Hockey is our world. Money makes the world go 'round. Worlds are colliding...
The Calgary Flames are in need of a new building. That's no secret. The Saddledome's over thirty years old and, much like their former goalie tandem, in desperate need of being replaced. This is hardly new for any arena. However, this has relaunched on of the more heated debate in sports, should public money be used to help build a privately owned arena?
I've thought about this a lot over the last few years, and seen both sides of the argument. At first I found myself siding with my brethren, the everyday fan, people who said hell no, but strangely enough, I've started to come around. This wasn't out of some sort of misguided sympathy towards this wealthy lot as, lets be honest, its not as if the billionaire owners couldn't afford to put up the money for the facility, it was more about the economic realities of it. For as much as we perceive it to be a sport, reality is it's a business, so, if I were in their shoes, (as much as I can relate) why would I?
Think about the handouts, tax brakes and other perks given to large corporations who want to set up in a city. The municipal and other levels of government do everything they can to ensure this financial gain for their city yet this is hardly ever met with the same level of scrutiny as when its a sports team even though the principle is essential similar. These big corporations could afford to build their own facilities or pay the taxes they get a break on, they're just looking for a break, a sweetheart deal if you will, because they understand what they can mean to the community. So why wouldn't a professional sports team? After all a team may profit from the arena but it's the city who reaps all the other benefits.
If (when...?) I owned a team I'd look at the overall impact it brings to a city. Living here, I'll use Ottawa as an example. If you head down to Elgin st. a popular street downtown which is lined with bars and restaurants (it's designated the Sens Mile during the playoffs) its usually a reasonably busy spot, especially considering the very 9-5 then off to the suburbs nature of the city. However, when the Sens are in the playoffs its the difference between a quiet Tuesday night game in Arizona and a jammed packed Saddledome. There's hardly a seat to be had. Pints flow like the Ottawa River and the happiest people around when the Sens are doing well are the owners and staff at these places, as the extra income generated is huge. I've spoken with a number of people, either managers or bar staff about this impact, (even sober on some occasions) and it's definitely not something that can be ignored. It's a major influx in the economy that would otherwise never happen.
Now I understand the main counter argument and I realise there is also much more significant, necessary infrastructure this money could be spent on, ie: schools, hospitals, roads etc. but by investing in an arena you're generating money back for the economy unlike these other expenditures (Not that we shouldn't fund them, obviously!) The thing is having a viable NHL franchise in town isn't a financial loss for the city so to say it takes away from these other necessitates wouldn't be entirely accurate. It's putting money upfront that inevitably you'll get back. An investment in the community itself. Basically it comes down to cost, which it should. There shouldn't be a burden on a city to handle all the expenses. Period. However, by contributing and ensuring the franchise stays around everyone benefits. It's a simple cost benefit ratio. Look at the NFL franchises that have recently moved. The Rams & Chargers to LA and the Raiders are heading to Vegas before long. This was mainly because the amount of money required to build an NFL stadium is so significant. We're talking...one billion dollars!!...(had to). John Oliver did a great in depth look at these costs on his show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcwJt4bcnXs
Now while the revenue stream is significantly higher with an NFL team, that doesn't necessarily offset the cost for a city and so, understandably, citizens were not ready to spend that type of money. With an NHL team however, the cost is much, much lower, so really its comparing pucks to oranges. I'd understand people's outrage more if their taxes were going to be raised a significant amount, (again what one considers significant is another topic all together) but the difference it would make to the average citizen definitely isn't a major one.
Then there's the organisation as a whole. I've posted a link below where you can see the operating profits of NHL teams from a few years ago. Spoiler, they're not enough to build a new arena...
https://www.statista.com/statistics/193744/operating-income-of-national-hockey-league-teams-in-2010/
The people who own these teams didn't make their megabucks from owning them. The value of the teams may have risen of late as the league has had more success but this sure as hell isn't a get rich quick scheme.
