PLAY GREGSKY'S NHL OVERRATED/UNDERRATED GAME

Instead of the usual Mid-Season report, I figured it would be more fun to throw around a few thoughts playing a little game I like to call Overrated/Underrated. Okay the game goes like this: I say who or what I think is underrated or overrated and you hit the comments and tell me if I’m “spot on” or “out of my tree”. Play along it’ll be fun, really.

OVERRATED

The Atlantic and Northwest divisions

Scott Gomez

Shootouts

The RBX jerseys

The All-Star Game

Keith Tkachuk

Fabian Brunnstrom

Maxim Afinogenov

Steven Stamkos

Marty Turco

Brian Burke

Barry Melrose’s knowledge

Don Cherry’s wardrobe

The need for ESPN to carry games


UNDERRATED

The Krejci – Wheeler – Ryder line

Mike Richards

Mikko Koivu

Bryan Little

Loui Eriksson

Dustin Brown

Mike Green

Brian Engblom’s new hairdo

Shea Weber

NHL Center Ice Package

Scott Clemmensen

The new schedule format

U.S. born players

Peter Chiarelli

Okay now it’s your turn. You can agree or let me have it with both barrels. You can even give me your list of over/under rated if you feel compelled. Enjoy!

A FEW THOUGHTS BEFORE THE NEW YEAR

I hope that everyone is having a safe and wonderful Holiday Season in these tough times in which we all live. While on my holiday break from posting, I have been watching a ton of games and figured that I’d post a few thoughts just before the new-year begins. Enjoy!


Isn’t it strange when a player just seems to flourish under a certain coach? Case and point: Ryder and Julien.

I don’t really care that Ovechkin chews tobacco; as a matter of fact I wouldn’t care if drank like a fish, chased after women or hung out at the casino as long as he continues to be the most exciting player to watch. Remember that boys will be boys.

It’s good to see Jonathan Quick getting a shot along with former Hockey East rival Corey Schnieder. I hope they can stick.

I hope that the Hawks were just playing possum with the Wings in that Winter Classic preview.

I can’t wait for that Bruins vs. Sharks match-up on the schedule! Will Lemieux be a factor or a farce by then? Hmmm…

Come on Toronto, you can’t keep playing decently and end up seeing Tavares in a Leafs sweater next year. Just look at the Isles for the formula.

Swapping Kovalchuk for Gaborik won’t do either club or player any good, forget that one folks.

Well I hope you all have a great New Year and check back in 2009 for upcoming posts continuing the series: Celebrating 100 Years of Habs Hockey.

HEY BRUINS...DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING...YET

So let me ask you, have you ever had one of those questions that seem to just pop in your head at a time when you’re not even focused on the subject? You know, like when you’re rushing around getting ready for work making sure you have everything you need before you leave (The old … Spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch pat down) when out of nowhere you’re blindsided by the instant memory of your crazy uncle pulling the “Hey kid, pull my finger” trick on you when you were five. That kind of question that you just can’t get out of your head after the initial trigger, like “Why is it that my uncle shit his pants and then proceeded to point and laugh at me?” You know what I mean? Or maybe that’s just me. Damn… maybe I should have thought that one through a bit more before putting it down. Somehow I don’t think coffee helps my thought process.

Anyway, that kind of question popped into my head the other day while heading into work. I was minding my own business, thinking about what I was going to face for the next nine and a half hours, when one simple question started to pinball around upstairs. Should the Bruins even think about tweaking the roster in time for the playoffs? And of course that one simple question nagged at me all night and ended up opening up a slew of other questions that just won’t leave my melon. So now I’m at the point where I have to write about it just to get it out of my head and into yours. Oh, lucky you!

Before we start to tackle the questions (Why is it that there are always questions when it comes to the Bruins? Sorry another question just popped in there for a second.), let’s take a look at just what the Bruins have been doing lately and how they are getting it done during their surge to the top of the East.

The Bruins success can be attributed directly to the fact that they can roll four lines and produce effective puck possession and scoring from each line. The Bruins are the best 5-on-5 team in the league; which allows them the luxury of not having to rely on the power play as their bread and butter. Ranking at #5 the PP isn’t struggling by any means and their PK is holding steady at #8, so special teams for the Bruins are just an added bonus. Coach Julien has his troops committed to the system and the proof is in the pudding (9-1-0 in the last 10 games). Goaltending has been rock solid with both net-minders sporting top 5 spots in both save% and goals against average. Just about every player on the roster is a plus player. What the Bruins bring to the table every night is hard work, discipline, speed, puck possession and firepower topped off with a tough, physical style and that is just too much to handle for opponents.

For the first time in years the Bruins are sitting in the catbird seat and sitting pretty at that. They are so deep at the center position that a player the caliber of Patrice Bergeron sees more time on special teams than anything else and sometimes plays on the wing. Most nights they have a problem getting players like Nokelainen and Sobotka into the lineup. With both goaltenders playing superbly they can afford to let Rask get more playing time in the minors. Injuries, so far, haven’t seemed to hurt the B’s as they haven’t missed a beat since the loss of Ference, Ward and Sturm. In fact with the return of Sturm it poses a question of who do you sit to make room for Sturm? That is a good dilemma to have and the Bruins know it. How many teams would kill to have too much depth?

With all of that said, let’s now get back to the question: Should the Bruins even think about tweaking the roster for the playoffs? My answer is: for the playoffs yes, but for right now “don’t fix what ain’t broken” is the best approach. Even though they took their foot off the pedal in the 2nd half of the game against Tampa Bay, they still managed to win and Julien and the boys know exactly how to correct that “running around” bit they displayed. Right now they are still on top of their game and if I were them I wouldn’t change a thing. That in no way means that I wouldn’t be on the phone to Atlanta to set up a package for Kovalchuk and looking West for another veteran defenseman offering up one or two roster players the likes of Bergeron, Sturm, Kobasew, Nokelainen, Stuart, Hnidy, Ference or Fernandez.

Some Bruins fans may be swearing at me right now for even suggesting that the B’s trade away some of the names I mentioned, but the reality is that the roster is too inexperienced to go far in the playoffs as is. If all you want to accomplish is a first round win, then I guess go with what you have and ride it till it fails. If you want to make a serious run, then you need to go out and get what will put you over the top. The Bruins are so deep that they can afford to move some of the names I mentioned above. It’s only a matter of what you want to call a successful season, a 2nd round loss or the Stanley Cup Finals. Can you picture the impact a player like Kovalchuk would bring? Adding another playoff tested D-man to solidify the backend too risky? What happens if some of these kids hit a wall or wear down? Don’t you think that with a bit of tinkering this team could go the distance?

