Predictador's First Half Thoughts

Predictador First-half Standings

Rk Team Pyth% Rk Team Win%
1 ROV .624 1 ROV .691
2 FUN .611 2 MOU .676
3 MOU .567 3 CAP .636
4 500 .523 4 SOC .603
5 SOC .523 5 VAM .530
6 SEL .522 6 FUN .515
7 CAP .499 7 SEL .500
8 ROA .491 8 500 .500
9 VAM .459 9 ROA .441
10 SPE .446 10 SPE .409
11 STR .370 11 STR .324
12 WIC .301 12 WIC .176


Summary: Of course Predictador wasn't advertised as being able to accurately predict the standings, but for a few teams it was pretty close. It overrated the Funboys (though I think the Funboys will be close to Predictador's mark by season's end) and underrated the Capones (which I thought was a dangerous thing to do), but was close on most others, especially at the bottom. Just a bit of fun to look back on.

Rovers, Champions Conference Receive Mid-season Grades

Who's at the head of the class and who's struggling at the halfway point of RHL15?

As we hit the midway mark of RHL15, it's time to look back at the first half and evaluate who accomplished what in the Champions Conference, as well as look ahead to second half and what we might expect to see.

Kitchener Mounties A+

Strength: Cynics may say that it starts and ends with Kiprusoff in net, but in reality it goes much further with a balanced offensive attack and some strong defenders. The additions of Naslund and Chara should keep the team at the top.

Weakness: Maybe they might want to score a few more goals in the second half, but Naslund's effect will be seen from here on.

Forecast: With payroll space to make a few more moves if they want to, any perceived weakness can be corrected by the trade deadline. A playoff powerhouse.

Best Bang for the Buck: Kiprusoff 31 1.58 18 5 8 6 94.56 $926k
What Were they Thinking? Langkow 15.5 24 5 11 16 13 $3.42M


Baffin Island Rovers A

Strength: Leading the Champs in goals scored and second in goals against, balanced offense and strong goaltending from Martin Gerber and Chris Mason make the Rovers a strong if not unspectacular team in all areas. Recchi and Stillman will look to help diversify the attack.

Weakness: Perhaps their strength is their weakness in that they don't seem to have any true go-to guys. Will Gerber's goaltending stand up in the playoffs where he has had only very modest success thus far in his career?

Forecast: Looking for three straight finals appearances, a long playoff run is expected.

Best Bang for the Buck: Johnsson 27.3 34 6 25 31 11 $1.26M
What Were they Thinking? Draper 18.1 34 9 9 18 11 $3.04M


Chicago Capones A

Strength: Dynamic offensive stars up front in Kovalchuk, Havlat, and Fedorov complement a back-end which includes Zubov and Foote and a star goaltender in Roloson. Plenty of strengths on this team, and the results show it.

Weakness: If there is any weakness in Chicago, it's the believe among its fans that the team is cursed and can never succeed in the playoffs. If this team believes in itself, it can be holding the Kings Cup this summer.

Forecast: If they team chooses to load up, the available bankroll is unmatched among contenders. Potential biggest player at deadline and major threat in playoffs.

Best Bang for the Buck: Kovalchuk 23.5 33 22 19 41 17 $891k
What Were they Thinking? Warrener 18.4 29 0 3 3 -1 $1.74M


South Edmonton Sockeyes A-

Strength: The early acquisition of St. Louis completed a very balanced top-six with Morrison, Koivu, Cheechoo, Elias, and Morrow. Throw in Lidstrom, Kenny Jonsson (acquired from St. Albert) and Nabokov and the Sockeyes are a hard team to shut down.

Weakness: Perhaps they could use an extra finisher, though Cheechoo is developing in that role. Really a balanced team with no discernable weakness, somewhat similar to the Rovers.

Forecast: Is this the year? GM Myers is really making a push to deliver his first championship, and he may just do it.

Best Bang for the Buck: Cheechoo 18.3 34 9 15 24 4 $276k
What Were they Thinking? Sydor 14.2 35 0 4 4 4 $1.5M


Calgary Vampyres B

Strength: Um, the team movers? No team can turn over a roster like the Vampyres, and this season had been no exception. Despite the upheaval in another season of "rebuilding"™, the Vamps are scoring well and are just outside of a bye position.

Weakness: They are allowing a few more goals than they are used to, and GM Zhivov is set to jettison his highest paid stars for younger talent. Still, once the playoffs start, no team wants to see Calgary lining up against them.

Forecast: Magic 8-Ball says "too soon to tell".

