Leap Day Videos

- There are eight former and current NHLers who have birthdays today. They're special.


- A curious thing happened during the Stars/Canucks game the other night. Alain Vigneault was losing his mind laughing on the bench and everyone wanted to know why. It was apparently because Vernon Fiddler was giving the Canucks bench his interpretation of Kevin Bieksa's famous mean-face.

Funniest thing we've seen in a while. Seriously, even Bieksa thought it was funny.


- The Panthers were asked what their favorite smell was. It's an odd question but they answer it. Some of the answers are funny and then there's Kris Versteeg.

Can't say that we're surprised he said something like that.


- The Avalanche held their Mile High Dreams Gala the other night and let the players interview each other during the event.

Warning: If you did not like/know/care about Gabriel Landeskog then welcome to his official fanclub after this video. If you are already in the fanclub with us then we meet pretty much every day and cry about our cougar ways and feelings for his face.


- The Carolina Hurricanes are asked what their favorite books are in this edition of 'Ask the Canes'.

Brandon Sutter: yes, Goosebumps all the way.


- The Jets and Twitter. A new way to connect with fans.

Wheeler's Twitter name takes all the awards. As does his dogs' names.


- And now there's a video of a Tyler Seguin rap. Don't know how we feel about this because we definitely think that Hall's is better (but that might be because we've been Inceptioned by Curtis to love him more).

What do you think? Who has a better rap: Taylor or Tyler? It's the new debate.

Boring News n'at

- Apparently Rick Nash asked Howson for a trade outta Columbus. He says it was for the good of the team and their attempt at a rebuild. We hope so.


- TSN has the trade deadline winners and losers. In case you were wondering. There is also an analysis of the players who could help their new teams the most.


- We found an article that has the statistics on the season so far and we're huge fans of the stats here so you know we were all about this.


- Jean Beliveau was hospitalized today after suffering a stroke. This makes us quite sad.


- Here are the six stories to watch for the rest of the season. Of course Sidney Crosby is featured on it.


- Rangers captain Ryan Callahan is day-to-day with a bruised foot.

2012 Trade Deadline Day - Live Blog

[FYI: we are in Nashville so this will be in CST so suck it up if you're anywhere else]


7:01am - Here is the setup in the living room for Noodles

yes, Red Bull and popcorn for breakfast.


7:02am - Nothing is going on. TSN is telling us the top players that could be traded and the teams that could be in on things.


7:09am - Aaron Ward: solid suit and tie combo.



7:20am - Curtis and I are discussing the merits of coffee and Red Bull to keep you up in the morning while also entertaining ourselves with this video.

Don't know if it's that funny or we just need to sleep.


7:28am - worst roster photo this morning



7:40am - depressing us with the playoff droughts...thanks Duthie


7:46am - some of the tweets on TSN are really funny like "No one on the train thanks #tradecentre"


7:53am - Mikael Grabovski has 29 and 29 last season. Really? He couldn't get either one more assist or one more goal?

Jeez, dude.


8:00am - Jay Onrait.

Yes.


8:09am - Slooooooooooooooooow but it always is in the morning. We're just warming up, beeeeetches.


8:11am - 'big, thick body' and we start giggling like twelve-year-olds...PS, was not said by Pierre McGuire and yeah, we were surprised about that as well


8:26am - the giggles from the various desks in the TSN studio when a Down Goes Brown tweet about Brian Burke was read were priceless.



8:31am - did anyone else notice all of the papers haphazardly strewn around Mike Johnson's part of the desk? Curtis thinks it's drawing paper with his doodles on it and I just think he's really into today and wants to be prepared...like the rest of us


8:42am - Terrible-Timing Tater has made a comeback.

This is what I have to deal with during games and important days like Trade Deadline Day. She has no idea how to wait for an intermission or a commercial. Rude.


9:00am - if something doesn't happen soon we will, um, do nothing and keep watching until the day is over


9:11am - Another quality tweet on the tracker: 'traded my desk chair for my couch to watch #tradecentre'


9:25am - Curtis is telling me that Andrei Kostitsyn could be coming to Smashville.