Did you see what just happened there? Another friggin’ bunch of questions just invaded the space! I guess the questions surrounding the Bruins won’t go away, but at least now the questions are positive which is a sure sign that finally this franchise is on the way back up to the standards it set for itself from the beginning. Maybe I’m just a big softy when it comes to Original Six teams doing well or maybe that’s just me showing my age, either way all the Bruins really need to do is just keep doing what they’ve been doing and be set up and prepared to pull the trigger on deals that will help them in the post-season. There is no need for any of the playoff questions to be answered right now. The Bruins shouldn’t change a thing yet; there is no need to. Right now life is sweet for the B’s, just “let the good times roll” and stay healthy.

GREGSKY'S EASTERN CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK : NORTHEAST DIVISION

Welcome to Gregsky’s Eastern Conference Notebook. Let’s take a quick look around the Northeast, now that we are creeping up on twenty games into the season, and see what signs are starting to appear that can give us some insight into what to expect for the next twenty games.

Here are a few questions to chew on:


Where have the Senators gone?

The Senators are taking up residence at the bottom of the division instead of their normal perch at the top. This is due to the fact that they lost key cogs on the blue-line over the last couple of seasons and did little to replace them. It’s not like the Sens can’t score or anything, the guys paid to put the puck in the net are doing their jobs just fine. It is the fact that they can’t stop the opposing team from scoring that trip this team up. Not that this fact should in any way excuse Nick Foligno for not working harder on his defensive game (4 points and a –11 is shameful). Just who is the anchor of this defense? Chris Phillips (-8)? Volchenkov (-4)? Jason Smith (-2)? To top it off the Sens are using a quality backup goaltender in Alex Auld as a workhorse when everyone knows that that is a recipe for disaster. Unless this team solves its leaky defense issues their view won’t change much over the course of the next twenty games.

Are we starting to see Buffalo’s true colors (3-5-2 in the last 10)?

The Sabres started the season on fire with Vanek finally living up to his paycheck. The problem for the Sabres is that it takes more than one guy to win consistently (Afinogenov this means you). Miller is doing all he can in the net to steal some games, but even that is not enough. The fast start is keeping them in the race for now, but they need to find consistent secondary scoring if they want to remain in the middle of the pack. If they don’t they will be cursed to be a .500 team over the next twenty games and perhaps loose some real estate in the conference.

Are the Bruins ready to turn the corner?

The Bruins are for real, for now. Just about every player on the roster is a plus player. They are at the crossroads at this very moment and as well as they have started, it remains to be seen if they can sustain their tough style of play. It does appear that Coach Julien has his troops fully committed to the system, which I for one never doubted his ability to do so, but the nasty injury bug usually shows up this time of year to dash the hopes of this surging team. If the “Big, Bad Black and Gold” can stay healthy through this next stretch they will indeed be for real and a real threat to challenge for the conference crown. Both goaltenders have been steady and that is a plus for this team who have worked so hard to solidify their blue-line the last couple of seasons and the payoff is on display this year. Missing Andrew Ference due to his injury is a bit of a problem for the B’s (this means that Mark Stuart has more ice time than you would like him to have and Matt Hunwick has to show that he belongs), I wouldn’t be surprised if they go shopping for another defenseman to help hold the fort. They do have a stockpile of forwards they could use as bait (Sobotka or Nokelainen come to mind since both can’t make the roster at the same time) and don’t forget that they also have Rask in the minors who could make Fernandez expendable to a team struggling at the goalie position. Right now that is a good problem to have over the injury bug and the Bruins are poised to take it to the next level, the next twenty games will be crucial to weather or not they will be able to.

What is stalling the Canadiens push for dominance?

Relax. There is nothing to worry about in Hab Land. The Canadiens had some jump right out of the gate at the start of the season and since have played like a .500 team, but in reality they have kept a nice pace and if it wasn’t for the Bruins’ superb play they would be leading the division. The scorers are scoring, the defense is steady, and goaltending for the most part have kept them in it, so there is no problem with the core of this team. The only area of their game that has been lacking and is the root cause of their recent .500 play, is they have lost the spark on the power play. It is strange to see considering that they had one of the most potent PP units in the league just last year. All in all the Canadiens are in good shape and in a good position so if they focus on getting the power play clicking over the next stretch they will ease all of the fears in Montreal. Just breath people the sky isn’t falling.

Does anyone really think that Burke can save the Maple Leafs?

Brian Burke nor anyone else can save the Leafs this season. This team isn’t rebuilding it’s imploding. The only thing anyone can do with this club now is blow it up and start over. The roster is filled with one-dimensional forwards and too many offensive minded defensemen, which translates to poor play in their own end. Goaltending hasn’t been sharp (it’s not like the team has been out-shot on most nights) and that isn’t helping the situation any. The bottom line is IF they can jump out to an early lead, and a big lead at that, they can hang on long enough to win some games, but with no commitment to defense they won’t win many. The only area they play well is the power play, and for some reason this year they are staying out of the box (good thing because they suck on the PK), so one would think that this would be something to build on, but not this team. Lack of defensive discipline will haunt this team not only over the next twenty games, but the rest of the season if major changes aren’t made to the roster. The front office can only help restructure the team, it’s not like Burke can slap a bucket on his head and help stop the bleeding on the ice. You can blame the front office and the coach, but when all is said and done it is the players that have to execute and this team has failed to execute so far and give no indication that they are even trying to turn it around.

50 KIDS TO WATCH THIS YEAR NOT NAMED CROSBY, OVECHKIN AND MALKIN

The NHL is in full swing and right away the league’s youth movement is making its presence felt in a big way. The game is getting younger and faster and the kids are recharging a product that desperately needed a shot of adrenaline to the heart. I do hope that the league takes notice of the fact that there are some amazing kids playing today and contributing early and often. This is the perfect time to start promoting these kids to help carry the flag and put the NHL back on the tongues of sports fans and the media. There is a ton to get excited about in these kids and the league’s future looks bright with them on board, so I can’t help but feel like the league should tap into its youth movement and package it as a must see product. Look beyond Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin and see what today’s youth has to offer. So far it looks damn good.

Only problem is this is the NHL I’m talking about and the league has a history of “missing the boat” when it comes to opportunity to promote itself. So, with that said, I’m going to give you a list of 50 kids (in order of age) to watch this year NOT named Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin, because I'm not sure the league will.

50. Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay Lightning – 18
49. Colton Gillies – Minnesota Wild – 19
48. Jakub Voracek – Columbus Blue Jackets – 19
47. Brandon Sutter – Carolina Hurricanes – 19
46. Kyle Turris – Phoenix Coyotes – 19
45. Patrick Kane – Chicago Blackhawks – 19
44. Mikkel Boedker – Phoenix Coyotes – 19
43. Kyle Okposo – New York Islanders – 20
42. Bryan Little – Atlanta Thrashers – 20
41. Milan Lucic – Boston Bruins – 20
40. Wayne Simmonds – Los Angeles Kings – 20
39. David Perron – St. Louis Blues – 20
38. Peter Mueller – Phoenix Coyotes – 20
37. Patrik Berglund – St. Louis Blues – 20
36. Nicklas Backstrom – Washington Capitals – 20
35. Jordan Staal – Pittsburgh Penguins – 20
34. Jonathon Towes – Chicago Blackhawks – 20
33. Viktor Tikhonov – Phoenix Coyotes – 20
32. Phil Kessel – Boston Bruins – 21
31. Devin Setoguchi – San Jose Sharks – 21
30. Sergei Kostitsyn – Montreal Canadiens – 21
29. Anze Kopitar – Los Angeles Kings – 21
28. Guillaume Latendresse – Montreal Canadiens - 21
27. Marc-Edouard Vlasic – San Jose Sharks – 21
26. Vladimir Sobotka – Boston Bruins – 21
25. Carey Price – Montreal Canadiens – 21
24. Derick Brassard – Columbus Blue Jackets – 21
23. Tyler Kennedy – Pittsburgh Penguins – 22
22. Wojtek Wolski – Colorado Avalanche – 22
21. Brandon Dubinsky – New York Rangers – 22
20. Kris Versteeg – Chicago Blackhawks – 22
19. Paul Stastny – Colorado Avalanche – 22
18. David Krejci – Boston Bruins – 22
17. Patrick Kaleta – Buffalo Sabres – 22
16. Blake Wheeler – Boston Bruins – 22
15. Lucas Kaspar – San Jose Sharks – 23
14. Kyle Quincey – Los Angeles Kings – 23
13. Steve Bernier – Vancouver Canucks – 23
12. Ryan Suter – Nashville Predators – 23
11. Mike Richards – Philadelphia Flyers – 23
10. Milan Michalek – San Jose Sharks – 23
9. Fabian Brunnstrom – Dallas Stars – 23
8. Jeff Carter – Philadelphia Flyers – 23
7. Mike Green – Washington Capitals – 23
6. Robert Nilsson – Edmonton Oilers – 23
5. Patrick O’Sullivan – Los Angeles Kings – 23
4. Shea Weber – Nashville Predators – 23
3. David Booth – Florida Panthers – 23
2. Andrei Kostitsyn – Montreal Canadiens – 23
1. Dion Phaneuf – Calgary Flames - 23

JUST IN CASE YOU WERE BUSY WATCHING FOOTBALL

Hey gang, I know you watched the opening of the NHL regular season on Sunday, right? You did watch hockey on Sunday, didn’t you? Please tell me you were at least aware that the NHL opened its season this weekend in Europe and Verses was showing two games on Sunday. You were aware, right? Right? (Whew!) For a minute there I thought you were going to tell me that you were too busy watching football all weekend to notice that hockey had started or something equally as ridiculous as that. Okay people, you have to stop scaring me like that or I’m going to start thinking that you’re not paying attention.

Just in case you missed it, here are a few things that I noticed. (Because I was watching)

The games this weekend left me wishing that they showed a bit more of Prague and Stockholm.

Three out of the four teams that played escaped from Europe with points.

Tampa Bay gave up twice as many goals than they scored, no surprise to me, but Melrose might want to focus attention there.

Marty St. Louis’ backhand goal was a thing of beauty!

Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley look sharp, not sold yet about the rest of the team.

This could be a year where Malkin absolutely dominates, IF, he drives to the net like he did on his first goal.

Markus Naslund looks too comfortable with the Rangers, he could easily net 30+ this year if he can stay healthy.

Jaromir who?

Alex Auld continues to be one of the better backup goaltenders in the league.

Brandon Dubinsky is New York’s best-kept secret. Not bad for a big Alaskan boy, there should be more press on this kid.

And finally… BRIAN ENGBLOM NO LONGER LOOKS LIKE HE IS WEARING A MUSKRAT PELT ON HIS MELLON!!! Looking sharp Brian, it’s about time you made the adjustment. Now maybe we can start taking you seriously!

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF HABS HOCKEY: GRANDPA'S STORIES OF YESTERYEAR

If you are of a “certain age”, then you grew up hearing about the early days of the Montreal Canadiens. For most though, the stories of yesteryear have long faded and have been sadly relegated to the works of historians, who mind you, do an absolutely fantastic job researching the past in order to preserve it for the future, but it’s the stories handed down from generation to generation that seem to get lost. Most people my age and younger never had the stories of old told to them due to the tragic misfortune of growing up in a much busier society where our elders have been cast aside and ignored instead of revered as wise, experienced and worth listening to.

Lucky for me, I was born in a small farming community where growing up you had nothing but time. Time to simply enjoy life, the outdoors and the friends and family that made up your existence. I grew up learning to respect my elders and learning from them. When I say I was lucky, it’s not just because of where I was born, rather it’s because whom I was born around. No, we’ve never had anyone rich or famous in our clan, we are a hard working simple family that just happens to be crazy about sports. It all started with my grandfather, who as a kid was very athletic and played minor league baseball, his passion for sports his whole life was only overshadowed by the caring and strength he possessed when it came to molding his family. As a son of one of seven brothers who came to this country in 1900, my grandfather was part of the first generation of our family to grow up American. Coming from humble beginnings he developed a strong work ethic and an uncanny passion for all things sports related. Using the word “addicted” seems merely to scratch the surface when describing his love of sports. You have to understand we’re talking about a man who knew everything there was to know about the four major sports. Since the age of ten he saved every sports page, magazine, program, media guide, etc. just to back up his word incase anyone dared to dispute his knowledge. You only needed to challenge him once to find out you NEVER EVER want to make a mistake of that magnitude again. This man would have made ESPN’s resident trivia guru Howie Schwab look like a dumb-assed huckleberry who done “gra-G-a-tid from the sixth grade”. He loved to talk about game strategies and the inner complexities of game plans, sometimes on a level way over my head so I did a lot of listening and a little head nodding as if I truly understood. It is because of him, that this common trait that my father, uncle, brother, my son, and myself all have for sports even exists. Yes, I was lucky to have been born around this man. I was lucky that he cared enough to make sure that I knew about the heroes of his time and their glories and the games that they played.

