The Washington Capitals made an important move in their organization Wednesday, extending their agreement with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Hershey Bears. The two year agreement will run through the 2013-2014 season. Capitals General Manager George McPhee and Hershey Bears General Manager Doug Yingst announced the deal.

McPhee talked about developing the Capitals’ prospects with Hershey. “We are excited to extend our affiliation with the Hershey Bears. The Bears are one of the most storied franchises in the AHL and we are looking forward to the continued development of our top prospects in Hershey.”

Yingst talked about the success of both teams in the Washington organization. “The combined efforts of the Capitals and the Bears have produced playoff teams each year and three championships here in Hershey since our partnership began.” He stated that some former Bears’ made an impact with the Capitals’ playoff run this year. “Washington also eliminated the defending Stanley Cup champions using several players who developed in Hershey.  It is a win-win for both parties and we are thrilled to team up again.”

According to Tim Leone of the Patriot News, both Mark French and Troy Mann will be back with the coaching staff come next season.

Some former Bears’ who have played in Washington include Brooks Laich, Joel Rechlicz, Keith Aucoin, John Carlson, Karl Alzner and Braden Holtby. Hershey often leads the American Hockey League in attendance and will be playing in their 75^th season next year. The Bears’ will travel to Verizon Center to faceoff against the Norfolk Admirals on December 6^th next year for the Washington AHL showcase. This will be the first game Hershey plays in Washington since the 1979 season. Hershey also is hosting the Capital BlueCross Outdoor Classic January 20, 2013, next season at Hersheypark Stadium when they face their biggest rival, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins.

The Bears’ have a few free agents they will look to re-sign including Boyd Kane and goaltender, Dany Sabourin.

You can follow Matthew on twitter @pasportexaminer and email him at mspeck21@yahoo.com with any questions or comments.

The New Jersey Devils defeated the New York Rangers last night at the Prudential Center in the Eastern Conference Finals Game 4, (4-1).  The series is even 2-2.  Photography by Anthony S. Fiore Jr/Inside Hockey.

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The Philadelphia Flyers made a bold move in their organization, removing Joe Paterson as head coach of their American Hockey League affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms. Flyers General Manager Paul Holmgren made the announcement:

“As an organization, we feel the Phantoms need a new voice moving forward. We would like to thank Joe for his hard work and service to the Phantoms over the past season and a half, but we feel a new direction is needed at this time.”

Adirondack just missed the AHL playoffs this year falling five points shy, posting a 37-35-2-2 regular season record. The Philadelphia Flyers organization have not done them any favors over the past few years, often trading away draft picks so the Flyers could contend for a Stanley Cup championship. Injuries to the Flyers often pried players away from Adirondack, but the team was capable of at least getting the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference of the AHL. Paterson recently led the Phantoms to their best season since moving to Glens Falls in New York, but the team failed to make the playoffs in their new location. The Phantoms’ will be moving to Allentown, quite possibly in time for the 2013-2014 season.

Paterson played for the Flyers’ organizations as a player, a big reason he joined the Phantoms coaching staff. In 125 games as head coach in Adirondack, Paterson compiled a 62-55-8 record. The Philadelphia Flyers announced that no successor has been named at this time. Riley Cote is the current assistant coach of Adirondack and a former Philadelphia Flyers enforcer, but most likely is not a candidate Philadelphia would want moving forward.

The Phantoms’ should be better in the coming years, with more prospects set to join the roster such as goalie Cal Heeter and forward Nick Cousins. The Phantoms last made the playoffs in 2009 when they were located in Philadelphia. Philadelphia’s AHL affiliate last won a playoff series in 2008 and has missed the playoffs five times in the last seven years since winning the Calder Cup in 2005 in Philadelphia.

You can follow Matthew on twitter @pasportexaminer and email him at mspeck21@yahoo.com with your questions or comments.

For many hockey players, there is no feeling quite like donning your country’s colours and representing them on the world stage. Two of the Vancouver Canucks got the chance to do just that at the 2012 World Hockey Championships in Finland and Sweden. Alex Burrows wore Canada’s maple leaf while Jannik Hansen wore Denmark’s lion.

The oldest player on the team at the age of 31, this was Burrows’ first time representing Canada in ice hockey – he has won medals for Canada in ball hockey in the past. This chance, especially after a disappointing NHL post-season, meant a lot.

