Foligno legacy

It was a moment Sabres fans and hockey fans had been waiting for, Marcus Foligno to do his fathers legendary "Foligno leap". Last night Sabres fans got their wish, Marcus scored his first goal at home in Buffalo and proceeded to do "the Jump" It was a great moment, and something the fans and Marcus will never forget. That was just the start for what would be an amazing night for Marcus.

The great leap came just 99 seconds into the game, when Marcus was able to bury a pass from Tyler Ennis, Marcus then proceeded to jump in the air like his father did so many times during his career. The goal was under review and once confirmed Marcus enjoyed a nice face wash from his Sabres teammates. But with his father in attendance, Marcus decided he wasn't done after 1; He scored his second goal 11 minutes into the second period to tie the game at 3's, a crucial goal for the Sabres who were in need of a goal. Then late in the third, Marcus sent the First Niagra centre into a frenzy when it looked like he tipped in a point shot to put the Sabres up 4-3, fans immediately started littering the ice with hats to celebrate Marcus' first career NHL hat trick. Sadly upon review it was evident that the youngest Foligno had not touched the puck (did a good job of selling the fact that he did), the goal was credited to new Sabres Alexander Sulzer.
Sadly the Sabres ended up losing to the Avalanche in a SO after allowing the tieing goal with .07 seconds left, reminds you of the Montreal game no?

Marcus is making quite the case for himself to stay with Buffalo until the end of season, he made his way into the Sabres lineup through others injuries and trades, but most importantly he's earning his ice time!
The Zack Kassian trade came as a shock to most, but the reason Buffalo felt comfortable dealing Kassian was Marcus Foligno. The young rookie has showed energy and determination and willingness to bang some bodies around (something Kassian wouldn't do in Buffalo) and the ability to score goals; 3 goals and 1 assist in 4 games with the Sabres.

The Sabres felt that Marcus was near ready to take a full time role in the NHL and had a better upside than Kassian which made him expendable. I for one was never a huge fan of Foligno, I thought he was over hyped and over rated just because his father was the Sabres captain. But he's proved my prejudice wrong, and I'm really starting to like the young rookie and I think he's going to have a big future in Buffalo.

The Sabres drafted Marcus in 2009, 104th overall oddly enough the same year they drafted Zach Kassian and Brayden MacNabb. 2009 seemed to be the best draft year the Sabres have had in recent memory.
Foligno was drafted for his size (6'3 and 222 pounds) and his ability to be physical, his leadership on and off the ice and his ability to play a 2 way game. He was selected to play on the team Canada world junior team in 2011 (won silver).

I don't see Marcus Foligno being returned to the AHL anytime soon, if he keeps playing and putting up points like he currently is he may play himself onto a perminate spot on the Sabres roster. In all Likely hood he'll finish off the season with the Sabres. It's good to see the Foligno Leap back in Buffalo!

Foligno legacy

It was a moment Sabres fans and hockey fans had been waiting for, Marcus Foligno to do his fathers legendary "Foligno leap". Last night Sabres fans got their wish, Marcus scored his first goal at home in Buffalo and proceeded to do "the Jump" It was a great moment, and something the fans and Marcus will never forget. That was just the start for what would be an amazing night for Marcus.

The great leap came just 99 seconds into the game, when Marcus was able to bury a pass from Tyler Ennis, Marcus then proceeded to jump in the air like his father did so many times during his career. The goal was under review and once confirmed Marcus enjoyed a nice face wash from his Sabres teammates. But with his father in attendance, Marcus decided he wasn't done after 1; He scored his second goal 11 minutes into the second period to tie the game at 3's, a crucial goal for the Sabres who were in need of a goal. Then late in the third, Marcus sent the First Niagra centre into a frenzy when it looked like he tipped in a point shot to put the Sabres up 4-3, fans immediately started littering the ice with hats to celebrate Marcus' first career NHL hat trick. Sadly upon review it was evident that the youngest Foligno had not touched the puck (did a good job of selling the fact that he did), the goal was credited to new Sabres Alexander Sulzer.
Sadly the Sabres ended up losing to the Avalanche in a SO after allowing the tieing goal with .07 seconds left, reminds you of the Montreal game no?

Marcus is making quite the case for himself to stay with Buffalo until the end of season, he made his way into the Sabres lineup through others injuries and trades, but most importantly he's earning his ice time!
The Zack Kassian trade came as a shock to most, but the reason Buffalo felt comfortable dealing Kassian was Marcus Foligno. The young rookie has showed energy and determination and willingness to bang some bodies around (something Kassian wouldn't do in Buffalo) and the ability to score goals; 3 goals and 1 assist in 4 games with the Sabres.

The Sabres felt that Marcus was near ready to take a full time role in the NHL and had a better upside than Kassian which made him expendable. I for one was never a huge fan of Foligno, I thought he was over hyped and over rated just because his father was the Sabres captain. But he's proved my prejudice wrong, and I'm really starting to like the young rookie and I think he's going to have a big future in Buffalo.