The stories I grew up listening to were fascinating, and since I spent an enormous amount of time as a child with my grandfather, I had little choice but to hear them again and again. My favorites, of course, were the stories of hockey, the early years of the NHL (and before there was an NHL) and the fervor in which those men played a simple kids game with such skill and grace mixed with just the right amount of brutal force. Sometimes I would close my eyes while listening to him talk about Joe Malone, “Newsy” Lalonde, Cy Denneny, “Cully” Wilson, Howie Morenz, “King” Clancy, Lionel Hitchman and Eddie Shore and it would take me to a place of roaring fans hovering just above the ice surface all clamoring and waiving their hats in the air charged up in a deafening mix of joy, frustration and excitement.

I remember him talk about some players with a tone to his voice that just drew you in. You couldn’t help but to cling onto every word. One such name that always stuck with me was Sprague Cleghorn. Whenever my grandfather mentioned his name it was always accompanied with “one of the nastiest players to have ever play the game” as if this was a title given to him at birth. The stories involving Cleghorn I remember to have been filled with vicious hits (mostly leaning on the dirty side) and a sheer will to drive the puck end to end and slam it into the back of the net with a vengeance. He spoke of the 1921-22 season, the year that Cleghorn was reunited with his brother Odie in Montreal, in a trade that sent Harry Mummery and Amos Arbour to the Hamilton Tigers. According to my grandfather, “that trade changed the face of the team” it not only gave the Canadiens a whole new look, but was among one of the first ever multi-player trades to take place which in turn changed the face of the league. Cleghorn went on a rampage that year punishing opponents on both sides of the ice. Sprague led the league in penalty minutes and along with brother Odie led the Canadiens in scoring. He and his brother scored four goals each in one game to lead the Habs to a win over Hamilton. “He played that season as if he was on fire”, my grandfather would say. This conjured up images in my mind of him barreling down cross-ice and laying out an opponent at the top of the circle by any means necessary. The way my grandfather described the force in which Cleghorn played, was intense. It was as if he had no choice but to grit his teeth and squint his eyes to make the nastiest face he could when he said his name just in order to capture the rage Cleghorn displayed on the ice. I remember one time as a child sitting at his kitchen table listening to him talk of Cleghorn and him taking vicious revenge against a few of his former team-mates in Ottawa, my father chirped in “Pops, stop filling the kid’s head full of stories about goons, tell him about some of the greats.” “He wasn’t just a goon! He gave the Canadiens grit and determination. He was one of the greatest skaters the game had ever seen”, my grandfather snipped back taking exception to my dad’s comment. I just sat there with my eyes darting back and forth wondering if things would escalate. “Whatever, Pops” my father sarcastically retorted to avoid an argument, much to my relief. It was times like that, that made me listen intently to my grandfather spin the tales of the early years and the players like Sprague Cleghorn. He had a lot to tell and I was just the right sponge to absorb it.

Sprague Cleghorn’s statistics while a member of the Montreal Canadiens may not go down in history among the greats this team has seen, and some may just remember his antics, but his impact still ripples throughout the franchise as well as the league today. He is just one of many impact players over the years to have pulled a Canadiens sweater over his head, part of a special team at a special time in history. His time with the Habs bore historic fruit in the first Stanley Cup for the team as members of the NHL in 1924. One thing is certain, the Montreal native left it all on the ice each time he played and he left fans with memories to share and stories to tell.

I like to believe that somewhere out there a young boy is listening to his grandfather tell the stories that were told to him about the early days of the Canadiens and special players like Cleghorn, it helps me believe the world is a better place. My grandfather left us 20 years ago, but his stories still live on inside each member of my family. I hope that it is not too late for you to talk to yours. At least I know that there will be one future grandfather who will pass the stories down, thank you grandpa.

YEAR OF THE LOSERS - NHL 2008-2009

Okay, here we go. The NHL pre-season is in full swing; teams are feeling their way through it with the hopes that their newly adjusted rosters will bring them rich rewards. Timing, chemistry and learning systems are only a few of the bugs being ironed out feverishly as they gear up for October 4th.

While everyone is busy speculating how well (or poor) their team will do and predictions are already running rampant, I can’t seem to take my focus off the fact that once this season is done we will have another dream lottery by way of the “Tavares Sweepstakes”. I know what you’re thinking, “Gregsky, the season hasn’t even started and you want to talk about the next draft? Just what are you putting in your coffee man?” I know, I know, but I just can’t get away from it when I look at some of the rosters that teams are icing this year. I’m already convinced that no matter how much I try to focus on the teams that will be leading the league this year, keeping an eye on the bottom dwellers will divert my attention all season. It’s going to happen and I won’t be able to do a thing to stop it.

For some reason I have a feeling that we will have more teams with sub-par records making the playoffs this year. The last 3 playoff spots in each conference could very well be noticed earlier this year than in years past as there just might be fewer teams fighting for them. However, the race for the worst record (and best lottery chance) will be jam packed with teams in a battle to become the league’s ultimate loser. Which, in the end, will make them the ultimate winner.

We have seen what being a loser has done for some teams lately when impact players come through the draft that are clearly above the rest of the pack. If there were a year to become the biggest loser, this is the year. How hard will the bottom dwellers work in March and April when the light at the end of the tunnel is John Tavares? My guess is not very. I can’t help but imagine the Leafs, Thrashers, Panthers, Islanders, Canucks, Kings, Blues, Oilers, Sabres and Blue Jackets all fighting to be the worst they can be in the hopes of landing a player that could turn their fortunes around. And you might even be able to throw in the Canes, Preds, Bolts and Yotes to that mix just to make things interesting. Any of the aforementioned teams stands a good chance of “earning” the dubious yet attractive title of becoming the worst of the worst.

So while everyone is focused on who the best teams are going to be I will be keeping an eye on the other side of the coin. Call me crazy (it’s okay I know you want to) but I think it will be a bigger dogfight to suck than to succeed this year. Now that I have spread some sunshine, my work here is done. Enjoy!

YOU KNOW IT'S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN.....

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The off-season, a time when hockey fans crave any scrap of news concerning their favorite teams or players just to appease their insatiable appetites for the greatest sport known to man. The period from mid July to mid August is always the roughest time for fans as days go by without any newsworthy happenings in the world of hockey. The lack of news over this time period has an interesting effect on the deprived masses. Today I’ll take a look into the phenomenon called the NHL off-season. Get your barf bags ready people.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. The Sundin Watch generates a daily buzz rehashing the same old news we’ve known since June adding only insignificant and mostly inaccurate speculation. What’s next? Breaking news that Mats farted and the fumes seemed to waft in the general direction of Vancouver?

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. Dan Hinote’s wedding is a top searched hockey news topic.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. People actually give a shit that Mike Comrie went shopping with Hillary and her mother.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. Articles are written about Sidney Crosby’s favorite kind of alcohol when he doesn’t turn 21 until Thursday, but has been of age in Canada since 18.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. Mainstream media outlets give us such “gems” as NHL Logo Rankings.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. People actually stoop to levels of all-time low by wondering who will replace Barry Melrose on ESPN.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. Ice Girl tryouts for several teams top the latest news from your favorite “lonely” blogger.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. There is actually an article out there discussing Sean Avery’s “creamy calves”. Are you kidding me???

