New Jersey Devils = most disappointing team midway of the season

I watched Red Wings vs Devils game earlier and it ended with 3-1 Red Wings win. The lost left Devils with a 16-30-3 record last in the eastern conference going into All-Star weekend. Midway through the season they are a big disappointment. When the team finally signed Kolvachuk to a big 15-year, $100 million contract it was thought to be the missing puzzle for a long playoff run. Instead team went backwards with them likely being out of playoff contention. The amount of money paid to players such as Ilya Kolvachuk, Patrick Elias, and Zach Parise they haven't gotten much in return. Kolvachuk, while currently leading the team in goals, haven't stepped up in scoring. Only three players have scored double digits in goals so far (Kolvachuk, Elias, and Jason Arnott). Parise and Travis Zajac are having a down year. Brian Rolston been a signing disappointment as he hasn't reach the numbers when was playing for the Bruins and Wild. The team already fired long-time Devils player turned coach John McLean with Jacques Lemaire going back behind the bench. It hasn't helped much as the offense has been the weakness this year. Goalie Martin Brodeur is the only bright spot as he can still go, but haven't gotten goal support. He is not going to save the team all by himself. Another note he is getting there with age and on pace to likely finish the season with under .500 win-loss record. One of problems the team have gotten older while its needed to younger. Only 10 of the players on the roster are 25 or under while they have 9 players that are 30 or over. For the team to contend for the playoffs in the future they need to get younger rebuilding through drafts and trades. Slowly phase out the veterans in few years and dump off bad contracts. What their disappointing season showed how bad they regressed and a must need to rebuild not for next season but the future. Devils are rolling down the slope to their "Mickey Mouse" seasons.

Blackhawks rise to the Stanley Cup

Chicago Blackhawks finally won the Stanley Cup breaking the current longest championship drought of the NHL. It was impressive rise to the Cup for a team that was left to rot around a decade ago. Best word to describe the Blackhawks in the late 90s and early 2000 seasons was mediocrity. After making the playoffs in 28 straight years they missed the playoffs in 9 out of 10 seasons starting with 97-98 season. They suffered in free agency market with frugality of late team president Bill Wirtz. The Blackhawks dark period was so bad that AHL team Chicago Wolves, playing at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, would outdrew them at games often. Team drafted very poorly between 1998 and 2004 as Brent Seabrook (1st round; 14th overall; 2003) was one of few picks to remain with the team currently. What turned the team around? You have to look at the post 2004-05 NHL lockout. The first seed was planted in 2006 draft when the Blackhawks drafted Jonathan Toews with third overall pick. Another key person was then-GM Dan Tallon, who was hired at the time, made moves signing and trading players to get a few key players of the current team despite some didn't work out. In 2007 the entire team got a makeover. Bill Wirtz passed away leaving his son, Rocky, taking the reigns as team president. He immediately toss away his father's policies and made partnerships and bringing back team legends that refused to do anything when his late father was still alive and running the team. The second seed planted when Blackhawks, with first overall pick, selected Patrick Kane. Immediately both hit it off as 1-2 combo on ice. Their first season (2007-08) together they finished 40-34-8 with 88 points. More seeds planted as the team signed Brian Campbell and Cristobal Huet along bringing coaching legend Scotty Bowman in the front office with Joel Queeneville as scout. Team started 2008-09 season in a struggle that they replaced Denis Savard with Queeneville as coach. Together they became one of best teams in the league that season making the playoffs for first time since 2001-02 season with a record 46-24-12 with 104 points. They made it all the way to NHL Western Conference finals before losing the series to the Red Wings in 5 games. Before the playoffs and near the end of the regular season they signed another goalie who turn out to be key for this season: Antti Niemi. This season continued with more changes as then GM Dan Tallon was demoted/fired after free agent "glitch" as Stan Bowman was promoted to GM. Despite the drama they continue to impress with Kane taking charged along with Toews, Patrick Sharp, Mariana Hossa (who signed a big 12-year contract before the season), and Kris Versteeg on scoring goals. Defensemen Campbell and Duncan Keith doing their job defending against the opponent's offense and assisting goals. Huet and Niemi both impressive in goal and sharing duty. Team finished on top of central division with 52-22-8 with 112 points and the no. 2 seed in the playoffs. They battled past Nashville Predators (4-2), Vancouver Canucks (4-2), and San Jose Sharks (4-0) to reach to the finals taking on no. 7 yet dangerous Philadelphia Flyers who are continued on their momentum including coming back 0-3 to win the series against Boston Bruins. Blackhawks took the first two games of the series at home winning by a goal (6-5; 2-1), but two straight (4-3; 5-3) on the road tying up the series. Back at home, Blackhawks got through and hit both Flyers goalies hard winning 7-4. Now back on the road to Philly the Flyers are on a hot streak winning 20 straight playoff games at home. Both teams battled passed regulation still tied 3-3 going into overtime. Blackhawks end up taking it with a tricky shot at goal from an angle. Guess who scored the goal? It was Patrick Kane, one key young players that sow the seeds of the Blackhawks future. Blackhawks took the series ending the Flyers home playoff winning streak and most importantly Stanley Cup drought who last won it in 1961. What a great way to end the NHL season. Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks for the winning the Cup. They deserved it after 49 long years. Somewhere in the northside of Chicago some are crying on the diamond for their 101 years and counting of futility while a team on the southside and the Blackhawks broke their championship drought during this time.