The Sabres drafted Marcus in 2009, 104th overall oddly enough the same year they drafted Zach Kassian and Brayden MacNabb. 2009 seemed to be the best draft year the Sabres have had in recent memory.
Foligno was drafted for his size (6'3 and 222 pounds) and his ability to be physical, his leadership on and off the ice and his ability to play a 2 way game. He was selected to play on the team Canada world junior team in 2011 (won silver).

I don't see Marcus Foligno being returned to the AHL anytime soon, if he keeps playing and putting up points like he currently is he may play himself onto a perminate spot on the Sabres roster. In all Likely hood he'll finish off the season with the Sabres. It's good to see the Foligno Leap back in Buffalo!

Rookie's deliver

Hey everyone it is Christmas, a happy time of year so I've decided to make my last blog before Christmas a positive one. In this season of giving I am giving credit to the rookies around the NHL that have stepped up, and are continually helping their teams. To make my list of top 10 rookies so far, the rookies don't necessarily have to be scoring; many rookies have stepped up and answered the bell for ice-time, toughness and leadership. So brace yourself for a blog that will contain; no coaches, no concussions and no Sidney Crosby! Here we go!

1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins; 13 goals, 21 assists; 34 points

Let's start with a obvious rookie, who currently sits atop the list of candidates for the Calder Trophy; The Nuge, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. This kid has been unbelievably good for the Oilers so far. Nugent-Hopkins is absolutely dominating and showing everyone that he not only deserved to be drafted 1st overall, but that he was ready to play in the show, right away! Let's look at what he has accomplished through 35 some odd games; He scored in his very first NHL game, recorded a hat trick in his 3rd game and on November 19, he became the first ever 18 year old to record 5 assists in a game. Not to mention he leads all rookies in goals, assists and points, is in the top 20 in points in the NHL and leads the Oilers in scoring! If Nugent-Hopkins can keep up this pace or even a pace similar to this, there is almost no question that he will be holding the Calder Trophy at the end of the season. But perhaps more remarkable, is the fact that Nugent-Hopkins can take a slumping Oilers team and put them back into position to be in the post-season for the first time in 5 years. Not to mention 2 of those 5 years were spent finishing at the bottom of the league. If the Oilers make the playoffs after finishing 30th in the last 2 seasons, it will be quite remarkable and may even be one for the record books. As of right now, I think i'ts safe to say, the Calder Trophy is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to lose.

2. Adam Henrique; 8 goals, 17 assists; 25 points
Well to be fair and impartial in my list of top 10 rookies, I did some research on the rookies that are playing well right now, and I'm glad I did. I'd never even heard of this guy! Considering he is second to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for rookie point totals and has so far been left off all "experts" charts for Calder Trophy considerations, I decided to do some research and see where Henrique came from. Henrique was drafted by the Devils 82nd overall in the 2008 draft but hadn't dressed for a game until early April last season. Despite the fact most have never heard of him, he has actually had quite a successful OHL career; He won two Memorial Cups with the Windsor Spitfires in 2009 and 2010, won the Wayne Gretzky award for OHL playoff MVP and was part of the 2010 Canadian World Junior Team that won silver. You'd think a kid who won 2 Memorial Cups and was a member of the world junior squad, would be someone I'd have known was coming. Henrique came within 1 game of snapping the Devils record for longest rookie point streak, having his streak ended at 7 games. Henrique really started to turn heads at the start of November when he began a point-per-game streak. Not only can he score, he can also handle some pretty extensive ice time, averaging over 20 minutes a night, he was runner up to Nugent-Hopkins for November's rookie of the month he had 5 goals 9 assists, while Nugent-Hopkins had 6 goals 10 assists. Flip I'm still trying to figure out how I missed this kid? In all likely-hood Henrique will finish runner-up at best to Nugent-Hopkins for the Calder Trophy.

3. Craig Smith; 8 goals, 16 assists; 24 points
Smith is currently sitting 3rd in the rookie points race, 1 point behind the mysterious Henrique. The 22 year old Smith was taken in the 4th round in the 2009 draft. Now most of us probably know Craig Smith for his inability to shoot a puck into a wide open net, yes on November 17 against the Leafs, Smith was the guy who sent the puck flying over top of the wide open net. Luckily for Smith his rookie season is going better than his open net aim! He currently leads the Predators in points, and is having quite a nice rookie season. He might not have all the flash and flair of a Nugent-Hopkins, but he is certainly in the mix for top rookie.

