I think players who fight still deserve a solid amount of money. They’re not out there to pick fights, they are out there to protect star players like Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin or if on the opposing team, to keep those players away from the puck. For instance, Chris Neil of the Ottawa Senators is sent out if any of their star players are being consistently roughed up or having cheap shots thrown at them. He is out there is send a message to the other time. If you want to mess with out players we are going to mess with yours. Imagine the Senators without Alfredsson, Spezza or Heatley. That kind of loss could knock a team out of the playoffs. Neil had 20 points last season which is not a lot less than many other third and fourth line skaters. There are only a handful of skaters who average more fights than they do points. You need guys out there who can hit and let them other team know they are not the only ones who can be physical.

Haisken-DeNew also goes on to say that teams that use violence do better in the standings and that it can help get you to the cup. Let’s take a look at the standings from last season. Detroit Red Wings were the least penalized team in the NHL last season. They won their conference and went on to win the cup. They play a crisp, clean game filled with passing that often confuses the opposition. They are very good at pulling other team’s players out of position.

Daniel Carcillo was the most penalized player in the 2007/2008 season. He plays for the Phoenix Coyotes who finished 12th in their conference.

Fighting could have something to do with what position a team finishes in but you can’t just generalize or predict it does like this economist did.

Anaheim was the most penalized team in the NHL the year they won the cup. Let’s think about the roster though. Chris Pronger, one of the biggest guys in the NHL, loves to throw his body around. It is no surprise he is going to get called eventually, it is inevitable.

Alexander Ovechkin and Dion Phaneuf are two of the most exciting players to watch in the NHL. Both of them love to toss out big hits and often end up injuring players, even though their hits are clean. Each of them love to rack up points as much as they do big hits. Ovechkin lead the league in points and goals last season while Phaneuf was nominated for the Norris. This shows it is possible to be aggressive and productive.

Fighting is used as a strategic advantage but so is having snipers on your blue line. It is just part of the game. If a guy wants to go out, throw his body around, and maybe a few fists he should still be paid well especially because he is putting his own body on the line for the good of his team. There are point getters and fighters in hockey, that is how it has always been and how it will always be.

There are no cheap shots in hockey and the players always agree to fight. If there is a cheap shot or one player doesn’t want to fight but the other one does anyways, fines and suspensions to get tossed around.

Their main priority is to re-sign future restricted free agent forwards Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal, whose contract end in the summer of 2009, before committing to Hossa.

“Malkin and Staal are our priorities right now,” Botterill said.

“At the end of 2009, Malkin and Staal finish up their first contracts. That means we have a big commitment on our hands and we’re preparing to tackle that one right now. We know it’s going to be very expensive to keep both of them.”

Aside from their exceptional on-ice abilities, the Penguins would like to retain the duo, along with forward Sidney Crosby and pending RFA goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, for when they move into a new arena in 2009 or 2010.

Both Malkin and Staal are expected to receive substantial raises on their entry-level contracts. So, where does that leave Hossa? The Czech forward won’t come cheap, that’s for sure, and may possibly price himself out of the what the Penguins cap pay him. Especially when a bidding war will undoubtedly ensue should Hossa hit the open market.

“We’ll take a close look at Hossa, but we have two players who are very important to the franchise, and we must deal with them first.”

“It might mean, if we look down the road, Marian will be too pricey for us. We’ll have to wait and see,” Botterill said. “We expect the salary cap to rise, but how much is anyone’s guess. We have some very skilled players on this team, and we feel we have to take care of them first. So right now.”

According to the Detroit Free Press, the Detroit Red Wings’ trade deadline shopping list includes a big, physical forward; a defensive defenseman; and a “decent” backup.

Vancouver Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault tells Brad Ziemer of the National Post that he isn’t sure pending unrestricted free agent forward Trevor Linden fits in the team’s plans anymore.

“Where does Trevor fit? If we want to be an in-your-face type team on a fourth line, Trevor doesn’t fit there. We’re in that little dilemma now.”

It’s unknown at this time whether the Canucks would place on waivers or try to trade him if the club decided it was time to part ways with the veteran forward.

