Red Wings Off Season: I Give Them an A

 

 

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Many adjectives have been used to describe the Detroit Red Wings off-season disastrous, disappointing, sub-par  unproductive, ineffective, fruitless ' the list can go on and on. For such a storied franchise that always seems to be the talk of the NHL in terms of getting it right they seemed to have done a 180 and been painted by many commentators in the hockey world as one of the losers  this past off season. Writers and bloggers have proclaimed doom and gloom for the upcoming season (lockout pending); however I have a different outlook. Disappointing? Ineffective? I say smart, competitive and overall a success!

“[T]he Wings clearly regressed over the summer. Their 21-year playoff streak is in jeopardy. GRADE: D”

Read more: Western Conference Grades

If I listen closely enough I can almost hear the 'Oh come on' you most likely scoffed ' but hear me out. The main argument people use when sentencing the Wings off season is that they did not land a big fish free agent like Ryan Suter or Zach Parise. While many see this as defeat it should be recognized as a blessing in disguise. Both players signed astronomical contracts that would financially inhibit a team for years to come. Their identical 13 year 98 million dollar contracts will have annual cap hits of 7.5 million. While I admit I was happy to hear the Wings brass did heavily court Suter and Parise during the off season I think a retrospective look by their office would tend to agree that it is better that they weren’t able to close the deal. I think we all can agree that this year's free agent crop was thin at best, and just like basic economics teaches us when supply is low the prices go up ' or skyrocket as was the case for free agents this off season. Just look at the contract the Vancouver Canucks gave Jason Garrison, six years $27.6 million. Is it worth it? Are they worth it?  The Wings were ultimately successful by failing to sign two overpriced free agents. Yes, they are elite talents in the NHL but they are also overpaid talent with long contracts attached to them.

Quoted from Mlive:

“A Red Wings’ contingent that included owner Mike Ilitch, general manager Ken Holland and advisor Chris Chelios flew to Madison Tuesday on Ilitch’s private plane to make a pitch to Suter in person.”

 

On top of dodging a bullet with the big name free agents, the Red Wings were also successful in signing many key free agents. They may not have garnered the attention or contracts of Suter or Parise but what they do offer is a solid competitive line-up. Let's take a look at each one individually:

 

(Luc Leclerc-US PRESSWIRE

Mikael Samuelsson

Samuelsson is no stranger to Red Wings fans having played in Detroit for four seasons and amassing 159 points in 278 games (67G, 92A). From 2009 to 2012 Samuelsson split time between Vancouver and Florida playing in 203 games and scoring 62 goals and adding 72 assists for a total of 134 points.

What stands out to me about Samuelsson is that he is a right handed shot, something the Red Wings don't have too many of. He also has decent size (6 foot 2, 218lbs) so he is harder to knock off the puck. Samuelsson's best quality for the Wings is his love of shooting the puck. If you don't put pucks on net you will not score plain and simple. I know it is a cliché but it is true. In the past many Wings players are guilty of passing the puck rather than shooting it on net. I believe Samuelsson will help to balance this and the end result will be more goals for the Wings.

 

Jordin Tootoo

Jordin Tootoo was not signed specifically for offensive production however he does bring a little with him. The reason the Wings signed him is for his physical presence and his ability to agitate opponents and keep the so called flies off the star players. Tootoo's physicality and ability to fight will allow a player like Bertuzzi to focus on playing the game rather than standing up for teammates. At

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age 37 Bertuzzi's energy would be better spent on offense rather than fist to cuffs. Other teams will think twice about abusing the Wings stars like Datsyuk and Zetterberg because Tootoo will be ready and willing to make them pay.

The Wings like toughness but they do not like to sacrifice skill for physicality. Detroit always wants every player to be able to contribute offensively. Tootoo comes from a defence first team in Nashville where he played 77 games in 2011/12. Tootoo contributed 6 goals and 24 assists for a total of 30 points. No doubt Tootoo will have to get accustomed to the Wings puck possession style of play, but once he does I can see his offensive numbers increasing. However if Tootoo brings a physical edge to the wings and can chip in 30-40 points a season he would be well worth the $1.9M cap hit.