Best Bang for the Buck: Bure 15.8 33 12 8 20 -1 $759k
What Were they Thinking? Smith 16.5 26 1 3 4 6 $2.72M


Saskatoon Funboys B

Strength: In stark contrast to the Vampyres, the strength of the Funboys has always been in their stability. Guerin, Niedermayer, Sullivan, and Redden continue to lead the way, while youngsters Datsyuk and Ryder have been developed in-house and now are contributing in a big way.

Weakness: The biggest weakness in Saskatoon appears to be in net, where Mike Leighton seems unsuited to the task of #1 netminder. RHL legend Dominik Hasek is in the mix, but is unable to play a larger role this season.

Forecast: A history of playoff success says not to bet against the Funboys. Will be a tough matchup for any opponent.

Best Bang for the Buck: Datsyuk 18.5 33 9 23 32 4 $630k
What Were they Thinking? Hedican 17.9 33 2 4 6 3 $1.5M


Lethbridge Selects B-

Strength: The strength of the Selects has always been in their offense. Hossa, Modin, Zednik, and Hejduk are all world-class snipers that Lethbridge leans on heavily.

Weakness: The trade of Sakic and the inexplicable struggles of Hejduk have left the Selects struggling to stay in the middle of the pack. The team will live and die by its top-guns, and thus far it has been a struggle.

Forecast: First-round win possible, but an uphill battle after that.

Best Bang for the Buck: Van Ryn 19.4 33 3 11 14 3 $362k
What Were they Thinking? Hejduk 18.3 33 6 3 9 -10 $2.32M


Indianapolis 500s B-

Strength: The 500s are a perennial favourite, and have been led again this season by Sundin and Tanguay. They along with Kovalev, and strong goaltending from Jussi Markkanen, have kept the 500s within striking distance of the leaders.

Weakness: After dealing Naslund and St. Louis early in the year, it's fair to say that the overall talent level took a hit, though Schneider, Kovalev, and Hartnell have given some better balance to the team. The weakness of losing those stars may turn into a strength down the road.

Forecast: Playing good hockey with their new players, the 500s are a prime candidate to pull of a major upset or two in the playoffs.

Best Bang for the Buck: Markkanen 17 2.30 7 5 3 2 92.19 $810k
What Were they Thinking? M.York 11.8 22 4 2 6 -2 $2.03M


Waterloo Roadkill C

Strength: Keith Tkachuk and Doug Weight lead the way on a team that can score with the best of them. Jason Blake and Tyler Arnason have contributed scoring depth, as have veterans Hull and Kariya.

Weakness: Defense is a forgotten art in Waterloo, with precious few of their players on the plus side of the ledger. Aebischer must be better in the second half to make any noise in the playoffs.

Forecast: Unless the defense gets its act together, it could be one and out for Waterloo.

Best Bang for the Buck: J.Blake 19.0 34 11 15 26 -5 $1.0M
What Were they Thinking? Turek/Cechmanek 13 GP, 6 W, $3.06M combined


Guelph Spectres C-

Strength: The Spectres have struggled to stay in games, but are playing sound team defense. McLennan and Vokoun have provided adequate goaltending while the team plays without top goaltender, holdout Manny Fernandez.

Weakness: Offense. The team simply isn't scoring enough goals, and sit second-last in that category. Steve Rucchin leads the team with 8 and defenseman Nathan Dempsey leads the team in scoring with only 22 points in 33 games.

Forecast: Not looking good for the playoffs, likely one and done.

Best Bang for the Buck: Dempsey 26.3 33 6 16 22 2 $355k
What Were they Thinking? Matvichuk 16.3 18 0 1 1 -3 $2.32M


Albany StrapHangers D

Strength: In a season they'd otherwise want to forget, some unheralded players have led the way in Albany. Friesen, Vyborny, Fata, and Stefan have played well despite the team's struggles, and are pieces to build upon next season.

Weakness: Too many goals against, not enough goals for. Belfour hasn't been stellar, but he also hasn't had much help.

Forecast: The StrapHangers have seen better days, so little is expected in the post-season this year.

Best Bang for the Buck: Vyborny 21.8 34 9 10 19 -8 $548k
What Were they Thinking? Carney 14.5 28 0 3 3 1 $2.31M


Tampa Bay Wicked Ale F

Strength: Strength? Nothing has gone right here all season, but we'll pick Dany Heatley, whose 7 goals in only 13 games might have translated into a great season if not for injuries.

Weakness: Everybody else.

