THN S1 Ep30: GM Meetings Wrap Up

THN Episode 30 Show Notes Music by Bensound at http://www.bensound.com Rangers highlights courtesy of MSG Network.  Bruins highlights courtesy of NESN.  Hurricanes highlights courtesy of Fox Sports Carolinas.  Other highlights and clips courtesy of NBC, NBC Sports Network, CBC, Sportsnet, and the National Hockey League.   Opening Headlines: Playoffs races are starting to become more clear Vegas Golden Knights have their first ever player Lightning lose 3 centers to injury in one night GM meetings were held this week, and we have the details We’ll also take a look at the upcoming expansion draft Finally, playoffs are already underway in the NCAA and the KHL. We’ll get you up-to-date.   Scores Wednesday, 3/1: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170301 Thursday, 3/2: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170302 Friday, 3/3: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170303 Saturday, 3/4: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170304 Sunday, 3/5: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170305 Monday, 3/6: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170306 Tuesday, 3/7: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170307 Wednesday, 3/8: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170308 Thursday, 3/9: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170309 Friday, 3/10: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170310     Upcoming games Saturday, 3/11: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170311 Sunday, 3/12: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170312 Monday, 3/13: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170313 Tuesday, 3/14: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20170314     Our teams performances since last recording: BOS:  2-1 L vs NYR on 3/2, 3-2 W vs NJD on 3/4, 4-2 L @ Ott on 3/6, 6-1 W vs Det on 3/8, 2-1 W on 3/11 NYR:  2-1 W @ BOS on 3/2, 4-1 L vs MTL on 3/4, 1-0 OTW @ TBL on 3/6, 5-2 W @ FLA on 3/7, 4-3 L @ CAR on 3/9 CAR:  4-3 OTL @ TBL on 3/1, 4-2 L vs ARI on 3/3, 2-1 W @ ARI on 3/5, 3-1 L @ COL on 3/7, 4-3 W vs NYR on 3/9   Notable Games (Other than Rangers, Bruins, and Canes)   Penguins 1 @ Blackhawks 4 on 3/1 Predators 1 @ Canadiens 2 on 3/2 (Subban returns) Wild 0 @ Blue Jackets 1 on 3/2 Maple Leafs 2 @ Kings 3 (SO) on 3/2 Maple Leafs 2 @ Ducks 5 on 3/3 Blue Jackets 2 @ Senators 3 on 3/4 Blackhawks 5 @ Predators 3 on 3/4 Sharks 1 @ Wild 3 on 3/5 Predators 3 @ Ducks 4 SO on 3/7 Blues 2 @ Wild 1 on 3/7 Canadiens 0 @ Flames 5 on 3/9 Wild 1 @ Lightning 4 on 3/9 Ducks 1 @ Blackhawks 0 on 3/9 Predators 2 @ Kings 3 OT on 3/9 Capitals 2 @ Sharks 4 on 3/9 Penguins 3 @ Oilers 2 SO on 3/10 Wild 7 @ Panthers 4 on 3/10 Ducks 3 @ Blues 4 on 3/10 Standings: https://www.nhl.com/standings   Break: Where we are: HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT! We are now on The Hockey Writers Podcast Channel!  thehockeywriters .com @TheHockeyWriter #THW Itunes Stitcher Soundcloud iHeartRadio TuneIn Google Play Music Spreaker? Android/Apple apps RSS: http://thehockeynuts.libsyn.com/rss Our Web Site: http://www.thehockeynuts.com How to support the show: This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce.  So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it.  For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies.  In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider).  Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us.  In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. 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If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know!  All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.   How to get in touch with us: Twitter: Wayne: @waynehallee9 Steve: @sball504man Email: [email protected] Voicemail: 919-960-1718 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thehockeynuts/ Youtube Channel: http://www.thehockeynuts.com/youtube (Don’t forget to like and subscribe!) Live streaming!!! We now stream to 3 places at once! Youtube: https://www.thehockeynuts.com/youtube Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehockeynuts/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thisoldnoob       Transactions All Transactions: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/transactions ForwardCurtis McKenzie signed a one-year, $700,000 contract with the Dallas Stars on Friday.  McKenzie, 26, was in the second season of a two-year, $1.35 million contract with an average annual value of $675,000 and could have become a restricted free agent July 1.  McKenzie has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 43 games this season. Selected by the Stars in the sixth round (No. 159) of the 2009 NHL Draft, he has 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 82 NHL games.  