Hockey

Jonathan Toews, mired in a playoff scoring slump with no goals and three assists in eight games, usually makes his presence felt eventually. And Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith knows it's coming. ''He's going to find his way on the board. It's something that we know,'' Brendan Smith said. ''We're going to try to keep him off as long as possible. These players, they're so competitive. They're so good that they'll find a way. It's something that we're just going to keep trying to eliminate. He's had some bad bounces where he's hit the post and stuff.'' The Red Wings have neutralized Toews with even more physical play than the Minnesota Wild did in the opening series. Toews responded with an outstanding effort in Game 3 -- all that was missing were the points. "I think it's just being very aware of him and playing him hard,'' Smith said. ''I think just the will to battle. He's a very strong guy. He battles so hard. If you battle just as hard it'll help our whole game and that's what's been good for us in shutting him down.'' It seems unlikely that Toews will stay this quiet. The Wings just hope he doesn't break through at a critical time -- like when Toews had a hat trick and five-point game in a critical Game 4 at Vancouver in 2010; or when he scored the tying goal shorthanded with two minutes to go in Game 7 against Vancouver in 2011; or when he scored the winning goal in overtime in Game 6 against the Phoenix Coyotes to keep the Hawks alive in that first-round series in 2012. ''He's a great player. Don't get me wrong. We know it's going to happen,'' Smith said. ''We just have to make sure that we keep playing him hard and making sure that we're very aware of him because he is arguably their best player.''

By Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff NEW YORK ? Good morning from Madison Square Garden, where the Bruins will look to sweep the Rangers tonight. Game 5 is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at TD Garden, but the Bruins have...

Japers' Rink Player Card (click for hi-res version; a glossary of terms used in this post can be found here; data via Behind the Net, Hockey Analysis, CapGeek and NHL.com; h/t Habs EOTP): Brouwer and his most frequent linemates: 2013 Capitals 5v5 Forward Usage, via Hockey Abstract: Brouwer's Past Five Seasons (via Hockey Analysis): Previous Rink Wrap: 2011-12 (5.60 rating) Key Stat: Brouwer’s 0.40 goals per game output (and 33 goal pace across a full 82-game season) was the highest output from a Caps second-line winger since Alexander Semin’s 0.43 goal pace in 2010-11. Interesting Stat: Troy Brouwer, a right wing, had a 48% faceoff percentage across 232 draws, a higher win percentage than Mike Ribeiro (45%). The Good: Brouwer had a good regular season, and was among the team leaders in a number of areas. He finished second on the team in goals with 19 (including a team-high 7 game-winners), power play goals with 7, shots (111) and hits (108). His average ice time(18:47) and power play time (1:31) were both third among Caps' forwards (excluding oft-injured Brooks Laich). And he only took nine minor penalties, finishing the season with the fewest minors per minute of any top-six forward. Overall, Troy did what was expected of a second-line winger – he scored, he was physical, he played special teams and he avoided putting the team in bad situations. He even danced. But the bigger question looming over Brouwer before the season started whether he would be able to fill the void left by the departing Alexander Semin, the divisive, love-him-or-hate-him (or both) former Cap who had the second-line scoring winger role locked down in the nation’s capital for years. Big shoes to fill, no doubt, but Brouwer’s stat-line was certainly comparable. In Semin’s last two seasons in DC, he averaged 0.35 goals, 0.76 points and 0.89 penalty minutes per game. Brouwer’s pace in 2012-13 was 0.40 goals, 0.70 points and 0.60 penalty minutes, a similar stat line (save for the reduced penalty minutes). Additionally, Brouwer was able to give the team a bit more in terms of penalty killing and physicality, while not being relegated to a perimeter game. True, Troy wasn't going to pull people out of their seats with marvelous play-making the way Semin often had... but all goals count the same, right? And with Brouwer’s cap hit of $3.7 million, they came at almost a 50% discount over the pricier Semin. More importantly, Brouwer’s ascendancy into the second-line wing at half the price freed up enough cash for the Caps to bring in Mike Ribeiro, aka that coveted 2C the team had desperately needed for years. Aside from the offense and the cheaper price tag, the way Brouwer was used by Adam Oates shouldn't go unnoticed (see above usage chart). He played tough minutes without the benefit of a lot of offensive zone starts, which likely explains his lower possession metrics (47.9% Fenwick, 10th among Caps' forwards, and a -3 CORSI Rel, 11th on team). Give him easier minutes and more o-zone starts, and it’s likely he’d see those numbers creep over to the good side of the Fenwick line. The Bad: While he mimicked Semin’s more recent output in the regular season, he also mimicked Semin’s more recent playoff disappearances - an aspect of Semin's game that were not missed when he left town. The Disappearing Act That Was Troy Brouwer wasn't for lack of trying, of course; he finished the playoffs with a respectable 13 shots and threw in some physicality with 19 hits. But in the end trying wasn't enough, as Brouwer netted just one goal and one assist in seven games against the Rangers, and was noticeably absent for long stretches of the series. Playoff performance aside, a further look at Brouwer’s numbers show that he, like some of his teammates, grew fat on the power play. Of his 33 points on the season, he only produced 13 at even strength, and his 1.35 P

