The NHL Column: Blackhawks' Addition, Homer Team TV, Carolina's Plan

Each week, Christopher Botta shares his notes, observations and opinions. We call it The NHL Column.

Vultures waiting for the Chicago Blackhawks to address their looming salary cap trouble before the March 3 trade deadline are going to be disappointed. The Blackhawks are in position to win a championship. Like the brilliant college kid procrastinating until the eve of the final exam, Chicago won't make a cap-relief deal until they have to. They do not have to until after the Stanley Cup is handed over.

In fact, there's a better chance they'll make a deal to improve their chances. The Blackhawks are approximately $1 million under the salary cap today. In the hours leading up to the deadline, they'll have plenty of retroactive cap space to acquire an impact player.

In a phone conversation with FanHouse, Blackhawks assistant GM Kevin Cheveldayoff would not reveal his team's specific plans. However, he did shed some light on the state of the Blackhawks.

"When your team has developed the high level of chemistry our club has, you want to keep it together," said Cheveldayoff, who joined the Blackhawks this season after 13 years as GM of AHL's Chicago Wolves, including four league titles. "If anything, you hope to add – not subtract.

"Of course, we're going to look at everything. One thing we know for certain is that you put your team in the best position to succeed in April, May and June by having depth. And in Stan Bowman, we have a GM who has already proven he is not afraid to make the bold move to make our team better."

Even if the Blackhawks decide to not make a move in the next five weeks, they still could be one of the most improved teams around the trade deadline. Dave Bolland, the two-way center who had 46 points last season, is expected to return this week after recovering from back surgery on Nov. 10. Gritty fourth-line right wing Adam Burish, the kind of fierce forechecker who can be invaluable in the playoffs, should return soon after the Olympic break after preseason knee surgery.

Those are pretty good additions for a team that's 38-14-4. With a forward depth chart bursting with high-end talent and effective grinders, Chicago could use their cap space on a veteran defenseman or a goaltender -- if Cristobal Huet or Anti Niemi are injured.

In discussing the impact of second-year coach Joel Quennville, Cheveldayoff said, "We love his ability to mesh all the different kinds of personalities that are on our roster. Joel's Xs and Os and his dilligence in preparation are as strong as any coach's in the game, but it's passion for seeing everyone blend together into a winning team that really makes him stand out. No one likes winning more than Joel."

With the addition of Burish and Boland, and perhaps an acquisition for depth, Chicago will see plenty of winning this spring.


I understand that every play-by-play man and commentator is under pressure or feels an obligation to always speak glowingly of his home team. That's life in 2010 as you flip around your NHL Center Ice package. (Jack Edwards sure has pumped down the volume during this Bruins' slump, hasn't he?)

I even get how every borderline hit from behind and flying elbow has to be carefully analyzed. Don't point out how the 27-stitch cut or Grade 2 concussion may have been the victim's fault, and your contract extension might never be offered.

Where most of these fine men go off the rails, however, is when they go off on their teams' opponents with a fury and sometimes lack of class they never would show when talking about their own teams. Guys, if your team's fighter is not a "goon," then neither is the other enforcer. If your team is barely at NHL .500 and has signs of dysfunction all over the organization, you might want to hold off on the rants about what a "joke" the other franchise is.


The fire sale in Carolina has been temporarily put on hold. A league source tells FanHouse that Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford has refrained from shopping most of his veterans now that his team is playing inspired hockey since Eric Staal was named captain. Before dropping a 4-2 decision in Edmonton on Monday, the Hurricanes had won four in a row.

Carolina continues to get healthy players back (Joe Corvo is next, followed by Erik Cole) and Rutherford wants to give Paul Maurice and his team a chance to get back in the Eastern playoff hunt. This is not as outlandish at it may seem. The Canes are just 11 points out of the logjam for the final playoff spots in the East and, with a healthy Cam Ward, they have a goaltender that gives them a chance at points every night.

A wild swing this week taking the Hurricanes from Edmonton and Calgary to Buffalo and Long Island before three home games leading to the Olympic break will indicate whether Rutherford should hold them or fold them. For now, pending unrestricted free agents Corvo, Ray Whitney, Matt Cullen, Scott Walker, Stephane Yelle and others will stick in Raleigh.


This is the National Hockey League Players' Association at its best. The union and Georges Laraque has formed a partnership with World Vision through the Hockey for Haiti project. The PA's "Goals & Dreams" fund pledged an initial donation of $100,000. Led by Laraque and Alexander Ovechkin, the PA has formed an alliance with the players' unions of MLB, the NBA and NFL called "One Team 4 Haiti" in partnership with the Bush Clinton Haiti Fund.

In addition, the PA created an online auction to raise more funds. Among the items available to the highest bidder are signed jerseys from Sidney Crosby and Zdeno Chara, autographed photos by Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos and Winter Classic jerseys off the backs of Patrick Kane and Pavel Datsyuk. Go to www.nhlpa.com to participate.


