It’s been a busy week in locked-out Habsland, overseas and in Montreal. Starting off, Max Pacioretty has been released by his Swiss League team HC Ambr-Piotta due to a few nagginig injuries, according to his agent Alec Schall. “He had a couple nagging injuries — nothing that would keep him out of NHL games,” he told ESPN The Magazine. “It was not an ideal environment for therapy and workouts. We just decided it would be best to come home and do therapy and good workouts.” Pacioretty will spend a few weeks back home in Connecticut before returning to Montreal and resuming workouts with his teammates.

Meanwhile in the KHL, where defenceman Andrei Markov has been playing with Vityaz, had to clear up a few rumors this week. According to a report from RDS, Markov was quoted as saying he might stay in Russia even if the NHL and the NHLPA come to an agreement. That report was immediately shut down when Markov himself told The Gazette’s Dave Stubbs “I’d love to come back to Montreal tomorrow if there’s an (NHL) agreement today”. Additionally, in relations to staying in the KHL beyond an agreement, he is legally bound to the Montreal Canadiens for the new two seasons, meaning he would have no choice but to honor his contract, if he ever does intend to change his mind.

Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty is headed to Switzerland, and the sixth member of the Habs thus far to sign with a European club during the NHL lockout. During his welcoming press conference, he expressed his understanding of playing for a team which has a rich history.  “It is an honor for me to be here. I grew up with the dream of playing in the NHL, but I also know and understand the European leagues to have arrived in a special team from the great tradition. Right from track one perceives the history of the club, a bit as in Montreal, where the wearer of the shirt does so with great honor. “

Pacioretty also expressed his thinking that the negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA will last a long time, and it will be a long time before a deal will be done. “Personally I think it will last a long time. I think Gary Bettman and the owners will continue with the policy adopted so far, but for me it is not a problem, I have a good situation here and even though I arrived just I can understand why people love this place. I can not wait to play, I’m hungry and focused on what is my current club, the Ambri-Piotta, and I hope to be able to help in what I do best: play hockey. “

It looks like Habs fans don’t have to wait until next summer for negotiations to start between management and Max Pacioretty. His previous contract, totalling at $3.25 million for 2 years, would be expiring at the end of the 2012-13 season, thus making him a RFA. No longer does anyone have to worry about that. Marc Bergevin continues to have a love affair with six-year contracts (also signed Carey Price to a six-year deal), as he deals one out to Pacioretty for six years as well, totalling an average annual salary of $4.5 million, a significant pay raise from the $1.75 million he will be getting this season (the extension goes into effect starting next season).

Pacioretty led the Canadiens in scoring with a personal best of 65 points. He ranked second on the team in goals (33) and third in assists (32), and he finished fourth in the NHL in even strength goals (29). In 79 games last season, Pacioretty scored five winning goals and totaled 286 shots on goal (tied for 10th in the NHL). He was also 3rd in the NHL in even strength goals per minute last season, behind Steven Stamkos and Evgeni Malkin.

Pacioretty was also the 2011-12 recipient of the Bill Masterton Trophy, awarded to the player who best exemplified perseverance, determination and a dedication to the game. He returned to action in 2011-12 after missing the team’s last 15 regular season games and the playoffs in 2010-11, with a fractured neck and a concussion suffered on March 8th, 2011 against the Boston Bruins. On March 8th, 2012, one year after Pacioretty’s accident, he became the first American-born player in team history to reach the 30-goal plateau in one season, scoring an empty net goal against the Edmonton Oilers.

At last, we arrive at the coda of the 2011-12 NHL season, the NHL Awards. The National Hockey League will spend the next few hours cringing at terrible jokes, raising an eyebrow just what Steven Stamkos is wearing, and hoping a Real Housewife doesn’t butcher another poor hockey player’s name. (Seriously, “Mar-TEN Saint Louissss” still rings in my ears to this day.)

The NHL Awards will air on NBC Sports Network starting at 7pm ET/6pm CT, and I’ll be here, live blogging the entire thing.

So grab your drink and pull up a seat. It’s going to be another long night.

All times in the liveblog are listed in CT. Newest posts will be on top.

» Continue reading “Kat Live Blogs The NHL Awards 2012!”

Don't look at me like that, Bobby Ryan! I'm sorry I've neglected you!

Due to illness, I’ve been seriously slacking on Team USA news. I apologize profusely.

Let’s make up for this with capsule recaps of the past three games!

» Continue reading “Team USA News Roundup”

Jimmy Howard (Photo: Screencap/USA Hockey)

In a comment I left a couple of days ago, I mentioned that, if Team USA tightened up its defense, it could be a real contender. What happens when they don’t tighten up their defense? Well… this game.

Team USA lost to Team Slovakia 4-2 today, bringing their overall record to 2-1 at Worlds. This is the first time since 2000 that Slovakia has won over the USA, by the way.

I mean, when you get scored on less than a minute into the game, it’s not going to be easy for your team. That’s exactly what happened, when Libor Hudacek skated up on Jimmy Howard, who made the first stop. Too bad he lost sight of the puck, letting Dominik Granak poke it across the goal line 47 seconds into the game. Oh, okay.

It was almost all Slovakia in the first period. Branco Radijovicevic completed an end-to-end rush to give them a two-goal lead. 37 seconds after that, though, Justin Faulk finally got the USA on the board. However, with six seconds remaining in the first, Andrej Sekera broke through with a slap shot, regaining the two-goal lead for Slovakia.

Even with Paul Stastny bringing it to within one in the second with Max Pacioretty‘s help during a five-on-three, the USA could not dig itself out of the hole they created. They managed to kill off Cam Atkinson‘s double minor for high sticking in the third, but after pulling Howard, Miroslav Satan iced the game for Slovakia with an empty net goal.

Team USA’s next game against Belarus is now crucial to win if they want to make it to the medal rounds. It will air live on NBC Sports Network on Thursday, May 10 at 8:15am.

Here are Jimmy Howard and Jack Johnson talking about the game:

» Continue reading “Team USA Gets Slovak’d”

Good morning! I realize that almost no one is up to watch the opening game for the IIHF World Championship — but that just means there’s no one to stop me from live-blogging it!

Suckers!

Team USA vs. Team France. Newest comments will be on top. Times listed are CDT, since I’m in Chicago. Deal with it.

6:21 am: Team USA opens up the tournament the right way, beating Team France 7-2. As it should be. Hope you’ve enjoyed this live-blog — or will enjoy it, once you wake up. Good morning!

» Continue reading “Team USA vs. Team France Live-Blog”