NBA

– Hornets majority owner George Shinn has shot down any idea of the Hornets trading G Chris Paul. “Chris Paul is the cornerstone of our franchise and brings us unequaled support on and off the court. We will continue to build around Chris Paul, and we want to see him in a Hornets uniform for the remainder of his career. “We have an exciting future. With the leadership of our new head coach and players like Chris Paul, we know the best is yet to come.” GM Jeff Bower said he has been fielding a number of calls about possible trades from teams around the league, but has declined to specify which teams, or how many, have made offers for Paul.

Contradicting that, Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the feeling of those close to Paul think Shinn sent a “mixed message” and don’t feel like Paul is as untouchable as he’s always been before this. Wojnarowski writes that GMs calling about Paul in the past have been “met with an unmistakable response: Don’t bother.” Bower isn’t trying to unload Paul, but he isn’t hanging up the phone so quickly. The Hornets, Wojnarowski reports, are collecting bids for Paul while Shinn still owns the team. Prospective majority owner Gary Chouest, sources say, “is still trying to recruit other partners to burden the purchase price with him.”Paul, according to Wojnarowski’s sources, is “open to several select places,” including, of course, contenders. But he also could be interested in going to the rebuilding Knicks or Nets. One place he doesn’t want to go is the Grizzlies, the sources report.

– The Nuggets have offered F Carmelo Anthony a 3-year/$65M extension. Anthony told Yahoo! Sports he is reviewing the Nuggets’ proposal with his agents and wants to make sure the franchise is committed to improving before agreeing to sign the deal. “I feel good about it. I appreciate them putting it on the table and wanting me to extend my career there. At the end of the day it’s about winning. If I feel I can win there, I will stay. I’ve been there five years. I’m comfortable there. Family is there. If I’m able to compete for a championship, I’m there.” Anthony could wait to become a UFA next summer, but the NBA is facing a possible lockout when the CBA expires at the end of the season. Commissioner David Stern and team owners are pushing to lower maximum salaries and the maximum length of contracts in a new CBA.

– The Heat have traded F Daequan Cook and the #18 pick in the Entry Draft the the Thunder for the #32 pick. Miami had been working hard to trade out of the first round and attached Cook’s $2.1M salary for next season in the deal. With the trade, the Heat won’t have to guarantee a 1st-round contract this summer.

– The Bulls are looking talking to teams about a potential trade involving its #17 pick, according to the Chicago Tribune. The team was trying to package F Luol Deng or G Kirk Hinrich with the pick but didn’t get much interest. However, the Trib says talks are continuing with the Clippers.

– Contrary to rumours, the Spurs will not be moving G Tony Parker to move up from their #20 spot in the draft. Rumour had it that Parker would go to the Pacers for their #10 pick.

– AOL FanHouse is reporting that the Celtics “have been dangling center Kendrick Perkins and their No. 19 pick to teams with high lottery picks.” Perkins (MCL, PCL) has to have surgery to fix his knee that kept him out of Game 7. That surgery could come as early as tomorrow.

– The Pacers have discussed trading the #10 pick to the Thunder for G Eric Maynor and the #18 and #21 picks, but the deal is unlikely to happen.

NHL

– Canucks’ F Henrik Sedin has won the Hart Trophy for season MVP; Sabres’ G Ryan Miller won the Vezina as the NHL’s top goalie; Sabres’ D Tyler Myers won the Calder for rookie of the year’ Coyotes’ coach Dave Tippett won the Jack Adams as the most outstanding coach; Blackhawks’ D Duncan Keith won the Norris for best defenceman; Red Wings’ F Pavel Datsyuk won the Frank Selke for best defensive forward; Lightning’ F Martin St. Louis won the Lady Byng for most gentlemanly player; Capitals’ F Alex Ovechkin won the Ted Lindsay award for the league’s most outstanding player; and Capitals’ G Jose Theodore won the Bill Masterson trophy for displays of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

MLB

– ESPN reports that Bobby Valentine is now off the list of potential managers for the Orioles. That said, the NY Times reports that he’ll have a job interview by week’s end with the Marlins. Stay tuned.

WWE

– According to the Wrestling Observer, during his title reign, Swagger had four singles wins on TV, six singles TV losses (non-title losses to Orton, Morrison, Undertaker, Kingston and twice to Mysterio which is insane TV booking of a world champion over a three month period) as well as one win in a three-way, a loss in his only tag match and three DQ losses. Clearly, Swagger was not booked properly as champion.

– According to the Wrestling Observer, Vince McMahon hates spitting and that has been banned in WWE rings for a long time. Vince McMahon has this hatred for spitting, people smoking cigarettes and even sneezing as it’s noted that if someone near him sneezes, Vince will then cut a promo on them for it. It’s just something people put up with.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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Can you feel the FEVER!? It’s that time of year again! The 2010 NHL playoffs begin TODAY! We’ve got a bunch of great matchups this year, and hopefully, we’ll be strapped in for an intense 2.5 months of playoff hockey. Is there anything better?

Below, I’ll take a look at the top matchup for each conference, my pick to win the series and why, as well as picking an X-Factor for each time. It’s usually someone that is either underrated, under-the-radar, undervalued, a keyplauyoff performer, or someone needing to step up. They’re players with the potential to rise up in the postseason and win a series for their team, and maybe even a Stanley Cup.

Eastern Conference

All eyes should be on the Penguins and their attempt to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. The Capitals, however, ran away with the Presidents’ Trophy. So, who gets the nod? Sid the Kid or Alexander the Great?

Washington, with a franchise-record 54 wins and 121 points, finished head-and-shoulders above of the East’s next closest pursuer, the Devils, at 103 points.

But, as critics would ask all season long, are they that good? The Caps were one of only four teams in the East to eclipse 100 points. All but one of the West’s eight qualifiers crested the century mark. The Caps are also playing in a brutal Southeast Division, so wins are much easier to come by. The Southeast was the only division that has one playoff team.

There’s no denying that the Caps are the East’s most potent offensive team, having scored nearly 100 more goals than the second-place Devils (318-222), but everyone knows that offence alone will not win you a Stanley Cup. Pittsburgh’s ability to play shutdown hockey was consistently overlooked last season, and that’s the reason why they were able to oust the Red Wings in the Cup Final on their second time around.

The Capitals made good use of the NHL trade deadline to add third- and fourth-line role players who bring playoff savvy and experience into the dressing room and onto the ice. The additions of F Eric Belanger, F Jason Chimera and F Scott Walker will pay dividends, even though it may not show on the scoresheet. Those could be the kind of pieces that make the difference in winning a deciding game this season, as opposed to getting blown out at home against Pittsburgh in Game 7 of the second round last year.

(1) Washington Capitals vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens

Game 1 @ WAS, Thu, Apr 15 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 2 @ WAS, Sat, Apr 17 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 3 @ MON, Mon, Apr 19 7:00pm EDT, TV: TSN
Game 4 @ MON, Wed, Apr 21 7:00pm EDT, TV: TSN
Game 5 @ WAS, Fri, Apr 23 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 6 @ MON, Mon, Apr 26 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 7 @ WAS, Wed, Apr 28, TBS, TV: TSN

The regular-season series was tied, with the teams splitting four games and each winning once at home and once on the road. Three of the four games were decided by a single goal (the other by two), with one by a shootout and another in overtime. Usually, any series involving Montreal would mean the pressure would be on the Habs, who have won a record 24 Stanley Cups, but this year, that’s not happening – The pre-series pressure is squarely on F Alex Ovechkin and the Caps, who haven’t played a meaningful game since last year’s playoffs.

Montreal just barely hung on to make the postseason, while the Capitals are still a finely-tuned machine even when they’re running at less than full capacity. This series will come down to one wild card – goaltending, as both sides have been mediocre at best. The Caps goaltending has been questioned all season long, while G Jaroslav Halak the ability to steal games. And what about G Carey Price? If Halak sutters, can Price do anything to get his trade value back up? Both Halak and G Jose Theodore are in their contract years and playing for their salary next season, so you can expect both to stand on their head in this matchup. Thedore making his return to Montreal will be something fun to watch. You know he’ll be trying extra hard to stick it in Habs fans’ faces for the disappointing end to his Canadiens career.

Ovie broke out of his late-season goal-scoring slump, which is bad news for the Habs. Montreal will have to try and find a way to slow down Washington’s high-powered attack. But because Montreal is so soft in their style of play, it’s hard to see them doing anything against such a potent offence. They lack offensive punch, they’re slow on defence, and they don’t play a physical game. The Caps offensive dominance will be too much for the Habs to handle, but they’ll still come away with a game or two.

X-Factors: Canadiens’ F Travis Moen and Capitals’ G Jose Theodore. For a team that’s going to need physical play and someone to do the dirty work, not to mentioned being undersized, Moen is key to the Habs’ success. While he only has one goal since December 16, he did score seven playoff goals for the Ducks during their Cup run in 2007. And that’s exactly why Montreal signed the 6’2″, 215 pound forward last summer – for his experience, his grit, his leadership and his size.