Forecast: Ick. Four ugly losses in the first round.

Best Bang for the Buck: Snow 16 2.81 4 11 1 0 90.59 $350k
What Were they Thinking? Barnes 14.6 34 3 2 5 -19 $3.21M

Day 68: Gerber Wrests Win from Funboys

Rovers netminder Martin Gerber makes a spectacular glove save, one of 39 on the night.

Saskatoon, SK (CP)

Needing a big effort after in a tough building, Martin Gerber returned from injury and stepped up to make 39 saves, allowing the Rovers to hang on until Kim Johnsson won the game on the first shift of OT, 4-3 over the host Funboys. Gerber, who took the pre-game skate and declared himself good to go, stood on his head, especially in the first and third periods, to take first-star honours in the game. "It was a big win for us, and a big game for me coming off an injury", Gerber said afterwards. "You always want to be in there, I was glad to help the team win".

The Funboys dominated the early going, outshooting the Rovers 19-9 in the first period. It was the Rovers, however, who emerged with a 2-0 lead on unassisted goals by Laaksonen, his first as a Rover, and Adam Hall. Pavol Demitra increased the lead to 3-0 early in the second, but then the Funboys got going with goals from Scott Thornton and Pavel Datsyuk late in the frame to enter the intermission down a goal.

The Funboys emerged from the break with the same jump they had in the first and tied the game early on a Mike Sillinger marker. Despite outshooting the Rovers 15-6 in the period, Gerber held the tie throughout regulation. A late-period interference penalty to Bill Guerin, which infuriated the Funboys bench, carried over into overtime. "That penalty was **********", an irate Guerin blasted after the game. "I mean I ******* came across the ******* blueline, crossed in front of the ******* Dman and the ******** ******* **** ref *************************** [remainder of quote too foul to print]

Taking the man-advantage into the extra session, the top PP unit went straight to work. Off the draw won by Demitra, Cory Stillman grabbed the puck and skated down the left side and fired a hard wrist-shot on goal. It was kicked out by Mike Leighton into the high slot, where Kim Johnsson snuck in and buried the long rebound to give the Rovers the victory.

The Funboys outshot the Rovers 42-25 on the night, dominated in puck-possession and completed far more passes than did their opponents, but still came up short. Outside of Gerber's outstanding play, the Rovers did win 43 of 68 faceoffs, which probably kept the score from getting out of hand. "If we didn't win as many draws as we did, they'd have had the puck all night", Stringer said of the effort. "We really owe Marty a big one after the way he bailed us out tonight".

The win moved the Rovers into sole possession of first place in the Champions Conference by virtue of the Mounties tying the 500s 2-2. The team now has two days off before hosting the Spectres and then travelling to Kitchener to square off with the Mounties next week.

Day 67: Laaksonen Laughs Last

New acquisition Antti Laaksonen (file photo) upstaged the other higher-profile newcomers by setting up the winning goal against the Sockeyes.




Iqaluit, NU (CP)

In a day of fresh beginnings for a troika of new Rovers, the most unheralded of the trio stepped up to make his presence known at the best possible time. After missing the introductory press conference in the morning during which Mark Recchi and Cory Stillman were given a splashy welcome to the team, Antti Laaksonen arrived in Iqaluit by himself shortly after noon, came to the rink, and proceeded to find a pinching Chris Pronger in the final minutes to lift his new team to a 2-1 win over the Sockeyes. At least one Rover was not surprised with his play. "I'm telling you, you guys are going to love Laaks", former Aviators teammate Mark Recchi gushed. "He was huge for us in San Diego, and I know he'll keep it up here. When I heard that he was also coming here in the trade, I was really happy. He's the ultimate teammate".

The game started off with a slow pace as the two teams each looked tight, not wanting to make the first big mistake. After a first period in which there were only eleven total shots with seven by the Rovers, the second period opened up slightly with the first break coming on a Sockeyes power-play. With David Legwand and Robyn Regehr in the box, the Sockeyes enjoyed a minute of two-man advantage early in the frame. They controlled the play beautifully, and just after the first penalty had expired Saku Koivu spotted Brenden Morrow at the side of the net for an easy tap-in goal to open the scoring, beating Rovers goalie Chris Mason. "There was nothing to do on that goal", Mason said after the game. "Sometimes you just get beat. It was a great pass by Koivu".