The Arizona Coyotes who have threatened to move well, I've lost track at this point, actually tasered a local politician as part of a fund raising campaign to keep the Coyotes in town. Shane Doan made a passionate plea talking about what would happen to the people not just with the organisation, but the staff who work at the arena for various events. These arenas generally employ hundreds of people for numerous different events and should they be laid off, it'd certainly be a hit to the local economy. Not to mention the taxes generated from the players salaries themselves. The average NHL team salary here in Canada would dump millions back into the city with the taxes they pay, thus helping to cover the costs, that granted they were responsible for incurring, but you see how it all works out in the end. The other major difference that has to be taken into account is that Calgary isn't a team haemorrhaging money like a drunk guy in Vegas (which the league will enjoy soon enough). I understand, even applaud, a city's reluctance to throw good money after bad as in Arizona or Florida, but this is a viable market that would eventually pay for itself. They league and city's posturing aside it should get done amicably for gone are the days of the Big O boondoggle where a city is left paying for an outdated facility decades later...I hope...
Another issue is the small market nature of many of these teams. If you look at the list of top earning franchises its clear the major markets are at the top and with good reason. They have the population and in most cases history, to make money. People tend to look at these haves and assume everyone is in the same boat. This isn't to say they don't all have rich owners, obviously, but they don't all make the same profit and can't all rely on a packed house regardless, (ie: Toronto or Montreal) of how the economy or team are doing. They need to work hard to turn a profit, and in order to get people out they need to create an atmosphere around the arena like they've done with a new facility in Edmonton (which the city helped fund) and are planning to build here in Ottawa in the near future. These facilities also bring concerts and other major events to town that otherwise wouldn't be possible, again generating more money and are a draw for the city itself.
This is by no means a cut and dry issue. It's complicated and as I've said I've wrestled with it a lot. I get that it ticks people off to see rich people getting public money, to feel as thought they're being given preferential treatment, and realise its particularly tough to separate the business side of sport from the game we love, but there's a certain value that comes with having a team that can't be put down to dollars and cents. It has a certain prestige, and civic pride. Why do you think groups in Seattle and Quebec City are so eagerly clamouring to get franchises? They, like all the owners, understand the impact this has on community, how few things bring us together like sport, unite an entire city, provide those "remember where you were when" moments or move us to tears? Maybe I'm a sucker for sentiment, but that's gotta count for something.
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Offside Under Review
It's late, you're tired, you get home just in time to crash on the couch and turn on the game. All you want to do is crack a cold one, relax and...the cable's out.
You manage to put down your beer, get up and call the cable company. You go through the initial hassle of answering the many, many, prompts only to continue waiting....Eventually, you get through to a person, who then proceeds to ask more questions, some of which you may have already answered...You again explain your situation, trying your best to remain calm, and they tell you they'll look into it. They may even get a colleague or two on the problem to try and solve the issue. It feels like time has stopped, maybe even at some point moved backwards, and you're right where you started. Meanwhile they review the circumstances, gathered around, looking over their notes and, well, "perhaps we'd better get our supervisor on the phone..."
This is the NHL's offside review...
First off, I don't entirely mind the idea. Really. The game is incredibly fast, referees are human (for now) meaning they may miss the odd, very, VERY close call. Fans, for the most part, understood that and didn't seemed all that bothered (as long as it went their way) until they blew a really obvious call. See, years back Matt Duchene scored a goal when he was as about as offside as a frat boy at a kegger and all hell broke loose. People started to whine that we need to 'get it right' and thus the idea of offside review eventually came to life. Now, I'm all for getting it right, generally, but if a skate blade is hovering over the blueline, or a player is in the zone by a third of an inch, honestly, I don't care. And I don't blame the linesmen for missing these.
The NHL has done plenty to try and increase scoring: no line changes after an icing, delay of game for flipping the puck out, smaller goalie equipment, etc. so you'd think they'd try to help that anyway possible. Calling goals off on a review, sometimes minutes after the goal has been scored, seems well, counter productive to that agenda. Personally I think they should just have the blueline set up akin to the goal line in football and as long as the players skate is 'breaking the plain' then it's good. Not to say I want to see NHLers trying some half-assed figure skating move at the blueline to try and stretch it out, but you get the idea. It would speed things up and eliminate what has become one of the most annoying things in hockey since the glowing puck.