 

(bridgetds/Flickr)Carlo Colaiacovo

 Carlo Colaiacovo

No one can deny the Wings defence is going to look drastically different this year without 'the perfect human' donning the number 5 jersey on the backend. Carlo Colaiacovo will not replace Lidstrom nor is he expected too. A player of Lidstrom's caliber is a rarity and the Wings management know that as well as anyone. Wings fans should not look at his signing that way because the moment they do people will want him benched or traded. Colaiacovo was brought in for leadership, experience, and insurance. The Wings defensive crop is much younger with the loss of Lidstrom and Stuart; however there is a positive in that. The Wings can give youngsters Smith and Kindl a chance to shine. The new NHL is full of young superstars and for the Wings this is a chance to see if they have one of their own.

However, with young players you always get growing pains and Colaiacovo will help ease those pains. Adding Colaiacovo creates friendly competition amongst the defense. The Wings have seven D-men who could crack the roster however they only have six spots available. This means that at every practice they will all be working hard to make sure their spot in the line-up is safe. If someone is not producing or they have an off night, Detroit will have NHL ready defensemen available to step right into the line-up. Colaiacovo also comes with cap friendly hit of 2.5M. Considering some of the deals defensemen were getting this off-season I believe Colaiacovo is worth the risk-reward scenario for the Wings.

 

Damien Brunner

The signing of Brunner is an interesting one and if it pays off then the Wings management will be praised (and if it doesn't then most will forget about it by this time next year). Brunner, 27 signed a one year deal for a cap hit of $925K. He led the Swiss A league in scoring last season totalling 60 points in 45 games. He is considered a more mature player at 27 but the risk lies in how well he can adapt to the NHL. If Brunner can acclimatize and contribute to the team offensively, he could likely be the best off season acquisition by any team in the NHL. He also adds to the Wings depth at forward and like Colaiacovo, Brunner will create healthy competition on a daily basis that will make all the Wings forwards better. While the wings defence will never be the same it could be argued that they have the most depth at forward and according to Babcock that is something that they sorely need after last season's early exit from the playoffs at the hands of the Nashville Predators.

 

'I thought Zetterberg was fantastic in the series, but when you go through and look at our group, as a group of forwards ' I like the depth on our back end, but I didn’t think we had enough up front and it showed in our scoring,” Babcock said.

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(Warren Wimmer/Icon SMI)Jonas Gustavsson:

 

Jonas Gustavsson

One thing you do not often hear the media talk about is the Wings goaltending. Not since the days of Hasek, while Jimmy Howard has been great for the Wings he is not considered an elite goaltender, yet. It has been some time since the Wings have had a backup goalie that would be considered a starting goaltender in the NHL. While Gustavsson did not turn out to be the number one goaltender the Toronto Maple Leafs expected when they signed him, let's face it Toronto is not an easy place to play and most players who leave end up doing much better because they do not have the pressure of the hockey mad Toronto market watching their every move. It would be a good time to remember what happened with Larry Murphy and the Wings, back to back cups. Gustavsson did not have a stellar year last year but he had admirable numbers going 17-17 with 2.92GAA and a .902 save percentage. Let's not forget to take into account that he did not have the most dependable team in front of him. It seems as though the Wings off season moves are all about creating competition and making the whole team play its best. Gustavsson will provide motivation to Jimmy Howard because if Howard stumbles there will be an NHL tender ready to take over the starting position.

If we consider point production and the cap hit carried by each player we see that the Wings bang for their buck is much better on the free agents they did sign compared to that of Parise and Suter. Yes each player will bring more to the table than just points but the chart below does offer an interesting perspective.

 

Player	Cap Hit	GP	Goals	Assists	Points	Points per Game	Points Per Dollar
Suter	7.5M	389	29	169	198	0.51	$179,693
Parise	7.5M	339	149	167	316	0.93	$98,121
Colaiacovo	2.5M	269	18	89	107	0.40	$76,647
Tootoo	1.9M	317	35	63	98	0.31	$74,950
Samuelsson	3M	357	92	122	214	0.60	$61,033
Brunner	925K	232	84	117	201	0.87	$13,020

 

Even though Red Wings fans would have loved to see Suter or Parise wearing the winged wheel on their chest (myself included), in retrospect I believe the Wings will be better in the long run by not having those two players on the books.

