Thursday Night QuickPick
Thursday
Carolina (+3) over Miami- In a short week, the Dolphins will be scrambling after the loss of Ronnie Brown, and the potent Panthers run attack will work quite well at home. The pressure will really be on Chad Henne to put in a strong performance, and look for Carolina to play conservatively and cover the spread.
Hot Stove Update 11/19
2:20 p.m. Eastern
-Ken Rosenthal reports the Yankees plan on pursuing Braves relievers Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez and possibly move Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes into the rotation, thus allowing them to save money by not inking John Lackey. What they’re doing as of now is uncertain. This was reported earlier today by AOl FanHouse’s Frankie Piliere.
-St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer Derrick Gould’s fascinating look into how he voted for the incredibly close NL Cy Young award race.
1:40 p.m. Eastern
-Jon Heyman has a source that says Tim Lincecum has won the NL Cy Young.
-The Royals have officially signed Brad Thompson to a minor league deal.
1:35 p.m. Eastern
-Matt Holliday will not be a target for the Angels, Jason Bay will, says Jon Paul Morosi.
-WFAN in New York reports that Andy Pettitte has filed for free agency.
-Bart Hubbuch reports Fernando Tatis has also filed for free agency.
1:25 p.m. Eastern
-Bob Nightengale has a good list of rumors including the Yankees quietly shopping around Nick Swisher, the Rays being the clear favorite to acquire Milton Bradley and the Dodgers being interested in Roy Halladay but would have to give up Chad Billingsley.
-Jason Bay rejected a four year deal from the Red Sox worth $60 million, according to SI’s Jon Heyman. The Mets, Braves, Cardinals and Giants are interested along with the Yankees, Cubs, Angels and Mariners.
-A source told Fox Sports that the Royals have an agreement with righty Brad Thompson.
10 a.m. Eastern
-St. Louis is optimistic about resigning Matt Holliday, says Fox Sports.
-A source told AOL FanHouse’s Frankie Piliere that the Braves intend to trade either Derek Lowe or Javier Vazquez. Lowe would be the cheaper option and both New York teams would be interested. The Yankees, Angels and Rangers could have interest in Vazquez. The Yankees and Red Sox could battle it out for Aroldis Chapman. Rafael Soriano is at the top of a lot of teams’ wish lists and it looks like Mike Gonzalez will stay in Atlanta.
-Targets for the Mets include John Lackey, Joel Piniero and Jason Marquis as the number two starter, Matt Holliday and Jason Bay for LF, Bengie Molina or Rod Barajas at C and perhaps even resigning JJ Putz, says the New York Post. The Mets are not thought to be in the running for Roy Halladay.
-Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon and Andy Pettitte are set to hit the open market, says the New York Post. The Yankees will be on Lackey, Bay and Holliday but could also get in on trades for Halladay, Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson from Detroit, Josh Hamilton from Texas and BJ Upton from Tampa Bay. Gonzalez and Soriano of Atlanta could also be attractive.
-The Cubs are close to resigning reliever John Grabow to a two-year deal worth as much as $7.5 million, says ESPN Chicago’s Bruce Levine. A deal should be done today.
-Marlon Byrd probably won’t return to the Rangers, says TR Sullivan.
-Baltimore probably won’t go after John Lackey, says Alden Gonzalez.
-The White Sox are looking for bargains, with Jim Thome, Henry Blanco and Mike Redmond mentioned by Scott Merkin.
-The Yankees are look to just tweak their roster, rather than an overhaul, says Anthony DiComo.
NHL Week In Preview
With a dominant 7-1-3 record at home, Washington is now the leader in the Eastern Conference with 30 points, two more than Atlantic co-leaders New Jersey and Pittsburgh. San Jose is now the NHL leader in points with 32 after a 6-1-3 stretch. Coupled with a small swoon for Colorado and the west right now goes through the Shark Tank. The Central is turning into a very strong division with Chicago, Detroit and Nashville each winning seven of their last 10. Philadelphia is a hot team right now and moved into third in the Atlantic and even the Islanders are playing some very strong hockey to get back into the pack. Toronto, Carolina and St. Louis are ice cold and at the bottom of their divisions.