The idea of instituting a penalty for delay of game for an unsuccessful challenge is brilliant, at least in my humble opinion. Not only will it speed the game up, it will also lead to more offensive chances should a team get a power play out of it...provided of course that team isn't the Avalanche. Previously the punishment was that you lost your timeout, and granted each team only has 1 per game (in regulation), but this seemed about as effective a scare tactic as the linesman saying 'I told you so'. It'll have coaches thinking twice and guys on the ice will, theoretically, be able to be more focused on the play. It eases the burden on officials as well and is just better for everyone involved, including those of us watching. It still gives coaches the option to challenge and 'get it right'. You'd just better be damn sure the linesman got it wrong.
You manage to put down your beer, get up and call the cable company. You go through the initial hassle of answering the many, many, prompts only to continue waiting....Eventually, you get through to a person, who then proceeds to ask more questions, some of which you may have already answered...You again explain your situation, trying your best to remain calm, and they tell you they'll look into it. They may even get a colleague or two on the problem to try and solve the issue. It feels like time has stopped, maybe even at some point moved backwards, and you're right where you started. Meanwhile they review the circumstances, gathered around, looking over their notes and, well, "perhaps we'd better get our supervisor on the phone..."
This is the NHL's offside review...
First off, I don't entirely mind the idea. Really. The game is incredibly fast, referees are human (for now) meaning they may miss the odd, very, VERY close call. Fans, for the most part, understood that and didn't seemed all that bothered (as long as it went their way) until they blew a really obvious call. See, years back Matt Duchene scored a goal when he was as about as offside as a frat boy at a kegger and all hell broke loose. People started to whine that we need to 'get it right' and thus the idea of offside review eventually came to life. Now, I'm all for getting it right, generally, but if a skate blade is hovering over the blueline, or a player is in the zone by a third of an inch, honestly, I don't care. And I don't blame the linesmen for missing these.
The NHL has done plenty to try and increase scoring: no line changes after an icing, delay of game for flipping the puck out, smaller goalie equipment, etc. so you'd think they'd try to help that anyway possible. Calling goals off on a review, sometimes minutes after the goal has been scored, seems well, counter productive to that agenda. Personally I think they should just have the blueline set up akin to the goal line in football and as long as the players skate is 'breaking the plain' then it's good. Not to say I want to see NHLers trying some half-assed figure skating move at the blueline to try and stretch it out, but you get the idea. It would speed things up and eliminate what has become one of the most annoying things in hockey since the glowing puck.
The idea of instituting a penalty for delay of game for an unsuccessful challenge is brilliant, at least in my humble opinion. Not only will it speed the game up, it will also lead to more offensive chances should a team get a power play out of it...provided of course that team isn't the Avalanche. Previously the punishment was that you lost your timeout, and granted each team only has 1 per game (in regulation), but this seemed about as effective a scare tactic as the linesman saying 'I told you so'. It'll have coaches thinking twice and guys on the ice will, theoretically, be able to be more focused on the play. It eases the burden on officials as well and is just better for everyone involved, including those of us watching. It still gives coaches the option to challenge and 'get it right'. You'd just better be damn sure the linesman got it wrong.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Captain Coyote: Shane Doan Calls it a Career
2004, the World Cup of Hockey. The first in nearly a decade. Team Canada was looking for redemption after falling to the US in 1996. They met the ever pesky Finns in the final and as is usually the case it was nail biter. The teams traded goals and at 2-2 heading to the final period everything was on the line. Then, almost before you could sip your beer, Shane Doan made a great move in front to bury an incredible Joe Thornton pass that proved to be the winner as Canada once again reigned atop the hockey world. This was the biggest goal Shane Doan ever scored and when asked about it afterwards, guy he is, the credit and moment was all about the team.
