The Fifth Liners

The Boston Bruins have extended the contract of GM Peter Chiarelli by another four years to the 2017/18 season. Chiarelli led the Bruins to their first Stanley Cup win since 1972 in 2011 after beating Vancouver over seven games in the final. Also they currently possess a winning percentage of .596 under this man. Next season will be a busy season for Chiarelli as he will also be serving as assistant coach of Team Canada at the 2014 Sochi Olympics- here's to the next four years Peter!

Mike's question this week focuses on our friends in the city of brotherly love, as it was asked "The Flyers glory days seem to be long gone. What can they do to be a serious cup threat again?" Well the answer to this one will be require some serious thought- right let's go to work! The Philadelphia Flyers are a team with a famous history with the 'Broad Street Bullies' team including Bobby Clarke, Dave Schultz, Joe Kelly and Bernie Parent which brought them back to back Stanley Cups in 1975 & 1976, to the Eric Lindros years from 92 to 98 where he continually led the league in scoring. Their last cup final appearence came back in 2010 where they were narrowly beaten in six games by the Chicago Blackhawks. But last season was one to forget for the men in orange as they finished fourth in the Atlantic Division and 10 in the Eastern Conference, missing the playoffs for only the ninth time in their history! Also things werent helped by the poor net minding ...

Alex asked me this week for my divisional wooden spoon predictions. My immediate response was "Canucks!". August is a bad sports month for me. There's no NHL and no NFL. Sure there's the soccer, but I follow a team who quite honestly, suck right now. So after opening the season with a 4-0 loss (it really could have been a lot more), I've been in a serious sports funk. Alex's team won at the weekend. Just to rub salt in the wound. Anyway. I do not think that the Canucks will be propping up the Pacific Division next season. I was just angry at the world of sport. So. Who will be leaving the party early? It's tricky to say at this time but here goes. Metropolitan Division - Philadelphia Flyers Atlantic Division - Florida Panthers Pacific Division - Calgary Flames Central Division - Colorado Avalanche We'll revisit this halfway through the season and see how things are going.

Mikhail Grabovski' s future has finally been decided after his release from the Toronto Maple Leafs in July as today he has signed a year one year deal with the Washington Capitals worth $3 Million. The Belarusian centre will most likely fill the gap left by Mike Ribeiro (who joined Phoenix recently) on the teams second line and could provide some important numbers to the Caps offense. For the last three seasons, Grabovski has scored at least 20 gals for Toronto, including a career high 29 goals and 58 points in 2010/11 and so far has racked up a career total of 94 goals and 217 points. Also his puck possession stats have proven key in seasons gone by and were partly responsible for the Maple Leafs first playoff appearence in nine years last season!  With Grabovski on board, the Caps already impressive attacking force could have another shot in the arm!  

New Jersey Devils veteran player Jaromir Jagr has today implied that the 2013-14 season may will bring his glittering career to a close. In a post on his official facebook page, Jagr has stated ""It looks like it will be my last season, so I can't be too risky," If indeed this is true then many hockey fans will be sad to see the 41 year old hang up his skates on a career which has included 1,391 games for Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers and more recently the Boston Bruins. His career also included a three year stint in the KHL playing for Avangard Omsk before returning to the NHL in 2011. Currently Jagr is 34th on the list of all time games played, 10 in goals and ranks 12th in assists. If at least one team doesnt retire this mans number 68 jersey- there will be widespread shock! Let's make this a fine last year Jaromir- and lets hope this season brings you a third Stanley Cup ring!

It appears Vancouver's chances of landing decent backup have taken a hit as according to TVA sports, 36 year old Canadian goalie Jose Theodore is on the verge of joining the Boston Bruins on a one year deal! Theodore would provide back up to Tuukka Rask in net and brings with him a Veniza Trophy win in 2002 and a Hart Trophy win in 2006 as well as 17 years NHL experience with 5 different teams. However Theodore's agent has stated that there is "No truth" in the reports- but I think we can all agree that which ever team lands him will be very fortunate- British Columbia is always nice this of year Jose- just a thought!

