30 Copyright 2009, CBSSports.com http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/view/6269241 en-us Goalies will tell you there's nothing harder to stop than a backhand because you never know which way the shot is headed. Just like these thoughts. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:43:39 EST http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/18429918?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/18429918?source=rss_blogs_NHL My picks: ... Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:16:54 EST http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/18429918?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/18411057?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/18411057?source=rss_blogs_NHL Dean Lombardi is among a number of general managers who come from the Bill Torrey school of team building and he still tries to use what he learned from the architect of the New York Islanders dynasty. ... Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:18:12 EST http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/18411057?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/18240388?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/18240388?source=rss_blogs_NHL Think of what Rich Peverley has done as working his way up from the mail room. ... Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:10:00 EST http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/18240388?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/18198343?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/18198343?source=rss_blogs_NHL Inducting new members into the Hockey Hall of Fame isn’t always the simple process it was this year. ... Mon, 09 Nov 2009 8:00:09 EST http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/18198343?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17974324?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17974324?source=rss_blogs_NHL In the quiet confines of the Florida Panthers Bank Atlantic Center, away from the media glare he has dealt with for the last few years in Montreal, and these days in Ottawa, Alexei Kovalev has the relaxed air of someone who is comfortable with the bi ... Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:19:36 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17974324?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17954765?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17954765?source=rss_blogs_NHL The Detroit Red Wings are back to .500, so they get a temporary pass. ... Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:43:14 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17954765?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17811782?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17811782?source=rss_blogs_NHL Through the early stages of this season, the Boston Bruins have been doing their best to make the Northeast a much tighter division than it was a year ago. Now with another key player added to the injured list, they may not have to try so hard. ... Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:29:10 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17811782?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17730568?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17730568?source=rss_blogs_NHL The Philadelphia Flyers showed no signs of rust from their few days away in Florida. In fact the Flyers got off to a brisk start for a team that hadn’t played in nearly a week but managed to work in some practice time around deep sea fishing an ... Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:35:22 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17730568?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17570976?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17570976?source=rss_blogs_NHL You could have had gotten good odds betting the San Jose Sharks to have losses to the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings along with a blowout win over the Anaheim Ducks after three games. ... Fri, 09 Oct 2009 8:12:55 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17570976?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17473311?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17473311?source=rss_blogs_NHL Things that make you go hmmm. The schedule makers for example – wonder if they made a conscious effort to start the season with some of the league’s most compelling current rivalries. ... Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:59:11 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/17473311?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/16671802?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/16671802?source=rss_blogs_NHL This is about fun as much as it is about the Games. But mostly this three-day gathering of NHL players who could be on the Team USA roster at the Vancouver Olympics is about everyone getting to know each other better because there won't be much time ... Sat, 26 Sep 2009 0:12:34 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/16671802?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15842396?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15842396?source=rss_blogs_NHL Dale Tallon has gotten pretty good at making a big free agent splash, so his signing of Marian Hossa to a mega deal probably shouldn't come as a surprise. ... Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:58:43 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15842396?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15835000?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15835000?source=rss_blogs_NHL Canucks GM Mike Gillis went all the way to Sweden this week and ended up convincing the Sedin twins to stay right where they were. ... Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:23:06 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15835000?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15824562?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15824562?source=rss_blogs_NHL As they say in Hollywood, get me re-write. ... Wed, 01 Jul 2009 9:46:56 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15824562?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15769404?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15769404?source=rss_blogs_NHL There's no guarantee the Calgary Flames will sign pending free agent Jay Bouwmeester, but the extra few days they'll get to try are worth the cost of trading for his exclusive negotiating rights. ... Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:57:58 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15769404?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15762483?