The off season signings that the Wings did make will create a competitive atmosphere among all the players. It will also allow the Wings flexibility in the future when signing free agents and home grown talent such as Brendan Smith, Gustav Nyqvist, Thomas Tatar, and Martin Frk.  Wings fans should be excited for the upcoming season if and when it happens because this group of Wings will be a competitive bunch and as always a joy to watch.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Washington Capitals Defenseman, Tomas Kundratek Proving Offensive Prowess In AHL

(M. Richter/Flickr)

For Tomas Kundratek, it took some time to get used to playing for the Washington Capitals after his trade from the New York Rangers. Last season, Kundratek was sent to Washington in exchange for Francois Bouchard. Drafted with the 90^th pick in the 2008 NHL entry draft, Kundratek is a highly skilled offensive defenseman with a fantastic from the point and solid instincts within the offensive zone. He's a smooth skater with the puck, but still needs work on his defensive game to reach the next level in Washington.

'He gained a lot of momentum off of the trade last year and road that to twelve goals', Bears' coach, Mark French said of Kundratek's transition to Hershey. '[Kundratek] was certainly rejuvenated, I think he certainly had a lot of positives coming into this year and I think he's riding that wave of momentum.'

(Clydeorama/Flickr)

The offensively skilled Kundratek recorded 23 points after he joined the Bears last season, paving out a big role in the lineup on the regular through 55 regular season games. He often pinched in from the blue line during even strength play and his bomb of a shot from the point aided him in registering twelve goals for the Chocolate and White.

'It's a high level of comfort', Kundratek said going into the regular season this year. 'It's also help from coaches and also teammates, it's great to play here fans helping a lot. Just have to keep my feet moving and try to work hard every game.'

He was ready to go from training camp this season, placing his stamp on the blue line as early as the preseason. Kundratek, along with other Hershey defensemen have been adjusting to a new system, not only as a team philosophy, but with changes to the Bears power play.

This season Kundratek has been paired with Cameron Schilling during even strength play, another budding Capitals’ defenseman that could see time in Washington in the near future. Through seven games, Kundratek has averaged a point per game, contributing two goals and five assists on the year thus far. Not only has Kundratek been important during even strength play, he's added a power play goal as a part of a Hershey's lethal man advantage unit. Kundratek is positioned near the left circle with Hershey defenseman, Garrett Stafford manning the point. He often slides down toward the net looking for cross ice passes from the right circle and can blast one timers from Stafford when he stays positioned by the left circle.

'It feels really well', Kundratek said of his recently play. 'I try to calm myself down and keep it simple and it works. We have great guys playing really well, so pick up two assists, it was secondary assist, it was kind of lucky, but if you are playing hard every night it will keep coming.'

You can follow Matthew on twitter @m_speck and email him at mspeck21@yahoo.com with any questions or comments.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Ten Rules We'd Like To See In The New CBA

What would your CBA include?
(Brad Penner-US PRESSWIRE)

With a new CBA looking like a pipe dream this side of Christmas NHL fans have grown tired of debating the merits of the NHLPA and NHL's recent proposals.

While both sides of the argument have merit, the two sides remain at odds on numerous issues, including how to determine hockey related revenue and whether or not the owners should 'make whole' on the players current contracts.

Whenever two entities as powerful as the NHL and NHLPA are negotiating a deal where  hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake there are bound to be disagreements, but I think I have found ten things that should be included in any new CBA.

Here is my top ten.

1. A five year limit on player contracts.

Owners have killed themselves with long-term deals that vary between eight and 14- years in length. A move towards a more reasonable five-year term would protect the owners from making huge errors in judgement and take away the concern of front-loading contracts in order to make them fit into the cap.

2. Ability to trade a portion of player salary.

Since the last CBA was approved there has been a steady decline of 'big deals' made at the deadline. At the heart of the issue is the inability for teams to absorb player contracts, making it all but impossible to make significant change. Allowing NHL teams to trade a portion of a players salary in order to consummate a deal makes sense on so many levels, so why not allow it?

3. No more guaranteed contracts.

The NHLPA would fight hard against this, but guaranteed contracts are killing a number of teams that are saddled with enormous contracts that they cannot get out from. The NFL allows for heavy signing bonuses in return for not having guaranteed contracts, the NHL should look at this concept.

4. No more burying contracts in the AHL or any other professional leagues

The NHL's latest proposal includes a rule that would see all contracts over $105,000 count against the cap. Essentially this would take away the advantage that some NHL clubs have where they can bury a players contract in the minors in order to clear cap space for their NHL roster. This is an unfair advantage for the 'haves' and should be abolished.

5. A 50-50 split of all hockey related revenue.

Both sides seem agreeable to a 50-50 split of HRR, and while it will take some trust on both sides to determine what that number (pie from which HRR will be drawn) is, the percentages look fair for both sides.