The Sockeyes held the 1-0 lead through the end of the second and past the midway mark of the third before Eric Brewer's blast from the left point eluded Evgeni Nabokov to tie the game at 1-1. Then, with just over two minutes remaining, Laaksonen took a neutral zone pass from David Legwand and flew down the left side. He took All-Star Nik Lidstrom to the outside and as Lidstrom finished him into the boards, Laaksonen saw a trailing Chris Pronger slip into the slot and he flicked the puck to him. Pronger made no mistake and popped a quick wrister over the glove of Nabokov for the go-ahead goal that stood up to be the winner.

Mason, subbing for the injured Martin Gerber, made 17 saves for the victory, while Nabokov stopped 25 shots in defeat. The win keeps the Rovers in step with the Mounties atop the table, who downed the Roadkill by the same 2-1 margin. Besides Laaksonen, the other newest Rovers seemed to fit in well despite not showing up on the scoreboard. Cory Stillman skated on the top line with Demitra and Murray and played 21 minutes, registered three shots on goal and completed ten of eleven pass attempts. Mark Recchi played the right side with Alex Frolov and Kris Draper. He played 18 minutes, had two shots, took three minor penalties, one four of five faceoffs and completed seven of nine passes. "This was just their first game, so they've only had one practice so far to see where things fit best", Stringer said after the game. "We'll continue to try different things to get the best fit for each of them".

The Rovers now hit the road to Saskatoon to play the Funboys. The teams have split two games this season, which each winning in their home rink. The last game was two weeks ago when the Funboys took a 4-3 win in Saskatoon. Gerber will be a game-time decision the contest, though he said after the game that he felt he could have played against the Sockeyes if he was needed. If he feels as good tomorrow, he'll likely get the start.

Recchi, Stillman Introduced in Iqaluit

Two of the newest Rovers, Mark Recchi (left) and Cory Stillman (centre) are introduced by a Rovers PR staffer at Wednesday's news conference.

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

As the Baffin Island Rovers returned home from their mid-season retreat to Banff, Alberta, the phone lines coming into Rover HQ were burning off the hook. Not content to rest on the laurels of a very successful first half, talk was the the team was looking to deal for a top-flight winger. However, when the dust settled no one expected there to be two new acquisitions. But there they were, bringing nearly 500 RHL goals and almost 1200 points between them to a team that already led the RHL in scoring at the midpoint. First, in a deal with the San Diego Aviators, the Rovers acquired Mark Recchi, uber-PKer Antii Laaksonen, and a 3rd round draft pick in exchange for Alexander Korolyuk, rookie Ryan Malone, and Russian prospect Igor Grigorenko. Then, Cory Stillman, prospect Brian Boyle, and a second round draft choice were plucked from the Winnipeg Freeze for Nils Ekman and defenseman Aaron Ward.

"The Recchi deal had been in the works for a few weeks now, and was delayed slightly due to the front office changes in San Diego", Stringer said during the press conference. "Fortunately that transition didn't derail the deal, and Andy [Bartalone] and I were able to complete the trade. I had inquired about Stillman early in the season, but he was unavailable at that time. I tried again last week and found that he could be had. That deal actually happened very quickly, but I'm pleased with the outcome.. with both outcomes. Nils and Sasha [Alex Korolyuk] were two guys can signed here and played well for us. However, we were looking ahead to the playoffs and wanted some more veteran forwards. Recchi and Stillman both bring plenty of offense and lots of experience. We were also keen to get Laaksonen in the trade; he's a very good penalty killer and an underrated player overall. He's the type of third-line guy that every team wants in the playoffs. He was an important part of the deal, no doubt".



Recchi talks to reporters after the press conference.





Experience is what the Rovers were after in these deals. Recchi comes to the Rovers tied for seventh in all-time games played with 933 and 29th in career points with 738. He scored his 300th RHL goal two weeks ago against the Stingers, and led the Aviators in points with 29. He came to San Diego early in the season as the key return in the Jaromir Jagr trade to Waterloo. He has a Kings Cup ring from the RHL2 Westlock Wildcats and has 95 career points in the playoffs. Stillman brings Kings Cup winning experience from two squads, the RHL3 and RHL7 Calgary Vampyres. He has scored 197 goals and 247 assists for 444 points in 692 career games with nine different teams. This season he has 5 goals and 11 assists for 16 points on a Freeze squad struggling to score.

Expectations in Baffin Island certainly aren't low, but both guys sound up for the challenge. "Given my contract status and age, I was expecting to be traded sometime", Recchi admitted to the media afterwards. "But when Mr. Farley told me I was going to the Rovers, I was thrilled. You always want to play for a winner, and those guys know how to win. They've been in the finals for two straight seasons, and are strong again this year. If you win when you're young, as I was fortunate enough to do, you think it will happen every year. But now it's 13 years later and I haven't tasted it since. I want to get there again, and this is the team that can do it".

