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Well my friends, my AWESOME boss gave me this for taking the #1 Salesman in all of Missouri for the 1st Quarter, and 5th out of ALL our 175 dealers in 5 States!! "I LOVE IT"!!

well folks....been such a crazy crazy last 2 weeks!! I got lucky AGAIN!! I was the #1 Salesman in the State Of Missouri for the 1st quarter!! and #5 out of 175 in 5 States in Portable Building Sales!! now can't wait till we blow the lid off of our NEW side business Son and I have started!! (Radney has a BRIGHT future as long as he keeps working hard at it, barely 20 and is rollin hard) we are still getting our website tweaked but it's coming along!! I feel really blessed to have such a awesome family and fabulous friends!! our website is getting CLOSER!!

Can the Nashville Predators still win without Ryan Johansen?
May 20, 2017, 10:32 AM ET [20 Comments]
HockeyBuzz Hotstove
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Follow me on Twitter @ToddCordell

In this edition of the hotstove, we discuss whether the Nashville Predators still have a legitimate shot at getting by Anaheim and beating Pittsburgh or Ottawa without Ryan Johansen.

Todd Cordell

It would suck to see a great run end due to injuries but I think the Predators are in trouble.

During the playoffs, Johansen has been a point per game player and the Preds have been downright dominant with him on the ice. At 5v5, they have out-chanced their opponents 121-74 (62%) and outscored them 16-5 (76%). Obviously having elite players on his wing helped but I have a very tough time believing the Preds won't miss a beat with Calle Jarnkrok taking his spot.

Center is arguably the game's most important position and, with Mike Fisher also banged up, we could see something like Jarnkork-Wilson(if he shifts to center)-Sissions-Fiddler vs Getzlaf-Kesler-Vermette-Thompson. I know which side I'd prefer.

The Preds have a great defense and Peter Laviolette is an excellent coach so I won't rule them out completely, however, I don't expect a happy ending for this year's cinderella story.

James Tanner

I think it always sucks to lose your best centre and your top scorer, there's no real way to spin this into a positive. The odds of the Preds winning certainly went down.

But, if there is a silver lining, it's that Nashville's strength is defense and depth of lineup. They aren't reliant on their #1 C as much as some other teams. So it sucks, but it shouldn't be a fatal blow. I mean, Pittsburgh is still here and a Letang injury is a bigger deal to them than an RJ injury is to Nashville - they at least have other NHL centres!!!

And, it's a pretty weak final four. Pittsburgh has the pedigree and everything, but their defense is a joke, Anaheim has hands-down the worst coach in the NHL, the Senators are the weakest team to make it this far in years.......so Nashville can still win the Cup, and, arguably, should still be the favorite.

Peter Tessier

It got a whole lot tougher to do so. What team would not want a best of three with home ice and the opposition's number centre out?

It's an ideal situation for the Ducks and the adversity the Preds need to prove they should be able to take the next step. Isn't that how good narratives go?

Probably but it means little to the Preds who have to make some serious adjustments and find ways to compensate for the loss of Johansen. Levy is going to have to get creative and the game plan will have to reflect that and a little luck is needed too. This should be fun but the pressure is now squarely on the Preds and it won't be easy.

It All Starts in Net
May 19, 2017, 1:50 PM ET [13 Comments]
"Expansionistics"
Blogger • Ed Stein • RSS • Archive • CONTACT
Building a success starts from the pipes on out. A goalie is the backbone of any hockey team, and you can't win without a good one. The merry-go-round has already started to run with both Scott Darling and Ben Bishop traded to new teams and signing contract extensions.

A majority of the players drafted by the Golden Knights won't be with the team by the time its competing for a playoff spot. Most of them probably won't be there for more than a year. Except for goalies.

One of the good things Las Vegas has going for them is that they can put a goaltending pipeline in place and establish a line of succession for when they do get good. In my mind, the Knights should take at least five goalies in the expansion draft.

Main Roster

#1 Jimmy Howard – Detroit Red Wings

Howard is known to hockey fans as top performer for the Wings and as a member of team USA. He can be the first face of the franchise which is why he will get the nod over Cam Ward. He was injured for part of the season, but still played in 26 games and posted a 2.10 GAA and .927 Save% for a bad team. At 33 years old, he still has a few years left in the tank. Howard will be a good mentor to the younger goalies in the organization.