It is hard to ignore a young player who is succeeding in a men's league. Sound familiar? Well, Mikael Granlund did something similar. But his struggles at the NHL is due to the lack of size, something Barkov has plenty of. He is 9th in scoring in the top league in Finland and he is only 17 years old. A very impressive feat. He has size, strength and skill that he uses smartly and effectively. He can take over the middle of the ice and is a hard opponent to play against. He isn't flashy but he gets the job done. Sounds very similar to our Mikko Koivu in the sense that he isn't dynamic but still is a player you build around. Some might question Barkov at #3 with exciting prospects like Jonathan Drouin still available but Barkov has proven his worth in the top men's league in Finland and against the best of junior hockey in the World Juniors and impresses every single time. Some might question his offensive upside but he is probably the safest best for a first line centerman in this years draft. The question is, just how good of a first line centerman will he be? Introducing our 2013 NHL #3 Draft Prospect - Aleksander Barkov ALEKSANDER BARKOV Center / Tappara (Finland) Height: 6-2 Weight: 205 GP G A P +/- PIM 2012/13 - Tappara 51 21 27 48 18 8 Projection: #1 two-way centerman. #1 PP and PK. 65-75 point player Strengths: Safe combination of size, strength, skill and smarts A proven player; standout against men and prospects Strong down the middle, strong around the net Versatile Weaknesses: Lack of dynamic traits; in his skating, grittiness and playing style Quotes: Future Considerations Barkov is bit of a big lumbering skater who does have decent straight line speed but lacks much in the way of lateral quickness and jump in his first few steps. He does not initiate contact in a menacing way but uses his size effectively and with the purpose of disrupting opponents defensively or protecting the puck. Despite his size, Barkov is somewhat shy using the power he has; he is not a power forward, running over defenders by any means. He is a strong two-way centre with excellent smarts and developing offensive skill. Prospect Jersey (What Would They Look Like In a Wild Jersey?): Perfect compliment to Mikael Granlund, we're just not going to get him Video Evidence: Aleksander Barkov Jr. #16 Tappara - Remember The Name l NHL Draft Prospect 2013 HD (via Theboys291) Special thanks to HFBoards, Future Considerations, The Hockey Writers, TSN, OHLProspeccts and The Scouting Report

Ryan Hartman was one of the two draft eligible skaters at the 2013 WJC in Ufa, Russia in January. This profile looks at his style of play and what he could bring to the team that drafts him in June.

Player Name/position: Radek Dvorak, RW Overall Grade: A, how can you hate on a low-cost guy that averaged a goal every other game? Contract Status: Will be a UFA as of July 5 (stupid lockout) $675,000 Salary/Cap Hit in 2013 (per Capgeek, of course) 2013 Stats: 9 games played; 4 goals, 0 assists, 4 points; plus-2, 13:08 TOI/G Playoff Stats: Sadly, no. But not in a Corey Perry kind of way. Offense: The guy scored 4 goals in 9 games after he was picked up on a lark. That pretty much classifies as offensive juggernaut status in my book. To be fair, though, he did shoot an astronomical 23.5%, given his 4 goals on just 17 total shots. Defense: I don’t remember Dvorak getting torched on any plays and I don’t recall him ever being considered to be in any kind of shutdown role. So I think he performed adequately here. Highlight of the Season: His two-goal game against Edmonton on April 8 was pretty fun. Dvorak accounted for all of the Ducks’ scoring in that game, and his second goal at 7:48 of the third proved to be enough for Anaheim to hold on against the Oil. Expectations for Next Year: Given that Dvorak was mired in the KHL before the Ducks signed him on March 24, it’s unlikely that Dvorak cracks an NHL lineup next season. This isn’t to say that he doesn’t deserve it; Dvorak played extremely well in his limited duty this season. In fact, his uncanny ability to find the back of the net mystified many of us at AC that he couldn’t find more ice time or even get a look in the playoffs. Personally speaking, I think a lot of teams could do a lot worse than Dvorak, but it seems that his time has probably passed.

The Carolina Hurricanes won't just be playing in a new NHL division next season. They'll also have a new look on the ice. The Canes are significantly changing up their home and road uniforms for the first time in their 15-year-history in North Carolina. The team will unveil the new uniforms June 4 at PNC Arena. The team said Thursday that the Hurricanes logo and colors will not change. But the sweaters, pants and socks will have a new design. The Canes, under the NHL's realignment, will be playing in a new division with the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils and Columbus Blue Jackets.