Washington’s defence and goaltending are criticized this postseason, and rightfully so. Time and time again, the playoffs have proven the “offence wins games, defence wins championships” phrase right. Washington can score all the goals they want, but if they want to make it deep in the playoffs, they’ll need to learn to keep the puck out of the net and to defend. Last year, Theodore lost Game 1 to the Rangers and never played again. This year, he gets another chance to prove he’s still the same netminder as the one who won the 2002 Hart Trophy. And the fact he goes up against his old team gives him plenty of reason to get back to form.

Pick: Caps in 5

(2) New Jersey Devils vs. (7) Philadelphia Flyers

Game 1 @ NJ, Wed, Apr 14 7:30pm EDT, TV: TSN
Game 2 @ NJ, Fri, Apr 16 7:30pm EDT, TV: TSN
Game 3 @ PHI, Sun, Apr 18 6:00pm EDT, TV: TSN
Game 4 @ PHI, Tue, Apr 20 7:30pm EDT, TV: TSN2
Game 5 @ NJ, Thu, Apr 22 7:00pm EDT, TV: TSN
Game 6 @ PHI, Sun, Apr 25, TBD, TV: TSN
Game 7 @ NJ, Tue, Apr 27 7:30pm EDT, TV: TSN

Philadelphia beat New Jersey in all but one of their six regular-season meetings, so the Flyers at least go into the series as somewhat confident underdogs. Keep a close eye on G Martin Brodeur, who’s recent playoff performances have been sub-par to say the least. He also appeared in 77 of 82 games for the Devils this season, and as usual, Brodeur will be gassed come the second season. The Flyers come in with an odd goalie tandem, set by Brian Boucher and Sebastien Caron, rather than Ray Emery (hip surgery) and Michael Leighton (high ankle sprain, out at least for the first round). Boucher is years removed from his incredible regular-season shutout record with Phoenix, but he is an experienced netminder who plays well under pressure. One thing Boucher will need to watch for is his rebound control.

Philly’s best chance to win is through their style of play – blue collar, physical hockey along the boards. Playing into Jersey’s system won’t do them any good. D Chris Pronger and D Kimmo Timonen will have to set the tone on the blueline, while F Mike Richards, F Simon Gagne, F Danny Briere, F Scott Hartnell and F Jeff Carter will need to produce up front.

While we know what the Devils will do defensively, they’ll need to put the puck in the net. F Zach Parise showed his offensive potential on Team USA, and he’s the first Devil to record back-to-back 80-point seasons. F Ilya Kovalchuk’s playoff psyche is unknown, having only played 4 career postseason games. He’ll need to be the difference maker. The Devils will also need to rectify the powerplay issues that plagued their team towards the end of the season if they want any chance at making a run for the Cup.

On paper, this looks like a blowout. Brodeur vs. Boucher? A structured Devils team vs. an unpredictable Flyers team? All of this means that there’s potential for an upset. Will the Flyers pay the price for not upgrading in net at the Trade Deadline?

X-Factors: Flyers’ F Claude Giroux and Devils’ F David Clarkson. Giroux scored the shootout winner in the final game of the season against the Rangers, which got the Flyers into the playoffs. He’ll need to be that clutch and more in the playoffs. In the ’09 playoffs, Giroux was the Flyers’ best player too, scoring two goals and five points in a six games against the Pens. Carter’s health remains a concern, so expect Giroux to get a lot of ice time.

Clarkson, 26, is the Devils’ version of Bruins’ F Milan Lucic. He hits, fights and plays aggressive, not to mention score. He’s their go-to power forward. He missed nearly half of the 2009-10 season due to injuries, but when healthy, Clarkson has been an impact player, contributing 11 goals and 24 points in 45 games – great numbers for a third-liner on a defensive-structured team.

Pick: Devils in 6

(3) Buffalo Sabres vs. (6) Boston Bruins

Game 1 @ BUF, Thu, Apr 15 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC
Game 2 @ BUF, Sat, Apr 17 1:00pm EDT, TV: NBC, CBC
Game 3 @ BOS, Mon, Apr 19 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 4 @ BOS, Wed, Apr 21 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 5 @ BOS, Wed, Apr 21 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 6 @ BOS, Mon, Apr 26 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC
Game 7 @ BUF, Wed, Apr 28 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC

These two teams have been so surprising this season: who would’ve thought that the B’s would have so much trouble to just make the playoffs, and who thought that the Sabres would dismantle the Northeast? If G Tuukka Rask folds under the pressure, G Tim Thomas has plenty of reason to pick up the slack – he’ll be dueling his fellow Team USA netminder, G Ryan Miller. After a great postseason last year, he lost his starting gig after a terrible first half this year.

This series has the potential to be a great goalie matchup. The Bruins’ total of 206 goals scored is the fewest among the 16 playoff teams.  Miller should be rested for the series. He played in one of the final three games in the regular season, and he will be key to Buffalo’s hopes, along with their great penalty kill that’s been very hot as of late.

The Sabres are getting bitten by the injury bug at the wrong time – currently, the Bruins start the playoffs without No. 1 centre F Marc Savard, and top-six D Dennis Seidenberg, D Mark Stuart and D Andrew Ference – all of whom are great players. The Sabres aren’t fully healthy either, as F Tim Connolly, F Jochen Hecht, F Drew Stafford and F Patrick Kaleta were all out at the end of the regular season with unspecified timetables for return. Rask was 4-1 against the Sabres this season, and I think he steals a first-round victory from Miller. This matchup has the potential for another upset. Even if Boston loses, they’re immediately consoled: they get either F Taylor Hall or F Tyler Seguin at the 2010 Entry Draft, and they have the Leafs’ 1st-rounder in 2011, as another bad season in T.O. could mean another top-5 pick for Boston. Either way, I sense an upset.

X-Factors: Bruins’ F Milan Lucic and Sabres’ F Tomas Vanek. Lucic, 21, is a beast and is the model example of someone who is capable of single-handedly changing a series. He hits, he scores, he fights, and he plays that ‘style’ of playoff hockey – everything needed for postseason success comes naturally to him. Like the rest of the Bruins, however, Lucic has struggled through an injury-plagued season. He broke his finger (14 games) early in the season and suffered a severely twisted ankle (18 games) at mid-season. After an encouraging 17-goal, 42-point effort in 2008-09, Lucic was limited to nine goals and 19 points in 49 games this year, and he hasn’t been the dominating physical presence that had Bruins fans had projected him to be – the next Cam Neely. He does, however, enter the playoffs on a three-game point streak.

Vanek’s skill must come through this postseason. He recorded 27 goals after seasons of 43, 36 and 40, and thus, fall well short of expectations. Rather than competing for the ‘Rocket’ Richard trophy every year, he raises questions about his performance. Can he step up? After missing six games with a groin injury, Vanek returned for the season finale and scored four goals – by the end of the second period – against Washington in a 5-2 Buffalo victory. The Sabres hope he’s clicking at the perfect time.

Pick: Bruins in 7

(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Ottawa Senators

Game 1 @ PIT, Wed, Apr 14 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 2 @ PIT, Fri, Apr 16 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 3 @ OTT, Sun, Apr 18 6:30pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.
Game 4 @ OTT, Tue, Apr 20 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.
Game 5 @ PIT, Thu, Apr 22 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 6 @ OTT, Sat, Apr 24 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.
Game 7 @ PIT, Tue, Apr 27 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC

The Penguins are starting with the same seed they had last year when they won the Stanley Cup. The Pens have been successful in pacing themselves this season – Pittsburgh went 45-28-9 for 99 points last season and went 47-28-7 for 101 points this season. The Penguins appear to be healthy as they begin their title defense. With F Evgeni Malkin healthy, this team is much more dangerous than they have been of late. The goaltending experience alone should be enough for the Pens to come out on top – but, both teams rank 14th and 16th among playoff teams in goals allowed.

The Senators are missing a huge ingredient to their success. F Alex Kovalev (torn ACL in left knee), the team’s fourth-leading scorer, is out of the playoffs. Kovalev scored 18 goals and contributed 31 assists in 77 games. Regardless of Kovalev’s inconsistency, his offensive talent will be missed this postseason.

Usually, the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchups are close, but not this year. The Penguins, who are much deeper offensively, more experienced on defense and superior in goal. The Pens move across the street to the Consol Energy Center and the NHL’s newest arena next season, so they’ll be looking to shut down Mellon Arena with a second straight Stanley Cup.

The Senators and Penguins meet in the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. The last time the Sens and Pens met, Ottawa was sent packing after four games. An argument can be made for the Sens getting stronger and the Pens getting weaker. There remains a big talent gap, however, and I don’t expect a very different result. The Pens are my team to beat in the East.

