Around the NHL - 17 Oct

Posted by admin on 18th, 2008

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Brunnstrom makes statement in debut
By Zachary Ingraham PA SportsTicker Staff Writer

It only took one game for Dallas Stars left wing Fabian Brunnstrom to prove he has more than just potential.

Making his NHL debut Wednesday, Brunnstrom notched a hat trick - including the game-winning goal - to lead the Stars to their first win of the season, a 6-4 victory over the Nashville Predators.

A healthy scratch for the Stars’ first two games of the campaign, Brunnstrom became the third player in NHL history to net three goals in his first career game. He joins Alex Smart of the 1943 Montreal Canadiens and Real Cloutier of the 1979 Quebec Nordiques.

“It made it that much better to win the game,” said Brunnstrom, who leads Dallas in goals despite playing two less games than most of his teammates. “I had some really nice passes and I just tried to be in front of the net.

“This has been my goal since I was little, to play in the NHL, and this is just a dream come true.”

(Click here to view the full article)

Blackhawks fire Denis Savard
By RICK GANO, AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO (AP)—Nevermind that Denis Savard was a Hall of Fame player and one of the Chicago franchise’s most popular figures. When the team looked sluggish in the preseason, the front office took note.

After four games and just hours after the Blackhawks’ first win of the season, Savard was out as the coach, replaced Thursday by Joel Quenneville.

The Blackhawks, who have missed the playoffs nine of the past 10 seasons, improved to 1-2-1 following a 4-1 home victory over Phoenix on Wednesday night.

“I’m proud of what we accomplished last year with the young kids in the lineup. I hope for them to do well,” Savard told The Associated Press by phone. “It’s a tough day, no question. I’m hurt. I worked hard to do the best I could to get the team on its way to the Stanley Cup.”

General manager Dale Tallon said the evaluation process had been ongoing since training camp and the decision was an organizational one. He said the Blackhawks lacked the kind of energy in preseason that they displayed at the end of last season, when they won 40 games.(Click here to view the full article)

Injury Updates:

Rolston suffers ankle sprain in win over Thrashers
The New Jersey Devils’ 1-0 win on Thursday was both sweet and sour for Brian Rolston.

Rolston, who began his career with the Devils, scored his first goal in his second stint with the team before later suffering a high right ankle sprain.

A former first-round pick of New Jersey in 1991 who played parts of his first six seasons with the franchise, Rolston left the game midway through the third period with the injury. The 35-year-old lost his balance before crashing into the end boards behind Atlanta’s net and did not return.

Following the game, Rolston was on crutches when he left the locker room. (Yahoo! Sports)
Wild RW Gaborik out vs. Panthers
Minnesota Wild star right wing Marian Gaborik is out of the lineup for Thursday’s game against the Florida Panthers due to a lower body injury. (Yahoo! Sports)
Senators still waiting on status on captain Daniel Alfredsson
Whenever Daniel Alfredsson has been out injured in the past, the Ottawa Senators have often looked very much like a hobbled team.
It’s a situation they’ll need to remedy if forced to contend a little longer with their captain’s status up in the air while he recovers from knee surgery.

Alfredsson had his right knee scoped last Friday to remove a bone chip and, despite making a quicker-than-expected return to the ice earlier this week, is questionable for a pair of weekend games.

Game Results:

New Jersey vs Atlanta
New Jersey	1	Final
Atlanta	0

Vancouver vs Detroit
Vancouver	4	Final OT
Detroit	3

NY Islanders vs Tampa Bay
NY Islanders	4	Final OT
Tampa Bay	3

Minnesota vs Florida
Minnesota	6	Final
Florida	2

Washington vs Pittsburgh
Washington	4	Final
Pittsburgh	3

Dallas vs St. Louis
Dallas	1	Final
St. Louis	6

Philadelphia vs Colorado
Philadelphia	2	Final
Colorado	5

Source: Yahoo! Sports | TSN.ca | ESPN | NHL.com

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Tags: brian rolston, chicago blackhawks, dale tallon, dallas stars, Daniel Alfredsson, dennis savard, fabian brunnstrom, fired, game highlights, game results, goal, hat trick, head coach, hockey, joel quenneville, marian gaborik, video, youtube

The “1 2 3″ on why Brunnstrom is great for the Stars

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Posted by admin on 21st, 2008

While we await the start of the NHL training camps, there has been a lot of talk about the 2 top signings by the Dallas Stars; Sean Avery and Fabian Brunnstrom.

While Avery is known to everybody (if you don’t know who Avery is, get out from behind your rock), Brunnstrom is a mystery. We’ve all read the reports about how he was referred to as “the best player outside of the NHL right now” (Malkin got this same label, btw) or how he’s overrated, but in truth we really know very little.

So here are 3 small things about Fabian Brunnstrom that (in my mind at least) make him a great addition to the Stars.

1. He’s a battler
At the age of 19, Brunnstrom quite literally crashed out of the Allsvenskan Hockey League, a division below the Elite League. To many, such a situation would destroy their career, but to Fabian, the demotion to Div 1 gave him a choice; battle and become the best or accept defeat. He chose to fight, and in doing so not only proved to himself he was destined to be an NHL hockey player, he proved it to the scouts, and eventually to Brett Hull and Les Jackson of the Dallas Stars, who signed him to an NHL contract. If you wonder why being a battler is great… go back and watch Stephane Robidas get his nose broken in last seasons playoffs and watch how he went right back out there, unable to breathe, probably in pain and gave it his all.

2. Alfy V.2
Brunnstrom is said to play a similar game to Ottawa’s Daniel Alfredsson. According to most scouting reports, he is a speedy skater with soft hands, good technical skills and a strong offensive upside. Most importantly, much like Alfy, he also has very good hockey sense and a strong positive attitude.

3. A moldable player
Brunnstrom himself states he is unsure if he’s ready for the next big step in his career, the NHL. He is however willing to throw himself in the hands of the Stars front office and coaching staff and allow them to help him become “that” player. While many may see his doubt as negative, his attitude and willingness to trust the coaching staff is a major positive.

I for one am more than pleased with the Stars organization for winning the “Brunnstrom Sweeps”. It does have risk involved, but the upside far outweighs them.

Technorati Tags: nhl, ice hockey, fabian brunnstrom, dallas stars