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. I actually have enough material to post this kind of drivel.

A FEELING OF "OPTSKEPTAFEARISM" IN TAMPA BAY

Gregsky's offer

What’s that smell in the air in Tampa these days? [Sniff] yes, yes, definitely it is an emotion that is thick in the air. [Sniff] I can’t tell if it’s a smell of optimism, skepticism or fear. Maybe it is a combination of all three at once. Optskeptafearism. That must be it, a new hybrid human emotion exclusively acquired by those who follow and are fans of the Lightning. Whew! I’m glad I figured that out quickly, it was starting to smell like cheese.

I suppose you can’t blame Bolts fans for not really knowing just how to feel, what with the resent crazy whirlwind that has ripped through the entire organization and all. Just how in the hell are Bolts fans supposed to feel? They were the laughing stock of the league last season. Have a weak and depleted farm system. Watched their team draft a glutton of forwards when everyone knows it is the backend that needs the most help. Under a media blitz, witnessed the team usher in a new ownership group, hire a train wreck for a coach, sign a slew of free agent forwards some past their prime, sign a declining goaltender, ask your best defenseman to leave town, replace the front office and re-sign your best player for $85 million. To top it all off have one of your new owners, obviously hopped up on Flintstone Vitamins, publicly declare that your “new look” team will indeed win the division.

"What the deuce?" (Read out loud in your best Stewie Griffin voice and cue a Family Guy flashback montage) "I haven’t seen a circus this bad since the one on Wang Island where a pot-smoking monkey on a unicycle was giving advise to the front office staff."

Was that a bit too much? Oh well, let’s just blame it on the coffee and move along.

The levee has to break at some point. Don’t you think? They are going to have to unload some of the new stockpile of forwards to shore up that disturbingly weak defense. Don’t you think? I mean they can’t really think that this roster will win the division. Right? Come on, Bochenski? Hasn’t he been in something like six different uniforms over the last three or so years? Gratton? Recchi? Roberts? Halpern? Who will they unload to try and plug the gaping holes on defense? Well, the way things are going, don’t be surprised if in all of their infinite wisdom they decide to trade away one or more of their younger forwards like Craig or Ouellet or Tarnasky. Now won’t that be nice. Just who could you get to shore up the D? For a best-case scenario look to swing a deal with Carolina or Vancouver.

No matter how you look at it, things in Tampa still smell a bit funky and will continue to do so under the hot Florida sun until something gives way to at least get fans leaning more toward optimisism than skepticism and down right fear.

THOUGHTS ON HOSSA, JAGR AND MORE

Okay Pens fans, you have every right to be upset about Marion Hossa’s decision to take less money than the Penguins offered to suit up with the Wings next season. It sure looks like he just wants to bounce around leaping from one contender to another until he guesses right and lands on a championship team. Next year when the Wings get bumped from the 2nd round he’ll be looking elsewhere and we’ll do this all over again. True it would have been nice to see what a full season of the Hossa/Crosby connection would have accomplished, but he’ll do just fine playing with a number of highly skilled players on the Wings roster. His personal stats won’t suffer in Detroit so he will again be a top free agent next year, the bidding war will kick in and insane offers will land in his lap once more. Only next time I don’t see the Pens making an offer to him, as the bad taste from this year will still be in the mouths of the Penguin brass. The Penguins will be just fine in the long run without him as they did the right thing by locking up Malkin, Fleury and keeping the young core intact. Besides, picking up Satan (who can really finish when he plays with talent around him) will most likely bring close to the same production they would have got from Hossa.

If Jaromir Jagr really wanted to keep playing in the NHL he would have signed any one of a number of offers that came his way. True he was looking for a 2 year deal that would keep him collecting coin in the $5 - $6 million per season range, but at this stage in his career that just wasn’t going to happen. If he would have taken a 1year deal worth $2 - $4 million he could have finished his career in the NHL. Obviously, he wanted more in his paycheck and he got what he wanted in Russia. I find it funny that hockey fans feel robbed of “super talent” with Jagr’s move to Russia. When was the last time Jagr and his “super talent” led the league in anything? Realistically there was no way any team was going to pour the kind of money Jagr was looking for in a player whose skill is declining in the twilight of his playing career. Just look at the fact that Jeremy Roenick and Owen Nolan still find a home every year in the NHL. This happens because they know what they are worth and accept what comes their way. Don’t feel bad for Jagr folks, he found the coin he was seeking and we still have the memories of when he was worth that much.

Dan Boyle may have been upset with how things went down in his departure from Tampa Bay, but he will be on a much better team and will at least make the postseason next year. He should be happy that he is no longer with the circus that is the Lightning. Speaking of the circus, I didn’t think another team could match the sideshow atmosphere that the Islanders have displayed in resent years, but the Lightning actually pulled it off. Sure Boyle may be over-shadowed by the likes of Lidstrom, Phaneuf, Pronger, Campbell, etc. in the west, but it should bring out his “A” game and put him in the running for the Norris trophy which would not have a chance of happening if he stayed in Tampa.

Now, is it just me or does it seem like we are starting to see that same separation of teams who can spend money from the ones that can’t that we saw before the lockout? I can’t quite figure this one out because the separation seems to be there but the teams involved have changed a bit. No longer is this separation between big and small market teams. Which leads me to believe that it could be due to a couple of factors. One being that the cap ceiling keeps rising every year to levels we saw before the lockout, most NHL GM’s are flat out insane with how much money they throw around and some teams don’t mind hanging out in the cellar if it will increase their chances of getting in on the “Tavares Sweepstakes” next year. That last reason may be more realistic than any of us want to think possible, but how else do you explain the moves or non-moves made by teams like the Lightning, Maple Leafs, Panthers, Thrashers, Islanders, Sabres, Kings, Canucks and Blues? It’s not like Toronto, New York and Los Angeles are small markets by any stretch of the imagination, so what gives here? I’ll keep scratching my head as I get to the bottom of this, but it looks as though we will see a greater distance of points between playoff and non-playoff teams next season with the best of the worst filling out the last playoff spots. Which bodes well for a bubble team like Boston, as they should have an easier chance at making the postseason next year. All they have to do is focus on the teams ahead of them because there will be no one around them.

