Filed under: Sharks

SAN JOSE -- Frequent travelers on Virgin America's early-morning Boston-San Francisco route relax: Jamie McGinn appears to be in San Jose for the rest of the season, thanks to roster expansion. You're all safe.

McGinn, a 21-year-old left wing, compiled as many miles this year as just about anyone in hockey. The Sharks, cognizant of keeping costs down under the NHL's salary cap, make liberal use of their Worcester (Mass.) affiliate, recording more than 100 transactions with the AHL team this season.

That's a 3,000 mile journey each way, 6,000 total for a round-tripped player, when the Sharks are at home. So McGinn spent a lot of time on airplanes: he was recalled and then reassigned 11 times, 22 total transactions. A Worcester TV station told him that he'd flown the equivalent of three trips to Australia (from the East Coast of the U.S.) and back, and that was before McGinn's most recent recall.

A pity, then, that McGinn doesn't sleep on planes, and for a specific reason: fellow passenger safety, and of course, a desire to avoid embarrassment.

 

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Filed under: Canucks, Coyotes, NHL Videos

The Vancouver Canucks dropped a 4-3 shootout decision in Phoenix on Wednesday, and even though they came out on the losing end, goaltender Andrew Raycroft walked away with the play of the night.

Less than two minutes into the first period, with the game still scoreless, Raycroft made a sprawling stick save, robbing Coyotes forward Lee Stempniak.

 

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Filed under: Bruins, Penguins, NHL Discipline

After almost three days of debate and frame-by-frame analysis, the NHL ruled on Wednesday afternoon that Penguins forward Matt Cooke will not be suspended for his hit on Boston's Marc Savard.

Savard, who suffered a grade II concussion as a result of the play, could be out for the remainder of the regular season, which of course is a huge loss for a Boston team that is already one of the worst offensive clubs in the league. Cooke has already been suspended once this season, receiving a two-game banishment for a hit on New York Rangers forward Artem Anisimov.

The non-suspension of Cooke is sure to draw mixed reviews. On one hand, there's no question it's a very dangerous hit, but according to the current (emphasis on current) rules, it's not really illegal -- even though many, including yours truly, think it should be. Plus, Philadelphia's Mike Richards escaped suspension for a nearly identical hit on Florida's David Booth, which resulted in a similar injury as well as Booth being sidelined for months of the NHL season and losing a likely spot on the U.S. Olympic team.

 

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Veteran defenseman Chris Chelios is back in the NHL, as the the Atlanta Tharshers recalled the 48-year-old, the club announced Wednesday.

Chelios has already played in more NHL games than any other U.S.-born player (1,644) in a career that stretches back to Montreal in 1983-84 season. It's unclear when Chelios will set a new mark, but the Thrashers travel to Columbus on Thursday and host the New York Ranges on Friday.

"Chris has been an outstanding leader and mentor for our young players in Chicago and his level of play has made him deserving of this opportunity," Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. "He's a tremendous competitor who strengthens our group of defensemen and instantly adds a veteran presence to our locker room."

Waddell signed Chelios March 2 before the NHL trading deadline.

Chelios' last game in the NHL came in the playoffs with the Detroit Red Wings -- where he won two of his three Stanley Cups -- on May 27. He's spent this season playing for the AHL's Chicago Wolves, where he has five goals and 17 assists in 46 games.

He also made some headlines off the ice. Chelios was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in a Chicago suburb on Dec. 28.

 

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Filed under: Hurricanes

Manny Legace has no one but himself to blame for tumbling into the NHL scrapheap before this season -- or, at least, that's what the Carolina goaltender would argue.

"It was my fault for not being special enough," Legace said of his time in St. Louis last season. "I was coming off my best season, an All-Star game (start), and it was one thing after another after that. It was a bad situation, and I made it worse by letting things bother me. It was my fault. I should have played better."

Legace is in some ways a perfect representative of Carolina's season. Somewhat forgotten, he's picked up steam, winning his past five starts in net, including a shutout over Atlanta in his most recent game. The Hurricanes, meantime, are red hot, winning 12 of their past 15.

 

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