Fantasy Hockey News

Junior players will be spending two days experimenting with potential NHL rule changes at the 2010 NHL Research, Development and Orientation camp. The camp takes place in Toronto August 18 and 19 and will be overseen by Ken Hitchcock and Dave King.

More than 30 prospects eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft will attend the camp comprised of four on-ice sessions at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ practice facility.

The morning session of the first day will include a test of a hybrid icing rule, something the NHL is considering. The players will also skate with no line changes for teams committing offsides and will experiment with a staggered overtime system. Hitchcock and King are expected to approach the ideas of a bigger crease, a so-called line change zone, wider bluelines, and no icing of the puck.

Day 2 will feature experimentation with no-touch icing, delayed penalty rulings, no icing the puck while short-handed, and variations of the face-off.

“I think everyone involved with the NHL thinks that our game is in really good shape,” Brendan Shanahan, NHL vice-president of hockey and business development, said in a statement. “Ken and Dave are two men who never turn off their hockey brains. They’re always thinking of ways to make the game better and to approach game strategy from different and innovative angles.”

It remains to be seen if any of these rule changes will make it into the books in time for the upcoming NHL season, but the fact that they are being considered is compelling.

The staggered overtime particularly caught my eye. It would theoretically feature three minutes of four on four play followed by three minutes of three on three. Should the three on three play not solve anything, the overtime frame will “progress” to three minutes of two on two before a shootout involving five players “solves the game.” Sounds needlessly complicated if you ask me.

In any event, I do trust the hockey minds of Hitchcock and King and do think that their suggestions are valid. Their sense for flow and versatility in the game is unique, so they’re the right men for the job of figuring out potential rule changes for the National Hockey League. I just hope they don’t overdo it.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke has been unable to get a deal good enough for Tomas Kaberle, so the defenceman will remain in the blue and white for the season - or at least part of the season.

Keeping Kaberle was Burke’s “Plan B,” it seems, but the Czech’s teammates don’t seem to have a problem with the GM taking the “lesser” of two options. “He is one of the premier defencemen in the National Hockey League,” top Leafs prospect Nazem Kadri said. “I think him sticking here is only going to make us a better hockey club.”

As the Leafs head into training camp shortly, they’ll have a glut of defenders with eight NHL-experienced players vying for six spots on the roster. It’s still possible that a trade could take some of the pressure off, but the competition could mean good things for those angling to make the team in the new season.

“Guys are going to be pushing each other and guys are going to be fighting for spots,” said Mike Komisarek. “So something good comes out of that.”

So with the business of Kaberle out of the way (for now), the Leafs can get down to brass tacks and can start prepping a team for the new year. The defensive overload will prove interesting in terms of what the new roster will look like. Obviously Kaberle will receive top billing on the squad and the rest can be a little hard to figure out.

Everyone seems to have “solutions,” from the National Post’s Noah Love (trading Luke Schenn) to CBC Sports’ Jeff Domet (play Kaberle as a forward). Domet’s idea, at least initially, sounds like a bit of a farce until he reveals some examples: Red Kelly and Sergei Fedorov, Red Wings both.

At this point, though, it’s hard to say what Kaberle will be up to on the Leafs when the new season starts. The only certainty is that he’ll still remain a contentious issue among fans.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

After playing an exhibition game in Sweden, two-time Stanley Cup champion Peter Forsberg told TV6 that he was less than optimistic about a return to pro hockey.

“It’s no good,” Forsberg said. “I have no balance skating. If it continues to be as it is today, I will not continue playing.”

It’s no secret that Forsberg has struggled with injuries throughout his career. At 36 years of age, he hasn’t laced the skates in the National Hockey League since a disappointing return to the Colorado Avalanche in 2007-2008 that lasted for a mere nine games. A recurring foot problem kept him to just 23 games with MODO in the Swedish Elite League this past year.

Sure, Forsberg was healthy enough to suit up for the Swedish club at the Olympics. But he was darn near invisible on the ice and only managed one helper in Sweden’s dismal performance.

Even with all the disappointment, Forsberg hasn’t entirely ruled out a full return as of yet. He plans to continue training in Ornskoldsvik, intending fully to play it by ear for the next while. At this point and time, the frustration appears to be setting in and it doesn’t look good for the superstar.