No. Don't do it.


9:33am - TRADE!!!!!!!!! The Kostitsyn trade from the Canadiens to the Predators looks official...details? Probably picks. Wish it was Sergei for Andrei.


9:42am - TSN is focusing on the Oilers right now. Trying to keep Curtis occupied instead of watching it. She's more worried about the weather there.


9:44am - OFFICIAL. Going to Montreal for A. Kostitsyn is a second round in 2013 plus the conditional pick they got in Hal Gill trade.


9:52am - Curtis's hashtags are $$$.


9:53am - Rick Nash doesn't want to come to Nashville?

Oooookay.


10:02am - now the tweets in the scroll on TSN are getting depressing and delusional, can't lie and say we don't enjoy their pain.


10:16am - Feels like we are literally on Rick Nash watch right now.

Riiiiiiiiiiiick! Where you going, boy?


10:22am - Ferraro: "Lowest scoring team in the American Hockey league." Pang: "That's a challenge." LOL.


10:21am - P90X commercial on NHL Network.

Help.


10:37am - Discussion of the rookies in the NHL today...yes, we know that RNH is the best one out of all of them. Believe me, Curtis has taken me to school about that kid and his stats.

I am a fan.


10:43am - This vest. No.

I'm getting tired and judgmental but it's a terrible vest.


10:59am - 'Danny Hamhuis' sounds super awkward.



11:10am - Brian Burke is being a sassy jerk and James Duthie is not taking it.

It's like an amazing tug-of-war with words and neither will back down. Junkyard dogs.


11:15am - Brian Burke...



11:23am - "Wait, we're the only trade so far today? Shit."
- David Poile


11:37am - We've devolved into making fun of the headshots of the 'Trade Bait' guys that keep popping up on the TSN broadcast.


11:44am - TRADE!!! Mike Commodore was traded to the Lightning for a conditional seventh round pick.



11:54am - Oh my gawd, Curtis is freaking the hell out behind me on the couch. Apparently it's a trade involving Tom Gilbert and Nick Schultz. Still waiting and making sure she doesn't kick me in the head.


11:57am - Curtis is doing 'praise hands'.

Looks like it's straight up player for player.


12:12pm - and now they're talking about who isn't getting traded...of course because there's nothing to do.


12:24pm - DISCUSSION about the one trade that has happened. We're bored with it already, duh.


12:37pm - YESSSSSS! Another trade. Maple Leafs trade Keith Aulie to the Lightning for Carter Ashton.


12:45pm - Things are really starting to heat up...



12:54pm - Daniel Winnick and TJ Galiardi and a seventh round draft pick to the Sharks looks to be a done deal.


12:59pm - Brian Lee has gone to the Lightning in exchange for Matt Gilroy. Interesting?


1:01pm - The Canucks picked up Sami Pahlsson from the Blue Jackets for two fourth-round draft picks.


1:04pm - Keith Aulie is cuter than his roster pic. Curtis thinks so and I agree.

Objectification is what we do best.


1:06pm - The Avalanche get Jamie McGinn and two prospects.


1:07pm - Johnny Oduya goes to the Blackhawks.


1:10pm - Holy mother of Spezza, that was a lot of trades hitting the fan at the same time.

We're ready for a nap already.


1:13pm - second and a third picks in 2013 from Chicago to Winnipeg for Oduya.


1:24pm - How are the Rangers still in the Nash race? If there even is a race. Who know what's going to happen now.


1:29pm - This silence and lack of trades after that shitshow is alarming. It feels like something insane is happening.


1:35pm - If NHL Network interrupts the TSN feed one more time...

DEB! Get your leathery face to learn how to pronounce 'Canadiens' and 'Kostitsyn' before we flip out.


1:37pm - I apologize, it's been a while since I've slept and the rage is settling in.


