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Kimmo Timonen

PHT Morning Skate: Preds need spark; 2020 IIHF Hall of Fame Class

By Joey AlfieriFeb 5, 2020, 8:15 AM EST
Welcome to the PHT Morning Skate, a collection of links from around the hockey world. Have a link you want to submit? Email us at phtblog@nbcsports.com.

• The Winnipeg Jets players react to Dustin Byfuglien‘s departure. (Winnipeg Sun)

• The Leafs have so much firepower, but they might not make the playoffs. (Toronto Sun)

• Should the Blues spend the assets to acquire Chris Kreider? (St. Louis Game-Time)

• The Predators are still searching for some kind of spark. (Tennessean)

• Can the Lightning get over last year’s epic playoff loss to Columbus? (FiveThirtyEight)

• Cam Talbot is now on the cusp of a Gordie Howe hat trick. (Sportsnet)

• The Bruins’ win over the Jets reminded them of a Don Cherry Hardest Hits video. (NBC Sports Boston)

• Adam Fox is having a strong rookie season for the Rangers. (Sports Illustrated)

• The Ducks appreciate having Ryan Miller as a back up netminder. (OC Register)

• Is this the end of the line for Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau? (Featurd)

• How is every player on the Caps living up to their contract? (Nova Caps Fans)

• Jimmy Vesey isn’t focusing on the upcoming trade deadline. (Buffalo Hockey Beat)

• Ryan Smyth, Alexei Yashin, Kimmo Timonen, Mark Streit and others make up the IIHF Hall of Fame Class of 2020. (IIHF)

• Seattle area scout Ulf Samuelsson has left his position with the team to return to coaching. (Seattle Times)

• It’s important for the Islanders to treat their alumni right. (Light House Hockey)

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Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri.

Video: Thousands celebrate Timonen in home town of Kuopio

By Jason BroughJul 22, 2015, 2:34 PM EDT
6 Comments

Beloved Finnish defenseman Kimmo Timonen was feted by thousands of fans in his hometown of Kuopio.

Just last month, Timonen, 40, ended his career on a high note:

The city of Kuopio has a population of around 110,000. Other hockey players from Kuopio include Olli Jokinen and Sami Kapanen.

PHT Morning Skate: Penguins quest for top-six forward continues into UFA fenzy

By Ryan DadounJul 1, 2015, 7:13 AM EDT
10 Comments

PHT’s Morning Skate takes a look around the world of hockey to see what’s happening and what we’ll be talking about around the NHL world and beyond.

With the free agent period about to begin, what players are the Pittsburgh Penguins likely to target to bolster their top two lines? (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Philadelphia Flyers will hold Kimmo Timonen’s retirement ceremony on Oct. 14 when they host the Chicago Blackhawks. (Flyers.nhl.com)

Here’s a thorough look at the situation in Buffalo after GM Tim Murray’s flurry of moves. (Puck Daddy)

Expectations are high for Avalanche GM Joe Sakic going into the free agent frenzy. (Denver Post)

Calgary has Dougie Hamilton locked up, so now the focus will shift back to re-signing Mark Giordano. (Calgary Sun)

Could Matt Beleskey end up with Toronto? (Toronto Sun)

Jackets’ Zito named Lake Erie GM

By Dhiren MahibanJun 23, 2015, 11:15 PM EDT

The Columbus Blue Jackets have named assistant general manager Bill Zito the general manager of the American Hockey League’s Lake Erie Monsters the team announced on Tuesday.

Zito has been in his role with the Blue Jackets for two years. According to Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch, Zito has been responsible for many of the club’s big contract negotiations including Ryan Johansen, Brandon Dubinsky and Sergei Bobrovsky.

“I’m honored and excited to take on this challenge,” Zito said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the Lake Erie organization.”

Zito will maintain his current role with the Jackets and oversee all hockey operations efforts for Lake Erie.

The 50-year-old replaces Chris MacFarland who left the Blue Jackets in May to join the Colorado Avalanche.

Prior to joining the Blue Jackets in August 2013, Zito spent two decades as an agent Acme World Sports representing the likes of Tim Thomas, Tuukka Rask and Kimmo Timonen.

Toews admits Chicago’s cap crunch feels ‘a lot like 2010’

By James O'BrienJun 23, 2015, 3:35 PM EDT
21 Comments

Much like in 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks are celebrating a triumphant Stanley Cup win. The unfortunate similarity seems to be that, with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane getting raises, key supporting cast members are likely out.

With the salary cap ceiling officially set at $71.4 million, that reality is even setting in for Toews, who shared this sobering comment during media availability heading into the 2015 NHL Awards.

“All of a sudden, it does feel a lot like 2010, where it’s imminent,” Toews said, according to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times.

In a way, it’s a metaphorical hangover from a Stanley Cup celebration … although Toews & Co. might still be recovering from (and creating new) literal ones.

As of this moment, General Fanager pegs Chicago’s cap space at about $7.35 million. That figure includes eight forwards, three defensemen and three goalies (Chicago has some breathing room with Scott Darling’s 2015-16 season being two-way). It also doesn’t include free agent concerns, which is certainly relevant with UFAs such as Johnny Oduya and RFAs including standout Brandon Saad.

Indeed, looking at this situation, it’s easy to see parallels from that first Toews-Kane-era Cup win, when the Blackhawks let Antti Niemi go following arbitration while being forced to trade away the likes of Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd.

Those losses hurt as the Blackhawks limped into the 2011 postseason, yet they obviously bounced back.

In case you’re wondering, GM Stan Bowman is currently gauging the value of trade pieces such as Patrick Sharp, as ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun reports.

LeBrun notes that Chicago would be willing to take salary back in potential moves, though only to a certain extent. Getting something done fast would grease the wheels, too:

What is preferable for the Blackhawks, however, is to make the deal happen before the draft, in a perfect world. That way they could recoup a draft pick, which is key given what they gave up from this year’s draft for Antoine Vermette (a first-round pick, 30th overall) and Kimmo Timonen (second-round pick, 61st overall). Mind you, the Blackhawks do have the 54th-overall selection, a compensatory pick for not signing 2010 pick Kevin Hayes.

In other words, it’s wise for Toews to realize that times are changing … because some big moves could be coming as soon as this week.

Here’s video from the Chicago-Sun Times: