Spezza enjoying MacLean-led Senators

Jason Spezza has been a regular among rumor mills in recent seasons. This year Spezza is enjoying an All-Star season and does not seem headed to be headed out of Ottawa anytime soon. Recent years saw Jason Spezza mentioned regularly in speculative trade chatter. These days, however, all the talk...

Heather Engel | News/Northeast | Saturday, December 31 2011 Tags: Ottawa, Senators, Jason Spezza, Paul MacLean, Daniel Alfredsson, Milan Michalek, Erik Karlsson, Heather Engel, Hockey, NHL, hockeyprimetime.com

Flyers Lucky To Have Giroux Back

The Flyers need only look to captain Chris Pronger to see how long concussions can sideline players. The fact that leading scorer Claude Giroux only missed four games after sustaining his may have been the most fortunate development of Philadelphia’s season thus far. As the NHL’s...

Bill Weisbrod | News/Atlantic | Friday, December 30 2011 Tags: Chris Pronger, Claude Giroux, Peter Laviolette, Philadelphia, Flyers, Bill Weisbrod, Atlantic Division, Hockey, NHL, hockeyprimetime.com

Lightning must adapt without injured Hedman

The Lightning are halfway through a disappointing season and not much has changed. Now that some injury adversity has hit, coach Guy Boucher is hopeful it will be beneficial. As the halfway point of the 2011-2012 season nears, things haven't changed much for the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are...

Erika Schnure | News/Southeast | Thursday, December 29 2011 Tags: Tampa Bay, Lightning, Victor Hedman, Eric Brewer, Mattias Ohlund, Guy Boucher, Mathieu Garon, Hockey, NHL, Southeast Division, Erika Schnure

Mike Commodore happy to be back playing

For the sixth time this season, Mike Commodore saw his name on the lineup card Tuesday. Not playing has been rough, but the veteran defenseman has tried to keep his attitude positive and tried to stay ready when Red Wings coach Mike Babcock tells him he is playing. When the Detroit Red Wings took...

Jim Diamond | News/Central | Tuesday, December 27 2011 Tags: Mike Commodore, Detroit, Red Wings, hockey, NHL, Mike Babcock, Columbus, Blue Jackets

Wild not panicking despite recent struggles

The Wild have been a huge surprise in the Western Conference. Their success has been halted by a seven-game losing streak, but there is no panic in the locker room. For most of the season, the Minnesota Wild has been one of the surprise teams in the NHL, surging to the top of the Western ...

Mike Cook | News/Northwest | Tuesday, December 27 2011 Tags: Minnesota, Wild, Mike Yeo, Cal Clutterbuck, Northwest Division, NHL, Hockey, Mike Cook, hockeyprimetime.com

Kings, Sutter get big boost from Richards

Fresh off a concussion-related stay on injured reserve, Kings center Mike Richards managed to upstage new head coach Darryl Sutter and state his case for team MVP – all in the same week. Darryl Sutter was running late for his first postgame media scrum in five years. The joke floating among...

J.P. Hoornstra | News/Pacific | Monday, December 26 2011 Tags: Mike Richards, Darryl Sutter, Los Angeles, Kings, concussions, NHL, hockey, Jonathan Quick, Anze Kopitar

Hurting Sabres struggling to meet expectations

Several noteworthy offseason moves made the Buffalo Sabres a trendy pick among Stanley Cup contenders. So far, it has been nothing but injuries and disappointment, forcing Buffalo into a battle for one of the eight playoff spots in the East. They were expected to be among the Stanley Cup...

Heather Engel | News/Northeast | Saturday, December 24 2011 Tags: Buffalo, Sabres, Brad Boyes, Thomas Vanek, Ryan Miller, Northeast Division, Heather Engel, NHL, Hockey, Hockeyprimetime.com

Call ups, role players help fill in For Ranger regulars

While the New York Rangers lose key players, especially defensemen, to injuries, players like Carl Hagelin and Anton Stralman who were not on the opening night roster are making sure the team continues its climb to the top of the Atlantic Division standings. As the NHL Season grinds into the...

Bill Weisbrod | News/Atlantic | Friday, December 23 2011

Faulk gets bigger role with Canes and will miss world juniors

Team USA could use Justin Faulk at the upcoming World Junior Championships tournament. The current state of the Carolina Hurricanes makes him needed more in Raleigh than in Edmonton. When John Carlson was selected to represent Team USA at the 2010 World Junior Championships, his Hershey Bears were...

Erika Schnure | News/Southeast | Thursday, December 22 2011 Tags: Justin Faulk, World Junior Championships, John Carlson, Washington, Capitals, Carolina, Hurricanes, Southeast Division, Erika Schnure, Hockey, NHL, Hockeyprimetime.com

Healthy Hossa among keys to Blackhawk success

Marian Hossa often is one of the best players on the ice when healthy. So far health hasn't been a problem and it is a not a surprise to see him leading the Blackhawks in several statistical categories. The Chicago Blackhawks can attribute their rise to the top of the Central Division to...

Jim Diamond | News/Central | Wednesday, December 21 2011 Tags: Marian Hossa, Chicago, Blackhawks, Central Division, Patrick Sharp, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, NHL, Jim Diamond, Hockey, Hockeyprimetime.com