1:45pm - More discussions. If I was the Flames GM I would have jettisoned everyone. Just called every other GM and been like "Yo, you can have anyone you want. All I want are picks and young kids. Let's do this."

I think I would have takers.


1:47pm - But this is why I am not a GM.


1:53pm - Pierre.

Stop it.


1:55pm - The last five minutes make me nervous. Always.


1:58pm - Bruins acquired Brian Rolston & Mike Mottau for future considerations. Okay.


2:00pm - It's official. Can we take a calming breath?

Let's hope so.


2:01pm - And that deep breath is not taken. Paul Gaustad and a fourth round pick traded to the Predators for their first round pick.


2:09pm - Bruins acquired Greg Zanon from the Wild for Steve Kampfer. Well, alrighty then.


2:15pm - Matt Gilroy looks absolutely miserable in his roster picture.

Holy smokes.


2:19pm - Blackhawks traded John Scott to the Rangers for fifth round pick.


2:24pm - Minor league trade between the Ducks and the Leafs. Dale Mitchell for Mark Fraser.


2:32pm - The Sabres traded Zack Kassian to the Canucks for Cody Hodgson. Don't know all the details yet. Holy shit.



Is anyone else as stunned? Wow.


2:39pm - Looks like Marc-Andre Gragnani goes to the Canucks and Alexander Sulzer goes to the Sabres.


2:41pm - Seems really huge. What a trade.


2:51pm - Pretty sure everything's done. It's been a day, that's for sure.

Follow @HockeyJunkies on Twitter

Hey guys- Noodles mentioned it in the last post, but I'll be manning our twitter account from here out, and I'll be providing you with all the witty commentary your heart desires and maybe even some NEWS *gasp*. Send me an @! It's about time we had someone actually monitoring it, eh? I'll be tweeting all through the day tomorrow, and then whenever the situation calls for it. Keep your wits about ya!

Love, Curtis.

The Rick Nash Saga: Where You Going, Boy?

(WARNING: gratuitous use of caps lock)

Tomorrow we will be having our annual Trade Deadline (Heaven Help Us) LiveBlog (aka: Crying Openly Or Flailing About In Front Of Friends, Family & The TSN Panelists).

It should be amazing.

Or awful. It all depends on what happens and to whom and to where.

Everyone knows that Noodles will be inconsolable if/when Patrick Kane gets traded.

We don't know why she likes him so much. It's borderline weird.

Curtis will have to be put in 24-hour constant watch if Sam Gagner goes anywhere.

It's been too long that she's been a fan of him in Edmonton.

But trades happen and life goes on.

Every single year we have that one player who gets all of the attention. It's one player that every reporter and blogger and panelist talks about and gives their opinion on where they will end up. It's like an obsession that doesn't end until that player is finally, finally moved and/or re-signed.

This year it's Rick Nash.


And we've decided to give our opinion on the matter. BECAUSE YOU ALL CARE WHAT WE THINK. Or something like that.

-&-

Mr. Nash.

The man with the perma-beard and doughboy body.


How he hasn't been traded to another team yet still baffles us. Nothing against the Blue Jackets but making the playoffs once and then getting the short straw (Detroit Red Wings) in the first round just won't cut it.

Rick wants a Cup and he's getting closer to 'too old' as the seasons pass.


We're hearing tons of rumors since it's been made known that he was being shopped and made a list of the teams he would go to.

So without further ado...RUMOR HAS IT: a tale of woe from Rick Nash


The Flyers were in on it. BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS FREAKING ARE!

Seriously, Philadelphia. Do you have to be that kid in the schoolyard who takes everyone's jump ropes, chalk and toy blocks not because they want it but because they don't want anyone else to have it? Do you?

STOP BEING SELFISH OR WE WILL BANISH YOU TO TIMEOUT!

LEARN HOW TO SHARE, DAMMIT!


And the Rangers.

DO YOU REALLY NEED HIM?!

IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO HOARD EVERY FREE AGENT AND AMAZING PLAYER EVER?!


Is Rick Nash going to push you into first place in the East? Oh wait, you're already there.