6. Abolish no-trade clauses.

The no-trade clause is completely in the players favor. If a team wants to trade a player that has a no-trade clause the player has the option of digging his heels in and saying 'no'. On the flip-side, if a player with a NTC wants to be traded he can demand one from his team AND insist on being moved to a team of his choice, or a diluted list of teams that he is willing to be moved to.

Essentially the owners are in a no-win battle here, so the best thing to do is to do away with no-trade clauses all together.

7. A one-time amnesty clause for all teams.

With the salary cap expected to be lowered over the term of the next CBA several teams may find themselves in big trouble trying to stay under the cap. The NHL should allow every team a one-time amnesty on one contract, allowing them to buy a player out at full value of his contract with no consequence. The player would then become a unrestricted free agent, allowing them to sign on with the highest bidder for his services or retire.

8. Increased fines for players.

While increased suspensions looks to be slimming down dangerous infractions the fines levied upon the players are still a joke. Fines should be based on a percentage of a players earnings so they hurt each player equally. The percentage a player can be fined should be linked to the severity of the infraction to a maximum of say 5 percent. Under the current CBA the maximum fine a player can incur is $2500.00.

9. There should be a deadline for a new CBA.

Enough with the last second negotiations when the CBA is about to expire. Any future CBA's should be negotiated and signed six months in advance of the CBA expiring. This would force the NHL and NHLPA to sit down and hammer out a deal much quicker and avoid any future lockouts and strikes. If the two sides do not have one in place both the NHLPA and NHL should be fined heavily!

10. No more salary floor.

The current CBA has a ' salary floor' of $54.2 million. While an argument can be made that every team has a duty to spend at a reasonable level I feel each team should be able to spend as they please, and if that means they want to cut costs by employing players on the cheap, so be it.

Disagree with my list? Got an idea of your own? Feel free to use the comment box and let your opinions be known!

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

NHL Lockout 2012: Revenue Sharing Is the Key to Labor Peace

How does the National Hockey League earn a record $3.3 billion in revenue and yet most of its teams lose money? The answer is the lack of a revenue sharing program that helps out all 30 NHL teams.

This article certainly isn’t the first published work that argues this point. While the two sides have been hung up on the share of hockey related revenue each side will receive, and whether all current contracts will be honored going forward, it is the revenue sharing program that will determine the health of the league.

In an article published in Forbes three days after this lockout, the NHL’s third in the last eighteen years, the disparity between the teams earning money and the teams losing money year after year was laid out. According to the article, the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and Montreal Canadiens had a combined operating profit of $171 million during the 2010-11 season. The other 27 NHL teams combined to lose $44 million in the same time period.

To put those same numbers in a different perspective, eighteen of the 30 NHL teams lost money during that year, despite the fact that the league saw record revenues.

Donald Fehr knows the players cannot afford to give in (Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE)

It may be unfair to compare the NHL to the other three major team sports in North America because the discrepancies in revenue are large. However, there are lessons that can be taken from their collective bargaining agreements.

MLB doesn’t have a salary cap, but their revenue sharing program helps out organizations who don’t have deep pockets compared to their competitors. In the NFL, the enormous amount of revenue that the league earns from their television deal is distributed equally between its 32 teams.

Certainly teams like the Maple Leafs, Rangers, and Canadiens don’t want to share the revenue they earn with teams like the Coyotes, Islanders, and Blue Jackets. But the issue at stake is much larger than the financial growth of one franchise.

Let’s take a look at a hypothetical situation. For example, let’s say that the NHL and the NHLPA agreed to a collective bargaining agreement for seven years that gave each side a 50/50 split of hockey related revenue (HRR) for each year of the deal. If the league continued to grow at the rate it has over the last three years, and the salary cap was reflected by the league’s overall revenue, then the small market teams would lose as much money in the later years of that deal as they did in the last few years of this deal.

What would the result be? The owners would push to get a greater portion of HRR in order to cover their expenses, and the league would go through another lockout.

While big market teams would ultimately be unhappy with revenue sharing, the revenue they would get from that would be greater than what the revenue they are earning during the lockout, which is zero. For the betterment of the NHL, these owners need to help out their colleagues in small market cities.