It’s hard to imagine a place for Forsberg in the NHL, but he still possesses some of the finest puck possession skills in the game and could have a spot on a third line somewhere if he can keep his balance issues together. Perhaps the oft-rumoured opportunities in Vancouver will shine through someday.

For now, it’s a waiting game for Forsberg. He hasn’t announced retirement and he hasn’t quit training and trying to get back in the game. For all his tenacity and flat-out desire, I can’t say I’d mind seeing him skate again in the NHL if even for one game.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Chris Pronger will be missing the Philadelphia Flyers’ training camp and may even have to sit out the opener. His knee injury is not progressing along the lines he would have liked and that could spell trouble for the start of the new season in Philly.

Pronger hurt his knee in April during the first playoff game against the Boston Bruins. Last week, the Flyers reported that Pronger underwent orthoscopic knee surgery to “clean out the knee.” The procedure, happily, showed that there was no more damage to the knee itself.

“With the amount of atrophy it is going to take a lot of hard work to build the leg muscles back up,” said Pronger. “Obviously, I will be spending a lot of hours in the gym trying to strengthen my knee and the rest of my body.”

Philly’s training camp will open on September 17 and the regular season gets underway for the Flyers on October 7 when the team faces off against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Vancouver’s GM Mike Gillis confirmed today that the National Hockey League was looking into the front-loaded contract of Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo. The 12-year deal worth $64 million is being given another once-over from the league. This comes after an arbitrator ruled in favour of the NHL in the Ilya Kovalchuk contract situation.

The NHL likely feels confident that they can now start charging after some of these contracts. The arbitrator’s decision backed their play, so we can probably expect a lot more nosing around these sorts of deals.

Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli told the press that he is cooperating during the NHL’s investigation into Marc Savard’s seven-year contract extension, so it’s clear that the league is taking this issue seriously and wants to reopen the books on some of these front-loaded deals.

“We are cooperating fully with the league in its investigation of the Marc Savard contract extension. The league informed us upon their registration of the contract on December 1, 2009 that they would be investigating the circumstances surrounding this contract,” said Chiarelli.

Arbitrator Richard Bloch sided with the NHL in rejecting the Kovalchuk contract and subsequently opened the door to investigating the Luongo deal and the others. “Each of these players will be 40 or over at the end of the contract term and each contract includes dramatic divebacks,” Bloch wrote in the ruling as a way of referencing the other contracts.

Chris Pronger and Chicago’s Marian Hossa, too, will likely be up for investigation by the NHL as it continues to examine things.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Ilya Kovalchuk and the New Jersey Devils are back to basics in terms of contract discussions. They started discussing a new contract after an arbitrator sided with the National Hockey League on Kovalchuk’s original 17-year deal with the Devils.

“While we do not currently have a contract with Ilya Kovalchuk, discussions have resumed and we are hopeful that a contract will be reached that meets with the principles in arbitrator (Richard) Bloch’s award and the NHL’s approval,” said Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello.

Until something is hammered out between the Devils and Kovalchuk, Kovy is an unrestricted free agent. This means that other teams could make renewed pitches for his services, but it’s doubtful that he’ll end up seriously negotiating with anyone else.

The NHL set an interesting precedent by challenging the Kovalchuk contract in the first place and that could mean trouble for other front-loaded deals in the future.

The arbitrator concluded along the same lines of the NHL, noting that “this contract is ‘intended to, or has the effect’ of defeating or circumventing the salary cap provisions of the CBA (collective bargaining agreement).”

“We want to thank arbitrator Bloch for his prompt resolution of a complex issue,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. “His ruling is consistent with the league’s view of the manner in which the collective bargaining agreement should deal with contracts that circumvent the salary cap.”

The NHLPA, meanwhile, intends to review the decision and was cited as being “disappointed.”

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

The Edmonton Oilers have signed goalie Martin Gerber to a one-year two-way contract. The signing was done on Friday.

The deal brings Gerber back to the National Hockey League after he spent last season with Altant Moscow of the KHL. He played 30 games there and finished with a 2.19 GAA and a .914 save percentage.

In the NHL, Gerber has spent time with the Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa Senators, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite posting good numbers, he never really caught on with any one team and it was almost inevitable that he’d be heading to the KHL. In 226 NHL games, Gerber has a 110-78-21 record, a 2.65 GAA and a .910 save percentage.

