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Game 70: Stars 3, Avalanche 0
2008-03-10 12:23:00
I would do a game recap if the Colorado Avalanche had actually played a hockey game yesterday.  They didn't, so I won't. The real news is that the entire team is now injured.   Peter Forsberg faked out everyone and hurt his groin instead of his ankle, or he hurt his ankle and the team is just lying about it.  Or they've misdiagnosed it.  Or he's just tired and needed to rest.  One of those scenarios might be true.  At any rate, he didn't play yesterday and there's no word on when he might return. Adam Foote's hip is still sore because he's an old man.  It's reportedly a minor ailment and he could return soon.  Or not. Steve Ott is a trap!  First he leveled Jordan Leopold into the boards with a highly questionable hit, and Leoprone left the game with the wind knocked out of him.  Then, Ruslan Salei tried to fight Ott in Leopold's defense, which is admirable, except that Salei can't fight and Ott may have broken his orbi...
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Game 70: Avalanche At Stars, Preview And Open Thread
2008-03-09 21:40:00
The rematch. I bet the Stars are pretty pissed they blew that game last night.  I bet they're going to try harder to win.  I also bet that the Avs will be trying hard, too, because a win tonight (and a loss by Minnesota) would move Colorado to first place in the Northwest Division. I'm posting this kind of early, so I don't know for sure if Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote or Jose Theodore will be playing tonight.  There was some question about whether Foppa could handle back-to-back games on his vulnerable ankle, and while Foote is not seriously hurt, his hip could probably use some more rest.  They're both effectively day-to-day. Coach Q has a tendency to play his goalies in games on back-to-back days, but hopefully he'll have the sense not to wear out Jose Theodore with so many games left to play.  And Peter Budaj could use a refresher course. I'll update later when more is known.   The game starts at 6:00 PM Mountain time, 8:00 PM Eastern. &nbs...
More About: Preview , Open , Avalanche , Game

Game 69: Avalance 3, Stars 1
2008-03-09 14:05:00
photo courtesy of Jack Dempsey/AP You would think that the loss of Adam Foote to a minor hip injury would create a significant dent in the Avalanche defense.  You would be wrong. Once again the Avs' blueliners played amazingly well in the their own zone, dominating the Stars and leading the team to a huge 3-1 victory over the second-best team in the NHL. The Avalanche out-hit the Stars 33-18.  Leading the way was Jeff Finger, who had seven just by himself, and also led the team in ice time.  Ian Laperriere, Cody McLeod and Cody McCormick (just reactivated from an injury break) each had four hits.  Joe Sakic and Tyler Arnason, the least physical centers on the planet, even had a hit apiece.  Just like they did in the previous game against the Ducks, the Avs out-muscled the Stars at every end of the ice, and made them look soft by comparison.  And they did it without Adam Foote. The Stars scored first in the game on a first period power play.  T...
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Game 69: Stars At Avalanche, Preview And Open Thread
2008-03-08 18:01:00
The Colorado Avalanche is still in the playoff picture with just 14 games left to play, and has won five games straight.  But, this new, improved version of the Avs sure has its work cut out for it.  Today they face the steamrolling Dallas Stars , the best team in the Pacific Division and arguably the Western Conference.  Detroit has a better record, but Dallas is deeper and hasn't endured a long slump this season.  They've lost the past two games, but it's barely a blip on their radar. The Avs need just ten more wins to duplicate their 15-2-2 run of last season, having started this year's final 19 games with a 5-0-0 record.  Can they keep it up?  And can Peter Forsberg finally get on the scoreboard? The game starts at 1:00 PM Mountain time, 3:00 PM Eastern.  Jose Theodore will be in net, and everyone should be praying for the poor kittens. ESPN preview.
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Parallels
2008-03-07 20:35:00
Turnover. It's a fact of life for modern day sports leagues, even a not-so-modern league such as the NHL. Last night, the Colorado Avalanche beat the Anaheim Ducks 1-0. While there were a lot of familiar faces on the roster, the team has undergone quite a transformation in a short period of time. Of the 20 players who dressed last night, only 12 also appeared on opening night against Dallas. Only 10 guys were dressed  on opening day last last year (well, they were ALL dressed, I assume, just not in an Avalanche sweater). Yet, for all the roster changes (John-Michael Liles is the only defenseman who played last night and on opening night in '06), for all the injuries and scoring troubles this year, for the change in goaltenders, the change in PP effectiveness...for all the differences between this year and last year, there's a lot of similarities. Here is a handy dandy chart that tracks the teams' points over the first 68 games of this year, as well as the first 68 games o...
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Changing The Narrative
2008-03-07 17:41:00
photo courtesy of the Denver Post The Colorado Avalanche used to be a franchise the hockey media couldn't get enough of.  With rosters comprised almost entirely of all stars (or it seemed that way), hockey writers and ESPN had no trouble coming up with Av-related stuff to talk about from 1996 until 2003 or so. Then the Lockout and the salary cap came, and guys like Forsberg, Foote, Blake and Roy were all gone (if not already).  The Avs went from perennial division champs to also-rans. The signing of Ryan Smyth and Scott Hannan in the off-season helped to stem this a bit, but by mid-season it was the same old story.  Nobody talked about the Avalanche.  While teams like Pittsburgh, Washington, Toronto, Ottawa, Detroit and Anaheim got tons of press (for obvious reasons), Colorado just kind of fell off everyone's radar. And if the Avs weren't being ignored, they were being underestimated.  As just one example, ESPN's weekly power rankings consistently pl...
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Game 68: Avalanche 1, Ducks 0
2008-03-07 14:33:00
photo courtesy of David Zalubowski/AP What is it about the last 19 games of the season that the post-Lockout Avalanche like so much?  So far, the Avs are 5-0-0 in the last 19 this season, and only need eight more wins to reach that magical 94-point plateau that should mean a spot in the playoffs. After last night's 1-0 shutout of Anaheim, the Avs' fifth win in a row, it seems likely (instead of just possible) that the Colorado Avalanche will be playing hockey in April. In a game punctuated by big saves instead of big goals, Wojtek Wolski was the lone scorer, beating Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller top shelf with a superb one-timer.  Andrew Brunette and Paul Stastny were credited with assists.  Hopefully Wolski is on his way out of Coach Q's doghouse, and hopefully this kind of effort from him continues. Still no points for Peter Forsberg, but once again his line (with Sakic and Hejduk) was dangerous the entire game and got a few good chances.  His points will co...
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Game 68: Ducks At Avalanche, Preview And Open Thread
2008-03-06 21:30:00
It's tough to play in the Northwest Division.  The top four teams, Minnesota, Calgary, Colorado and Vancouver are all within five points of each other, and there is still a possibility that all four could make the playoffs.  But the Northwest isn't the most intimidating division in the NHL.  That honor goes to the Pacific.   The Anaheim Ducks, the defending Stanley Cup champions, come into the Pepsi Center tonight in third place in the Pacific Division.  That's third place having won eight games of their last ten.  That's third place with 83 points, seven more than the Avalanche , who are in third place in the Northwest.  Though the Ducks don't score goals like Detroit or Dallas, their offense has gotten a burst of energy from the return of Teemu Selanne, and they've only lost once with him back in the lineup.  They play an extremely physical game, by far the most penalized team in the NHL, with 1315 total penalty minutes---even ahead of...
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The REALLY Missing H-Link
2008-03-06 05:00:00
Seriously, this guy is more important to the continued success of the Avs than Hlinka? In what universe does that make sense?  Other than looking tough, what skill does Parker possess that Jaroslav Hlinka doesn't have in spades?  I'm not bagging on Parker, don't get me wrong.  However, Hlinka's continued healthy-scratch status boggles my mind.  You can use Wyatt Smith, Brad Richardson, Karlis Skrastins, etc. as examples of management's/coaching's lack of competent talent evaluation, but for my money, you're looking at the player who's gotten the biggest raw deal of all from the schizo coaching behind the Avs bench.   The Avs are currently putting all of their eggs in one basket in order to try and get the franchise back to the promised land in the playoffs.  There has been an infusion of talent with Salei, Forsberg, and Foote, but one of the most talented guys on the roster for the bulk of the season is watching these critical games from the p...
