The Holidays are upon us so it is time for my annual “NHL’s Christmas Wish List”. Sit back, relax and take a moment to lighten the load in this busy time of year. I wish all of you a safe and happy Holiday season. Enjoy!
Dear Santa,
In lieu of presents under my tree, this year I would like for you to give gifts to those who are in need. Please do the best you can to fulfill the following wishes listed here.
Thank you,
Gregsky
Please bring more power to the power play in Toronto, Nashville, St.Louis and Edmonton.
For the Caps just enough legs to actually skate for 60 minutes.
For Chris Simon a job in Ultimate Fighting so he can use all of his “talents” and not get suspended for them.
For Gary Bettman a visit from the ghosts of hockey past, present and future in the hopes that he will see the light and do some good for the league before it is too late. (I know, but it’s worth a shot)
More of whatever it is in the water in Detroit that makes the Red Wings so good.
Less of whatever it is in the water in Phoenix that makes them so bad.
A ton of consistency for the Lightning and Penguins so their stars can shine.
A rear view mirror for Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews so they can see Nicklas Backstrom coming. (Remember objects are closer than they appear)
Better judgment for Jiri Tlusty the next time someone wants to take his picture.
For the Rangers a chemistry set so they can find a formula to feel comfortable playing together.
Just one moment of peace away from the media for Saku Koivu.
Someone who is willing to step up for the Sabres in the 2nd half.
Enough gas for Kovalchuk and Zetterberg to score 50+ goals by seasons end.
A new muskrat pelt mullet for Brian Engblom his current one is looking a bit shabby these days.
For the Flames 10 more games just like the last 10 they played.
For the Devils more goals for than against in the 2nd half.
Some defensive help for the Canes so they can win those close ones.
Some road wins for the Lightning and Kings.
And finally for the League to dump the failed experiment of those hideous RBX jerseys that everyone hates and to remember that some things don’t need to be fixed.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
SCATTERED THOUGHTS
The coffee is strong, the eyes are tired, the brain is scattered and the fingers have a mind of their own. I’ve been at 6 different rinks in the last 3 days where I have watched some entertaining action on a few different levels and enjoyed every minute of it. Right now though, just when I need to write, I find my thoughts racing around like Bobby Orr on a penalty kill (hard to catch). With that said, the best I can do today is put down some random thoughts as they come to me and shoot from the hip or in this case the lip.
If the Panthers miss the playoffs color Jacques Martin gone, but please people stop the talk of trading Jokinen it’s not going to happen.
As smart as it would be for the Leafs to move Mats Sundin don’t expect it to happen as Sundin himself has said he wants to finish his career as a Maple Leaf.
Saw the U-18 Team USA in action against UMass the other night and even though they were outmatched and out-muscled by the older and more experienced UMass squad, the kids were fast and moved with precision on the ice. The future of U.S. Hockey looks bright.
Tip of the hat to Wes Walz. Thanks for the memories and best of luck in your life after hockey.
Will we actually see CuJo in an NHL jersey this season? Stay tuned.
Out of the top 10 in scoring so far, only Zetterberg (#5), Alfredsson (#6) and Stillman (#7) are on a team with a winning record.
The Blues, Bruins and Blackhawks have been pleasant surprises this year where as the Caps, Sabres, Flames and Kings have been well, not so pleasant.
The Stars have finally found the scoring touch and it has translated into wins.
Tough decisions lie ahead for the Lightning. Do you trade your leading scorer for the sake of the future? Do you trade your top D-man for help in the net? Do you fire your coach? Will any move have an impact on the sale of the team? Choose wisely my friends.
If the Panthers miss the playoffs color Jacques Martin gone, but please people stop the talk of trading Jokinen it’s not going to happen.
As smart as it would be for the Leafs to move Mats Sundin don’t expect it to happen as Sundin himself has said he wants to finish his career as a Maple Leaf.
Saw the U-18 Team USA in action against UMass the other night and even though they were outmatched and out-muscled by the older and more experienced UMass squad, the kids were fast and moved with precision on the ice. The future of U.S. Hockey looks bright.
Tip of the hat to Wes Walz. Thanks for the memories and best of luck in your life after hockey.
Will we actually see CuJo in an NHL jersey this season? Stay tuned.
Out of the top 10 in scoring so far, only Zetterberg (#5), Alfredsson (#6) and Stillman (#7) are on a team with a winning record.
The Blues, Bruins and Blackhawks have been pleasant surprises this year where as the Caps, Sabres, Flames and Kings have been well, not so pleasant.
The Stars have finally found the scoring touch and it has translated into wins.
Tough decisions lie ahead for the Lightning. Do you trade your leading scorer for the sake of the future? Do you trade your top D-man for help in the net? Do you fire your coach? Will any move have an impact on the sale of the team? Choose wisely my friends.
Friday, November 30, 2007
GREGSKY'S EASTERN CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK
Wow, I can’t believe it is almost December already. Time for teams to either make it or break it. What happens over the course of the upcoming month will define weather or not some teams will get back on track and if some teams will fall from grace. This is the point of the season where it is still not too late to make a push as well as not too late to stumble and let other teams pass you by. For this month’s edition of my Eastern Conference Notebook I will be looking at trends, both good and bad.
Northeast
For the first time all season the Ottawa Senators are starting to look in the rear view mirror. What they see is the distinct colors of rouge, blanc and bleu and black and gold. There has been a noticeable trend over the last 10 games for the Senators and not a good one. Going 3 – 5 – 2 the Sens have left the back door open and the wolves are licking their chops to enter. The Canadiens have been playing .500 hockey lately but feasting on the power play with deadly accuracy which keeps them afloat. If they can find some consistency playing 5 on 5 the Habs can trend upwards and catch the napping Sens in no time. However they are not alone. The hottest team in the Northeast over the last 10 games have been the Bruins going 6 – 3 – 1. That’s right I said the Bruins it wasn’t a typo. The B’s have been solid defensively so far this season and have recently found the scoring touch even though they are without offensive catalyst Patrice Bergeron. They have become a tough team to play against and if you are going to beat them you will need to match the physical play and accept that you will be sore the next day. If the trend continues for the Bruins they will pass the Habs and be nipping at the Sens heels by Christmas. The Leafs are in the midst of a freefall going 3 – 4 – 3 in their last 10 games, certainly not the kind of trend that will get the Toronto media off their backs. The Sabres fall from grace is starting to trend upwards as they have gone 6 – 4 – 0 bringing them back to playing .500 hockey, but there is still a ton of work to do if they have any hope of catching the front runners.
Atlantic
Look out. The Rangers and Devils are starting to find their groove again which spells trouble for division foes. The Rangers have caught up to the Flyers going 7 – 2 – 1 in their last 10 games which is the trend everyone thought we would see from the start. The main reason for their upward trend has been the solid play of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist who posts a 1.82 GAA and a .930 S% giving the Blueshirts a chance to win every night. The Devils got off to a rocky start uncharacteristically playing shoddy defense, but have tightened up over the last 10 games going 7 – 3 - 0. They have also found some scoring recently and if they lead after 2 periods they have been deadly. The upward trend for the Devils, have them once again in the playoff hunt. The Islanders have not been trending in the right direction lately and are starting to show their weakness. They are one key injury away from dropping like a rock. The only trend the Penguins have seen this year is a losing one. Playing .500 hockey on the road and sub .500 hockey at home, the young guns have come down to Earth after their surprise attack of last season. It is not too late for the Pens to start trending upwards, but until they find some consistency between the pipes the current trend will continue.
Southeast
This division is up for grabs and so far the Hurricanes are the only team willing to play hard enough to grab it. Although the trend for the Canes over the last 10 games would suggest otherwise as they have a mere 4 – 6 – 0 record. This is not the time to stumble as the Panthers are starting to catch them going 5 – 4 – 1 in their last 10. The key to the Panthers upward trend has been the power play and they will have to thrive on that if they want to continue to close the gap. The hottest team in the division over the last 10 games has been the Thrashers going 6 – 4 – 0. The rough start to the season has put them in a hole that they are desperately trying to dig out of. The trend is favorable, but the question is how long will it last? When thinking of trends in reference to the Lightning it has been a tale of two teams. One that plays lights out at home and one that sucks wind on the road. At home the Bolts boast a 8 – 3 – 1 record so far which makes for happy fans, but on the road they have been anemic going 2 – 10 – 1. It is the trend away from home that keeps this team from gaining any ground. As for the Caps, the only trend has been a pathetic one. This team was supposed to sneak up and surprise everyone this season and so far the biggest surprise has been that they don’t work hard for 60 minutes. It will be interesting to see if more shakeups are planned for the Caps in the near future in order to reverse the trend that has plagued them all year.
Northeast
For the first time all season the Ottawa Senators are starting to look in the rear view mirror. What they see is the distinct colors of rouge, blanc and bleu and black and gold. There has been a noticeable trend over the last 10 games for the Senators and not a good one. Going 3 – 5 – 2 the Sens have left the back door open and the wolves are licking their chops to enter. The Canadiens have been playing .500 hockey lately but feasting on the power play with deadly accuracy which keeps them afloat. If they can find some consistency playing 5 on 5 the Habs can trend upwards and catch the napping Sens in no time. However they are not alone. The hottest team in the Northeast over the last 10 games have been the Bruins going 6 – 3 – 1. That’s right I said the Bruins it wasn’t a typo. The B’s have been solid defensively so far this season and have recently found the scoring touch even though they are without offensive catalyst Patrice Bergeron. They have become a tough team to play against and if you are going to beat them you will need to match the physical play and accept that you will be sore the next day. If the trend continues for the Bruins they will pass the Habs and be nipping at the Sens heels by Christmas. The Leafs are in the midst of a freefall going 3 – 4 – 3 in their last 10 games, certainly not the kind of trend that will get the Toronto media off their backs. The Sabres fall from grace is starting to trend upwards as they have gone 6 – 4 – 0 bringing them back to playing .500 hockey, but there is still a ton of work to do if they have any hope of catching the front runners.
Atlantic
Look out. The Rangers and Devils are starting to find their groove again which spells trouble for division foes. The Rangers have caught up to the Flyers going 7 – 2 – 1 in their last 10 games which is the trend everyone thought we would see from the start. The main reason for their upward trend has been the solid play of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist who posts a 1.82 GAA and a .930 S% giving the Blueshirts a chance to win every night. The Devils got off to a rocky start uncharacteristically playing shoddy defense, but have tightened up over the last 10 games going 7 – 3 - 0. They have also found some scoring recently and if they lead after 2 periods they have been deadly. The upward trend for the Devils, have them once again in the playoff hunt. The Islanders have not been trending in the right direction lately and are starting to show their weakness. They are one key injury away from dropping like a rock. The only trend the Penguins have seen this year is a losing one. Playing .500 hockey on the road and sub .500 hockey at home, the young guns have come down to Earth after their surprise attack of last season. It is not too late for the Pens to start trending upwards, but until they find some consistency between the pipes the current trend will continue.
Southeast
This division is up for grabs and so far the Hurricanes are the only team willing to play hard enough to grab it. Although the trend for the Canes over the last 10 games would suggest otherwise as they have a mere 4 – 6 – 0 record. This is not the time to stumble as the Panthers are starting to catch them going 5 – 4 – 1 in their last 10. The key to the Panthers upward trend has been the power play and they will have to thrive on that if they want to continue to close the gap. The hottest team in the division over the last 10 games has been the Thrashers going 6 – 4 – 0. The rough start to the season has put them in a hole that they are desperately trying to dig out of. The trend is favorable, but the question is how long will it last? When thinking of trends in reference to the Lightning it has been a tale of two teams. One that plays lights out at home and one that sucks wind on the road. At home the Bolts boast a 8 – 3 – 1 record so far which makes for happy fans, but on the road they have been anemic going 2 – 10 – 1. It is the trend away from home that keeps this team from gaining any ground. As for the Caps, the only trend has been a pathetic one. This team was supposed to sneak up and surprise everyone this season and so far the biggest surprise has been that they don’t work hard for 60 minutes. It will be interesting to see if more shakeups are planned for the Caps in the near future in order to reverse the trend that has plagued them all year.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
MISER'S WESTERN ROUNDUP
Hello, again! I hope everyone had a great holiday! Here is a look at what’s happening in the West:
GOALIES STAND TALL: Two Western netminders were included in the NHL’s Three Stars of the Week for the week ending Nov. 24. Ilya Bryzgalov, claimed by Phoenix on Nov.17 after the Anaheim Ducks placed him on waivers, was selected as 2nd Star for posting a 3-0-0 record with a 1.62 GAA and .938 SV%. Mike Smith of the Stars was selected as 3rd Star, also going 3-0-0, with a 1.00 GAA and .963 SV%.
The move of Bryzgalov to the desert came after several teams had made calls to Ducks’ GM Brian Burke about the 27-year old goaler, but no deal ever came to fruition. With J.S. Giguere under contract for four years, and with up-and-comer Jonas Hiller waiting in the wings at Portland (AHL), Burke agreed to let Bryzgalov go via the waiver wire. Burke made the following statement:
“He’s been great. He has not asked for a trade. This whole schematic here is mine. He never came to me and said, ‘I want out.’ His agent never said ‘I want out.’ When we signed Hiller during the playoffs, you didn’t hear a word out of Bryz. We gave Giguere the four-year deal with a no-trade clause and you didn’t hear a word out of Bryz. He’s been terrific.
"I think organizations need to have reputations for honest answers with their players. And since this player came through for us: he won three playoff rounds in the last two years, he’s a quality person who helped us win, then he deserves to go somewhere else and play. The market has not materialized and I’m keeping my word today.”
The Coyotes have welcomed him with open arms. Opening Night starter David Aebischer, who appeared in that one game with Phoenix, has been loaned to HC Lugano of the Swiss-A league. The Dogs had been switching off between Mikael Tellqvist and Alex Auld in net; the arrival of Bryzgalov should give them some stability in that position. If they can get their game going at home (PHX is 4-7-0 at home but 7-3-0 on the road), the Coyotes could still make a run for a playoff spot.
Meanwhile, in Dallas, Mike Smith has helped what was a beleaguered Stars club regain an even keel. On Nov. 10th at Los Angeles, Dallas coughed up a four-goal lead, allowing five goals in a Kings’ record 5:07, and ended up losing to the Kings in OT, 6-5. Marty Turco took the loss in a game that not only shook his confidence, but embarrassed the entire organization. GM Doug Armstrong was fired three days later, replaced on an interim basis by assistant GM Les Jackson and former Star Brett Hull. The pair will run the hockey department for the rest of the year. It is an interesting idea, to say the least, and it may fall apart completely. However, the team has flourished since the move, winning six straight games after a shootout loss at home to San Jose. Smith has been a rock in net, especially on Sunday past at Madison Square Garden, stopping a career-high 39 shots in an improbable 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Could there be a move in the works… and could it be Turco moving on? I should point out that I have heard nothing in that vein… it is pure speculation on my part. The biggest problem about that idea is finding someone who would take Turco’s contract (one of the items that got Armstrong in hot water with the fans in the first place…).
CENTRAL DIVISION
For the past two seasons, the Central Division has been one of the weaker divisions in the league; with only two teams (Detroit and Nashville) making the playoffs. With the weakness of the other Central clubs, the Wings and Preds rolled up 100+ point seasons last year, while 3rd place St. Louis could only muster 81 points.
Change has arrived in the Central. While Detroit still leads the division (and conference) with 34 points, St. Louis and Chicago currently hold the 4th and 5th slots in the West with 26 points each. Also with 26 points (7th in West) are the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Each club is facing injury problems. The Blackhawks have lost C Kevyn Adams for the year to an ACL injury, but will get RW Jason Williams and RW Martin Havlat for tonight’s match against Tampa Bay. The Jackets are missing LW Fredrik Modin and D Duvie Westcott., with C Jiri Novotny listed as day-to-day with a bum shoulder. The Blues’ Martin Rucinsky is dealing with a bruised hand; while rookie RW David Backes is out with an MCL injury.
While those clubs have been on the rise, the Predators are struggling to keep pace. They are only two points out of the playoffs at this early stage, but have scored one less goal than they have allowed (62 to 63). In addition their special teams rank in the bottom third in the league; and starting goalie Chris Mason is sporting a goals-against of 3.07 and an .897 SV%.
NORTHWEST DIVISION
The Vancouver Canucks have charged to the forefront by winning five of their last seven; the last two coming via back-to-back shutouts from Roberto Luongo. The Canucks are 7-1-2 in their last ten; and have been road warriors (7-3-1 away from GM Place). A 6-6-1 home mark is perplexing, to say the least. Minnesota has faded a bit after a strong start to the year, but still hold down second place. The Wild has split their last ten; and for the season are being outshot almost every night. Colorado takes no prisoners on home ice (9-2-0), but are a poor 3-7-1 on the road; and have been outscored 63-66 this season. The Avs power play (13.2%) has been anemic despite the addition of Ryan Smyth; and the team ranks 27th in faceoffs won. The Flames are struggling under Mike Keenan – or is it the play of Miikka Kiprusoff? Kipper is on his way to the worst season of his career: 10-10-3, 2.96, .886 SV%. The trio of Jarome Iginla (33pts.), Alex Tanguay (22), and Daymond Langkow (21) leads the way on offense, but the defense and 27th ranked penalty kill have been Calgary’s undoing. Edmonton has been racked by injuries, with five players on IR. The Oil has been outscored 74-57, and has the worst power play in the league. It looks to be a long, cold, and restless winter in Alberta.
