2008/2009 FANTASY HOCKEY

<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/proicehockey/1/H/F/J/140651198.jpg" alt="Jarome Iginla" /></p> <p>The folks who generate <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/rumorcentral/a/Nhl-Trade-Rumors-Updated-Regularly.htm">NHL trade rumors</a> get full marks for volume.</p> <p>But creativity is sadly lacking.</p> <p>You hardly ever see a real trade rumor anymore.</p> <p>A <em>real</em> rumor is one that names two teams and at least one guy from each team:</p> <p><em>Sources say the Sidewinders could trade goaltender Gord Hudpucker to the Lawnmowers, for a package that includes forward Stumpy Brillo.</em></p> <p>These days, most rumors are merely lists of players said to be available and teams believed to be interested.</p> <p>And most such lists are entirely predictable, especially as the trade deadline approaches.</p> <ul> <li>Teams headed to the playoffs are "buyers."</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Teams likely to miss the playoffs are "sellers."</li> </ul> <ul> <li>The sellers could move any player headed for unrestricted free agency, anyone over 30 who's not scoring much, and anyone who makes too much money.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>From that list, take the biggest names and link them to the top five teams in the standings.</li> </ul> <p>Stick to those rules, and you'll guess most of the daily rumors without looking them up.</p> <p>Not much intrigue to it. This is the era of rumor-by-number.</p> <p>With that said, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/rumorcentral/a/Nhl-Trade-Rumors-March-18-13.htm">here's the latest</a>.</p> <p><em>(Photo: Jeff Gross/Getty Images)</em></p>NHL Trade Rumor-by-Number originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Monday, March 18th, 2013 at 19:10:15.Permalink | Comment | Email this

<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/proicehockey/1/H/E/J/163420957.jpg" alt="Red Wings versus Blue Jackets" /></p> <p>The NHL has shuffled the deck.</p> <p>When you check the standings next season, you'll see four divisions instead of six, with teams divided into groups we've never seen before.</p> <p>The idea is to reduce travel and time-zone hopping, and take better advantage of geographic rivalries.</p> <p>But the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/nhlnewsscoresstats/a/Nhl-Realignment-2013-14.htm">2013-14 divisional realignment</a> represents a major makeover for the NHL.</p> <p>The schedule changes, a "wild card" twist gets added to the playoff race, and there's a new method for seeding of the 16 playoff teams.</p> <p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/nhlnewsscoresstats/a/Nhl-Realignment-2013-14.htm">Read more...</a></p> <p>See also:</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/nhlnewsscoresstats/a/New-Nhl-Conference-Alignment-For-2012-13-Season.htm">A History of NHL Divisions and Conferences</a>: Alignment and realignment since 1917. </li> </ul> <p><em>Photo: Drew Miller and the Red Wings head East next season, along with Sergei Bobrovsky and the Blue Jackets. (Kirk Irwin/Getty Images).</em></p>A New Look for the NHL Standings and the Playoff Bracket originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Thursday, March 14th, 2013 at 17:45:02.Permalink | Comment | Email this