"It's a great day for me and my family", Stillman said. "The Rovers are saying to their team and to their fans that they believe in the guys in the room and they are going out and making the team stronger for the playoffs. That's all you can ask for from ownership. I'm very proud to be here and am ready to help this team go all the way".

Laaksonen, the third player acquired in the trading, had to attend to a family matter in San Diego before joining the team and could not attend the press conference. In his eighth RHL season, he has scored 151 points in 401 games, though he value goes beyond the scoresheet as he has been a key penalty killer for the Aviators this season. All three players are expected to be in uniform tonight as the Rovers host the fourth place Sockeyes. The Rovers hold a slim four point lead over South Edmonton, who are a single point behind the Capones for third place and hold an equal 8-2 record over their past ten games as the Rovers.

Stillman?

Rover Report has learned from sources in Winnipeg that Cory Stillman has been traded to Baffin Island. Details are sketchy at this point, though it appears as though Stillman is actually en route to Iqaluit and may even arrive in time for tonight's game against the Sockeyes. Rover GM Steve Stringer is still unavailable for comment. Rover Report will be at the arena for tonight's game and will post as soon as any official announcement breaks.

Recchi a Rover?

Unconfirmed reports have the Baffin Island Rovers on the verge of acquiring winger Mark Recchi from the San Diego Aviators. Rover Report will continue to work the phone lines to provide confirmation of this rumour and to determine the other principles in the deal. Messages have been left for GM Stringer, who could not be reached for comment at this hour.

Rovers Retreat, Reflect on First Half

The Rovers empty locker room in Iqaluit.

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

The Rovers took the opportunity during the recent break for the Winter Olympics to conduct a mid-season retreat for team building and to recharge their batteries for the second half of the year. The entire organization packed up and headed to Banff, AB for a three day getaway of skiing, hiking, and relaxation. During this break, the Rover Report looks back on the first half performance of the team and what they might do in the second half.

If one was to evaluate the first half performance of the team, few holes are apparent. The Rovers currently sit in a first-place tie with the Mounties, and lead the conference in goals for and are second in goals against. That said, there is always the feeling with this squad that they are capable of more. Perhaps the team lacks a big goalscorer, though winger Glen Murray is certainly capable of providing that as he has in the past. Wingers Nils Ekman and Alex Korolyuk have both added goals to the team, but more playmakers might help players that are currently underachieving such as Alexander Frolov. Rookie Nathan Horton has chipped in with eight goals, and is an example of the balance on the offensive side of the puck, with up to eight players have the potential to hit the 20 goal plateau. The defense core has been very good one through six, with Johnsson and Pronger providing lots of offense along with eating huge minutes, and Sean Hill and Cale Hulse each holding their own in limited minutes. Martin Gerber has been nothing short of excellent for the club, who can have no complaints with their goaltending.

The club currently sits among the top teams in terms of salary, and may find trading difficult before the deadline should they wish to add personnel. That said, the front office has never been shy on pulling the trigger when they feel they can improve their roster. It would be a surprise to us at the Rover Report if there wasn't a significant addition, but we'll have to wait and see. Regardless of personnel decisions, the team appears to be in the hunt for a first-round bye in the playoffs. Securing a bye will definitely be a goal, as well as finishing as high up the table as possible. The Rovers know the importance of home-ice advantage as much as anyone; they won game 7 of the Kings Cup Final at home against the Capones in RHL13, but lost game 7 of the Final on the road against the Vampyres last season. Could a third consecutive Final appearance be in the cards this year? There's still a lot of hockey to be played to find out.

Day 64: Rovers Strap 'Hangers, Grab Share of First

Rovers forward Jeff Halpern (left) celebrates with teammates after scoring the go-ahead goal while shorthanded late in the third period.