We can all admit that it's a bit of a slow news week in the NHL. The most interesting thing to happen was that Giroux was sidelined by a freak golf club accident. Then Bleacher Report's James Onusko raised the question about introducing the Wayne Gretzky award. We then decided that a point/counterpoint argument was required. Alex drew the short straw (because it was my idea) and will talk to you about why it's a bad idea. Meanwhile I'll praise the idea of a Wayne Gretzky award. Mike's Reasons For: Gretzky is a legend. OK now that's established, let's look at the other reasons why the NHL should bring this award in. Ice hockey is a team game. A lot of the current awards reflect outstanding individual performance, which is great but almost every great goal comes from a great assist. Gretzky got 1,963 assists in his career. A record never bested. Ron Francis is second highest and his total is over 700 less than The Great One.  Behind every...

The Colorado Avalanche clearly have faith in their 20 year old captain Gabriel Landeskog and have now inked him to a seven year extension worth a reported $39 million. A second overall pick in the 2011 NHL draft, Landeskog won the Calder Trophy in 2012 after a successful rookie season and in September last year he was made the youngest ever Avalanche captain at just 19! He also proved to be one of the few bright spots in an otherwise horrific season for the Avs last year and finished the season with nine goals and eight assists. Upon signing this deal for the left winger, Joe Sakic was quoted as saying "Gabe is and will continue to be a large part of the foundation of this hockey team for many years to come,"

Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux will be sitting out for the next month or so after a golf club shattered and damaged some of the tendons in his index finger. This means he will likely miss the Flyer's summer training camp.  Recovery is expected to take five to six weeks. This will be a concern to the Flyers faithful as the team's first regular season game is in less than seven weeks.  Surgery was reported to have went well and we hope to see Giroux back on the ice soon. Mostly cos he's the Flyers' only dependable forward. 

The New Jersey Devils are officially under new management as today it was announced this morning that the franchise has been sold to a group headed by investment banker Joshua Harris, whose group Blitzer is also part owner of NBA franchise, the Philadelphia 76ers will be aiming to bring the Stanley Cup back to the Prudential Center after a 10 year absence. Harris has stated that his decision to buy the Devils was down to his families original roots in New Jersey, Scott O'Neill has been hired as team CEO and will oversee the business end of things, current GM Lou Lamoriello will still be retained as the team is seeking to rebuilding after the loss of Ilya Kovalchuk in the post season.

If you already know about the history of former Boston Bruins' goalie Tim Thomas  then you can relax and get on with your lives. Not much has changed, he's still looking for a team to ply his trade with next season. Sometimes an inspiring story comes along and it has to be shared. I recently read this article  by James Duthie and think you should read it too.

Alex's question this week focused on what the Calgary Flames can do to have a productive 13/14 season. In perhaps fortunate coincidence, Bleacher Report recently named Flames' GM Jay Feaster as the NHL's worst GM . You can't swing a virtual cat on the internet without finding hatred for Feaster. His questionable trades have left a lot of fans scratching their heads. The Flames' trade policy has been about bringing in young players who haven't peaked yet. Except when old players become available, that policy goes out the window. This inconsistency in the boardroom will be reflected on the ice. The loss of Jarome Iginla left a huge gap in the Flames' roster and the club is still yet to announce its captain. Mike Cammalleri has his eye on the C but with after finishing on -15 last season, is he the best candidate? So what next? How do the Flames rebuild? Here's a few pointers: Appoint a new captain. The Flames have just resigned TJ Brodie to ...