<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/proicehockey/1/H/D/J/53065131.jpg" alt="Bobby Orr as a Boston Bruins rookie in October of 1966" /></p> <p>If you're new to hockey, you'll want to get acquainted with the giants of the game.</p> <p>That search will inevitably lead you to Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, and Mario Lemieux.</p> <p>Are they the best players in hockey history?</p> <p>That's a problematic question in a sport that dates back to the 1800s.</p> <p>There aren't many left who saw the prime years of players like Maurice Richard and Gordie Howe, let alone a guy like Howie Morenz, who starred in the 1920s and 1930s.</p> <p>But if you're looking for men who defined and dominated the NHL as we know it today, the Big Three stand head and shoulders above the rest.</p> <ul> <li>Video Profile: <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://video.about.com/proicehockey/Profile-of-Bobby-Orr.htm">Bobby Orr</a></li> <li>Video Profile: <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://video.about.com/proicehockey/Profile-of-Wayne-Gretzky.htm">Wayne Gretzky</a></li> <li>Video Profile: <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://video.about.com/proicehockey/Profile-of-Mario-Lemieux.htm">Mario Lemieux</a></li> </ul> <p>See also:<br /> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/waynegretzky/a/The-Wayne-Gretzky-Page.htm">Wayne Gretzky Bio, Career Stats, NHL Records, and More</a><br /> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/history/p/mario_lemieux.htm">Mario Lemieux Bio and Career Highlights</a><br /> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/history/Hockey_History_and_Research.htm">More Hockey History</a><br /> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://video.about.com/proicehockey/">More Hockey Videos from About.com</a></p> <p><em>Photo: Bobby Orr as a Boston Bruins rookie in October of 1966 (Hulton Archive/Getty Images).</em></p>The Triumvirate of the Modern NHL originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Monday, March 11th, 2013 at 08:45:53.Permalink | Comment | Email this

<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/proicehockey/1/H/C/J/163279299.jpg" alt="Blackhawks Celebrate Goal" /></p> <p>In hockey, as in any sport, a team can go on a winning streak or a losing streak.</p> <p>Such streaks are self-evident, with no need for explanation or qualification.</p> <p>In sports that accept a tie as a result, a team can also go "undefeated" or "winless" for a while.</p> <p>Which brings us to the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers and the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks.</p> <p>Back in '79-'80, the Flyers rang up <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/hockeyhistoryfaq/f/Longest-Unbeaten-Streak-in-NHL-History.htm">an undefeated streak for the ages</a>.</p> <p> <a href =http://proicehockey.about.com/b/a/259234.htm><!--#echo var="lbrm" -->...</a>Can the 2013 Blackhawks Challenge the '79-'80 Flyers? The NHL Says No. originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Friday, March 8th, 2013 at 08:55:30.Permalink | Comment | Email this

<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/proicehockey/1/H/B/J/153193410.jpg" alt="Seth Jones has reportedly emerged as the top commodity available at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. " /></p> <p>It's a good year for draft junkies.</p> <p>If you love the rumors, speculation, and runaway optimism of the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/prospects/a/NHL-Draft-Guide.htm">NHL Entry Draft</a>, the league did you a favor with its <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/nhlnewsscoresstats/a/2012-13-Nhl-Lockout-Ends-January-6-2013.htm">2013 collective agreement</a>.</p> <p>The new CBA adds a new level of intrigue to the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/prospects/a/Nhl-Draft-Lottery.htm">NHL Draft Lottery</a>.</p> <p>The redesigned lottery gives nearly half the teams in the league a shot at the coveted number-one draft pick.</p> <p>In previous years, the lottery winner jumped no more than four spots in the draft order.</p> <p>(As an example, the Devils won the lottery in 2011. Because they were originally set to pick eighth, they could only move up to number four.)</p> <p>That restriction is gone.</p> <p>As of this year, the team winning the draft lottery leaps straight to the top.</p> <p>If the 2013 lottery took place today, a traditional fat cat like the Flyers would have a crack at the top pick.</p> <p>Or, thanks to trades with the Rangers and Kings, the Columbus Blue Jackets could end up with the first <em>two</em> picks.</p> <p>How's that for a final twist to your NHL season?</p> <p>The lottery remains "weighted," giving the worst teams the best chances.</p> <p>Each team's odds of winning the lottery are unchanged.</p> <p>The only part of the lottery that's changed is the most important part: the prize you claim if your number comes up.</p> <p>That makes the NHL Draft Lottery a new wild card in always tricky business of building a champion.</p> <p>See also:<br /> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/prospects/a/Nhl-Draft-Lottery.htm">Rules Governing the NHL Draft Lottery</a><br /> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/prospects/a/nhl-draft-lottery-results.htm">NHL Draft Lottery Results Since 1995</a></p> <p><em>Photo: Seth Jones has reportedly emerged as the top commodity available at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images).</em></p>The New Draft Lottery is the NHL's New Wild Card originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Monday, March 4th, 2013 at 20:50:15.Permalink | Comment |