Week In Preview
Thursday- TSN has a double header featuring an awful game followed by a great one. Toronto and Carolina battles at 7 as the two worst teams in the league and Chicago visits Calgary at 9:30 as two of the five hottest teams in the west. Pittsburgh plays at Ottawa on Thursday, with the Sens hanging around in a down Northeast Division. New Jersey goes on the road to play the white-hot Predators and Columbus and Dallas look to stay in the western race at 8:30 eastern.
Friday- It’s been an up-and-down, mediocre season for Montreal, but they’ll get some publicity in Washington at 7 eastern on TSN. Boston can get back in the Northeast with a win at Buffalo, Philadelphia visits San Jose in a battle of two of the hottest teams and struggling Vancouver can get back in the Northwest race with a win in Colorado.
Saturday- Edmonton is another one of those middling western teams, and they’ll get a crack at Central leading Chicago at home at 10 eastern on CBC. Los Angeles is still third in the west with 29 points and will host Calgary in a matinee from Staples. Buffalo is at Ottawa in a 1-2 battle in the Northeast, New Jersey is at Dallas, Philadelphia at Phoenix and Columbus at Nashville.
Sunday- The 2nd and 3rd best teams in the Southeast battle as Tampa Bay plays at Atlanta and Chicago continues in western Canada as they visit Vancouver in the only two games of the day.
Monday- This battle could be a huge momentum shifter in the Central as the Red Wings visit Nashville at 7 eastern on Versus. Also integral to that division is Columbus’ visit to Madison Square Garden against the slumping Rangers. US and Canada’s HQ’s face off as Washington is at Ottawa, Phoenix is at Edmonton and Philadelphia visits Colorado.
Tuesday- Montreal hosts Columbus at 7 eastern on TSN in the NHL’s only game.
Wednesday- With kids off from school and the next day an American holiday, 14 games are on the NHL schedule led by Dallas at St. Louis at 8:30 eastern on Versus and a TSN doubleheader with Toronto at Tampa Bay and Phoenix at Calgary. Ottawa is at New Jersey, Philadelphia at the Islanders and Buffalo visits Washington in a battle of division leaders. In the west, Nashville is at Colorado, Los Angeles is at Edmonton and Chicago is at San Jose in a battle of division leaders.
Players of the Week
Goals- Henrik Zetterberg, C, DET (5). Maxim Afinogenov, RW, ATL & John Tavares, C, NYI (4).
Assists- Six players tied with five.
Points- Zetterberg and Ilya Kovalchuk, LW, ATL tied with (8). Three players tied with six.
Plus/Minus- Travis Zajac, C, NJ, Zach Parise, LW, NJ & Dan Cleary, RW, DET tied at +6.
Penalty Minutes- Zack Stortini, LW, EDM (24). Wayne Simmonds, RW, LA, (21).
Power Play Points- Kovulchuk & Mike Green, D, WSH (4). 10 players tied with three.
Shots On Goal- Phil Kessel, RW, TOR (20). Justin Williams, RW, LA & Chad LaRose, LW, CAR tied with 17.
Wins- Pekka Rinne, NSH & Thomas Vokoun, FLA (3). 11 goalies tied with two.
GAA (goalies with at least two wins)- Rinne (1.34). Semyon Varlamov, WSH (1.50). Mathieu Garon, CLB (1.85).
Saves (goalies with at least two wins)- Vokoun (133). Carey Price, MON (101). Martin Brodeur, NJ (84).
Save % (goalies with at least two wins)- Rinne (.946). Price (.944). Varlamov (.940). Vokoun (.937).
Shutouts- Tim Thomas, BOS, Rinne, Vokoun & Ondrej Pavelec, ATL tied with one.