4. Luke Adam; 10 goals, 10 assists; 20 points
Did you really think I wasn't going to have a Sabres rookie on this list? What can I say about Luke Adam, I absolutely love this kid, and he's producing and giving it his all night in and night out. He is tied for top 4 in the rookie point totals, but he does it on less ice time than the rest of the high scoring rookies. Adam is averaging right around 13 minutes of ice time a night, some games he didn't even reach 13 minutes, but yet is still producing at a top level rate for a rookie. Plus Adam started the season on the top line playing between Vanek and Pominville, not to mention he fit in quite well and did not look out of place. I'm really starting to like Luke Adam, he is going to turn out to be a very good player for the Sabres in the future, the 22 year old from Newfoundland was drafted in the 2nd round in the 2008 draft. Through all the injuries the Sabres have and are enduring, Adam has not only stayed healthy, but is having an impact on the score sheet, forcing the Sabres to keep him in the show. Needless to say I think Adam has turned out to be a pleasant surprise for the Sabres, the kid battled hard through training camp and pre-season to prove he belongs, and hasn't let up. It's only a matter of time before he start gaining more trust from his coaches and his ice time rises. In Fact, my editor donmanski, said prior to the season, that Adam would be the number 1 new addition on the Sabres roster. So far he's right!

5. Jake Gardiner; 0 goals, 8 assists; 8 points
This is the type of guy I was referring to when talking about, not necessarily scoring, but still contributing in other ways.When Leafs training camp opened up, I knew the Leafs had something special in this kid and there was no way he was going back to the Marlies. Despite not putting the puck in a ton of points, he is 2nd in points amongst rookie defenseman. The Leafs are extremely lucky to have Gardiner, he was the Ducks 1st round pick in 2008, and came to Leafs in a trade that only Brian Burke could have made. Leafs acquired Gardiner for Francois Beauchemin. He has been a big part of the Leafs success this season, he is poised for a rookie defenseman, and is paired with veteran defensman Luke Schenn. This paring see's Gardiner getting roughly 21 minutes of ice time a night. In a sense Gardiner has "skated" his way into head coach Ron Wilson's good books, he is highly praised for his fluent skating style and his knack for skating himself out of trouble. Wilson, says it's almost like he never gets tired. Gardiner has made quite an impact with this young Leafs squad, considering he was supposed to start and perhaps finish the season in the Marlies. But so far this season Gardiner has looked anything but a rookie, and has earned high praise from coaches and teammates. Like all young defenseman he still has some rough patches ahead of him this season, but in the end could be a dark horse to win the Calder Trophy.

6. Cody Hodgson; 6 goals, 10 assists; 16 points

Heck I knew Hodgson was having a pretty decent season over in Vancouver, but when I re-looked at his stats, I realized he is have a very amazing season. I expected big things from Hodgson coming into this season, seeing him play junior hockey and play for team Canada, we all knew what he was capable of, and that he hadn't been given an opportunity to showcase his talent. When injuries puzzled the Canucks to begin the year, Hodgson was given every opportunity to excel, and excel he has. The 21 year old finally cracked the Canucks roster out of training camp after being drafted 3.5 years ago. Despite some obvious tension between Hodgson and head coach Vigneault, Hodgson has been producing and showing toughness throughout his minimal 4th line role. Like Adam, Hodgson receives minimal playing time, as he is averaging 12 minutes a game. But it is what Hodgson is doing with his time on the ice; he is producing and making a difference, which is why he finds himself on my list for top rookies. He is having in his own way a break out year, despite not putting up the points of a Nugent-Hopkins, Hodgson finds himself on pace for a 40 point season, not bad for a 3rd or 4th liner who averages minimal ice time. Do I think Hodgson can win the Calder? No, but he is still amongst the top rookies so far this season.

7. Matt Read; 11 goals, 9 assists; 20 Points
The only reason I put Matt Read so low, is because of his age, he is 25 not the normal age for a rookie, he has already had time to mature and go through a lot of trials, so he has more of a reason to be playing well, in a sense. Read was signed by the Flyers as an undrafted free agent out of college. Unlike most, Read decided to finish school, before joining the NHL, so he would have something to fall back on in case this hockey thing didn't work out. Well right now it is working out, he is tied for 4th in the rookie point race, and is quarterbacking the Flyers number 1 power play. He is helping fill a big role now that the Flyers are without Chris Pronger on the power play and penalty kill. He's played well and is among the top scorers for the Flyers despite his age and my baises he maybe deserves to be a hair higher on the list.

9. Gabriel Landeskog; 6 goals, 9 assists; 15points
Despite being the 2nd overall pick behind Nugent-Hopkins, and cracking the roster right away, I haven't been all that impressed with Landeskog. It's going to be a hard few years for him, being constantly compared to the kid who got drafted before him, but it's something he is going to have to get past. 6 points from the 2nd overall pick in 34 games, leaves me wanting more, good news is he is only going to get better, he plays all situations and sticks up for his teammates, he needs more practice at scoring goals, but other than that, he's having a decent rookie season. He's averaging roughly 8 more minutes a game than Luke Adam, shouldn't he have more goals and points? He's going to turn out to be an amazing hockey player, but needs time to develop, he is one rookie, I wouldn't have minded seeing sent down.