#2A Antti Raanta – New York Rangers

The 26 year-old responded to an increasing workload with a 16-8-2 record, 2.26 GAA and .922 Save%. At times during the season it looked like he could usurp Henrik Lundqvist as the Rangers number one goalie. He is the perfect guy to ride shotgun along side Howard as he has proven that he can carry the load when the main man is out. If things work out, he could inherit the top job in a year or two.

#2B Calvin Pickard – Colorado Avalanche

Pickard took over for injured incumbent Semyon Varlamov as the Avs starter in mid-January. Although his stats weren't great, they were respectable on a horrible Colorado team. Backstopping an expansion team can't be much different. He just turned 25, so he still has time to hone his game. He would compete for the backup job with Raanta until one of them gets traded. *** Phillip Grubauer from the Caps is also an option here, He hasn't faced as much rubber as Pickard at the NHL level.

Chicago Wolves

With no players in the system, Vegas can take a few prospects to develop along the way.

Malcolm Subban – Boston Bruins

Not yet 24 years of age, the former 2012 first round draft pick looks like he might need a change of scenery. Tuuka Rask isn't leaving Boston for a few more years and the B's prefer going with a veteran in the number two spot. His minor league numbers with Providence have been better than average, but thus far he failed to win over the organization during his cameos with the big club. He could certainly compete in camp for the backup job, but another year in the AHL would be good for him.

Jordan Binnington – St. Louis Blues

Drafted the year before Subban, Jordan Binnington has been stuck behind some good goalies in the Blues organization. As of now, the Blues job belongs to Jake Allen and he should be around for quite some time. Binnington has talent will eventually be an NHL goalie. In the meantime, he can give Subban a run for his money with the Wolves.

I can see a scenario where the Golden Knights take a sixth goalie. They can act as a conduit for a netminder to change teams. For example, maybe a team can't work out an acceptable deal with Carolina for Ward or Florida for James Reimer. That team can make a deal with Vegas GM George McPhee for more acceptable terms.

Next time around , we'll look at some of the back door deals that could be happening around the draft.

Part I: Looking at Hurricanes Goaltending Depth and NHL Draft 2017
May 8, 2017, 1:01 PM ET [9 Comments]
Ben Case
Carolina Hurricanes Blogger • RSS • Archive • CONTACT
The signing of Darling for four-years at $16.6M appears to be an indication that Darling is the intended starter for the 2017-18 season. Now that the Canes have found their starter and addressed the goaltending, there are three questions: Who will be the next goalie coach, what happens with Lack/Ward and what does the depth in the AHL/ECHL look like?

I will be doing this in three parts to try and keep the articles shorter. Today is part one and will focus on what the goaltending depth looks like for the Hurricanes. Part two will look at the top-four goalie coach candidates that I believe GMRF should be interviewing. Finally, part three will evaluate how to approach Ward/Lack.

Alex Nedeljkovic was set to be a promising prospect this year; some ranked him as one of the top ten goaltending prospects coming into this season. Unfortunately, the now 21-year old goaltender struggled to find his game, as he transitioned from the OHL to his first professional season.

Looking at his AHL numbers, in 25 GP he posted a 3.40 GAA and .881 SV% which was one of the lowest in the league. He ultimately was sent to the ECHL at the end of December and remained there for most of the season. His statistics for the Florida Everblades were not much better, as he had a 2.97 GAA and .903 SV% in 12 GP. Despite not having the best season, his playoffs in the ECHL showed promise and he posted a .930 SV% and 1.97 GAA in seven games.

The likely goalie tandem for the Checkers next season would be Nedeljkovic and Altshuller. This hinges on whether GMRF decides to bring back 22-year old goalie Daniel Altshuller. He has posted very good numbers the past two seasons in the ECHL. Also, he spent a decent amount of time in the AHL and didn’t post bad enough numbers to warrant not bringing him back.

Another potential candidate for the Checkers is recently signed 19-year old goalie, Callum Booth.
The Hurricanes drafted Booth in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL draft. While I anticipate the goal is to get him plenty of time next season in the ECHL, he may surprise the coaching staff.

Currently, looking at the QMJHL playoffs, Booth is posting a 1.92 GAA and .910 SV% in fifteen games. He has helped lead the Sea Dogs to a 2-0 series lead in the President Cup Final and an overall record of 14-2, sweeping the first two rounds 4-0.