The Stars also signed goaltender Landon Bow to a two-year entry-level contract. Financial terms were not released.  Bow, 21, is 7-7-0 with a 3.17 goals-against average and .894 save percentage in 16 games with Texas of the American Hockey League. He's also played 21 games with Idaho in the ECHL, and is second in that league with a 2.15 GAA and .933 save percentage. The Dallas Stars signed forwardAdam Cracknell to a one-year, $675,000 contract Wednesday that runs through next season.  Cracknell, 31, has 10 points (seven goals, three assists) and 32 blocked shots in 53 games with the Stars this season and would have become an unrestricted free agent July 1. The seven goals and 53 games played are NHL career highs. He signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Stars on July 3.  Cracknell (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) has 37 points (18 goals, 19 assists) in 187 NHL games with the St. Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers and Stars during seven NHL seasons. Forward Tage Thompson signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. Thompson, 19, was selected by the Blues with the No. 26 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. His contract will begin next season, when he will report to Chicago of the American Hockey League.  Thompson (6-foot-5, 201 pounds) led the University of Connecticut with 19 goals and had 13 assists for 32 points in 34 games in his sophomore season. He had a goal and four assists in seven games to help the United States win the 2017 World Junior Championship.     Reid Dukehas waited patiently for an opportunity to play in the NHL. After making history Monday, he now may have a chance to make that happen.  The Vegas Golden Knights, who begin play next season, made the right wing from Brandon of the Western Hockey League the first player in their history when they signed the 21-year-old to a three-year, entry-level contract.  Duke (6-foot, 192 pounds) was a sixth-round pick (No. 169) of the Minnesota Wild in the 2014 NHL Draft but never signed with them. He skated with the New York Rangers at the Traverse City Prospects Tournament in Michigan in September, and also attended development camp with the Montreal Canadiens.  He has 250 points (113 goals, 137 assists) in 306 WHL games with Lethbridge and Brandon.    Injuries Tampa Bay Lightning centersTyler Johnson, Vladislav Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette are day to day after each was injured in a 4-1 win against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.  "They all looked bad. Only time will tell. We'll see how that goes," associate coach Rick Bowness told the Lightning website Friday.  Namestnikov, 24, was helped off the ice at 3:18 of the second period after Wild forward Zach Parisefell on his leg going for a loose puck.  Johnson, 26, was helped off the ice at 8:04 of the second after a knee-to-knee hit from Minnesota forward Nino Niederreiter.  Paquette, 23, got tangled with Niederreiter and exited in the third period.  https://www.nhl.com/news/three-tampa-bay-lightning-centers-day-to-day-after-injuries/c-287589822 DefensemanToby Enstrom will be out indefinitely because of a concussion, Winnipeg Jets coach Paul Maurice said on Friday.  Enstrom was hit from behind by Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tom Sestito at 13:10 of the first period in a 7-4 loss on Wednesday. Enstrom left the game and was taken to a hospital.  Enstrom was hit from behind by Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tom Sestito at 13:10 of the first period in a 7-4 loss on Wednesday. Enstrom left the game and was taken to a hospital.  Sestito was ejected from the game for an illegal check from behind and was suspended for four games by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Thursday.  https://www.nhl.com/news/winnipeg-jets-toby-enstrom-out-indefinitely/c-287581536 Boston Bruins forwardRyan Spooner is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with a concussion.  Spooner was injured in the third period of a 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Monday. He had 13:32 of ice time prior to leaving the game.  The 25-year-old has 34 points (11 goals, 23 assists) in 65 games this season. Spooner has 112 points (32 goals, 80 assists) in 201 NHL games in five seasons, all with the Bruins.  Dallas Stars forwardAntoine Roussel will miss the rest of the season after injuring his hand in a 5-4 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday.  Roussel left the game during the first period after blocking a shot by Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk. Coach Lindy Ruff said Friday that Roussel would miss 6-8 weeks and would not play again this season.  Roussel had 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 60 games and five points (four goals, one assist) in the five games before the injury.  