Ryan Kennedy discusses the news and events around the NHL and world of hockey
by Ryan Kennedy - June 1, 2013 11:55 AM EDT
Different types of players will have different expectations when they go through the physical fitness tests.
The NHL draft combine has become a huge event for the league and the media, but with teams holding their own workout camps and sometimes putting together their lists of favored prospects before the event even begins, how much can still be learned at the annual dog and pony show?
According to one scout, it's all about preparation, but with the proviso that some kids should be prepared better than others.
by Ryan Kennedy - May 29, 2013 11:31 AM EDT
Both Calgary and Columbus have three first round picks this June, but will use them with entirely different goals in mind.
Calgary ended its season as a burnt-out husk of a team that wasn’t very good to begin with, while Columbus experienced the hollow, debilitating pain of missing the playoffs by less than a point.
by Ryan Kennedy - May 22, 2013 2:16 PM EDT
Ottawa didn't need to bottom-out for years to become a dangerous team - they just shrewdly built up through the draft.
It was the most innocuous of encounters. Walking through the bowels of Scotiabank Place during the 2008 draft, I ran into Mr. Senator himself, Daniel Alfredsson.
by Ryan Kennedy - May 15, 2013 2:28 PM EDT
The London Knights were awarded the 2014 Memorial Cup – their second in 10 years – based in large part on the quality of the team. Why now?
The Memorial Cup, jewel of the major junior season, kicks off this week in Saskatoon. The Ontario League’s London Knights were the last team to qualify, but also the first team locked in for next year’s installation as the franchise was just named host city for the 2014 edition.
by Ryan Kennedy - May 8, 2013 3:00 PM EDT
Are the Wild on track to a Stanley Cup championship in the near future? That remains to be seen, but they're set up like a team that did win in short order.
Based on the current health of Minnesota’s top two goaltenders, the Wild’s first round series against Chicago looks doomed. Which is too bad, because while I don’t think the Wild could have won the series anyway, giving the Hawks all they could handle would have been a great learning experience for a Minnesota squad quickly shaping up to be world-beaters in the future.
by Ryan Kennedy - May 1, 2013 1:16 PM EDT
Alex Galchenyuk was the most noteworthy rookie added to Montreal's roster, but Gallagher is the one getting Calder buzz.
To look at how far Montreal has come in a season, you only have to look at No. 27, Alex Galchenyuk. The former Sarnia superstar went third overall in the 2012 draft and he’s already gearing up for his first NHL playoff game.
by Ryan Kennedy - April 17, 2013 1:19 PM EDT
Everyone loves and wants to see an outdoor game, so what is so wrong with the NHL scheduling more of them?
This could be a very short column.
Don’t like the new sked of outdoor games the NHL has planned for next season? Shut up, it’s fun.
by Ryan Kennedy - April 10, 2013 1:10 PM EDT
With Penn State entering the top level of college hockey, we look at a few other schools that could launch the sport in US schools.
The Frozen Four kicks off Thursday in Pittsburgh and with the tournament coming back to Pennsylvania in 2014 when Philadelphia hosts, it’s hard not to think about how Penn State’s new program has completely altered the college landscape.
by Ryan Kennedy - April 3, 2013 5:00 PM EDT
Marian Gaborik and Jason Pominville pushed Columbus and Minnesota into the winners category, but not every team fared well.
Not to sound cynical, but the biggest losers of this year’s trade deadline were the viewers, who sat through nothing for five hours before a flurry of deals shook up the landscape of the league.
by Ryan Kennedy - March 27, 2013 11:35 AM EDT
THN's prospect expert ranks the top 30 players eligible to be picked in this June's draft.
Sometimes a name is just too present, the buzz too loud. Seth Jones has separated himself from the pack and that is why he has claimed the No.
by Ryan Kennedy - March 20, 2013 2:40 PM EDT
While hockey has made great strides towards accepting gay players through You Can Play, there is still much to be done to protect and respect women.
The most divisive story in the news right now centers around a Steubenville, Ohio high school football team and the conviction of two players on rape charges involving an unconscious underage girl.
by Ryan Kennedy - March 13, 2013 2:03 PM EDT
Montreal would be wise to keep its prospect pipeline packed with goalies.
My parents are moving, so all the hockey cards amassed by my brother and me during the early 1990s have been foisted back upon us, to be separated and hopefully sold for some sort of return (back then they were investments surely as valuable as oil, now they’re mostly coasters).
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This Week - Subscribe NowAll things considered, how would you rate this NHL season?
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“I think when you’re at home the first two games, sometimes you get a little bit too comfortable at home. Then you come on the road, maybe it’s like a rude awakening…We’ve had three series to figure that out, learn it. We definitely want to be better (Monday), especially in the first game on the road.”
- Chicago's Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks are 0-3 in Game 3s this playoff.
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