(Courtesy of The Hockey News)
Minutes ago the New York Rangers have announced the signing of winger Alexander Frolov on the team’s website. The 28-year-old Moscow native comes to the Big Apple after spending his entire NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings where he recorded 381 points in 536 games. The contract is said to be one year for $3 million compared to the $2.9 he made last season.
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(Courtesy of The Hockey News)
After taking a year off from top hockey in the KHL, former New York Rangers winger Nikolai Zherdev returns to the NHL signing with rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers. Zherdev who originally started his pro career with the Columbus Blue Jackets comes back to the league having spent time with Atlant Moscow Oblast in Russia’s KHL last year.
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A relatively busy day in the realm of Russian hockey this Monday afternoon when it comes to defensemen as newsworthy headlines have appeared throughout today’s blogosphere. The biggest is of former NHL player Darius Kasparaitis retiring from his KHL club SKA St. Petersburg in order to become an assistant coach with the team he spent his last playing days with.
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(Courtesy of Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
On Thursday night, Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin earned his 500th career point in grand fashion against the New York Rangers.
With his team down 5-3 in the dying moments of the second period the winger raced up the left side of the ice and simply undressed defenseman Michal Rozsival by slipping the puck between his legs recovering it and then beating Henrik Lundqvist with a one-handed, left-handed shot.
Ovie becomes the fastest player since Eric Lindros to reach the 500 point plateau doing so in just 373 games and just the ninth to do so in his first five seasons. The goal would give the momentum back to the Caps who would eventually re-take the lead and secure their 12th straight victory.
With two goals and an assist Ovechkin now leads the NHL in goals (38), points (80), and plus/minus (37). Since being named captain the Capitals have gone 15-1-0 and have scored four or more goals in every game but two. Their 12-game winning streak sets the new Washington Capitals franchise record.
(Courtesy of Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Tuesday night marked the return of Alexander Ovechkin who spent the last two weeks nursing an upper body injury. His return came at the scene where the Washington Capitals had great success in last years playoffs against the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden. Ovechkin wasted no time familiarizing himself with the score sheet and tallied his 15th goal of the year.
His return gave the Caps an offensive boost which was used for the 4-2 win. He didn’t do too much but we sure are glad he’s back. Congratulations to Ovie for his COTN nomination. Below is his goal courtesy as always by the NHL and NHL.com
(courtesy of The Hockey News)
Former Buffalo Sabres RW Maxim Afinogenov has been invited by the Atlanta Thrashers for a tryout with the team. While this isn’t exactly breaking news since he was invited back on the 17th we are currently getting ready for some big changes to the site which has put our number one priority on the back burner.
Afinogenov spent most of the off-season in his hometown of Moscow preparing for the Russian National Team training camp with his former club Dynamo Moscow. He even took part in a fan appreciation day with Dynamo against their fans.
With rumors that Atlanta had gone after former ranger Nikolai Zherdev before his move to Atlant Moscow Oblast it appears that Afinogenov might be his replacement. It is possible that fellow countryman and captain Ilya Kovalchuk recommended Afinogenov as he was vocal in the signing of Nik Antropov earlier in the summer.
With Atlanta trying to do everything in their power to keep Kovalchuk who is entering the last year of his contract they might offer a deal to Afinogenov to appease the former Spartak Moscow standout.
Afinogenov spent most of last year on the injured list and but did however lead the Sabres in scoring in 2005-06 with 73 points. GM Don Waddell said of the recently turned 30-year-old “He’s a high-end guy, a skill guy, it doesn’t hurt. We’ll see what happens.”
In 569 NHL games he has 134 goals, 200 assists for 334 points. However his tendency to get injured has not helped him find a team since he became a free agent. If the Thrashers do not extend an offer it is highly plausible the speedy winger would return to Russia and most likely Dynamo to finish off his career that has seen goals such as this one below.
Day after this intial post Afinogenov signed a one-year contract worth $800,000.