PACIFIC DIVISION
Despite the upheaval in Dallas mentioned above, the Stars have moved to the top of the division. For the first time in seemingly forever, Dallas is averaging three goals a game. The Stars are 7-1-2 in their last ten games, and are once again above .500 on the road. There are bumps ahead, however. Marty Turco must get his game in order if the Stars are to hold their position. Also, Selke Award winner Jere Lehtinen requires hernia surgery and will miss the next 8-10 weeks. This will affect Mike Ribeiro and Brenden Morrow, who had forged one of the best lines in the league with Lehtinen. The recent flurry by Dallas has allowed them to open up some space on a division that is middling, at best. The Ducks are 8-3-3 at home but have been outscored 70-61. In San Jose, the Sharks are second in the league in goals allowed (2.09) but are an inexplicable 3-5-1 at home. Injuries have hurt the Sharks, with the likes of Ryan Clowe and Marcel Goc on IR. Jonathan Cheechoo continues to struggle, with seven points in 22 games. Evgeni Nabokov should be an All-Star this year: third in the league in minutes played (1307) with a 2.02 GAA and three shutouts. As described above, Phoenix is making a move behind new tender Bryzgalov. Shane Doan’s 18 points leads the way on a club with eight players in double figures. The Los Angeles Kings have won one of their last seven, and have lost Scott Thornton to injury (groin). Alexander Frolov is battling a chest injury, and is day-to-day. Ugly stat: defensemen Lubomir Visnovsky and Rob Blake are a combined -22.
Quotes courtesy ducks.com
GOALIES STAND TALL: Two Western netminders were included in the NHL’s Three Stars of the Week for the week ending Nov. 24. Ilya Bryzgalov, claimed by Phoenix on Nov.17 after the Anaheim Ducks placed him on waivers, was selected as 2nd Star for posting a 3-0-0 record with a 1.62 GAA and .938 SV%. Mike Smith of the Stars was selected as 3rd Star, also going 3-0-0, with a 1.00 GAA and .963 SV%.
The move of Bryzgalov to the desert came after several teams had made calls to Ducks’ GM Brian Burke about the 27-year old goaler, but no deal ever came to fruition. With J.S. Giguere under contract for four years, and with up-and-comer Jonas Hiller waiting in the wings at Portland (AHL), Burke agreed to let Bryzgalov go via the waiver wire. Burke made the following statement:
“He’s been great. He has not asked for a trade. This whole schematic here is mine. He never came to me and said, ‘I want out.’ His agent never said ‘I want out.’ When we signed Hiller during the playoffs, you didn’t hear a word out of Bryz. We gave Giguere the four-year deal with a no-trade clause and you didn’t hear a word out of Bryz. He’s been terrific.
"I think organizations need to have reputations for honest answers with their players. And since this player came through for us: he won three playoff rounds in the last two years, he’s a quality person who helped us win, then he deserves to go somewhere else and play. The market has not materialized and I’m keeping my word today.”
The Coyotes have welcomed him with open arms. Opening Night starter David Aebischer, who appeared in that one game with Phoenix, has been loaned to HC Lugano of the Swiss-A league. The Dogs had been switching off between Mikael Tellqvist and Alex Auld in net; the arrival of Bryzgalov should give them some stability in that position. If they can get their game going at home (PHX is 4-7-0 at home but 7-3-0 on the road), the Coyotes could still make a run for a playoff spot.
Meanwhile, in Dallas, Mike Smith has helped what was a beleaguered Stars club regain an even keel. On Nov. 10th at Los Angeles, Dallas coughed up a four-goal lead, allowing five goals in a Kings’ record 5:07, and ended up losing to the Kings in OT, 6-5. Marty Turco took the loss in a game that not only shook his confidence, but embarrassed the entire organization. GM Doug Armstrong was fired three days later, replaced on an interim basis by assistant GM Les Jackson and former Star Brett Hull. The pair will run the hockey department for the rest of the year. It is an interesting idea, to say the least, and it may fall apart completely. However, the team has flourished since the move, winning six straight games after a shootout loss at home to San Jose. Smith has been a rock in net, especially on Sunday past at Madison Square Garden, stopping a career-high 39 shots in an improbable 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Could there be a move in the works… and could it be Turco moving on? I should point out that I have heard nothing in that vein… it is pure speculation on my part. The biggest problem about that idea is finding someone who would take Turco’s contract (one of the items that got Armstrong in hot water with the fans in the first place…).
CENTRAL DIVISION
For the past two seasons, the Central Division has been one of the weaker divisions in the league; with only two teams (Detroit and Nashville) making the playoffs. With the weakness of the other Central clubs, the Wings and Preds rolled up 100+ point seasons last year, while 3rd place St. Louis could only muster 81 points.
Change has arrived in the Central. While Detroit still leads the division (and conference) with 34 points, St. Louis and Chicago currently hold the 4th and 5th slots in the West with 26 points each. Also with 26 points (7th in West) are the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Each club is facing injury problems. The Blackhawks have lost C Kevyn Adams for the year to an ACL injury, but will get RW Jason Williams and RW Martin Havlat for tonight’s match against Tampa Bay. The Jackets are missing LW Fredrik Modin and D Duvie Westcott., with C Jiri Novotny listed as day-to-day with a bum shoulder. The Blues’ Martin Rucinsky is dealing with a bruised hand; while rookie RW David Backes is out with an MCL injury.
While those clubs have been on the rise, the Predators are struggling to keep pace. They are only two points out of the playoffs at this early stage, but have scored one less goal than they have allowed (62 to 63). In addition their special teams rank in the bottom third in the league; and starting goalie Chris Mason is sporting a goals-against of 3.07 and an .897 SV%.
NORTHWEST DIVISION
The Vancouver Canucks have charged to the forefront by winning five of their last seven; the last two coming via back-to-back shutouts from Roberto Luongo. The Canucks are 7-1-2 in their last ten; and have been road warriors (7-3-1 away from GM Place). A 6-6-1 home mark is perplexing, to say the least. Minnesota has faded a bit after a strong start to the year, but still hold down second place. The Wild has split their last ten; and for the season are being outshot almost every night. Colorado takes no prisoners on home ice (9-2-0), but are a poor 3-7-1 on the road; and have been outscored 63-66 this season. The Avs power play (13.2%) has been anemic despite the addition of Ryan Smyth; and the team ranks 27th in faceoffs won. The Flames are struggling under Mike Keenan – or is it the play of Miikka Kiprusoff? Kipper is on his way to the worst season of his career: 10-10-3, 2.96, .886 SV%. The trio of Jarome Iginla (33pts.), Alex Tanguay (22), and Daymond Langkow (21) leads the way on offense, but the defense and 27th ranked penalty kill have been Calgary’s undoing. Edmonton has been racked by injuries, with five players on IR. The Oil has been outscored 74-57, and has the worst power play in the league. It looks to be a long, cold, and restless winter in Alberta.
PACIFIC DIVISION
Despite the upheaval in Dallas mentioned above, the Stars have moved to the top of the division. For the first time in seemingly forever, Dallas is averaging three goals a game. The Stars are 7-1-2 in their last ten games, and are once again above .500 on the road. There are bumps ahead, however. Marty Turco must get his game in order if the Stars are to hold their position. Also, Selke Award winner Jere Lehtinen requires hernia surgery and will miss the next 8-10 weeks. This will affect Mike Ribeiro and Brenden Morrow, who had forged one of the best lines in the league with Lehtinen. The recent flurry by Dallas has allowed them to open up some space on a division that is middling, at best. The Ducks are 8-3-3 at home but have been outscored 70-61. In San Jose, the Sharks are second in the league in goals allowed (2.09) but are an inexplicable 3-5-1 at home. Injuries have hurt the Sharks, with the likes of Ryan Clowe and Marcel Goc on IR. Jonathan Cheechoo continues to struggle, with seven points in 22 games. Evgeni Nabokov should be an All-Star this year: third in the league in minutes played (1307) with a 2.02 GAA and three shutouts. As described above, Phoenix is making a move behind new tender Bryzgalov. Shane Doan’s 18 points leads the way on a club with eight players in double figures. The Los Angeles Kings have won one of their last seven, and have lost Scott Thornton to injury (groin). Alexander Frolov is battling a chest injury, and is day-to-day. Ugly stat: defensemen Lubomir Visnovsky and Rob Blake are a combined -22.
Quotes courtesy ducks.com
Thursday, November 22, 2007
THE NHL'S BIGGEST TURKEY AWARDS
In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday I will be handing out “The NHL’s Biggest Turkey” awards. These awards are given to the worst the NHL has to offer so far this season. I’ll break them down into two categories for your viewing pleasure. I hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday. Enjoy!
INDVIDUAL AWARDS
The “You mean I’m supposed to play defense?” award goes to…
Scott Hannan of the Avalanche for his –11 through 20 games.
The “I’ll be taking a bus to games soon” award goes to…
Sergei Samsonov of the Blackhawks for his uninspired play.
The “Boy this game is fast” award goes to…
David Steckel of the Capitals for being a rookie in over his head.
The “Did they make the nets bigger?” award goes to…
Miikka Kiprusoff of the Flames for his 2.96 GAA and .888 SV% through 21 games.
The “I was supposed to repeat that?” award goes to…
Jordan Staal of the Penguins for his 2 points and –8 through 21 games.
The “I’m supposed to lead this team?” award goes to…
Maxim Afinogenov of the Sabres for not stepping up.
The “NHL’s Biggest Turkey” award goes to…
Sean Avery of the Rangers for being Sean Avery.
TEAM AWARDS
The “Can’t play for 60 minutes” award goes to…
The Washington Capitals
The “Failed experiment” award goes to…
The Edmonton Oilers
The “Boy do we suck” award goes to…
The Buffalo Sabres
The “What do you mean the Coyotes are better than us?” award goes to…
The L.A. Kings
The “Weren’t we supposed to win the division?” award goes to…
The Pittsburgh Penguins
The “We forgot how to play defense” award goes to…
The N.J. Devils
The “What’s so special about special teams anyway?” award goes to…
The N.J. Devils
The “Thank God we have a good goalie” award goes to…
The N.Y. Rangers
The “We play better a man down” award goes to…
The Edmonton Oilers
The “NHL’s Biggest Turkey” award goes to…
The Washington Capitals
INDVIDUAL AWARDS
The “You mean I’m supposed to play defense?” award goes to…
Scott Hannan of the Avalanche for his –11 through 20 games.
The “I’ll be taking a bus to games soon” award goes to…
Sergei Samsonov of the Blackhawks for his uninspired play.
The “Boy this game is fast” award goes to…
David Steckel of the Capitals for being a rookie in over his head.
The “Did they make the nets bigger?” award goes to…
Miikka Kiprusoff of the Flames for his 2.96 GAA and .888 SV% through 21 games.
The “I was supposed to repeat that?” award goes to…
Jordan Staal of the Penguins for his 2 points and –8 through 21 games.
The “I’m supposed to lead this team?” award goes to…
Maxim Afinogenov of the Sabres for not stepping up.
The “NHL’s Biggest Turkey” award goes to…
Sean Avery of the Rangers for being Sean Avery.
TEAM AWARDS
The “Can’t play for 60 minutes” award goes to…
The Washington Capitals
The “Failed experiment” award goes to…
The Edmonton Oilers
The “Boy do we suck” award goes to…
The Buffalo Sabres
The “What do you mean the Coyotes are better than us?” award goes to…
The L.A. Kings
The “Weren’t we supposed to win the division?” award goes to…
The Pittsburgh Penguins
The “We forgot how to play defense” award goes to…
The N.J. Devils
The “What’s so special about special teams anyway?” award goes to…
The N.J. Devils
The “Thank God we have a good goalie” award goes to…
The N.Y. Rangers
The “We play better a man down” award goes to…
The Edmonton Oilers
The “NHL’s Biggest Turkey” award goes to…
The Washington Capitals
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
CLOUDS IN MY COFFEE
Glad to see that teams are getting the message about offer sheets and signing their young players before they become targets. No more waiting around all year to negotiate contracts, the 800lbs. gorilla in the room won’t be ignored anymore.
With Tuukka Rask, the Bruins future between the pipes looks bright.
Looks like the Wild will have some choices to make for next season. I hope they choose wisely and find a way to keep Rolston.
Am I the only one who could care less to even know about Jiri Tlusty’s exploits?
Good to see that all those moves Kevin Lowe made over the summer are working out for him. Don’t despair Oil fans, the farm team looks good.
Is it really that surprising that the Penguins are struggling and the Blackhawks aren’t? Yes. Yes it is.
Don’t look now, but methinks the Rangers got their groove back.
The Islanders just won’t go away, yet.
It’s time for the Caps to do some soul searching and find out what kind of team they want to be. One that works for 60 minutes or one that works for 30 minutes.
How rich is Thomas Vanek?
Too many goalies is a nice problem to have for the dessert dogs. I can think of a few teams that wish they had that problem.
The Thrashers are doing their best to erase the hole they dug to start the season.
The Avs are wishing they could play all of their games at home this year. The Bolts second that.
Iron Mike has been pretty quiet so far, how long can it last?
Congrats on your 400th as a Leaf Mats, now try translating that into some wins.
With Tuukka Rask, the Bruins future between the pipes looks bright.
Looks like the Wild will have some choices to make for next season. I hope they choose wisely and find a way to keep Rolston.
Am I the only one who could care less to even know about Jiri Tlusty’s exploits?
Good to see that all those moves Kevin Lowe made over the summer are working out for him. Don’t despair Oil fans, the farm team looks good.
Is it really that surprising that the Penguins are struggling and the Blackhawks aren’t? Yes. Yes it is.
Don’t look now, but methinks the Rangers got their groove back.
The Islanders just won’t go away, yet.
It’s time for the Caps to do some soul searching and find out what kind of team they want to be. One that works for 60 minutes or one that works for 30 minutes.
How rich is Thomas Vanek?
Too many goalies is a nice problem to have for the dessert dogs. I can think of a few teams that wish they had that problem.
The Thrashers are doing their best to erase the hole they dug to start the season.
The Avs are wishing they could play all of their games at home this year. The Bolts second that.
Iron Mike has been pretty quiet so far, how long can it last?
Congrats on your 400th as a Leaf Mats, now try translating that into some wins.
Friday, November 16, 2007
CAN THE MAPLE LEAFS BE FIXED?
Stuck in the midst of over 40 years of drought, the once mighty Maple Leafs have fallen on hard times of epic proportions. Not financially by any means as they were recently touted as the NHL’s most valuable franchise by Forbes, but in terms of on ice futility. 1967 was the last time that Leafs Nation tasted victory in the form of the Stanley Cup. Since then, not so much as getting close enough to even sniff it.
In 1969, 1972 and 1974 the Leafs were ousted by the Bruins in the playoffs. 1975, 1976 and 1977 they ran into trouble with the Flyers. 1978 and 1979 it was the Canadiens turn and in 1980 and 1981 it was the North Stars and Islanders turn to snuff the hopes of Leafs fans. 1983 the North Stars took them out again and 1986 St. Louis got in on the act. 1987 and 1988 the Red Wings did the honors and St. Louis again took them out in 1990. 1993 seemed to be the year that they would finally bring some glory back to Toronto, that was until they ran into Gretzky’s Kings and a barn-burner 7 game series that found the Leafs heading home early once again. 1994 they ran out of gas falling to Vancouver and 1995 Chicago sent them packing. 1996 the Blues shattered the dream once more marking the last time they would see playoff action in the Western Conference. Trying their luck again in the East, they made a run in 1999 where they ran into trouble with the Sabres. 2000 and 2001 New Jersey took over as Leaf killers and 2002 had the Hurricanes giving them the boot. 2003 and 2004 the Flyers took them out and they haven’t made the playoffs since.
This season’s version of the Leafs generated some buzz over the summer as additions to the lineup had Leafs Nation thinking playoffs again. Consistency has so far eluded this year’s version and a weak blueline now has fans second guessing earlier predictions. It is understandably difficult to play in Toronto under the constant microscope of the media and fans, but it is no different today as it has been all along in Toronto. Eleven Stanley Cup championships as the Maple Leafs gives the franchise its historical clout, $83 million in profit gives them the financial clout, but on the battlefield, between the whistles where the war is waged the Leafs have come up empty for the last 40 years. This is the reason for the constant scrutiny, the calls for front office change as well as on ice changes. Change can sometimes be just what the doctor ordered, but there are no guarantees that change will actually fix anything. Until the right formula is put together from top to bottom the drought will continue. Don’t forget that there are 83 million reasons not to change a thing and in today’s world the bottom line is the bottom line.
There is only one easy answer to what will fix Leafs Nation and that is winning the Cup. Trouble is, that is the hardest task to accomplish in all of sports and this year’s version isn’t off to a roaring start. Winning is the cure-all for what ails this once proud franchise and it remains the only way to bring glory back to the city. Winning is the only change that needs to be made and it starts with a face-off, a battle in the corner or in front of the net, one shift at a time and one game at a time. No matter what changes are made in the front office, it comes down to the guys who take the ice to make the necessary changes in order to win. Sure the front office can put together the best possible product, but even then winning isn’t in their hands it is solely up to the players to generate the wins. Winning is an attitude, a culture, a measure of pride and status and something that has been missing in Toronto since 1967.
In 1969, 1972 and 1974 the Leafs were ousted by the Bruins in the playoffs. 1975, 1976 and 1977 they ran into trouble with the Flyers. 1978 and 1979 it was the Canadiens turn and in 1980 and 1981 it was the North Stars and Islanders turn to snuff the hopes of Leafs fans. 1983 the North Stars took them out again and 1986 St. Louis got in on the act. 1987 and 1988 the Red Wings did the honors and St. Louis again took them out in 1990. 1993 seemed to be the year that they would finally bring some glory back to Toronto, that was until they ran into Gretzky’s Kings and a barn-burner 7 game series that found the Leafs heading home early once again. 1994 they ran out of gas falling to Vancouver and 1995 Chicago sent them packing. 1996 the Blues shattered the dream once more marking the last time they would see playoff action in the Western Conference. Trying their luck again in the East, they made a run in 1999 where they ran into trouble with the Sabres. 2000 and 2001 New Jersey took over as Leaf killers and 2002 had the Hurricanes giving them the boot. 2003 and 2004 the Flyers took them out and they haven’t made the playoffs since.