Few athletes have meant as much in recent history to their franchise as Shane Doan. In fact, if you ask many, the Coyotes would've moved on one of the, well actually, I've lost count of how many times they've appeared headed for relocation, if not for his leadership and commitment to keeping them in the desert. When men like John McCain and Larry Fitzgerald are saying you're among the best leaders they've met, you've done something right. And Doan always seemed to say the right thing, taking home the Mark Messier leadership award in 2012 for his efforts. Even if I personally disagree that the franchise is better off where it is than say, Quebec City Doan was always there for the organisation and the community. His commitment to this new found home was unquestioned and he enjoyed every aspect of what if offered.
The last remaining player from the original Winnipeg Jets, his 21 years with the franchise has seen Doan hold team records in a number of offensive categories. He was the consummate professional and a leader on and off the ice. While relocating from hockey mad Winnipeg to Phoenix must have felt like being shipped off to the basement, Doan helped the franchise create a loyal, all be it small, band of fans who embraced them thanks in large part to his constant, workman like effort and easy going nature with media and fans. Auston Matthews among others is in no doubt a byproduct of this. Doan was a two time all star, a King Clancy Trophy winner and also represented team Canada on a number of occasions. With all his success he stayed loyal to the team through some lean years and saw it have some unexpected runs in the post season as well. The last few years have seen the Coyotes struggle in rebuild mode, and there's little doubt he was asked to waive his no trade clause. However, he has established his family there and couldn't see himself playing for another team. Whether or not that was the wisest decision, we may never know, but you can't fault the guy for wanting to stick it out with the only team he's ever known and believing that he can help them.
This is why it was surprising for so many that the announcement that he wouldn't be resigned came with about as much ceremony as you would announce hiring a new janitor. The team issued a press release but there was little said or done until the other day when he officially announced his retirement. The team then stepped up and made a more formal show of things, and will no doubt be honouring him at some point this season, but one could safely assume there were still some hard feelings. No matter the circumstance though, Doan will be remembered for his compete level on the ice and being the face of the organisation and hockey in Arizona.
The next question is does he don the Maple Leaf again, perhaps even the C, for Team Canada at the upcoming Olympics in Korea. His former teammate Sean Burke is running the team and could use his leadership. Doan was on the 2006 Canadian team (the less we say about it the better...) And when you think about the opportunity, how many guys get to cap their career with a gold medal?
Few athletes have meant as much in recent history to their franchise as Shane Doan. In fact, if you ask many, the Coyotes would've moved on one of the, well actually, I've lost count of how many times they've appeared headed for relocation, if not for his leadership and commitment to keeping them in the desert. When men like John McCain and Larry Fitzgerald are saying you're among the best leaders they've met, you've done something right. And Doan always seemed to say the right thing, taking home the Mark Messier leadership award in 2012 for his efforts. Even if I personally disagree that the franchise is better off where it is than say, Quebec City Doan was always there for the organisation and the community. His commitment to this new found home was unquestioned and he enjoyed every aspect of what if offered.
The last remaining player from the original Winnipeg Jets, his 21 years with the franchise has seen Doan hold team records in a number of offensive categories. He was the consummate professional and a leader on and off the ice. While relocating from hockey mad Winnipeg to Phoenix must have felt like being shipped off to the basement, Doan helped the franchise create a loyal, all be it small, band of fans who embraced them thanks in large part to his constant, workman like effort and easy going nature with media and fans. Auston Matthews among others is in no doubt a byproduct of this. Doan was a two time all star, a King Clancy Trophy winner and also represented team Canada on a number of occasions. With all his success he stayed loyal to the team through some lean years and saw it have some unexpected runs in the post season as well. The last few years have seen the Coyotes struggle in rebuild mode, and there's little doubt he was asked to waive his no trade clause. However, he has established his family there and couldn't see himself playing for another team. Whether or not that was the wisest decision, we may never know, but you can't fault the guy for wanting to stick it out with the only team he's ever known and believing that he can help them.