It is the only way that the league will be able to maintain its growth, stability, and ultimately create labor peace going forward.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Jonathan Drouin Storming His Way Through the Draft Rankings

The Halifax Mooseheads keep scoring goals and winning games. After 16 games, the team from Nova-Scotia is boasting an incredible 15-1 record along with a +44 goal differential (85 GFs and 41 GAs). This impressive record ranks them first overall in the QMJHL with 30 points and second overall in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) behind the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL) as of October 26th, 2012.

Jonathan Drouin is storming his way up the rankings (Source: QMJHL)

The Mooseheads’ offensive strike force, led by hyped centre Nathan MacKinnon, who is having a great year with 18 goals and 11 assists for 29 points in a 16 games, has scored an average of 5.31 goals per game in 2012-13. But a player who is often forgotten, is let-winger Jonathan Drouin who has recorded 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points in only 10 contests.

The Mooseheads, who have now won 13 straight games behind MacKinnon and Drouin, aren’t relying solely on them to produce offensively. They also count on Luca Campini (9-10-19 pts in 16 gms), Stefan Fournier (7-10-17 pts in 15 gms), Matthew Boudreau (11-6-17 pts in 16 gms) and Darcy Ashley (3-14-17 pts in 16 gms). Detroit Red Wings’ 2nd round draft pick in 2012, Martin Frk with 14 points in 14 games, as well as rearguard Konrad Abelshauser are also contributing offensively with 19 points in 16 games.

After missing six games with a shoulder injury in October, Drouin came back into the Mooseheads’ line-up last week. Currently riding a six-game point streak with 8 goals and 7 assists for 15 points, the smooth-skating Drouin is making a name for himself. Considered by many scouts as a lock to be a top-ten selection in the 2013 NHL Draft, Drouin’s stock is rising quickly and several scouts really believe the 17 year-old will be a top-five draft selection.

Jonathan Drouin First Ever Hat Trick – October 27,2012

The 5’11”, 190-lb winger is the perfect combo to play with MacKinnon thanks to a great hockey sense, an elite vision and excellent passing skills. Drafted second overall in the 2011 QMJHL draft, Drouin made his junior debut last season playing 33 games in Halifax, notching 7 goals and 22 assists for 29 points as a 16 year-old, which is quite impressive. In the playoff, he was even more productive with 9 goals and 17 assists for 26 points in only 17 games.

The native of Ste-Agathe, Quebec, is blessed with great top-end speed, combined with an elite pair of hands and a knack to play in tight spaces which allow him to be efficient in traffic as well as on the perimeter. Drouin bulked up this summer and worked on his skating to be stronger along the boards and be more difficult to knock of the puck. With a 2.3 point-per-game production so far, Drouin is on pace to score 138 points in 60 games if he is able to maintain his torrid pace in 2012-13, which is unlikely. Still, don’t be surprised if Drouin manages to hit the 120 point-mark.

Jonathan Drouin – Game 7 OT Hero vs the Remparts

With his great start this season, Drouin has become a very strong candidate to make the Canada roster for the 2013 World Junior Hockey Championships in UFA, Russia. This would be a great opportunity for him to shine at the international level and deliver another clutch goal during his young career… As a Quebec Remparts fan, it was all too painful to see Drouin score the overtime series-clinching goal in the seventh game of the series last Spring at the Colisee in Quebec City.

Like Hurricane Sandy storming its way to the East Coast of the USA this week, Drouin is climbing the 2013 NHL draft rankings faster than one would have ever thought. If you happen to watch a Mooseheads’ game this season, whether in person or on TV, don’t forget to watch #27 as he is as entertaining and talented as his teammate wearing #22.

Drouin’s future is in good hands as he’s represented by Octagon and their controversial players agent Allan Walsh.

Last week article MacKinnon: Nathan MacKinnon Shining Bright

Follow me on Twitter for more updates on the QMJHL and h

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Sergei Fedorov Sends Detroit His Best

Few things are as frustrating as seeking out news, attention and acknowledgment, and coming up with nothing.  Silence isn’t deafening, it’s deadening.  Hockey fans have become familiar with this feeling.  This staleness is what made the sentimental Tweeting this morning from Yahoo! NHL writer, Nick Cotsonika, a welcomed gesture:

Nick Cotsonika '@cotsonika

Just spent an hour with Sergei Fedorov, now the GM of CSKA Moscow. He said to say hello to Detroit, where he still has a place.

One cool detail for Detroiters: Fedorov has a picture in his office of him, his family and the Ilitches the night he won the Hart Trophy.

