IIHF

2014 Winter Olympics Rosters – Finland

Here is the roster for Finland for the Winter Olympics in Sochi:

Teams play in the National Hockey League (NHL) unless otherwise stated.

KEY: Player Name, Team, History At Olympics

FORWARDS

Juhamatti Aaltonen, Oulun Karpat (SM-liiga) (1st appearance)
Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers (1st appearance)
Mikael Granlund, Minnesota Wild (1st appearance)
*Jarkko Immonen, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL) (2nd appearance – 6GP 0G 0A 0PIM)
Jussi Jokinen, Pittsburgh Penguins (2nd appearance – 8GP 1G 3A 2PIM)
Olli Jokinen, Winnipeg Jets (4th appearance – 18 GP 11G 4A 4PIM)
Leo Komarov, HC Dynamo Moscow (KHL) (1st appearance)
Petri Kontiola, Traktor Chelyalinsk (KHL) (1st appearance)
Lauri Korpikoski, Phoenix Coyotes (1st appearance)
Jori Lehterä, HC Sibir Novosibirsk (KHL) (1st appearance)
Antti Pihlström, Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL) (1st appearance)
Tuomo Ruutu, Carolina Hurricanes (2nd appearance – 6GP 1G 0A 2PIM)
**Sakari Salminen, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL) (1st appearance)
Teemu Selänne, Anaheim Ducks (6th appearance – 31GP 20G 17A 20PIM)

DEFENSEMEN

Juuso Hietanen, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL) (1st appearance)
Lasse Kukkonen, Ouklun Karpat (SM-liiga) (3rd appearance – 8GP 0G 1A 4PIM)
Sami Lepistö, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (KHL) (2nd appearance – 6GP 0G 1A 6PIM)
Olli Määttä, Pittsburgh Penguins (1st appearance)
Sami Salo, Tampa Bay Lightning (4th appearance – 16GP 2G 4A 4PIM)
Kimmo Timonen, Philadelphia Flyers (5th appearance – 24GP 3G 8A 8PIM)
Sami Vatanen, Anaheim Ducks (1st appearance)
Ossi Väänänen, Jokerit (SM-liiga) (2nd appearance – 2GP OG 1A 0PIM)

GOALIES

Kari Lehtonen, Dallas Stars (1st appearance)
Antti Niemi, San Jose Sharks (1st appearance)
Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins (1st appearance)

*replaces Valtteri Filppula, Tampa Bay Lightning on the roster due to injury
**replaces Mikko Koivu, Minnesota Wild on the roster due to injury

IIHF

2014 Winter Olympics Rosters – United States

Here is the roster for the United States for the Winter Olympics in Sochi:

Teams play in the National Hockey League (NHL) unless otherwise stated.

KEY: Player Name, Team, History At Olympics

FORWARDS

David Backes, St. Louis Blues (2nd appearance – 6GP 1G 2A 2PIM)
Dustin Brown, Los Angeles Kings (2nd appearance – 6GP 0G 0A 0PIM)
Ryan Callahan, New York Rangers (2nd appearance – 6GP 0G 1A 2PIM)
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (2nd appearance – 6GP 3G 2A 2PIM)
Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks (2nd appearance – 6GP 2G 0A 2PIM)
Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs (2nd appearance – 6GP 1G 1A 0PIM)
T.J. Oshie, St. Louis Blues (1st appearance)
Max Pacioretty, Montreal Canadiens (1st appearance)
Zach Parisé, Minnesota Wild (2nd appearance – 6GP 4G 4A 0PIM)
Joe Pavelski, San Jose Sharks (2nd appearance – 6GP 0G 3A 4PIM)
Paul Stastny, Colorado Avalanche (2nd appearance – 6GP 1G 2A 0PIM)
Derek Stepan, New York Rangers (1st appearance)
James van Riemsdyk, Toronto Maple Leafs (1st appearance)
Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg Jets (1st appearance)

DEFENSEMEN

John Carlson, Washington Capitals (1st appearance)
Justin Faulk, Carolina Hurricanes (1st appearance)
Cam Fowler, Anaheim Ducks (1st appearance)
Paul Martin, Pittsburgh Penguins (1st appearance)
Ryan McDonagh, New York Rangers (1st appearance)
Brooks Orpik, Pittsburgh Penguins (2nd appearance – 6GP 0G 0A 0PIM)
Kevin Shattenkirk, St. Louis Blues (1st appearance)
Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild (2nd appearance – 6GP 0G 4A 2PIM)

GOALTENDERS

Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings (2nd appearance – OGP 0.00SV% 0.00GAA)
Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres (2nd appearance – 6GP 94.56SV% 1.35GAA)
Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings (1st appearance)

That Damn Hockey Blog

That Damn Hockey Blog: Was Shawn Thornton Really That Bad?

