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(Page 7 of 183)
Phaneuf makes impression in Leafs' debut
Tuesday, 02.02.2010 / 11:50 PM / NHL Insider
By Jeremy Sandler  - Special to NHL.com
TORONTO -- An appreciative Air Canada Centre crowd did not quite know what to chant for Dion Phaneuf in his first game as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

A seeming 50/50 split between "Dion" and "Phaneuf" meant voices quieted rather quickly after the defenseman's first-period fight with New Jersey's Colin White in Toronto's 3-0 win over the Devils on Tuesday night.

According to Toronto coach Ron Wilson, it was the only lull associated with the 24-year-old, who arrived in Toronto from Calgary as the centerpiece of a seven-player deal on Sunday

"We could hear him talking in between periods in our coach's office, which is almost two rooms away and three doorways. We could hear him the whole time," Wilson said. "I'll pay him by the word, because he's full of energy in there."
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Pitkanen brings talent, experience to Finland
Tuesday, 02.02.2010 / 4:06 PM / All-Access Vancouver
By Adam Kimelman  - NHL.com Staff Writer
When Joni Pitkanen first arrived in North America during the 2003 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Oulu, Finland native's grasp of the English language consisted of not much more than "yes" and "no."

Now in his sixth NHL season with his third team, the Carolina Hurricanes' defenseman has blossomed on and off the ice.

"It took a couple years," Pitkanen told NHL.com. "The first year when I came here I didn't talk too much. It was really difficult, but every year got better and better (and) it's been pretty good last three, four years."

The Philadelphia Flyers traded up with the Tampa Bay Lightning to make Pitkanen the fourth choice of the 2002 Entry Draft and had extremely high hopes for him. After three frustrating seasons -- he had 13 goals, 46 points and a plus-22 rating in 2005-06, then 43 points and minus-25 rating the next season -- the Flyers sent him to the Edmonton Oilers as part of a deal that brought back forward Joffrey Lupul and defenseman Jason Smith. After just one season in Edmonton, he was on the move again, this time to Carolina in exchange for Erik Cole.
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Jokinen showing he's not just a one-trick pony
Tuesday, 02.02.2010 / 3:55 PM / NHL Insider
By Dave Lozo  - NHL.com Staff Writer

"He's very underrated. Jussi's one of those guys that does everything very well. Offensively, he can make those plays and find those areas on the ice where he's kind of one step ahead of the defenders. He's good positionally everywhere and he's a fun guy to play with because he can find those holes and make those plays." -- Eric Staal on Jussi Jokinen

Jussi Jokinen and the shootout go together like spaghetti and meatballs -- it's nearly impossible to think about one without the other.

The Finnish-born left wing of the Carolina Hurricanes has made a name for himself in the post-lockout NHL with his abilities in the shootout. He's converted 26-of-48 attempts (54 percent) since 2005-06, and he's made a lot of professional goaltenders look overmatched along the way.

"I'm glad he's on our side now," said Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward, who has the honor/nightmare of facing Jokinen almost every day in practice. "It's nice to get his opinion of what he sees when he comes down on a goaltender -- what he likes and doesn't like when the goaltender moves."

But more than ever this season, Jokinen is showing his value isn't confined to the 90 feet between center ice and the crease that's been freshly resurfaced at the end of overtime.
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Olympics
New Leafs prepare to face Devils in Toronto
Tuesday, 02.02.2010 / 3:50 PM / NHL Insider
By Jeremy Sandler  - Special to NHL.com

"We went through the power play there for a few minutes and you get the feeling he wants to do the kinds of things like Caber back then with me a few years a go. If you have (Phil) Kessel on the left side and Dion on the right, we're going to get more options there."
-- Maple Leafs Tomas Kaberle on practicing with Dion Phaneuf

TORONTO -- Crisp and newly pressed Toronto Maple Leafs jerseys bearing the names and numbers of defenseman Dion Phaneuf and goaltender J.S. Giguere were front and center at the Air Canada Centre's team store Tuesday morning.

Not so among the 10,000 or so schoolchildren attending Toronto's morning skate, where the sweaters of departed Maple Leaf stars like Mats Sundin, Doug Gilmour and Curtis Joseph dominated the back of kids dressed in blue and white. But there was no denying that kids like 11-year-old Jack Bender of Stouffville, Ont. were excited by the presence of the newest Maple Leafs.

"Yeah," said Jack, a Grade 5 student in Mr. Vandervelde's class from Glad Park Public School. "Because the Leafs are going to be better."
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DiPietro: Mental wear always tougher than physical
Tuesday, 02.02.2010 / 3:42 PM / All-Access Vancouver
By Chuck Gormley  - NHL.com Correspondent
At 28, New York Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro knows the view from the highest mountain and the pain inflicted from hitting every branch on the way down.

Nearly a decade removed from being the top pick in the 2000 Entry Draft, the engaging native of Winthrop, Mass., has been an NHL All-Star (2007-08) and a starter for Team USA at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

A week before his 25th birthday, he signed one of the richest contracts in NHL history -- $67.5 million over 15 years -- and went on to play 188 games over the next three seasons on Long Island.

It was near the end of the 2007-08 season that DiPietro began what would become a torturous 20-month stretch in which he underwent surgeries on both hips and both knees, limiting him to just five games last season and four games this season entering this week.

