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.
Friday, September 28, 2007
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.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
WHAT IF....?
I don’t know if it is just the coffee taking over this morning or if there is any real method to my ramblings, but I woke up thinking about what surprises we may see this season and the more coffee I poured down my gullet the more my mind was flooded with scenarios. Instead of trying to put my thoughts in a list or some sort of coherent order, I figured it would be best to just let them fly in a “What if…” format to just put the idea out there and let you decide the answers. It may be a bumpy ride, but here it goes.
The Rangers spent a ton of money over the summer to boost their roster with big name free agent forwards to form a solid top two lines in the hope that they will go farther in the postseason.
What if…. Failing to worry about their blueline becomes their biggest problem?
What if…. The chemistry between all of their top forwards is flat or induces a power struggle for ice time and leadership?
What if…. The arbitration fiasco with Avery becomes a cancer in the locker room?
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis recently said he expects his team to make the playoffs this season citing reasons including being tired of the rebuilding process and wanting results.
What if…. The Caps fail to provide results? What other option is there other than rebuilding? Going back to spending a ton of cash on washed up vets with big contracts?
What if…. The Caps do make the playoffs with the new cast of supporting players? Will they finally be able to sell tickets?
What if…. They put together a line of Kozlov, Ovechkin and Semin. Will they call it “The Russian Front”?
The Flames hired controversial coach Mike Keenan who has a knack for rubbing his players the wrong way and has more than once drove top talent out of town.
What if…. The Flames fail to re-sign Miikka Kiprusoff and continue with the plan of overusing him and Keenan presses the thumbscrews on him to perform better?
What if…. The combination of Keenan and Sutter becomes a power struggle for control of the team and the direction of the future?
What if…. The players just don’t respond to Keenan’s “old school” tactics?
The Sabres took a huge hit this summer losing their leadership and having to shell out big bucks to keep Vanek.
What if…. The now super rich Vanek has a sub-par season in term of production?
What if…. No one steps up to become a leader and they spend the season searching for an identity?
What if…. They miss the playoffs altogether? Can management fire themselves?
The Bruins have been knocked the last couple of seasons for the lack of solid goaltending and a defensive deficiency in their performance.
What if…. Claude Julian is the answer they have been looking for?
What if…. Claude Julian is just another added to a long list of coaching failures?
What if…. Coaching hasn’t been the problem all along?
What if…. They finally found a goaltending tandem that works?
What if…. They suddenly realize they have too many centers and not enough on the wings?
What if…. They actually improve defensively but can’t find scoring?
What if…. They dwell in the cellar for the next couple of years and win the Tavares lottery?
The Ducks seem poised to be able to be right in the mix again come playoff time this season. Minus a couple of heavyweights, for now, they still look formidable on paper.
What if…. They experience the same kind of “hangover” the Hurricanes brought into last season?
What if…. Some of their key players that helped win them the cup didn’t have enough time to heal?
What if…. They simply pick up where they left off? Can they really repeat?
The Maple Leafs have been going down the same path for some time now with little results, never really rebuilding or boosting the roster enough to make a difference.
What if…. The ownership grows tired of the status quo and calls for the heads in the front office to roll?
What if…. They are out of the playoff picture come trade deadline time? Will they unload Sundin for picks and prospects and try to re-sign him the following season ala Kieth Tkachuk?
What if…. The additions of Blake and Toskala ends up being just what they needed to put them into the postseason, will J.F.jr. still get the axe?
It will be difficult for the Senators to keep the current roster intact after this season facing having to re-sign their top players who will command big money contracts.
What if…. They lose Spezza, Heatley and Redden next summer?
What if…. They don’t recover from the sting of losing to the Ducks and are out of contention by the deadline? Will they move Alfie to free up cap space to resign Spezza and Heatley?
What if…. Ray Emery was a one hit wonder?
The Lightning have been riding the same trail since their cup win, sinking most of their payroll in three players and have not seen the same results since.
What if…. The “big three” fail to produce results once again? Will they finally realize the need for a balanced roster? Will they move Vinnie?