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The Mile High Hockey Whirlwind
2008-03-05 16:27:00
It's been a crazy week and a half for Mile High Hockey .   The trade deadline came and went with the Avs picking up some old favorites (Foote, Forsberg) and a new one (Ruslan Salei), season-ending injuries to three foundation guys (Smyth, Svatos and Clark), a battle royale with a radio talk show host over criticism of Coach Q and the nature of blogging, the birth of a new meme (power play kittens) to replace an old one (Skrastins not withstanding), a profile at the Fanhouse and the most epic game thread of all time. MHH even scored a spot on the "Featured Posts" list at the SBNation home page for the first time ever. And, during all of this, daily traffic has more than doubled, to an average of more than 400 unique visitors per day, with weekdays averaging nearly 500.  That's small potatoes to some blogs, but for a team-specific blog that's been around for less than a year, that's not half bad. None of this would have been possible (or fun) without the help of the M...

Game 67: Avalanche 2, Canucks 1
2008-03-05 15:03:00
photo courtesy of David Zalubowski/AP The Avs absolutely had to win last night against the Canucks , and they did.  It wasn't flashy or all that impressive of a win, but it meant two points in the standings for Colorado and none for Vancouver, who now slips down to ninth in the Western Conference and out of the playoffs.  The Avs moved up to seventh. The big story of the night was Peter Forsberg's return, but it was two younger players who stole the show. The game got off to a relatively slow start, with Tyler Arnason predictably losing the opening faceoff and then both sides exchanging a few chances here and there.  Both goalies looked sharp from the beginning, and it was clear that a high score wasn't in the cards.   At the 9:12 mark, Wojtek Wolski broke free in the Canucks zone and shot a laser pass to Paul Stastny, who wristed a shot top shelf past Luongo to give the Avs an early lead.  The near-sellout crowd erupted in a way I haven't heard in a ...
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Game 67: Kings At Avalanche, Preview And Open Thread
2008-03-04 21:44:00
Good lord this game is important.  First of all, the Canucks and the Avalanche are tied at 74 points, with Vancouver's superior win percentage giving them seventh place in the Western Conference and Colorado, eighth. Nashville, still stuck just outside the bubble, also has 74 points and faces Edmonton tonight---so it's critical that the Avs win. Second of all, tonight Peter Forsberg will make his triumphant return to the Pepsi Center once again wearing the Burgundy and Blue (only in a more ugly, aprony form).  How much ice time he'll see and on which lines is yet to be determined, but it doesn't really matter.  The Can is going to be crazy the second he hits the ice. Said Ian Laperriere upon learning that Foppa will be on the bench tonight: "He's playing? It's great news. It's Christmas again." To all the MHH members who will be at the game, know that I am jealous beyond description and I hate all of you.  In a good way. The third reason this is a h...
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Is Adam Foote An Asshole?
2008-03-04 16:42:00
Well, you knew that Columbus would be pretty bitter about losing the Blue Jackets' captain and best defenseman, especially considering the fact that they lost him due to failed contract negotiations---or "money" in layman's terms.  Any time a player takes off due to money issues, the fans get bitter. Colorado fans got bitter a few years ago when Foote left Denver for Ohio.  And by all accounts, Foote was sorry about it, too, telling various interviewers over the years that he loved playing for the Avalanche and wished he was still lacing up his skates for home games in the Pepsi Center.   Now it's Columbus' turn to feel jilted, and jilted they are. As Greg at the Fanhouse reports, the Columbus Dispatch is accusing Adam Foote of demanding far too much money ($8 million over two years) and when the Jackets' balked, he allegedly threatened them with purposely bad play and behavior in the locker room: According to numerous NHL sources, Foote threatened to be "a ...
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Svatos Out For The Season, Smyth Indefinitely
2008-03-04 01:33:00
This is about how I feel right now... This just in:  Marek Svatos has a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season.   Ryan Smyth has the double whammy of a concussion and a shoulder separation, and while the team hasn't ruled out a return to the ice this season, he remains out indefinitely.  If you're looking to make some money gambling, don't bet on seeing Smytty again this year.
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The Avs Are Officially Cursed
2008-03-03 19:49:00
The possibly major injuries to both Marek Svatos and Ryan Smyth on Saturday night are just two in a growing pile of physical catastrophes that have faced the Colorado Avalanche this season. But honestly, how bad has it been? Pretty bad.  The Avalanche team members, as a whole, have lost 251 games to injury this season.  That total includes Karlis Skrastins, who suffered a shoulder separation early in the year but has since been traded. As far as an individual breakdown, the numbers below assume that neither Ryan Smyth nor Marek Svatos will play again this season, as is the case with Brett Clark (shoulder dislocation).  The numbers also assume that those three would have played in all of the remaining games.  Cody McCormick, who would have likely been re-assigned to Lake Erie had he not been hurt, is not included in the count.  Illnesses and healthy scratches are also not included. The individual injuries and number of games missed are as follows: Tyler ...

Paul Stastny Plays Hockey Well, Has A Famous Dad
2008-03-02 16:02:00
ESPN The Magazine is a pretty good publication, most of the time.  And most of the time, they're pretty timely with their features and profiles. Other times, well, they're a year or two late.  It's good to see Paul Stastny getting a nice profile in the Four Letter print version, but his story was big news last season.   Anyway, the piece is worth checking out, if just for the picture of him playing Rock Band like the nerd we all knew he probably was.  Bless him.
More About: Hockey , Famous , Plays

Game 66: Avalanche 5, Kings 2
2008-03-02 15:40:00
The Colorado Avalanche just can't win for winning.  Despite Adam Foote's debut on home ice (to a hero's reception) and the Avs' complete demolishing of the worst team in the NHL, it was a bittersweet night as both Ryan Smyth and Marek Svatos left the ice under assistance. Smyth's assistance was a stretcher. Late in the second period, after scoring two goals, Smyth was checked hard into the edge of the glass next to the team bench, hitting his shoulder and head and then falling hard to the ice.  Kings young d-man Jack Johnson was the culprit, but the check was clean if poorly timed.  Smyth lay on the ice while being treated by the Avs' medical staff and then was taken by sled to the locker room.  According to reports, however, Smyth left for the hospital under his own power and was both walking and talking.  More news on his condition should be released today.  Hopefully he's fine and will return soon. Marek Svatos hurt his knee while assisting...
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Game 66: Kings At Avalanche, Preview And Open Thread
2008-03-01 22:46:00
Peter Forsberg will not be in the lineup tonight for the Avalanche , so there's really not that much to talk about.   The Avs got a serious personnel upgrade when Adam Foote and Ruslan Salei joined the defensive squad.  They've won both games they've played since Foote's return, but not in regulation. The Kings are the worst team in the entire NHL.  The Avalanche should have two primary goals tonight: win in regulation and win big. The game starts at 6:00 PM Mountain time, 8:00 PM Eastern.  I have no idea if I'll be present for the game, but please, don't let that stop you from threading away. ESPN preview.
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Get Off My Lawn Week Continues
2008-02-29 19:57:00
This is apparently Old Media VS Anything New week in the world of hockey.  First it's the tired old "bloggers are stupid" rants from the hallowed halls of radio, now it's the "shootouts are stupid" rants from the newspaper columnists. Before I go any farther, two disclaimers.  1) I don't usually post about topics that have nothing specific to do with the Colorado Avalanche, but this is worth it.  2) I'm not a huge fan of shootouts.  With that out of the way... John MacKinnon of the Edmonton Journal doesn't understand "the cow kick," a quick kick of the leg Sidney Crosby pioneered to fake out goalies during shootouts.  It doesn't always work, but it is intended to make the goalie think a shot is being taken, when one isn't.  Seems straight forward enough, right? Not to MacKinnon.  No, the cow kick and similar fake-out moves should stop being used by players during the shootout because they're not something those same players would try dur...
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Foppa Poll
2008-02-29 18:33:00
                  Quick and dirty poll for your Friday viewing. In honor of Marian Hossa's knee boo-boo, I've just gotta ask: Of the remaining 17 regular season games, how many will Forsberg play?
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Foppa Watch™
2008-02-29 15:33:00
photo courtesy of the Denver Post Kudos to Adrian Dater for keeping us so ridiculously up to date on the details of Peter Forsberg's P-1 work visa status.  Apparently, Foppa is good to go and will join the Avalanche if they hold a morning skate tomorrow morning: Although Forsberg has said he wanted to get at least one full practice in with the Avs before playing his first game, it is not out of the question that he could play against the Kings. He skated hard for a second consecutive day Thursday in Vancouver. The Avalanche might have a morning skate Saturday, allowing Forsberg to acclimate himself to his teammates. The Avs usually don't have a morning skate on days when a game starts before 7 p.m. but were contemplating whether to have one largely because of Forsberg. So, it's not a sure bet, but there's a chance some fair-weather fans at the Pepsi Center tomorrow night will not have bought tickets in vain.  I mean, they wouldn't have gone to see "their team" if...
More About: Watch , Trade

Clough Still Doesn't Get It
2008-02-29 15:10:00
Listening to Sandy Clough this morning, I was treated to more of his wildly generalized criticism of what he considers to be the faults of bloggers.  They're not accountable.  They're free to just say whatever they want without the threat of being fired for it.  They're uncritical of thoughts that coincide with whatever world view they may espouse.  They're just a collection of nodding heads.  They're not bound by the rigorous standards of journalism. Call me crazy, but those sound like stereotypes of talk radio to me.  Mega dittos, Sandy. I've now listened to The Sports Guys for two days in a row.  Yesterday, I was very impressed with the program, with Clough's presentation and with his temperance.  I didn't agree with everything he said, but he didn't come across as a pompous prick---like he did in the email exchange with thedoctor the other day.   Today, with his co-host back, the show sounded more like that which Clough co...

Game 65: Avalanche 3, Canucks 2 (SO)
2008-02-28 15:03:00
It seems as though the Colorado Avalanche think a hockey game is naturally 65 minutes long instead of 60, because they've been playing for overtime pretty consistently.  The good news is that they've been winning in overtime (and the shootout), but the bad news is they're giving their opponents a point each time.  But whatev.  A win is a win and every two points is precious. Last night, all seemed lost.  Or, I should say, all sounded lost, because I was stuck listening to a delayed radio feed and couldn't actually watch the game.  Some genius in Toronto decided that the NHL Network counts as a national television station and therefore the Center Ice feed (both TV and online) was blacked out.  The NHL Network is available in less than 10 million homes across the U.S.  To understand how pathetic that is, consider that there are more than 7 million households in the New York City television market alone.  But I digress. Last night, all seem...
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Game 65: Avalanche At Canucks, Preview And Open Thread
2008-02-27 22:05:00
Wow.  It's been a busy week.  Forsberg got signed, Foote got traded for, Skrastins got shipped off to the suckers in Florida (when have the Avs ever not gotten the best of the Panthers?), and I somehow got into a silly pissing contest with an angry talk radio host.  I should take a vacation. The Avs should take one, too.  Tonight is the final game in a five-stop road trip that began last week.  The Avs beat Calgary in overtime last night, but it's even more important that they beat the Canucks in regulation tonight.  The Canucks are just two points ahead of them in the Northwest standings and also in the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.  Losing tonight is not an option.  If I've been wrong before, I'm not wrong now when I say that this is a must-win game. Newly acquired d-man Ruslan Salei is present and accounted for and ready to join the team against the Bad Luck 'Nucks.  Though I don't know for sure, I'd assume tha...
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An Open Letter To Sandy Clough
2008-02-27 20:04:00
[Sandy Clough is the co-host of The Sports Guys, a cleverly-named morning talk show on Denver radio station AM 950 The Fan] Dear Sandy, So you disagree with us here in the online Avalanche fan community that Coach Joel Quenneville has done an overall lousy job behind the Colorado bench and should find employment elsewhere.  Fair enough.  Nobody said you had to agree with us.   It's unfortunate, though, that you've become the most recent mouthpiece of the "Blogs Are Boogie Men" crowd, led by my bedridden 85 year-old grandfather.  You've decided, because we disagree with you, that we are "Chuckleheads" with 1) no credibility, 2) no accountability and 3) no knowledge of hockey.  You've now taken the time to openly bash us on the Altitude Sports post-game show after the Edmonton and Calgary games and on your own radio show this morning. First of all, I encourage you to actually think about how the "market of ideas" generally works for blogs.  The mo...
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Game 64: Avalanche 3, Flames 2 (OT)
2008-02-27 15:02:00
Am I being set up for disappointment?  After last night's come-from-behind victory over the Calgary Flames in overtime, I worry that the Colorado Avalanche are just building me up to be let down in the end.  But one thing is for sure, if the Avs play with as much heart and fire in every remaining game of this season that they did last night, things are going to be okay. Colorado got off to a great start, totally dominating the ice for the first five minutes of the game, during which Ryan Smyth scored his first goal since returning from injury to give his team a 1-0 lead.  Unfortunately, the momentum shifted around the ten minute mark and the Flame-Outs started to take over.  The Avs had trouble clearing it out of their zone, despite the arrival of newly-acquired but not new-to-the-team Adam Foote.  The Flames tied it up around the 15 minute mark and the period ended 1-1. The second period was more of the same, with Calgary periodically taking over and mak...
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Game 64: Avalanche At Calgary, Preview And Open Thread
2008-02-27 00:57:00
Hoo boy.  What a day.  The trade deadline has passed and the Avalanche are now the proud owners of Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote and Ruslan Salei.  They are minus one Karlis Skrastins, definitely a third round pick in 2008, and maybe a first round and a fourth round pick as well.  Only time (and Adam Foote) will tell on those. I'm excited about the Skrastins trade because I was never excited about Skrastins.  I don't know much about Ruslan Salei's exploits with the Panthers (seriously, the Panthers are still a team?) but I've heard good things, and everyone seems to agree that he's an improvement over Skratch.  I'll gladly take that. Forsberg, well, I'm glad he's back like I'm glad when my sick grandfather gets out of the hospital.  It's good to see him again but there's a nagging feeling that he won't be around for very long.  At least Foppa will only cost the Avs around $1 million and some pride if he goes down for good. Footer, ...
More About: Preview , Open , Game , Calgary

The Clock Is Ticking
2008-02-26 17:44:00
11:45: Just over three hours left before the trade deadline today at 3:00 PM Eastern time, and still no word from the Avalanche.   TSN has already said that the only team Rob Blake would maybe accept a trade to would be Colorado, but no other details are available and it's all just speculation.  If it's true, it's good news for the 2001 Colorado Avalanche.  For the 2008 Colorado Avalanche?  Eh, not so much. Brian Campbell is going to San Jose, Brad Richards is going to Dallas, so those guys are out as far as possible acquisitions... 11:50 UPDATE: Wow.  The Canadiens dumped Christobal Huet to Washington. 12:15 UPDATE: The death of a meme!!  The Avs have traded Karlis Skrastins and a third round draft pick to the Florida Panthers for d-man Ruslan Salei.  Salei has 23 points in 65 games this season, and is 6-1, 212.  I won't lie, I know nothing about this guy at all. 12:55 UPDATE: TSN says Adam Foote is looking for a trade back to Colo...
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Well I'll Be Damned: Peter Forsberg Returns!
2008-02-26 00:33:00
A man can't even go to the gym for an hour and a half without the biggest story of trade deadline dropping while he's in there. Peter Forsberg and the Avalanche pulled off one of the best trade deadline rumor dekes of all time, by agreeing to a pro-rated, one-year deal for $5 million.  Foppa will return with just six weeks (19 games) left in the season.  There is no word yet on when exactly Forsberg will take the ice in an Avalanche uniform. TSN's article is here. Adrian Dater says: But one Avalanche official said today that serious talks with Forsberg didn't start until this morning. The Avs jumped in with the contract offer after being informed Forsberg felt good enough to give a comeback a try, and the deal was signed not long after. That's how fast things happened. UPDATE: Scott Burnside of ESPN has chimed in with his own two cents on the Forsberg signing, and somehow manages to work in this little nugget of insanity (emphasis mine): Coach Joel Quennevil...
More About: Peter Forsberg

We Don't Know Anything About Hockey
2008-02-25 19:45:00
Since Mile High Hockey 's three front page contributors and just about all of its commenting members agree that Coach Joel Quenneville has systematically failed at his job all season long, we know nothing about hockey. Hockey "experts" like Peter Ruttgaizer (Altitude Sports) and Sandy Clough (Sportsradio 950 The Fan) have decided that Avalanche blogs, message boards, and fans in general, are idiots because we have dared criticize the team's coach.  Their main argument: the team suffered injuries to the Three Esses and therefore all else is forgiven. So let's put aside the league-worst power play, the horrific early-season goalie carousel (and a resurgent, much-improved Jose Theodore who still has a losing record), Tyler Arnason's very existence, Wyatt Smith and all the injustices done to Brad Richardson, and consider just one question: How is it possible that a team with Joe Sakic, Ryan Smyth and Paul Stastny healthy and in the lineup was able to give up a two-goal lead a...