X-Factors: Penguins’ wingers and Senators’ F Matt Cullen. Pittsburgh is deep down the middle, with F Sidney Crosby, F Evgeni Malkin and F Jordan Staal on the draw. But the only Penguin to reach the 20-goal plateau this season was F Bill Guerin. F Chris Kunitz, F Ruslan Fedotenko and F Pascal Dupuis continue to look for permanent spots on lines, and with the acquisition of F Alex Ponikarovsky at the Trade Deadline, they wanted to add some production. But not to the tune of two goals, nine points and a minus-6 rating in 16 games. Poni is in a contract year, and with Malkin as his centre, he’s got a prime opportunity to play big.

Cullen, acquired from the ‘Canes at the Trade Deadline, is a scoring, faceoff-winning bigman. He plays the point on the PP, and his big frame is great along the boards fighting for pucks. Cullen will need to produce in the absence of Kovalev if the Sens want any chance of beating the Pens.

Pick: Penguins in 4

Western Conference

In the West, seven of the eight playoff teams reached 100 points. No one would be surprised if a lower seed were to knock off a higher one in the conference quarterfinals, or any round for that matter. The matchups are just that close.

The Sharks won the West for the second straight season after the Blackhawks failed to earn the extra point at home against the Red Wings on Sunday. The Sharks are once again in the drivers’ seat, and while many are counting them out early, this year, that may be a mistake.

While San Jose has a terrible post-season track record, this year could be different. The Sharks better built for playoff success this season, with the additions of F Dany Heatley, F Manny Malholtra, F Scott Nichol and D Niclas Wallin will do for a positive playoff outlook. In addition, the big-three of Heatley, Marleau and Thornton each won Olympic gold medals in 2010, and with the experience of winning on the grandest stage, it might be just enough to will them deep into the playoffs.

That said, Chicago is the most well-rounded team this post-season, finishing 6-0-1 in their last 7. Coming off a conference finals appearance last spring, Chicago didn’t skip a beat in the regular season. The Blackhawks forced opponents to play their style of game by maintaining puck possession, scored goals and showing that they work together as a cohesive unit, ready for a run at the Stanley Cup.

The rest of the field is up in the air. The Canucks are more than a dark horse. They’re often overlooked in the West, and they easily have what it takes to rise above. Detroit’s chances for a three-peat as conference champion are great with a spectacular 17-3-2 run to end the season.

But the real question is how the newcomers will react. Who could have guessed that the Coyotes, Kings, Predators and Avalanche would all make the top eight? The three youngest teams – the Coyotes, Kings and Avalanche – all started fast and were able to maintain their level of play, holding off the likes of the surprisingly disappointing Flames, Ducks, Stars and Blues.

(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (8) Colorado Avalanche

Game 1 @ SJ, Wed, Apr 14 10:30pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 2 @ SJ, Fri, Apr 16 10:30pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 3 @ COL, Sun, Apr 18 9:30pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 4 @ COL, Tue, Apr 20 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 5 @ SJ, Thu, Apr 22 10:30pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 6 @ COL, Sat, Apr 24, TBD, TV: CBC
Game 7 @ SJ, Mon, Apr 26, TBD, TV: CBC

San Jose is healthy as it enters the post-season, vastly different from last spring. While G Evgeni Nabokov has been up and down following his disappointing Olympics, he was strong in his last couple appearances and he, like F Patrick Marleau, wants to atone for last year’s early exit.

Denver is a two-hour flight from San Jose, much easier to deal with in terms of jetlag than journeying to Nashville or Detroit. The Avs shouldn’t be able to handle the size and speed of the Sharks’ forwards, and Colorado is very young and lacks postseason experience at key positions. The Avalanche have to be very proud of simply reaching the playoffs. There’s no pressure on them to perform – the exact opposite of what the Sharks will be facing. But Colorado is truly outclassed in almost all facets of this matchup.

Another early exit for San Jose would spell big changes in the Tank. While Marleau isn’t expected back, an opening round loss would also likely spell the end for several other high profile Sharks. The Avs are playing gutsy, aggressive hockey. That leads to at least one win against the Sharks, but it also leads to mistakes. They’ve have cooled down considerably since their early season dominance and are still too young to hang around with the big boys. The Sharks are 5-1 in their last six conference quarterfinals, then the trouble historically starts. The Sharks are squeezing horseshoes and 40leaf clovers that they didn’t draw the Kings or Red Wings in the Quarters.

X-Factors: Sharks’ F Joe Thornton and Avalanche’ G Craig Anderson. Thornton and company have a long reputation of being playoff chokers, and they get a little kid in the form of the Avs to take it out on. Will this give them any momentum heading into the next round? As for Anderson, he’ll need to do everything possible to stop the biscuit. He’s struggled during the second half of the season, and I don’t see that changing now.

As for the Avs, no other team in the NHL has gotten more mileage out of its rookies. They’ll need a big swig from the fountain of youth to get by. Speaking of youth, F Darcy Tucker, 35, hasn’t been in the postseason since 2004, so you know he’ll be psyched. Plus, five of his 10 goals this season came in Colorado ‘s final 13 games; will it carry over?

Pick: Sharks in 5

(2) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (7) Nashville Predators

Game 1 @ CHI, Fri, Apr 16 8:30pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN2
Game 2 @ CHI, Sun, Apr 18 8:30pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 3 @ NSH, Tue, Apr 20 9:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 4 @ NSH, Thu, Apr 22 8:30pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN2
Game 5 @ CHI, Sat, Apr 24 3:00pm EDT, TV: NBC, TSN
Game 6 @ NSH, Mon, Apr 26, TBD, TV: TSN
Game 7 @ CHI, Wed, Apr 28, TBD, TV: TSN

The Preds will rely on D Shea Weber, D Ryan Suter and D Dan Hamuis to not only stop the ‘Hawks’ balanced attack, but to generate offense in transition. G Pekka Rinne is a young goalie getting his first taste of the big game, and he’ll need to be stellar to give Nashville a shot at making this a competitive series. The big question is in the other net – G Antti Niemi. If he falters, they go to G Cristobal Huet, also unproven in the playoffs. This is a big series for unproven G Antti Niemi, who started only one of six against the Preds this year. Will the decision not to trade for a goalie come back and haunt the Hawks?

The Blackhawks are very deep, an understatement for a team that’s been so finely tuned, even with D Brian Campbell out. He’s expected to remain out until early next month. The Predators are healthy with the exception of D Denis Grebeshkov.

The Predators finally get someone other than Detroit or San Jose in a playoff matchup, but they still won’t win a game on the road and they still won’t advance. The Predators have failed to break through for even a single road win in 10 tries. That has to change if they want to entertain thoughts of a major first-round upset. It’ll be the Predators’ underrated defence against the Blackhawks’ pressure and puck possession. Only once during the six-game regular-season series between them did a game feature more than five goals combined. Nashville is underrated in just about every facet of the game. They’re also very physical, but Chicago’s offensive firepower will be too much to handle.

The Hawks are nearly perfect – offensively and defensively, the team is sound. Despite the huge question marks between the pipes, they are my team to beat in the West.

X-Factors: Blackhawks’ G Antti Niemi and Predators’ G Pekka Rinne.

They’re going with first-year NHLer Niemi over the veteran Huet. Niemi started Chicago ‘s final nine games of the regular season and finished the year with an impressive 26-8-3 record and a 2.25 GAA that was among the top five in the league. The 26-year-old Finnish native, who’s about a month too old to qualify as an NHL rookie, had a six-game win streak snapped when Chicago lost to Detroit in overtime on the final day of the season. The ‘Hawks have a stacked team up front and on the blueline, but their Stanley Cup hopes will hinge on whether Niemi can carry over his regular season success into the spring. As for Rinne, he’ll have to stand on his head. Playoff hockey starts from the net out, and he’ll have to stop every puck his way if the Preds want to stand a chance.

Pick: Blackhawks in 5

(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) Los Angeles Kings

Game 1 @ VAN, Thu, Apr 15 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 2 @ VAN, Sat, Apr 17 10:00pm EDT , TV: CBC, VS.
Game 3 @ LA, Mon, Apr 19 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 4 @ LA, Wed, Apr 21 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 5 @ VAN, Fri, Apr 23 10:00pm EDT, TV: CBC
Game 6 @ LA, Sun, Apr 25, TBD, TV: VS., CBC
Game 7 @ VAN, Tue, Apr 27, TBD, TV: CBC

Easily the best series of the Quarters. This matchup has the potential for a long, hard-fought battle – just the way it should be. Both teams should like the easy travel and consistent schedule in this series – simple flights up and down the coast without having to cross any time zones and games set up for every other night.

The major question remains how the Kings’ young talent will adjust to playoff hockey. F Anze Kopitar, D Drew Doughty and G Jonathan Quick are all inexperienced, but with F Ryan Smyth and D Rob Scuderi being playoff vets, they should be able to make the adjustments.

Los Angeles didn’t play as well after the Olympics, but the Kings are still a dangerous opponent because, like the Avs, Preds and Coyotes, they don’t have any expectations or pressure.

