

The 'OMG' Moment: The Fall of Marty - New Jersey Devils Game 7

- On March 17th, Devils goaltender and President of the Sean Avery Haters Club Marty Brodeur passed Patrick Roy's NHL record of 551 wins with a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Despite Brodeur's 15+ years of dismantling opponents, he simply couldn't hold off the Carolina Hurricanes in the closing minutes of Game 7. The Devils were penciling themselves in for a date with the Washington Capitals in the 2nd round when disaster struck. With just 1:20 left in the 3rd period, Jussi Jokinen struck again when he scored the game-tying goal. Then, the unthinkable happen when Eric Staal slipped one by the ten-time All-Star with just 32 seconds left in regulation to secure a win and advancement to the 2nd round for the 'Canes.

The Joe Thornton Award: Jeff Carter - Philadelphia Flyers.

- The Joe Thornton Award is given to the player who plays very strongly in the regular season but then disappears when the pressure's on. For this 'honor', the choice is simple: Jeff Carter of the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyer's sniper finished with a career high 46 goals, good for 2nd in the NHL behind Alexander Ovechkin. Then, when it came time for the Flyers to avenge their 2008 Conference Finals loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Flyers number one scoring threat was nowhere to be found. Carter finished with just 1 goal and a -2 in their 6 game series loss.

The Ulf Samuelsson Trophy: Scott Walker - Carolina Hurricanes.

- The Ulf Samuelsson Trophy, is an award intended for the cheap shot of the Playoffs. Now, close runner up honors for this "award" go to Donald Brashear's hit on Blair Betts and Michael Cammalleri's punch to the head of Martin Havlat, both notable cheap-shot's of the 1st round. However, the honor goes to Mr. Walker who's punch to Aaron Ward's face went unsuspended and inevitably put Scott in position to finish the Bruins season in Game 7's overtime period.

The All Guts Award: Mike Richards - Philadelphia Flyers, Sergei Gonchar - Pittsburgh Penguins and Phil Kessel - Boston Bruins.

- This award goes for the guys who put their physical pain aside and still were more than able to compete at a high level of play. Richards competed at a high level and registered 5 points in 6 games..in true captain fashion with two torn shoulders. Sergei Gonchar, injured in a questionable hit by Alexander Ovechkin missed just two games and was an offensive leader on the Penguins blueline with his 14 points in 22 games despite playing through a torn MCL in his knee. Phil Kessel, the Bruins best pure goal-scorer earns honors for this award with his strong post-season play through a torn rotator cuff and hip injury.

The Worst Playoff Beard: Sidney Crosby - Pittsburgh Penguins and Jonathan Toews - Chicago Blackhawks.
- Alright, I know these guys are young but seriously? Crosby's pirate 'stache would leave even Captain Hook insulted. Toews, can we get some gravy with those 'chops? C'mon Peter Pans, get real...you guys looked like the 8th graders who forced facial hair upon themselves in feeble attempts to land the good looking girls.

The Best Playoff Beard: Erik Cole - Carolina Hurricanes

- Seriously, this guy had the thickest beard of anyone..even in the 2nd round. The dark-ness of the beard truly made the 'Canes winger a weirdo with a beard-o.

The Irony Award: Marian Hossa vs. Pittsburgh

- In all honesty, this was one of the reasons why I found myself rooting for the Penguins at times. I love the continuing torment of Marian Hossa by the Hockey God's above. The irony of Hossa's statement made upon signing with the Red Wings of "When I compared the two teams, I felt like I would have a little better of a chance to win the Cup in Detroit.". Oh, the irony.

The Player Who's Stock Doubled In The Playoffs Trophy: The Sedins - Vancouver Canucks

- Every one's presumed 2 for 1 deal continued their 2008-09 strong regular season play into the playoffs where they each registered 10 points in 10 games. The Swedish twins both proved themselves more than capable offensive weapons and were lethal on Vancouver's powerplay. Their estimated July 1st pay-day has undoubtedly increased with their strong performance. Whether the Sedins will end up moving to Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver or even Atlanta has yet to be determined.