Stop being greedy, NYR. You have Gaborik, Callahan and BRichards was added over the summer. How is that even fair? That's like having Malkin and Crosby on the same team with Fleury as the goaltender.

Oh, wait.


Now there are rumors that the Predators want in on it. And we can only imagine who they would have to give up for him.

Probably like Colin Wilson, Gabriel Bourque, Jonathan Blum and a first-round pick for Rick Nash.

We can only hope that Poile's response goes something like this:

"Uh, Imma veto dat bullshit. No thank you, sirs. Imma have to stay with the kiddies because at least they have the option of getting better someday. Nash is probably past his prime now and uselessssssssss."

Worry about Ryan Suter, biotch.

Yeah.


Not like it makes any difference what any team does because the Red Wings exist. Everyone knows that the Detroit Red Wings are gonna swoop in and snatch Nash up because they are always quiet about this kind of stuff and then BOOM! they are the ones that get the guy.

They've mastered the art of sneak attacks during trade deadline day and free agency. No one expects it and when it happens you are kind of stunned.


Or the Canucks.

Yeah, because they REALLLLLLLLY need a scoring winger....uh, huh.


But it would be interesting to see him with the Sedins. Although we have a vague idea that it would be ridiculoussssssssssssssss. And of course, totally unfair.


And every Penguins fanboy wants Nash on the team.

Makes us mad because it's like they don't understand who the Penguins would have to give up to land a player like Nash.

LIKE EVERYONE. And James Neal wouldn't have been signed. Get yo heads outta yo buttholes, brotato chips.

It would be sweet to have Rick Nash play on a line with Sidney Crosby. Whenever that rat bastard decides that he's symptom free and can come back.

(EDIT: we love him but we miss him and it causes such rage in us.)


Even the Maple Leafs are considering making a deal.

What we've learned is that YOU CAN NEVER TRUST BRIAN BURKE.

EVER.

He is a wily and slippery man who says what he wants to get what he wants. And that's why we love him. He's America.

If he says that he wants Rick Nash and is willing to deal then DON'T DO IT, HE'S TRYING TO LULL YOU INTO SUBMISSION.


And if he says that he wants nothing to do with Rich Nash then HE'S ALREADY MADE THE DEAL and Luke Schenn is wearing the cannon on his chest in Columbus before you even have a chance to say, "WTF?"

#terribleimagesandwehatethem


Are there other teams lusting after Rick Nash's doughy body and bland personality? YES! Are they important? NO!


Where do you think that he's going? If he is.

Only tomorrow will tell. Remember that we will be having a liveblog tomorrow so come on by and join us.

Noodles is on the blog. And Curtis is handling the Twitter. It's going to be a coffee-fueled, insane hockey-fest at the lair.

(aka: fun, duh bitches)

See yous tomorrow!

A Musical Tribute to Taylor Hall

Hey folks! It's Curtis, your same old friendly Canadian Consultant with a brand new Canadian name. Who's idea was it to have a Canadian Consultant with a Swedish name, anyway? .........

Anyway. I'm on my bi-yearly pilgrimage south of the border and after about a week and a half Noodles and I should probably be separated, but I digress. Today, we discovered this gem while doing our nightly google searches.

Anyway. It seems that a... group... of local... rappers... wrote a song about the Oilers future Superstar Taylor Hall. It seems to include a dance called the "Taylor Hall", and happens to be titled "Taylor Hall".

Can we just agree that this is the best song ever written about a hockey player? Yes? Ok.

The idea that we couldn't shake is what Taylor's teammate, linemate, roommate, and best friend Jordan Eberle might think of this. No song for him? I mean, he hit the 100 point plateau way faster than Taylor will, is top-10 in NHL scoring, and leads all second-year players this season. How do you think he feels?

I think he'd walk away with a single tear running down his cheek, singing this song- to the tune of "Santa Monica", by his favourite band, Canadian crotch-rockers Theory of a Deadman.