Toronto Star’s Damien Cox suggests that the Toronto Maple Leafs should “move assets and build for a better future” despite their improved play.

Cox points out that the Maple Leafs have between $41-43 million tied up in payroll next season and would be well advised to move some big contracts to gain some salary cap flexibility.

A formal announcement is pending approval from the league “on the structure of the bonuses” said to be included in the deal.

Brooks reports that the 38-year-old Shanahan will earn a base salary of about $2.5 million and between $1.5-2.5 million in “readily attainable bonuses.” While the veteran forward could have fetched much better offers on the open market, Shanahan made it clear that he was willing to “work with the Blueshirts in order to grant the team as much cap maneuverability as possible” so that Rangers GM Glen Sather could improve the team.

“Glen [Sather] has been really good in communicating with me while he was dealing with the [Henrik Lundqvist and Sean Avery] arbitration issues,” Shanahan told The Post on Saturday. “I said all along I had no desire to test the market or accept other offers.”

“I’d say I’m done now,” admitted Marchment. “I don’t think anyone’s going to be calling me any more. I’m playing pond hockey myself now, not far from what they’re doing in the NHL now.”

The 37-year-old Marchment tells Spector that “he is in the process of filing his retirement papers with the NHLPA,” so it’s just a matter of time before his NHL career will officially be over.

A veteran of 926 games, Marchment had hoped to return to the Toronto Maple Leafs last summer, and was even willing to play for “the league-minimum salary.” Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs had no interest in “Mush” and decided to go in a different direction.

“At $450,000, I like to think I could have still played the game,” he said. “But Toronto wanted to go with some other guys, and I didn’t want to move again. … But [Leafs GM] John Ferguson decided to go with a $5-million player who can’t play [Pavel Kubina], and another guy at $2.1-million [Hal Gill]. Holy jumpin’ — it seems like a hell of a lot of money in the cap world.”

Over his career with the Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Calgary Flames, Marchment has accumulated 40 goals and 142 assists for 182 points, and 2307 penalty minutes.

The Leafs are said the have made an “organizational decision” this week to hold on to Sundin for this season, while trying to re-sign the Swedish forward to a “new deal by seasons’s end.”

Spector speculates that if Sundin is signed it will “likely” be a three-year pact, a deal which would allow Sundin to retire a Maple Leaf.

However, Spector does not see that as a good step for the franchise to take. He is of the belief that the Maple Leafs would be better off trading Sundin, a move that could return the Buds “as much as a first-round draft pick, a top prospect, and a current NHL player.” Spector insists that a re-building process is needed in Toronto, and the returns from a Sundin trade would be a step in the right direction.

Apparently, the Maple Leafs “hold a club option on his services for 2007-08.” All the Leafs would have to do for Ferguson Jr. to remain at the helm of the club, is exercise that option. Or, sign the GM to an extension.

In fact, Berger notes that Ferguson Jr. is currently in talks with Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) in regards to a long-term deal.

With “significant support from Richard Peddie, CEO of MLSE,” one would think that a contract could be worked out in no time with Ferguson Jr. But things are never that easy when it comes to MLSE, as any decision to re-sign the GM “requires full board approval.”

When asked about his contractual situation, JFJ, as he is referred to by many fans and media members, deferred attention to his head coach and players.

“I want people to talk about [coach] Paul [Maurice] and the players, not me,” he said yesterday. “The [contract] matter is clearly not something I’ve gone out of my way to discuss publicly, but I will say that I’m confident it will be resolved in a positive manner.”

And so you should be confident, John. Your Leafs are sitting second in their division, and fourth in the Eastern Conference. Having to deal with injuries to their captain and top forward, starting goaltender, and number 3 defenseman, in the process. You should be confident, John.

UPDATE: Ken Campbell of The Hockey News reported two days ago that in fact JFJ is close to re-signing a multi-year extension with the Maple Leafs. According to Campbell, the the contract is a “one-year deal with a series of team-option years to follow.” This would ensure that if the Leafs were to fire Ferguson Jr., they would only have to pay him “the remainder of that season, plus one more.”