General

2013-14 Season Schedule Released

With the announcement of NHL players being able to compete in the Winter Olympics in Sochi, the NHL released the schedule for the upcoming 2013-13 NHL season. This season will include the Winter Classic, which was cancelled last season due to the lockout, but will include the two teams that were meant to play in the Winter Classic, the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Also included are five more outdoor games as well as the Winter Classic. Ottawa and Vancouver will contest the 2014 Tim Horton’s NHL Heritage Classic, and the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series will be four matchups, involving the Anaheim Ducks against the Los Angeles Kings at Dodger Stadium, New York Rangers versus New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers versus New York Islanders, both taking place in Yankee Stadium and Pittsburgh Penguins vs Chicago Blackhawks at Soldier Field.

There will be a break from Feb 9-25, to make way for the Winter Olympics, where the majority of NHL players will be taking part.

DATES OF IMPORTANCE

Training Camp Opens — Wednesday, Sept. 11 2013

Exhibition Games Begin — Friday, Sept. 13

Regular Season Opens — Tuesday, Oct. 1

Hall of Fame Game — Friday, Nov. 8

Christmas Break — Tuesday, Dec. 24 – Thursday, Dec. 26

2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic — Tuesday, Jan. 1 2014

Hockey Day In Canada — Saturday, Jan. 18

NHL Stadium Series — Ducks @ Kings — Saturday, Jan. 25

NHL Stadium Series — Rangers @ Devils — Sunday, Jan. 26

NHL Stadium Series — Rangers @ Islanders — Wednesday, Jan. 29

NHL Stadium Series — Penguins @ Blackhawks — Saturday, March 1

2014 Tim Horton’s NHL Heritage Classic — Senators @ Canucks — Sunday, March 2

Olympic Break — Sunday, Feb. 9 – Tuesday, Feb. 25

Last Day of Regular Season — Sunday, Apr. 13

Stanley Cup Playoffs Begin — Wednesday, Apr. 16

For full schedule details, including team by team schedules, visit NHL.com.

General

New Division Names!!

Six divisions have now become four, as the NHL released the names of the new divisions, which will be in place starting from the 2013-14 season.

The Atlantic Division will consist of: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Metropolitan Division will consist of: Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.

The Central Division will consist of: Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets.

The Pacific Division will consist of: Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks.

The Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions will make up the Eastern Conference, whilst the Central and Pacific will be the Western Conference. Detroit and Columbus are moving to the East, and Winnipeg is moving West. The schedule makes sure that all 30 teams will play in all 30 arenas at least once in the regular season.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs will still be made up of 16 teams, but qualifying for the dance has been modified. The top three from each division will automatically qualify, and the final four spots will be made up of ‘wild card’ teams from both conferences, regardless of division, meaning it is possible for one division to send five teams, and the other only send three to the playoffs.

The playoff seedings will still be based on points earned in the regular season. The winner of the conference, who will be the division winner with the highest points,  will face the wild-card team with the fewest points. Second in the conference, and the other division winner, will face the wild-card team with the second fewest points.

The four winners will advance on to play for a berth in the conference championship series, with the winner of the conference advancing to the Stanley Cup.

General

2013 NHL Entry Draft – By Team

Who did your team draft in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft? Find out by following the links below.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Anaheim Ducks
Calgary Flames
Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado Avalanche
Dallas Stars
Edmonton Oilers
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
Nashville Predators
Phoenix Coyotes
San Jose Sharks
St. Louis Blues
Vancouver Canucks
Winnipeg Jets

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
Carolina Hurricanes
Columbus Blue Jackets
Detroit Red Wings
Florida Panthers
Montreal Canadiens
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Tampa Bay Lightning
Toronto Maple Leafs
Washington Capitals

Anaheim Ducks

2013 NHL Entry Draft – Anaheim Ducks

Here is a look at whom the Anaheim Ducks drafted in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, and also any trades they may have partaken in during the draft.

Round – Pick – Player Chosen (position in brackets) – Nationality – Junior/Club/College Team

1st – 26 – Shea Theodore (D) – Canada – Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
2nd – 45 – Nick Sorensen (RW) – Denmark – Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
3rd – 87 – Keaton Thompson (D) – United States – USA U-18 (USHL)
5th – 147 – Grant Beese (RW) – United States – Benilde-St. Margaret’s High (USHS)
6th – 177 – Miro Aaltonen (C) – Finland – Espoo Blues (SM-liiga)

Chicago Blackhawks

Analyzing The Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks have had one of the best starts to not just an NHL season, but any sport. In their first 19 games, the Blackhawks have a record of 16-0-3.  That’s 16 wins, and 3 losses all via the way of a shootout. They have not lost a single game in regulation thus far. Just three years off since their Stanley Cup victory, Chicago look poised to enter this year’s playoffs as the number one seed in the Western Conference, already amassing an 8 point advantage over the second placed Anaheim Ducks. The reason they have had such an amazing start is no coincedence. it all starts with their goaltending.

Corey Crawford, through the 11 games he has started, as a GAA of 1.5, and his back-up, Ray Emery has started 8 games with a GAA of 2.08 for a combined GAA of 1.79. When you’re conceding less than two goals a game, you should be at least winning more games than you are losing, especially when your opponents have only 34 goals past your goalies.

Patrick Kane on the other hand, is leading the way on offense, with 24 points in 19 games. Being helped along by the usual suspects of Marian Hossa (9G, 6A), Jonathan Toews (7G, 8A) and Patrick Sharp (4G, 11A), Chicago have a 4th best 3.1 goals per game, and with star defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook starting to find form, it seems that the streak could last a lot longer in Chi-Town.

The UHF Tournament

The Ultimate Hockey Fighter Tournament – First Round

Welcome one and all. It is finally here, the beginning of the Ultimate Hockey Fighter Tournament. 32 of hockey’s best fighters square off in a single-elimination tournament to determine just who is the Ultimate Hockey Fighter.

Last week’s matchup results saw Bob Probert get the last punch over Jody Shelley, to advance to the second round.

This week’s matchup sees a current day fighter against a skater with over 3000 PIM to their credit.

George Parros
RW USA
Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks
6’5″ 215 lbs
4×20 NHL Fights in a season
6×15 NHL Fights in a season
152 NHL Fights 21.6 FPY

(WC) Craig Berube
LW CAN
Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders
6’1″ 221 lbs
3×20 NHL Fights in a season
6×15 NHL Fights in a season
250 NHL Fights 14.7 FPY

Why you should vote for George Parros:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pa6KpKfNlU[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP7KJceFQ2Y[/youtube]

Why you should vote for Craig Berube:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onxeeMcvzhg[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-dNwbL56-k[/youtube]

[poll id=”14″]

The UHF Tournament

The Ultimate Hockey Fighter Tournament – Third Draw Reveal

This is the third of four UHF Tournament draw reveals, which will determine the 32 men entered. The following eight men will make up the third quarter of the draw. So, without further adieu, let me introduce to you, the third group of 8 men to be announced, in the UHF Tournament.

Third Draw Reveal Intro Music

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