The Canucks will be looking to F Daniel and Henrik Sedin, F Ryan Kesler, and of course, G Roberto Luongo to be difference makers. And while the Kings are healthy, the Canucks hope to have several defensemen back in time to start the playoffs. D Sami Salo, D Shane O’Brien and D Aaron Rome all suffered injuries in the final two games of the regular season, but all are expected to be back in time for Game 1. The Canucks, defensively deep, will be tested.

Quick had a great season in L.A.’s net, but he went cold in the final weeks. I think the Kings will adapt quickly to the postseason style of play and force the Canucks to a seventh game. With Luongo’s gold medal win, he’s finally gotten a taste of what a big win feels like. Will it help him in the playoffs?

X-Factors: Kings’ F Justin Williams and Canucks’ F Kyle Wellwood. Williams, 28, is a two-time 30-goal scorer with Carolina in 2005-06 and ’06-07 (seven goals and 18 points in 25 playoff games during Carolina ‘s ’06 Cup championship). Since those days in Carolina, Williams has had a bad run of injuries, including missing 28 games with a broken right leg this season. He returned from that setback on March 12 and was slow to regain his form, collecting just one assist in his first 10 games. Come April, Williams started to pick it up, with two goals and four points in six contests. The Kings are a young team playing in the postseason for the first time since 2002; they need their veterans, like Williams and Smyth, to lead the way.

Wellwood is a head-scratcher. He’s not big, he’s not physical, and is often criticized for disappearing for long stretches. He’s also very skilled near the net, and he proved in last year’s playoffs that he can elevate his play and be a two-way player. After coming to camp in the best shape of his career, the undersized Wellwood had a rough first half, not scoring his first goal of the season until Game 20. He’s woken up and has collected seven goals since the Olympics. Vancouver gets another offensive weapon if Wellwood continues his scoring success.

Pick: Canucks in 7

(4) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings

Game 1 @ PHO, Wed, Apr 14 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 2 @ PHO, Fri, Apr 16 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 3 @ DET, Sun, Apr 18 3:00pm EDT, TV: NBC, TSN
Game 4 @ DET, Tue, Apr 20 6:30pm EDT, TV: TSN, FSAZ
Game 5 @ PHO, Fri, Apr 23 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 6 @ DET, Sat, Apr 24 2:00pm EDT
Game 7 @ PHO, Tue, Apr 27, TBD, TV: TSN, FSAZ

The Coyotes are in their first playoff appearance since 2002, but how much do the Wings have left after a wicked run to fifth in the West coming off of back-to-back Stanley Cup Final showings? Phoenix management look like geniuses after adding F Lee Stempniak, F Wojtek Wolski, D Derek Morris and D Mathieu Schneider. Coach Dave Tippett has turned the ‘Yotes into a feared competitor.

So what does Phoenix’ great season get them? A date with Detroit, who has been to back-to-back Cup finals, winning in 2008. The Coyotes have the speed and skill to compete with the Wings. The Wings are still recovering from injuries, and haven’t had much time to gel – their late-season streak was the team that they expected to have on opening night. Who knows what spot they’d be in had they been healthy all season.

I think it’ll come down to goaltending, although I’m not sold on rookie G Jimmy Howard, despite the solid numbers. If he falters, how short is the leash before G Chris Osgood comes in? Coach Mike Babcock only hoped he could get his injured troops back on the ice to make a run at it, and that has happened since the start of the calendar year. Detroit’s top players came through as they have so many times, and Howard finally lived up to the expectations of management. At the other end, the Vezina Trophy favourite G Ilya Bryzgalov gives his teammates plenty of confidence going into this best-of-seven series.

If Howard remains stabilized, the Wings take it in 6. Phoenix wins two at home. Detroit’s depth and experience prevails against Phoenix’ youth. Detroit is too experienced, too healthy and too hot. They closed with a 17-3-2 run and put the fear in everyone’s head that the Red Wings were the one lower-seeded team to try and avoid in the first round.

X-Factors: Coyotes’ F Lee Stempniak and Red Wings’ G Jimmy Howard. 14 goals in 18 games after being moved from Toronto, Stempniak has found his niche as a go-to scorer on a team that was desperate for offense. Only four full-time Phoenix players scored more than Stempniak’s 14 goals as a Coyote.

Like their Original Six opponent in the Central Division, Chicago, the Wings are riding a 26-year-old goalie into the postseason. Howard, unlike Niemi, is eligible for the Calder Trophy and figures to be one of the three finalists. He was in the minors for a long time before finally getting his chance this season. After a slow start in October, he stepped into in when Osgood fell apart and hasn’t looked back since. The fact remains, though, that Osgood was a stellar performer for the Wings in the past two postseasons as Detroit advanced to back-to-back Cup finals, winning in 2008. It’s a lot to ask of Howard to deliver the same calibre of play in his first postseason appearance, but thus far, he’s shown the ability to succeed under Red Wings franchise pressure, as well as against difficult Western Conference opponents. This year, Hockeytown’s playoff expectations remain the same – anything less than the Cup is considered a disappointment.

Pick: Red Wings in 6

Since VoV started predictions on the site, I’ve had some good years and some bad years. VoV.com’s predictions record are as follows:

NHL
2008: 12-3 (80%)
2009: 10-5 (67%)
Total: 22/30 = 73%

NBA
2008: 11-4 (73%)
2009: 9-6 (60%)
Total: 20/30 = 67%

MLB
2008: 5-2 (71%)
2009: 4-3 (57%)
Total: 9/14 = 64%

NFL
2008: 9-2 (82%)
2009: 7-4 (64%)
Total: 16/22 = 73%

VoV

- Email – captaincharisma [at] hotmail.com
- Twitter – @VoiceofValeri
- FB Group
- FB Fan ap

VoV

-– You can keep up with VoV through Twitter by clicking here.

MLB

– MLB.com reports that the Blue Jays will allow another team a window to negotiate a contract extension with RHP Roy Halladay should a trade be consummated. The reasoning behind a window being granted lies with the fact that the Blue Jays would likely receive a better package for Halladay if a contract extension could be signed. Former GM J.P. Ricciardi would not grant such an extension. Stay tuned.

– Royals RHP Zack Greinke was named the AL’s Cy Young Award winner on Tuesday after receiving 25 of 28 first-place votes. No argument here. Greinke was easily the most dominant pitcher in the AL all year long. He led the league with a 2.16 ERA and 1.07 WHIP, while placing second with 242 strikeouts and six complete games. Even though he managed “just” 16 wins, tying D’Backs RHP Brandon Webb (2006) for the least wins by a Cy Young award winner, he had six no-decisions in which he allowed two runs or less, a clear show of KC’s horrendous team. The 26-year-old Greinke logged 26 quality starts in 2009 – only second-place finisher Felix Hernandez had more (29). Tigers RHP Justin Verlander, Yankees LHP C.C. Sabathia and Jays RHP Roy Halladay rounded out the ballot.

– A major league source has informed FOXSports.com that the Phillies are the favourite to land free-agent UTIL Mark DeRosa. The Phils are expected to let 3B Pedro Feliz walk this winter and could use DeRosa as his replacement at third base. The Mariners, Yankees, Mariners, Nationals, Dodgers, Phillies, Orioles, Rangers and Giants have also shown interest, and the Cardinals might also attempt to re-sign him. DeRosa, 34, .250/.319/.433 with 23 homers and 78 RBI in 2009 and had wrist surgery in October.

– The Astros are not interested in RHP John Smoltz. FOXSports.com earlier named the Astros as a team having interest in Smoltz, but sources indicated to MLB’s Hot Stove Blog that interest “just isn’t there.” Smoltz will likely sign somewhere in the NL this winter. The Dodgers have expressed interest.

– MLB.com reports that the Nationals will offer RHP John Lackey a contract in order to help lure other free agents into signing in D.C., as well as to mentor their younger pitchers. They have also shot down interest in SS Adam Everett.

– The NY Post reports that the Yankees will look into giving RHP Ben Sheets a contract. Sheets had surgery on the flexor tendon in his right arm in February and is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.

– The Indians have signed Sandy Alomar Jr. as their first base coach.

– LHP Randy Johnson, RHP Kip Wells and LHP John Grabow have filed for free agency.

– Phillies 3B Eric Bruntlett has refused assignment and is officially a free agent.

– The Yankees have declined their 2010 option on RHP Sergio Mitre.

– The Red Sox have released C George Kottaras.

– The Kansas City Royals and Kauffman Stadium will reportedly play host to the 2012 All-Star Game. The 2010 All-Star Game will be played in Anaheim, while the 2011 contest will be staged at Chase Field in Arizona.

NHL

– F Brendan Shanahan has retired. The 21-year NHL vet played in 1,524 career games, recording 656 goals and 1,354 points. Shanny finishes his career with three Stanley Cups and an Olympic gold medal as well.

“I would like to thank my family and all of the friends who have helped me achieve and maintain my childhood dream of playing in the National Hockey League. I am enormously grateful to all of my coaches and teammates I’ve had the privilege of learning from and playing along side of, throughout my career. While I always dreamed of playing in the NHL, I can’t honestly say that I would have ever imagined that I’d be this fortunate and blessed. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped me fulfill this dream.”

