RLD Hockey Talk - Episode 20 - 6/8/10

We will have Anthony Curatolo and Buddy Oakes as our co-hosts. Two great guests will join us! Draft prospect Nick Bjugstad and agent Jay Grossman are scheduled to be our guests. We'll also touch on the ongoing Stanley Cup Final, and whether will skate the Cup tomorrow... or if a Game 7 will be necessary. You don't want to miss this one!



Click Here to Listen to Jay Grossman on RLD Hockey Talk

Former Devils coach Jacques Lemaire defends decisions made during season

Jacques Lemaire believes the Devils could still be playing hockey this spring.

During almost a month of vacation in Florida since he announced his retirement on April 26, Lemaire has watched the Stanley Cup playoffs and feels the Devils could have been the team coming out of the Eastern Conference.

“We all tried to find the reason why we lost. That’s normal,” Lemaire told The Star-Ledger today. “But criticism shouldn’t be part of trying to find what we could have done differently. To me you have to be objective.”

Lemaire has come under criticism from several Devils players, including captain Jamie Langenbrunner, for the way he handled several team matters during the second half of the season.

Click Here to Read Full Article

Kovalchuk hits, scores -- and wins

Please excuse Ilya Kovalchuk if his emotions sometimes get in the way of his spectacular moves and blistering shot.

"I'm an emotional guy and I should stay away from some of that stuff in front of the net, but you have to play tough so sometimes things happen out there," Kovalchuk said.

Players and fans of the New Jersey Devils saw another side of their prized midseason acquisition on Friday night in a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Round at Prudential Center.

Kovalchuk not only produced an empty-net goal, a pair of assists and a plus-2 rating, he also took a game-high six minutes in penalties on the way to earning his first Stanley Cup Playoff victory in six career games.

"It's nice," Kovalchuk said of leaving a playoff game as a winner for the first time. "That's what the playoffs are about. I knew I was going to win at some point. When we come to the rink tonight, we had no doubt in our minds we were going to win. We battled hard; we were down a goal twice and came back to win. It was great teamwork and everyone battled so hard and Marty (Brodeur) made unbelievable save in the third period and (Dainius Zubrus) scored a great goal.


Click Here to Read Full Article

Preds win battle of Finnish goaltenders

CHICAGO -- Patrick Sharp couldn't believe his luck when he grabbed a turnover at the Nashville blue line in the first period of Friday's playoff opener between the Predators and Chicago Blackhawks.



It was the end of a shift, but Sharp took the puck and bolted for the net. Waiting there was Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne. It looked like Sharp had an opening -- but Rinne made the save of the night by poke-checking the puck harmlessly to the corner as Sharp went to shoot.


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Nashville Gamebreaker: Pekka Rinne

It goes without saying that goaltender is a focal point for every playoff team, but for the low-scoring, defense-first Nashville Predators, the position's importance becomes elevated even further.

In their 11th season, the Predators will make their fifth postseason appearance this week –- also their fifth in the last six seasons -- and they will do so with their fourth different goalie.

This time, 27-year-old Pekka Rinne will make his debut as a No. 1 playoff netminder and he will enter the postseason among the League's hottest goalies. Over his final 14 games, the 6-foot-5 Rinne went 10-3-1, posting four shutouts.


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Agent tightlipped about Ilya Kovalchuk’s future

Ilya Kovalchuk’s agent, Jay Grossman, declined to comment today on whether there has been any contract talks with the Devils since they acquired Kovalchuk on Feb. 4 or whether Kovalchuk is even willing to talk about a new contract at this late stage in the regular season.

Kovalchuk, who will turn 27 on April 15, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1...


Continue Reading: http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/agent_tightlipped_about_ilya_kovalchuks_future/

The Vanderbeek Era: High Times for Hockey in Jersey

The New Jersey Devils have risen to the top of the hockey world, cracking the top ten on Forbes’ list of the most valuable hockey teams. They have been dubbed an “exemplary” team by countless hockey experts as well as “one of the NHL’s best models of success.”

Jeff Vanderbeek has grown accustomed to having such positive acclaim come his way, first in the business world and now as the Devils’ majority owner. He strives to reward his team’s hard work and dedication by giving back to his home state in the form of a sports franchise that it can proudly call its own.

Representing New Jersey is hardly a challenge for Vanderbeek, who grew up in Somerville. He understands that local sports fans want affordable ticket packages, reasonable prices on everything from food to merchandise, and a pleasant game-day experience.

Continue Reading: http://sports.argorps.com/?p=375

Elliotte Friedman Examines Team Russia's Disappointing Performance At The Olympics With Commentary From Sergei Zubov

Youtube.com User: Hockeyhaven76

Devils impressed by Ilya Kovalchuk's unselfish play on empty net goal

Ilya Kovalchuk's skills as one of the NHL's most dynamic offensive players have impressed the Devils since long before he was acquired in a Feb. 4 trade with the Atlanta Thrashers.

What Kovalchuk did in the final seconds of Saturday night's victory over the Montreal Canadiens, however, may have been most impressive of all.

With the Devils leading by a goal and Canadiens goaltender Jaroslav Halak on the bench for an extra skater, Kovalchuk was looking at an empty net with just over 10 seconds remaining. Instead of shooting, he dropped the puck back for linemate Brian Rolston, who fired it in to put the game away.

Why did he give the puck up?

Continue Reading: http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2010/03/post_12.html

Samuelsson, Stempniak and Rinne named '3 Stars'

Mikael Samuelsson was disappointed at not being named to Sweden's Olympic team. He's taking out his frustration on the Vancouver Canucks' opponents.