Ever since Cory Schneider was traded to the New Jersey Devils back on June 30th, Vancouver Canucks  fans have incredibly irritated at losing our supposed goalie of the future, but at the same time we have been equally delighted at gaining 18 year old Canadian center  Bo Horvat in exchange. Upon selecting Horvat 9th overall, many hockey commentators remarked this was a fine selection and the Canucks had gained a potential star for the future! Based on his stats playing for the London Knights in the OHL, I have to conclude this kid does have something and last season he scored an impressive 33 goals and 61 points in only 67 games and also won the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award for OHL Playoff MVP. But it's not just his stats that are impressive, based on the video below, this young man possesses great speed and tremendous skill which could yet breathe life in our offense; he won't be able to touch the Sedin Brothers for now, but could make a great third liner or even hold the ...

Roberto Luongo will officially be the Vancouver Canucks starting goalie for the 2013/14 NHL season- after the dubious decision to trade away Cory Schneider for 1st round draft prospect Bo Horvat at this years NHL draft has been seen by many as either clever bargaining or outright insanity by GM Mike Gillis! Now I've beaten up on Bobby a few times in this year I have no doubts if I ever return to British Columbia- he will be on the look out for me! So he will be staying for the foreseable future, it would be nice to see what backup options could aid him this season since the only other goalies on our roster come in the form of Swede Eddie Lack who has yet to make an NHL appearence and equally unexperienced Joe Cannata . So who would make good back up in net this to rest our worrying minds? Here are the best UFA goalies currently on offer, Tim Thomas: The 39 year old is now officially a free agent after his release from the New York Islanders this year. Thomas is a Stanle...

Shaun Burr, who played 16 seasons in the NHL, mostly at Detroit died yesterday after a fall at his home. The hard-hitting #11 was a key player in his 10 years at the Joe. Our thoughts are with his loved ones.

Seem there well be no rising from the flames for the Phoenix Coyotes as it was announced by the NHL Board of Govenors yesterday that they have approved the sale of the Franchise to the IceArizona AcquisitionCo LLC group headed by George Gosbee and Anthony LeBlanc which officially terminates league ownership of the team. The team will now be re-branded as the 'Arizona Coyotes' and will look to move the team in the near, for the coming season at least the team will stay in Glendale, AZ and play their current fixtures at the Jobing.Com Arena, upon securing the team, new owner LeBlanc was quoted as saying, "The Coyotes are here to stay and we will continue to work hard on and off the ice and have a strong presence in our community. Our ultimate goal is to bring a Stanley Cup championship to our tremendously resilient, passionate and dedicated fan base here in the Valley. We have a lot of work to do and we can't wait to get started." Looks like other cities ...

As I awoke from my slumber on this cloudy and possibly rainsoaked Manchester morning, I found Mike's question of the week sitting in my phone, which read thusly, "Imagine if you will, a Seven Days In Hockey Hall Of Fame. Sounds like plan. But there's a catch. You can only have one player of each nationality.Which do you pick and why?" This will be quite possibly the toughest question I have ever faced! So as always, let's go to war!! To the other talent players left out of this list- its not a personal, I just didnt have space! Seven Days in Hockey Hall of Fame Canada Wayne Gretzky : We'll start with the most obvious candidate in our hall of fame- The Great One's achievements are the ones that we mere mortals only dream about and during his glorious 21 Year career which took in four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers, LA Kings , St Louis Blues and the New York Rangers , he held over 60 hockey records at the time of his retirement, including...

There will soon be a new banner hanging from the rafters at the Joe Louis. There was never any doubt that  Nicklas Lidstrom 's number would be retired after the great man retired, the Detroit Red Wings announced last week that Lidstrom's retirement ceremony will be held before the Wings' game against the Avalanche on 06 March next year. Lidstrom will join Steve Yzerman, Terry Sawchuck, Alex Delvecchio, Sid Abel and Gordie Howe in having his name and number watch over the players below. The big Swede played all 20 of his NHL seasons at the Detroit Red Wings and is probably the most respected defenseman to ever play in the league. In his time he never missed a postseason.