1. Whither the Canucks?So they gave the ol' heave-ho to poor Alain Vigneault today, who was victimized mainly by injury but also his own general manager's inability to do his job properly. Isn't that always the way?Cory Schneider was and should have been the Canucks' starter this season and he acquitted himself well enough when he was healthy. The problem was, when the Sharks swept the Canucks out of the first round after a fairly underwhelming run to the top of the Northwest Division for the last time, Schneider wasn't healthy and Roberto Luongo didn't steal the games he played in such a way that it made Vigneault look good.The thing I always say when coaches get fired in situations like this is that the guy they choose to replace him needs to be better than the guy they let go. How many coaches out there are better than Vigneault? Canucks fans are breathing a little easier today because they for some reason found the old coach's job to be somewhat underwhelming, but now they have to wait for Mike Gillis, who couldn't even correctly read the trade market for a 30-plus-year-old goalie with a ponderous almost immovable contract. Obviously no GM is ever going to fire himself and one gets the feeling that if whoever they bring in next doesn't work out — and barring a huge roster overhaul, he probably won't, given the new divisional competition the Canucks will face next season — it's gonna be Gillis packing up his office this time next spring.2. What does this mean for the Flames?Of course, the Canucks theoretically taking a step back, which could very well happen, might not have a massive impact on Calgary's chances for making the postseason any time soon. The Canucks are, as things stand right now, maybe the third-best team in the division, which will still probably guarantee them a playoff spot most years (this assumes the Ducks regress to where they should have been this year, and that the Oilers don't take a huge step forward under Craig MacTavish in his first year).The Flames, meanwhile, remain indisputably the worst in the division if not the entire Western Conference, which is fine by me; one cannot imagine that they get anywhere near one of the two "wild card" spots for teams finishing outside the top three in their divisions. I'd put it LA, San Jose and Vancouver coming out of the Pacific and Chicago, St. Louis and Minnesota from the Central as locks, and two of Anaheim, Nashville, Edmonton and Dallas. Probably. Winnipeg is better than Calgary, so too is Phoenix, and I'd say it's arguable that they're worse or at least as bad as Colorado.Basically what this means for the Flames is nothing. The Canucks will, unless they totally blow it up, which they won't because Gillis wants to keep his job, still dominate the Flames both over the course of the season and in their head-to-head matchups. Oh well, I guess.3. Other teams are doing itOne thing I've noticed in the last couple of days or so is that teams are doing a bit of housekeeping in re-signing guys who play marginal roles. Rob Klinkhammer and Eric Boulton and so forth. It occured to me today that the Flames have a guy like that on the roster as well, who is a pending unrestricted free agent and who could be someone they're interested in re-signing.That guy is obviously Brian McGrattan.The Flames have made no secret of the fact that their goal this summer is to become "tougher to play against" because the fact that Mikael Backlund won't fight anyone is the reason every team in the league ran them the hell over all season long. McGrattan, in their eyes, fits that bill: a guy who sucks at the hockey-playing aspects of playing hockey but who is all too happy to try to fight all comers in the eight seconds of ice time gets per shift before good players come over the boards and he does the closest thing he can to scurrying off so someone can take his place.The same may be true of Steve Begin, too, but I don't know I'm just spitballing here. Certainly, it seems well within th

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Last summer’s addition of Jordan Staal and Alexander Semin gave the Carolina Hurricanes a new look on the ice. This fall, the whole team will have an updated look. The Canes announced that they will have new home and road uniforms for the 2013-14 season, the first major overhaul of the team's look since they moved to North Carolina 15 years ago. The primary "eye" logo and colors will remain the same, but everything else is on the table. The team's third jerseys — black with the storm warning flag secondary logo as the main crest — will remain the same and could still be used next season, according to senior director of communications Mike Sundheim.The new look will be unveiled June 4 at a noon press conference at PNC Arena. Icethetics, a website that reports news on hockey uniforms and logos, has mentioned previously that the team and Reebok have been at work on a new uniform. The Hurricanes indicated that they will tease the release of the new uniform on their Instagram account each day at 10 a.m. Here is the release from the team. HURRICANES TO UNVEIL NEW UNIFORMS ON JUNE 4Media are invited to attend launch event and news conference at PNC Arena RALEIGH, NC – The Carolina Hurricanes will unveil all-new home and road uniforms at a launch event and news conference at PNC Arena at noon on Tuesday, June 4. Media are invited to cover the event which will take place on the arena floor. Invitees will include Hurricanes staff, randomly selected season-ticket holders, suite-lease owners, social-media contest winners and corporate partners. Lunch will be served for media and attendees following the launch event, and will include PNC Arena’s famous North Carolina barbecue. While the team’s primary logo and colors will remain intact, the Hurricanes’ new uniforms will alter the look of the team’s home and road jerseys, pants and socks, for the first time in the team’s 15-year North Carolina history. Beginning tomorrow, May 24, "teaser" swatch images of the new jerseys will be posted each day to the team’s social media outlets, including Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Various contests allowing select winners to attend the June 4 launch event will run congruently to the posting of teaser images on social media.