At age 33, Samuelsson is having a career season, including a week that saw him get his first NHL hat trick and finish with 6 goals and 10 points in four games to help the Canucks go 3-0-1 while completing the longest road trip in NHL history and returning home with a pair of victories. That effort earned him NHL First Star of the Week honors.

Continue Reading: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=521426

KuklasKorner: An e-mail Interview with Jay Grossman

I was lucky enough this weekend to do an e-mail interview with a hockey agent that is very much in the know when it comes to our sport - Jay Grossman.

Jay was kind enough to take time out of his extremely busy schedule and tell us about how he got into the game, what players he has represented, a little bit about his company as welel as some thoughts on how teams can succeed in this salary cap world.

PH: How did you get into hockey?
JG: I started representing NHL players when I joined Art Kaminsky’s firm, Athletes and Artists in 1985. I was referred to the firm by A and A clients Herb Brooks and 1984 US Olympic Coach Lou Vairo. I had worked for Herb for 2 years with the NY Rangers from 1983-85 while I was still an undergraduate at Union College. MSG President Sonny Werblin (a family friend, as my sister Leah was born at a Rangers’ playoff game in 1978) and GM Craig Patrick hired me and I developed the Rangers first video analysis program, which was in its infancy and something I had picked up from another great mentor in Roger Neilson, Captain Video. I worked for Roger when he coached the Canucks to the NHL finals against the NY Islanders and worked at his hockey schools for seven summers as well.

Continue Reading: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/glr/comments/an_e_mail_interview_with_jay_grossman/

Devils Witnessing Post-Kovalchuk Trade Attendance Boost

When the Devils traded for Ilya Kovalchuk last month, they were aiming to improve their hockey team, not necessarily their attendance marks.

While the results haven't come on the ice in results of wins and losses just yet, it certainly has in the attendance so far.

Continue Reading: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/362408-devils-witnessing-post-kovalchuk-trade-attendance-boost

Expectations in Jersey exciting for Kovalchuk

Bill Kostroun / AP



NEWARK, N.J. -- Ilya Kovalchuk doesn't require the Vladimir Zharkov shuttle service to and from Prudential Center anymore. That's good news considering Kovalchuk has had to tell his younger Russian teammate to slow his Porsche down a few times.

The Devils left wing finally got his car earlier this week after having it shipped from Atlanta. He also has his own apartment in Hoboken and as soon his wife, Nicole, gives birth (she's due any day now), he will be all set up just in time for the fun to begin.

Kovalchuk has a different air about him as spring gets set to dawn because instead of trying to scratch and claw with the Thrashers just to make early April games mean something, he is scratching and clawing with the Devils so they can secure home-ice advantage and perhaps the Atlantic Division title.

Continue Reading: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=521224&cmpid=rss-rosen

Shirokov's goal helps Moose eke out OT win over Griffins

The inconsistent Manitoba Moose are back on the winning track.

The Moose snapped a two-game losing streak with a 2-1 overtime win over the Grand Rapids Griffins in AHL action on Saturday night at Van Andel Arena. Mario Bliznak, celebrating his 23rd birthday, potted the winner with 1:05 left in the extra frame.

Continue Reading: http://www.winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/2010/03/07/13140556.html

Evgeny Dadonov's 2 goals help Amerks cruise past Adirondack

Michal Repik scored two goals in the third period and Evgeny Dadonov added two goals, including the winner, to lead the Rochester Americans to a 5-2 victory over Adirondack Friday at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

Continue Reading: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100306/SPORTS02/3060332

Getting to know ... Anton Volchenkov

The Volchenkov File

Born: Moscow

Age: 28 (Feb. 25, 1982)

Marital status: Married

Size: 6-1, 226 pounds

Position: Defence, No. 24

Previous teams: Binghamton Senators (AHL), Soviet Wings (Russian Super League)


Continue Reading: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Getting+know+Anton+Volchenkov/2651236/story.html

Amerks Raise Close To $4,700 For Tuite Family

(Rochester, March 4)... A crowd of people swarmed the front of Shamrock Jack's Wednesday night to get a look at the restaurant's four new employees. Decked out in green Amerks T-shirts, complete with their numbers and a shamrock, Tyler Plante, Steve MacIntyre, Luke Beaverson and Evgeny Dadonov of the Rochester Americans took food and drink orders to raise money for an education fund for the Tuite family.
"Those guys are great," said Shamrock Jack's co-owner Mike Petzing. "They are entertaining on and off the ice. They had fun but took it very serious and interacted with the kids that showed up for autographs. They are a great group of guys with big hearts."

Continue Reading: http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3971079

Predators ink Rinne to a two-year, $6.8M deal

The Nashville Predators have seemingly picked their goaltender going forward.

TSN has confirmed that the club has signed Pekka Rinne to a two-year, $6.8 million contract. The deal will reportedly pay Rinne $2.8 million in 2010-11, and $4 million in 2011-12.

The move keeps Rinne from reaching unrestricted free agency.

Continue Reading: http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=311320

Olympics » Ilya Kovalchuk: "At the Olympics you should shove your 'I' up a certain place"

Ilya Kovalchuk talked about the bad powerplay of team Russia in the 2010 Olympic Hockey Tournament, the changes that the team will undergo for the next game against Czech Republic and his ice time in an interview to the Russian newspaper Sovietskiy Sport.


Continue Reading: http://www.russianhockeyfans.com/team-russia/ilya-kovalchuk-at-the-olympics-you-should-shove-your-i-up-a-certain-place-148.html