FRENZY AFTERMATH

As the dust begins to settle after the whirlwind that was yesterday’s Free Agent Frenzy, there are still a few big names that went unsigned. Most notably Mats Sundin, Marion Hossa and Jaromir Jagr still haven’t found a home even though the money rumored to be thrown at these guys is enough to make your head spin. Apparently, the notion of Jagr returning to the Penguins was enough to make even him chuckle. Hossa just seems to be waiting for his choice of a few teams to out bid one another for his services. As for Sundin, well, the money offered from the Canucks had to be enough to make him sit up in his chair, but Mats may just be more concerned with protecting his legacy or the desire to win a Cup before he hangs up the skates. Since the Canucks are nowhere near Cup contention, the $20 million for 2 years may just be a flattering offer in Sundin’s eyes. Hey Mats are you nuts?? $20 million will go a long way in easing the pain of never playing for the Cup and you wouldn’t be the first guy who decided to take the money and run. Think about it.

I’m not sure what the hell is going on in Tampa. They seem to be fixated on boosting the offensive side of the roster instead of shoring up one of the weakest defenses in the league. I’m sorry, but Kolzig is not the answer to the problem. Sure he is better than what you had, but he isn’t enough to fix what truly ails you. I guess this is the route to go if you want to lose games 9 – 8, or better yet if you just want to pull a smoke and mirrors trick on your fan base to sell tickets aka “Look at the shiny thing”, or even better still if you just want to tank another season and increase your chances of landing Tavares in next years draft. Anyway you look at it you are left scratching your head at the decision making.

The Bruins found out that they just aren’t comfortable parting with big money for big names. They were rumored to be big players in the weeks leading up to July 1st, but the closer it came the more timid they became when they found out just how much money was being tossed around. Still the only task the B’s had to accomplish was to find a scoring winger to play along side Savard and they found it Michael Ryder. I thought this was a smart and affordable move for the Bruins, as Ryder should regain his form in a better situation than what he had in Montreal. Sure he is no Hossa, but he has the speed to keep up with Savard and a much better nose for the net than anyone else they have on their roster. He should easily become their top goal scorer next season. Picking up a blue-chipper in Blake Wheeler will help them in the future, as he should develop into a top tier winger. Many still find the defense to be suspect, but under the guidance of Julian the B’s backend will suffice for now.

Before I get into any detail on the rest of the league I’m going to wait until the rest of the chips fall into place as there are still some 2nd tier players left on the market that can help quite a few teams. I will continue to update the latest transactions that happen on my Free Agent Tracker post so be sure to check it often to see who ends up where. Enjoy!

HAVE NO FEAR - MELROSE IS HERE!

Please forgive me if I'm not getting that same warm and fuzzy feeling about this decision by the Tampa brass that some people are. If you are lucky enough to be too young to remember Barry's playing days, this move may have you saying "Wicked cool man, the Bolts just got that ESPN guy with the mullet to coach!" If you are like me and sat through many a game where Barry pretended to play defense, "wicked cool" most likely isn't your choice of words to express your opinion of the move. Unfortunately I just happened to have lived in L.A. when he was coaching the Kings, so I've had more than my fair share of Melrose exposure. I do wish the Bolts all the luck in the world going forward if this is what they think will work for them. At least the star players will be pampered, after all that's what makes a great hockey team right? Pampered superstars and a coach who loves the attention of the media should at least make for some "wicked cool" billboards. Whatever sells tickets, I guess. Go Bolts! Melrose Rocks!

DRAFT AFTERMATH

Well this was supposed to be a wacky post handing out grades for the Draft, but after some thought about the experience that was the 2008 Entry Draft I was left with a feeling that it just wasn’t that eventful to warrant such a post. Not quite a yawn-fest mind you, but a bit on the lackluster side. Instead of an off the wall post I’ll give you my take on some key moves/picks that took place.

When the hell did the Coyotes learn how to draft? There are just some things in life that you can count on –

1. The sun rising

2. A rainstorm just after you washed the car

3. That annoying guy at work that thinks he’s your pal will try to make small talk with you on subjects he knows absolutely nothing about

4. The Yotes will draft the worst possible players available in any given draft

Well we can now scratch #4 off the list because the Coyotes have drafted well in consecutive drafts and this one has got to be their best ever. They used their 1st round picks wisely by adding a future scorer in Boedker and a possible menace on ice in Tikhonov (if he plays with the same emotion he displayed for Russia in the World Juniors). Going with some big boys with the next 3 picks in Staal, Stone and Brodeur shows a commitment to getting tougher to play against in the near future. They were able to shed deadweight and cap chokers in Boynton and Ballard while acquiring a gem in Jokinen to give them (as well as Jokinen) a serious chance at the playoffs next season. Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the question. When did the Coyotes learn how to draft? When they added Greg Malone to their scouting staff.

Another team that must be grinning from ear to ear is the Blue Jackets. They landed Umberger (played college hockey for Ohio State), selected what may be the most dynamic player in the draft in Filatov and loaded up with big defensemen with big potential in the future. The Jackets are hoping that this Russian turns out to be more like Ovechkin than Zherdev. No, the Jackets didn’t exactly hit it out of the park on draft day, but GM Scott Howson must be pleased with how well they did with the picks they had.

The Bruins rolled the dice with their selections, banking more on character type players than actual skill level. They went center happy hoping that one or two will pan out (centers taken in past rounds have been less than stellar). Only time will tell if the gamble will pay off. Perhaps the biggest gamble was trading up to pick Arniel. He must have interviewed well and there must be more to the story with this guy or at least another side to the story. That’s not to take away from another gamble they took with their first pick in Joe Colborne. With a ton of high ranking talent left on the board with the 16th overall pick the B’s raised a few eyebrows when they selected Colborne. Mostly due to the fact that he played in the AJHL against what most see as inferior competition. However, the Bruins see more in this guy and most likely hope that his time at the University of Denver will go a long way for his development at a higher level. Now if the hush-hush news about Wheeler comes to bear fruit and they are able to land Hossa, the gambles on draft day won’t look as bad if they don’t pan out.

The Lightning may have gotten the best overall player in the draft in Stamkos, but did little after that to address their need to add depth to their future backend. We all knew that they would get the leftovers when it came to defensemen and goaltenders, but instead of taking the best available with the 62nd overall pick the Bolts (in all of their infinite wisdom) traded down to take another forward with the 117th pick. They finally took a goaltender with the 122nd pick and chose Tokarski who ranked 9th in North American goaltenders. They didn’t pick a defensemen until the 6th round where they took two. So much for playing it smart and shoring up the weak areas in your system. They did however get the green light from the new ownership to be aggressive in the free agent market this year. The only trouble with that is they also set a cap limit of $44 million, when they already have $35 million committed to payroll next season. I’m sorry, Bolts fans, but $9 million isn’t enough to be aggressive and fill the holes on that roster.