10. Jhonas Enroth; 2.54 GAA, .918 Save percentage and 8 wins.
The only goalie on this list, and of course a Buffalo Sabre. He leads all rookie goaltending categories with the stats listed above and played well in absence of Miller. Shoot he was even playing better than Miller when Miller got injured. He started a tiny goalie controversy early in the season, but has since fallen into place since Miller has started playing well again. Bottom line he is the top rookie goalie in the league right now. It's rare that a goalie is up for a Calder Trophy and he will not win, but his numbers earn him a spot on this list right now.

Honourable mention; Players that just didn't crack my top 10;
Adam Larsson; 2 goals, 11 assists; 13 points
Marc-Andre Gragnani; 1 goal, 8 assists; 9 points
Colin Greening: 8 goals, 8 assists; 16 points
Jared Cowen: 4 goals, 6 assists; 10 points
Zach Kassian; 3 goals 3 assists; 6 points

There you have it folks my top 10 choices for the rookie of the year award (Calder Trophy). I think the trophy is Nugent-Hopkins' to lose, as the first overall pick is cleaning house and putting up record breaking points. I think if Nugent-Hopkins wasn't around Luke Adam would have a very good chance to hold that trophy. Congrats to all the rookies who have managed to stay with their teams through 34 games this season.

Remember to vote in my poll on the right, today is the last day to do so. Merry Christmas to all have a fun and safe holidays with family and friends! See you sometime after Christmas!

Rookie's deliver

Hey everyone it is Christmas, a happy time of year so I've decided to make my last blog before Christmas a positive one. In this season of giving I am giving credit to the rookies around the NHL that have stepped up, and are continually helping their teams. To make my list of top 10 rookies so far, the rookies don't necessarily have to be scoring; many rookies have stepped up and answered the bell for ice-time, toughness and leadership. So brace yourself for a blog that will contain; no coaches, no concussions and no Sidney Crosby! Here we go!

1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins; 13 goals, 21 assists; 34 points

Let's start with a obvious rookie, who currently sits atop the list of candidates for the Calder Trophy; The Nuge, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. This kid has been unbelievably good for the Oilers so far. Nugent-Hopkins is absolutely dominating and showing everyone that he not only deserved to be drafted 1st overall, but that he was ready to play in the show, right away! Let's look at what he has accomplished through 35 some odd games; He scored in his very first NHL game, recorded a hat trick in his 3rd game and on November 19, he became the first ever 18 year old to record 5 assists in a game. Not to mention he leads all rookies in goals, assists and points, is in the top 20 in points in the NHL and leads the Oilers in scoring! If Nugent-Hopkins can keep up this pace or even a pace similar to this, there is almost no question that he will be holding the Calder Trophy at the end of the season. But perhaps more remarkable, is the fact that Nugent-Hopkins can take a slumping Oilers team and put them back into position to be in the post-season for the first time in 5 years. Not to mention 2 of those 5 years were spent finishing at the bottom of the league. If the Oilers make the playoffs after finishing 30th in the last 2 seasons, it will be quite remarkable and may even be one for the record books. As of right now, I think i'ts safe to say, the Calder Trophy is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to lose.

2. Adam Henrique; 8 goals, 17 assists; 25 points
Well to be fair and impartial in my list of top 10 rookies, I did some research on the rookies that are playing well right now, and I'm glad I did. I'd never even heard of this guy! Considering he is second to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for rookie point totals and has so far been left off all "experts" charts for Calder Trophy considerations, I decided to do some research and see where Henrique came from. Henrique was drafted by the Devils 82nd overall in the 2008 draft but hadn't dressed for a game until early April last season. Despite the fact most have never heard of him, he has actually had quite a successful OHL career; He won two Memorial Cups with the Windsor Spitfires in 2009 and 2010, won the Wayne Gretzky award for OHL playoff MVP and was part of the 2010 Canadian World Junior Team that won silver. You'd think a kid who won 2 Memorial Cups and was a member of the world junior squad, would be someone I'd have known was coming. Henrique came within 1 game of snapping the Devils record for longest rookie point streak, having his streak ended at 7 games. Henrique really started to turn heads at the start of November when he began a point-per-game streak. Not only can he score, he can also handle some pretty extensive ice time, averaging over 20 minutes a night, he was runner up to Nugent-Hopkins for November's rookie of the month he had 5 goals 9 assists, while Nugent-Hopkins had 6 goals 10 assists. Flip I'm still trying to figure out how I missed this kid? In all likely-hood Henrique will finish runner-up at best to Nugent-Hopkins for the Calder Trophy.