What if…. They find themselves at the bottom of the division? Will they move Vinnie?
What if…. They finally realize that they have raided the farm too much over the last couple of seasons to fill the roster and there is nothing left to pick from? Will they move Vinnie?
What if…. They move Vinnie?
The Rangers spent a ton of money over the summer to boost their roster with big name free agent forwards to form a solid top two lines in the hope that they will go farther in the postseason.
What if…. Failing to worry about their blueline becomes their biggest problem?
What if…. The chemistry between all of their top forwards is flat or induces a power struggle for ice time and leadership?
What if…. The arbitration fiasco with Avery becomes a cancer in the locker room?
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis recently said he expects his team to make the playoffs this season citing reasons including being tired of the rebuilding process and wanting results.
What if…. The Caps fail to provide results? What other option is there other than rebuilding? Going back to spending a ton of cash on washed up vets with big contracts?
What if…. The Caps do make the playoffs with the new cast of supporting players? Will they finally be able to sell tickets?
What if…. They put together a line of Kozlov, Ovechkin and Semin. Will they call it “The Russian Front”?
The Flames hired controversial coach Mike Keenan who has a knack for rubbing his players the wrong way and has more than once drove top talent out of town.
What if…. The Flames fail to re-sign Miikka Kiprusoff and continue with the plan of overusing him and Keenan presses the thumbscrews on him to perform better?
What if…. The combination of Keenan and Sutter becomes a power struggle for control of the team and the direction of the future?
What if…. The players just don’t respond to Keenan’s “old school” tactics?
The Sabres took a huge hit this summer losing their leadership and having to shell out big bucks to keep Vanek.
What if…. The now super rich Vanek has a sub-par season in term of production?
What if…. No one steps up to become a leader and they spend the season searching for an identity?
What if…. They miss the playoffs altogether? Can management fire themselves?
The Bruins have been knocked the last couple of seasons for the lack of solid goaltending and a defensive deficiency in their performance.
What if…. Claude Julian is the answer they have been looking for?
What if…. Claude Julian is just another added to a long list of coaching failures?
What if…. Coaching hasn’t been the problem all along?
What if…. They finally found a goaltending tandem that works?
What if…. They suddenly realize they have too many centers and not enough on the wings?
What if…. They actually improve defensively but can’t find scoring?
What if…. They dwell in the cellar for the next couple of years and win the Tavares lottery?
The Ducks seem poised to be able to be right in the mix again come playoff time this season. Minus a couple of heavyweights, for now, they still look formidable on paper.
What if…. They experience the same kind of “hangover” the Hurricanes brought into last season?
What if…. Some of their key players that helped win them the cup didn’t have enough time to heal?
What if…. They simply pick up where they left off? Can they really repeat?
The Maple Leafs have been going down the same path for some time now with little results, never really rebuilding or boosting the roster enough to make a difference.
What if…. The ownership grows tired of the status quo and calls for the heads in the front office to roll?
What if…. They are out of the playoff picture come trade deadline time? Will they unload Sundin for picks and prospects and try to re-sign him the following season ala Kieth Tkachuk?
What if…. The additions of Blake and Toskala ends up being just what they needed to put them into the postseason, will J.F.jr. still get the axe?
It will be difficult for the Senators to keep the current roster intact after this season facing having to re-sign their top players who will command big money contracts.
What if…. They lose Spezza, Heatley and Redden next summer?
What if…. They don’t recover from the sting of losing to the Ducks and are out of contention by the deadline? Will they move Alfie to free up cap space to resign Spezza and Heatley?
What if…. Ray Emery was a one hit wonder?
The Lightning have been riding the same trail since their cup win, sinking most of their payroll in three players and have not seen the same results since.
What if…. The “big three” fail to produce results once again? Will they finally realize the need for a balanced roster? Will they move Vinnie?
What if…. They find themselves at the bottom of the division? Will they move Vinnie?
What if…. They finally realize that they have raided the farm too much over the last couple of seasons to fill the roster and there is nothing left to pick from? Will they move Vinnie?
What if…. They move Vinnie?
