Can the Toronto Maple Leafs deal Jonathan Bernier

Earlier today, it came out that the Toronto Maple Leafs have started to shop goaltender Jonathan Bernier. While this should come as a surprise to no one, it still raises the question can they really trade him? Bernier has posted a 6-12-3 record in 21 games for the Leafs, along with a .899 save percentage and 3.13 goals against average. After struggling right out of the gate, Bernier lost his starting role to James Reimer who has stepped up his game since last season. When Reimer was out injured, coach Mike Babcock decided that Bernier shouldn't be trusted to take over the starting role in net. Instead, The Leaf's rookie Garret Sparks was called up and made an instant impact going 3-1-1 in 5 games with a .915 save percentage. During this time Bernier was sent down to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL for a conditioning stint. Bernier was 0-8-1 at the time he was sent down and was looking to get back on track.

John Scott the NHL's unlikely all-star

John Scott's run in the NHL has been mediocre at best, he is giant enforcer who can barley keep up with the slowest NHL players. Scott's style of play is quickly being eradicated from the NHL and the hockey world for good. Fighting is dying and players like Scott are quickly realizing that they have been thrown into the wrong era of professional hockey. Scott has made a career off of being the scary enforcer who is never afraid to fight. In his nine year NHL career he has five goals and 11 points in 285 career games. He also has 542 career penalty minutes in the regular season, and 22 in the playoffs with the Blackhawks. Scott has also been suspended by the NHL two separate times by the NHL for a total of 11 games. Most causal fans know Scott as the goon who threatened to "jump" Phil Kessel causing a huge line brawl in the Leafs and Sabers preseason game a few years ago. 

How two goalies this season have redefined the way we look at the ECHL

For years the ECHL was a league of goons and the last resort for older players slowing down just looking for a few more years in the game. But as the ECHL has grown and teams have started aligning with NHL and AHL teams the league has grown. 528 players have made the NHL from the ECHL in their history. There have ben many players that cycle in and out, but two goalies this season have help redefine the way team should look at their ECHL affiliates. Garret Sparks and Mike Condon are just latest two former ECHLers to come up and make an impact for their NHL team. 

Why the Predators shouldn't have traded Seth Jones

On Wednesday the Columbus Blue Jackets traded superstar Ryan Johansen to the Nashville Predators for former 4th overall pick Seth Jones. Johansen has been on newly hired head coach John Tortorella's chopping block since he was hired in late October. Torts has battled with with the young star since coming to the Blue Jackets. His early comments about the center included that he was "out of shape". Torts also scratched Johansen in early December to "reset the superstar". 

The Pride of Scituate: Conor Garland

Very rarely is someone known as the pride of a certain town, for our little south shore town that is Conor Garland. The 19-year-old has played in the QMJHL for the Moncton Wildcats for the past four season. Garland has improved rapidly since his first season in the QMJHL. Garland left Shattuck-Saint Mary's in 2011 and returned back home to play for the Boston Junior Bruins in the Empire Junior Hockey League. Garland started the next with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL, and committed to Penn State University. But Conor decided to forego his NCAA eligibility and join the Wildcats of the QMJHL. 

The Year After: A Hockey Story

Every athlete knows that the end of their career is always right around the corner. With each passing year it becomes more and more apparent that you won't play forever. It's gets harder and harder to make teams, and less and less of your friends are on those teams. For most athletes that final year is your senior year of high school, by that time if you don't have an offer to go somewhere you probably aren't playing sports. It's all about closing out your high school career with a championship season, we all dream about going out on top and for some that’s a reality. But for most of us it ends when the season ends whether that means playoffs or not.

Why Patrick Kane's incredible early season performance should surprise no one

June 15th 2015 was night of celebration for Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks who had just won their third Stanley Cup in six years. The Blackhawks had cemented themselves as legitament dynasty and have knocked off some of the leagues best along the way. But that would be the start of one of the most trying summers of Patrick Kane's life. Kane had been on his best behavior since 2010 when he fought a cabby over a few bucks. He was showing signs of growing up and had just signed a huge contract along with fellow teammate Jonathan Toews for eight years and 84 million. The big contact showed that the Blackhawks had faith in Kane and believed he was a changed man. Flash forward to early August 2015, when a story broke that had a women accusing Kane of raping her at his house during a party. In the days following and more and more information came out it sounded pretty bad for Kane. Public perception had turned against him and with each new news story it just made the situation sound worse for the Blackhawks star.