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Calgary makes more fantasy waves with second trade
Tuesday, 02.02.2010 / 3:16 PM / Fantasy Games
By Rocky Bonanno  - NHL.com Staff Writer
Fantasy Forecast for Tuesday, February 2

MONDAY'S ROUNDUP:

At least this time we can say we saw this one coming. Unlike the out-of-nowhere, seven-player Sunday deal between Toronto and Calgary, the two-for-two trade completed Tuesday morning between the Rangers and Flames -- C Olli Jokinen LW/RW Brandon Prust to the Rangers, RW Ales Kotalik and LW Chris Higgins to the Flames -- was rumored for well over 24 hours before completion. What is the fantasy fallout of the swap? Here's an analysis:

The top player in the deal obviously is Jokinen (56, 11-24-35, owned in 77 percent of all Yahoo! leagues), a four-time 30-goal scorer now with his third team in two seasons. He was dynamite for the Flames after last season's trade deadline deal with Phoenix, going 8-7-15 in 19 games. But 2009-10 hasn't produced the same magic, even centering the top line with Jarome Iginla as a linemate. But it's not just Jokinen -- the whole Calgary team is sputtering offensively with only 140 goals, tied for 22nd in the League.

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Rutherford sees benefits in dealing now, not later
Tuesday, 02.02.2010 / 2:30 PM / 2010 Trade Deadline
By Mike G. Morreale  - NHL.com Staff Writer

"I think there's an advantage to getting a player sooner than later because I've experienced that in the year we won the Cup (in 2006). The player most sought-after was Doug Weight. Everybody was going after him but we jumped in early and made the deal and got him out of the marketplace."
-- Jim Rutherford

It doesn't surprise Carolina Hurricanes General Manager Jim Rutherford one bit that a few big names already have changed addresses as teams look to get the jump with some early wheeling and dealing in anticipation of the Olympic roster freeze.

While the NHL trade deadline is March 3 at 3 p.m. ET, a trade freeze is in place during the Winter Olympic break -- Feb. 13-28. That leaves only three days for general managers to swing deals prior to the deadline and, as a result, many teams would prefer to get something done prior to the Games in Vancouver.

That certainly was the case with Toronto GM Brian Burke Sunday. Burke shook up the makeup of his dressing room with the acquisition of defenseman Dion Phaneuf as part of a seven-player deal with Calgary and then swapped goalies with Anaheim to get Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

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Return to basics has Elliott, Senators streaking
Tuesday, 02.02.2010 / 2:09 PM / In The Spotlight
By Dan Rosen  - NHL.com Staff Writer

"I'm not feeling any different than before. You feel the same way and try to do the same things in practice and you just know it turns around after a while. It has right now." -- Brian Elliott

Brian Elliott does not want to get in the way of himself these days, so the streaking Ottawa Senators goaltender is playing it cool and keeping everything about his play close to the vest.

He has just one problem.

How do you hide when you are forcing the spotlight to shine directly on you?

Elliott will put his personal seven-game winning streak on the line Wednesday night in Buffalo as the Senators go for their club-record 10th straight victory since presumed No. 1 goalie Pascal Leclaire suffered a concussion during a morning skate on Jan. 14.

A regulation win in Buffalo would also move the Senators within three points of tying the Sabres for first-place in the Northeast Division.
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Crosby's confidence vaults him among leaders
Tuesday, 02.02.2010 / 1:54 PM / In The Spotlight
By Phil Coffey  - NHL.com Sr. Editorial Director

"As an offensive player when you know you've got guys going to the net and driving hard, you're going to shoot more because you know that you'll get opportunities there." -- Sidney Crosby

Remember earlier this season when there was some concern that Sidney Crosby had lost his scoring touch?

Yes, from Oct. 31 through Nov. 10, a five-game span, Crosby was scoreless, nary a goal nor an assist. Egads! What was happening? Was the sky falling? Was this called for in the Mayan calendar?

All worries can now be put aside. Crosby not only has "rediscovered" his scoring touch, but he may well break the marks for offensive excellence we have come to expect from No. 87.

Following a 4-point night against the Sabres Monday, which included his third hat trick of the season, Crosby now has 37 goals for the season, tying him with San Jose's Patrick Marleau for the NHL lead. That puts Crosby just 2 goals behind his career mark of 39 goals set in 2005-06. He also has 34 assists in 56 games this season, so another 100-point season seems assured.
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Central: Hawks are happy to be home
Tuesday, 02.02.2010 / 1:26 PM / Division Notebooks
By Phil Coffey  - NHL.com Sr. Editorial Director

"Sixteen days is a long trip. It's pretty nice to get back to Chicago and play some home games." -- Andrew Ladd

As heated as their rivalry is with the Vancouver Canucks, the Chicago Blackhawks can empathize with the road-tripping Canucks after finally getting back home following an eight game, 16-day road trip that saw them go 5-3.

"Sixteen days is a long trip," forward Andrew Ladd told Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. "It's pretty nice to get back to Chicago and play some home games."

Ladd said the Blackhawks were a bit disappointed by the 5-3 road record.

"We're always expecting better," he said. "We're pushing for first in the League, and we've got to keep pace here. I think we'll take it. (We'll) get home and get some rest and then move on."
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