“There are so many good players who have played for our country. For me to get a chance, I didn’t really expect this,” Burrows, the final forward added to the team, told the Vancouver Sun. “Ever since I was a kid, I always remember watching the world juniors and watching Team Canada. I remember Mario Lemieux scoring on that 3-on-1 [at the Canada Cup] in 1987. Even at the Olympics in Vancouver, I think I was the loudest guy in the building cheering for the team. It means a lot to be part of it – to try to win a gold medal.”

Unfortunately, a medal is not what Burrows will be bringing home, as Canada was knocked out of the tournament in the quarterfinals against Slovakia. However, he will be bringing back some great memories and experiences. Despite an early injury, Burrows made a huge impact in the games he played.

Skating on a line with Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Burrows collided with Slovakian Marcel Hascak in the second period of Canada’s first game on May4. He looked woozy and uneasy after the hit and all concussion protocol was followed. Despite not feeling any concussion symptoms after the game, Burrows missed the next three games before making his comeback on May 11 against Finland.

Down 2-0 in the second period, Burrows scored Canada’s first goal at 5:34 in what would be an eventual 5-3 win – which he only played 8:21 minutes of. He later scored shorthanded against Kazakhstan, taking home the player of the game award for Canada, then scored Canada’s go-ahead goal against Slovakia in the quarterfinal. The quarterfinal game was one of his best. Besides scoring, he had a lot of time on the penalty kill and played against Slovakia’s top line. He had an obvious presence on the ice and played the way he would normally play, despite the bigger ice, the different teammates and the European opponents who bring different styles of play.

“I couldn’t care less what people those people think,” Burrows told the Vancouver Sun when asked if the World Championships would be a chance for redemption and a change of image. “I’m going to play the same kind of game I play in Vancouver and see where it leads me. It’s out of my control what people think…If Team Canada management thought of me, they must have noticed the player I am. And that means a lot more to me than what [critics] think.”

Burrows recorded his experiences in Finland via the Vancouver Canucks’ blog Fort Nucks. In his first entry he wrote, “I’m focused on playing a solid 2-way game with a lot of the forecheck, and providing net presence. I’m also hoping to play a big role on the PK.”

His concussion was not the only setback Burrows had to face. His equipment got lost on its way from Vancouver to Montreal, Burrows’ off-season home, so he had to purchase entirely new gear for the tournament.

“Good thing I’m low maintenance with my gear,” he said.

Then there was Hansen. Denmark had a tougher and less successful tournament than Canada, not making it into the quarterfinals. They are therefore not one of the nine pre-qualified teams for the 2014 Winter Olympics and are ranked 12th overall. They will compete in another tournament to determine their position going into the Olympics.

“It’s always an honour to be allowed to represent your country,” Hansen told the Vancouver Sun before the tournament. “It’s an important tournament for us (Denmark) going forward in terms of rankings for the Olympics in Russia and so on. But again, getting a chance to play in your national team colours is always a nice thing.”

One of four NHL players on Denmark’s team, Hansen had two assists and an even plus/minus in six games played. He lead his team in penalty minutes with 29 and was named the player of the game in a 2-0 loss to the Czech Republic. The low point of the tournament for Hansen would probably be his one game boarding suspension. He missed Denmark’s game against Italy, which they lost in overtime.

As with the NHL post-season, Burrows and Hansen’s time at the World Championships ended earlier then they would like. However, they both proudly represented their countries and played some of their best hockey for them – what more could you ask for? Both will undoubtedly have a busy off-season before the 2012-13 NHL season begins. Hansen is getting married this summer while Burrows returns home with his wife Nancy and one-year old daughter Victoria – and then the dream continues.

“I didn’t even think I’d make it to the NHL when I played those tournaments (ball hockey in ’03 and ’05),” Burrows told the Vancouver Sun. “To be here now, seven seasons into my NHL career and representing Canada, I’ve come a long way and I’m proud of it.”

Patrick Marleau (LW, C) (49% chance of returning)

He may have a “full” no movement clause, but there is a good chance the Sharks look to move their longest tenured player. Not only did Marleau finish the regular season with a mere 64 points (his fewest since the infamous 2007-08 campaign) but come playoffs he was nowhere to be found.

In the five game series loss to the Blues, the career long Shark had zero points and just nine shots on goal.

When you throw in his abysmal performance against the Red Wings during the 2011 Western Conference semis and Marleau has now been entirely ineffective in two of the last four postseason series.

The 32-year-old has always been a streaky scorer, but that doesn’t excuse the lack of a presence. For $6.9 million dollars the Sharks need more. Marleau wasn’t even half as effective as Joe Thornton was in the series with St. Louis and that simply isn’t acceptable.