The signing is essentially an insurance policy for the Oilers. With Nikolai Khabibulin, Jeff Deslauriers and Devan Dubnyk on tap, it isn’t likely that Gerber will see much ice time in Edmonton. In the event of injuries, Gerber can step right in and put in quality performances and it’s this aspect that makes him a good decision for the Oilers.

There’s a risk of Edmonton racking up goalie salaries in the minors, sure, but it’s not a terrible problem to have and it still gives the Oilers some considerations should Dubnyk or Deslauriers go down. It’s a sensible signing, one that makes even more sense when you consider Khabibulin’s legal issues with drunk driving in Arizona.

Should he not show up for training camp due to these issues, Gerber provides the Oilers with a back-up plan.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Teemu Selanne will be returning for an 18th NHL season with the Anaheim Ducks. He told a Finnish sports magazine that he expected a deal to be done with the Ducks within the next couple of days.

What’s more, Selanne says that he’s made a pitch to the club to bring his old pal Paul Kariya back into the fold. “I’ve talked to Paul and the Ducks. Paul has been waiting for my decision and I hope things move forward,” he said.

Selanne’s exact wording to Sports Journal was that he’d return for “at least another year.” This will mark his 12th season with the Ducks and Anaheim is proving to be a franchise that the Finnish player believes in.

In 54 games last season, Selanne managed 21 goals and 48 points. He’s proven that he can still impress and be valuable on the ice, so his presence with the club will certainly continue to elevate the proceedings.

The Ducks look like they’re gearing up nicely for another year, too. With the signings of Andy Sutton, Toni Lydman and Saku Koivu, they’re into giving Selanne a lot to play with. And if Kariya ends up part of the team, so much the better for Ducks fans.

Ageists are quick to point to the fact that the Ducks look to be building a team around older guys, but Selanne, Koivu and Kariya still possess high levels of skill and boast conditioning that the NHL’s younger players would struggle to keep up with. If the Ducks can pull this off, they could have a good-looking second line to charge into the new season with.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

February 20 will mark the day that the Calgary Flames will take on the Montreal Canadiens in the next Heritage Classic. The game will be played at McMahon Stadium and will be the first outdoor game to be played in Canada in seven seasons.

Flames president Ken King noted that the weather in Calgary can be unpredictable in the winter, what with the potential for warm chinook winds and other possibilities that could affect the ice in the outdoor venue. Nevertheless, it’s hard to contain the excitement for the event and King, for his credit, did say the organization had a “contingency plan.”

“You’ve got to be able to keep the ice in. What you want is a good mid-range temperature day. Let’s just assume we’re going to get a perfect day for a great game,” he said.

35,650 fit in McMahon Stadium for football games, but it is expected that extra seats will be added for the Heritage Classic.

“As everyone knows, the roots of our game are in Canada,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “And the roots of our game emanate from frozen ponds and backyard rinks in Canada. When you have a heritage as proud and as strong as we do, you want to celebrate it.”

The Habs will wear their current NHL jersey with a Heritage Classic patch, while the Flames will show up to the dance in retro jerseys honouring the Calgary Tigers.

The Calgary Hitmen will also get their own outdoor game this year at McMahon as they face off against the Regina Pats the day after the NHL’s Heritage Classic.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Mike Modano has signed a one year deal with the Detroit Red Wings.

For Modano, it’s a homecoming. The native of suburban Detroit will lace the skates for the Red Wings after playing 20 seasons for the Minnesota/Dallas Stars franchise. After the Stars said they wouldn’t be having him back, Modano spent roughly five weeks coming to his decision. He wasn’t ready to retire yet.

Modano said that he was also considering Minnesota (how Wild would that have been?) and San Jose as possibilities, but after discussing the matter with Brett Hull and other former and current Red Wings he landed on Detroit.

“They all told me what a great organization and city it is to play in,” Modano said. “And mix in the incredible talent they have playing there and it kind of made my decision for me.”

The Red Wings will certainly give Modano a chance to chase the Stanley Cup, so that has to be something to get excited about for the 40-year-old. The opportunities in Detroit for a player of his skill level are quite impressive, too, so Modano could be plugged into quite a few situations on the talented roster.

“Just in casual conversation so far, maybe third line and some power play. They have so many talented players and I’m willing to play wherever they need me to,” Modano said of his expected role.

There’s the issue of numbers to sort out, of course. Gordie Howe’s #9 is retired, so Modano will have to sort something else out. He says he has a “few ideas.”

Posted by Jordan Richardson.