1 . Tyler Myers, Buffalo: Maybe the only hurdle in the way of the big defenseman winning the Calder is enough voters understanding the impact he's had on the Sabres. The Cliff Notes: 6-7 defenseman playing 24 minutes a game for Eastern contender; dominating on the blue line and third in scoring among rookies at any position. Myers turned 20 on Monday.

2. Jimmy Howard, Detroit: As responsible as any player with the Red Wings for keeping them in the playoff hunt despite a lengthy injury list. Howard is 19-11-6, tied for third in the league in save percentage (.926) and seventh in GAA (2.25).

3. Matt Duchene, Colorado: Leads all rookies in scoring (37 points) and tied with John Tavares for the lead in goals(17). Proving he's only getting stronger, Duchene is 8-9-17 in his last 19 games. And get a load of this: the 19-year-old excels in all zones.

4. John Tavares, Islanders: With only two goals in his last 25 games, his candidacy has taken a nose-dive. Despite the drought, Tavares is still second in rookie scoring. A hot hand after the Olympic break, in addition to keeping his Islanders in the playoff hunt, could snare the 2009 first overall pick a nomination.

5. James van Riemsdyk, Philadelphia: Tied with Myers for third in scoring and fourth in goals – not bad considering the kid from the University of New Hampshire only plays 13 minutes a game. Like a few youngsters who didn't make the list – Jamie Benn of Dallas, Evander Kane of Atlanta – van Riemsdyk could crack the top three if he proves valuable for his team in a playoff push. If none of the forwards produce, 19-year-old Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman could get consideration.


The shootout was instituted, in part, to showcase the game's star offensive talents. It often doesn't work out that way. Case in point: Tampa Bay vs. Anaheim on Friday. The Lightning needed that second point, so Rick Tocchet's lineup would of course feature world-class danglers Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis, right? Nope. Leading goal-scorer Ryan Malone? Wrong.

Try Stamkos, career grinder Jeff Halpern and NHL/AHL tweener Brandon Bochenski. Lecavalier is just 1-for-5 in the shootout this season. St. Louis – who has scored plenty of mid-game breakaway goals in his career – did not score in his one attempt in '09-10. Stamkos scored against the Ducks, while Halpern (now 1-for-4) and Bochenski (0-for-2) did not. The Ducks won the extra point.


As I confidently wrote in this space a few weeks ago, it doesn't appear the March 3 trade deadline is shaping up as a riveting swap meet of all-stars. No one ever said anything about Jan. 31!

Of the 10 players traded on Sunday, don't be suprised if Jason Blake of Anaheim makes the biggest impact this season.

Alexander Semin (pictured) is the best player to come around in the last five years that no one knows anything about. He doesn't, or won't, speak English. He's not a big fan of practice. Sometimes it seems like the Capitals just fly him in for games. You can't call someone an enigma, however, when they're this certifiably great.

Darryl Sutter apparently doesn't believe the theory about the team that acquires the best player wins the deal. That doesn't mean Sutter's reshuffling of the Flames' deckchairs won't work out. Quite a challenge for little brother Brent, who looked shell-shocked during the third period of Calgary's 3-0 home loss to the Flyers on Monday.

As many regrettable signings as there were last July 1 -- Donald Brashear, anyone? -- there were a handful of vital free agent pickups. Among the best on Day 1: Craig Anderson, Marian Gaborik, Dwayne Roloson, Mike Cammalleri. But the best decision is often for players to love the team they're with. There's no better example of this than Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who have partnered with Alexandre Burrows to form the best line in the league.

The FanHouse Free Scouting Bureau: Attention, GMs – Martin Biron, in practice, looks very sharp. Face it, fellas: you've traded mid-round picks for far worse.

I was hoping Brendan Shanahan would bring clarity to the dart-throwing discipline process at NHL hockey operations headquaters. This hasn't happened because Shanahan is apparently not involved. Come to think of it, has anyone heard from Shanahan since the day he was hired?

Welcome back, David Booth.

Brian Burke said on Jan. 1 that his management committee with Team USA would not stop scouting the players most deserving to be picked as injury replacements. If that's the case, he has plenty of peaking players to choose from to sub for Paul Martin and possibly Mike Komisarek. Among the many worthy of consideration should be Phoenix's Keith Yandle, Pittsburgh's Alex Goligoski, New Jersey's Andy Greene and Anaheim's Ryan Whitney and James Wisniewski.

Something is very wrong in Boston that goes beyond injury excuses, and it's on Peter Chiarelli to figure it out fast. It's not in Chiarelli's DNA to make hasty moves and you cannot blame him for insisting on holding on to Toronto's first round pick. But the GM has to, and will, make a big move before the trade deadline.

Didn't you used to be ... Shawn Horcoff?

Hail to the Writers: George Johnson, Calgary Herald; Tarik El-Bashir, Washington Post

Coaches' Handbook, Rule 14: If you're asked why you chose to start a particular goaltender, always cite his excellent record against your opponents. That is, unless his record is poor. In this case, simply say "Coach's decision" and watch as reporters look stupefied and struggle for a followup question.

Today's Three Stars: 3. Joel Otto 2. Mike Ramsey 1. Dale Hawerchuk