Over the past three-plus seasons, Roussel, 27, missed nine games and played in 80 games or more in each of the past three seasons.   Milestones/Records/Honors/Deaths: Forward Olli Jokinen will sign an honorary contract with the Florida Panthers and announce his retirement from professional hockey Tuesday. The Panthers will honor Jokinen's accomplishments during the second period of their game against the New York Rangers at BB&T; Center (7:30 p.m. ET; FS-F, MSG, NHL.TV).  Jokinen, 38, played seven seasons for Florida (2000-08) and was captain from 2003-08. He is first in Panthers history in points (419), goals (188), game-winning goals (36), overtime goals (10), power-play points (153) and shots (1,837).  Selected by the Los Angeles Kings with the No. 3 pick in the 1997 NHL Draft, Jokinen retires with 750 points (321 goals, 429 assists) in 1,231 NHL games with 10 teams. He last played in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues in 2014-15.  Jokinen lives in Florida, and formed the South Florida Hockey Academy in 2016, along with former Panthers teammates Tomas Vokoun and Radek Dvorak.  Joe Thorntonbecame the 13th NHL player to reach 1,000 assists with one on Monday.  The San Jose Sharks forward assisted on Joe Pavelski's empty-net goal with 26 seconds left in the third period of a 3-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets.  Thornton has 36 assists in 65 games this season. He got No. 999 on Feb. 28 in a 3-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but then went two games without one.  The 37-year-old has played 1,432 NHL games and has 715 assists in 900 games with San Jose. He had 285 in 532 games with the Boston Bruins.  Thornton had an NHL career-high 96 assists in 2005-06, the season when he was traded to the Sharks by the Bruins. He had 63 last season, his eighth season with at least 60, and has had at least 49 in every full NHL season since 2002-03.  Wayne Gretzky holds the NHL record with 1,963 assists; Ron Francis is second with 1,249. Jaromir Jagr leads active players with 1,142, fifth in NHL history. Joe Sakic ranks 12th with 1,016.  Thornton has 382 goals to give him 1,382 points, ranking 23rd in NHL history. He was the No. 1 pick in the 1997 NHL Draft by Boston.  Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov, Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price have been named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the week ending March 5. Kucherov led the NHL with 5-4-9 in four games to power the Lightning (30-26-8, 68 points) to three wins.  Bobrovsky turned aside 87-of-88 shots, going 2-0-1 with a 0.33 goals-against average, .989 save percentage and two shutouts to guide the Blue Jackets (41-17-6, 88 points) to five out of a possible eight standings points.  Price went 3-0-0 with a 0.66 goals-against average, .974 save percentage and one shutout to propel the Canadiens (37-21-8, 82 points) to a perfect 4-0-0 week.  Suspensions/Fines:  Calgary Flames forwardJohnny Gaudreau has been fined $2,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64 (Diving/Embellishment), the National Hockey League announced today.  NHL Rule 64 is designed to bring attention to and more seriously penalize players (and teams) who repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties.  Gaudreau was issued a Warning following an incident flagged by NHL Hockey Operations during NHL Game No. 514 against Vancouver on Dec. 23. His second Citation, which triggered the $2,000 fine, was issued for an incident at 8:06 of the second period during NHL Game No. 962 against NY Islanders on March 5. Offsetting minor penalties were assessed on the play, to Islanders forward Josh Ho-Sang for holding and to Gaudreau for embellishment. Los Angeles Kings defensemanJake Muzzin has been fined $2,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64 (Diving/Embellishment), the National Hockey League announced today.  Muzzin was issued a Warning following an incident flagged by NHL Hockey Operations during NHL Game No. 16 against Philadelphia on Oct. 14. His second Citation, which triggered the $2,000 fine, was issued for an incident at 17:41 of the first period during NHL Game No. 961 against Vancouver on March 4. Vancouver forward Michael Chaput received a minor penalty for high-sticking, nullifying a Canucks power play.  Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tom Sestito has been suspended for four games, without pay, for boarding Winnipeg Jets defensemanToby Enstrom during NHL Game No. 984 in Winnipeg on Wednesday, March 8, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced Wed.  The incident occurred at 13:10 of the first period. Sestito was assessed a major penalty for checking from behind and a game misconduct.  Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Sestito will forfeit $12,777.76. NHL Debuts: http://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_2017_debut.html   Other Interesting Stories: The NHL is focused on a 2017-18 schedule that does not include the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, Commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday. That could change "if something dramatic happened at some point in time," Commissioner Bettman said. But no meetings are scheduled between the NHL and the International Olympic Committee, the International Ice Hockey Federation or the NHL Players' Association.  "There's absolutely nothing new," Commissioner Bettman said after the NHL general managers met here. "I think the overwhelming sentiment of the teams is that it's very disruptive on the season, and there's somewhere between fatigue and negativity on the subject."  NHL players have participated in the past five Winter Olympics. But over time, the owners have found little to no benefit to shutting down their league and sending their players to someone else's tournament, particularly when the Olympics are overseas.  Commissioner Bettman said the NHL would not set a deadline. Asked how the process could move forward, he said, "You have to talk to the other people involved. As things stand now, there's really nothing for us to focus on. … We don't have an agreement to go. We're focusing on things in that regard."  https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-focused-on-2017-18-schedule-without-olympics/c-287506900  NHL general managers agreed Wednesday to recommend a change to the timeout rule (Rule 87) to the NHL Competition Committee for further review and vetting. The GMs will recommend that coaches should not be able to call a timeout after their team ices the puck with the idea that it potentially could force tired players to remain on the ice, which in turn could create an advantage for the opposing team in the offensive zone.  The change needs approval from the Competition Committee and the NHL Board of Governors to become official.  The GMs understand there could be a player safety issue with forcing tired players to stay on the ice. It's possible that becomes a point of contention with the NHL Players' Association, which has representation on the Competition Committee.  Cheveldayoff agreed that coaches tend to preserve their timeout in case they want to issue a coach's challenge. They must be in possession of their timeout to challenge a goal scored on a potential offside or goaltender interference play.  The GMs will recommend to the Competition Committee an adjustment on the location of a faceoff when a team on the power play is guilty of touching the puck with a high stick.  The current rule calls for the faceoff to be in the defensive zone. The GMs are recommending to move the faceoff to just outside the attacking blue line.   In response to concerns from the GMs, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the League will try to schedule the five-day extended breaks for each team, commonly referred to as bye weeks, in two segments next season so half the teams are off one week and the other half are off the next. Teams were 10-16-4 in their first game back from their extended breaks in the schedule this season. Four teams (Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks) played the first game back from their break against a team also coming off its break.  "This way teams that were in the break can play each other the first couple of games," Commissioner Bettman said. "If this doesn't work any better and we still get the negative feedback that we got then I think we're going to have to consider getting rid of it."  The NHL and the NHLPA negotiated the extended breaks in the schedule into the collective bargaining agreement in return for the 3-on-3 All-Star Game format. The result was a condensed schedule.  With the break built in and the World Cup of Hockey 2016 pushing back the start of this season by five days, teams were limited to 175 days to play 82 games. They had 187 days to play 82 games last season.  Commissioner Bettman said the extended breaks would not be built into the schedule next season if the League chooses to attend the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. He said the NHL is focused on building a schedule that does not include Olympic participation.  Cheveldayoff said the GMs are under the impression that the NHL salary cap for next season could be at or close to the same $73 million it is this season. "Before the decisions really start in June you get a better idea, and as the numbers start rolling out you'll get a better idea, but I think again there is the possibility that it could stay flat," Cheveldayoff said.  NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the cap could rise as much as $3 million if the NHLPA chooses to include its 5 percent inflator. Daly said concerns expressed from the NHLPA about the amount of escrow taken out of player contracts, which is tied to the cap figure, could have an effect on that decision.  “It's all a discussion and a negotiation with the Players' Association," Deputy Commissioner Daly said. NHL general managers on Tuesday discussed the merits of changing the offside rule to potentially allow for fewer overturned goals. But when they dug into the specifics and analyzed the numbers, the consensus was to keep everything status quo. "We think offside is working," Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli said.  Before reaching that conclusion, the GMs discussed changing the offside rule (Rule 83.1) to allow for a player to be considered onside as long as one of his skates has broken the vertical plane of the blue line regardless if it is in contact with the ice.  The basis of the offside rule, which dates to 1929-30, dictates that a player is judged to be onside when either of his skates is in contact with or on his own side of the blue line at the instant the puck completely crosses the leading edge of the blue line.  The skate-off-the-ice offside play typically shows up in video review conducted through the coach's challenge. The GMs learned Tuesday that it rarely happens and even fewer times does it result in a goal being overturned.  Through 972 games this season, 29 goals have been challenged because the coach felt a player had his skate off the ice and was offside, according to NHL Hockey Operations. Of those 29 goals, nine were overturned.  There have been approximately 5,700 offside calls this season.  "I really don't think it's a big deal," Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic said. "We have the rule. We've had it forever. In my mind you don't have to change anything.  https://www.nhl.com/news/gm-meetings-no-change-to-nhl-offside-rule/c-287474800 NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Wednesday reaffirmed the League's commitment to keep the Arizona Coyotes in the greater Phoenix area. Commissioner Bettman spoke following the general managers meetings, one day after he sent a letter to the Arizona Legislature saying the Coyotes can't be profitable at Gila River Arena in Glendale and lobbied for the state to pass a partnership bill known as Senate Bill 1149, which would help finance an arena for the Coyotes closer to downtown Phoenix.  The Coyotes have been playing in Glendale for 15 seasons and Commissioner Bettman wrote in his letter that throughout that time the team has sustained a "consistent economic loss."  "We are not giving up on the Coyotes in the greater Phoenix area," Commissioner Bettman said Wednesday. "The fact that the Coyotes are even having discussions about moving out of Glendale is because the city of Glendale chose to terminate the long-term agreement they had with the team. Had they not terminated that agreement, we wouldn't be having this discussion. The Coyotes are looking at the numerous options they have in the Valley, and we expect one of them to go to fruition. The purpose of the letter was: There is a bill pending, and I believe the city of Glendale was lobbying, saying if the other municipalities, the senators from those municipalities, don't approve it, then the team will have to stay in Glendale. That's not going to be the case. The team has got a number of options and is going to pursue them, so nobody should think that the team is moving other than out of Glendale. But short-term they're going to stay in Glendale, while they're pursuing the options."  Commissioner Bettman said it could take a few years for the Coyotes to pursue all of their options for a new home in the greater Phoenix area but stressed that he believes in the long-term viability of the Coyotes in Arizona.  "I'm very confident," Commissioner Bettman said. "I want to repeat we have not given up on that market, but we wanted to make clear that the long-term future and viability of that team, the Coyotes, isn't going to be in Glendale."  Commissioner Bettman stressed in his letter to the Legislature that the construction of a new arena for the Coyotes would not create any financial risk or debt for the state or make use of any existing state tax dollars. He also wrote that a new building would create 300 jobs and $75 million in annual payroll the Coyotes currently provide for the state.  In addition, Commissioner Bettman wrote that the construction of the new arena would create 2,500 jobs for two years and more than 3,600 jobs associated with the arena operations. He wrote the economic impact would be more than $600 million, nearly double the economic impact the Coyotes already bring the state.  "I think when the Coyotes get a new arena better situated, I think the team will do very, very well there, better than they have in terms of the attendance and business side," Commissioner Bettman said.  