This season’s version of the Leafs generated some buzz over the summer as additions to the lineup had Leafs Nation thinking playoffs again. Consistency has so far eluded this year’s version and a weak blueline now has fans second guessing earlier predictions. It is understandably difficult to play in Toronto under the constant microscope of the media and fans, but it is no different today as it has been all along in Toronto. Eleven Stanley Cup championships as the Maple Leafs gives the franchise its historical clout, $83 million in profit gives them the financial clout, but on the battlefield, between the whistles where the war is waged the Leafs have come up empty for the last 40 years. This is the reason for the constant scrutiny, the calls for front office change as well as on ice changes. Change can sometimes be just what the doctor ordered, but there are no guarantees that change will actually fix anything. Until the right formula is put together from top to bottom the drought will continue. Don’t forget that there are 83 million reasons not to change a thing and in today’s world the bottom line is the bottom line.
There is only one easy answer to what will fix Leafs Nation and that is winning the Cup. Trouble is, that is the hardest task to accomplish in all of sports and this year’s version isn’t off to a roaring start. Winning is the cure-all for what ails this once proud franchise and it remains the only way to bring glory back to the city. Winning is the only change that needs to be made and it starts with a face-off, a battle in the corner or in front of the net, one shift at a time and one game at a time. No matter what changes are made in the front office, it comes down to the guys who take the ice to make the necessary changes in order to win. Sure the front office can put together the best possible product, but even then winning isn’t in their hands it is solely up to the players to generate the wins. Winning is an attitude, a culture, a measure of pride and status and something that has been missing in Toronto since 1967.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
MISER'S WESTERN ROUNDUP
We’re nearing the quarter-pole of the 2007-08 NHL season. (Can it really be November already? Seems like the season started just last week…) Looking at the top of the Western Conference, one might think this was the “old” NHL, where teams could win simply by opening their wallets to procure the talent they needed.
The similarities stop there.
Look past the top three, and you not only see the effects of the “new”, salary-capped league, but also the infusion of youth and talent that some clubs have been able to assemble. In my estimation, there are three clubs in the West with serious designs on the Stanley Cup, two upstart clubs, and then a gaggle of teams hoping to squeeze their way into the postseason.
THE CONTENDERS
Detroit (12-2-1, 25pts): The Wings started out with wins in four of their first seven games. Since then, they have won eight straight, outscoring opponents 29-13 in that span. Henrik Zetterberg has played like a man on a mission, recording at least one point in all 15 games, and leading the NHL in scoring (12-13-25). Five of his goals have come on the power play, and he is winning 57.4% of his faceoffs. I haven’t even mentioned the names Datsyuk, Holmstrom, Lidstrom, or Rafalski (all with 12 points or more). Chris Osgood has won all eight games during the streak (8-0-0, 1.48 GAA). It’s early, but it appears that the only team that can stop Detroit is…. Detroit, or possibly….
Colorado (10-5-0, 20pts): After missing the playoffs last season, the Avs have stormed back to prominence. Ryan Smyth has worked his way into the offense nearly seamlessly, but the best part for Smyth is that he doesn’t have to be THE man in Denver. With Joe Sakic, Paul Stastny, and Andrew Brunette leading the way (15 G, 34 A between them), Smyth can use his skills in a complementary fashion. The Avs have yet to max out their talents, which should scare the rest of the West.
Minnesota (9-4-2, 20pts): My apologies to all Wild fans. I thought Minnesota would get buried by an early, road-heavy schedule. I was wrong, OK? (To my relatives in Minny… ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?) Niklas Backstrom (7-1-1, 1.88 GAA) is the real thing. Balanced scoring – six players have 10+ points – keeps opponents guessing. Of the three contenders, Minnesota is the longshot, but they could be dangerous.
THE UPSTARTS
Columbus (8-4-2, 18pts): Ken Hitchcock is working his magic once more. The jackets have a good mix of talent and grit. Rick Nash (16 pts) and Nik Zherdev (10 pts) lead the way, while Sergei Fedorov, Jason Chimera, and Jiri Novotny have chipped in with timely scoring. Netmindr Pascal Leclaire has been a huge surprise, going 7-2-0 with five (yes, FIVE) shutouts. The biggest question marks: 1) Can Leclaire continue this torrid pace? 2) Lack of scoring depth – Nash has 10 goals; no other Jacket has more than four.
Chicago (8-7-0, 16pts): While the Blackhawks mourn the passing of team president William Wirtz off the ice, there is a renaissance beginning on the ice. Patrick Kane (5-12-17), Johnathan Toews (6-7-13), and Patrick Sharp (6-4-10) bring scoring and loads of youthful enthusiasm to the Windy City, while experience is provided by Robert Lang, Jason Williams, and Yanic Perreault. The D-corps is solid, if unspectacular. The question mark is in net. Nik Khabibulin (5-6-0) has a GAA north of 3 and a save% south of .900. If the “Bulin Wall” can be patched up, the ‘Hawks might just scare somebody.
THE GAGGLE
Dallas (7-7-2, 16pts): OK, so they lead the Pacific and would claim the No. 3 seed if the postseason started today. That means very little. To say the Stars are inconsistent would be an understatement. Dallas has yet to string three wins together, and has lost five of their last eight. Last week, the Stars lost three consecutive home games; surrendering third period leads in two of them and getting shutout by Phoenix in the third. The Stars are poster boys for mediocrity. 3-3-1 at home. 4-4-1 on the road. 5-5-0 in their last ten. 44 goals scored, and 44 goals allowed. There was no move to add scoring during the summer, and the normally solid defense and goaltending have become pourous. The only positive right now is the weakness of the Pacific Division. It might be the only reason the Stars qualify for the postseason – someone has to win it.
San Jose (7-7-1, 15pts): See Dallas above. The Sharks are fantastic on the road (6-3-1), but abysmal so far at home (1-4-0). C Joe Thornton is on a point per game pace, but forwards Jonathan Cheechoo (6 pts) and Patrick Marleau (5 pts) are far behind last year’s pace. Once again, the weakness of the Pacific may be their salvation.
Nashville (7-7-1, 15pts): Winners in three of their last four, the Preds currently hold down the eighth seed in the West. After winning their first two, Nashville lost six straight by a combined 29-9. The power play is in the bottom third in the league, and the Preds allow just over 30 shots each game. Dan Ellis has surprised as the backup to Chris Mason. The former Stars product is 4-0-0 with two shutouts.
Calgary (6-7-3, 15pts): I had Calgary winning the Northwest in my preview, which tells you how prescient I am. This is a head-scratcher. Last season, people were talking about how Miikka Kipprusoff had an off-year. What are they saying now? Kipper has struggled (6-7-3, 3.14, .884) this year. Has his new contract – a six-year extension – made him too comfortable? Is new coach Mike Keenan playing him too much? Is the defense that bad? Of all the teams currently treading water, I still think Calgary is in the best position to improve. From the quotes I have read, the Flames are still looking for a full, 60-minute effort (sounds familiar to those who follow Dallas…). Can Keenan find the right buttons to push?
Anaheim (6-8-3, 15pts): The Ducks look lost. They are a shell of their former selves. Anaheim has been outscored 49-39 so far, and have not won more than two games in a row. Injuries have played a role (Rob Niedermayer, Ryan Getzlaf, and Mathieu Schneider missed time), and the short summer combined with the London trip to start the year haven’t helped, either. The biggest problem seems to be that Anaheim just wants to tread water (so to speak) until Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selaane make a triumphant return. The Ducks need to move forward without them. NOW. It really is poor form for those two to hold their club and fans hostage just because they got a ring. It’s time for those two to decide. Play or go home.
That’s all for now. I want to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! Talk to you again soon.
Peace.
The similarities stop there.
Look past the top three, and you not only see the effects of the “new”, salary-capped league, but also the infusion of youth and talent that some clubs have been able to assemble. In my estimation, there are three clubs in the West with serious designs on the Stanley Cup, two upstart clubs, and then a gaggle of teams hoping to squeeze their way into the postseason.
THE CONTENDERS
Detroit (12-2-1, 25pts): The Wings started out with wins in four of their first seven games. Since then, they have won eight straight, outscoring opponents 29-13 in that span. Henrik Zetterberg has played like a man on a mission, recording at least one point in all 15 games, and leading the NHL in scoring (12-13-25). Five of his goals have come on the power play, and he is winning 57.4% of his faceoffs. I haven’t even mentioned the names Datsyuk, Holmstrom, Lidstrom, or Rafalski (all with 12 points or more). Chris Osgood has won all eight games during the streak (8-0-0, 1.48 GAA). It’s early, but it appears that the only team that can stop Detroit is…. Detroit, or possibly….
Colorado (10-5-0, 20pts): After missing the playoffs last season, the Avs have stormed back to prominence. Ryan Smyth has worked his way into the offense nearly seamlessly, but the best part for Smyth is that he doesn’t have to be THE man in Denver. With Joe Sakic, Paul Stastny, and Andrew Brunette leading the way (15 G, 34 A between them), Smyth can use his skills in a complementary fashion. The Avs have yet to max out their talents, which should scare the rest of the West.
Minnesota (9-4-2, 20pts): My apologies to all Wild fans. I thought Minnesota would get buried by an early, road-heavy schedule. I was wrong, OK? (To my relatives in Minny… ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?) Niklas Backstrom (7-1-1, 1.88 GAA) is the real thing. Balanced scoring – six players have 10+ points – keeps opponents guessing. Of the three contenders, Minnesota is the longshot, but they could be dangerous.
THE UPSTARTS
Columbus (8-4-2, 18pts): Ken Hitchcock is working his magic once more. The jackets have a good mix of talent and grit. Rick Nash (16 pts) and Nik Zherdev (10 pts) lead the way, while Sergei Fedorov, Jason Chimera, and Jiri Novotny have chipped in with timely scoring. Netmindr Pascal Leclaire has been a huge surprise, going 7-2-0 with five (yes, FIVE) shutouts. The biggest question marks: 1) Can Leclaire continue this torrid pace? 2) Lack of scoring depth – Nash has 10 goals; no other Jacket has more than four.
Chicago (8-7-0, 16pts): While the Blackhawks mourn the passing of team president William Wirtz off the ice, there is a renaissance beginning on the ice. Patrick Kane (5-12-17), Johnathan Toews (6-7-13), and Patrick Sharp (6-4-10) bring scoring and loads of youthful enthusiasm to the Windy City, while experience is provided by Robert Lang, Jason Williams, and Yanic Perreault. The D-corps is solid, if unspectacular. The question mark is in net. Nik Khabibulin (5-6-0) has a GAA north of 3 and a save% south of .900. If the “Bulin Wall” can be patched up, the ‘Hawks might just scare somebody.
THE GAGGLE
Dallas (7-7-2, 16pts): OK, so they lead the Pacific and would claim the No. 3 seed if the postseason started today. That means very little. To say the Stars are inconsistent would be an understatement. Dallas has yet to string three wins together, and has lost five of their last eight. Last week, the Stars lost three consecutive home games; surrendering third period leads in two of them and getting shutout by Phoenix in the third. The Stars are poster boys for mediocrity. 3-3-1 at home. 4-4-1 on the road. 5-5-0 in their last ten. 44 goals scored, and 44 goals allowed. There was no move to add scoring during the summer, and the normally solid defense and goaltending have become pourous. The only positive right now is the weakness of the Pacific Division. It might be the only reason the Stars qualify for the postseason – someone has to win it.
San Jose (7-7-1, 15pts): See Dallas above. The Sharks are fantastic on the road (6-3-1), but abysmal so far at home (1-4-0). C Joe Thornton is on a point per game pace, but forwards Jonathan Cheechoo (6 pts) and Patrick Marleau (5 pts) are far behind last year’s pace. Once again, the weakness of the Pacific may be their salvation.
Nashville (7-7-1, 15pts): Winners in three of their last four, the Preds currently hold down the eighth seed in the West. After winning their first two, Nashville lost six straight by a combined 29-9. The power play is in the bottom third in the league, and the Preds allow just over 30 shots each game. Dan Ellis has surprised as the backup to Chris Mason. The former Stars product is 4-0-0 with two shutouts.
Calgary (6-7-3, 15pts): I had Calgary winning the Northwest in my preview, which tells you how prescient I am. This is a head-scratcher. Last season, people were talking about how Miikka Kipprusoff had an off-year. What are they saying now? Kipper has struggled (6-7-3, 3.14, .884) this year. Has his new contract – a six-year extension – made him too comfortable? Is new coach Mike Keenan playing him too much? Is the defense that bad? Of all the teams currently treading water, I still think Calgary is in the best position to improve. From the quotes I have read, the Flames are still looking for a full, 60-minute effort (sounds familiar to those who follow Dallas…). Can Keenan find the right buttons to push?
Anaheim (6-8-3, 15pts): The Ducks look lost. They are a shell of their former selves. Anaheim has been outscored 49-39 so far, and have not won more than two games in a row. Injuries have played a role (Rob Niedermayer, Ryan Getzlaf, and Mathieu Schneider missed time), and the short summer combined with the London trip to start the year haven’t helped, either. The biggest problem seems to be that Anaheim just wants to tread water (so to speak) until Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selaane make a triumphant return. The Ducks need to move forward without them. NOW. It really is poor form for those two to hold their club and fans hostage just because they got a ring. It’s time for those two to decide. Play or go home.
That’s all for now. I want to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! Talk to you again soon.
Peace.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
I BETTER GET OFF THE PHONE NOW
A friend recently called me and wanted to do a little Q & A with me about a few recent happenings in hockey. Whenever I get a call from him it turns into a heated debate for an extended period of time (my wife hates it because the phone is usually attached to her head and she gets jealous). I figured I would share the raw results and estimated time with you.
Q: Is Eric Lindros Hall of Fame worthy?
A: No. When Glen Anderson and Rick Middleton get the call then we can start to talk Lindros, until then the answer is no.
Q: So you don’t think he will get in?
A: I’m sure he will get in. There are enough supporters to push him in, but you asked if I thought he was worthy and my answer is no. There are still some players on the outside who need to get in before considering Lindros. The problem is politics and agendas drive the selection decisions and until that changes I don’t put any stock in HOF choices.
Q: So you don’t agree with the selection process?
A: I feel that the benchmarks are blurry and without clear-cut benchmarks it is subject to tainted decisions. If you solely went with production numbers (for forwards) and set a benchmark of say 1000 points and weighed that against games played and championships won, then you would have a base for decisions that couldn’t be argued. The process right now allows too much wiggle room and we have players getting in that shouldn’t and players not getting in that should.
Q: With your suggested benchmark, Middleton wouldn’t get in. I don’t think he broke 1000 points and he has no championships on his resume care to explain?
A: Exactly. Neither did Lindros and that’s why I say he isn’t worthy.
Q: What about considering what he could have accomplished if not for injuries?
A: Projected stats? I truly hope that doesn’t play a factor. That could be done for a ton of players and the Hall would be full. Bob Carpenter in the Hall? Just look at Mario, Bossy and Orr they had shortened careers due to injury and their numbers blow Lindros away. No, projected stats are a waste of time.
Est. time 14 min.
Q: Right now, who is the best player in the NHL?
A: Right now? Henrik Zetterberg.
Q: Just because he is leading the scoring race?
A: Yes. And when the game is on the line I want the puck on his stick. Until someone plays better he is my choice.
Q: Do you think Crosby will pass him by soon?
A: Sure, and maybe Thornton or Iginla too, but right now he is playing better.
Q: Where do you see Zetterberg at season’s end?
A: In the top 10, maybe #6 or #8 – higher if he stays healthy all year.
Q: So if he stays healthy, do you see the Wings as the best in the West?
A: Yes. Even if he isn’t healthy all year the Wings are the best in the West. They are solid in all areas and their record shows it.
Est. time 6 min.
Q: Are the Bruins actually better this year or are the teams in their division weaker?
A: They are tougher to play against. If that makes them better, than okay sure. I’m not sure the other teams are weaker, just off to rough starts.
Q: Do you think the B’s have a shot at the playoffs?
A: Everyone has a shot – the Bruins need to find some scoring if they want to win. They have tightened up the defense and that keeps them in the game longer and their physical play makes them tougher to play against. Relying on an aging Glen Murray oft injured Sturm and youngster Kessel to carry the scoring while Bergeron is out makes me think they will start to slide soon.
Q: About Bergeron – what do you think about the 2 game suspension?
A: Maybe it should have been a little more, but Jones isn’t a dirty player and I think he just used poor judgment on that hit. It’s hard to tell if a player is going to turn to face the boards at the last moment when you are committed to making the hit. Jones should have just pinned Bergeron to the glass instead of finishing off the check, but the decision was made and a 2 game price was paid.
Q: You don’t think the punishment should reflect the injury?
A: Hits like that are a tough call. Clearly Jones didn’t mean to injure him just take him out of the play. No one wants to see a lasting effect from the injury, but keeping Jones from playing until Bergeron recovers makes little sense. Maybe the suspension should have been 5 games to give Jones time to think about his decision, but more than that wouldn’t have made sense.
Est. time 8 min.
Q: What do you think of Mike Modano setting the record for U.S. born players?
A: Good for Mike. He is the face of American hockey. Trouble is that here in the U.S. it is back page news. This is where the league fails to market its players to the U.S. audience. Instead of pushing Americans to like Crosby they should hype the likes of Modano to give U.S. fans an American hero.
Q: You don’t think Mike is too old to be hyped as a hero?
A: Not at all – actually there are several U.S. players that should be hyped and the fact that they aren’t shows that the league is content on pushing Crosby and Ovechkin on everyone. Not that I don’t think those two deserve to be hyped, only give Americans a homegrown hero to cheer for.
Q: So who is your favorite U.S. born player right now?
A: Ryan Suter – there are tons of appeal to push him through the hype machine – solid game, big hits, terrific work ethic, great lineage – there is a story just waiting to be told.
Q: And your favorite all time?
A: Pat LaFontaine.
Q: Do you think we will start to see more U.S. players becoming stars in the near future?
A: Yes. U.S. hockey is doing a wonderful job with their development programs and the last few drafts are starting to reflect that. It won’t be long before some kid out of Texas or Florida goes on to have a celebrated career.
Q: You take in a lot of youth hockey games – Do you think hockey is growing at the grassroots level in the U.S.?