It’s that ol’ debate again. Goonery. Thuggery. The Code. To protect your team-mates.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzZvG5O9Rg0[/youtube]

That video has caused controversy and sparked debate, as Boston’s Shawn Thornton scruffed Brooks Orpik of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and pummeled him on the ice, earning himself a 15 game suspension, offering flashbacks to the Todd Bertuzzi/Steve Moore incident that ended Moore’s career. But is what Thornton did that bad? Well yeah it is, but it’s not like Orpik didn’t deserved it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvteW6mvasA[/youtube]

This was earlier in the game. Brooks Orpik cheap shotting new Bruin Loui Eriksson. Which is what you could say what triggered what Thornton did to Orpik. Orpik didn’t get suspended, even though he cheap shotted a member of the opposing team, even though it’s as dirty, if not dirtier than what Thornton did, and therein lies the problem. Cheap shot artists.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhnptY29ZZM[/youtube]

Steve Moore cheap shotting Markus Naslund, and after declining fights from Canucks Brad May, Sean Pronger, Jarkko Ruutu and Todd Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi took it upon himself and got revenge on Moore for what he did to Naslund three weeks earlier. Was what Bertuzzi did right? No. However, if Steve Moore didn’t cheap shot Markus Naslund, or stood up for his actions and copped the beating he deserved, the incident wouldn’t of happened, and that’s the same with Orpik and Thornton.

If Brooks Orpik had of gotten into a fight or two, and taken his beating from the Bruins, then Shawn Thornton would not of gone after Orpik the way he did. The NHL is trying to stop headshots, and yet let’s Orpik get away with hitting Eriksson the way he did. There’s a simple solution to all this. Stop the cheap shots. Get the deliberate cheap hits out of the game, and ugly incidents like Thornton/Orpik will cease to exist.

Some people don’t understand ‘the code’, but there are some hockey players who believe in it, and will follow it down to the last letter. Hits won’t leave the game. Headshots won’t leave the game, (well, unless hockey becomes non-contact, and even then accidental headshots will probably happen). The best way to go after this, is target those who live by the cheap shot. You get rid of the cheap shot, you get rid of the ugly incidents. It’s that simple NHL, it’s that simple.

That Damn Hockey Blog

That Damn Hockey Blog: Captains, Brawls and Blues! Oh My!

Jamie Benn and Mark Giordano have been named Captains of the Dallas Stars and Calgary Flames respectively. They replace Brenden Morrow and Jarome Iginla, who were both traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins toward trade deadline last season.

Giordano, 29, becomes the 19th Captain in Calgary Flames franchise history, and will have Mike Cammalleri and Curtis Glencross as his Assistants, whereas Benn, 24, will be the sixth Captain since the Stars moved to Dallas in 1993, where Ray Whitney and Stephane Robidas will be the Assistant Captains.

How do you make pre-season exciting? Have a line brawl.
How do you welcome your brand new 5.5 million dollar contract with your new team? Get yourself suspended for ten games.

The Buffalo Sabres and the Toronto Maple Leafs decided that pre-season games were boring, and decided that an all-in brawl was the best way. It started when John Scott of the Sabres decided that he needed to stand up for his team-mate, Corey Tropp, was mis-matched in a fight with Leaf Jamie Devane and was going to fight the first person he saw after the faceoff. The Maple Leafs countered this, by trying to move the game on, by sending out their big guns, leaving franchise forward Phil Kessel to fight Scott. This started the brawl, which ended with Kessel showing off his wedge skills on Scott’s shin, Goalies Ryan Miller (Sabres) and Jonathan Bernier (Leafs) having a fight of their own, and David Clarkson, who signed from New Jersey in the off-season, came off the bench to get involved. This is a no-no, and coming off the bench in that nature, leads to an automatic 10-game suspension. Way to go Clarkson, way to gooooooo.