NHL gets egg on its face as Reinsdorf pulls out

After trying to get a group led by White Sox and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf to buy the money-losing, cash strapped Phoenix Coyotes, Reinsdorf group pulls out of the sale. This has NHL and a group, Ice Edge, as potentials buyers and hopes to keep the team in Glendale.

First of all would it be best for NHL to swallow their pride and sell it to Blackberry CEO, Jim Ballsillie, and have him move it to Hamilton, Ontario? Second, they should drop the "southwest" expansion idea because it failed bad as the team never made a profit since they moved to Phoenix/Glendale. Third, what sounds like a better deal? Moving to a location where they have immediate fanbase and likely earn revenue or stay put and lose money each and every year?

Gary Bettman is out of his mind for continue to save Phoenix Coyotes from moving while he didn't do squat when Quebec Nordiques, Winnipeg Jets, and Hartford Whalers relocated.

Coyotes goes to the Bulls and NHL still doesn't get it

NHL Coyotes remain in Phoenix with NHL owners rejecting Jim Balsillie bid and approved ownership role to Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf.

My problem with this you have Jim Balsillie, a diehard hockey fan, willing to buy a cash strapped team for $212.5 million and move up to rabid Canadian fan base where it would mostly play in front of packed arena instead half-filled arena in Glendale. Instead of adding potential revenue with a move to Canada they rejected him as owner and gave it to a sports owner that will allow the team stayed in a money losing situation. Gary Bettman must have really hate Canada.

NHL "southern" expansion been failure. Teams like Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, and Tampa Bay Lightning won Stanley Cups but often struggle attendance wise. Atlanta Thrashers, Florida Panthers, and occasionally Hurricanes and Lightning been drawing half or 2/3 of arena capacity while its well known Coyotes barely play half empty arena.

I suggest reading Hockey Night in Dixie about minor league hockey in the south. It gives you detail from about teams and players playing in the area to how fans felt about hockey when it was fresh before tailing off.

Coyotes: Broke and possibly migrating to north of the border

Phoenix Coyotes, despite getting getting money loans from the NHL, have filed chapter 11 bankruptcy protection against NHL wishes. The NHL stripped Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes of any authority. Guess who came to pounce with a price tag?

It's Blackberry co-CEO Jim Balsillie, who failed attempt to buy Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators, quickly jump on Coyotes with a price tag of $212.15 million with a possibility of moving the team north of the border to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. But its long fight before it happens.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman doubted the sale of the Coyotes gain approval from NHL owners. Also he reiterated the league on keeping the team in Glendale. Meanwhile, the city of Glendale trying to block the sale of the team from moving the Canada.

Up in Hamilton excitement is high for possible Coyotes relocation with support from Ontario premier and Canada prime minister.

It's going be a huge showdown and a mess in the offseason. Will Jim Balsillie finally get his NHL team and move to Hamilton or will Coyotes remain in Glendale?