Now being “snake-bit” in a playoff series can happen to the best of scorers but the game’s best find a way to make an impact regardless of offensive production. Thornton can still do that. Marleau on the other hand, either can’t do it anymore or is disinterested in doing it.

Whichever the case may be, one would have to think the Sharks are serious about ending the Marleau era. And doing so may not be as hard as many seem to think.

Last offseason the Sharks found a loop hole in Dany Heatley’s no-trade language. At the time, the clause in his contract wasn’t public knowledge.

So while it may seem to some like Marleau is a sure-bet to return (no-movement clause, wife is from San Jose), that isn’t necessarily the case.

The Sharks fan base is getting rather restless. Maybe not the masses of fans—Marleau was voted the “fan favorite” for the second straight year this past season—but the die-hards on the local chat boards are far from happy.

With the Sharks organization raising ticket prices again this offseason, some fans have told me they may not renew their season seats for the upcoming season. Many others are losing faith in the organization remaining a top contender. A big change in the roster (trading Marleau) would certainly bring back some buzz and sell some jerseys (Ryan Suter perhaps?).

Of the core skaters: Thornton, Marleau, Couture, Pavelski, Vlasic, Burns, and Boyle, the obvious choice to be moved is Marleau. He is the odd man out in terms of recent struggles and he’s been around so long that the San Jose front office has to wonder at this point is he part of the problem or part of the solution?

The three time All-Star and Olympic gold medalist remains a top-six quality forward, but he may in fact end up playing elsewhere come next season.

Colin White (D) (40% chance of returning)

The former New Jersey Devil made his way to San Jose this last offseason as free agent, signing a one-year, $1 million dollar deal. The veteran stay at home blue-liner chipped in his best efforts of the season down the stretch, but for most of the year he was largely ineffective. Many in the media openly wondered why fellow blue-liner Jim Vandermeer didn’t see more action during the middle portion of the campaign when White was struggling.

That said, while most experts will probably argue that White is a long shot to return to the Sharks, his experience and leadership is invaluable. When you consider that the two-time Stanley Cup winner is not in line for a raise in years nor dollars, why wouldn’t the Sharks consider bringing him back? He played his best games of the season late in the year, which makes one inclined to believe he still has gas left in the tank.

Another one year contract between $750K and $1 million would make sense to provide exactly what he did this past season: depth on the blue-line. And by and large, the way he finished this past season might suggest increased overall performance in year two with San Jose after getting accustomed to the Western Conference, the Sharks system/style and his new teammates this past season.

Torrey Mitchell (C, RW) (35% chance of returning)

Torrey Mitchell endeared himself to the hearts and minds of Sharks fans when he burst onto the scene as a rookie during the 2007-08 season. He may have scored just 20 points during his rookie year but he was a ball of energy all over the ice along with being a fixture on what was a solid penalty killing unit that season. Unfortunately for Mitchell and the Sharks, a freak injury during training camp the following season derailed his sophomore campaign. Mitchell missed his entire second season and hasn’t been the same player since.

While he has shown flashes of his former self in recent years, that speed, forechecking ability, and defensive prowess just isn’t quite there anymore.

And in that type of bottom-six role, even 90% effectiveness simply isn’t good enough. Mitchell’s contract is up this offseason and it seems unlikely that the Sharks will bring him back with players like T. J. Galiardi and Tommy Wingels more than likely taking up that roster space.

Jim Vandermeer (D, LW) (10% chance of returning)

As mentioned earlier, Vandermeer appeared to be a better option on the blue-line than White during the middle part of the season. However for whatever reason Sharks head coach Todd McLellan preferred White’s abilities–specifically on the penalty kill.

Unlike White, Vandermeer didn’t dress in a single game as a defenseman after early February. Given his rare use as a defender and ineffectiveness as a forward, it seems highly unlikely that he will return.

Dominic Moore (C) (0% chance of returning)

Of all the Sharks players from a year ago, Moore is the one sure bet not to return. While San Jose gave up a second round pick for the veteran center, what they received in return was hardly worth the price. Moore was arguably the worst skater that suited up for the Sharks down the stretch and into the playoffs. A playoff stud the year prior with Tampa Bay (11 points in 18 games), Moore was a healthy scratch  for the Sharks in games four and five against St. Louis.

Overall Moore registered zero goals, just six assists and was a minus-nine in 26 combined regular season and playoff games for the Sharks. An unrestricted free agent, it is extremely doubtful the Sharks will retain his services.