Friday, September 7, 2007
J.R. - WE ALL LOVE TO HATE HIM
Am I the only one who finds all of the Internet chatter about the return of Jeremy Roenick funny? I mean here we have a guy who has been slammed, for a good part of his career, for spouting off at the mouth with his opinions. Every time JR makes the news, the first thing people do is spout off at the mouth giving their opinion on how much they dislike players who spout off at the mouth. Message boards and blog threads across the globe are jam packed with pokes, jabs and some down right nastiness all about how much this guy bugs them. Granted, JR does cross the line sometimes with his comments to the press to the point where he fills the role of the NHL version of T.O. Everyone loves to hate him. With that said, let’s get to the fact of the matter regarding Roenick and his signing with the Sharks.
My initial thought about the signing was: Why? The Sharks don’t need another center. They pushed every team around during the regular season and then got pushed around in the playoffs and Roenick certainly doesn’t fix that problem. They really didn’t need to find secondary scoring and a progressively declining Roenick definitely won’t be providing that anyway. So why would they sign this guy? Grit? Come on, that can’t be it unless you only need grit on the bench and in the locker room, because his grittiness ends there these days. Leadership? With guys like Thornton, Marleau, Davison and Brown I highly doubt that was it. When you ask the question of what is the missing piece the Sharks need to advance through the playoffs, JR and his 28 points certainly doesn’t come to mind. So all we are left to do is ask why with no real answer forthcoming.
Instead of asking why would the Sharks sign him, let’s ask why would he want to sign with the Sharks over retiring. This will be fun; I can get my shots in on him during this part! Let’s see….Umm, the Sharks are a team that has a shot at winning the cup and all he would have to do is ride the coattails of his teammates to have one last chance on getting his name on the trophy. How about reaching 500 goals? He is only 5 goals away from that plateau. Better yet, how about reaching #2 all time goals for U.S. born players? Joe Mullen stands at 507, which is only 12 goals away. Let’s face it folks, a friggin’ tree stump could score 12 goals on a power play where Thornton is dishing the puck. Come to think of it the tree stump might be a better idea, JR didn’t score 12 goals last season and the stump would probably come cheaper. Okay, that’s all fine and dandy and I’m sure that somewhere in the back of Roenick’s mind this is motivation enough to give it another try, but this is Jeremy Roenick we are talking about and in his mind there is no one better so could it be that maybe he has his sights on catching Modano for the #1 spot? Well, that’s not going to happen unless he plans on pulling a “Tanya Harding” on Mike. I can picture it now, an unsuspecting Modano walking down the dimly lit corridor leading to the locker room before the game and out of the shadows pops Stu Grimson with a lead pipe in his hand. All anyone hears is a “Whack!” and then cries of “Why?” “Why?” Okay, sorry about that, the coffee started to take over for a minute.
The reality of it folks, is that JR feels that he still has some gas left in the tank and that he can still contribute in some facet even if it is just cheerleading from the bench. Yes, I think he would have been better off joining NBC and trading jabs with “Chicken-parm” on Saturday afternoon games, but if his buddy Mr. Wilson wants to give him $500k to put on a Sharks uniform and give the local media some juicy quotes so be it. He won’t help the Sharks find the “promised land”, but he won’t hurt their chances either.
Love him or hate him or love to hate him, it doesn’t really matter; JR is back for one more go around. This bit has just been another opinionated asshole spouting off at the mouth about an opinionated asshole who spouts off at the mouth. You can now return to your regularly scheduled program.
My initial thought about the signing was: Why? The Sharks don’t need another center. They pushed every team around during the regular season and then got pushed around in the playoffs and Roenick certainly doesn’t fix that problem. They really didn’t need to find secondary scoring and a progressively declining Roenick definitely won’t be providing that anyway. So why would they sign this guy? Grit? Come on, that can’t be it unless you only need grit on the bench and in the locker room, because his grittiness ends there these days. Leadership? With guys like Thornton, Marleau, Davison and Brown I highly doubt that was it. When you ask the question of what is the missing piece the Sharks need to advance through the playoffs, JR and his 28 points certainly doesn’t come to mind. So all we are left to do is ask why with no real answer forthcoming.