Albany, NY (AP)

Jeff Halpern broke a 1-1 tie with a shorthanded goal with two and a half minutes to go in the third period and Kim Johnsson iced it with 26 seconds remaining as the Baffin Island Rovers went into Albany and came out with a 3-1 road win over the StrapHangers. Rico Fata opened the scoring in the first period off a scramble in front of Rovers keeper Martin Gerber. Despite being outshot 20-4 in the first, the 'Hangers took that lead to the lockerroom. Applying the same pressure in the second, Nils Ekman scored his 11th goal to square the affair midway through the stanza. Gerber was lifted from the game early in the third after twinging his back on a cross-crease pad stack save on Ziggy Palffy. Chris Mason played the final 14 minutes but faced only four shots. With Cale Hulse in the box for elbowing, Jeff Halpern popped the winner after taking a breakout pass from Sean Hill and going in alone to beat Ed Belfour between the legs. Kim Johnsson scored his fifth goal, and fourth in two games, to insure the victory in the final minute. In addition to losing Gerber, forward Nathan Horton also left the game after taking a hit along the boards from Darius Kasparaitis in the first period. Horton will have an MRI on his left shoulder tomorrow, but is expected to miss a week of action.

The win pulled the Rovers even with the Kitchener Mounties, who had tied the Roadkill 5-5 earlier in the evening, atop the Champs conference standings with 43 points apiece. The Mounties hold a game in hand, which they will play tomorrow night in Calgary against the Vampyres. The Rovers improve to 8-2 in their past ten games, the best record in the RHL over that span. "We're playing some good hockey, but I think we still have areas that can be better", Stringer cautioned after the game. "It doesn't matter if you're first halfway through the season; what matters is being first at the end of the playoffs. That's always been our goal".

The Rovers now have two days off before hosting the fourth-place Sockeyes. Gerber will be a game-time decision for that important matchup, with Mason ready to start if the need arises. Horton has been ruled out for the upcoming pair of games against South Edmonton and Saskatoon pending the results of the MRI, and will be re-evaluated next week. Fellow rookie Patrice Bergeron will likely fill his spot on the third line.

Day 63: Johnsson Leaves Ale Punch Drunk

Defenseman Kim Johnsson pumps home one of his three power-play goals on the evening with a booming point shot as the Rovers dump the Wicked Ale 5-1.

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

Kim Johnsson struck for three power-play goals and an assist while Pavol Demitra racked up four helpers as the Rovers kicked back and enjoyed some Wicked Ale to the tune of the 5-1 victory. Alexander Frolov extended his goal-scoring streak to four games as he opened the scoring by one-timing a Glen Murray pass over the glove of Ale netminder Jocelyn Thibault. The Rovers took the 1-0 lead into the second period where the Johnsson show began. With Geoff Sanderson in the box for retaliating to an earlier Olli Jokinen spear on Garnet Exelby (Jokinen was assessed a major penalty on the play), Johnsson took a feed from Demitra in the slot and snapped home his second of the season. Then early in the third period Martin Straka was assessed an interference penalty, and Johnsson one-timed a point shot from the right side past Thibault for his second of the game. After Shaone Morrisonn scored for the Ale, Pierre Turgeon was whistled for tripping and Johnsson completed the hat-trick by taking another Demitra pass and crushing a slapper from the right faceoff dot past a shell-shocked Thibault. Sean Hill capped the scoring on another Demitra setup, his fifth of the season.

The four points have propelled Johnsson to fifth place in Champions conference scoring, a lofty perch for a defenseman. His 28 points in 31 games rank only behind perennial snipers Ilya Kovalchuk, Bill Guerin, Alex Tanguay, and Sergei Fedorov. He leads Funboys star rearguard Scott Niedermayer by four points in defenseman scoring. "Obviously to be mentioned in the same breath as those tremendously skilled forwards is an honour... almost a bit of a joke", Johnsson said when told of his standing. "I really don't pay attention to those things. If we are winning, that's all that matters. Points take care of themselves when you are playing well, and we're playing well".

The Rovers had their way with the last-place Ale all night, outshooting them 44-16 and dominating them in the circles, on the boards, in the corners, and in the possession battle. Baffin were crisp with their passes all night, as highlighted by Chris Pronger's amazing 27 completed passes to only one missed attempt. Martin Gerber got his 13th win with only 15 saves, while a battered Thibault was saddled with the loss. The coaching staff were satisfied with the win. "Kim obviously had a big game for us, and we knew he had the goals in him", Stringer said of his stud defenseman. "Alex scoring again is big for us; we're really pleased by how he has responded to the lineup changes. Now we need to take this effort into Albany to avoid what happened there last time".

The Rovers pack up and head to Albany for their second meeting of the season with the StrapHangers. The first game was stolen by former Rover Ed Belfour, who shutout his old mates 1-0. The Rovers will do their best to reverse that outcome this time around.

Day 60: Muzz Silences Spectres

Rover winger Glen Murray signs an autograph while parking before the game against the Spectres, then scored the winning goal to down the home team.