Official Inside Sports Production: “From the Arena”

Host: Charles Smith

Guest: Josh Brewster

Recorded after Game 4 of the Western Conference Final at Staples Center in LA.  Coyotes 2, Kings 0.

Watch online!

The bitter rivalry between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils just got really heated.  From spearing to cross-checking to punching a legendary goalie across the face to taking turns punching each other in the jewels…oops…that did happen.

While fans demanded suspensions left and right, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety decided that after a lengthy review of all of the questionable offenses, nothing that happened in Game 4 warranted supplemental discipline.  If the department were to dish out suspensions from last night’s mishaps, Marian Gaborik (elbowing), Ryan Callahan and Ilya Kovalchuk (spearing and other violent jabs), Stu Bickel (dangerous cross-check to Ryan Carter’s neck), Ryan Carter (violent retaliation that followed), and Mike Rupp (punching the goalie) would have all been called up to Brendan Shanahan’s courtroom.

In this case, sometimes it’s just better to look the other way and let both teams play on.  This is hockey.  This is what is expected now that the Stanley Cup is almost within reach.

In Monday night’s match-up, the Devils took the lead early when Bryce Salvador found his way through traffic to score on Henrik Lundqvist at 8:10 in the first period.  Lundqvist didn’t even see the puck coming towards the net from the blueline.  The traffic in front prevented him from seeing Salvador winding up for the shot.

At 9:26, things started to get rough between the two clubs as Ryan McDonagh took down Adam Henrique as the puck continued on down to the other end of the ice.  Both players were called for fighting.

At 11:59, with Zach Parise and Travis Zajac skating into the Rangers’ zone, Parise sent a pass across to Zajac, who finished the play to give the Devils a two-goal lead over the Rangers.

In the middle period, Ilya Kovalchuk and Ryan Callahan started to get under each other’s skin as a spear, a hit, a couple of jabs below the belts, and cursing from one penalty box to the other landed Kovalchuk with a 2:00 slashing call and a 2:00 roughing call for Callahan.

“[It’s] nothing,” Kovalchuk said of the skirmish.  “It’s part of the game.”

“It’s a game.  It’s emotions.  You’ve got to be angry.”

“He got a couple punches.  It’s hockey.  It’s not chess.  We are allowed to punch each other.”

When asked about the groin punches, Kovalchuk responded, “Underneath where?  The knee?”

In the groin?

“He’s got protection there…so…”

Prior to this incident, Patrik Elias was speared in the back of the leg by a New York Ranger.  No penalty was called.  Elias skated back to the bench with difficulty.  The medical trainer looked him over and determined all was fine.  Elias was back out on the ice for his next shift.

In the final period, with Derek Stepan in the penalty box for high-sticking at 2:37, the Devils won the faceoff right at the puck drop.  Henrique sent the puck to the top to an awaiting Kovalchuk.  Kovalchuk slapped the puck towards the net, and was swallowed up by Lundqvist.

Lundqvist dropped the puck.  Parise was right in front to jab the loose puck into the net to give the Devils a three-goal lead just four seconds after the Stepan penalty.

As the frustration started to build, Stu Bickel caught Ryan Carter in the neck with his stick.  A cross-checking penalty was not called and the tension between the two clubs started to heighten.  As the puck headed back to center ice, there was an exchange between the officials and the Rangers bench citing that Girardi could not come out on that shift.  Bickel had to remain on the ice.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Bickel came out onto the ice and went right up to Carter in what was an apparent attempt for a fight to commence once the puck dropped.  He kept coming up to Carter, challenging him.  The officials then pushed Bickel away from Carter.

As the play headed into motion, all mayhem started to ensue following a whistle on Mike Rupp’s hit on Peter Harrold.  As a frustrated Rupp came around the front of the net, he shoved Brodeur.  In his ‘shove,’ he ended up hitting him in the chest.  His hand bounced off of him and hit Brodeur right in the chin, knocking him off balance.

This is the first time in Brodeur’s career that he’s ever been hit in the face.  Ironically, it was by a former teammate and friend as Rupp used to play for the Devils.

“You don’t like to see that, obviously,” Devils coach Peter DeBoer said of the Brodeur hit.  “Two teams battling out…stuff like that happens.  He’s a big boy.  He can take care of himself.”

“It probably shouldn’t have happened,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said.  “I thought it was just a legal hit.  We just play.  None of that would have happened if we just kept playing the game.  I don’t know why the penalty was called.  I’m not questioning the referee.  I just thought it was a legal hit.  None of that would have happened.”

In the meantime, Bickel found Carter and they attempted to square off.  On the bench, DeBoer and Tortorella started screaming at each other.