Instead of asking why would the Sharks sign him, let’s ask why would he want to sign with the Sharks over retiring. This will be fun; I can get my shots in on him during this part! Let’s see….Umm, the Sharks are a team that has a shot at winning the cup and all he would have to do is ride the coattails of his teammates to have one last chance on getting his name on the trophy. How about reaching 500 goals? He is only 5 goals away from that plateau. Better yet, how about reaching #2 all time goals for U.S. born players? Joe Mullen stands at 507, which is only 12 goals away. Let’s face it folks, a friggin’ tree stump could score 12 goals on a power play where Thornton is dishing the puck. Come to think of it the tree stump might be a better idea, JR didn’t score 12 goals last season and the stump would probably come cheaper. Okay, that’s all fine and dandy and I’m sure that somewhere in the back of Roenick’s mind this is motivation enough to give it another try, but this is Jeremy Roenick we are talking about and in his mind there is no one better so could it be that maybe he has his sights on catching Modano for the #1 spot? Well, that’s not going to happen unless he plans on pulling a “Tanya Harding” on Mike. I can picture it now, an unsuspecting Modano walking down the dimly lit corridor leading to the locker room before the game and out of the shadows pops Stu Grimson with a lead pipe in his hand. All anyone hears is a “Whack!” and then cries of “Why?” “Why?” Okay, sorry about that, the coffee started to take over for a minute.
The reality of it folks, is that JR feels that he still has some gas left in the tank and that he can still contribute in some facet even if it is just cheerleading from the bench. Yes, I think he would have been better off joining NBC and trading jabs with “Chicken-parm” on Saturday afternoon games, but if his buddy Mr. Wilson wants to give him $500k to put on a Sharks uniform and give the local media some juicy quotes so be it. He won’t help the Sharks find the “promised land”, but he won’t hurt their chances either.
Love him or hate him or love to hate him, it doesn’t really matter; JR is back for one more go around. This bit has just been another opinionated asshole spouting off at the mouth about an opinionated asshole who spouts off at the mouth. You can now return to your regularly scheduled program.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
TAVARES SHOULD HURRY UP AND WAIT
After taking the long holiday weekend off from hockey to just enjoy life, family and the great outdoors, I come back to little news going on. No major news was tempting enough to comment on as I scanned the web this morning searching for some tidbit to put my two cents in. Then suddenly I found it. TSN.com ran a story about Oshawa Generals wonder-kid John Tavares and his agent pushing for an early entry into the NHL draft. On the surface I immediately notice a few things wrong with the request. One being that rules are rules and they are in place for a reason. Another being that we have an agent pushing the request and it just reeks of a more personal interest involved than the interest of the kid. Lastly, as good as this kid is, I see absolutely no need to rush him up the ladder when guys like Crosby and Lemieux had to wait. When you dig a little deeper things get a bit murky. Considering that Tavares was fast-tracked into the OHL early, has been playing with older kids and excelling (breaking Gretzky’s records) and misses the draft eligible age by a mere 5 days you start to see how the request gained its steam. Factor in that this kid now has to watch the majority of the guys he’s been playing with get drafted and head to NHL training camps while he waits another 2 years for his chance, one has to wonder if a case for such an exemption is warranted. There are two sides to the development issue in Tavares’ case, one being that he is still very young and another year or two in Major Juniors will only make him that much better when he is eligible, the other being that if he is dominating at this level will his development be held back due to the lack of challenging opposition. The whole situation surrounding this kid makes me think of all of the things that could go wrong if not handled correctly so let’s do a little weighing of the pluses versus the minuses in this case.
Fact: 16 years old, 6’- 0” 183lbs., 2 years of Major Juniors under his belt, 134 points last season for a 2 year total of 211 points.
Plus - size and skill playing against older competition at a higher level and excelling.
Minus – 16 years old
Fact: Having your agent push the issue for an amendment to the rules so you can enter the draft early while tossing about a threat of playing in Europe next year if you don’t get your way.
Plus – none
Minus – Every NHL GM now views this as whining and will factor that in when you do become draft eligible.