PRE-DRAFT RAMBLINGS

The 2008 Entry Draft is fast approaching and everyone already knows that the Bolts plan on taking Steven Stamkos with their #1 pick. Stamkos (a 6’-3” 185 lbs. center out of Scarborough, ON.) isn’t something you pass up on even if he won’t necessarily address your needs. Some think that with this draft being heavy with defensemen and goalies that the Bolts in particular should start building up their back end, but keep in mind that in this draft they can accomplish that in later rounds. That is why they jumped right away and announced their intention on picking Stamkos. There will be no surprises on who goes 1st overall on Friday.

This year on draft day I think I will be most interested in what trades go down more so than who picks who. I just have this feeling that there will be a plethora of movement amongst teams trying to shed payroll and gather more picks for either this draft or ones in the near future. This will most likely be a last ditch effort for teams to trade away players before buying them out or losing them to free agency come July 1st. Hey sometimes a future draft pick and a bag of pucks is better than taking a cap hit on a buyout or getting nothing in return. Ahh yes, I can see it now, sort of like a clearance sale or better yet like a concession vendor; “Emery…Emery here…get ‘yer ice cold Emery here…” or “Only one Murray left…last chance for a Murray here…buy one Murray and get a Fernandez free…and by free I mean we’ll be free of him…get ‘yer Murray here…”

I think we will see a lot of defensemen taken in the first couple of rounds this year, as they seem to dominate the landscape. There will be a fair share of goaltenders taken as well and the Bolts will get their chance at a number of them and d-men to boot. By taking Stamkos with their first pick they will get the leftovers when it comes to the back end but in this draft the leftovers will be solid as well. In Stamkos they will however get the future replacement for Vinnie, this time I am hoping they will seriously consider how much they should pay a young super-talent.

Settle in on Friday and watch your teams select the future and attempt to move payroll and enjoy it hockey fans, it will be the last bit of excitement until July 1st. I will hand out my report card on how everyone did after the draft ends, most likely in a wacky format so until then keep your head up and enjoy!

THANK YOU

Now that the season has ended things here at Around The Rink will start to slow down to its off-season pace of around once a week. At this time I want to shout out a big Thank You to Miser for his great work and contributions to this site this year and look forward to working with him next season. I also want to thank everyone who checked out our blog over the past year and especially those who kept coming back. You are the reason we do this on top of our normal everyday life schedules, without you we are just talking hockey to ourselves. I do encourage everyone to respond to what they read by adding comments to the posts (not enough of you do this, you know who you are) we would love to hear what you have to say and carry on discussions about the topics. So don’t be shy (Lord knows I’m not) and let us know what you think about the game we all love.

This past season we had over 3800 new and unique visitors from 13 different countries stop by Around The Rink to expose themselves to the madness. Over 1200 of which came back for more, time and time again, adding to our growing number of regular visitors to the site. Thanks to that we have a steady growth rate and look forward to increasing that rate next year. With that in mind, Around The Rink will undergo a face-lift this summer in an attempt to make the site more visually pleasing to our readers as well as easier to manage.

Even though the season has come and gone, don’t forget to stop by Around The Rink from time to time over the summer, as the posts tend to get a little wilder, funnier and even more experimental. I’m sure to have a few things to say about the Draft, Free Agency, Offer Sheets, Salary Cap and the like. Things may be getting slower, but the madness here at Around The Rink never stops. Thank you all for making Around The Rink a part of your day, as you all make our day every day. Enjoy your summer one and all!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Now that the season has ended, I wanted to take a moment to put down some final thoughts. I must warn you though, the coffee is strong this morning and I’m awake way too early so things may get a bit wacky. Buckle up Spanky it could be a bumpy ride.

A tip of the hat to Dallas Drake and Gary Roberts – thanks for the memories boys you have exemplified what it means to be a heart and soul kind of player – no regrets you have been champions your whole careers.

I hope Sean Avery takes the off-season to work on how to just play the game and put all of his bullshit antics on the shelf once and for all.

Hey Alex – are you still seeing that play in your nightmares? Maybe next time you’ll shoot the damn puck!

I don’t want to hear any more about how Euro’s are soft. Got it? Okay, let’s move on.

I don’t want to hear any more questions of Sidney Crosby’s heart and leadership skills – I think he proved enough this year to put an end to the speculation he can’t handle the load, he was truly special this post-season.

Why would Marion Hossa want to go anywhere else? Sometimes it’s not all about the money. Besides, Mario has a ton of it.

I hope the brothers Staal can keep from making the news with any drunken escapades this off-season.

I’ve never watched Tiger Woods do his thing and now I’m damn sure I never will – and watching that gay-assed Gillette commercial featuring the three gayest guys in all of sports doesn’t count – unless that’s his thing in which case I’ve seen it and I must say I’m not impressed. I hope Tiger Woods will remember – hockey fans don’t need him around anyhow.

If the new ownership of the Lightning actually thinks Barry Melrose is the answer – I will have to question every other move they make. I fear for you Bolts fans.

The only thing Malkin needs to work on this summer is his stamina. I hated watching him run out of gas right when he was needed most.

Someone please give Chris Osgood a bit of credit for stepping up when Hasek fell flat – he’s a hard working goalie who never seems to get any credit for being a number one net-minder. I think a couple of Cups speaks volumes.

Okay Bruins – you have a tough little team going – now will you please get a goal scorer to play alongside Savard. Murray just can’t bring it anymore and P.J. can’t hit the net.

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - STANLEY CUP FINALS

Well folks this is it. It’s down to the finals and I’m down to my last pick. As of now I’m sitting at 10 – 4 and need a win to reach my goal of besting my record from last year. If I end up blowing this now I think I will still be satisfied due to a few factors. One being that a tie at least shows consistency (besides, 10 – 5 really isn’t that bad) another is at least I will have been treated to what should be a whale of a series and finally I was able to get to this point without having to pull any tricks out of my bag to do battle against my primate nemesis Maggie. You don’t know what a relief it is not to have to throw your poop at a spinning wheel just to beat a stupid freakin’ monkey! On the other hand maybe you do. I really shouldn’t judge. Anyway, that’s certainly a discussion for another time right now the finals pick is all that matters and I can’t for the life of me decide a winner in this battle and feel good about it.