The Hurricanes also have two unsigned goaltending prospects with Jack LaFontaine and Jeremy Helvig. Both goalies are 2016 draft picks; Lafontaine was a third round pick, and Helvig was a fifth round selection. LaFontaine had a strong freshmen year at the University of Michigan and Helvig had a bit of a disappointing year in the OHL.

Looking at Booth, LaFontaine, Helvig and Altshuller, all four of them are listed as being between 6’3 and 6’4. Also, Lack is 6’4, and Darling is 6’6. Most signs point to the Hurricanes moving towards bigger framed goalies, and I think they are one more strong draft pick from having a very strong goaltending prospect foundation.

If the Hurricanes were to select the 18-year old goalie from Boston University, I think they could make another statement for their goaltending landscape and future. He is projected to go late in the first round or early in the second. I’ve seen recent mock drafts with him going early in the second round. I was surprised by Steve Kourianos with The Draft Analysis on his May 1st mock, as he had Oettinger falling into the third round. I think the prediction of early in the second round is pretty accurate, as some believe it is risky drafting goalies in the first round in recent drafts.

Jake Oettinger is 6’4 and ranked as the #1 NA goalie by NHL Central Scouting. He had an amazing freshmen year at BU and won the starting job. He put up stellar numbers in 35 GP with a 2.11 GAA and .927 SV%. Don’t forget that he also turned 18-years old in mid-December; he was the second youngest player in the NCAA putting up all-star numbers.

If he is available at the start of the second round, it might be wise of GMRF trade up to get him. He most likely will play at least two more seasons at BU, so this would give the Hurricanes a good long-term asset. It allows him plenty of time to develop, and after two more seasons in the NCAA, Oettinger would only be 20 years old going into the 2019-20 season.

Also, the Hurricanes would have plenty of time to determine the strength of Altshuller, Booth, Nedeljkovic, LaFontaine and Helvig. All six goalies would get strong opportunities for playing time throughout the two years at their respective levels as well.

LaFontaine and Oettinger would get work in the NCAA, while the other four would get to compete in the ECHL and AHL, and potentially for the Hurricanes back-up position in 2018-19. Please note, based on the NHL/CHL agreement, Helvig most likely wouldn’t play professionally until the 2018-19 season, as he will be 19 years old next season.

Ultimately, GMRF has plenty of picks to make this move a reality. Looking at the 2017 NHL draft, GMRF has a first round pick, three second round picks, and two in the third round. One should note that both the third round picks are somewhat early, as the Hurricanes pick 67th and 72nd overall. In addition to having six picks in the top 72 selections, GMRF still will have a fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh round pick too. Don’t forget the Hurricanes also have all of their 2018 and 2019 draft picks as well.

I would have zero issue if GMRF used any combination of a second and third round pick to draft Oettinger early in the second (current or 2018/2019 picks). The Hurricanes are loaded with D prospects, and this strategy still allows them to draft three promising forwards in the top 72, as they still would have the 12th overall pick, one in the second, and another in the third round remaining. The final four picks in each of the remaining rounds could be used or traded away as GMRF determines best suited.

GMRF has done a pretty good job of deepening the goaltending system in Carolina. This is one area that the Hurricanes organization didn’t do a great job with before GMRF took over. Now with five goalies under the age of 22, GMRF has cast a wide net to help secure the future of the crease.

I would expect that even if GMRF doesn’t draft Oettinger, he will still use one of his three second round picks on a goalie. This draft has about five or so goalies rumored to go in the second round or early in the third. Given this, some may say it is smarter to hold the picks and wait it out, as opposed to drafting up.

Thanks for taking some time to read, your comments are always welcomed. We will be looking at the top-four goalie coach candidates that GMRF should be calling tomorrow.

Concern Over Aaron Ekblad
May 4, 2017, 1:44 PM ET [13 Comments]
Dan Spiegel
Florida Panthers Blogger • RSS • Archive • CONTACT


After such a dismal season for the Florida Panthers, it's hard to pinpoint exactly what went wrong.

Many will say the November firing of former head coach Gerard Gallant sent this team into a mental tailspin that was irrecoverable.

Most will say former GM/interim head coach Tom Rowe quickly lost the locker room, resulting in the late season collapse that left everyone looking for scapegoats.