– As reported here earlier, the Blackhawks have been in discussions with F Jonathan Toews, F Patrick Kane and D Duncan Keith for about two months now. A source close to me, however, has pointed out that this could cause salary cap troubles for the ‘Hawks.

Early reports suggest Toews and Kane are getting $6M each, while Keith’s deal will be between $4-5M. As an average, we’re looking at $4.5M, so the three players combined take up $16M. This brings the the Blackhawks’ cap number to $58M on 14 players. And that’s with the cap expected to go down next year.

D Brian Campbell makes the most out of any Blackhawk at $7.15M – while Campbell is one of the best blueliners around, it’s extremely difficult to move a contract that large. G Cristobal Huet makes $5.6M can be moved via trade, however, that potentially leaves the Blackhawks without a goalie, since G Antti Niemi is an RFA at season’s end. F Andrew Ladd will also be an RFA, and with the salary cap issues ahead for the ‘Hawks, a raise is out of the question, meaning if he wants a bigger paycheck, it won’t be in Chicago. F John Madden, F Ben Eager and F Adam Burish are all UFA’s, and all three are expected to make the same amount as they did this year, if not a raise.

While the Blackhawks look great for the next few years, their team is up in the air come the 2010-11 season. It’s possible that a combination of D Brent Seabrook, D Cam Barker, F Kris Versteeg, F Patrick Sharp, F Dave Bolland or F Dustin Byfuglien could be moved/released in order to get the team under the cap.

– Capitals G Jose Theodore (personal) has left the team.

NFL

– The Bills have fired head coach Dick Jauron.

NBA

– Magic G Jameer Nelson (torn meniscus in left knee) will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair the injury which he injured Monday against the Bobcats. Nelson will be out anywhere from four-to-six weeks.

– Warriors G Monta Ellis is expected to meet with the team in the coming days to discuss a possible trade out of G-State. Stay tuned.

– The Raptors have claimed F Pops Mensah-Bonsu off waivers from the Rockets.

NBA

– Warriors G Raja Bell (wrist) is out for the season.

– The NY Post reports that while the Knicks will look at signing G Allen Iverson, a deal would be a longshot.

– Lakers F Luke Walton (pinched nerve) is out six weeks.

NFL

– Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown (foot) is expected out the rest of the season. The prognosis could change based on the advice of the specialist and how Brown’s rehab goes.

– Ravens beat writer Aaron Wilson reports that Ravens RB Terrell Suggs (knee) will miss “at least” the next two-to-three weeks. Suggs’ agent, Gary Wichard, speculated earlier in the day that Suggs’ injury could be season ending. Wilson says Suggs only has a “minor” tear of his MCL, but this still isn’t necessarily easy to recover from.

WWE

– JR has updated his blog. The highlights:

WWE’s Production Value: “WWE’s TV people hit home runs with their new music, graphics packages, and the overall “look” of the show on HD. I like the short, smaller set as WWE used the short, live event entrance for the show instead of the long ramp entrance which kills a bunch of seats. Over 20,000 fans were in the Garden Monday night of which we heard on multiple occasions. We may have heard it with such regularity that I thought we might might be the audio daily double at the end of the night. Seriously, that was a huge crowd and an accomplishment for any event. I don’t know but I assume that that short entrance way was for MSG or other similar arenas and that the traditional entrance will be used next week but that’s an assumption.

Wrestling Announcers: “I think we are approaching a non productive trend in the business as it relates to the announcing. We are all guilty, me too, of doing too much hyperbole, talking about too many things that are not related to a bout. In other words sell, sell, sell. “The most historic, most anticipated, most watched, most longest running, most amazing main event, most..most ..most.” This isn’t a knock on my fellow announcers as I have been just as guilty, if not more, but after being home for several weeks and hearing a bunch of wrestling on TV it begins to become noticeable and not in a good way.

Kofi Kingston’s Big Push: Kofi Kingston can look back on this night in MSG as perhaps the night he stepped up and touched the next level. I thought Kofi and Randy Orton’s physical interaction was the wrestling highlight of the show. That was some big time stuff from two young, talented competitors.

F1

– Kimi Raikkonen will sit out of Formula One next season after failing to clinch a deal with McLaren. The Finn, who won the world championship with Ferrari in 2007, has left that team to make way for the arrival of Fernando Alonso. He had previously said he would consider switching to rally driving in 2010.

– Toyota is pulling out of Formula One racing. The world’s largest automaker announced Wednesday it needs to cut costs and focus on its core business. Toyota president Akio Toyoda said at a news conference, “Based on the current economic environment, we realize we have no choice but to withdraw from Formula One. This has been a very painful decision for the company.” Toyota follows Honda Motor Co. as the second major Japanese automaker to withdraw from the sport in the last 11 months. Honda pulled out last December amid worsening economic conditions. Brawn GP, which took over the old Honda team, won the 2009 F1 championship.

UFC

– UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar (4-1) will face Shane Carwin (11-0) at UFC 106 on November 21 in Las Vegas. It was originally rumoured that Carwin would fight Cain Velasquez (6-0) at UFC 106 with the winner getting a shot at Lesnar next year. However, Valasquez will now fight an unnamed opponent and there’s talk of him getting a shot at the winner of Lesnar-Carwin. For those unaware, Carwin is almost a mirror image of Brock. Should be a dandy.

MLB

– The Cardinals have signed RHP John Smoltz. Smoltz, 42, is 2-5 with an 8.33 ERA in eight starts for the Red Sox this season. Great add for the playoff run. GM John Mozeliak said Smoltz would likely start Sunday at San Diego, and would probably get at least a few turns in the rotation.

– The Astros have placed SS Miguel Tejada on waivers, but pulled him off when another team made a claim. The Astros did the same thing with former C Ivan Rodriguez, and a similar fate is expected to happen with RHP Jose Valverde. For some reason, owner Drayton McLane and GM Ed Wade continue to state that they are still in it for this year and aren’t building for next year.

– The Mets have released RHP Livan Hernandez. The 34-year-old Hernandez was 7-8 with a 5.47 ERA,  and had allowed 18 earned runs in 14 1-3 innings. He allowed six runs in a 10-1 loss to San Francisco on Monday, and the Mets went 2-10 in his last 12 starts.

Speaking of the Mets, they have placed LHP Billy Wagner on waivers, and according to ESPN, he is apparently ready to waive his no-trade clause. Anybody who takes Wagner will have to shell our about $2.7M for the rest of this season, in addition to a $1M buyout for next year. Wagner will be in tough for a job, though, as he has an $8M option for next season. It’s unlikely anyone will claim him off waivers, so the Mets will probably try and work out a trade. Wagner is coming off Tommy John surgery and hasn’t pitched in the bigs since last September, so his trade value is rock bottom. Still, Wagner doesn’t want to finish his career this way and apparently would like to get up to the 420-save mark or thereabouts. He’s at 385 now.

Still with the Mets, they had placed OF Gary Sheffield on waivers last week, and pulled him later on. It’s now believed that Sheff won’t last the season with the team. If the Mets place him on waivers again, they lose the ability to pull him off or negotiate a trade. Sheffield, 41, says he wants to go somewhere with a strong lineup, but thus far, only the Marlins and Rangers have shown interest.

According to the NY Post, Sheffield asked for a contract extension from the Mets Thursday and was denied, and is now threatening to leave the team and might soon be released outright. Things had been running smoothly in New York until Sheff made a couple of curious comments on Tuesday night in reaction to trade rumors. “Based on what I know now, no, I do not think I will be here. But if I am sent to a team that I don’t want to play for, I would go home.” He was scratched from the lineup Thursday night.

– The Brewers have traded 3B Bill Hall to the Mariners for P Ruben Flores. Hall hit 35 home runs in 2006 and was rewarded with a four-year/$24M contract, but he was hitting only .201 with six homers and 24 RBIs in 76 games when the Brewers designated him for assignment last week.

– The Orioles have claimed RHP Chris Lambert off of waivers from the Tigers. The 26-year-old Lambert was 0-1 with a 14.85 ERA in two relief appearances with the Tigers this season. He was 6-7 with a 3.55 ERA in 21 starts with Triple-A Toledo.

– D’Backs RHP Jon Garland has cleared waivers. Arizona will likely have to part with some cash to make up for the $4M left between his contract and his 2010 buyout, but there’s a chance that a contender in need of pitching depth may decide to take their chances and deal for him. Stay tuned.

– The Reds have placed RHP Johnny Cueto (arm) on the 15-day DL. Cueto is 8-10 with a 4.61 ERA in 24 starts.

– The Dodgers have signed RHP Vicente Padilla.

– The Nationals have named Mike Rizzo as their next GM. Rizzo was acting in an interim role this season following the firing of Jim Bowden.

– The Rangers have placed RHP “Everyday” Eddie Guardado (knee) on the 15-day DL.

– The Mariners have transferred LHP Erik Bedard to the 60-day DL. His season is over.