<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/proicehockey/1/H/9/J/52438577.jpg" alt="Terry Sawchuk playing for the Red Wings in the 1950s." /></p> <p>After winning a couple more on the weekend, the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks have claimed <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/hockeyhistoryfaq/f/Whats-The-Greatest-Start-To-A-Season-In-Nhl-History.htm">a place in the NHL record book</a>.</p> <p>15-0-3 to open the season. It's never been done before.</p> <p>True, the NHL has changed how it decides games and <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/learnthegame/a/nhl_standings.htm">calculates the standings</a> in recent years, by adding regular-season overtime and <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/rules/a/shootout_debate_2.htm">shootouts</a>.</p> <p>Chicago's streak includes a pair of wins in overtime, a couple more in the shootout, and three shootout losses.</p> <p>Under the old system, all those games would have gone down as ties, giving the Blackhawks an 11-0-7 mark.</p> <p>Making that adjustment still leaves them with at least a point in 18 straight games.</p> <p>So even compared to previous eras, it's the hottest start in NHL history.</p> <p>That sort of unquestionable record is a rarity in the hockey world.</p> <p>Many NHL records are relatively meaningless these days, especially playoff records and "all-time" marks.</p> <p>There might have been a time when the record book told a plausible story of the league's greatest players and greatest teams.</p> <p>But that time is fading.</p> <p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/history/a/The-Futility-Of-all-Time-Nhl-Records.htm">Read more...</a></p> <p><em>Photo: Terry Sawchuk, shown playing for the Red Wings in the 1950s, is among the greatest goaltenders in NHL history. But he barely gets a mention in the record book (Pictorial Parade/Getty Images).</em></p> Does An "All-Time" NHL Record Really Tell a Story for All Time? originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Monday, February 25th, 2013 at 13:53:33.Permalink | Comment | Email this

<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/proicehockey/1/H/8/J/109358715.jpg" alt="A Hat Trick at a New York Islanders Game, February 21, 2011" /></p> <p>Time to address some of hockey's perennial mysteries.</p> <p>Today, we bring you answers to a few of the game's most commonly asked questions.</p> <p>New fans, in particular, often write to ask:</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/history/f/canadiens_habs.htm">What's a Hab?</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/hockeyfaqsandtrivia/f/goalie_unmasked.htm">Who was the Last Goalie to Play Without a Mask?</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/hockeyfaqsandtrivia/f/hat_trick.htm">Why is a Three-Goal Game Called a Hat Trick?</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/hockeyfaqsandtrivia/f/most_goals_game.htm">What's the Most Goals Ever Scored in an NHL Game?</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/history/f/detroit_octopus.htm">What's the Origin of the Detroit Red Wings' Octopus?</a></li> </ul> <p>See also:<br /> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/hockeyfaq/Hockey_FAQ_Frequently_Asked_Questions_About_the_Game.htm">More Hockey FAQs</a><br /> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/hockeyhistoryfaq/Hockey_History_FAQ.htm">Hockey History FAQs</a></p> <p><em>Photo: An Islanders Ice Girl deals with the fallout of another three-goal game. (Paul Bereswill/Getty Images).</em></p>Hockey's Burning Questions originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Wednesday, February 20th, 2013 at 12:25:09.Permalink | Comment |