3. Craig Smith; 8 goals, 16 assists; 24 points
Smith is currently sitting 3rd in the rookie points race, 1 point behind the mysterious Henrique. The 22 year old Smith was taken in the 4th round in the 2009 draft. Now most of us probably know Craig Smith for his inability to shoot a puck into a wide open net, yes on November 17 against the Leafs, Smith was the guy who sent the puck flying over top of the wide open net. Luckily for Smith his rookie season is going better than his open net aim! He currently leads the Predators in points, and is having quite a nice rookie season. He might not have all the flash and flair of a Nugent-Hopkins, but he is certainly in the mix for top rookie.

4. Luke Adam; 10 goals, 10 assists; 20 points
Did you really think I wasn't going to have a Sabres rookie on this list? What can I say about Luke Adam, I absolutely love this kid, and he's producing and giving it his all night in and night out. He is tied for top 4 in the rookie point totals, but he does it on less ice time than the rest of the high scoring rookies. Adam is averaging right around 13 minutes of ice time a night, some games he didn't even reach 13 minutes, but yet is still producing at a top level rate for a rookie. Plus Adam started the season on the top line playing between Vanek and Pominville, not to mention he fit in quite well and did not look out of place. I'm really starting to like Luke Adam, he is going to turn out to be a very good player for the Sabres in the future, the 22 year old from Newfoundland was drafted in the 2nd round in the 2008 draft. Through all the injuries the Sabres have and are enduring, Adam has not only stayed healthy, but is having an impact on the score sheet, forcing the Sabres to keep him in the show. Needless to say I think Adam has turned out to be a pleasant surprise for the Sabres, the kid battled hard through training camp and pre-season to prove he belongs, and hasn't let up. It's only a matter of time before he start gaining more trust from his coaches and his ice time rises. In Fact, my editor donmanski, said prior to the season, that Adam would be the number 1 new addition on the Sabres roster. So far he's right!

5. Jake Gardiner; 0 goals, 8 assists; 8 points
This is the type of guy I was referring to when talking about, not necessarily scoring, but still contributing in other ways.When Leafs training camp opened up, I knew the Leafs had something special in this kid and there was no way he was going back to the Marlies. Despite not putting the puck in a ton of points, he is 2nd in points amongst rookie defenseman. The Leafs are extremely lucky to have Gardiner, he was the Ducks 1st round pick in 2008, and came to Leafs in a trade that only Brian Burke could have made. Leafs acquired Gardiner for Francois Beauchemin. He has been a big part of the Leafs success this season, he is poised for a rookie defenseman, and is paired with veteran defensman Luke Schenn. This paring see's Gardiner getting roughly 21 minutes of ice time a night. In a sense Gardiner has "skated" his way into head coach Ron Wilson's good books, he is highly praised for his fluent skating style and his knack for skating himself out of trouble. Wilson, says it's almost like he never gets tired. Gardiner has made quite an impact with this young Leafs squad, considering he was supposed to start and perhaps finish the season in the Marlies. But so far this season Gardiner has looked anything but a rookie, and has earned high praise from coaches and teammates. Like all young defenseman he still has some rough patches ahead of him this season, but in the end could be a dark horse to win the Calder Trophy.

6. Cody Hodgson; 6 goals, 10 assists; 16 points

Heck I knew Hodgson was having a pretty decent season over in Vancouver, but when I re-looked at his stats, I realized he is have a very amazing season. I expected big things from Hodgson coming into this season, seeing him play junior hockey and play for team Canada, we all knew what he was capable of, and that he hadn't been given an opportunity to showcase his talent. When injuries puzzled the Canucks to begin the year, Hodgson was given every opportunity to excel, and excel he has. The 21 year old finally cracked the Canucks roster out of training camp after being drafted 3.5 years ago. Despite some obvious tension between Hodgson and head coach Vigneault, Hodgson has been producing and showing toughness throughout his minimal 4th line role. Like Adam, Hodgson receives minimal playing time, as he is averaging 12 minutes a game. But it is what Hodgson is doing with his time on the ice; he is producing and making a difference, which is why he finds himself on my list for top rookies. He is having in his own way a break out year, despite not putting up the points of a Nugent-Hopkins, Hodgson finds himself on pace for a 40 point season, not bad for a 3rd or 4th liner who averages minimal ice time. Do I think Hodgson can win the Calder? No, but he is still amongst the top rookies so far this season.

7. Matt Read; 11 goals, 9 assists; 20 Points
The only reason I put Matt Read so low, is because of his age, he is 25 not the normal age for a rookie, he has already had time to mature and go through a lot of trials, so he has more of a reason to be playing well, in a sense. Read was signed by the Flyers as an undrafted free agent out of college. Unlike most, Read decided to finish school, before joining the NHL, so he would have something to fall back on in case this hockey thing didn't work out. Well right now it is working out, he is tied for 4th in the rookie point race, and is quarterbacking the Flyers number 1 power play. He is helping fill a big role now that the Flyers are without Chris Pronger on the power play and penalty kill. He's played well and is among the top scorers for the Flyers despite his age and my baises he maybe deserves to be a hair higher on the list.