This is why it was surprising for so many that the announcement that he wouldn't be resigned came with about as much ceremony as you would announce hiring a new janitor. The team issued a press release but there was little said or done until the other day when he officially announced his retirement. The team then stepped up and made a more formal show of things, and will no doubt be honouring him at some point this season, but one could safely assume there were still some hard feelings. No matter the circumstance though, Doan will be remembered for his compete level on the ice and being the face of the organisation and hockey in Arizona.
The next question is does he don the Maple Leaf again, perhaps even the C, for Team Canada at the upcoming Olympics in Korea. His former teammate Sean Burke is running the team and could use his leadership. Doan was on the 2006 Canadian team (the less we say about it the better...) And when you think about the opportunity, how many guys get to cap their career with a gold medal?
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Pride of the Pontiac: A Farewell to Bryan Murray
In the Ottawa Valley hockey's more than jut part of everyday life and Bryan Murray was as synonymous with the game as anyone this area's ever known. The guy from Shawville rose from the ranks of the Pontiac and Ottawa Valley minor systems to coach and manage at the highest level. He put his hometown on the map, in his usual humble manner, and never forgot his roots.
I had the good fortune of meeting him several times, my mom runs a charitable foundation back home in the Ottawa Valley and he and his wife Geri were its honorary heads. This simple, meaningful gesture reflected the kind of people they are and their commitment to the people and area they called home. They attended a handful of events over the years and there was always an excitement when we knew he was coming to town. Everyone wanted to hear him speak. He had a way of making you feel connected to the big time, if only for that evening.
Bryan would hold court at these gatherings, always happy to answer any questions, and his legendary wit was as fast as today's game and as biting as ours winters, but never came across as mean spirited. His captive audience clung to every word about the players and league we so greatly admire. With every joke and incredible story you understood just how much he'd accomplished. Here was someone living for what many of us was a dream, but he never lorded that over you. He simply spoke matter of factly and just genuinely seemed like a guy who loved what he was doing. He was a favourite of local coverage on TSN or national shows like Hockey Central at Noon & Hockey Night in Canada because of his insightful, straightforward manner. He was well respected in hockey circles far and wide as evident from the tributes pouring in from across the globe. They respected him as a colleague and his players understood what was expected of them, often being told so in no uncertain terms.
Bryan was said to be direct and honest, and was held in the highest regard for it. He showed his players the same courtesy and more often than not they responded. He guided a lot of great players to a lot of great seasons but it was the personal nature, how much he cared that stood out. Little things like making sure he could work out a deal for Mike Fisher to be closer to new wife Carrie Underwood in Nashville, (Bryan claimed trading him was one of the hardest things he ever had to do) or how much you could tell it pained him to see Daniel Alfredsson leave for Detroit. People were important to Bryan as he was to them, and he managed them as human beings, not dollar signs or pieces of a puzzle. Not as something expendable to be marketed or exploited. Those who knew him would tell you he was as competitive as anyone you'd ever met (often peppering officials with what my grandma refers to as 'salty' language') he simply got the bigger picture. Friends and family were not simply words to be paid lip service to. That fire continued to burn as he was part of the Sens organisation until not long before his passing.
When he joined the Sens in 2005, they were among the leagues best teams but Bryan brought with him a confidence the team and organisation sorely needed. This was a team used to expectations and he embraced them, along with the renewed excitement his arrival heralded. He guided them to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, still the high watermark for the franchise, only to lose, ironically to a team in the Anaheim Ducks he had built. In the years following he took on a management roll with the club eventually stepping aside, sadly because his deteriorating health forced him to. His love of the game was ever present. Bryan's journey in the NHL took him all across the continent, from Washington, to Detroit, Florida to Anaheim, but he would return to a special place year after year, as is often the case with home. This community and the Sens organisation are better off for having had him and learning from the example he set, not just from a hockey sense but as an individual. He will be remembered as a class act and a man of his convictions. While he was never able to bring that elusive cup home, no one tried harder or cared more.