– The Reds have placed OF Willy Taveras (quad) on the 15-day DL.

– The Dodgers have placed RHP Hiroki Kuroda (head) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to August 16.

– The Royals have released 3B Travis Metcalf.

– The White Sox have placed OF Dewayne Wise (shoulder) on the 15-day DL.

– The Mets have placed SS Alex Cora (thumbs) on the 60-day DL.

– The Astros have placed LHP Mike Hampton (torn rotator cuff) on the 15-day DL.

– The Rangers have placed 2B Esteban German (groin) on the 15-day DL.

NBA

– According to sources, F Amare Stoudemire is playing his last year with the Suns this season. Amare was reportedly very unhappy when Shaq was dealt to Cleveland, and was unhappy with being put on the trade block last February when he was supposedly in talks with the Warriors. He’s putting his odds of staying with the team after next summer at 50/50, though, as he can decline a $17.6M salary for 2010-11 next summer and become a free agent. Stay tuned.

– Bucks F Andrew Bogut still hasn’t participated in contact drills as he continues to recover from a lower back stress fracture that ended his season early last year. Bogut’s main goal is to be ready for training camp, but he’s been working on a limited schedule since July and the fact he hasn’t had contact drills yet is a concern.

– Nets F Yi Jianlian may be allowed to skip the rest of the Stankovic Cup in China and return to New Jersey earlier than expected in order to prepare for the start of the season. Yi has been playing very well for Team China, but the Chinese media is reporting that team officials are considering his request to return to the states early.

– According to the Arizona Republic, Cavaliers F Shaquille O’Neal’s new reality show, “Shaq Vs.” apparently was an idea that Shaq stole directly from Suns G Steve Nash when Shaq was originally traded there in February of 2008. Nash talked to a lawyer and now he’s listed as executive producer on the show.

– Knicks G Nate Robinson was arrested Tuesday after officers pulled him over in the Bronx at about 5:30 p.m. and discovered he had a suspended license. According to the NY Post, the 25-year-old RFA was apparently a complete jerk to the cop who pulled him over for driving with an unfastened seat belt. He turned up the volume pretty loud when the cop walked back from Robinson’s SUV to the police cruiser to check his license and then kept singing the words to the rap song when the officer returned to the window. As soon as he heard he was being arrested, Robinson apparently pulled out the I’m-A-Celebrity-card and tried to sway the officer to let him go. KryptoNate was taken to the 52nd Precinct and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and issued a summons to return to court at a later date.

– The Magic have signed G Jason Williams. Williams, who sat out last year, will back up G Jameer Nelson and probably immediately move in front of G Anthony Johnson on the depth chart.

– G Desmond Mason will not return to the Thunder next season.

– The Grizzlies continue to look into G Jamaal Tinsley, G Flip Murray and G Tarence Kinsey.

WWE

– Unless things change at the last minute, Jeff Hardy’s last day with WWE will take place at either SummerSlam or the following SmackDown! taping. WWE is still trying to get him to stay, though. As a result, it pretty much goes without saying that he will be dropping the World Heavyweight Championship to CM Punk next week. Matt Hardy tweeted the following message to Jeff Hardy yesterday morning: “The time is near for the Hardy Empire to begin.. Starting with the Charismatic Enigma.. 8/25/09″ Hmm…

Also, WWE released the first-ever “WWE Kids Poster Book” special edition on Tuesday, which features individual posters of practically every male star on the roster. One glaring omission is that of Jeff Hardy, who is not featured on the poster. You can see the giant poster here.

– There is a lot of talk within WWE about having DX vs. Legacy in the main event position at SummerSlam, even though it would go against the tradition of ending with a title match. The feeling is that if CM Punk is going to beat Jeff Hardy for the World Title, which there’s a good chance of that, it’s better to end SummerSlam on a happy note. This would also indicate that John Cena isn’t planned to take the WWE Title from Randy Orton but that’s not confirmed.

– As of last week, there was a rumour that WWE was planning a major swerve at SummerSlam that would involve either Triple H or Shawn Michaels turning heel at SummerSlam. WWE is now advertising DX vs. Legacy in a steel cage match for the SmackDown and ECW tapings on September 1 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. This could be a sign that plan was changed or it could be a way to keep a possible heel turn a surprise.

– WWE.com has announced that ECW Champion Christian will defend the gold against #1 contender William Regal at Summerslam this Sunday.

– Former WWE superstar and Hollywood heavyweight Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently spoke to the UK’s The Sun. Some highlights:

His Troubled Teen Years: “I had a very checkered past. I got into trouble a lot and had multiple arrests. For a lot of years I struggled to stay on the right path. I had multiple arrests by the time that I was 17. The last time I was arrested, my parents came down to the police station to get me. My parents were struggling at that time, even to put food on the table. That was a lot of stress at that time and I was adding to it. When they came to the police station I remember their disappointment. For years the disappointment had never bothered me but for some reason this time the disappointment in their eyes moved me. And that was when I realized that I was causing a lot of pain for my parents and I did not want to continue to do that.”

His father’s reaction to ‘The Wrestler’: “He didn’t take it very well. We lived the life that you saw in the movie, The Wrestler. That essentially was my dad. The character that Mickey Rourke played so wonderfully was my dad. So when I graduated from college and had an opportunity to play pro football, naturally it was easy for my father to say he did not want me to wrestle. He had nothing to show from a wrestling career. We lived in a one-bedroom apartment and he did not want that life for me. But instinctively I thought I had something to offer that world of entertainment. It took a little of convincing him but eventually we worked together. But being a parent I now understand where my dad was coming from.”

Getting Into Acting: “Ten years ago I knew that I wanted to be a good actor as I wound down my wrestling career. There is a great amount of acting in wrestling and wrestling is a great form of entertainment. For me that training ground was really invaluable because I did not go to school for acting. I went to school for football and studied criminology. I knew it was going to take time and 10 years went by pretty quickly.”

– Former WWE star Ken “Mr. Kennedy” Anderson’s no-compete clause with WWE is set to expire within the next 2 weeks. He will therefore be able to work for any wrestling promotion that wants to hire him. He now goes under the name Mr. Anderson and TNA is said to have high interest in signing the former WWE star.

– As announced Friday afternoon on WWE.com, Nick “Eugene” Dinsmore was released from his WWE contract. According to several sources, the feeling is that he showed up at last week’s RAW taping looking terribly out of shape and Vince McMahon made the decision right then and there to cut him loose. He had just been hired back about a month ago. McMahon is pretty big on first impressions. For instance, his first impression of Takeshi Morishima following a tryout match a year ago this week killed any possible interest in signing him.

An issue of Power Slam noted the following: “August 19: Still on the warpath, Vince claims two more victims: he basically says Morishima looks like a giant, fat girl and that Laurinaitis was wasting his time by hyping such a s colourless and podgy wrestler. Vince also sagely notes that because fellow Japanese name Kenzo Suzuki tanked in WWE, obviously Morishima was likely to be a failure as well – solely on the basis of their shared ethnicity.”

Reportedly, the creative team wanted to get Eugene on television very quickly, so the fact that he was released after his first appearance adds further credence to the theory given.

– This week’s edition of WWE Monday Night RAW drew a 3.8 rating, which is down from last week‘s 3.9 rating. The first hour did a 3.58, while the second hour finished off with a 3.99.

NHL

– Blackhawks F Patrick Kane, 20, and his cousin James Kane, 21, pleaded not guilty during a brief arraignment before Buffalo judge Thomas Amodeo. The appearance came a day after the two were indicted by a grand jury. The Kanes are facing misdemeanor assault, theft and harassment charges that he and his cousin beat up a cab driver over a fare. The panel dismissed a more serious felony charge of second-degree robbery.

– The Sharks have removed captaincy from F Patrick Marleau. Yeesh, about time.

– The 2-month-old son of Capitals G Jose Theodore has died. The goalie’s sister-in-law made the announcement Thursday during her show on a Montreal-area radio station. Theodore also has a 3-year-old daughter, Romy. My condolences go out to the Theodore family.

– The Hurricanes have signed F Stephane Yelle to a one-year/$550K deal. The 35-year-old had seven goals and 11 assists with Boston, and has won the Stanley Cup twice with the Avalanche.

– The Sabres have signed F Jeff Cowan to a one-year deal. Cowan is an eight-year NHL veteran but spent last season playing for Peoria of the AHL. He previously played two years with Vancouver, where he combined for seven goals and four assists, and 203 penalty minutes in 88 games.

– The Ducks have re-sogned D Brett Festerling to a two-year contract. Festerling played 40 games with Anaheim as a rookie last season, recording five assists and 18 penalty minutes. He also played extensively for the Ducks’ top minor league affiliate in Iowa.

– Mark Messier was not offered the head coaching job with the Oilers last season when Craig MacTavish was fired.

– Stars owner Tom Hicks is not putting the team up for sale. Forbes says the team is worth about $405M, but one suspects somebody could get the team for less than that. Hicks’ HSG has until August of 2010 to satisfy his debts before any kind of movement by creditors could be made to take over the teams. He dug himself a hole, though, when his HSG defaulted on a $10M interest payment at the end of March on $525M in loans.