9. Gabriel Landeskog; 6 goals, 9 assists; 15points
Despite being the 2nd overall pick behind Nugent-Hopkins, and cracking the roster right away, I haven't been all that impressed with Landeskog. It's going to be a hard few years for him, being constantly compared to the kid who got drafted before him, but it's something he is going to have to get past. 6 points from the 2nd overall pick in 34 games, leaves me wanting more, good news is he is only going to get better, he plays all situations and sticks up for his teammates, he needs more practice at scoring goals, but other than that, he's having a decent rookie season. He's averaging roughly 8 more minutes a game than Luke Adam, shouldn't he have more goals and points? He's going to turn out to be an amazing hockey player, but needs time to develop, he is one rookie, I wouldn't have minded seeing sent down.

10. Jhonas Enroth; 2.54 GAA, .918 Save percentage and 8 wins.
The only goalie on this list, and of course a Buffalo Sabre. He leads all rookie goaltending categories with the stats listed above and played well in absence of Miller. Shoot he was even playing better than Miller when Miller got injured. He started a tiny goalie controversy early in the season, but has since fallen into place since Miller has started playing well again. Bottom line he is the top rookie goalie in the league right now. It's rare that a goalie is up for a Calder Trophy and he will not win, but his numbers earn him a spot on this list right now.

Honourable mention; Players that just didn't crack my top 10;
Adam Larsson; 2 goals, 11 assists; 13 points
Marc-Andre Gragnani; 1 goal, 8 assists; 9 points
Colin Greening: 8 goals, 8 assists; 16 points
Jared Cowen: 4 goals, 6 assists; 10 points
Zach Kassian; 3 goals 3 assists; 6 points

There you have it folks my top 10 choices for the rookie of the year award (Calder Trophy). I think the trophy is Nugent-Hopkins' to lose, as the first overall pick is cleaning house and putting up record breaking points. I think if Nugent-Hopkins wasn't around Luke Adam would have a very good chance to hold that trophy. Congrats to all the rookies who have managed to stay with their teams through 34 games this season.

Remember to vote in my poll on the right, today is the last day to do so. Merry Christmas to all have a fun and safe holidays with family and friends! See you sometime after Christmas!

Suspensions.... Suspensions....... Suspensions

This NHL preseason has seen pretty much everything: from banana throwing to alleged homophobic slurs. From amazing rookie plays to cheap head shots. After the first couple games of the preseason it was clear that Brendon Shanahan would not have to wait long to hand out his first suspension.

So far this PRESEASON there have been 23 suspension, more than ALL of last NHL season which only featured 22 (heard this stat on Leafs TV). The latest and biggest suspension handed out to James Wisniewski. Wisniewski was suspended the remaining 3 preseason games as well as a whopping 8 regular season games. The Wisniewski incident was from a hit to the head of Minnesota Wild winger Cal Clutterbuck after time expired in an exhibition game, the suspension will cost James Wisniewski $500K.

November 17, 2009 Shanahan announced his retirement from the NHL after playing 21 seasons; "I would like to thank my family and all of the friends who have helped me achieve and maintain my childhood dream of playing in the National Hockey League", Shanahan said in a news release. "I am enormously grateful to all of my coaches and teammates I've had the privilege of learning from and playing along side of, throughout my career. While I always dreamed of playing in the NHL, I can't honestly say that I would have ever imagined that I'd be this fortunate and blessed. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped me fulfill this dream" But Shanahan could not stay away from the game for long a month later he became the NHL's Vice President of Hockey and Business Development.On June 1, 2011 Shanahan took over the job of NHL's chief player disciplinarian from Colin Campbell who underwent much criticism for his lack of suspensions and not stopping head shots. It was clear that Shanahan needed to set a message that deliberate hits targeting the head would not be aloud in the NHL.This preseason Shanahan is sending that message, with suspension after suspension and his surprising videos explaining why each player was or was not suspended. Unlike Colin Campbell, Shanahan has the support of many NHL players and teams. Joe Thornton It’s good to see where he’s coming from and talk about why he’s suspending guys for so long,” Thornton said after Tuesday’s two-hour practice. “Players really appreciate that, and it’s now black and white.”

