Henrik Rybinski

NHL

NHL: French Should Not Be the Biggest Hurdle Facing Next Habs Coach

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: May 8, 2012

When Randy Cunneyworth was promoted last December as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens to replace the fired Jacques Martin, one of the biggest questions was not whether he had the hockey knowledge or if he could motivate his players. No, the big question was: can he speak French? The answer is “no,” and the...

NHL

NHL: Revolving Door Spins in Possible Coyotes Sale

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: May 7, 2012

Where have we heard this before? Oh, yes: first it was Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer, now it’s San Jose Sharks (former) president and CEO Greg Jamison who is spearheading an attempt to buy the Phoenix Coyotes. An annoucement of some sort is expected before Monday night’s Game 5 versus the Nashville Predators. So who is...

NHL

NHL: After Surgery, Olli Jokinen Still Has Value

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: May 4, 2012

On July 1, Olli Jokinen will be an unrestricted free agent. The center is currently recovering from abdominal surgery; the Calgary Flames, his current team, issued a press release stating the condition had been ongoing since March 22 when Jokinen noticed something was wrong while playing against the Minnesota Wild. Rehab time has been estimated...

NHL

NHL: Gillis, Roberts Ensure Hodgson Stays A Hot Topic

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: May 2, 2012

The trading of Cody Hodgson to the Buffalo Sabres created a lot of friction. The Earth moved under the Canucks fans’ feet on Monday, February 27, 2012 when the deal became known, and the reverberations are still being felt today. On the day it happened, the Vancouver faithful made their views known. They weren’t happy...

NHL

NHL: Senators Owner Fires First Shots In Erik Karlsson Sweepstakes

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: May 1, 2012

Eugene Melnyk is no stranger to negotiation. As founder of the specialty pharmaceutical giant Biovail Corporation, he’s accustomed to not only getting what he wants but getting it at a good price too. Along with a horse-racing stable in Florida, Melnyk is also the owner of two small-market hockey teams: the Mississisauga St. Michael’s Majors...

NHL

NHL: Once Thought Untradeable, Canucks’ Luongo Now in Demand

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: April 30, 2012

When he was signed to a 12-year, $64-million “deal” by the Vancouver Canucks, many thought the door was closed on goaltender Roberto Luongo. “No club will ever want to take on a contract with that kind of length or price,” they said. They are now discovering how the market works. It’s simple: supply and demand....

NHL

Canucks Gone, Luongo, Schneider Saga Rolls On

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: April 24, 2012

The Canucks are over, but the goalie saga rolls on and on. Frank Doyle reports. It looked like a changing of the guard in Vancouver when Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault chose to leave Roberto Luongo on the bench for the Cancucks’ Game 4 against the Kings. But now the Canucks are out of the...

NHL

Canucks Stop Sweep as Schneider Replaces Luongo

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: April 19, 2012

It looks like the Luongo era is ending and the Schneider era beginning in Vancouver. Frank Doyle reports. Has the two year debate over Cory or Roberto finally reached its end game? With their backs to the wall and staring at the prospect of being the first President’s Trophy winners to get swept out of...

NHL

Torres' Hit on Hossa Another Headache for Shanahan

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: April 18, 2012

Another night, another stretcher case in the playoffs. Frank Doyle reports. In the NFL, they call it “clipping the dummy.” Every player on the field is fair game to get blocked once the ball is snapped. Mostly, they’re left alone, because what’s the point? There’s plenty of hits to made over the sixty minutes. But...

NHL

Flyers, Pens Fight Renew Violence in Hockey Debate

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: April 17, 2012

Frank Doyle drops his gloves and gets stuck in to another annual violence in hockey debate. The Rashomon effect is in full force in the NHL Playoffs. Rashomon is the Kurosawa movie from 1950 in which a violent crime is recounted from four completely different points of view. Everybody saw the crime, but nobody recounts...

NHL

NHL: Nail Yakupov has the Hunger of a Number One Pick

• Al Dannity

• Last Updated: April 16, 2012

With Columbus missing out on the top pick despite a valiant Fail for Nail campaign, Nail Yakupov’s status as the first player picked in the NHL Entry Draft went from ‘sure thing’ to ‘highly probable’. Hardly a staggering collapse but Al Dannity says Yakupov is doing all the right things to ensure his name is...

NHL

NHL Playoffs: Predators Keen To Clip Veteran Red Wings

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: April 13, 2012

Before this series started, it was easy to frame this matchup: the Detroit Red Wings and the Nashville Predators are two teams who appear to be going in different directions. The Predators are young and strong and have a great goalie in net; the Red Wings are older and more experienced, and their goalie has...

NHL

NHL Playoffs: High-Flying Blues Meet Slumping Sharks

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: April 12, 2012

Unlike other seasons, the San Jose Sharks had to scratch and claw their way into the playoffs this time. Previously, they were far more used to winning the Pacific Division and grabbing a top seed (usually third) and getting home-ice advantage on their various opponents. Even with those benefits, the Sharks have never won even...

NHL

NHL Playoffs – Toews' Return to Help Blackhawks at Coyotes?

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: April 12, 2012

Frank Doyle previews the Western Series between #3 Phoenix and #6 Chicago! So how about them ‘Yotes? Of all the surprising teams in the playoffs this year, Phoenix is the one that was hardest to see coming. All year, whenever people talk about a second Toronto franchise or a franchise in Hamilton or Quebec, people...

NHL

NHL Playoffs: Net Assets Will Fuel Canucks-Kings Matchup

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: April 11, 2012

These guys have done this before: the last time they met in the playoffs, it was two seasons ago. The Vancouver Canucks tallied 103 points and won the Northwest Division title, while the Los Angeles Kings wrapped up their own tidy 101-point effort. It was a close series then, with the Canucks taking it in...

NHL

NHL Playoffs: Expect War In Penguins-Flyers Series

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: April 11, 2012

Of all the matchups in the Eastern Conference, the best-of-seven between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers is anticipated to be the most acrimonious. Based on the bad blood spilled in the regular season between these divisional and state rivals, this Battle of Pennsylvania won’t be taking any prisoners. Accusations of dirty play were...

NHL

NHL Playoffs: New Jersey To Bedevil Underdog Panthers

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: April 10, 2012

The last week of the NHL regular season contained some surprises for hockey fans, one of those being the unexpected result of the Florida Panthers capturing the Southeast Division championship and grabbing the third seed in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers hadn’t seen the post-season since 2000, yet here they are with their 94 points...

NHL

NHL: Draft Lottery has Teams Planning for Next Season

• Al Dannity

• Last Updated: April 10, 2012

We don’t know who is going to win the Stanley Cup but one winner will be crowned tonight. The NHL Draft Lottery will see one of five teams emerge with the brightest hope for tomorrow. Al Dannity explains what we can expect at tonight’s event. A quick primer Unlike its NBA equivalent, the NHL Draft...

NHL

NHL Playoffs: Capitals Face Defending Champion Bruins

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: April 9, 2012

Most observers expected the Boston Bruins would be facing the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the playoffs. Then the Sens lost three in a row, the Washington Capitals scored back-to-back victories and the Florida Panthers won their way into the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Now it’s Washington which draws the unenviable...

NHL

NHL Playoffs: Rangers Must Confront Surprising Senators

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: April 8, 2012

They came within a game of winning the President’s Trophy, but that doesn’t matter now. The New York Rangers proved themselves to be the class of the Eastern Conference, and in the first round of the playoffs they will face an Ottawa Senators team which has confounded almost all predictions. The Broadway Blueshirts benefited from...