I remember the daaay

I was named to the all-star game,

I went all alone all the way to Ottawaaa.

Hallsy wasn't inviiited,

so why don't I have my own song?

Is it because I wasn't number ooone?

Friday's Got More News

We found a video of the Penguins annual 'Skates & Plates' and it's fun to see the boys put on the suits again and pour some wine.



The Kings have re-signed Willie Mitchell to a two-year contract extension.


The Oilers have re-signed Ales Hemsky to a two-year contract extension as well.


Kurtis Foster was traded to the Minnesota Wild from the New Jersey Devils for Nick Palmieri, Stephane Veilleux, a second-rounder in 2012 and a conditional third-rounder in 2013.


Joffrey Lupul teaches kids how to skate or something like that.

You Know It's Almost Trade Deadline Day When...

Jeff Carter was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for Jack Johnson and a conditional first-round pick.

WHAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTT???????!!!!!

Jack is a Blue Jacket? Noooooooooo! Who is going to be the scapegoat for LA fans? This makes us sad.

But at least Jeffy and Mikey will be reunited again.


Yessssssssss.



Other News:

- More Capitals controversy, now with coach Hunter and Roman Hamrlik. We swear that it's like 'Days of Our Lives' in Washington.


- Jonathan Toews was involved in a one-car accident today. He is okay but we're still kind of weirded out by it because we always thought Captain Serious was perfect.


- Craig Anderson will be out indefinitely after cutting his hand while making a meal. Uh, what? Dude, be careful with the knives.

Wednesday Got The News

- GM David Poile was given a contract extension through the 2014-2015 season by the Nashville Predators.


- Ty Conklin was put on waivers and was not picked up.


- Cam Ward is out with a lower body injury and will be missing a few games because of it.


- The Maple Leafs sent Keith Aulie back down to the AHL.


- Vincent Lecavalier is going to be out 'day-to-day' with a fractured hand.


- The St. Louis Blues will be out for at least a month with a broken foot.


- Jonathan Toews will be out with an upper-body injury. Really? You're a jerkface.


- More injury news: Pavel Datsyuk will be out of the Red Wings lineup after having knee surgery.


- So there was a trade: Kyle Quincey went from the Avalanche to the Lightning for Steve Downie and then Quincey was traded from the Lightning to the Red Wings for a first-round pick in 2012 NHL Draft and Sebastien Piche.


- The Chicago Blackhawks traded Brandon Segal to the Lightning for Matt Fornataro.


- Todd Bertuzzi re-signed with the Red Wings for two-years.


- The Blue Jackets traded Antoine Vermette to the Coyotes for a pair of draft picks and Curtis McElhinney.


- Did you know that Radim Vrbata has 30 goals? We were stunned as well.


- Tuomo Ruutu was re-signed by the Carolina Hurricanes to a four-year extension.

Fantasy Hockey Update: Trades

Like always, we will be having another trade day at the end of the month.

Since the trade deadline day is on Monday the 27th which we will be live-blogging because you just know that something insane is going to happen.

It normally does. And this year we have the 'WHERE'S RICK NASH GOING ZOMG' this season and you know how much we love drama.

But first, we will be taking trades from now until March 1st. If you would please have your trades in by the day after the NHL's trade deadline day that would be awesome.

We understand that players changing teams will be a huge thing for fantasy so we will give you at least two days to figure out what you want to do.

Remember: March 1st, get your trades in.

Thanks.

Awards Monday: Week Twenty

Hottie of the Week


Blake Wheeler


We feel like everyone forgets about him and we've been guilty of it too but no one could forget him after the week he just had.

-&-

Best Commercial of the Night


Boston Pizza


Old school BP commercial with Colin Mochrie because who doesn't like Colin? He's funny and Canadian and looks exactly the same throughout the years.

-&-

The Ryan Malone Wheaties Award


Chicago Blackhawks


They had a nine-game losing streak where everyone fell off the wagon and things looked terrible but then they brought the pain and won a hard-fought game against the East's top team.