NFL

– WR Plaxico Burress pleaded guilty to felony weapons charges in a Manhattan court Thursday and received a two-year prison sentence. This could easily end the 32-year-old’s career. NY State still must approve Burress’ plea deal – if it doesn’t, Plax could stand trial for two counts of second-degree criminal weapons possession and one count of second-degree reckless endangerment, and face even more prison time. Plax has probably played his last NFL down.

– The NFP is reporting that Raiders assistant Randy Hanson will turn over medical records, and he’s expected to cooperate with Napa, California police. Police, as well as NFL Security, have been attempting to get Hanson to talk since the story of his fractured jaw emerged earlier this week. It’s believed that he will now cooperate because the Raiders will not allow him to return to his former position. The next step is likely an investigation and a possible felony charge against head coach Tom Cable. Cable has declined to comment.

– The Chiefs have signed WR Ashley Lelie.

TNA

– TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle spoke with WTAO in Pittsburgh. Here’s what he said: “I don’t like confrontation, so I kind of back away from it. This is really hard for me. I spent nine hours in jail and it was the lowest point of my life,” Angle said as he started to break down crying pleading for his reputation. “I was sitting there in a county jail thinking about why I even started dating this girl. I don’t even know when I’m allowed back in my own home. I just hope that the hearing goes okay and I can move back into my home. I just want my life back.”

F1

– YouTube co-founder and CEO Chad Hurley has confirmed his involvement with the new Team US F1. US F1 will be joined on the 2010 starting grid by Manor Grand Prix and Campos Meta 1.

– F1 teams will go back to qualifying on low-fuel for the final session next season. According to FIA , the final 10 cars involved in the Q3 qualifying session will not have to declare their fuel levels due to the fact there will be a ban on refueling next year.

That should bring back the days of a real qualifying shootout in which the fastest car is actually the one on the pole. That was not always the case under the current system as teams were forced to declare their race day fuel levels before Q3, meaning different strategies forced teams to use different fuel levels.

Other changes to the rules will see eight cars knocked out in both Q1 and Q2 to take into account the expected increase to 26 cars next season on the starting grid. The current point system will also be maintained for at least one more season. There have been recommendations to go to an Olympic-styled medal system in which the driver with the most wins would be declared the world champion. Even though the FOTA-based teams have agreed not to use the KERS system next year, the FIA rules have increased the weight of the cars to 620kg to take into account the additional weight of the energy recovery system. Tire warmers, which were also expected to be banned along with refueling, will remain – at least for one more season.

MMA

– Kim Couture, the wife of UFC legend Randy “The Natural” Couture, has responded to Lisa Marie Varon’s (a.k.a. Victoria) comments about a potential MMA bout. “I think that with my name I have a target on me. That’s fine. I don’t imagine that’s going to go away any time soon I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me. If she can make my weight – she seems from the picture a lot taller, a lot bigger than me. But if she can make 135 pounds, if (Strikeforce CEO Scott) Coker wants to put it together then so be it.”

VoV

– Click here to read my thoughts on the Blue Jays/Alex Rios situation.

NHL

– It appears that Leafs D Tomas Kaberle will be wearing blue and white when the Buds open their season against the Montreal Canadiens on October 1. According to the Toronto Sun, Leafs’ GM Brian Burke has no plans to deal Kaberle before his trade window closes on Saturday.

When the Leafs missed the playoffs last spring, Kaberle’s no-trade clause included a window that would allow the team to deal him before August 15. But when asked about the specific time the window would close on Saturday, Burke made his plans clear. “It doesn’t matter when. We’re not moving him…If I had to handicap this, I’d be shocked if he’s not a Leaf on opening night. I look forth to seeing what Tomas can do with a little more size and toughness around him when he’s not picking his teeth out of the glass all night.” Burke told The Sun in an e-mail on Friday.

The Leafs remain deep on the blueline with Kaberle, D Mike Komisarek, D Francois Beauchemin, D Garnett Exelby as well as D Luke Schenn, D Jeff Finger and D Mike Van Ryn, so a deal to bring in more scoring may yet be pulled before the season begins.

– Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau has named G Jose Theodore as the Capitals number one goaltender for the start of training camp. There was some speculation that the number one goaltender job was G Simeon Varlamov’s to lose next season, but it looks like that’s not the case. Theodore’s hold on the starting gig is shaky, but it looks like the veteran will get his chance to prove his worth. Keep a close eye on the Capitals goaltending situation during training camp to see if Varlamov or goaltending prospect Michal Neuvirth make a strong bid to overtake Theodore.

NFL

– The details of QB Michael Vick’s contract with the Eagles have been released. He signed a one-year deal for $1.6M with a team option for a second year at $5.2M. There is also no guaranteed money, which is great for the Eagles, as they face no financial risk if Vick doesn’t make the cut. Vick said, ““I think everybody deserves a second chance. I think as long as you are willing to come back and do it the right way and do the right things and that you’re committed, then I think you deserve it. But you only get one shot at a second chance, and I am conscious of that…I want to be part of the solution and not the problem. I am making conscious efforts within the community, working with the Humane Society. Hopefully I can do that locally and continue with my disciplined efforts in bringing awareness to animal cruelty and dogfighting in the inner cities and our communities.”

– Titans QB Vince Young’s agent has told the Nashville City Paper that he is willing to sit down with the team to negotiate – get this – a cut in his salary so that he can stay with the team. Young’s salary-cap number goes up to $14M in 2010 and has a base salary of $8.5M scheduled for 2011. He also recently let the world know that he expects to make it into the NFL Hall of Fame someday and be the next black quarterback to win the Super Bowl. Good luck my friend.

MLB

– Rangers C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (right arm) is expected to see a medical specialist and could end up on the DL. Last week, Salty had to take a few days off due to soreness in the right shoulder. He had to come out of Friday’s game because of numbness in the right hand. No one knows if the two issues are related at the moment. Stay tuned.

– Orioles OF Felix Pie hit for the cycle in a win over the Angels on Friday night. Pie is the seventh player to hit for the cycle this season. He got there with an RBI double in the first, a solo home run in the third, an infield single in the seventh, and then, a triple to the right-center field gap in the ninth. He scored three times in the blowout win. It was the first career four-hit game by Pie.

NBA

– According to the Washington Times, Wizards G Gilbert Arenas had 35 points and seven assists in a Goodman League game played in Washington D.C. on Friday. According to the Times, Arenas attacked the basket, dunked “effortlessly” and did not favor his knee or wear a brace. There are a ton of positive reports about his condition. Keep an eye on him for draft day.

– The Hawks have signed F Joe Smith to a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum. Smith will back up F Josh Smith at power forward this season. Don’t consider Joe on draft night, but keep your eye on him once the season starts. Trivia time – he’s played for nine teams in 14 seasons after being taken No. 1 overall by the Warriors in 1995.

ROH

– Mitsuharu Misawa, regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all-time, died on Saturday night from an apparent heart attack after taking a back body drop during a tag team match in Hiroshima, Japan.

He took what was described as a routine back suplex from Akitoshi Saito and did not get up. Medics attempted CPR, but his heart stopped beating in the ring. Medics attempted to resuscitate him, before he was taken out of the ring, still unconscious, on a stretcher.

Misawa was declared dead at a local hospital at 10:10 p.m. local time on Saturday.

It’s been reported that he passed away at the hospital, but he may have actually passed away in the ring Misawa would have turned 47 next Thursday.

The Sun has released a photo of Mitsuharu Misawa being carried away in a stretcher after he collapsed during a match for the Pro Wrestling NOAH promotion in Hiroshima, Japan Saturday night.

You can see the photo at the following link.

NHL

– The lower body problem that sidelined Red Wings’ D Nicklas Lidstrom for a portion of the playoffs was some sort of testicle injury that required surgery after game three against Chicago. He was speared in his private area by the Hawks’ F Patrick Sharp during game three of the Western Conference finals and as a result missed the next two contests. Lidstrom played well against the Penguins and does not appear to need any further surgery.

– The Stars are still very interested in signing free agent G Jonas Gustavsson. Dallas, along with the Leafs are the frontrunners to ink the Swedish Elite League netminder. Money won’t be an issue, as Gustavsson will subject to the $2.25M rookie salary cap. The Stars believe they have a pretty good chance luring Gustavsson to Dallas, as he is a friend and former teammate F Fabian Brunnstrom. Whether he signs in Dallas or Toronto, Gustavsson will start the season in the AHL or as a backup.

– According to the Ottawa Sun, if Sens’ F Dany Heatley isn’t dealt by July 1, Senators’ owner Eugene Melnyk will be on the hook to pay Heatley a whopping $4M bonus, even if he doesn’t play for Ottawa next season.

Coupled with the $10M Heatley received as part of the terms of the 6-year/$45M contract extension he signed in October 2007, Melnyk will have shelled out a total of $14M over the past year to Heatley, who had only 39 goals and 33 assists for 72 points last season.