Fedorov is gone.  He has not been a Red Wing since 2003.  Letting go of things, and people, is not easy for some of us, and no Red Wing was harder to lose than 91.  And in case the name “Lidstrom” comes to mind, we didn’t lose Nick.  We had him until the end.  Not so with Sergei.

Red Wings announcer Ken Daniels called the Grand Rapids Griffins game on friday night.  He assured fans that we would have a season, most likely starting in December.

Until then, Tweets and highlights will have to make do.  I thought this one was worth mentioning.

 

Go Wings.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

New York Rangers Bide Time in NHL Lockout 2012

It’s official. The NHL season has been cancelled until Nov. 30. You will need to find your fantasy hockey fix elsewhere. This will give you time to save up for the eventual official Rick Nash New York Rangers jersey. It will also give you time to square away a solid defense to your friends who think that hockey is the worst of the major sports because of the NHL and its business tactics.

This is going to hurt. Just like Hurricane Sandy barreling down on the Jersey Shore and New York City, it’s time to face facts. The wind is blowing your Blueshirt boys out of town and there’s no telling how much damage will remain when it’s over.

Michael Del Zotto has other things on his mind.

Need some help for Halloween costumes. Any ideas? Body paint, spandex, other options?

— Michael Del Zotto (@MichaelDelZotto) October 21, 2012

Please feel free to tweet Michael a few ideas before it’s too late. The talented defenseman now can make alternative plans to bide his time during Lockout 2012.

Michael Del Zotto(Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE)

When the season resumes, the restricted free agent plans on an upgrade on last season’s entry level salary of $962,500, plus the additional $125, 000 in bonuses. As one of the more popular players, The Rangers want Del Zotto signed with a multi-year deal expected to be $2.2 to $2.5 million per year for the defensman. Talks will resume when the season is revived from the dead.

The options on the blueline are good, but not great. The presence of Del Zotto and Dan Girardi anchor a blueline that wants another haunt at the Garden. As Ryan McDonagh builds his game in the KHL, the remaining defensive crew is preparing to be unlocked.

Michael Sauer returned home to Minnesota for the summer to rest from a concussion suffered with his Dec. 5 clash with Toronto captain and hitman, Dion Phaneuf. He is not symptom-free and if he cannot play, he’ll sit a spell on the long-term injury list.

Steve Eminger was resigned and will be a steady player who knows the Rangers’ system. The 28-year-old defenseman grabbed a one-year contract worth $750,000, for a third straight season in New York. Maybe the lockout will reload his ability and prove to Rangers fans he can make a difference.

Stu Bickel signed a two-year deal worth $750,000 per season. While his performance during the playoffs was lackluster, Coach John Tortorella backs Bickel for his grit. The stalwart defender averaged 10:26 per game during the regular season, posted nine assists and had 12 fights. According to Blueshirt Banter, over half of Blueshirt fans favored Bickel’s return.

When the Rangers return to work, eventually this has to happen, the players will have their game and the skills to back up one of the best seasons in recent years. Rookies Chris Kreider and Carl Hagelin have become cornerstones of the Rangers’ momentum.

The Rangers’ AHL affiliate, Connecticut Whale suspended Chris Kreider one game for a boarding major, which is the type of hit hockey clubs wish to ban. Watch for the hit 1:46 into the action and the ensuing ruckus.

Meanwhile, back in Sweden, Carl Hagelin is making the most of his time hosting friends.

High school reunion dinner at my place tonight!!

— Carl Hagelin (@CarlHagelin) October 22, 2012

Henrik Lundqvist is relaxing and spreading joy wherever he goes.

Surprised Frolunda kids camp today. Couple of hours on the ice and few signatures later and we had a happy group:) twitter.com/HLundqvist30/s'

— Henrik Lundqvist (@HLundqvist30) October 20, 2012

Brad Richards continues his quest for a modeling career and has fellow fashionista Hank  sporting slick attire.

Had a great time w/ my teammates during our Esquire photo shoot sprts.is/esquire

— Brad Richards (@BRichards_1991) October 23, 2012

The NHL owners are only hurting themselves and their bank accounts. The CBA has forced players to keep busy in other leagues, but it’s also given some the rest they need to return to full-strength. They are returning to their roots, having fun and keeping the endorsement machine going. Without the NHL, these players are finding alternative plans, and apparently, so should you.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.