<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/proicehockey/1/H/7/J/142328811.jpg" alt="Is T.J. Oshie of the St. Louis Blues a 2014 Olympian?" /></p> <p>Canadians like to brag that they could send two mens' hockey teams to the Winter Olympics, and both would have a pretty good shot at winning gold.</p> <p>That's arguably true, and mostly irrelevant.</p> <p>Canada's celebrated depth comes into play if injuries strike in the days and weeks leading up to the tournament.</p> <p>But when the Games start, you don't earn points for the quality of the guys you left home.</p> <p>Cut each national pool down to a single team, and the skill difference between Canada and the United States becomes very thin.</p> <p>For starters, the Americans will head to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games with what might be the world's best goaltending tandem.</p> <p>That's the best news you could hope for in a short tournament with single-elimination playoff games.</p> <p>So who else should represent the United States in the quest to turn a 2010 silver medal into a 2014 gold?</p> <p>Here are <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/olympichockey/a/2014-usa-projected-olympic-hockey-roster.htm">23 early picks for Team USA</a>.</p> <p>See also: <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/olympichockey/a/2014-canada-projected-olympic-hockey-roster.htm">A Projected Team Canada Roster for 2014</a>.</p> <p><em>Photo: Is T.J. Oshie a 2014 Olympian? (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)</em></p>Who Can Turn 2010 Silver into 2014 Gold for Team USA? originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Thursday, February 14th, 2013 at 12:11:05.Permalink | Comment | Email this

<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/proicehockey/1/H/6/J/138201598.jpg" alt="Logan Couture at the 2012 NHL All Star weekend" /></p> <p>Crosby, Toews, and Weber can't play every shift.</p> <p>So when it's time to roll out the third and fourth line, or when injuries create a lot of ice time for the seventh defenseman, who do you want on your bench?</p> <p>With the 2014 Winter Olympics one year away, that's the real question facing Canada.</p> <p>Assuming the NHL agrees to participate - and the signs look good - Team Canada has many tough choices to make.</p> <p>Those questions aren't at the top of the roster. You could list eight or ten names that just about everyone in the country will agree on.</p> <p>The competition for jobs is in the lower range of the depth chart.</p> <p>That's where names like Eberle, Hall, Seguin, Getzlaf, Lucic, Letang, Boyle, and Fleury will generate much debate in the months ahead.</p> <p>Here's out first crack at the projected <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/olympichockey/a/2014-canada-projected-olympic-hockey-roster.htm">2014 Team Canada Olympic roster</a>.</p> <p>See also: <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/olympichockey/a/olympic-2010-guide.htm">The Olympic Hockey Guide</a></p> <p><em>Photo: Is Logan Couture good enough to play for Canada in 2014? He just might be. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images).</em></p>Canada's Olympic Hockey Team: Do You Know Your Fourth Line? originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Monday, February 11th, 2013 at 18:28:52.Permalink | Comment |

<img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/proicehockey/1/H/5/J/160351804.jpg" alt="Brad Marchand and Bruins Fans Celebrate" /> <p>It ought to be simple.</p> <p>Keeping track of wins and losses, letting the numbers decide who is better than who.</p> <p>That's what the standings are all about.</p> <p>But it turns out that every sport is different when it comes to ranking its teams.</p> <p>The <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/learnthegame/a/nhl_standings.htm">NHL standings</a> might be the strangest of all, with its infamous "loser point."</p> <p>Thanks to <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/nhlnewsscoresstats/a/NHL-Lockout-2012-The-Latest.htm">the lockout</a>, this NHL season is a mad dash instead of a marathon.</p> <p>The shortened schedule has many predicting that teams will be bunched within a few points of each other when the final standings are set on April 27.</p> <p>With that in mind, here's a review of how the numbers are crunched:</p> <p><strong><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/learnthegame/a/nhl_standings.htm">The NHL Standings Explained</a></strong><br /> <strong><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/learnthegame/f/standings_tie.htm">How the NHL Breaks a Tie in the Standings</a></strong></p> <p><em>Photo: Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins are atop the Eastern Conference, but just five points clear of ninth place. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images).</em></p>The NHL Standings Explained originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Tuesday, February 5th, 2013 at 14:20:30.Permalink | Comment | Email this