I think its extremely sad that the busiest person this NHL preseason has been the league disciplinary chief Brendan Shanahan. Preseason is about evaluating talent of rookies who are trying to make an NHL team, not trying to hit someone so they are injured. I believe Shanahan is sending a message that deliberate hits to the hit will not be tolerated as we are trying to cut down on head injuries. But this message is not being sent to the players, but more to the fans. In order for the NHL to get the players to pay attention and stop head hit is for the suspensions to be longer. If Shanahan were to give someone a 20 or 30 game suspension to set an example than maybe a player will think twice about delivering a cheap head shot. So yes Shanahan is tougher on suspensions than Campbell ever was; but do you remember when Mike Murphy was filling in during the Stanley Cup finals? He suspended Aaron Rome the remainder of the series for his hit on Nathan Horton! But as soon as the regular season starts, I think the suspension will be tougher and come across as more severe when it is actually the regular season and not the preseason. Obviously Shanahan isn't going to change things overnight and still has a little to learn about suspending players. But the Bottom line of all the Head Hits, is that players have a lack of respect for other players in the league. Leafs defenceman Luke Schenn said hitting players must learn to respect one another when it comes to collisions where one player has his back turned. “Hitting is going to be part of the game,” Schenn said. “But for sure, you have to let up or something when (a player has his back turned). It’s respect there, you have to respect that situation.

 Here is a list of the suspensions so far

• Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond; received a a 5 game suspension (4 preseason + 1 regular season) for a boarding call after hitting Vancouver Canucks Matt Clackson from behind into the boards.“Letourneau-Leblond took a direct route toward Clackson, hit him squarely from behind into the boards and drove through the check high and hard. Clackson’s back was turned toward Letourneau-Leblond well before the contact, requiring that Letourneau-Leblond avoid or minimize the check. He did neither.”
•  Jody Shelley received a 10 game suspension (5 preseason + 5 regular season) for his hit on Leafs forward Darryl Boyce. The hit broke Boyce's nose. “Shelley hit Boyce squarely from behind into the glass. Boyce’s back was turned toward Shelley well before the contact, requiring that Shelley avoid or minimize the check. He did neither."
•  James Wisniewski received a 11 game suspension (3 preseason + plus 8 regular season) for his hit on Cal Clutterbuck. 
•  Brad Staubitz received a 6 game suspension (3 preseason + 3 regular season) for his on hit on Coby bass which got Staubitz ejected from the game. "Staubitz drives hard through Bass' numbers and causes facial injury," Shanahan said in a video. "This factor weighed most heavily in my decision."
• The Buffalo Sabres  Brad Boyes was suspended 2 preseason games for his hit on Joe Colborne. “Colborne’s head was the principal point of contact of Boyes’ hit,” Shanahan said in a video explaining the suspension. “While this play develops quickly, Colborne makes no sudden moves just prior to, or simultaneous with, the hit, placing the onus on Boyes not to hit him in the head."
• The most interesting suspension handed to Jean-Francois Jacques who came off the bench to instigate a fight. Jacques was given a 9 game suspension (4 preseason games +5 regular season).
• plus Shanahan has had 4 or 5 other hearings that did not result in suspensions.

Last preseason there were 2 suspensions handed out and this season their have already been 6
suspensions and likely one or two more based on what were seeing right now. There is almost an "illegal" or "cheap" hit in every game that is being looked at.
All in all I am extremely disappointed with the players of the NHL, they need to take more responsibility and "man up" by not "killing" players with head hits. But I am extremely happy with the way Shanahan has been handling these preseason suspensions. Right now I would say the suspensions are warnings; they are not horrible but not super easy. Basically Shanahan is saying to the players "keep this up in the regular season and the suspensions will get worse". I love how Shanahan has been '"xplaining" his decisions to fans and team, really making sure that the rules are clear as mud! What I hope for Shanahan is to keep the suspensions fiar, if a Big league player delivers an illegal hit that player will still be peanilized because if that top line player is not, than all the progress Shanahan has gotten will be demolished. One thing is clear Shanahan will be having a VERY busy year with lots of suspensions and hearings with players.

I'll post a link to Shanahan's videos :) http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=60&id=124919

Suspensions.... Suspensions....... Suspensions

This NHL preseason has seen pretty much everything: from banana throwing to alleged homophobic slurs. From amazing rookie plays to cheap head shots. After the first couple games of the preseason it was clear that Brendon Shanahan would not have to wait long to hand out his first suspension.

So far this PRESEASON there have been 23 suspension, more than ALL of last NHL season which only featured 22 (heard this stat on Leafs TV). The latest and biggest suspension handed out to James Wisniewski. Wisniewski was suspended the remaining 3 preseason games as well as a whopping 8 regular season games. The Wisniewski incident was from a hit to the head of Minnesota Wild winger Cal Clutterbuck after time expired in an exhibition game, the suspension will cost James Wisniewski $500K.