Oh, here’s the fight in question..
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frrFsXdhKZ8[/youtube]

Brenden Morrow has signed a 1-year, 1.5 million dollar deal with Dallas Stars 2.0, the St. Louis Blues. Morrow joins former head coach Ken Hitchcock, former GM Doug Armstrong, VP of Business Operations Brett Hull, who scored the cup winning goal for the Stars’ 1999 Stanley Cup victory, and fellow off-season Free Agent signing Derek Roy, as former Dallas Stars applying their trade in St. Louis. Morrow looks like being a third-fourth liner for his new franchise.

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.

San Jose Sharks

2013 NHL Entry Draft – San Jose Sharks

Here is a look at whom the San Jose Sharks 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

1 – 18 – Mirco Mueller (D) – Switzerland – Everett Silvertips (WHL)
2 – 49 – Gabryel Paquin-Boudreau (LW) – Canada – Baie Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
4 – 117 – Fredrik Bergvik (G) – Sweden – Frolunda J20 (SuperElit)
5 – 141 – Michael Brodzinski (D) – United States – Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
5 – 151 – Gage Ausmus (D) – United States – USA U-18 (USHL)
7 – 201 – Jacob Jackson (C) – United States – Tartan Senior High (USHS)
7 – 207 – Emil Galimov (LW) – Russia – Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)

TRADES

San Jose Sharks acquire Tyler Kennedy (C/RW) from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for 2013 2nd Rd pick

Pittsburgh Penguins

2013 NHL Entry Draft – Pittsburgh Penguins

Here is a look at whom the Pittsburgh Penguins 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

2 – 44 – Tristan Jarry (G) – Canada – Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
3 – 77 – Jake Guentzel (C) – United States – Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
4 – 119 – Ryan Segalla (D) – United States – Salisbury Prep (USHS)
6 – 164 – Dane Birks (D) – Canada – Merritt Centennials (BCHL)
6 – 179 – Blaine Byron (C) – Canada – Smiths Falls Bears (CCHL)
7 – 209 – Troy Josephs (C) – Canada – St. Michael’s Buzzers (OJHL)

TRADES

Pittsburgh Penguins acquire 2013 2nd Rd pick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Tyler Kennedy (C/RW)

The UHF Tournament

The Ultimate Hockey Fighter Tournament – Quarter Finals

8 fights remain in the UHF Tournament. Who will survive to the final 4? Only you can decide!

Last week saw Tie Domi become the last of the quarter finalists, by defeating Mike Peluso.

This week starts off our Quarter Finals with the matchup of the tournament so far as Rob Ray takes on Krzysztof Oliwa.

TALE OF THE TAPE:

Rob Ray
LW Canada
Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators
6′ 203 lbs
5×20 NHL Fights in a season
10×15 NHL Fights in a season
246 NHL Fights 16.4 FPY

Krzysztof Oliwa
LW POL
New Jersey Devils, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils
6’5″ 240 lbs
3×20 NHL Fights in a season
6×15 NHL Fights in a season
178 NHL Fights 20.5 FPY

What happened when these two squared off:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00OqdX082jA[/youtube]

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

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M45vS0VlOLI[/youtube]

[poll id=”27″]

The UHF Tournament

The Ultimate Hockey Fighter Tournament – Second Round

16 eliminated. 16 remain. Who advances on? That’s entirely up to you!

Last week, Rob Ray played to his favourtism, ousting Dave ‘Tiger’ Williams.

This week, a team-mate of Rob Ray faces the lone European.

Andrew Peters
LW CAN
Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils
6’4″ 240 lbs
1×20 NHL Fights in a season
2×15 NHL Fights in a season
106 NHL Fights 15.1 FPY

Krzysztof Oliwa
LW POL
New Jersey Devils, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils
6’5″ 240 lbs
3×20 NHL Fights in a season
6×15 NHL Fights in a season
178 NHL Fights 20.5 FPY

Why you should vote for Andrew Peters:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usHxrZYGma8[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsNquvLkF9Q[/youtube]

Why you should vote for Krzysztof Oliwa:

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

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnQ53YlmQYQ[/youtube]

[poll id=”20″]