A: The numbers are up and down from year to year, but overall I think it is growing and most importantly it is growing in non-traditional markets and that is the key to success for U.S. hockey. I live in Ma. so the numbers here are always strong – but if you look at what is happening in Dallas the numbers there are doubling and that is a great sign of growth.
Q: You mentioned the U.S. development programs – How accessible are they for most kids?
A: They hold tryouts every year in my area for a reasonable fee and it is a great way for kids to measure themselves against the best around. They take the best and put them in programs that focus on getting them to the next level. When 6 to 10 kids go in the 1st round from a U.S. program that to me is a success.
Est. time 12 min.
Well, that only accounts for half of the actual time spent on the phone and only because my wife threw me the “I’m gonna kill you look” did it end that soon. When it comes to talking hockey I don’t put a time limit on it, but when it comes to talking on the phone my wife’s limit for me is around the 80-minute mark before something heavy gets thrown at me. The phone is back where it belongs pressed up against her head and I will head for the computer.
Q: Is Eric Lindros Hall of Fame worthy?
A: No. When Glen Anderson and Rick Middleton get the call then we can start to talk Lindros, until then the answer is no.
Q: So you don’t think he will get in?
A: I’m sure he will get in. There are enough supporters to push him in, but you asked if I thought he was worthy and my answer is no. There are still some players on the outside who need to get in before considering Lindros. The problem is politics and agendas drive the selection decisions and until that changes I don’t put any stock in HOF choices.
Q: So you don’t agree with the selection process?
A: I feel that the benchmarks are blurry and without clear-cut benchmarks it is subject to tainted decisions. If you solely went with production numbers (for forwards) and set a benchmark of say 1000 points and weighed that against games played and championships won, then you would have a base for decisions that couldn’t be argued. The process right now allows too much wiggle room and we have players getting in that shouldn’t and players not getting in that should.
Q: With your suggested benchmark, Middleton wouldn’t get in. I don’t think he broke 1000 points and he has no championships on his resume care to explain?
A: Exactly. Neither did Lindros and that’s why I say he isn’t worthy.
Q: What about considering what he could have accomplished if not for injuries?
A: Projected stats? I truly hope that doesn’t play a factor. That could be done for a ton of players and the Hall would be full. Bob Carpenter in the Hall? Just look at Mario, Bossy and Orr they had shortened careers due to injury and their numbers blow Lindros away. No, projected stats are a waste of time.
Est. time 14 min.
Q: Right now, who is the best player in the NHL?
A: Right now? Henrik Zetterberg.
Q: Just because he is leading the scoring race?
A: Yes. And when the game is on the line I want the puck on his stick. Until someone plays better he is my choice.
Q: Do you think Crosby will pass him by soon?
A: Sure, and maybe Thornton or Iginla too, but right now he is playing better.
Q: Where do you see Zetterberg at season’s end?
A: In the top 10, maybe #6 or #8 – higher if he stays healthy all year.
Q: So if he stays healthy, do you see the Wings as the best in the West?
A: Yes. Even if he isn’t healthy all year the Wings are the best in the West. They are solid in all areas and their record shows it.
Est. time 6 min.
Q: Are the Bruins actually better this year or are the teams in their division weaker?
A: They are tougher to play against. If that makes them better, than okay sure. I’m not sure the other teams are weaker, just off to rough starts.
Q: Do you think the B’s have a shot at the playoffs?
A: Everyone has a shot – the Bruins need to find some scoring if they want to win. They have tightened up the defense and that keeps them in the game longer and their physical play makes them tougher to play against. Relying on an aging Glen Murray oft injured Sturm and youngster Kessel to carry the scoring while Bergeron is out makes me think they will start to slide soon.
Q: About Bergeron – what do you think about the 2 game suspension?
A: Maybe it should have been a little more, but Jones isn’t a dirty player and I think he just used poor judgment on that hit. It’s hard to tell if a player is going to turn to face the boards at the last moment when you are committed to making the hit. Jones should have just pinned Bergeron to the glass instead of finishing off the check, but the decision was made and a 2 game price was paid.
Q: You don’t think the punishment should reflect the injury?
A: Hits like that are a tough call. Clearly Jones didn’t mean to injure him just take him out of the play. No one wants to see a lasting effect from the injury, but keeping Jones from playing until Bergeron recovers makes little sense. Maybe the suspension should have been 5 games to give Jones time to think about his decision, but more than that wouldn’t have made sense.
Est. time 8 min.
Q: What do you think of Mike Modano setting the record for U.S. born players?
A: Good for Mike. He is the face of American hockey. Trouble is that here in the U.S. it is back page news. This is where the league fails to market its players to the U.S. audience. Instead of pushing Americans to like Crosby they should hype the likes of Modano to give U.S. fans an American hero.
Q: You don’t think Mike is too old to be hyped as a hero?
A: Not at all – actually there are several U.S. players that should be hyped and the fact that they aren’t shows that the league is content on pushing Crosby and Ovechkin on everyone. Not that I don’t think those two deserve to be hyped, only give Americans a homegrown hero to cheer for.
Q: So who is your favorite U.S. born player right now?
A: Ryan Suter – there are tons of appeal to push him through the hype machine – solid game, big hits, terrific work ethic, great lineage – there is a story just waiting to be told.
Q: And your favorite all time?
A: Pat LaFontaine.
Q: Do you think we will start to see more U.S. players becoming stars in the near future?
A: Yes. U.S. hockey is doing a wonderful job with their development programs and the last few drafts are starting to reflect that. It won’t be long before some kid out of Texas or Florida goes on to have a celebrated career.
Q: You take in a lot of youth hockey games – Do you think hockey is growing at the grassroots level in the U.S.?
A: The numbers are up and down from year to year, but overall I think it is growing and most importantly it is growing in non-traditional markets and that is the key to success for U.S. hockey. I live in Ma. so the numbers here are always strong – but if you look at what is happening in Dallas the numbers there are doubling and that is a great sign of growth.
Q: You mentioned the U.S. development programs – How accessible are they for most kids?
A: They hold tryouts every year in my area for a reasonable fee and it is a great way for kids to measure themselves against the best around. They take the best and put them in programs that focus on getting them to the next level. When 6 to 10 kids go in the 1st round from a U.S. program that to me is a success.
Est. time 12 min.
Well, that only accounts for half of the actual time spent on the phone and only because my wife threw me the “I’m gonna kill you look” did it end that soon. When it comes to talking hockey I don’t put a time limit on it, but when it comes to talking on the phone my wife’s limit for me is around the 80-minute mark before something heavy gets thrown at me. The phone is back where it belongs pressed up against her head and I will head for the computer.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
GREGSKY'S EASTERN CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK: NIGHTMARES IN THE EAST
Welcome to another edition of Gregsky’s Eastern Conference Notebook. In the spirit of Halloween, I will take a look at the horror facing the bottom half of the conference and see if there is any hope left in the nightmare start to the season for some of these teams.
Islanders
Nothing too horrific happening to the Isles to start the season, their horrors are yet to begin. Right now they are the hottest team in New York and have the fans (for now) leaving the paper bags at home. Strong special teams have kept the team from Long Island afloat. They have been more of a nightmare for opposing teams, as they have been tougher to beat than in the past. I don’t think they will sustain much longer though so fans will don the masks after Halloween passes.
Sabres
Playing .500 hockey giving up 3.40 goals/game is spooky for Sabres fans. Not used to seeing their team struggle this much this early, the horror show of management mistakes over the summer have the fans a bit squeamish over the results. Playing for a full 60 minutes has been frightfully missing so far this season and they will be lucky to escape October without a worse record.
Capitals
With the improvements this team made in the off-season they should be in a better spot in a weak division. The fear at the start of the season was defense, but that hasn’t been the problem. Injuries and lack of scoring has been the evil lurking around the team so far. Once this team gets rolling the early part of the season will just be a bad dream, but for now the nightmare of inconsistency looms large.
Rangers
Maybe blood and gore is just what the Rangers needed to spark them into putting the puck in the net. Jagr giving up a few chicklets to the puck dentist seemed to get him going after a horrific month and they may want to start a ritual of bashing him in the mouth before every game. Really, the issue is not clicking on the power play. An area that was hyped to be deadly has in fact been dreadful.
Panthers
Projected to be a much better team this season, the Panthers have struggled out of the gate. An upgrade in net was supposed to be a boost and while 3.09 goals against isn’t horrific the 2.36 goals/game makes it spooky. The real problem for the club is when they take their show on the road. Winning only 1 game out of 6 on the road is enough to make any fan scream.
Thrashers
Cue the Death March music now. The start to the season has been a classic horror show for the Thrashers. Leading the league in goals against the nightmare may not end for the team this year. They lost too much over the summer and didn’t do enough to replace the pieces that helped them make the post season last year. Their coach has already felt the axe and a total lack of scoring may spell trouble for their future as they are still trying to reach a deal with Hossa. The fans that do show up to witness this horror on ice may want to borrow the paper bags that Islanders fans haven’t had to use yet.
Devils
Maybe the moniker is fitting for Halloween, but no one is used to including this team as part of a creep show. Maybe it is due to only playing 1 game at home so far this year, but view just 1 game and you can see that this isn’t your father’s New Jersey Devils. Lack of defense has been the devil of the Devils and poor special teams play has them dwelling in the dungeon of the conference. Maybe the hiring of Sutter on Friday the 13th was an omen, but right now the Devils are bedeviled.
Islanders
Nothing too horrific happening to the Isles to start the season, their horrors are yet to begin. Right now they are the hottest team in New York and have the fans (for now) leaving the paper bags at home. Strong special teams have kept the team from Long Island afloat. They have been more of a nightmare for opposing teams, as they have been tougher to beat than in the past. I don’t think they will sustain much longer though so fans will don the masks after Halloween passes.
Sabres
Playing .500 hockey giving up 3.40 goals/game is spooky for Sabres fans. Not used to seeing their team struggle this much this early, the horror show of management mistakes over the summer have the fans a bit squeamish over the results. Playing for a full 60 minutes has been frightfully missing so far this season and they will be lucky to escape October without a worse record.
Capitals
With the improvements this team made in the off-season they should be in a better spot in a weak division. The fear at the start of the season was defense, but that hasn’t been the problem. Injuries and lack of scoring has been the evil lurking around the team so far. Once this team gets rolling the early part of the season will just be a bad dream, but for now the nightmare of inconsistency looms large.
Rangers
Maybe blood and gore is just what the Rangers needed to spark them into putting the puck in the net. Jagr giving up a few chicklets to the puck dentist seemed to get him going after a horrific month and they may want to start a ritual of bashing him in the mouth before every game. Really, the issue is not clicking on the power play. An area that was hyped to be deadly has in fact been dreadful.
Panthers
Projected to be a much better team this season, the Panthers have struggled out of the gate. An upgrade in net was supposed to be a boost and while 3.09 goals against isn’t horrific the 2.36 goals/game makes it spooky. The real problem for the club is when they take their show on the road. Winning only 1 game out of 6 on the road is enough to make any fan scream.
Thrashers
Cue the Death March music now. The start to the season has been a classic horror show for the Thrashers. Leading the league in goals against the nightmare may not end for the team this year. They lost too much over the summer and didn’t do enough to replace the pieces that helped them make the post season last year. Their coach has already felt the axe and a total lack of scoring may spell trouble for their future as they are still trying to reach a deal with Hossa. The fans that do show up to witness this horror on ice may want to borrow the paper bags that Islanders fans haven’t had to use yet.
Devils
Maybe the moniker is fitting for Halloween, but no one is used to including this team as part of a creep show. Maybe it is due to only playing 1 game at home so far this year, but view just 1 game and you can see that this isn’t your father’s New Jersey Devils. Lack of defense has been the devil of the Devils and poor special teams play has them dwelling in the dungeon of the conference. Maybe the hiring of Sutter on Friday the 13th was an omen, but right now the Devils are bedeviled.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
SUM IT UP IN A SONG
Just a little musical musing to start the day folks, as I find some lyrics to sum up some recent NHL happenings and show my age. Enjoy.
“Meet the new boss…same as the old boss” – The Who
The NHLPA hires Paul Kelly to head the union. Another lawyer in the mix – just what the game needed. Bob Goodenow simply calls him Mini-Me. Can’t wait for him and Bettman to clash in an epic battle of the geeks.
“I ain’t the reason you gave me no reason to return your call. You built a house of cards and got shocked when you saw them fall…You can’t take the effect and make it the cause.” – The White Stripes
Mismanagement in Atlanta, Toronto, Nashville and Edmonton has lead to one coach fired and several others on the hot seat. It’s time for some GM’s to feel the heat, don’t you think?
“See how he dances, see how he moves from side to side. See how he prances, the way his hooves just seem to glide. He’s just a one-trick pony, but he turns that trick with pride.” – Paul Simon
Year in and year out Tomas Holmstrom shows us all why he is at his best when he creates havoc in front of the opponents net. I’m sure, to a man; the Wings would all say he is the most valuable player on the team.
“You done lost your good thing now…” – B.B. King
A 3–5–0 start for the Buffalo Sabres suggests they may have made a few mistakes over the summer. What do you think?
“How you treat the weak is your true nature calling.” – Jane’s Addiction
The Carolina Hurricanes look poised to dominate the Southeast Division as every other team is struggling out of the gate.
“The kids are alright…the kids are alright.” – The Who
Patrick Kane and Jonathan Towes in Chicago and Andrew Cogliano and Sam Gagner in Edmonton are giving fans something to sing about early on this season.
“There’s a fog upon L.A. and my friends have lost their way…” – The Beatles
The Kings defensive woes continue to undo the hard work their forwards create for them. Some think the problem lies in the net, but the guys playing in front of the goaltender are more to blame. If the blue-line doesn’t turn things around soon, it will be a long season for Kings fans.
“Safe complaining, ‘cause everything’s rotten, go insane and ain’t a thing forgotten, feelin’ cozy, rats in the cellar, cheeks are rosy, skin’s turning yellow, losers party, lookin’ rather lazy, see my body, pushin’ up daisies…New York City blues…” – Aerosmith
The lack of scoring, team defense and any resemblance of chemistry have the Rangers searching for answers to the awful funk they are in to start the season. I had a feeling this would happen given their history of signing “Big Name” free agents and getting little bang for their buck.
“This is a thing I’ve never known before it’s called easy livin’…” – Uriah Heep
In Phoenix nothing is easy. Looks like another long season in the dessert for the dogs.
“Meet the new boss…same as the old boss” – The Who
The NHLPA hires Paul Kelly to head the union. Another lawyer in the mix – just what the game needed. Bob Goodenow simply calls him Mini-Me. Can’t wait for him and Bettman to clash in an epic battle of the geeks.
“I ain’t the reason you gave me no reason to return your call. You built a house of cards and got shocked when you saw them fall…You can’t take the effect and make it the cause.” – The White Stripes
Mismanagement in Atlanta, Toronto, Nashville and Edmonton has lead to one coach fired and several others on the hot seat. It’s time for some GM’s to feel the heat, don’t you think?
“See how he dances, see how he moves from side to side. See how he prances, the way his hooves just seem to glide. He’s just a one-trick pony, but he turns that trick with pride.” – Paul Simon
Year in and year out Tomas Holmstrom shows us all why he is at his best when he creates havoc in front of the opponents net. I’m sure, to a man; the Wings would all say he is the most valuable player on the team.
“You done lost your good thing now…” – B.B. King
A 3–5–0 start for the Buffalo Sabres suggests they may have made a few mistakes over the summer. What do you think?
“How you treat the weak is your true nature calling.” – Jane’s Addiction
The Carolina Hurricanes look poised to dominate the Southeast Division as every other team is struggling out of the gate.
“The kids are alright…the kids are alright.” – The Who
Patrick Kane and Jonathan Towes in Chicago and Andrew Cogliano and Sam Gagner in Edmonton are giving fans something to sing about early on this season.
“There’s a fog upon L.A. and my friends have lost their way…” – The Beatles
The Kings defensive woes continue to undo the hard work their forwards create for them. Some think the problem lies in the net, but the guys playing in front of the goaltender are more to blame. If the blue-line doesn’t turn things around soon, it will be a long season for Kings fans.
“Safe complaining, ‘cause everything’s rotten, go insane and ain’t a thing forgotten, feelin’ cozy, rats in the cellar, cheeks are rosy, skin’s turning yellow, losers party, lookin’ rather lazy, see my body, pushin’ up daisies…New York City blues…” – Aerosmith
The lack of scoring, team defense and any resemblance of chemistry have the Rangers searching for answers to the awful funk they are in to start the season. I had a feeling this would happen given their history of signing “Big Name” free agents and getting little bang for their buck.
“This is a thing I’ve never known before it’s called easy livin’…” – Uriah Heep
In Phoenix nothing is easy. Looks like another long season in the dessert for the dogs.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
THE KID DRIVES ME CRAZY SOMETIMES
So there I was sitting at my desk blankly staring at the computer, teeth clinched tight - palms as sweaty as an NHLer wearing the new RBK uniform, minding my own business trying to mentally nurse myself through the strongest coffee buzz of all time without completely wigging out, when all of a sudden I heard a loud “Dad!” coming from behind my chair. The shout startled me as if I just found out Brian Engblom’s hair was made out of muskrat pelt. When my ass finally came down from orbit and hit the chair, my eyes still twitching like Kyle McLaren hopped up on Sudafed waiting for the puck to drop, I slowly turned to face the noise maker behind me suddenly realizing why lions sometimes eat their young and answered with a surprisingly calm “what is it son?” “Do you think I’m pressing too much?”
