Jose Theodore left his team to fly back to Washington for personal reasons.  They take on the New York Rangers tonight and will have Semyon Varlamov between the pipes but have called up Michal Neuvirth from the AHL to serve as a backup.
The Washington Capitals did not elaborate on what is going on with Theodore but, considering how much he’s been through over the years, it really could be anything.   Let’s review:

His dad and brothers pleaded guilty a few years ago on loansharking charges, among other things.
His father-in-law, a well-known Quebec music producer, was convicted on serious child molestation charges
Theo …read more

As a Calgary Flames fan, I’ve had a really hard time watching goaltender, Miikka Kiprusoff, go from this incredible talent with so much promise, to a struggling player.  I realize that he was exceptionally good when he joined the team but I never figured it was a fluke.  I also know that he had a hard time with Mike Keenan as the head coach over the past couple seasons since their tension was visibly obvious which is pretty significant considering how reserved Kipper is.

When they announced that Brent Sutter would be coming over from the New Jersey Devils, I was …read more

Jean-Sebastien Giguere has recovered from the groin pull he suffered late last month and, while he recuperated, Jonas Hiller started the last six games but, unlike Carey Price, Giguere has made it very clear that he wants his #1 spot back and he’d go to extreme measures to avoid being anyone’s backup.

“I’d rather retire than be a backup goalie,” Giguere said. “Something needs to happen. You get a guy like (Hiller) that’s going to be a free agent at the end of the year and myself, making the money I’m making, either I’m leaving or he’s leaving.  I want to …read more

With Carey Price struggling, Jaroslav Halak has been used as the starting goaltender more than some expected.  I’ve been pretty happy for the backup goaltender since I think he’s got some talent but needs more ice time to develop.  Price has actually been pretty cool about it (I even have wondered if he was being too cool) so I think the fact that Halak’s agent Allan Walsh took a swipe at him on Twitter makes him a douche.

All of this went down after the Montreal Canadiens lost 3-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night.  Walsh decided to do …read more

I hate skate injuries.  They are such a reminder of how dangerous the game can really be.  Carolina Hurricanes goaltender, Cam Ward, is in the hospital after his leg was cut open by the skate of Rick Nash.  The injury occurred during the first period of their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Ward is still in the hospital and didn’t fly home with the team after the 3-2 loss.  “It’s a significant injury and all I mean by that is I don’t have any timeline,” coach Paul Maurice said. “There was a fair amount of blood on the ice. All …read more

NHL fans are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the introduction of goaltender masks.  On November 1, 1959 the New York Rangers were hosting the Montreal Canadiens at the Madison Square Garden.
Rangers forward, Andy Bathgate, was pretty irritable with Habs netminder, Jacques Plante, who, he says, rubbed it in when the Rangers were beaten at home.  He also was a bit upset about an altercation with the goalie that almost left Bathgate in the hospital.

“The puck was dumped in and it wasn’t a hard shot,” Batgate recalled.  “I thought I could beat him to the puck but all this was happening …read more

After multiple reports said that Vancouver Canucks goaltender, Roberto Luongo, would be out of the lineup indefinitely, the team is relieved to learn that he will probably only miss a week due to a hairline fracture in his ribs.

He got hurt during Saturday night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.  “It was a bad angle shot from (Leafs’ forward Niklas) Hagman in the corner and I just kind of went one knee down and the puck just hit me in the seam of my chest protector,” Luongo said.  “It kind of hurt, but the adrenaline was going so I finished …read more

Whoa, whoa, whoa… Carey Price has all but relinquished his #1 spot as the Montreal Canadiens goaltender – for now.   At practice yesterday, Price spoke of backup netminder Jaroslav Halak and said:  “Everybody wants to play, but when the team’s doing well you have to think of the team first and that’s what I’m doing right now. He’s on a streak right now. He’s been playing well, so he deserves his playing time.”
What fresh hell is this?  Yes, I realize that Price lost his first four starts and Halak won his first four starts but I didn’t think that Price …read more

I’m pretty bummed about this news but Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender, Jonas Gustavsson, is on the injured reserve list after suffering from a bit of a groin pull.  It doesn’t sound too serious but you never know with these things.
The rookie will probably be on the bench for at least a week.  “I was examined yesterday, and they think I pulled it a little bit,” Gustavsson said.  “So I’ll take it easy for a few days.”
Anyone who was looking forward to seeing Vesa Toskala fight to retain his #1 spot with “The Monster” on his ass is going to have …read more

I hear the curse of long-term contracts knocking on the door of Vancouver Canucks goaltender, Roberto Luongo.  Seriously, friends.  I know it’s so early in the season but this is definitely worth talking about.

The Canucks lost 5-3 to the Columbus Blue Jackets last night.  I’ll get to the details on this nightmare but, first, let’s look at their start to this season so far.  They’ve played three games and they’ve lost three games.
I watched their opener since it was against the Calgary Flames and almost instantly I was asking if there was something off about Luongo.  I shrugged it off …read more