Arizona general manager John Chayka said there is a lot of evidence that shows the Coyotes are important to the market and that it's necessary for them to find a long-term solution to stay there.  "You see Auston Matthews, that type of story," Chayka said, referencing the Toronto Maple Leafs rookie center who is from Scottsdale, Arizona. "You just go to the youth hockey rinks in Arizona, you know it would be a terrible thing if we left at this point. They've invested a lot of time and effort in that market. I think moving on now wouldn't make any sense at all."  When hockey came in from the cold https://www.nhl.com/news/first-indoor-hockey-game-played-142-years-ago/c-287304824 Expansion Draft See Web Page Assumptions: Vegas will not pick UFAs and RFAs in this scenario.  Aim to keep cap as low as possible to leave room to sign a couple UFAs.  Picks are “Bang for the Buck” picks. See youtube channel for a soon coming video on how I came up with the picks.   The Hockeynuts.com Power Rankings: https://www.nhl.com/standings Team (last week) Washington (1) Pittsburgh (3) Columbus (4) Minnesota (2) Chicago (5) San Jose (7) NY Rangers (6) Ottawa (11) Montreal (8) Edmonton (9) Anaheim (10) Calgary (14) Boston (13) NY Islanders (17) Toronto (15) Nashville (12) St Louis (19) Tampa Bay (21) Los Angeles (16) Philadelphia (20) Florida (18) Winnipeg (23) Buffalo (22) Vancouver (28) Dallas (26) Carolina (25) Detroit (27) New Jersey (24) Arizona (29) Colorado (30) Las Vegas (31)     Upcoming Schedules: BOS:  vs PHI on 3/11, @ VAN on 3/13, @ CGY on 3/15, @ EDM on 3/16 NYR:  @ DET on 3/12, vs TBL on 3/13, CAR:  vs TOR on 3/11, @ NYI on 3/13, vs NYI on 3/14, vs MIN on 3/16 Highlights of upcoming week Canadiens @ Oilers on 3/12 Wild @ Blackhawks on 3/12 Capitals @ Ducks on 3/12 Penguins @ Flames on 3/13 Blues @ Kings on 3/13 Blackhawks @ Canadiens on 3/14 Wild @ Capitals on 3/14 Maple Leafs @ Panthers on 3/14 Penguins @ Flyers on 3/15 (Rivalry) Blues @ Ducks on 3/15 NCAA Minute: Maine:  Season over.  Swept by Vermont in opening round of the HE playoffs:   College conference Playoffs now underway for all teams outside of Big 10: Atlantic Hockey Playoffs: http://www.uscho.com/atlantic-hockey-playoffs/ Big 10 Playoffs: http://www.uscho.com/big-ten-playoffs/ ECAC Playoffs: http://www.uscho.com/ecac-hockey-playoffs/ Hockey East Playoffs: http://www.uscho.com/hockey-east-playoffs/ NCHC Playoffs: http://www.uscho.com/nchc-playoffs/ WCHA Playoffs: http://www.uscho.com/wcha-playoffs/     Rankings: March 06, 2017   Team (First Place Votes) Record Points Last Poll 1 Denver (48) 26- 6-4 997 1 2 Harvard ( 1) 22- 5-2 937 2 3 Minnesota-Duluth ( 1) 21- 6-7 902 3 4 Massachusetts-Lowell   22- 9-3 841 4 5 Minnesota   22-10-2 753 5 6 Union   23- 8-3 739 6 7 Western Michigan   20- 9-5 702 8 8 Boston University   21-10-3 697 7 9 Cornell   18- 6-5 593 9 10 Providence   22- 9-5 559 10 11 Penn State   21- 9-2 478 11 12 Notre Dame   19-10-5 462 12 13 Vermont   20-11-5 374 14 14 North Dakota   18-14-3 336 15 15 Ohio State   18-10-6 291 13 16 Wisconsin   19-12-1 282 16 17 Boston College   18-14-4 174 17 18 Air Force   22- 9-5 133 18 19 St. Lawrence   16-11-7 66 20 20 St. Cloud State   16-17-1 55 19 Others receiving votes: Quinnipiac 37, Canisius 26, Bemidji State 22, Omaha 18, Michigan Tech 10, Minnesota State 9, Northeastern 7. Read more: http://www.uscho.com/rankings/d-i-mens-poll/#ixzz4azu4NOgX Pairwise: http://www.uscho.com/rankings/pairwise-rankings/d-i-men/ Bracketology: http://www.uscho.com/bracketology/2017/02/22/if-ncaa-tournament-started-today-whos-in-and-whos-out/   Potential Free Agents:  https://www.nhl.com/news/best-college-nhl-free-agents/c-287429252     KHL Minute: KHL Playoffs!  http://en.khl.ru/   A look at the standings:  http://en.khl.ru/standings/   Picks of the week: Wayne:  https://www.nhl.com/news/penguins-fan-gives-extra-ticket-to-homeless-man/c-287563774   Steve:  Alex Ovechkin delivers pizza     Listener Feedback     Close the show   Next Week’s scheduled stream: Wed., 3/15 6:30 PM.     How to get in touch with us: Twitter: Wayne: @waynehallee9 Steve: @sball504man Email: [email protected] Voicemail: 919-960-1718 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thehockeynuts/ Youtube Channel: http://www.thehockeynuts.com/youtube (Don’t forget to like and subscribe!) Live streaming!!! We now stream to 3 places at once! Youtube: https://www.thehockeynuts.com/youtube Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehockeynuts/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thisoldnoob   Where we are: HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT! We are now on The Hockey Writers Podcast Channel!  thehockeywriters .com @TheHockeyWriter #THW Itunes Stitcher Soundcloud iHeartRadio TuneIn Google Play Music Spreaker? Android/Apple apps RSS: http://thehockeynuts.libsyn.com/rss Our Web Site: http://www.thehockeynuts.com