Are you kidding me? This kid just scared the ever-living shit out of me and he wants to know if I think he’s pressing too much? Pressing his luck maybe as I think he snuck up behind me on purpose, but nonetheless I answered him with the first thing that came to my mind “It’s Thursday morning, what are you worried about?” He had a look on his face as if he was about to get demoted to Peoria and was just waiting for the call to come. “I’m seven games into the pre-season and I only have two goals, I’m just wondering if maybe I’m pressing too much out there” he said with concern in his voice. My initial thought was to bust out in laughter, but knowing that he takes Bantam hockey seriously I refrained and responded with “pressing?” “The coach has you in a checking role, why are you worried about goals?” “I know” he said, “but if I can show him that I can score he might take me off the third line.” Here we go, another morning talking shop with the boy before he heads out to school. He continued as I let out a deep sigh, “We have trouble scoring, and since I was the second leading scorer on my team last season, I just feel like I can contribute more to the team this year.” “But I can’t do it on the third line.” He was right. He can put the puck in the net and set up others, I’ve seen it first hand over forty times during the last two seasons, but he can’t do it this year when he spends every shift in the defensive zone. Even though this year his new coach has yet to see that the boy is being wasted offensively, he has seen how responsible he is defensively and uses that to help the team’s overall performance. However, explaining that to a kid who wants to be a sniper is as difficult as finding someone on the Atlanta Thrashers roster who can score some goals.
So I cautiously responded with “Give it time, like you said it’s pre-season and your coach is still learning what his players can do.” “So if he puts you in a checking role then you play that style of game, banging in the corners, chipping the puck out of the zone, fore-checking and back-checking like a madman, chewing up minutes, don’t worry about goals they will come.” I sat there looking at him, hoping that my infinite wisdom was sinking in without shattering his confidence level in the slightest bit, when he responded with “Yeah, but this was supposed to be my breakout year and my line can’t even breakout of our own zone.” “Thanks anyways Dad.” Those words hit me like a Chris Simon chop to the face. Being a father first and foremost, my fatherhood instinct instantly kicked in “Look buddy” I said with a lump in my throat as I realized this really has him tied up in knots on the inside, “Facing adversity is what makes a person strong, you are no stranger to that and this year isn’t any different than what you’ve faced since you started playing.” “I’m not a coach and even though I could be the fact remains that I’m not, so all I can tell you is to respect what your coach wants you to do and continue to work hard and everything else will fall into place.” “Eventually, your coach will put you in a position where you are playing with more skilled line-mates and you will have the opportunity to show him what you can do, until then just play the game and have fun.” “Don’t worry about goals and pressing too much and all of that stuff just go out there do your thing and have fun.” “That’s why you play isn’t it?” “Because it’s fun?” He nodded without saying anything letting my words sink in. He sat there looking up at the picture of him and I sitting with the Stanley Cup that hangs on the wall above my desk. After a few moments of silence and an intense stare at the picture he said “You’re right Dad, it is fun no matter if we win or lose or if I score or not or if I’m on the first line or the third.” “I just love to play and can’t imagine doing anything else.”
It was my turn to nod without saying anything feeling as if I just gave a team a motivational speech before a crucial game seven. Then, just as I was celebrating my apparent victory of wisdom within my mind and patting myself on the back as if I scored an overtime goal, the boy chirps in with “Maybe I’ll ask the coach if I can play center on that line this weekend.” “That way if we can win a face-off and control the puck we might be able to get it out of our zone and get some chances on offense.” “Thanks Dad” he said standing up and smacking me on the shoulder, “I knew you could help me out.” Within a second he was gone like Peter Stastny on a breakaway, leaving me feeling exposed and confused like Darren Pang in an 8-0 blowout. All I could do was put my face in my hands shake my head and chuckle to myself wondering what to do with that boy. He is such a good kid and he tries so hard to do the best he can and just never seems to catch a break no matter what. Maybe things will turn around for him this year, in fact, I’m sure they will it’s only a matter of time.
The coffee is now cold and I sit here once again starring at the computer screen wondering what to write about today. Thanks, son.
Are you kidding me? This kid just scared the ever-living shit out of me and he wants to know if I think he’s pressing too much? Pressing his luck maybe as I think he snuck up behind me on purpose, but nonetheless I answered him with the first thing that came to my mind “It’s Thursday morning, what are you worried about?” He had a look on his face as if he was about to get demoted to Peoria and was just waiting for the call to come. “I’m seven games into the pre-season and I only have two goals, I’m just wondering if maybe I’m pressing too much out there” he said with concern in his voice. My initial thought was to bust out in laughter, but knowing that he takes Bantam hockey seriously I refrained and responded with “pressing?” “The coach has you in a checking role, why are you worried about goals?” “I know” he said, “but if I can show him that I can score he might take me off the third line.” Here we go, another morning talking shop with the boy before he heads out to school. He continued as I let out a deep sigh, “We have trouble scoring, and since I was the second leading scorer on my team last season, I just feel like I can contribute more to the team this year.” “But I can’t do it on the third line.” He was right. He can put the puck in the net and set up others, I’ve seen it first hand over forty times during the last two seasons, but he can’t do it this year when he spends every shift in the defensive zone. Even though this year his new coach has yet to see that the boy is being wasted offensively, he has seen how responsible he is defensively and uses that to help the team’s overall performance. However, explaining that to a kid who wants to be a sniper is as difficult as finding someone on the Atlanta Thrashers roster who can score some goals.
So I cautiously responded with “Give it time, like you said it’s pre-season and your coach is still learning what his players can do.” “So if he puts you in a checking role then you play that style of game, banging in the corners, chipping the puck out of the zone, fore-checking and back-checking like a madman, chewing up minutes, don’t worry about goals they will come.” I sat there looking at him, hoping that my infinite wisdom was sinking in without shattering his confidence level in the slightest bit, when he responded with “Yeah, but this was supposed to be my breakout year and my line can’t even breakout of our own zone.” “Thanks anyways Dad.” Those words hit me like a Chris Simon chop to the face. Being a father first and foremost, my fatherhood instinct instantly kicked in “Look buddy” I said with a lump in my throat as I realized this really has him tied up in knots on the inside, “Facing adversity is what makes a person strong, you are no stranger to that and this year isn’t any different than what you’ve faced since you started playing.” “I’m not a coach and even though I could be the fact remains that I’m not, so all I can tell you is to respect what your coach wants you to do and continue to work hard and everything else will fall into place.” “Eventually, your coach will put you in a position where you are playing with more skilled line-mates and you will have the opportunity to show him what you can do, until then just play the game and have fun.” “Don’t worry about goals and pressing too much and all of that stuff just go out there do your thing and have fun.” “That’s why you play isn’t it?” “Because it’s fun?” He nodded without saying anything letting my words sink in. He sat there looking up at the picture of him and I sitting with the Stanley Cup that hangs on the wall above my desk. After a few moments of silence and an intense stare at the picture he said “You’re right Dad, it is fun no matter if we win or lose or if I score or not or if I’m on the first line or the third.” “I just love to play and can’t imagine doing anything else.”
It was my turn to nod without saying anything feeling as if I just gave a team a motivational speech before a crucial game seven. Then, just as I was celebrating my apparent victory of wisdom within my mind and patting myself on the back as if I scored an overtime goal, the boy chirps in with “Maybe I’ll ask the coach if I can play center on that line this weekend.” “That way if we can win a face-off and control the puck we might be able to get it out of our zone and get some chances on offense.” “Thanks Dad” he said standing up and smacking me on the shoulder, “I knew you could help me out.” Within a second he was gone like Peter Stastny on a breakaway, leaving me feeling exposed and confused like Darren Pang in an 8-0 blowout. All I could do was put my face in my hands shake my head and chuckle to myself wondering what to do with that boy. He is such a good kid and he tries so hard to do the best he can and just never seems to catch a break no matter what. Maybe things will turn around for him this year, in fact, I’m sure they will it’s only a matter of time.
The coffee is now cold and I sit here once again starring at the computer screen wondering what to write about today. Thanks, son.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
ANOTHER QUICK TRIP AROUND THE RINK
This morning nothing in particular is jumping out at me when I look around the league, instead several things of note are screaming for attention. So I will take a quick trip around and comment on my observations.
It seems the Rangers are having some chemistry issues – Drury on the 3rd line? Shanahan has zero goals? The most hyped team in the off-season is dwelling in the cellar in their division? I mean really, I questioned if the Rangers made a mistake back in July, but I didn’t think that they would struggle this much this early.
Win and they will come. Seems that is the message sent by Sabres fans as their home sellout streak comes to an end. Just kidding Sabres fans, Monday night games are hard to sellout that’s probably why you only have four of them this year.
“In some respects I suspect that you have a respectable side” – Jack White (of The White Stripes) Only I’m not sure that Jesse Boulerice could ever show that side of himself on a sheet of ice. Jordan Tootoo is next on the watch list as his recent play won’t go unnoticed by the league. A little respect will go long way boys, let’s think about the consequences before the decision to take an opponents head off.
Hockey fans in the U.S. – The NHL Network – Comcast has it – find it - get it – enough said.
The Kings need to solve their goaltending problem soon or else they will be out of the mix by mid November.
Going “Wild” in Minnesota. The tight defensive style still works for wins in this league, despite the push for more goal scoring, 5-0 and only giving up 4 goals is a feather in the cap for this system.
Some one please stop the bleeding! If your team is struggling to score goals just hope the Leafs are coming up on your schedule, they’re giving them away by the truckload.
Okay, so the Bruins hung in tough on their opening road trip, but let’s see how they play at home before we all eat crow for our doomsday predictions.
Blue Jackets need to find a 1st line center – maybe that was something they should have addressed over the summer?
Atlanta needs to find someone who can score. Anyone? Hello?
Through 6 games Sheldon Souray is only a minus 3. Are things looking up?
The Stars are 2-2-2 overall, 2-0-1 at home and 0-2-1 on the road, 16 goals scored and 16 goals surrendered. Is there a trend here?
Martin Gerber is earning his paycheck in Ottawa, haven’t heard an “on the block” rumor about him since the season started.
It seems the Rangers are having some chemistry issues – Drury on the 3rd line? Shanahan has zero goals? The most hyped team in the off-season is dwelling in the cellar in their division? I mean really, I questioned if the Rangers made a mistake back in July, but I didn’t think that they would struggle this much this early.
Win and they will come. Seems that is the message sent by Sabres fans as their home sellout streak comes to an end. Just kidding Sabres fans, Monday night games are hard to sellout that’s probably why you only have four of them this year.
“In some respects I suspect that you have a respectable side” – Jack White (of The White Stripes) Only I’m not sure that Jesse Boulerice could ever show that side of himself on a sheet of ice. Jordan Tootoo is next on the watch list as his recent play won’t go unnoticed by the league. A little respect will go long way boys, let’s think about the consequences before the decision to take an opponents head off.
Hockey fans in the U.S. – The NHL Network – Comcast has it – find it - get it – enough said.
The Kings need to solve their goaltending problem soon or else they will be out of the mix by mid November.
Going “Wild” in Minnesota. The tight defensive style still works for wins in this league, despite the push for more goal scoring, 5-0 and only giving up 4 goals is a feather in the cap for this system.
Some one please stop the bleeding! If your team is struggling to score goals just hope the Leafs are coming up on your schedule, they’re giving them away by the truckload.
Okay, so the Bruins hung in tough on their opening road trip, but let’s see how they play at home before we all eat crow for our doomsday predictions.
Blue Jackets need to find a 1st line center – maybe that was something they should have addressed over the summer?
Atlanta needs to find someone who can score. Anyone? Hello?
Through 6 games Sheldon Souray is only a minus 3. Are things looking up?
The Stars are 2-2-2 overall, 2-0-1 at home and 0-2-1 on the road, 16 goals scored and 16 goals surrendered. Is there a trend here?
Martin Gerber is earning his paycheck in Ottawa, haven’t heard an “on the block” rumor about him since the season started.
Friday, October 12, 2007
HAS FREE AGENCY KILLED RIVALRIES?
If video killed the radio star, then free agency killed team rivalries. In this day and age of professional sports with free agency and heavy amounts of player movement each and every year, are there any real rivalries left? I’m not talking about fans hating fans of other teams and the like, rather the rivalries that take place between the teams and the players themselves. Since I’m a hockey guy I will focus on the NHL and it’s situation therefore bypassing all of the overdone and played out media bullshit surrounding the Red Sox and Yankees of MLB. With that said, are there any true rivalries left in the NHL? Yeah I know that you have the Habs and Leafs and Leafs and Sens and Rangers and Islanders and I suppose you can add the Ducks and Kings and the Wings and Avs and Flames and Oilers to start forming a list, but once again that seems to be mostly fan driven more so than amongst the players themselves. Yes, certain teams have a history against one another for one reason or another that has happened in the past, but most of the players involved have since moved on and the players on those teams today just don’t carry the same grudge. I’m sure that incidents will happen and the players will retaliate and such and there will be a brief moment where we’ll hear the wait until next time routine, but nothing that can sustain and form a true rivalry. The NHL has attempted to force feed the fans divisional rivalries with their skewed schedule (thank God that’s changing), but even the fans don’t buy into that failed experiment. When I really take a look into the game today there seems to be a total lack of rivalry between the players on the ice. Back in the 70’s you had real rivalries between teams that down right hated each other, any time the Bruins and Flyers met or the Rangers and Flyers faced off you could feel the distain the moment you walked into the building. Then again, the players back then stayed on their teams for much longer periods of time and developed that hatred over time. Today, it is even hard for the fans to keep the hate going when one year they are cursing the ground a player walks on and the next year they embrace the same player when he joins their team. Player movement has absolutely watered down the entire notion of team rivalries in the game today. Sure there are battles that still take place especially later in the season when teams are fighting each other for playoff spots, but even then after the game players are friends with each other having played with one another not too long ago. The true distain is gone. You can hear it in the voices of the players themselves during the post-game interviews where they constantly churn out the standard pre-rehearsed lines to the media. The messages are always the same even though the faces change. I guess what I’m driving at here is let’s just stop talking about rivalries altogether because I’m afraid true rivalries are dead. The hype just doesn’t work anymore. Yes Islanders fans you can still chant “Rangers suck”, yes Leafs fans you can still hate anyone wearing a Habs jersey and so on, but let’s call it like it really is, fan rivalry not team rivalry.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
#26 - THE NHL GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER AND PAUL
Despite the title, you won’t find any fire and brimstone in the following passage. Nor will you have to fear any evil or wrath of God. Instead, you will only find me preaching about a young up and coming super talent and how closely he resembles his legendary father. Yes, I will climb up on my soapbox and sing praises of the young and bow in humility to a legend.
Even though it is still very early in the season, when you take a look at the stats leader-board for individual skaters at this point you find one constant name in the top ten of five different categories. You can see him in the #1 spot in goals, in a tie for #7 in assists, tied for #1 in points, a nine way tie for #2 in +/- and a four way tie for #1 in shooting percentage. I am of course, talking about Paul Stastny of the Colorado Avalanche. If anyone expected this kid to level off after his 28 goal 50 assist 78 point season last year, you are sadly mistaken. There doesn’t seem to be any “slump” in this kid and we may have yet to see just how good he can be. If the start of this season is any indication, he is primed to show the world that he belongs among the NHL elite.
The comparisons to his legendary father Peter have been well documented, but if you weren’t lucky enough to have witnessed Peter dominate (I thank my lucky stars I got to see him many times beat the ever living snot out of the Bruins and Whalers for years) all you have to do is picture Paul in a Nordiques or Devils jersey and you can get an idea. Okay so good old dad was a bit more dominating in his first six seasons, but remember he also played in an era where goaltending was weak (the same era Gretzky tore up the league, not that it would have made a difference to either of them). Production aside, when you watch Paul play it is his smarts and creative ability coupled with his strength and drive to the net that reminds one of Peter. They are very similar in size (Peter 6’ 1” 200lbs. and Paul 6’ 0” 205lbs.) and as fluent of skaters as you will ever see. Peter joined the NHL at age 24 and Paul had his first full season at 21. When you take a look at dad’s production at age 20 (25-27-52) playing in Czechoslovakia and weigh that against Paul’s totals from last year, it leaves you with a sense that greatness is still to come from Paul. Considering Peter exploded at age 24 (39-70-109) one can only imagine how much better Paul will be in a couple of years.
I’m sure that Paul takes the comparisons to his father in humble fashion and most likely talks “pops” up as the greater player, but one thing that he won’t want to mirror his dad in is the lack of a championship ring. As long as Paul keeps playing the way he is (and the Avs keep building and adding pieces to the puzzle), that Stanley Cup ring may just be in his future.
Can I get an Amen? Amen!
Even though it is still very early in the season, when you take a look at the stats leader-board for individual skaters at this point you find one constant name in the top ten of five different categories. You can see him in the #1 spot in goals, in a tie for #7 in assists, tied for #1 in points, a nine way tie for #2 in +/- and a four way tie for #1 in shooting percentage. I am of course, talking about Paul Stastny of the Colorado Avalanche. If anyone expected this kid to level off after his 28 goal 50 assist 78 point season last year, you are sadly mistaken. There doesn’t seem to be any “slump” in this kid and we may have yet to see just how good he can be. If the start of this season is any indication, he is primed to show the world that he belongs among the NHL elite.
The comparisons to his legendary father Peter have been well documented, but if you weren’t lucky enough to have witnessed Peter dominate (I thank my lucky stars I got to see him many times beat the ever living snot out of the Bruins and Whalers for years) all you have to do is picture Paul in a Nordiques or Devils jersey and you can get an idea. Okay so good old dad was a bit more dominating in his first six seasons, but remember he also played in an era where goaltending was weak (the same era Gretzky tore up the league, not that it would have made a difference to either of them). Production aside, when you watch Paul play it is his smarts and creative ability coupled with his strength and drive to the net that reminds one of Peter. They are very similar in size (Peter 6’ 1” 200lbs. and Paul 6’ 0” 205lbs.) and as fluent of skaters as you will ever see. Peter joined the NHL at age 24 and Paul had his first full season at 21. When you take a look at dad’s production at age 20 (25-27-52) playing in Czechoslovakia and weigh that against Paul’s totals from last year, it leaves you with a sense that greatness is still to come from Paul. Considering Peter exploded at age 24 (39-70-109) one can only imagine how much better Paul will be in a couple of years.
I’m sure that Paul takes the comparisons to his father in humble fashion and most likely talks “pops” up as the greater player, but one thing that he won’t want to mirror his dad in is the lack of a championship ring. As long as Paul keeps playing the way he is (and the Avs keep building and adding pieces to the puzzle), that Stanley Cup ring may just be in his future.
Can I get an Amen? Amen!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
GREGSKY'S EASTERN CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK
This is the first edition of my Eastern Conference Notebook, where throughout the season I will be taking a look at how the East is taking shape. I don’t usually make predictions this early, but for my first notebook post I will make an exception.
1. Ottawa – Until proven otherwise they are the best of the East and the best in their division.
2. Pittsburgh – The kids are out to prove last year was no fluke, a year older and a year wiser.
3. Carolina – After an embarrassing end to last season, they will rebound back to the top of the Southeast.
4. N.Y. Rangers – Despite holes on the blue-line, the offence, especially the power play will put the Rangers in a solid playoff spot.
5. Buffalo – Even though they will drop off a bit from last season, they are still a tight and fast team.
6. N.J. Devils – They will struggle from time to time to find scoring, but Marty will keep them in the mix.
7. Philadelphia - They made enough improvement to make the postseason, after that it’s anyone’s guess.
8. Toronto – Fighting tooth and nail with the Habs, Caps and Panthers to end the season and claim the last spot, the Leafs squeak in.
9. Montreal – Another just miss year, but not for long.
10. Washington – They will look strong for stretches and suspect for stretches, they are still a year away from being a playoff contender.
11. Florida – Vokoun and health problems will once again deny Jokinen a trip to the postseason.
12. Tampa Bay – This is the year the wheels fall off. The “Big 3” experiment fails and the window of opportunity closes. Defense and goaltending will need upgrading.
13. Boston – A season of transition for the Bruins, learning a new system will tighten up the defense, but goal scoring will become the issue.
14. Atlanta – A total fall from grace will have the fans in Atlanta scratching their heads as to which team will show up from night to night. Most nights it won’t look pretty.
15. N.Y. Islanders – Hillary Duff will be the most attractive addition for Isles fans. As for the bench, the best looking thing will be Ted Nolan.
As the season goes along I will be breaking down the conference and take a deeper look into each division and individual teams. So be on the lookout for Gregsky’s Eastern Conference Notebook and Miser’s Western Conference Roundup as we have your season covered here at Around The Rink.
1. Ottawa – Until proven otherwise they are the best of the East and the best in their division.
2. Pittsburgh – The kids are out to prove last year was no fluke, a year older and a year wiser.
3. Carolina – After an embarrassing end to last season, they will rebound back to the top of the Southeast.
4. N.Y. Rangers – Despite holes on the blue-line, the offence, especially the power play will put the Rangers in a solid playoff spot.
5. Buffalo – Even though they will drop off a bit from last season, they are still a tight and fast team.
6. N.J. Devils – They will struggle from time to time to find scoring, but Marty will keep them in the mix.
7. Philadelphia - They made enough improvement to make the postseason, after that it’s anyone’s guess.
8. Toronto – Fighting tooth and nail with the Habs, Caps and Panthers to end the season and claim the last spot, the Leafs squeak in.
9. Montreal – Another just miss year, but not for long.
10. Washington – They will look strong for stretches and suspect for stretches, they are still a year away from being a playoff contender.
11. Florida – Vokoun and health problems will once again deny Jokinen a trip to the postseason.
12. Tampa Bay – This is the year the wheels fall off. The “Big 3” experiment fails and the window of opportunity closes. Defense and goaltending will need upgrading.
13. Boston – A season of transition for the Bruins, learning a new system will tighten up the defense, but goal scoring will become the issue.
14. Atlanta – A total fall from grace will have the fans in Atlanta scratching their heads as to which team will show up from night to night. Most nights it won’t look pretty.
15. N.Y. Islanders – Hillary Duff will be the most attractive addition for Isles fans. As for the bench, the best looking thing will be Ted Nolan.
As the season goes along I will be breaking down the conference and take a deeper look into each division and individual teams. So be on the lookout for Gregsky’s Eastern Conference Notebook and Miser’s Western Conference Roundup as we have your season covered here at Around The Rink.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
LETTING THE COFFEE DO THE TALKING
Seems like the coffee is dictating my thoughts once again this morning along with giving me the sensation of feeling my hair grow. I don’t expect anyone to understand that statement unless they too have more caffeine than blood in their system. In which case, seek help before it is too late, you really don’t want to be in my situation. Which leads me to the point I’m attempting to make – can’t think straight – brain flooded with too many thoughts – having trouble with order and organization skills – fearing complete meltdown. With that said, please forgive me if today’s post sounds like - I’m talking like I have a paper asshole – like a screen door with a busted hinge just flapping in the breeze – it is just the coffee talking. Really. Now that you’ve read my disclaimer, I will shake the rust off of my Andy Rooney impression and throw my scatter-brained thoughts your way. Oh, lucky you.
You ever notice that Joe Thornton tears up the league during the regular season and runs out of gas somewhere in the middle of the 2nd round of the playoffs?
Ever think it would be great to see Rick Nash getting an opportunity to play with players on his level?
Have you ever wondered how good the Bolts would be if they would have been smarter about how they spread the payroll around?
Is there anyone left who views Sergei Fedorov as a top tier player?
You ever notice the size of Barry Trotz’s head makes him look like he has no neck?
Ever wonder if the Wings would look as good if they played in a tougher division?
Am I the only one who thinks that Shea Weber will one day win a Norris trophy?
Does anyone outside of Bruins management really think Glen Murray is still a 1st line winger?
Will there ever come a day when Ilya Kovalchuk won’t feel like he has to do it all by himself?
Ever wonder what the Senators would look like without Spezza and Heatley?
Will this be the year that Ovechkin scores 60 goals?
Has anyone thought about who on the Sabres roster will fill the leadership role this year?
Am I the only one who would love to see a Penguins vs. Sharks final?
Ever wonder how tense a poker game between Mike Keenan, John Tortorella and Andy Murray would be?
Will it really shock anyone if Chris Chelios is still playing when he’s fifty?
Is it just me or does Dave Tippett really look like Elliot Gould?
If I was granted one wish I might be tempted to use it to give Gaborik a bionic groin.
Speaking of groins, will that be Sidney Crosby’s Achilles heel?
Speaking of heels, which team will sell the farm to get Forsberg on their roster for the 2nd half?
You ever notice that Ray Ferarro’s teeth seem to be too big for his mouth?
Is it just me, or does all of the tough talk that comes from Don Cherry seem strange when his wardrobe looks like he should be leading the annual parade in Northampton, Ma?
Will this year’s Ducks mirror last year’s Hurricanes?
Ever wonder if Barry Melrose’s hair is really a helmet? (think Ming the Merciless from Flash Gordon)
When I look at Canucks logos throughout history, I’m left wondering if there are any art schools in Vancouver.
Is there a better role model for kids in today’s NHL than Joe Sakic?
Speaking of kids, will John Tavares burn out before he’s 30?
Ever wonder if Olli Jokinen will ever see playoff action?
Will there be a better rookie this year than Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom?
How long will we have to wait for the Hawks to name a captain?
Ever wonder how many times the King’s players will sit through a “Good cop – Bad cop” routine this year with Crawford and Lewis at the helm?
Is it just me, or is the best thing about the Islanders bench Ted Nolan?
You ever notice that Joe Thornton tears up the league during the regular season and runs out of gas somewhere in the middle of the 2nd round of the playoffs?
Ever think it would be great to see Rick Nash getting an opportunity to play with players on his level?
Have you ever wondered how good the Bolts would be if they would have been smarter about how they spread the payroll around?
Is there anyone left who views Sergei Fedorov as a top tier player?
You ever notice the size of Barry Trotz’s head makes him look like he has no neck?
Ever wonder if the Wings would look as good if they played in a tougher division?
Am I the only one who thinks that Shea Weber will one day win a Norris trophy?
Does anyone outside of Bruins management really think Glen Murray is still a 1st line winger?
Will there ever come a day when Ilya Kovalchuk won’t feel like he has to do it all by himself?
Ever wonder what the Senators would look like without Spezza and Heatley?
Will this be the year that Ovechkin scores 60 goals?
Has anyone thought about who on the Sabres roster will fill the leadership role this year?
Am I the only one who would love to see a Penguins vs. Sharks final?
Ever wonder how tense a poker game between Mike Keenan, John Tortorella and Andy Murray would be?
Will it really shock anyone if Chris Chelios is still playing when he’s fifty?
Is it just me or does Dave Tippett really look like Elliot Gould?
If I was granted one wish I might be tempted to use it to give Gaborik a bionic groin.
Speaking of groins, will that be Sidney Crosby’s Achilles heel?
Speaking of heels, which team will sell the farm to get Forsberg on their roster for the 2nd half?
You ever notice that Ray Ferarro’s teeth seem to be too big for his mouth?
Is it just me, or does all of the tough talk that comes from Don Cherry seem strange when his wardrobe looks like he should be leading the annual parade in Northampton, Ma?
Will this year’s Ducks mirror last year’s Hurricanes?
Ever wonder if Barry Melrose’s hair is really a helmet? (think Ming the Merciless from Flash Gordon)
When I look at Canucks logos throughout history, I’m left wondering if there are any art schools in Vancouver.
Is there a better role model for kids in today’s NHL than Joe Sakic?
Speaking of kids, will John Tavares burn out before he’s 30?
Ever wonder if Olli Jokinen will ever see playoff action?
Will there be a better rookie this year than Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom?
How long will we have to wait for the Hawks to name a captain?
Ever wonder how many times the King’s players will sit through a “Good cop – Bad cop” routine this year with Crawford and Lewis at the helm?
Is it just me, or is the best thing about the Islanders bench Ted Nolan?
Friday, September 28, 2007
LACK OF RESPECT AMONGST PLAYERS IS THE REAL PROBLEM
Okay people, let’s go over this one more time and then try to move along. The issue, intent to injure and blows to the head. Of course I am referring to the latest hubbub getting certain media types all wound up; the Downie hit on McAmmond. There seems to be quite the outcry for justice over this hit and the blame is being pointed at the league for not doing enough to ensure the overall safety of its players. While it is true that the league does a poor job in this matter, all the blame for this particular situation should not be laid at the league’s doorstep. If it was a case of intent to injure or an illegal hit to the head then the league should step in and levy a punishment. Instead what we have here is a total lack of respect amongst the players themselves.
One of the reasons that the league appears to not care about the safety of its players is that it must view each case independently and weigh all factors. The general public and the media have a knack for grouping all cases together when calling out the league for justice. It is down right idiotic to put this recent hit in the same group as hits like Bertuzzi/Moore and Simon/Hollweg; you just can’t do that people. Each and every situation is unique and must be treated as such by the league. So if you want or need to group the issues together for a big flag waving and outcry for justice then focus your attention away from the league and onto the players themselves. For this is where the problem lies.
For a moment let’s look at this case. Here we have Dean McAmmond coming around the back of the net (once again) with his head down admiring his play and putting himself in a prone position. We see Downie (no stranger to rough play) stop skating and start to glide at the top of the circle with McAmmond in his sights he goes in for the hit. At the point of collision, Downie leads with his shoulder not his elbow and absolutely destroys a prone McAmmond. It would appear that Downie left his feet as he gets almost vertical at the follow through from the hit, but in reality that is just forward momentum and impact reaction (much like a head on collision between two cars) that causes the flying effect. The damage to McAmmond appears to take place not at the point of contact with Downie, rather at the point of contact with the boards. Therefore, my assessment of this particular incident is it was a legal hit where unfortunately a player was hurt. With that said, I do believe that there was a lack of respect for McAmmond by Downie without a doubt. Downie had plenty of time to see that McAmmond was in a prone position and he made the decision to clean his clock instead of holding up and just sitting him on his ass. This is where the root of the problem takes place. The decision to disregard the health and well being of a fellow player by punishing him with extreme force is a definite league wide problem. One that the league should address, but most likely won’t.
Disregard for each other on the ice is as old as time and the players of today aren’t much different from the players of the past when it comes to lacking respect. One look into the history of the sport and you will find countless incidents where a total lack of respect for another player caused injury and a few that caused death. In the 1907 season Owen McCourt of the Cornwall, Ontario team died the following morning after he was clubbed in the head from the hockey stick of Charles Masson. In 1968 the league lost Bill Masterton as a result of being catapulted to the ice head first by a duo of Seals defensemen, which lead to more players wearing helmets. What was lost on the Masterton incident was the intent to injure imposed on him by his opponents. 1933 gave us Eddie Shore’s hit from behind on Ace Bailey that forced Bailey to never play again. The list goes on and on and I’m sure every hockey fan today can remember some sort of incident (Lemieux, McSorley, Simon, etc.) where a total lack of respect for another player has caused injury.
The only way for the league to put an end to this problem is to institute a rule clearly defining intent to injure and blows to the head under the punishment of fines and suspension. The only way the problem will go away is if the players themselves take an active roll in curbing their desire to destroy their opponent with blatant lack of respect and make a conscious decision to ensure the safety of fellow players.
Violence and hockey go hand and hand, always has and always will. You see, hockey is a tough sport and violence is just a part of it. It just so happens to be the part that brings fans to their feet and to the seats of the arenas. Many years ago Conn Smythe once said when critics of the violence in hockey were taking him to task “Yes, we’ve got to stamp out this sort of thing or people are going to keep on buying tickets.” Forever now, the league has accepted it, the players have accepted it and the fans have expected it. The problem will continue, injuries to players will continue and the media will continue its outcry for justice (most likely missing the point). Enough said.
One of the reasons that the league appears to not care about the safety of its players is that it must view each case independently and weigh all factors. The general public and the media have a knack for grouping all cases together when calling out the league for justice. It is down right idiotic to put this recent hit in the same group as hits like Bertuzzi/Moore and Simon/Hollweg; you just can’t do that people. Each and every situation is unique and must be treated as such by the league. So if you want or need to group the issues together for a big flag waving and outcry for justice then focus your attention away from the league and onto the players themselves. For this is where the problem lies.
For a moment let’s look at this case. Here we have Dean McAmmond coming around the back of the net (once again) with his head down admiring his play and putting himself in a prone position. We see Downie (no stranger to rough play) stop skating and start to glide at the top of the circle with McAmmond in his sights he goes in for the hit. At the point of collision, Downie leads with his shoulder not his elbow and absolutely destroys a prone McAmmond. It would appear that Downie left his feet as he gets almost vertical at the follow through from the hit, but in reality that is just forward momentum and impact reaction (much like a head on collision between two cars) that causes the flying effect. The damage to McAmmond appears to take place not at the point of contact with Downie, rather at the point of contact with the boards. Therefore, my assessment of this particular incident is it was a legal hit where unfortunately a player was hurt. With that said, I do believe that there was a lack of respect for McAmmond by Downie without a doubt. Downie had plenty of time to see that McAmmond was in a prone position and he made the decision to clean his clock instead of holding up and just sitting him on his ass. This is where the root of the problem takes place. The decision to disregard the health and well being of a fellow player by punishing him with extreme force is a definite league wide problem. One that the league should address, but most likely won’t.
Disregard for each other on the ice is as old as time and the players of today aren’t much different from the players of the past when it comes to lacking respect. One look into the history of the sport and you will find countless incidents where a total lack of respect for another player caused injury and a few that caused death. In the 1907 season Owen McCourt of the Cornwall, Ontario team died the following morning after he was clubbed in the head from the hockey stick of Charles Masson. In 1968 the league lost Bill Masterton as a result of being catapulted to the ice head first by a duo of Seals defensemen, which lead to more players wearing helmets. What was lost on the Masterton incident was the intent to injure imposed on him by his opponents. 1933 gave us Eddie Shore’s hit from behind on Ace Bailey that forced Bailey to never play again. The list goes on and on and I’m sure every hockey fan today can remember some sort of incident (Lemieux, McSorley, Simon, etc.) where a total lack of respect for another player has caused injury.
The only way for the league to put an end to this problem is to institute a rule clearly defining intent to injure and blows to the head under the punishment of fines and suspension. The only way the problem will go away is if the players themselves take an active roll in curbing their desire to destroy their opponent with blatant lack of respect and make a conscious decision to ensure the safety of fellow players.
Violence and hockey go hand and hand, always has and always will. You see, hockey is a tough sport and violence is just a part of it. It just so happens to be the part that brings fans to their feet and to the seats of the arenas. Many years ago Conn Smythe once said when critics of the violence in hockey were taking him to task “Yes, we’ve got to stamp out this sort of thing or people are going to keep on buying tickets.” Forever now, the league has accepted it, the players have accepted it and the fans have expected it. The problem will continue, injuries to players will continue and the media will continue its outcry for justice (most likely missing the point). Enough said.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
MISER'S WESTERN ROUNDUP
Hello, everyone! Before I begin, I would like to thank Gregsky for the opportunity to be a guest here on ATR. I hope you will find that my work is worthy of the kind remarks he made in his announcement. So, without further ado, let’s get to it!
First, I’ll go through the West by order of finish last season and give you a few thoughts on each team. Afterwards, I’ll give you my predictions for the upcoming season.
DETROIT RED WINGS 50-19-13 113 PTS Lost in Conf. Final (ANA)
It always galls me when Detroit is more successful than my Stars, but respect must be given to the defending Central Division champs. DET was in the top ten in goals against (2.33, 2nd), goals scored (3.07, 10th), and penalty kill (84.6%, T6). Those ingredients are always going to get you far. The Wings lost three of their top eight scorers over the summer; saying goodbye to Robert Lang, Mathieu Schneider, and Kyle Calder. My question: SO? Any club that can ice the likes of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Lidstrom is a dangerous club, indeed. Adding Dallas Drake and Brian Rafalski to the mix does nothing but help. For leadership, look to Methuselah – I mean – Chris Chelios. He just keeps going and going. The only question: Can Dominik Hasek stay healthy. If not, just how much confidence is there is Chris Osgood?
