The New York Islanders made a surprise move, re-uniting a pair of linemates with big free agent contracts.
http://www.footballpantherspro.com/panthers-mario-addison-blue-jersey/ . Numbers Game looks into the Islanders getting Mikhail Grabovski and
Nikolai Kulemin. The Islanders Get: C Mikhail Grabovski and LW Nikolai Kulemin.
Grabovski, 30, has been a productive centre, scoring 160 points in 261 games
over the past four seasons, which ranks 98th among NHL forwards. While that
alone is a decent indication of Grabovskis ability to contribute as a
second-line centre, hes put up terrific relative possession numbers in four of
the last five seasons, the only exception being in 2012-2013 with the Toronto
Maple Leafs, when he was effectively buried in a defensive role. That led to his
being bought out by the Maple Leafs in one of the more ridiculous decisions in
the history of NHL contract buyouts. One year after he was bought out by the
Maple Leafs and could only drum up enough interest to secure a one-year,
$3-million deal as a free agent, Grabovski signed for four years and $20-million
with the Isles. Going to the Islanders should offer Grabovski an opportunity to
get favourable matchups, with zone starts tilted towards the offensive zone and
softer opposition while opponents send their best at John Tavares line and the
Islanders put Frans Nielsens line out for the toughest defensive assignments.
Grabovski has scored 20 or more goals three times and topped 50 points twice.
His career points per game of 0.59 works out to 48 points over an 82-game
schedule, so maybe something around a 50-point season is the best-case scenario,
but if Grabovski can put up between 40 and 50 points with typically strong
possession stats over the course of his contract, he will be a solid addition
for the Islanders. Grabovskis departure from Washington leaves a hole at
second-line centre, one that still needs to be filled, unless Marcus Johansson
or Evgeny Kuznetsov fit into that spot. Kulemin is a 27-year-old winger who
scored 30 goals and 57 points riding shotgun with Grabovski for the Maple Leafs
in 2010-2011, but has failed to generate much offence since, scoring 23 goals
and 71 points in 188 games. But, to be fair, Kulemin has been stuck in a
defensive role for the past couple seasons, with primarily defensive zone starts
against quality opposition. While Kulemin hasnt scored a bunch in the NHL,
particularly recently, hes produced enough to believe that there is more offence
to be uncovered. He has 11 points in 20 games for Russia at the past two World
Championships and 38 points in 36 KHL games while playing alongside
Evgeni Malkin, so its not like Kulemin cant find his way around the offensive
zone, but he likely needs a centre that will be the creator offensively. With
the expectation that Kulemin will skate with Grabovski, he too should benefit
from more offensive zone starts and favourable matchups. Maybe that results in
Kulemin scoring 35-to-40 points (that 57-point season in 2010-2011 sure appears
to be an aberration) and if that comes with solid two-way play then, even at his
lofty price, Kulemin can be a worthy acquisition for the Isles. Toronto didnt
seem to be in position to pay Kulemin, and they shouldnt have, based on how he
was being used. Wingers that are deployed like Kulemin dont tend to get paid.
Kulemins contract also runs for four years, paying him $16.75-million, which is
a lot given his recent production, but if he gets more of an offensive
opportunity, Kulemin has a decent shot at producing enough offensively to
justify that price, which is fair for a second-line winger. All in all, this is
an aggressive move by the Islanders and suddenly gives them terrific depth up
front. So much that they likely need to find room on the wing for young guns
like Brock Nelson and Ryan Strome, but its an enviable problem to have so much
talent that some of your centres need to find room to play on the wing. Their
defence can still get better, but these signings put the Islanders into the mix
among playoff contenders for next season. Scott Cullen can be reached at
[email protected] and followed on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook.
http://www.footballpantherspro.com/panthers-scott-simonson-blue-jersey/ . A top pitching prospect, one who the ball club is pinning some of its future
hopes, takes the spot of a veteran who once was viewed as a future ace but who,
to this point, hasnt realized his potential and may never.
http://www.footballpantherspro.com/panthers-jon-beason-blue-jersey/ . Richard Jefferson scored 17 points and Diante Garrett had a career-high 15
points as the Jazz had seven players with 10 points or more in Utahs largest
margin of victory this season.