The 'Who The Heck Is That?" Award: Jonas Hiller - Anaheim Ducks

- Undoubtedly, the biggest surprise of the 2009 Playoffs was the man in between the iron for the Anaheim Ducks, a 27-year old Swiss goaltender. Jonas Hiller, a career back-up to J.S Giguere was given the task of stopping the NHL-best San Jose Sharks, which he did. Then, Hiller was given the task of stopping the Detroit Red Wings, something he almost did. Overall, Hiller finished with a 7-5-1 record with a 2.23 GAA. His play has also put the Ducks in position to trade away Giguere and make room for Hiller to take over as the full-time starter in Anaheim.

Now come's the fun part, the NHL draft and the beginning of free agency are just weeks away.

Numbered Days For Kessel?

The stove in Boston is heating up for sure. Following the signing of 3 year contract worth a total of over 11 million signed by David Krejci last week, the eyes of the Garden faithful have turned to the rumor mills with one person on their mind: Phil Kessel. Phil Kessel, who turns 22 in October is coming off a career year in which he set career highs in every offensive category. His 36 goals put him at 8th in the NHL behind the likes of Kovalchuk, Ovechkin and Detroit's Marian Hossa. The oft talked about potential about the man in '81' had finally arrived and shown up, on the score sheet and in the win column.

Despite his at times inconsistent play, including two 5-game goal-less droughts and a seemingly everlasting 15 game span without scoring a single goal, Kessel would regain his stride and find the scoring touch that made him such a pivotal role-player in the Bruins offense. His offensive abilities were enough to 'wow' Bruins fans worldwide, but when the news that broke following the elimination of the Boston Bruins from the 2009 Playoffs, Bruins fans found a new found respect and admiration for Phil 'The Thrill'. It was revealed during the Boston Bruins exit interviews that during the team's 2-0 regular season loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets suffered a torn-rotator cuff on a questionable hit from Jackets defensmen Jan Hejda.

In true Boston Bruins fashion, Phil Kessel continued to play through the injury and into the playoffs, missing just one regular season game in Buffalo. Seemingly unbothered by the shoulder, Kessel went on to score 13 goals and tally 8 assists in the 19 regular-season and playoff games following the injury in Columbus. When news of this injury broke, it truly showed us the real Phil Kessel that Bruins fans had been longing to see; he cared, he wanted to win and wasn't going to let a major injury stop him from contributing in the team's push for their first Stanley Cup in 37 years.

Although Kessel's goals led to a staggering total of 42 leaps from our chairs at the Garden, bar or in the comfort of our home the Bruins now have the daunting task of deciding his future with the club. With the success comes to want for a hefty raise, unfortunately for Kessel and the Bruins, GM Peter Chiarelli is working from an unfavorable salary-cap position. Fact is, it's going to be next to impossible to re-up the 21 year old winger unless he's willing to take less or similar money to the contract that was just signed by teammate David Krejci.

In a perfect world, Phil Kessel understands the rough economic market in the NHL and signs for the same 3.5-3.75 million dollar-a-year contract that Krejci agreed to. However if Kessel has any sense of his value, he may hold out for an offer-sheet, prompting the Bruins to make a move and find a new home for Kessel. One option and rumor that has been spreading over the internet like wildfire has been the idea of sending Phil Kessel to Colorado for the 3rd overall pick in the 2009 draft.

A favorite to go at the number 3 slot in the draft has been Matt Duchene, a 5'11 center currently playing for the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League. He's currently slated to go behind Jonathan Tavares at number one to the Islanders and Swedish defensemen Victor Hedman expected to go at number 2. Duchene has been praised for his effectiveness as a two-way player in an offensive system and has displayed the numbers to prove his worth as in he's scored 129 points in 121 games with the Battalion. Duchene would be a solid fit in the Bruins system and would give the Bruins even more strength at center for the future along with Boston's 2008 first round draft choice, hulking center Joe Colborne.

As intriguing as this option may be, it's considered a longshot as Colorado may be adamant about keeping their 3rd overall pick to draft their replacement for the near-ancient Joe Sakic. After Colorado, the next hottest rumor circulating the internet has been a rumored deal between the Anaheim Ducks and Boston Bruins in which the Bruins send Kessel to Anaheim in exchange for the Ducks first round draft pick and negotiating rights with free-agent-to-be defensemen Francois Beauchemin. Although Beauchemin has the potential to be a game-changing defensemen that the Bruins need to plug in alongside Dennis Wideman, health has been an issue for the 29 year-old native of Quebec. Beauchemin suffered a torn ACL in November and missed the next 62 games of the regular season before returning back for the Ducks Playoff run.

With health already being an issue for an overwhelming amount of Bruins players, the risk that Beauchemin brings with him is not to enough to trade away a guy who scored 36 goals for your team. Especially when you note the existing health concerns on the Bruins defense with Aaron Ward and Andrew Ference, who had both experienced issues with staying healthy during the 2008-09 season.

When you look at the names that surrounded Phil Kessel in the league leaders with stats, the average salary of those players who scored 36 goals or more goes through the roof. The average 36+ goal scorer in the NHL during the 2008-09 season makes 4.9 million dollars a season. A number which the Bruins simply cannot match if they are to keep the same core of the 2008-09 team intact with Phil Kessel on it. Not to mention that a just 100,000 away from the 5 million dollar a year mark is a lot of money for a player who has shown his frequent inability to play defense, making him a very expensive one way player. With the NHL draft rapidly approaching following the conclusion of the Stanley Cup, the future of Phil Kessel and possibly the Boston Bruins will be addressed head on.

Datsyuk's Return Spells End For Pens

Alert the mayor, this one's over.

Despite not being officially eliminated after their 5-0 beatdown by the Detroit Red Wings, the Pittsburgh Penguins are simply over matched by the depth and experience of the Motor City. Now, with the return of Detroit's top center Pavel Datsyuk, the Penguins officially find themselves with no room for error. It's undoubtedly a tough reality to grasp for Penguins hopefuls and fans, but simply put, it's inevitable. Fact is, this team's not winning the Stanley Cup if their inability to play their game outside of the Mellon Arena continues. The Pens were completely out-hustled and worked by the elder Red Wings for 60 minutes at the Joe Louis Arena, for the 3rd time out of 3 visits to Motown.

For the Red Wings, the return of Datsyuk into the line-up and more importantly the powerplay was the difference maker in their Game 5 demolition of Marc-Andre Fleury. Despite gingerly skating on his injured foot during the pregame skate, the Russian center proved to be effective as ever. In his 17+ minutes of ice time Datsyuk didn't miss a beat, picking up a pair of assists including a great feed to Brian Rafalski on the powerplay to increase the Red Wings lead to 4-0.

In what has become typical Detroit-fashion, the Wings systemically destroyed the Penguins and exploited their youth throughout all three periods of Saturday night's tilt at the Joe. The Wings got the Penguins frustrated early and often, a tactic which led to 9 powerplay opportunities for the Red Wings. The Red Wings took advantage of this, scoring 3 straight powerplay goals in the 2nd period, putting themselves up 5-0 on the Penguins and leading to the exit of Marc-Andre Fleury from the Pittsburgh net.

As a confidence-less Fleury headed down the runway and back to the Pittsburgh locker room, the doubts of Pens Nation grew. The rumored fatigue of the Red Wings is gone; they're back, and they smell blood.

The Penguins defenders were unable to stop the one-footed Datsyuk and Wings, as they often resorted to swinging their sticks blinding from their knees in a feeble attempt to stop the Wings roaring offense. The series swings back to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, the same setting where the Penguins felt their initial dream of bringing their 3rd Cup to the city of Pittsburgh crushed by Chris Osgood and the Red Wings.

It's not written in stone that the Penguins will not pull off the upset and capture the Stanley Cup, however, the continuing failures at the Joe Louis Arena are creating massive clouds of doubt among NHL fans worldwide, including myself. M.A Fleury has created the image of the Joe being his House of Horrors much like Tim Thomas' was seemingly tormented by the Bell Centre during his first few years in Boston. Fleury's record in Detroit during the past two Stanley Cup's is anything but flattering as he's gone just 1-4 with a GAA just under 3 and a .906 SV%. Fleury's only win came in 2008 Stanley Cup's epic Game 5 where the Penguins survived the Red Wings to avoid elimination with a win in the 3rd overtime.

Now with 2 days for both teams to rest their surely sore bodies, the Penguins have two options before their eyes: regain their confidence and believe that they can top this team or lose once again in front of their home crowd. Despite the added noise and spark the Igloo White-out will provide, the Red Wings are just too strong on their special teams with the return of Pavel Datsyuk. As Nicklas Lidstrom and the rest of the Red Wings will raise their 2nd Cup in as many years we'll learn that Hossa was right, he did have a better chance in Detroit because the Pens are simply done.