ANAHEIM DUCKS 48-20-14 110 PTS STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS
What do you say? Yes, Dustin Penner was plucked away by the Oil; and Selanne and Niedermayer are taking more time than they should to decide whether or not to return. However, the majority of this club is intact. The aforementioned Mr. Schneider now calls Anaheim home, as does one of his teammates in Detroit: Todd Bertuzzi. J.S. Giguere returns, as does underrated (in my mind) backup Ilya Bryzgalov. The Ducks finished in the top eight in offense, defense, PP%, and PK%. Will they return to the Finals? Probably not, but they will makes teams work to the limit before they give up the crown.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS 49-26-7 105 PTS Lost in 2nd Round (ANA)
Ah, yes, the cause of my distress for these several months: Roberto Luongo. Luongo outlasted Marty Turco as Vancouver ousted Dallas in one of the finest seven-game series one could ever see. He is back, as are the Sedin twins, Markus Naslund, Brendan Morrison, and company. I’m not sure if Ryan Shannon helps the offense much, but Aaron Miller is an upgrade over Brent Sopel, which should make it even more difficult to score on the ‘Nucks. For all of that, this team goes only as far as Luongo can carry them; meaning that they may bow out in the second round again, or not make the postseason at all.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS 51-23-8 110 PTS Lost in 1st Round (SJ)
OK, so you lose Paul Kariya, Scott Hartnell, and Tomas Vokoun. To replace them, you bring in Radek Bonk, Greg DeVries, and you put Chris Mason (84 games of NHL experience) in net, backed up by Finn Pekka Rinne (with all of 63 MINUTES in the NHL). While you’re doing that, people are trying to move you to Hamilton, or KC, or Fort Nelson, or some other place. New captain Jason Arnott looks to have a long season ahead of him. The Preds look to have lost their fangs.
SAN JOSE SHARKS 51-26-5 107 PTS Lost in 2nd Round (DET)
I think the Sharks are a dangerous team with the size, speed, and skill to win a title. Of course, I said that last year, and the year before that, etc. When I look at a roster and see Thornton, Marleau, Cheechoo, Clowe, and Grier, I think that is a group that can do some damage. Yet, San Jose has fallen short of expectations. Bill Guerin was a late-season rental who now plies his craft as the captain on Long Island. The netminding tandem of Evgeni Nabokov and Vesa Toskala has been split up, with Toskala going to Toronto in exchange for three draft picks. I really don’t know why they bothered to sign Jeremy Roenick (please JR, don’t bitch when you get no ice time). The biggest thing working in favor of the Sharks is the more than $12 million in cap space they have to make a move or two. The pressure is on in San Jose – will they be able to breathe?
DALLAS STARS 50-25-7 107 PTS Lost in 1st Round (VAN)
I will try to be as objective as I can, but it is difficult to do so when talk turns to my hometown boys. Yes, they suffered another early exit. No, neither Marty Turco nor Coach Dave Tippett have ever advanced past the first round. No, Dallas made no splash in free agency. That said, please remember that the Stars battled through numerous injuries all year long, losing almost 300 man-games. Mike Modano missed 23 games. Brenden Morrow missed 33 games after a nasty wrist injury (stepped on and sliced at Chicago in late December. Pot-stirrer Steve Ott missed 63 games due to an ankle injury. Despite all of these issues and more, Dallas posted a 100-point season, and Marty Turco answered all the critics in the playoff series. Dallas needs three things in order to play past the first round: 1) stay healthy, and 2) hope the kids (Joel Lundqvist, Loui Eriksson, Junior Lessard) can step forward and help the offense. Finally, forwards Jussi Jokinen (who just signed a two-year deal) and Antti Miettinen (who got his salary doubled in arbitration despite contributing little) must prove they belong at this level.
MINNESOTA WILD 48-26-8 104 PTS Lost in 1st Round (ANA)
The Wild didn’t lose that much, and seemed to have found a No. 1 tender in Niklas Backstrom. They sent Manny Fernandez to Boston to make room for Backstrom and 2002 draft pick Josh Harding. One would like to think they have enough talent to improve on last season’s finish. Problem: This is essentially the same group that was blasted out of the first round in five games. Minnesota’s power play was nonexistent in the series (7.4%), and the penalty kill was dead last among all 16 playoff qualifiers. Does that linger with the club? Minnesota plays seven of their first eleven games on the road – if there is a hangover, the Wild could get buried early.
CALGARY FLAMES 43-29-10 96 PTS Lost in 1st Round (DET)
I read one preview that said goaltender Miikka Kipprusoff had an “off-year”. Excuse me? The guy wins 40 games (seven by shutout), a 2.46 GAA and a .917 SV% and it is an “off-year”? How many teams would pass on that? I thought so. This team has loads of talent and experience. The Flames scored 3.11 goals per game and allowed 2.70. They were in the top half in the league on the PP, but were 22nd on the kill (is that why Kipper was said to be “off”?). Can new coach Mike Keenan put the right people in the right positions? Jarome Iginla enters his 10th season with Calgary. While it’s not “now or never” for him, his window isn’t going to open any wider. The Northwest may well be the toughest division in the league, and it is difficult to say how that will affect them when the playoffs start. It will be very interesting to watch, though.
COLORADO AVALANCHE 44-31-7 95 PTS 9th in West
Look out: here come the Avs. Ryan Smyth and Scott Hannan join a club that finished with a flourish (winning 15 of their final 19 games), but came up just short of the postseason. Smyth joins Paul Stastny, Wojtek Wolski (who I believe will have an all-star type of year), J.M. Liles, and the ageless Joe Sakic on an offense that shouldn’t miss a beat. The Avs scored 3.26 goals per game last season. The biggest impact Smyth and D-man Hannan will make is on the power play, which was in the bottom third last year. Peter Budaj is solid in net, but overpaid head case Jose Theodore is his backup. An injury to Budaj could derail hopes in Denver.
ST. LOUIS BLUES 34-35-13 81 PTS 10TH in West
Look out again: Here come the Blues. The additions of Paul Kariya and Keith Tkachuk immediately improve the offense. The blueline is well-manned with Eric Brewer, Barrett Jackman, Jay McKee, and big, young Erik Johnson, the number one pick in the 2006 Draft. I was able to see Johnson when St. Louis visited Dallas last week for the preseason opener, and I was immediately impressed. At 6’ 4” and listed at 222 pounds, he already cuts an imposing figure – give him a couple years to fill out and he will be a behemoth. He scored a goal that night, showing a better than average shot. He played in all situations and acquitted himself well. His potential is unlimited right now. St. Louis will make the playoffs this year, and they just might be the surprise team in the West playoffs.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS 33-42-7 73 PTS 11th in West
The Jackets finished in the bottom half of every major category, but there may be some hope. Scott Howson replaces Doug MacLean as GM, and many claim that move is “addition by subtraction”. Secondly, Ken Hitchcock begins his first full season as coach. This gives him the chance to fully install his system and begin to instill higher levels of responsibility and work ethic in his charges. Hopefully, Rick Nash, Nik Zherdev, and company will listen and take Hitch’s lessons to heart. However, this club is still at least two years away or more. Goalie Pascal Leclaire is on IR, which means the job is up for grabs between Frederik Norrena and a bunch of guys I’ve never heard of. There is much to do, much to teach, much to learn. By the way, I haven’t mentioned Sergei Fedorov at all… is he that irrelevant?
EDMONTON OILERS 32-43-7 71 PTS 12th in West
I feel for Oiler fans. I have always had a quiet admiration of the Oil dating back to the seemingly annual meetings with Dallas in the playoffs. Just watching the fans go nuts at Northlands/Skyreach/Rexall would always give me chills. Now, they have to pick up the pieces after having their heart and soul ripped out. When Ryan Smyth was traded to the Islanders, Kevin Lowe was nearly run out of Alberta on a rail as the Oilers went into freefall (winning two of 20 games). Now Oiler fans will watch in pain as Smyth leads the Avs back to the postseason. When Lowe tried to sign Tomas Vanek to a huge deal (which failed), then succeeded in signing Dustin Penner to a huge contract, GM’s around the league wanted to run him out of the league. Penner and Geoff Sanderson will help, but it won’t be nearly enough to resuscitate an offense that finished last in the NHL. Sheldon Souray and Joni Pitkanen were brought in to bolster the D-corps. While Souray will definitely help on the power play (19 PPG with MTL last year), Souray and Pitkanen were a combined -53 last year. Dwayne Roloson will be a very busy man in net. The Oil are a year away… at least.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS 31-42-9 71 PTS 13th in West
The ‘Hawks had the second-worst offense in the league, and the ninth-worst defense. So, what’s to like? Well…. Um…. OK: Robert Lang, and draft picks Johnathan Toews (2006) and Jack Skille (2005) might be able to help Tuomo Ruttu on offense. Kevyn Adams adds a little depth, but not much scoring. Yanic Perrault and Sergei Samsonov bring a dash of scoring. On defense, Cam Barker may see more time with the big club. Brent Seabrook is durable (81 games, 104 PIM). Of course, these are the ‘Hawks, and things are never easy. Toews injured his hand last week and might be available for the opener. Things are never easy in Chicago…..
LOS ANGELES KINGS 27-41-14 68 PTS 14th in West
The Kings may have put together one of the best young teams in the league. Anze Kopitar, Alex Frolov, and Derek Armstrong are joined by Kyle Calder, Michael Handzus, and Ladislav Nagy (I don’t know what is so great about Nagy – he contributed precious little here in Dallas and was considered “soft”.) Brad Stuart and Tom Preissing will provide solid help on the blueline, where youngster Jack Johnson will get loads of time this year. What will keep the Kings from making the playoffs? Goaltending. Dan Cloutier was recently sent to the minors, leaving Jason LaBarbera and J. S. Aubin to guard (?) the nets. The Kings will be spoilers this year, but look like contenders in the future.
PHOENIX COYOTES 31-46-5 67 PTS 15 in West
Everything I read suggests that the Coyotes may finally have a good group of prospects, but that won’t help them this year. Poor on offense, decent on defense, and with a near vacuum in goal, it will be another long, difficult year in the desert. Phoenix may be fortunate to net 67 points again this season.
My predicted order of finish (Please, no wagering):
1) Calgary
2) Detroit
3) San Jose
4) Vancouver
5) Colorado
6) Anaheim
7) Dallas
8) St. Louis
9) Los Angeles
10) Minnesota
11) Nashville
12) Edmonton
13) Columbus
14) Chicago
15) Phoenix
There you have it. I’ll check in from time to time throughout the year. Peace.
First, I’ll go through the West by order of finish last season and give you a few thoughts on each team. Afterwards, I’ll give you my predictions for the upcoming season.
DETROIT RED WINGS 50-19-13 113 PTS Lost in Conf. Final (ANA)
It always galls me when Detroit is more successful than my Stars, but respect must be given to the defending Central Division champs. DET was in the top ten in goals against (2.33, 2nd), goals scored (3.07, 10th), and penalty kill (84.6%, T6). Those ingredients are always going to get you far. The Wings lost three of their top eight scorers over the summer; saying goodbye to Robert Lang, Mathieu Schneider, and Kyle Calder. My question: SO? Any club that can ice the likes of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Lidstrom is a dangerous club, indeed. Adding Dallas Drake and Brian Rafalski to the mix does nothing but help. For leadership, look to Methuselah – I mean – Chris Chelios. He just keeps going and going. The only question: Can Dominik Hasek stay healthy. If not, just how much confidence is there is Chris Osgood?
ANAHEIM DUCKS 48-20-14 110 PTS STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS
What do you say? Yes, Dustin Penner was plucked away by the Oil; and Selanne and Niedermayer are taking more time than they should to decide whether or not to return. However, the majority of this club is intact. The aforementioned Mr. Schneider now calls Anaheim home, as does one of his teammates in Detroit: Todd Bertuzzi. J.S. Giguere returns, as does underrated (in my mind) backup Ilya Bryzgalov. The Ducks finished in the top eight in offense, defense, PP%, and PK%. Will they return to the Finals? Probably not, but they will makes teams work to the limit before they give up the crown.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS 49-26-7 105 PTS Lost in 2nd Round (ANA)
Ah, yes, the cause of my distress for these several months: Roberto Luongo. Luongo outlasted Marty Turco as Vancouver ousted Dallas in one of the finest seven-game series one could ever see. He is back, as are the Sedin twins, Markus Naslund, Brendan Morrison, and company. I’m not sure if Ryan Shannon helps the offense much, but Aaron Miller is an upgrade over Brent Sopel, which should make it even more difficult to score on the ‘Nucks. For all of that, this team goes only as far as Luongo can carry them; meaning that they may bow out in the second round again, or not make the postseason at all.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS 51-23-8 110 PTS Lost in 1st Round (SJ)
OK, so you lose Paul Kariya, Scott Hartnell, and Tomas Vokoun. To replace them, you bring in Radek Bonk, Greg DeVries, and you put Chris Mason (84 games of NHL experience) in net, backed up by Finn Pekka Rinne (with all of 63 MINUTES in the NHL). While you’re doing that, people are trying to move you to Hamilton, or KC, or Fort Nelson, or some other place. New captain Jason Arnott looks to have a long season ahead of him. The Preds look to have lost their fangs.
SAN JOSE SHARKS 51-26-5 107 PTS Lost in 2nd Round (DET)
I think the Sharks are a dangerous team with the size, speed, and skill to win a title. Of course, I said that last year, and the year before that, etc. When I look at a roster and see Thornton, Marleau, Cheechoo, Clowe, and Grier, I think that is a group that can do some damage. Yet, San Jose has fallen short of expectations. Bill Guerin was a late-season rental who now plies his craft as the captain on Long Island. The netminding tandem of Evgeni Nabokov and Vesa Toskala has been split up, with Toskala going to Toronto in exchange for three draft picks. I really don’t know why they bothered to sign Jeremy Roenick (please JR, don’t bitch when you get no ice time). The biggest thing working in favor of the Sharks is the more than $12 million in cap space they have to make a move or two. The pressure is on in San Jose – will they be able to breathe?
DALLAS STARS 50-25-7 107 PTS Lost in 1st Round (VAN)
I will try to be as objective as I can, but it is difficult to do so when talk turns to my hometown boys. Yes, they suffered another early exit. No, neither Marty Turco nor Coach Dave Tippett have ever advanced past the first round. No, Dallas made no splash in free agency. That said, please remember that the Stars battled through numerous injuries all year long, losing almost 300 man-games. Mike Modano missed 23 games. Brenden Morrow missed 33 games after a nasty wrist injury (stepped on and sliced at Chicago in late December. Pot-stirrer Steve Ott missed 63 games due to an ankle injury. Despite all of these issues and more, Dallas posted a 100-point season, and Marty Turco answered all the critics in the playoff series. Dallas needs three things in order to play past the first round: 1) stay healthy, and 2) hope the kids (Joel Lundqvist, Loui Eriksson, Junior Lessard) can step forward and help the offense. Finally, forwards Jussi Jokinen (who just signed a two-year deal) and Antti Miettinen (who got his salary doubled in arbitration despite contributing little) must prove they belong at this level.
MINNESOTA WILD 48-26-8 104 PTS Lost in 1st Round (ANA)
The Wild didn’t lose that much, and seemed to have found a No. 1 tender in Niklas Backstrom. They sent Manny Fernandez to Boston to make room for Backstrom and 2002 draft pick Josh Harding. One would like to think they have enough talent to improve on last season’s finish. Problem: This is essentially the same group that was blasted out of the first round in five games. Minnesota’s power play was nonexistent in the series (7.4%), and the penalty kill was dead last among all 16 playoff qualifiers. Does that linger with the club? Minnesota plays seven of their first eleven games on the road – if there is a hangover, the Wild could get buried early.
CALGARY FLAMES 43-29-10 96 PTS Lost in 1st Round (DET)
I read one preview that said goaltender Miikka Kipprusoff had an “off-year”. Excuse me? The guy wins 40 games (seven by shutout), a 2.46 GAA and a .917 SV% and it is an “off-year”? How many teams would pass on that? I thought so. This team has loads of talent and experience. The Flames scored 3.11 goals per game and allowed 2.70. They were in the top half in the league on the PP, but were 22nd on the kill (is that why Kipper was said to be “off”?). Can new coach Mike Keenan put the right people in the right positions? Jarome Iginla enters his 10th season with Calgary. While it’s not “now or never” for him, his window isn’t going to open any wider. The Northwest may well be the toughest division in the league, and it is difficult to say how that will affect them when the playoffs start. It will be very interesting to watch, though.
COLORADO AVALANCHE 44-31-7 95 PTS 9th in West
Look out: here come the Avs. Ryan Smyth and Scott Hannan join a club that finished with a flourish (winning 15 of their final 19 games), but came up just short of the postseason. Smyth joins Paul Stastny, Wojtek Wolski (who I believe will have an all-star type of year), J.M. Liles, and the ageless Joe Sakic on an offense that shouldn’t miss a beat. The Avs scored 3.26 goals per game last season. The biggest impact Smyth and D-man Hannan will make is on the power play, which was in the bottom third last year. Peter Budaj is solid in net, but overpaid head case Jose Theodore is his backup. An injury to Budaj could derail hopes in Denver.
ST. LOUIS BLUES 34-35-13 81 PTS 10TH in West
Look out again: Here come the Blues. The additions of Paul Kariya and Keith Tkachuk immediately improve the offense. The blueline is well-manned with Eric Brewer, Barrett Jackman, Jay McKee, and big, young Erik Johnson, the number one pick in the 2006 Draft. I was able to see Johnson when St. Louis visited Dallas last week for the preseason opener, and I was immediately impressed. At 6’ 4” and listed at 222 pounds, he already cuts an imposing figure – give him a couple years to fill out and he will be a behemoth. He scored a goal that night, showing a better than average shot. He played in all situations and acquitted himself well. His potential is unlimited right now. St. Louis will make the playoffs this year, and they just might be the surprise team in the West playoffs.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS 33-42-7 73 PTS 11th in West
The Jackets finished in the bottom half of every major category, but there may be some hope. Scott Howson replaces Doug MacLean as GM, and many claim that move is “addition by subtraction”. Secondly, Ken Hitchcock begins his first full season as coach. This gives him the chance to fully install his system and begin to instill higher levels of responsibility and work ethic in his charges. Hopefully, Rick Nash, Nik Zherdev, and company will listen and take Hitch’s lessons to heart. However, this club is still at least two years away or more. Goalie Pascal Leclaire is on IR, which means the job is up for grabs between Frederik Norrena and a bunch of guys I’ve never heard of. There is much to do, much to teach, much to learn. By the way, I haven’t mentioned Sergei Fedorov at all… is he that irrelevant?