“This isn’t about John and I,” DeBoer said of his words with Tortorella.  “This is about the guys on the ice.  I don’t have anything to say about that.”

Tortorella also responded that he wasn’t going to answer any questions on what transpired between them.

“It was total emotion,” Kovalchuk said of the altercation between the coaches.  “But I don’t think Rupp should do that.  You’ve got to respect the goalie first.  But it’s Marty.  [Rupp] played on this team, too, so he knows [Brodeur] real well.  I don’t know what was going on through his mind.  I’m pretty sure he will apologize.”

The penalties at 6:18 in the third period were: Rupp (4 minutes for roughing, 10 minute misconduct), Carter (2 minutes for roughing, 10 minute misconduct), Bickel (2 minutes for roughing, 10 minute misconduct).

This was a prime example of the Hudson rivalry.  The fans chanting of “Rangers Suck” was deafening after they showed the replay of Rupp ‘shoving’ Brodeur.

With the Devils leading 3-0 at this point, there was no hope in sight for the Rangers to come back, especially now that hockey had been reduced to all of this frustration and violence.  Ruslan Fedotenko was the lone Ranger to put up a goal at 14:55.  This marked his first goal in the playoffs.

With 2:23 left in the game, the Rangers pulled Lundqvist from goal for an extra attacker.  But that did the Rangers no good as Parise caught the empty net at 18:31.

At 19:42, both Alexei Ponikarovsky and Michael Del Zotto were called for cross-checking.  By this time, the Devils had already sealed the win, 4-1 to tie up the series 2-2.

“We were desperate,” Kovalchuk said of the win.  “We played with a lot of energy.  I thought we did a great job.”

Both teams head back to Madison Square Garden for Game 5 on Wednesday.  They will play Game 6 on Friday in Prudential Center.

The New York Rangers defeated the New Jersey Devils 3-0, taking a 2-1 series lead in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals.

The Buffalo Sabres avoided losing defensemen Alexander Sulzer to free agency by re-signing him to a one-year-contract on Monday. Sulzer would have been an unrestricted free agent July 1^st if Buffalo didn’t come to an agreement with the defenseman.

Sulzer came to the Sabres last year near the trade deadline as part of the deal that sent Cody Hodgson to the Sabres’. Former Sabres forward Zach Kassian was sent to Vancouver in the deal as well. In 15 games with the Sabres last season, Sulzer registered three goals and five assists.

Sabres General Manager, Darcy Regier spoke to the media following the signing of Sulzer. “I think the other things that you really notice is his composure out there, his ability to make not only breakup plays which is the most important thing defensively, but to make plays offensively and the patience that he showed. We were pleasantly surprised with his play and that really moved us towards trying to get him signed.”

Sulzer was originally drafted by the Nashville Predators in the third round of the 2003 NHL entry draft. He has played in 89 NHL games compiling 16 points including four goals while spending time with the Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and Buffalo Sabres.

The only defenseman left unsigned for the 2012-2013 season on the Sabres’ roster is T.J. Brennan. Brennan is set to become a restricted free agent and will likely be back with Buffalo next season.

You can follow Matthew on twitter @pasportexaminer and email him at mspeck21@yahoo.com with your questions or comments.

Below is a goal scored by Alexander Sulzer as part of the Milwakee Admirals of the American Hockey League.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Columbus Blue Jackets made another coaching move, but this time in their minor league system. Last week the Blue Jackets removed the interim tag and appointed Todd Richards as  the permanent head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets. On Monday, Jackets General Manager Scott Howson announced that Brad Larsen has been named head coach of the Blue Jackets minor league affiliate, the Springfield Falcons. Larsen joined the Falcons’ coaching staff in 2010-2011 season as an assistant coach.

Assistant General Manager Chris MacFarland talked about Larsen’s hiring. “We are very pleased to announce Brad Larsen as the head coach of the Springfield Falcons and are excited to have him working with our prospects in the American Hockey League,” MacFarland said. “He has a tremendous amount of passion for coaching and the game of hockey and will bring great energy to the rink every day.”

Larsen had a 13-year-career in the American Hockey League, finishing his last season with the Portland Pirates. He played in 294 NHL games with the Colorado Avalanche and Atlanta Thrashers. Larsen totaled 19 goals and 29 assists during his time in the NHL.

Larsen will have the opportunity to teach young players and prospects in the Blue Jackets’ organization as Columbus continues to rebuild.

You can follow Matthew on twitter @pasportexaminer and email him at mspeck21@yahoo.com with your questions or comments.