November 17, 2009 Shanahan announced his retirement from the NHL after playing 21 seasons; "I would like to thank my family and all of the friends who have helped me achieve and maintain my childhood dream of playing in the National Hockey League", Shanahan said in a news release. "I am enormously grateful to all of my coaches and teammates I've had the privilege of learning from and playing along side of, throughout my career. While I always dreamed of playing in the NHL, I can't honestly say that I would have ever imagined that I'd be this fortunate and blessed. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped me fulfill this dream" But Shanahan could not stay away from the game for long a month later he became the NHL's Vice President of Hockey and Business Development.On June 1, 2011 Shanahan took over the job of NHL's chief player disciplinarian from Colin Campbell who underwent much criticism for his lack of suspensions and not stopping head shots. It was clear that Shanahan needed to set a message that deliberate hits targeting the head would not be aloud in the NHL.This preseason Shanahan is sending that message, with suspension after suspension and his surprising videos explaining why each player was or was not suspended. Unlike Colin Campbell, Shanahan has the support of many NHL players and teams. Joe Thornton It’s good to see where he’s coming from and talk about why he’s suspending guys for so long,” Thornton said after Tuesday’s two-hour practice. “Players really appreciate that, and it’s now black and white.”

I think its extremely sad that the busiest person this NHL preseason has been the league disciplinary chief Brendan Shanahan. Preseason is about evaluating talent of rookies who are trying to make an NHL team, not trying to hit someone so they are injured. I believe Shanahan is sending a message that deliberate hits to the hit will not be tolerated as we are trying to cut down on head injuries. But this message is not being sent to the players, but more to the fans. In order for the NHL to get the players to pay attention and stop head hit is for the suspensions to be longer. If Shanahan were to give someone a 20 or 30 game suspension to set an example than maybe a player will think twice about delivering a cheap head shot. So yes Shanahan is tougher on suspensions than Campbell ever was; but do you remember when Mike Murphy was filling in during the Stanley Cup finals? He suspended Aaron Rome the remainder of the series for his hit on Nathan Horton! But as soon as the regular season starts, I think the suspension will be tougher and come across as more severe when it is actually the regular season and not the preseason. Obviously Shanahan isn't going to change things overnight and still has a little to learn about suspending players. But the Bottom line of all the Head Hits, is that players have a lack of respect for other players in the league. Leafs defenceman Luke Schenn said hitting players must learn to respect one another when it comes to collisions where one player has his back turned. “Hitting is going to be part of the game,” Schenn said. “But for sure, you have to let up or something when (a player has his back turned). It’s respect there, you have to respect that situation.

 Here is a list of the suspensions so far

• Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond; received a a 5 game suspension (4 preseason + 1 regular season) for a boarding call after hitting Vancouver Canucks Matt Clackson from behind into the boards.“Letourneau-Leblond took a direct route toward Clackson, hit him squarely from behind into the boards and drove through the check high and hard. Clackson’s back was turned toward Letourneau-Leblond well before the contact, requiring that Letourneau-Leblond avoid or minimize the check. He did neither.”
•  Jody Shelley received a 10 game suspension (5 preseason + 5 regular season) for his hit on Leafs forward Darryl Boyce. The hit broke Boyce's nose. “Shelley hit Boyce squarely from behind into the glass. Boyce’s back was turned toward Shelley well before the contact, requiring that Shelley avoid or minimize the check. He did neither."
•  James Wisniewski received a 11 game suspension (3 preseason + plus 8 regular season) for his hit on Cal Clutterbuck. 
•  Brad Staubitz received a 6 game suspension (3 preseason + 3 regular season) for his on hit on Coby bass which got Staubitz ejected from the game. "Staubitz drives hard through Bass' numbers and causes facial injury," Shanahan said in a video. "This factor weighed most heavily in my decision."
• The Buffalo Sabres  Brad Boyes was suspended 2 preseason games for his hit on Joe Colborne. “Colborne’s head was the principal point of contact of Boyes’ hit,” Shanahan said in a video explaining the suspension. “While this play develops quickly, Colborne makes no sudden moves just prior to, or simultaneous with, the hit, placing the onus on Boyes not to hit him in the head."
• The most interesting suspension handed to Jean-Francois Jacques who came off the bench to instigate a fight. Jacques was given a 9 game suspension (4 preseason games +5 regular season).
• plus Shanahan has had 4 or 5 other hearings that did not result in suspensions.

Last preseason there were 2 suspensions handed out and this season their have already been 6
suspensions and likely one or two more based on what were seeing right now. There is almost an "illegal" or "cheap" hit in every game that is being looked at.
All in all I am extremely disappointed with the players of the NHL, they need to take more responsibility and "man up" by not "killing" players with head hits. But I am extremely happy with the way Shanahan has been handling these preseason suspensions. Right now I would say the suspensions are warnings; they are not horrible but not super easy. Basically Shanahan is saying to the players "keep this up in the regular season and the suspensions will get worse". I love how Shanahan has been '"xplaining" his decisions to fans and team, really making sure that the rules are clear as mud! What I hope for Shanahan is to keep the suspensions fiar, if a Big league player delivers an illegal hit that player will still be peanilized because if that top line player is not, than all the progress Shanahan has gotten will be demolished. One thing is clear Shanahan will be having a VERY busy year with lots of suspensions and hearings with players.

I'll post a link to Shanahan's videos :) http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=60&id=124919