The 2008 NHL Entry Draft was one of the deepest drafts for defensemen in NHL history. Three blue liners stand out from the group: Drew Doughty, Alex Pietrangelo and Erik Karlsson, all of whom bring very distinct skill sets to their teams. Will this summer’s draft match the shut down and scoring talent of four years ago?

Many of this year’s rookie class are out on the golf courses right now, not having contributed much to lackluster teams. However, Philadelphia’s astonishing first-year forward Sean Couturier is proving to be more than a capable NHL player at just 19 years old. He may not win the Calder Trophy, but this kid is well on his way to collecting some serious hardware.

The NHL playoff format is flawed. Teams who win their divisions are guaranteed a top-three seeding and this year, the problems with such a system are highlighted, as teams like Florida and whoever the hell wins the Pacific Division are guaranteed home ice for at least two rounds. Could the NHL be doing things better?

The Ottawa Senators are doing better than anyone thought they’d be. With four key players performing up to their standards, this year’s group is playing its way into the playoffs and may give some contenders a run for their money. Matt Horner breaks down how it all happened.

It’s not often you get rewarded in life for just showing up. But in hockey, you can find a nice little positive beside your name on the game sheet, even if you didn’t do a whole lot. Unfortunately, life on the ice is not always so kind, and often times you can play a great […]

The theory that an NHL team has to “get bad to get good” has been debunked by both the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers, who have taken two distinctly different routes toward the successes they’ve had. They’ve proven that the idea of rebuilding through the draft is clearly not the only option.

The Columbus Blue Jackets spent last summer preparing for a playoff run in 2011-12, but instead have fallen convincingly to last place in the NHL. Now, the debate is whether or not to sell low on the likes of Jeff Carter and Rick Nash, or see if they can bounce back from bad years as part of an inevitable rebuild that’s desperately needed in Ohio.

Only recently has Kyle Turris ended his long holdout and signed a contract with the Phoenix Coyotes, but the deal was for less than he wanted, and he’s forced to continue playing for an organization that he’s unimpressed with. Will the missed time hurt his development?

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers literally played to a standstill last week, polarizing the NHL in regards to whether the 1-3-1 trap play should be allowed. But with no rules against the style, are we at risk of more boring hockey?

Though it won’t make national headlines like the growing head injury concern in hockey, a similarly subtle epidemic has started making an impact on the way men and women of all ages – not to mention all levels – approach the game. Retired NHL star Claude Lemieux is among the latest to join the cause against foot injuries caused by increasingly rigid hockey skates.