Not only is the bonus costly for the Senators, both executives indicated it could “seriously hamper” GM Bryan Murray’s ability to move Heatley before the NHL draft June 26-27 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Heatley is scheduled to make $8M next season ($4M in salary + $4M in bonus).

– Wild’ GM Chuck Fletcher told reporters that he has made progress in his search for a head coach. The frontrunners are believed to be Sharks’ assistant coach Todd Richards and former Canes’ and Isles’ coach Peter Laviolette. Former Oiler bench boss Craig MacTavish could also be in the running as could recently fired Dave Tippett, a Minnesota resident.

– Flyers’ D Derian Hatcher had his right knee fully replaced on June 1st. Hatcher said, “It is a full knee replacement. I think they just go in there and saw some of the bone away and put the new knee in. I kind of know the process, but it is hard to explain.” Hatcher’s doctor has already ruled out the possibility of making a comeback in the NHL with a new knee. Hatcher couldn’t play this season but he still travelled with Philadelphia to provide a veteran presence during the Flyers’ stretch run this season. He had 331 points and 1,581 penalty minutes in 1,045 games between the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, and Philadelphia Flyers.

– Capitals’ G Brent Johnson would like to stay with the Caps this offseason. Washington already has three goaltenders under contract for next season in Jose Theodore, Simeon Varlamov, and Michal Neuvirth. Washington has nonetheless entered into contract negotiations with Johnson, who is scheduled to become a UFA this summer. If the Capitals decide to sign Johnson, it could signal that they intend to trade away Theodore and start the season with Johnson backing up Varlamov.

WWE

– Jim Ross has posted his latest blog entry at www.jrsbarbq.com. Here are some of the most notable things he wrote:

Upset with a wrestling news website over reporting he said Shawn Michaels was retiring: “It often times amazes me when seemingly intelligent people believe most every thing that they read on selected, wrestling websites. News Flash…..some wrestling websites are loaded with manure. Here’s why….

“I was told that on an unnamed website that “J.R. announced on his website that HBK was retiring” which is totally false. Not only did I NOT report this load of fertilizer I specifically stated that I did not think that either Shawn Michaels or The Undertaker would retire in 2009 and that I had no knowledge that either would even retire in 2010. Why would sites print such garbage which then people read and accept this stuff as truth?

“I do think that Taker will compete longer than HBK but I don’t think either are ready to say adiós as of yet. When either retires it will be handled with class and with huge fanfare and it isn’t on the drawing board as we speak. I fully expect both Taker and Shawn to be back touring no later than the WWE’s Fall International Tour but likely much earlier than that.”

J.R. also notes a certain photo, and says it came from the very same website reporting “manure”: “This same website had an alleged photo of me in a J.R.’s BBQ Restaurant uniform. Only problem with that is that our staff doesn’t wear uniforms. That’s only a small detail even though there are plenty of photos out there with me wearing a “J.R.’s BBQ” shirt or T shirt but, sorry, no uniform.”

Whether CM Punk is a fan favorite or villain: “We’re getting lots of emails about C.M. Punk and whether he is fish or fowl as in a fan favorite or a villain nowadays after beating Jeff Hardy while cashing in Punk’s Money in the Bank Contract last Sunday in New Orleans. Now, Punk may well wind up out of favor with some fans, perhaps even the majority of the fans, but I don’t know that. If it happens, so be it. If Punk’s opportunistic endeavors at Extreme Rules make him a bigger star albeit a despised one, then that’s a good thing. Punk does have an attitude as I have mentioned before and is arguably not the most popular guy in the SD locker room but there are also no cash bonuses being paid for being named Mr. Congeniality. If you want to boo Punk, then have at it, but don’t hold it against him simply because he was smart in cashing in his MIB contract at an opportune time. Do I think at the end of the day Punk will gain favor with the fans? It damned sure won’t happen in Charlotte Monday night and I would say that chances are it probably won’t happen in the near future either. For the record, Punk appears to me, and I might be dead wrong, that he really doesn’t care one way or another. One thing about this matter is that is adds a different dimension and dynamic to Friday Night Smackdown which I think helps the broadcast.”

Correction on Batista’s injury: “Dave Batista tore a biceps tendon and not the biceps itself as I understand it but “The Animal” will still likely be on the shelf for about 4 months but only Mother Nature knows for sure how fast the big guy will heal. Dave’s back at home in Florida and one always heals better with the old, home field advantage in their favor.”

– In a follow-up on an earlier report, Rey Mysterio did not hand in his notice to WWE officials as he still remains in the company. There are some issues between both sides which need to be worked out, as neither side is believed to be happy with the other.

MLB

– Jays’ RHP Jesse Litsch has undergone successful Tommy John surgery. He’s expected to return next season.

– According to MLB.com, Rays’ RHP Jason Isringhausen (elbow) will be placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday. Izzy is expected to miss a significant chunk of time, and may never return to the Rays.

– Rockies’ RHP Taylor Buchholz was unable to complete a bullpen session Saturday evening after feeling tightness in his right elbow. Buchholz could be headed for Tommy John surgery. He’s been out all season with elbow discomfort, and plain old rehab doesn’t seem to be working. Look for a decision next week.

– The Tigers have placed RHP Jeremy Bonderman (thoracic outlet compression syndrome) on the 15-day DL.

– The Phillies have placed LHO Scott Eyre (calf) on the 15-day DL.

TNA

– Kurt Angle has recently been talking about retirement from pro wrestling more and more lately, which is something that’s been expected for a while given his health and age. He says he wants to act full time once he hangs up his wrestling boots.

NFL

– According to the Arizona Republic, the Eagles had offered CB Sheldon Brown and a third-round pick to the Cardinals for WR Anquan Boldin during the draft. Arizona “quickly” rejected. The Bears offered the #49 pick, which would be more desirable. The Cards wound up cutting ex-Eagles CB Rod Hood after the draft.

– Mike Lombardi of the National Football Post believes that Seahawks’ WR Deion Branch “might be expendable” via trade. Branch needs to get healthy first; he missed all spring coming off a knee scope. Branch is under contract until 2011, but hasn’t exactly earned his contract – both of these will make it tricky to move him. Lombardi suggests a trade to the Jets for RB Thomas Jones. Both sides could certainly use the skill-position help.

NHL

– Jim Balsillie, who is attempting to buy the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes and move them to southern Ontario, has unveiled corporate sponsors in support of his bid. Coyotes’ owner Jerry Moyes is attempting to sell the team to Balsillie for $212.5M, but the NHL is attempting to intervene and claims they now have ownership of the franchise. The NHL is determined to keep the team in Phoenix, but Moyes is suing the NHL in an attempt to allow his deal with Balsillie to go through. A Phoenix court will determine who is currently in control of the team, Moyes or the NHL. Meanwhile, Balsillie is drawing in corporate sponsors to bolster his bid. He’s already won the support of two major Canadian companies, Labatt Breweries and Home Hardware. The case is going to trial on Tuesday. Stay tuned.

– Capitals’ G Jose Theodore plans to challenge G Simeon Varlamov for the starting goaltender job next season. Theodore lost the job to Varlamov in the playoffs, but he hopes to win it back in training camp. Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau suspects hasn’t committed to a starting goaltender for next season but suggested that Michal Neuvirth might also be in the running. Although G Brent Johnson is scheduled to become a free agent this summer, Boudreau said that Johnson might also have a shot at the job. It looks like Washington’s training camp will be one to keep a close eye on.

– Speaking of the Caps, F Sergei Fedorov has shot down the idea of retirement. Fedorov, as I reported here earlier, would like to re-sign with the Capitals. Turning 39, Fedorov has no intention of retiring following the completion of his 18th NHL season.

Fedorov said, “I cannot imagine myself retired; I don’t know why. I still have got some legs left and I’m still enjoying the game and I’m certainly enjoying this group of young and very talented players. I didn’t think about retiring. By saying that, I would like to continue to play. With the young legs around me, it’s really helpful.”

Fedorov is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but it sounds like the Capitals will probably re-sign him, though at a cheaper bill than the $4M he made this season.

MMA

– Former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley defeated Mike Cook in 24 seconds via submission at last night’s MFC 21 event. While Cook didn’t have any major wins on his record, he has competed against WWE Tough Enough 4 winner Daniel Puder.

Cook incensed Lashley by entering the cage in a lucha libre mask.

Lashley said, “I’m here for business. I’m here and everyone wants to and tries to make fun of the wrestling thing. I’m real. If they want to play around, I’ll knock them out or choke them out. And that’s what I did. I choked him out and made him pay. Now he can go put the mask back on and have fun with himself.”

The former ECW Champion remains undefeated with a 3-0 record in MMA. He is slated to face Bob Sapp next month. Can anyone say, Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar? Dream fight come true!

MLB

– The Rangers have placed RHP Frank Francisco (biceps tendinitis) on the 15-day DL. He was placed on the disabled list retroactive to May 7, meaning he could return next Friday.