Mark Easson

21177 Articles

Colorado Avalanche 2013-14 Season Primer

Team Outlook from McKeen's Hockey Guide: For the third straight season, the Avalanche missed the playoffs and this time it wasn’t even close. Their 16-25-7 record was the worst in the Western Conference – with their most memorable win of 2013…

Mark Easson

Morning Hits II: Nugent-Hopkins, Hemsky-Ott, Tatar, Belov, Giroux and McLaren

Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: Contract extension talks between the Oilers and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are underway. An extension will likely be in the six to seven year range. Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: (mail bag) Asked if he…

Mark Easson

Morning Hits: Brunner, Three Goalies in FLA, Gilbert, Flyers, Capitals and Blackhawks

Tom Gulitti of the Bergon Record: The Devils have invited Damien Brunner to training on a PTO. He will join the team today for practice. Renaud Lavoie: If Tim Thomas makes the Panthers, his value should be around $2 to…

Mark Easson

Cuts: Kings, Sabres, Avalanche, Ducks, Canadiens and Oilers

Lisa Dillman: The Kings sent seven players back to junior yesterday, down to 49 players. Mike Harrington: The Sabres sent five players back to junior: Justin Bailey, Nicholas Baptiste, Justin Kea, Logan Nelson, and Connor Boland. They still have 56 players…

Mark Easson

Klesla Resting at Home … Video Explanation of Why Nolan Not Suspended … BizNasty Gets 10 Games

Dave Vest of Coyotes.com: Coyotes Rostislav Klesla spent a few hours at the hospital on Sunday after being taken off the ice on a stretcher, before being sent home Monday morning. “He probably has a little bit of a headache but…

Mark Easson

Buffalo Sabres 2013-14 Season Primer

Team Outlook from McKeen's Hockey Guide Long-time head coach Lindy Ruff is gone.  So are Jordan Leopold, Robyn Regehr, and Jason Pominville.  Within the next year, Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek could be the next to leave Buffalo. The Sabres…

Mark Easson

Lines and Defensive Pairings for 13 Teams

Matt Kalman: Bruins lines: Lucic-Krejci-Iginla,Camara-Spooner-Johnson,Fraser-Soderberg-Cunningham,Paille-Fallstrom-Thornton. Pittsburgh Penguins: Penguins lines: Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis, Jokinen-Sutter-Conner, Zolniercyzk-Megna-Uher, Gibbons-Drazenovic-Adams. David Alter: Maple Leafs lines: JVR-Bozak-Kessel. McKegg-Smith-Clarkson. D'Amigo-Ashton-Kulemin. Ross-Crescenzi-Bodie. James Mirtle: Defensive pairings: Gardiner-Brennan, Rielly-Granberg, Fraser-MacWilliam. Jessica Rusnak: Canadiens lines: Pacioretty-DD-Briere, Moen-White-Leblanc, Hudon-Dumont-Thomas, Fournier-Tarnasky-Blunden. Defensive pairings: Gorges-Subban, Murray-Bouillon, Nygren-Dietz. Tom Gulitti: Devils lines: Pesonen-Henrique-Bernier;…

Mark Easson

Calgary Flames 2013-14 Season Primer

Team Outlook from McKeen's Hockey Guide: After years of trying and failing to squeeze one more playoff run out of Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary was finally forced to alter course last season. They kicked off a rebuilding effort…

Mark Easson

Morning Hits: Suter, Blackhawks goalies, Teravainen, Ristolainen and Zadorov

Michael Russo: Wild's Ryan Suter had been playing without a visor in past seasons  but will wear one this year. Mark Lazerus: Blackhawks goals allowed after 100 minutes each: Khabibulin 3, Simpson and Carruth 4, Paanta and Crawford 7, Whitney…

Mark Easson

2013-14 Team Primers

We will be running two or three team season primers a day leading up to the start of the season. Teams are in no particular order. I'd like to thank McKeen's Hockey for the team outlooks and Dobber Hockey for…

Mark Easson

Free Agent and Rumor Hits: Kessel, Liles, Teams over the cap, Stepan, Boyle, Gagne and White

Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: Simmons thinks Phil Kessel could fall between Corey Perry's $8.6 million and Ryan Getzlaf's $8.2 million. Dion Phaneuf's new contract could be more complicated. Simmons wonders if the Flames would be interested in John-Michael…

Mark Easson

Injury Notes: Thorburn, McLaren, Rinaldo and Brown

Ken Wiebe: Jets forward Chris Thorburn has an upper-body injury and is day-to-day. Paul Hendrick: Maple Leafs Frazer McLaren had an MRI last night to determine severity of pinky finger injury. Philadelphia Flyers: Flyers Zac Rinaldo left last night's game…

Mark Easson