(courtesy of The Hockey News)
On Thursday, Nikolai Aleksandrovich Antropov signed a four-year $16 million deal with the Atlanta Thrashers after being rented by the New York Rangers on the trade deadline. The 29-year-old native of Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan had spent his entire career with the Toronto Maple Leafs before being traded away by newly appointed GM Brain Burke who publicly stated the 6’6 winger was on his way out.
In 527 NHL games Big Nik has 132 goals, 172 assists for a total of 304 points not to mention 483 penalty minutes. He is a +53 for his career. Antropov’s fate was pretty much set when Rangers GM Glen Sather stated that his chance of returning to the blueshirts was a snowball’s chance in hell as his asking price was deemed too high.
Antropov joins Ilya Kovalchuk and Slava Kozlov as the latest Russian speaking player to don a Thrashers uniform. It is understood that Kovalchuk was very vocal about obtaining Antropov as the two played together with Ak Bars Kazan during the lockout in 2005.
The NHL playoffs are all set and ready with mouth-watering match up’s for hockey fans to enjoy. Here is a look at the first round match-ups
Eastern Conference
(1) Boston Bruins vs (8) Montreal Canadiens
A rematch from last year with the teams in opposite seeds the Habs enter this series, losers of four of their last five and have been lucky to survive the titanic that was their season. Sub par goal tending and a long list of players on the injured list were keys to their demise. What’s worse is that the season series was all Bruins who went 5-1 winning the last 5 games outscoring the Habs 20-9. This series does not look good for Les Canadiens who will be lucky to win one game. Let’s hope for the sake of the city of Montreal that it’s in Boston so the series sees no riots this time. Boston in 5.
(2) Washington Capitals vs (7) New York Rangers
The second best power play meets the best penalty kill as the Capitals led by the Art Ross Trophy holder Alexander Ovechkin take on a recently confident Rangers team. The season series doesn’t favor the Rangers who went 1-3 versus the Caps. However they are coming off back to back wins over the rival Philadelphia Flyers led by goal keeper Henrik Lundqvist. The Swede could be the difference in the series as Jose Theodore doesn’t have a winning record in the NHL’s second season. However he does have a Vezina and Hart trophy to his credit which can not be said for Lundqvist. The Capitals have too much offense for the Rangers and enough depth for the long haul. Capitals in 6.
(3) New Jersey Devils vs (6) Carolina Hurricanes
Most of the hockey world did not expect the Devils to compete without Martin Brodeur sidelined for 3 months. Now the Devils head into the playoffs after capturing their 8th division title in 12 years. They face a red hot Carolina team who had won 9 straight before two straight losses to round out the season. The latest coming to the Devils 3-2 at New Jersey. Carolina won the series however 3-1.
This will be the fourth postseason series between the teams. Carolina defeated the Devils in five games in their most-recent meeting in the 2006 Eastern Conference Semifinals. The team that won each of the three previous series between the teams went on to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals. Devils in 6.
(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs (5) Philadelphia Flyers
The battle of Pennsylvania continues into the playoffs. A rematch of last years conference finals this could be one of the better match ups in the first round. Evgeni Malkin can be the difference maker against a rather untested keeper in Martin Biron. However the Flyers have plenty of fire in Jeff Carter who finished second in the league in goals. The Penguins won the series 4-2 but this one could go either way. Pittsburgh in 7.
He could also possibly center Zherdev. Coaches often believe fellow countrymen or a common language can have a great chemistry, which may be the case here. While Antropov is from Kazakhstan and Zherdev, Ukraine, both have played in Russia. Antropov should feature in tomorrow’s game against the New York Islanders but his debut may be overshadowed by the return of super pest Sean Avery.
The Rangers also made another trade later in the day to acquire defensemen Derrek Morris from Phoenix for Dimitri Kalinin, Petr Prucha, and Nigel Dawes. The 28-year-old Kalinin, a Chelyabinsk native, only registered 1 goal and 12 assists in through 58 games.