There are many reasons for why this season of hope turned disaster. Rowe is obviously enemy #1 in the eyes of the fan base, but it's unfair to put all the blame on him in terms of on ice results. They beat very good teams and lost to bad ones under his tutelage.

But one decision that might linger into next season and beyond is Rowe letting Aaron Ekblad play soon after he suffered his fourth career concussion late this season.

After going 5-0 on a rousing west coast road trip in February, putting the Panthers in a prime position for a playoff berth, the collapse of all collapses commenced.

So much so that in just three weeks they were all but eliminated.

When Ekblad was concussed on a cheap shot from behind by Gabriel Dumont, his season should have been over. With nothing to play for and a cornerstone player with as many concussions as he has years as a pro, rest and recuperation should have been the only thing in his future.


Not only is he important to the future of this organization, next year begins an enormous financial investment as well. Ekblad signed an 8-year, $60 million contract extension last summer.

Causing more trepidation was Ekblad showed signs of regression this year even before the concussion. His overall game looked nothing like previous seasons. Whipping boy Rowe will get all the blame for this but Ekblad didn't look good with Gallant either.

Did the security of finally getting the big contract cause the slump or is it concussions catching up to him?

In March Matt Larkin of The Hockey News wrote a great article begging the Panthers not to turn Ekblad into the next Eric Lindros. With all that is known about concussions in today's sports world, it is mystifying that Rowe decided to let Ekblad play again.

Naturally, Ekblad had a "sore neck" after his return, a symptom directly related to concussion-like issues. He mercifully never played another game.

We all know concussions are not to be taken lightly. Ekblad is only 21 years old. More important that the 60 million reasons he needs to be a star for the Panthers is his short and long-term health.

The Penguins have been overly conservative with Sidney Crosby when he has dealt with such issues. He is one of the best players in the world and they won't rush him back for anything.

Perhaps Rowe was so desperate to keep his job he was willing to risk a young player's future for the sake of a few extra wins. With the way Ekblad was playing it wouldn't have made a difference.

As the Miami Herald's George Richards reported, Rowe regretted bringing back Ekblad so early, if at all. While the honesty is appreciated, it doesn't make up for the fact that as a player gets more concussions, healing time gets longer. Long term effects become practically inevitable.

Add to this to the laundry list of reasons Panther Nation loathes Rowe, but it might be the most valid gripe in terms of this organization's future.

Hockey in the NHL can be a brutal sport. The revealed lists of injuries on each team at season's end is always eye-popping. What these players play through makes all other sports look like tiddlywinks.

But concussions are concussions. They can happen to any of us at any time. Obviously NHL players are in the line of fire to suffer such injuries much more often than most people. More problematic is how often plays resulting in concussions aren't called penalties during the game.

In Ekblad's case, past mistakes by coaches could linger into the future. Furthermore, with all the attention given to concussions in our current climate, how long before a player lets his head issues affect his mindset, which in turn affects his play?

Was that already happening with Ekblad during this down year for him statistically?

That is to be decided.

But he needs at least a full season or two without any head trauma to quell the nervousness within the organization about his future. A concussion per season is the fast track to a short career, and swift diminishing returns.

For a Florida organization that is committed to him through 2025, collective fingers are crossed.

Positional Reviews: Goalies
May 4, 2017, 1:55 PM ET [49 Comments]
John Jaeckel
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • RSS • Archive • CONTACT



OVERALL GRADE: A-

It’s almost hard to imagine giving an “A” grade to any position on a team recently (and embarrassingly) swept out of the first round of the playoffs.

But part of that embarrassment was due to having gone into the playoffs as the #1 seed in the conference, with the second best overall record in the league.

And Corey Crawford was not the reason the Hawks got swept by Nashville.

In fact, although this touches on the subject of two subsequent blogs, goaltending was arguably (actually, it wasn’t even debatable) the strength of the Blackhawks this past season. Statistically, especially through the first part of the season, the skaters were not getting the job done, and were being bailed out night after night by outstanding goaltending from Crawford and backup (and present Carolina Hurricane) Scott Darling.

The overall team came around for stretches, and the goaltending never really faltered. And those two factors, as much as anything, may explain why the Hawks finished where they did in the regular season. There were those, myself included, who really struggled to embrace this team as a potential Cup contender–in spite of its goaltending. The first round erased all doubt. Darling never saw the ice in four playoff games—Crawford never played his way off.