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15762483?source=rss_blogs_NHL The fans in the Bell Centre wanted to hear Montreal GM Bob Gainey announce he had traded for Vincent Lecavalier, but they settled for him making a French Canadian kid his first choice in the draft. ... Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:23:31 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15762483?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15759582?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15759582?source=rss_blogs_NHL Seems like the practice Montreal fans got from their extended booing of the American national anthem a few years back came in handy when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman opened the draft proceedings. ... Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:10:22 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15759582?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15704877?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15704877?source=rss_blogs_NHL During the Stanley Cup Finals, longtime Philadelphia hockey writer Tim Panaccio was working on a story about Fred Shero, the mastermind before those Broad Street Bullies teams that changed the face of hockey during their mid-70s hey day. Tim was tell ... Sat, 27 Jun 2009 4:09:30 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15704877?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15552037?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15552037?source=rss_blogs_NHL Not to go all John Kerry on everyone, but I was right before I was wrong. See for yourself on our Finals series page. Before the Stanley Cup rematch started I picked the Penguins to win in seven games. ... Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:26:11 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15552037?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15406262?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15406262?source=rss_blogs_NHL The game within the game throughout this Stanley Cup Final has been between Detroit center Henrik Zetterberg and his Penguins counterpart Sidney Crosby. Zetterberg's primary task has been to shut down Crosby and he spent the first three games of the ... Sun, 14 Jun 2009 13:56:43 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15406262?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15312625?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15312625?source=rss_blogs_NHL In his annual pre-Stanley Cup of the game address, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman made some of his strongest comments to date on the need for better drug testing in hockey. ... Tue, 02 Jun 2009 6:41:05 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15312625?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15268322?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15268322?source=rss_blogs_NHL Part of being a gracious winner is finding nice things to say about an opponent you've vanquished, so it wasn't surprising that Red Wings coach had several plaudits for the Chicago Blackhawks. ... Thu, 28 May 2009 1:40:00 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15268322?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15245126?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15245126?source=rss_blogs_NHL It was inevitable that Can Ward would prove to be human in the playoffs one of these days, but chances are that neither the Carolina Hurricanes nor their talented goalie expected it to happen this emphatically. ... Wed, 27 May 2009 20:58:15 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15245126?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15235320?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15235320?source=rss_blogs_NHL Maybe Pat Quinn really believes this is the best coaching fit for him, or he figured that at 66 years of age, he couldn't really afford to be that choosy any more. ... Wed, 27 May 2009 10:29:50 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15235320?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15222859?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15222859?source=rss_blogs_NHL Joel Quenneville probably could have gotten cheaper protection from the Sopranos, but if it helps the Chicago Blackhawks get over their Game 4 debacle, the $10,000 fine their coach is paying to the NHL foundation might actually be worth it. ... Thu, 28 May 2009 0:10:52 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15222859?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15187237?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15187237?source=rss_blogs_NHL There are fines levied for coaches and players who criticize officials to the media, so Mike Babcock danced gingerly around the subject of how Game 3 was called. But it was clear the Red Wings coach wasn't pleased his team was shorthanded for nearly ... Sat, 23 May 2009 2:00:26 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15187237?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15090805?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15090805?source=rss_blogs_NHL With his team coming up with a big series opening win against Chicago, Red Wings coach Mike Babcock was able to find some humor in the fact Detroit allowed a power play goal for the 10th consecutive game. ... Sun, 17 May 2009 20:13:05 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15090805?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15050438?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15050438?source=rss_blogs_NHL It's not hard to get the feeling something special is happening in Carolina these days. ... Fri, 15 May 2009 17:03:21 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15050438?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15048872?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15048872?source=rss_blogs_NHL They started well for a change and finished even better, so the Detroit Red Wings are going to the Western Conference Finals for the third year in a row. ... Mon, 18 May 2009 12:37:00 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15048872?source=rss_blogs_NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15029246?source=rss_blogs_NHL#comments NHL http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15029246?source=rss_blogs_NHL Did the NBA take over the building without anyone realizing it? ... Sun, 17 May 2009 14:28:26 EDT http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6269241/15029246?source=rss_blogs_NHL 100 http://images.cbssports.com/images/cbsdm/spec/cbssportscom.gif http://wes-goldstein.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/view/6269241 100