Fact: The rule states that players who turn 18 before 9/15/08 are draft eligible, you miss the cut by 5 days.
Plus – 5 days isn’t much when you look at the big picture.
Minus – rules are rules and everyone must follow the rules regardless of the situation.
Fact: The way it stands now, it will be another 2 years before you are draft eligible and are faced with another 2 years in the OHL.
Plus – 2 more years of domination and skill honing will make you that much better when you are drafted.
Minus – your development levels off from lack of a challenge and you risk career ending injuries before you can start a career.
I could go on and on with this and never get to an answer that would satisfy all parties involved so I will just state my personal feelings about it instead. Listen kid, you are very talented, no one will dispute that, but rules are in place to protect you for your own good not to keep you down or to diminish your abilities. Do yourself a favor and stop pushing for this amendment. Suck it up and follow the rules like everyone else before you and everyone after you. For God’s sake don’t let your agent dictated the future for you, he only smells the money that’s in it for him. He will promise you the moon and do and say whatever he can to convince you that it is all for your benefit. The fact remains that you are only 16 and I know that you feel ready for the next jump and I don’t doubt your ability to do so, but take your time, enjoy being 16, enjoy having another 2 years to continue to mature before all of the pressures of a career start weighing on you. You are truly in a unique situation, but don’t let that become your battle cry because that will end up being how you are viewed and judged. Believe me, the press will have a field day with that angle and NHL GM’s will be hesitant to go down that road with you as they have seen it before. Take these next 2 years to show the world that you have maturity beyond your years and better your chances of going #1 overall when your time finally comes. Don’t view these next 2 years as a punishment, rather view it as a challenge and make the most of it. As my grandfather used to always say when I was faced with a challenge growing up: “What doesn’t kill you kid, only serves to make you stronger.”
Fact: 16 years old, 6’- 0” 183lbs., 2 years of Major Juniors under his belt, 134 points last season for a 2 year total of 211 points.
Plus - size and skill playing against older competition at a higher level and excelling.
Minus – 16 years old
Fact: Having your agent push the issue for an amendment to the rules so you can enter the draft early while tossing about a threat of playing in Europe next year if you don’t get your way.
Plus – none
Minus – Every NHL GM now views this as whining and will factor that in when you do become draft eligible.
Fact: The rule states that players who turn 18 before 9/15/08 are draft eligible, you miss the cut by 5 days.
Plus – 5 days isn’t much when you look at the big picture.
Minus – rules are rules and everyone must follow the rules regardless of the situation.
Fact: The way it stands now, it will be another 2 years before you are draft eligible and are faced with another 2 years in the OHL.
Plus – 2 more years of domination and skill honing will make you that much better when you are drafted.
Minus – your development levels off from lack of a challenge and you risk career ending injuries before you can start a career.
I could go on and on with this and never get to an answer that would satisfy all parties involved so I will just state my personal feelings about it instead. Listen kid, you are very talented, no one will dispute that, but rules are in place to protect you for your own good not to keep you down or to diminish your abilities. Do yourself a favor and stop pushing for this amendment. Suck it up and follow the rules like everyone else before you and everyone after you. For God’s sake don’t let your agent dictated the future for you, he only smells the money that’s in it for him. He will promise you the moon and do and say whatever he can to convince you that it is all for your benefit. The fact remains that you are only 16 and I know that you feel ready for the next jump and I don’t doubt your ability to do so, but take your time, enjoy being 16, enjoy having another 2 years to continue to mature before all of the pressures of a career start weighing on you. You are truly in a unique situation, but don’t let that become your battle cry because that will end up being how you are viewed and judged. Believe me, the press will have a field day with that angle and NHL GM’s will be hesitant to go down that road with you as they have seen it before. Take these next 2 years to show the world that you have maturity beyond your years and better your chances of going #1 overall when your time finally comes. Don’t view these next 2 years as a punishment, rather view it as a challenge and make the most of it. As my grandfather used to always say when I was faced with a challenge growing up: “What doesn’t kill you kid, only serves to make you stronger.”
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