The losses were really on the coaching staff and the skaters. But that, like I said, is a discussion for another day (soon).

THE STATS

Crawford
55 Games
32-18-0-5 (2 shutouts)
.918 sv% 2.55 GAA

Darling
27 Games
18-5-0-5 (2 shutouts)
.921 sv% 2.38 GAA

The numbers are good enough, without question, but they’re even better when you consider that the Hawks finished ninth in the league in overall shots allowed per game at 31.4 (as in, there were only 8 teams that allowed more), and 24th on the penalty kill at 77.7%.

Sure, some of that PK number can be attributed to goaltending, yet the Hawks started the season mired in the basement of the league on the PK—when the goaltending was saving the team night after night.

LOOKING AHEAD

Goaltending now goes from a fairly significant team strength to a serious question, with the loss of Darling. As everyone knows, the current backup is an AHL journeyman named Jeff Glass. Glass is so obscure, there are actually conflicting reports on the internet as to what country he’s from. And there are literally no plausible prospects in the system as far as NHL potential in 2017-18.

My hunch is the Hawks will invite just about any goalie with significant pro experience and a set of pads to camp this fall, and they’ll battle it out for the right to back up Crawford.

Crawford is playing at a level that suggests he’s still in his prime.

There have been suggestions—in fact, I heard it from a very solid and proven source—that the team first asked Crawford to submit his list of 10 teams, before eventually deciding to move Darling. This was purely intended to ultimately save money at the position, not because anyone thought Darling was the better netminder (he isn’t), but merely that he would be good enough—and at a lower cost as a #1.

I also heard (from a separate source that I don’t know as well) that Crawford stocked his list with teams that would not be in the market for a goalie, and the dialogue between the veteran goalie, his agent, and the team was not exactly positive. Hard to say about that last bit. But if it were true, then one might wonder how solid and secure Crawford is long-term with the Hawks.

For now, the safe bet would be on his returning in net for Chicago this fall as the #1—and that would be something good to build around.

UP NEXT:

Defense, followed by forwards, then coaches.

ON EK/DROUIN REPORT:

The Hawks were strongly interested in Drouin in early 2016. While I have not heard anything about discussions recently, I would not be the least bit surprised, as Drouin brings qualities overall lacking in the Hawk forward group at present.


All for now,

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Caps Clinch Trophy No One Really Wants
April 6, 2017, 11:54 AM ET [58 Comments]
James Tanner
Washington Capitals Blogger • RSS • Archive • CONTACT
The New York Rangers sat about half their team and the Capitals cake-walked to a 2-0 in what was essentially an extended practice.

The result, as should be the case for any team with 4 x #1 defensemen on it, was clinching the President's Trophy, which, thanks to the Russians, is now a trophy people probably want to win even less than usual.

Normally, before the actual President was a criminal being investigated for treason, no one wanted to win it because it was seen as bad luck. Now, this trophy no one wants is hovering around a mind-bending 29% level of popularity!!

Ironically, the Capitals were also helped to their victory by Russians. Only these ones are signed to contracts and are actually allowed to help.

Anyways, of the 29 previous winners, eight have won the Cup, which makes sense when you think about how the Playoffs are very luck based.

The Capitals are the best team in the NHL for the third time in eight years and the second time in a row.




Six previous teams have won the Trophy in back to back years. Of those six, three of them won at least one Stanley Cup.

The odds seem to be in the Capitals favor.....but the first round match-up is going to be tricky. No one will admit to wanting to play Columbus, but their record belies the fact that they were picked by most people to finish in the basement this year.

In comparison, the Lighting and Leafs are better teams that don't have Bobrovsky. The Bruins are simply one of the best teams in the NHL. The only good situation here is the Islanders, and with Tavares out for the year, that's unlikely. All you can do at this point is close your eyes and hope the Senators finish in eighth.

The Capitals have been a Cup Contender for about a decade now, and they are starting to build a reputation as a team that can't close the deal (possibly unfair due to the luck required to win it all) but the possibility of a first-round upset can't be ignored.

I mean, the Caps are a huge favorite no matter who they play, but the thing is, after being the best team in the NHL for 164 straight games, the reward of a first round match-up against Boston or Tampa is a bit of a joke.