http://www.footballpantherspro.com/panthers-kevin-norwood-blue-jersey/ . It was just time for him to make a big play. Nicolas Batum had 20 points and
10 rebounds, Wesley Matthews scored 18 points, and the Trail Blazers overcame
poor-shooting nights by two of their best players in a 94-90 victory over the
New York Knicks on Wednesday. ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Not even some inside
information from Olympic teammate Zach Parise could stop T.J. Oshie in a
shootout. Oshie and Alexander Steen scored shootout goals and the St. Louis
Blues took over the top spot in the NHL standings with a 3-2 win over the
Minnesota Wild on Sunday night. In his first shootout since his memorable
Olympic performance against Russia, Oshie beat Ilya Bryzgalov -- a Russian who
wasnt on the team that lost to Oshie and Team USA in Sochi-- over his shoulder
in the first round. Steen sealed the win in the following round after the Blues
Brian Elliott turned away Parise and Mikko Koivu. "I think I was talking to Zach
about that move tonight over in Sochi and he might have told Bryz what it was,"
Oshie said about his backhand-to-forehand move. "It seemed like he had me and I
got a little lucky. It mustve just squeaked inside the post. I got a little
fortunate on that one, but Ill keep taking them." The Wild fell behind 2-0
early, but tied it with second-period goals from Jason Pominville and Matt
Moulson. Not many teams are able to come back on St. Louis, which only allows
26.4 shots and 2.22 goals per game. "I think that they thought they were going
to take it to us physically and I think our guys responded to that," Wild coach
Mike Yeo said. "I think we got into it, we started being physical on their
defencemen. We really started to get in our game and from that point on, I
thought we were the better team." Oshie and Carlo Colaiacovo scored on the
second and third shots of the game for St. Louis. It was Colaiacovos first goal
since Feb. 11, 2012, a span of 42 games. Bryzgalov had 21 saves in his first
start for Minnesota since coming over in a trade with Edmonton on Tuesday. Like
Oshie, Bryzgalov also thought he had the save in the shootout. "You know, pretty
much I almost had it. I dont know how he raised it over the shoulder," he said.
"I thought there was no way to go for him. I was completely surprised he scored
on that one." The "legend" of Oshie in shootout situations continues to get
bigger, even among teammates. "When I see Osh going in on a shootout, I kind of
giggle," Blues centre David Backes said. "I tolld him afterward that the goalies
are starting to play like soccer goalies because theyre just guessing left or
right.
http://www.footballpantherspro.com/panthers-fozzy-whittaker-blue-jersey/.
Hes got moves left, got moves right, got moves straight ahead. Its pretty
special to watch and Ive seen it a lot." The momentum shifted in the second
after Pominville scored at 3:11 to make it 2-1. Moulson tied it 4 minutes later
with his first goal in a Wild sweater since being acquired in a trade with
Buffalo on Wednesday. Mikko Koivu intercepted a clearing attempt and zipped the
puck to Moulson, who was in front of the net and knocked it past Brian Elliott.
Elliott stopped 17 shots and kept the game tied at 2 with a lunging stick save
to deny Mikael Granlund with 13 minutes left in the third period. "I tried to
kind of charge him because I thought he was going to tip it," Elliott said. "He
managed to stop and pull it around me, so it was desperation. I try to rob the
guys in practice and sometimes it pays off when you can make those stick saves
in games." Granlund was again denied by Elliott from in close early in the
overtime session. The Blues have won 16 in a row against the Central Division
and are now 18-0-1 in division play. Theyve beaten Minnesota eight straight
times, outscoring the Wild 25-10. The Wild are 14-6-2 since Jan. 2, but lost
their second straight after a five-game winning streak. Both teams played
Saturday night and appeared tired at the end of the third period and in
overtime. Theres still a ways to go, but both teams could end up facing each
other in the opening round of the playoffs. "Its a team that, in all reality, we
could be squaring off against in the playoffs too," Parise said. "I know theres
a long time until that, but I thought we matched up well against them. We like
the way we played. Some great opportunities at the end, just wouldnt go for us."
NOTES: Blues F Magnus Paajarvi was a healthy scratch and was replaced by Chris
Porter, who was recently recalled from AHL Chicago. ... The Wild didnt register
a shot on goal until 7:02 of the first period. St. Louis didnt get a shot for
the first 12 minutes of the second period. ... Minnesotas Kyle Brodziak and the
Blues Steve Ott fought 2 minutes into the game.
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