EDMONTON OILERS 32-43-7 71 PTS 12th in West
I feel for Oiler fans. I have always had a quiet admiration of the Oil dating back to the seemingly annual meetings with Dallas in the playoffs. Just watching the fans go nuts at Northlands/Skyreach/Rexall would always give me chills. Now, they have to pick up the pieces after having their heart and soul ripped out. When Ryan Smyth was traded to the Islanders, Kevin Lowe was nearly run out of Alberta on a rail as the Oilers went into freefall (winning two of 20 games). Now Oiler fans will watch in pain as Smyth leads the Avs back to the postseason. When Lowe tried to sign Tomas Vanek to a huge deal (which failed), then succeeded in signing Dustin Penner to a huge contract, GM’s around the league wanted to run him out of the league. Penner and Geoff Sanderson will help, but it won’t be nearly enough to resuscitate an offense that finished last in the NHL. Sheldon Souray and Joni Pitkanen were brought in to bolster the D-corps. While Souray will definitely help on the power play (19 PPG with MTL last year), Souray and Pitkanen were a combined -53 last year. Dwayne Roloson will be a very busy man in net. The Oil are a year away… at least.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS 31-42-9 71 PTS 13th in West
The ‘Hawks had the second-worst offense in the league, and the ninth-worst defense. So, what’s to like? Well…. Um…. OK: Robert Lang, and draft picks Johnathan Toews (2006) and Jack Skille (2005) might be able to help Tuomo Ruttu on offense. Kevyn Adams adds a little depth, but not much scoring. Yanic Perrault and Sergei Samsonov bring a dash of scoring. On defense, Cam Barker may see more time with the big club. Brent Seabrook is durable (81 games, 104 PIM). Of course, these are the ‘Hawks, and things are never easy. Toews injured his hand last week and might be available for the opener. Things are never easy in Chicago…..
LOS ANGELES KINGS 27-41-14 68 PTS 14th in West
The Kings may have put together one of the best young teams in the league. Anze Kopitar, Alex Frolov, and Derek Armstrong are joined by Kyle Calder, Michael Handzus, and Ladislav Nagy (I don’t know what is so great about Nagy – he contributed precious little here in Dallas and was considered “soft”.) Brad Stuart and Tom Preissing will provide solid help on the blueline, where youngster Jack Johnson will get loads of time this year. What will keep the Kings from making the playoffs? Goaltending. Dan Cloutier was recently sent to the minors, leaving Jason LaBarbera and J. S. Aubin to guard (?) the nets. The Kings will be spoilers this year, but look like contenders in the future.
PHOENIX COYOTES 31-46-5 67 PTS 15 in West
Everything I read suggests that the Coyotes may finally have a good group of prospects, but that won’t help them this year. Poor on offense, decent on defense, and with a near vacuum in goal, it will be another long, difficult year in the desert. Phoenix may be fortunate to net 67 points again this season.
My predicted order of finish (Please, no wagering):
1) Calgary
2) Detroit
3) San Jose
4) Vancouver
5) Colorado
6) Anaheim
7) Dallas
8) St. Louis
9) Los Angeles
10) Minnesota
11) Nashville
12) Edmonton
13) Columbus
14) Chicago
15) Phoenix
There you have it. I’ll check in from time to time throughout the year. Peace.
Monday, September 24, 2007
MISER JOINS AROUND THE RINK FOR 2007-2008 SEASON
I am extremely pleased to announce that fellow blogger Miser will be joining Around The Rink for the 2007-2008 NHL season. With his home base in Dallas/Fort Worth, Miser will be the eyes and ears of the Western Conference. He will be contributing a monthly report titled “Miser’s Western Roundup” sharing his view of how the West takes shape as the season goes along with Around The Rink readers. Miser has been a “Featured Blogger” on NHL.com, his uncanny attention to detail and in depth report style of writing is a must read for hockey fans everywhere. Miser’s Western Roundup will be a welcome and complimentary addition to my “Eastern Conference Notebook” monthly report, as well as this entire site. So be on the look out as we approach the start of yet another exciting season of hockey where Gregsky and Miser team up to cover the greatest sport in the world.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
A QUICK TRIP AROUND THE RINK
Since I’m battling a cold today and feeling less than sharp, I will just take a quick trip around the rink to put in my 2 cents worth of the happenings so far this pre-season and call it a day.
First off, I want to jump for joy (I won’t due to feeling dizzy and will most likely end up on my ass) over the news coming out of the board of governors meeting suggesting a possible change to the “unbalanced” NHL schedule as early as next season. There should be cheering in the streets by hockey fans everywhere over this decision as I have yet to hear any fan proclaim their love for the current set up. The current schedule is nothing more than a failed attempt at forcing rivalries within a division while at the same time robbing fans of the opportunity to see the leagues top talent visit their city and its demise can’t come fast enough.
Sean Burke announced his retirement from the NHL after an almost 20 year career. I want to extend best wishes to Sean as he moves forward in his life. I have had the opportunity to met and talked with Sean on many occasions and I can truly say that I would be hard pressed to find a nicer guy than him. He has had the misfortune of being a solid goaltender on some pretty week teams throughout his career and never once has he let that become an excuse or distraction to his game or his professionalism. He would embrace the fans and the community of every city in which he played be it an NHL city or a minor league town. He would talk with fans before each game and stay as long as he could after games regardless if he posted a shutout or saw 40+ shots in a loss. A true class act who will be missed by many. Good luck to you Sean.
I want to be happy about the outdoor game scheduled for January 1st being sold out in less than 30 minutes, but knowing that Ticketmaster failed to restrict the amount of tickets sold to each customer makes me sad. What that does is force fans who came up empty when trying to buy tickets to pay insane amounts of money from scalpers if they want to attend the event. It’s great that the league can wave the flag on selling out, but it really ends up being the true fans that they sold out.
The Kings, Bruins and Blackhawks all want to show that they can better their records over last season, but questions still remain for these teams as they enter the season. The Kings are hoping the right mix of vets and kids will do the trick, but shaky goaltending will be the issue of concern. The Bruins will want to make a statement by using tenacity and tightened up defensive system, but may just find it hard to put pucks in the opposing net. The Hawks are hoping their kids excel and bring plenty of speed as they continue to rebuild, but they look very small and might get pushed around in the process.
First off, I want to jump for joy (I won’t due to feeling dizzy and will most likely end up on my ass) over the news coming out of the board of governors meeting suggesting a possible change to the “unbalanced” NHL schedule as early as next season. There should be cheering in the streets by hockey fans everywhere over this decision as I have yet to hear any fan proclaim their love for the current set up. The current schedule is nothing more than a failed attempt at forcing rivalries within a division while at the same time robbing fans of the opportunity to see the leagues top talent visit their city and its demise can’t come fast enough.
Sean Burke announced his retirement from the NHL after an almost 20 year career. I want to extend best wishes to Sean as he moves forward in his life. I have had the opportunity to met and talked with Sean on many occasions and I can truly say that I would be hard pressed to find a nicer guy than him. He has had the misfortune of being a solid goaltender on some pretty week teams throughout his career and never once has he let that become an excuse or distraction to his game or his professionalism. He would embrace the fans and the community of every city in which he played be it an NHL city or a minor league town. He would talk with fans before each game and stay as long as he could after games regardless if he posted a shutout or saw 40+ shots in a loss. A true class act who will be missed by many. Good luck to you Sean.
I want to be happy about the outdoor game scheduled for January 1st being sold out in less than 30 minutes, but knowing that Ticketmaster failed to restrict the amount of tickets sold to each customer makes me sad. What that does is force fans who came up empty when trying to buy tickets to pay insane amounts of money from scalpers if they want to attend the event. It’s great that the league can wave the flag on selling out, but it really ends up being the true fans that they sold out.
The Kings, Bruins and Blackhawks all want to show that they can better their records over last season, but questions still remain for these teams as they enter the season. The Kings are hoping the right mix of vets and kids will do the trick, but shaky goaltending will be the issue of concern. The Bruins will want to make a statement by using tenacity and tightened up defensive system, but may just find it hard to put pucks in the opposing net. The Hawks are hoping their kids excel and bring plenty of speed as they continue to rebuild, but they look very small and might get pushed around in the process.
Monday, September 17, 2007
RADICAL "FIX" FOR NHL - ONE MAN'S PIPE DREAM
Over the years I have heard many ideas on how to “fix” the NHL, with contraction being the top focus. I have never been a big fan of contraction or relocation for that matter, having felt the sting of having a team in my backyard close up shop and move away. Contraction does have its advantages though, and I can see where it could “fix” the league on several levels. As much as I hate to admit it, the NHL has become a bit watered down ever since the expansion to 30 teams took place. You would have to be blind not to notice that teams are struggling in certain markets and relocation seems to be the popular answer to “fix” their situations. While I have heard the cases for contraction, expansion and relocation with each possessing advantages, I still haven’t been convinced that any one of them will actually “fix” everything. Then, it hit me. What about a hybrid of all three?
I know what you’re thinking – put down the coffee Gregsky and slowly back away from the keyboard – but hear me out on this one. You simply take the best of all three and mix them together and you end up with a new term altogether. Realignment. Yes, that’s what I said, realignment. The idea is a simple one, you “fix” the watered down product with contraction, you add the benefits of relocation to strong markets and you add the excitement of expansion into new areas to support the game. Before you get too worked up ready to call for my head, let me break it down. We all know that if there is any place where contraction should happen it is in the U.S. There are simply too many teams in too many cities where hockey just doesn’t work. I hate saying that, but it’s true. We all know that Canada will support hockey no matter where it is played, so relocation and expansion should happen there. So, if I were king, this is how realignment would work.
You start with the contraction of 6 teams, from 30 down to 24 and split the remaining 24 into 2 conferences of 12 teams each. You take the 12 from each conference and split them into 3 divisions of 4 teams. Simple right? Here comes the fun part. You add the relocation and expansion benefits here to make up the realignment. Going with the idea of contracting 6 teams from the league, you take it one step farther by making the 12 team conferences into 1 American conference and 1 Canadian conference. That’s right folks, 12 teams from the U.S. and 12 from Canada. To break it down more, you take the top 12 U.S. markets that support hockey and have a strong television marketplace to make up the American conference. You then relocate and expand into the top 12 Canadian cities based on location and population relative to being able to support a team. The realignment would then look something like this.
American Conference
New York
Los Angeles
Chicago
Philadelphia
Boston
Dallas
Washington
Detroit
Tampa Bay
Minnesota
Colorado
Pittsburgh
Canadian Conference
Montreal
Toronto
Vancouver
Edmonton
Ottawa
Calgary
Quebec
Winnipeg
Hamilton
Regina
New Brunswick
Thunder Bay
I know, I know, it’s too radical of a change to actually happen and there is just too much greed involved with corporate interest and the reality of owners not willing to relocate to these Canadian cities and giving up the American markets, but a guy can dream right? If this plan were ever to happen it would put the league in a prime spot to expand into Europe in the future by adding a 12 team European conference to make it a global league. I’m not sure if Europe would be able to set up two 12 team conferences for balance, but that is a discussion for another day. For now, I’ll take the league the way it is as the real important matter is we still have the sport being played and we can worry about how to “fix” it later. The season will start soon and my focus will return to what’s happening now instead of what should happen in the future and all will be right in the world. Sort of.
I know what you’re thinking – put down the coffee Gregsky and slowly back away from the keyboard – but hear me out on this one. You simply take the best of all three and mix them together and you end up with a new term altogether. Realignment. Yes, that’s what I said, realignment. The idea is a simple one, you “fix” the watered down product with contraction, you add the benefits of relocation to strong markets and you add the excitement of expansion into new areas to support the game. Before you get too worked up ready to call for my head, let me break it down. We all know that if there is any place where contraction should happen it is in the U.S. There are simply too many teams in too many cities where hockey just doesn’t work. I hate saying that, but it’s true. We all know that Canada will support hockey no matter where it is played, so relocation and expansion should happen there. So, if I were king, this is how realignment would work.
You start with the contraction of 6 teams, from 30 down to 24 and split the remaining 24 into 2 conferences of 12 teams each. You take the 12 from each conference and split them into 3 divisions of 4 teams. Simple right? Here comes the fun part. You add the relocation and expansion benefits here to make up the realignment. Going with the idea of contracting 6 teams from the league, you take it one step farther by making the 12 team conferences into 1 American conference and 1 Canadian conference. That’s right folks, 12 teams from the U.S. and 12 from Canada. To break it down more, you take the top 12 U.S. markets that support hockey and have a strong television marketplace to make up the American conference. You then relocate and expand into the top 12 Canadian cities based on location and population relative to being able to support a team. The realignment would then look something like this.
American Conference
New York
Los Angeles
Chicago
Philadelphia
Boston
Dallas
Washington
Detroit
Tampa Bay
Minnesota
Colorado
Pittsburgh
Canadian Conference
Montreal
Toronto
Vancouver
Edmonton
Ottawa
Calgary
Quebec
Winnipeg
Hamilton
Regina
New Brunswick
Thunder Bay
I know, I know, it’s too radical of a change to actually happen and there is just too much greed involved with corporate interest and the reality of owners not willing to relocate to these Canadian cities and giving up the American markets, but a guy can dream right? If this plan were ever to happen it would put the league in a prime spot to expand into Europe in the future by adding a 12 team European conference to make it a global league. I’m not sure if Europe would be able to set up two 12 team conferences for balance, but that is a discussion for another day. For now, I’ll take the league the way it is as the real important matter is we still have the sport being played and we can worry about how to “fix” it later. The season will start soon and my focus will return to what’s happening now instead of what should happen in the future and all will be right in the world. Sort of.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
BRUINS TRAINING CAMP - ANOTHER CHAPTER BEGINS
It was the third day of training camp for the Bruins as they prepare for the 2007-2008 season and the boys were put through some intense drills. They were split into a couple of groups as coach Julien barked out the orders for the first hour. They did some 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 drills and some forechecking drills with a ton of contact especially down low. They broke into sprints to end the first session, which seemed to be the normal full speed then cool down then full speed driven by the intermittent whistles. The second group went through much of the same grueling workout as the first group had with a little less out of Julien. Then it was time for the rookies to hit the ice with coach Gordon leading the drills. They worked on a ton of positional drills as the rookies tried to learn the B’s system. At times having the boys play with their sticks upside down to stress the importance of body positioning against the puck carrier.
Not that you can really put any stock into what transpired but a few things stood out as the practice went along. One thing of note was Peter Schaefer played along with Savard and looked like he was shooting more than his usual role of digging out the puck in the corners and dishing the puck. Maybe the thinking is to put him on the top line in the hopes to use his quick shot to boost scoring. If you really think about it his style of play the last few seasons was a lot like that of P.J. Axelsson, mostly in a checking role or playing with guys who want the puck, so there really isn’t a need for the B’s to have two guys playing that way. Schaefer can hit the net better than P.J. so he would fit that role on the first line with better results. It may not have any meaning, but really who else do they have to put on that wing? Maybe converting Kessel to wing would work, but if you read the practice the same way, they had Phil centering Murray in the second group. Like I stated above you truly can’t put much stock in things this early, but speculation is always fun. Another thing of note was seeing the new goaltending tandem of Thomas and Fernandez as both have two distinctive styles to their play. Thomas displayed his usual “flopping butterfly of sorts” style throwing everything at the puck to make saves and Fernandez used a more traditional style playing the angles with precision and testing his repaired knee a few times diving across the goal mouth. The rookies looked good, but with all of the veterans in camp it would be a stretch to think any of them will crack the lineup this year.
Overall the Bruins still have a ton of questions to answer as they head into this season, but that is what training camp is for and I’m sure the B’s coaching staff will figure out how to put the pieces together to ice the best possible product. They are a bit more skilled this year, a bit tougher and with Julien leading the way you can bet they will be more responsible on defense. Making the playoffs may be the goal of this team, but it won’t be easy, as most of the other teams in their division have made improvements as well. Still the Bruins should look much better than last year and should give the fans something to cheer about.
Not that you can really put any stock into what transpired but a few things stood out as the practice went along. One thing of note was Peter Schaefer played along with Savard and looked like he was shooting more than his usual role of digging out the puck in the corners and dishing the puck. Maybe the thinking is to put him on the top line in the hopes to use his quick shot to boost scoring. If you really think about it his style of play the last few seasons was a lot like that of P.J. Axelsson, mostly in a checking role or playing with guys who want the puck, so there really isn’t a need for the B’s to have two guys playing that way. Schaefer can hit the net better than P.J. so he would fit that role on the first line with better results. It may not have any meaning, but really who else do they have to put on that wing? Maybe converting Kessel to wing would work, but if you read the practice the same way, they had Phil centering Murray in the second group. Like I stated above you truly can’t put much stock in things this early, but speculation is always fun. Another thing of note was seeing the new goaltending tandem of Thomas and Fernandez as both have two distinctive styles to their play. Thomas displayed his usual “flopping butterfly of sorts” style throwing everything at the puck to make saves and Fernandez used a more traditional style playing the angles with precision and testing his repaired knee a few times diving across the goal mouth. The rookies looked good, but with all of the veterans in camp it would be a stretch to think any of them will crack the lineup this year.
Overall the Bruins still have a ton of questions to answer as they head into this season, but that is what training camp is for and I’m sure the B’s coaching staff will figure out how to put the pieces together to ice the best possible product. They are a bit more skilled this year, a bit tougher and with Julien leading the way you can bet they will be more responsible on defense. Making the playoffs may be the goal of this team, but it won’t be easy, as most of the other teams in their division have made improvements as well. Still the Bruins should look much better than last year and should give the fans something to cheer about.
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