I had the good fortune of meeting him several times, my mom runs a charitable foundation back home in the Ottawa Valley and he and his wife Geri were its honorary heads. This simple, meaningful gesture reflected the kind of people they are and their commitment to the people and area they called home. They attended a handful of events over the years and there was always an excitement when we knew he was coming to town. Everyone wanted to hear him speak. He had a way of making you feel connected to the big time, if only for that evening.
Bryan would hold court at these gatherings, always happy to answer any questions, and his legendary wit was as fast as today's game and as biting as ours winters, but never came across as mean spirited. His captive audience clung to every word about the players and league we so greatly admire. With every joke and incredible story you understood just how much he'd accomplished. Here was someone living for what many of us was a dream, but he never lorded that over you. He simply spoke matter of factly and just genuinely seemed like a guy who loved what he was doing. He was a favourite of local coverage on TSN or national shows like Hockey Central at Noon & Hockey Night in Canada because of his insightful, straightforward manner. He was well respected in hockey circles far and wide as evident from the tributes pouring in from across the globe. They respected him as a colleague and his players understood what was expected of them, often being told so in no uncertain terms.
Bryan was said to be direct and honest, and was held in the highest regard for it. He showed his players the same courtesy and more often than not they responded. He guided a lot of great players to a lot of great seasons but it was the personal nature, how much he cared that stood out. Little things like making sure he could work out a deal for Mike Fisher to be closer to new wife Carrie Underwood in Nashville, (Bryan claimed trading him was one of the hardest things he ever had to do) or how much you could tell it pained him to see Daniel Alfredsson leave for Detroit. People were important to Bryan as he was to them, and he managed them as human beings, not dollar signs or pieces of a puzzle. Not as something expendable to be marketed or exploited. Those who knew him would tell you he was as competitive as anyone you'd ever met (often peppering officials with what my grandma refers to as 'salty' language') he simply got the bigger picture. Friends and family were not simply words to be paid lip service to. That fire continued to burn as he was part of the Sens organisation until not long before his passing.
Monday, May 8, 2017
Preds Pack - How a Brand of New NHL D are Leading the Way in Nashville
The St. Louis Blues season once again ended on a sour note Sunday, as for the first time in Nashville Predators history, the Preds are moving on to the Western Conference Finals. Do they sing about happy occasions in country music...?
Anyway, the music city is a buzz, and good on them for creating one of the better playoff atmosphere's in the game. Much of the credit has to go to goalie Pekka Rinne who's been all world this post season, shutting down skilled offensive teams in Chicago and St. Louis. He's more of a wall than his 6'5" frame would suggest, with a ridiculous .951 Save %. However, if the Beatles taught us nothing else, "I get by with a little help from my friends". The Preds have had timely depth scoring up front, but it's their impressive defensive core that's lead the way thus far.
This D core, shrewdly complied by GM David Poile, has put up big points in pushing the Preds into the Conference Finals and in doing so showed how the game is evolving in today's faster paced NHL. They can hit, shoot, pass and most importantly, skate. This is a blueline that moves the puck. Quickly, and effectively. They can clear the zone with a crisp breakout pass or their speed. Which is impressive, I mean considering all the time Subban spends being a 'clown'...They're not a big group, aside from Mattias Ekholm, but the can check well. PK Subban, Ryan Ellis and Roman Josi can all handle the puck and have heavy shots from the point on the Power Play. This lack of size seems to go against the grain when it comes to conventional wisdom of what blue liners should look like. (Time was they were more akin to Shrek) Josi and Subban are about 6' and Ellis is listed at 5'10". Not exactly the most physically intimidating of guys to battle with in the corner. Fact is, they don't need to be. That's not to say these guys aren't tough or can't handle themselves in a puck battle, (this is the NHL people) but they rely on their speed and deft checking ability with quick sticks and positioning so that they don't need to worry about getting crushed into the boards as much as a slower skater.