DETROIT VS. PITTSBURGH
In my opinion, the two best teams in the league will face off in this beauty of a cup final. There is no David versus Goliath in this one, only two Goliath’s going head to head. Each team posses enough weapons to do the other in and this factor should even things out between them. The biggest question is which team has the most heart and enough gas left in the tank to get the job done? Who will be the one to reach down deeper and find that extra gear that no one else has? As they say, the cream will always rise to the top, only in this series it’s a crapshoot on which superstar will pull it off. Will it be Datsuyk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Franzen or Osgood? Will it be Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Staal or Fleury? My bet is that each of them will play a factor, but only one of them will be MVP and it won’t be an easy choice to make. No matter how this series ends not since the ’82 – ’83 finals have we had the pleasure of witnessing so much talent at one time fight for the prize and that alone makes this a dream series. The NHL hierarchy must be completely giddy with joy over this, although through strict laws they are not allowed to show any emotion, but on the inside you know they are all pissing themselves. Can you say “Cha-ching”? This match-up has me torn right down the middle as far as picking a winner. My heart says pick the Pens, it is the romantic choice, the kids done good story, the let’s bring a Championship to a city that almost lost their team pick. My head says pick the Wings, it is the money bet, the smart and logical choice, the let’s bring a Championship to a city that desperately needs some sort of good happening pick. Do I go with my head or with my heart? I’ve always been told to follow my heart but not to lose my head in the process, so you can see why I’m having trouble making this pick and have been staring a blinking cursor on this page for quite some time not wanting to make this pick. I know as soon as I do I won’t feel good about it so I guess I better just do it and get it over with. DETROIT IN SEVEN (But I will be rooting for the Pens to take it in six. Don’t try to understand the madness just embrace it!) Enjoy!

COULD THIS FINAL SERIES BE THE BEST EVER?

Just in case no one is saying it…this upcoming Stanley Cup Final series has the potential to be one of the greatest of all-time. There its been said. Now hold on Spanky, before you call for my head and remind me of all the great cup finals in the history books let me reassure you that I’m fully aware of the history of this sport and point out that I did say “potential” and “one of the greatest”. Now that I have the disclaimer out of the way…it’s on to the madness.

In my opinion, not since the ’82 – ‘83 and ’83 – ’84 cup finals have we seen so much talent on one ice surface fight for the cup. What we are about to see could have us flashing back (if you’re old enough to remember) even though the game has changed so much since then. Back then you had the experienced veteran team against the upstart kids. Shift after shift you had the best of the best hitting the ice from both benches, it seemed like there was a scoring chance every minute. This year’s final could give us the same feeling as both of these teams are capable of turning on the jets with a flick of a switch. The Penguins remind me of the high flying Oilers of the early 80’s and the Wings remind me of the great Islanders in the prime of their reign. Gretzky – Kurri, Bossy – Trottier, Messier – Anderson, Gilles – Tonelli, Coffey and Potvin, Fuhr and Smith sounds an awful lot like Crosby – Hossa, Datsuyk – Zetterberg, Malkin – Sykora, Franzen – Hudler, Gonchar and Lidstrom, Fleury and Osgood don’t you think? I’m just scratching the surface of this year’s combatants, there are many layers and many weapons laced throughout each roster that truly gives the feeling of something great brewing. That same feeling you get when you are witnessing history unfold before your very eyes. Search your feelings Spanky; you know this to be true. No, I’m not trying to lure you to the “Dark Side” or anything like that, I merely want to point out that whenever you put this much talent to the ultimate test of wills, the results could be phenomenal.

While we won’t see any Jedi hocus-pocus during the finals, we will be treated to some damn good hockey by the two best teams in the league. A match-up the likes of which hasn’t been seen for quite some time and one you shouldn’t miss a second of (the beers will wait for commercials). I can’t wait to see how it will all play out. We could very well get a little of everything that makes us love this game to our very core. Speed and transition, outstanding goaltending, crushing hits, shorthanded breakaways, monster power-plays, stingy defense, relentless offence and the potential of fisticuffs. Yes folks, this series could go down as one of the greatest of all-time so soak it all in and enjoy the all out assault on your hockey senses.

For those of you following my picks of this year’s playoffs, I’ll be posting my finals pick soon (in the next day or so) as I need a victory to top my record from last year. The pressure is on.

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - CONFERENCE FINALS

Well its crunch time now folks. Last round I spent all of the losses I can afford if I have any chance of bettering my record over last season. I’m now at 8 – 4 and have to go perfect the rest of the way. The pressure is now on for me as it is on the teams facing off for the conference titles. Monkey be damned, I’m going to show up and do my best to pick the winners despite the magic and trickery the animal kingdom will undoubtedly be using against me. Last year all I had for a thorn in my side when it came to making picks were the Senators, this year I seem to have two pesky teams (Stars and Flyers) fudging things up. Chances are one of these teams will ultimately screw me out of my goal of going 11 – 4 for the playoffs so it is making my picks a bit harder to make, but since I have to make them; let’s get to it.


PITTSBURGH VS. PHILADELPHIA
The big time players for the Pens came through in route of dispatching the Rangers where as the lesser lights propelled the Flyers past the Habs. Goaltending was superb for both teams and there is no reason to believe that it will be any different going forward. Neither goalie has seen action this deep into the second season so it is hard to gage how they will respond and will most likely wash each other out barring a complete disaster. When looking at the talent of the rosters the Pens have the edge and with the Crosby/Hose combination just starting to click they seem to possess all they need to get past their state rivals. As for the Flyers, they have been living off 2nd and 3rd liners coming up big for them when their top players are put in check. I wonder though just how long they can live off of Umberger, Hartnell and Upshall as go to guys. We all know that the Flyers will try and play physical and stay in the face of the Pens forwards while trying to make them pay for mistakes like they did against their previous opponents. The Pens have shown us this season that they can play any style of game and still come out on top shedding any notion that their defense is suspect in any way. They will have to work for everything they get as the Flyers have no quit in them and make you pay for every inch. They will have to make the Flyers run around with puck movement in the offensive zone and force them into taking penalties. This series should be a good one and I foresee a split after 4 games. PITTSBURGH IN 6


DETROIT VS. DALLAS
The Stars fell a couple of would be giants in route to the Conference Final and in the process made them look big, slow and sloppy. They had outstanding goaltending from Turco and excellent play from the kids on the blue-line as well as hard nosed effort from their leaders. Finding timely scoring is what did them in last year and it looks like they solved that problem this time around. No, that is not their problem any more. Their problem is they are about to face a machine not a hockey team. The Wings systematically dispatch anything in their path rolling 4 lines of pressure when needed and puck possession – time eating dominance when in the lead. There are no holes in this lineup as every line can create offense and defensive pairings are top notch. The one thing that Turco has not really had to deal with so far is someone constantly in his face. Both the Ducks and Sharks failed to keep him from seeing shots, but that will all change facing the Wings. It will be interesting to see how he reacts with Holmstrom in his grill the entire time. The Wings actually lucked out with the Stars beating two very physical teams and drawing the Avs in the 2nd round, they are healthy for the most part and arrive at the final without having been beaten up which was missing from the formula the last couple of seasons. I have to give credit to the Stars for a very nice run, but this is where the run ends. DETROIT IN 5