Guelph, ON (CP)

After a week-long hiatus, the Rovers got back into action Thursday night in Guelph and came out with a 4-2 decision over the Spectres. Kris Draper, playing again on the first line with Pavol Demitra and Glen Murray, opened the scoring a minute into the game with his ninth goal of the season. The Spectres quickly answered with two goals just seventy-three seconds apart, first Marty Reasoner and then Steve Rucchin giving Guelph a 2-1 lead. It lasted approximately 10 minutes before Ryan Malone scored his fourth late in the first to tie the game. From that point, the Rovers handled the Spectres rather easily, as Guelph managed the same 13 shots that they had in the first period over the final two periods combined. The Rovers, by contrast, kept up the pressure and were rewarded. Murray struck for his eleventh of the year early in the second on a quick snapper over the glove of Jamie McLennan, and Alex Frolov scored in his third consecutive game to add the insurance midway through the third. "We got contributions from all lines tonight", Stringer said of the win. "The goals by Alex and Ryan are big, as it appears as those new lines are gelling well".

Martin Gerber stopped 24 of 26 shots for the victory, while McLennan was tagged with the loss, allowing four goals on 37 shots. The Rovers now have two days off before hosting the cellar-dwelling Wicked Ale back in Iqaluit.

Results Released, Rovers React

"There's a lot to be positive about today", Rovers GM Steve Stringer on the findings.

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

RHL Commissioner Paul Myers released the detailed results of the much-anticipated RHL Owners Survey on Thursday. Contrary to the feelings of some that the RHL was headed down a road which would lead to its possible demise, the feeling among the large majority of franchise owners appears to be optimistic about the future of the league. Iqaluit Frozen Puck Weekly's own Nikki Siqiniq had a chance to sit down with Rovers owner and GM Steve Stringer on Sunday before he hosted Baffin Bowl, a Super Bowl party that was free to Rovers season ticket holders at the Igloo.

IFPW: Before we start, are you expecting a good turnout for Baffin Bowl?
SS: Yeah, we did this last year for the first time and had a blast, so we plan on it being an annual event. This year will be even better than the first.

IFPW: So the results of the owners survey came out on Thursday. What was your general reaction to the document?
SS: Frankly, I was both relieved and excited. First relieved because we've had a few guys floating the idea that there was significant unrest with the league, to the point that there could be a mass exodus among senior, influential owners. This was especially troubling a season after losing five long-time owners. However, I think the results are saying that most guys are pleased with the league overall, but are just looking for minor changes rather than a complete overhaul, or worst, a way out.

IFPW: One of the recommendations appears to be a return to a divisional format. You consider this to be a minor change?
SS: Well, really yes. I consider that to be less drastic than altering the way we fundamentally do business with respect to signing free agents or drafting young players. I was a proponent of the two-tiered league, as I believed that the concept of fighting to get to the top league and avoid relegation would be something that would keep all owners interested and on their toes. While I think it did have merit, and that some - perhaps many? - owners did like the idea and were buying in, I feel that it failed in its original intent, which was to increase overall league interest. I don't think it was successful in that; the guys that paid attention in the old format were generally those that seemed to buy into the new format, and those that were hanging on the old way didn't seem to perk up after the change. So, if it was an exercise in boosting interest, it's probably best to revert to the old style. But I still enjoyed the experiment, and do think that perhaps after three or four seasons it might have caught on in a more meaningful fashion.

IFPW: Do you have any feelings on what kind of re-alignment you'd like to see?
SS: Well, I believe we came into the league in the toughest division, the old Malone division. With the Vampyres, Funboys, Sockeyes, Bees, and Aviators, we had our hands full as a young team each and every night. I mean, in our first season five of the top seven teams in the conference were from our division. But we quickly developed rivalries, especially with the Vampyres and Bees. As an aside, I'm very pleased to see Victoria returning to the league. I'd like to maintain some of those rivalries, even if it would make for more difficult competition.

IFPW: Aside from re-alignment, what else caught your eye in the report?
SS: I'm a big proponent of the drafting process, so I think we have a chance to come up with some significant reforms to the draft and the prospect list to make them work better for all clubs. I believe that cheaper base salaries, longer J contracts, and cheaper minor-pro contracts would eventually take some of the upward pressure off the free-agent auction. If more teams can draft players and develop them into useful RHLers, not the marginal player that costs twice the league minimum, then more teams will be able to fill high-end talent slots from within and demand for free agents may weaken slightly. Now of course teams will always want to sign the best available talent, so the top guys will still get their money, but the pressure to sign the second and third line players for big money might relax a bit.

IFPW: Anything else?
SS: Well, I think the rules committee will have a few things on its plate in the coming weeks besides the draft and prospects. I'd like to see tweaks in the demand formula and also I think we could simplify the definition of RHL service years, but I think we're headed on the right track and can make the league even better with just a few small modifications rather than wholesale changes. There's a lot to be positive about today, and I'm very excited about the future of the league. I can't wait to lead the Rovers in the RHL15 playoffs, and then to RHL16 and beyond.

Day 59: Rovers Run Down Roadkill

"Coach had a good gameplan for tonight, and we executed. We played a full sixty minute... wait *tap, tap* is this thing on?" - a technologically-challenged Chris Pronger attempts to answer questions after the game.




Iqaluit, NU (CP)

Rolling out new forward combinations, the Baffin Island Rovers came out with purpose from the opening faceoff and skated away with a 5-2 home-ice victory. Pavol Demitra sniped his first of the game and seventh of the season from the left faceoff dot just 75 seconds into the contest to get the ball rolling. Keith Tkachuk equalized two minutes later, but the Rovers regained the lead on a Ryan Malone power-play goal before the end of the first period. Alexander Frolov scored in his second-straight game, on a feed from new linemate Nathan Horton, mid-way through the second and Chris Pronger pinched at the blueline to intercept a breakout pass and blasted home his fifth of the year with a howitzer from the point late in the period. Rory Fitzpatrick pulled the Roadkill to within two goals early in the third period with a goal off a mad scramble in front of the net, but Demitra iced the game with his second marker at the seven minute mark. Shots were even in the game at thirty apiece, with Martin Gerber turning aside 28 of 30 for the victory. David Aebischer was tagged with loss. "It was a good effort overall", Stringer said of the win. "I liked the energy we played with. Frolov looked good with Legwand and Horton, so we'll see if the other lines can start to click against the Spectres".

The Rovers now head to Guelph to tangle with the Spectres, who have played the Rovers tough, earning ties in two of the three games. Martin Gerber is expected to get the start again in net.

Rovers Look to Shake Things Up

Members of the Rovers coaching staff put the players through a spirited workout.

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

Not content with their third-place standing in the Champs conference, the Rovers plan to experiment with some new line combinations to be implemented for their upcoming home and road games against Waterloo and Guelph. "We've been a bit listless offensively", coach Stringer said of their recent performances. "We're not firing like I think we should be, so we're going to take these two games to try a different look". No combination has been kept as each line has been altered with hopes of sparking more consistent scoring.

Kris Draper moves from the second-line center to being the first-line left-winger, replacing Alexander Frolov, who has only scored twice this season. Draper has experience at all three forward positions, so the coaches are looking for him to step in with Demitra and Murray and spark the trio. His eight goals on the year are behing only Murray and his former wingers Ekman and Korolyuk. "I'm a veteran guy, so I know why sometimes things have to be shaken up", Draper said after practice. "Hopefully I can give the team what they are looking for".

Olli Jokinen replaces Draper as the center between Ekman and Korolyuk. Jokinen is considered to be a better passer than Draper, which should mesh well with the two wingers who are both off to good starts to the season. "Drapes was a very good center for me and Korky [Korolyuk], but Olli is also a very good player. I think we'll play well together", said an upbeat Ekman.

The third line is almost entirely new, with David Legwand being promoted to center Frolov and rookie Nathan Horton, whose eight goals tie him with Draper for fourth on the club. For Legwand, the franchise leader in games played but buried on the fourth line all season, this chance is not something he plans to let slip away. "We've been fortunate to have so much depth this season, but unfortunately for me, that depth has cut into my ice-time. I was willing to do what the team needed me to do then, and now that they want more, I'm definitely ready for that".

Rookie Ryan Malone drops back down to the fourth line to skate with Jeff Halpern, who returns to his natural center-ice position, and Adam Hall. The trio is expected to be an energy line, with Halpern and Hall also contributing on the penalty-kill.

The Rovers have been criticized by many in the media for not scoring as much as many expected them to score. When asked how long the new lines would stay together, Stringer was non-committal. "These next two games for sure. If we see some positive results in these games, then we may stick with it longer. If they don't work out, we'll look to do something else". When asked if a trade was a possibility, Stringer was also vague. "You always look to improve your team. Sometimes the improvement can come from within. Sometimes it doesn't".