This stems from also having skilled guys up front to move the puck to. Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson, Ryan Johansson and co. are great targets to have when trying to get out of your end and alleviate a lot of the pressure on their D core. They also have strong two way guys like captain Mike Fisher looking after their own end as well. That said you still need the ability to get it to them and the Preds have shown they move the puck as well as any defence core in the league. The analytics community has been in love with them this season and their admiration has added up to be full value.
Teams that have hoisted Lord Stanley's mug have been built around tough, physical guys shutting down opponents and being hard to play against. But more recently, with the speed of the game picking up, teams like Pittsburgh and Chicago with a sets of D men possessing similar skills to Nashville's group, have found their way to hockey glory. Guys like Kris Letang and Duncan Keith spearheaded the attack and got the puck out of danger quickly. Many are worried about the Penguins this post season because of Letang's absence, some see the Rangers slower, older D men as a liability, and many see Chichago's lack of depth on D as the reason the Preds swept them aside in round 1 this year. Where would Ottawa be without Erik Karlsson? The Preds have balance in not a true Superstar a collection of really, really solid, all star calibre guys.
Hockey has long had guys that could rush the puck from the back end, from Bobby Orr, to Paul Coffey to Nick Lidstrom and Scott Niedermayer, these guys were key offensive catalysts for their team while keeping opponents from generating much in the offensive zone. That said they were often surrounded by larger, more bruising guys who job was to physically punish opponents for crossing the blue line or standing anywhere near the net, a la Scott Stevens. Now, if you've watched the Preds games this post season you know it sure as hell isn't a pillow fight in front of the net, (Their nickname is Smashville after all) but they're not that kind of group. They fight as hard as any group for position and space but perhaps with the way the NHL is going, this is the type of group you need to have success. The less time the puck is in your zone, the better your odds of winning, (to the best of my limited knowledge), and when you've got guys who can effectively transition the puck and provide offence you're dictating the game, Speed and skill at every position is at a premium and with this group the Preds may have a perfect balance of what they need to go all the way.
Anyway, the music city is a buzz, and good on them for creating one of the better playoff atmosphere's in the game. Much of the credit has to go to goalie Pekka Rinne who's been all world this post season, shutting down skilled offensive teams in Chicago and St. Louis. He's more of a wall than his 6'5" frame would suggest, with a ridiculous .951 Save %. However, if the Beatles taught us nothing else, "I get by with a little help from my friends". The Preds have had timely depth scoring up front, but it's their impressive defensive core that's lead the way thus far.
This D core, shrewdly complied by GM David Poile, has put up big points in pushing the Preds into the Conference Finals and in doing so showed how the game is evolving in today's faster paced NHL. They can hit, shoot, pass and most importantly, skate. This is a blueline that moves the puck. Quickly, and effectively. They can clear the zone with a crisp breakout pass or their speed. Which is impressive, I mean considering all the time Subban spends being a 'clown'...They're not a big group, aside from Mattias Ekholm, but the can check well. PK Subban, Ryan Ellis and Roman Josi can all handle the puck and have heavy shots from the point on the Power Play. This lack of size seems to go against the grain when it comes to conventional wisdom of what blue liners should look like. (Time was they were more akin to Shrek) Josi and Subban are about 6' and Ellis is listed at 5'10". Not exactly the most physically intimidating of guys to battle with in the corner. Fact is, they don't need to be. That's not to say these guys aren't tough or can't handle themselves in a puck battle, (this is the NHL people) but they rely on their speed and deft checking ability with quick sticks and positioning so that they don't need to worry about getting crushed into the boards as much as a slower skater.
This stems from also having skilled guys up front to move the puck to. Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson, Ryan Johansson and co. are great targets to have when trying to get out of your end and alleviate a lot of the pressure on their D core. They also have strong two way guys like captain Mike Fisher looking after their own end as well. That said you still need the ability to get it to them and the Preds have shown they move the puck as well as any defence core in the league. The analytics community has been in love with them this season and their admiration has added up to be full value.
Teams that have hoisted Lord Stanley's mug have been built around tough, physical guys shutting down opponents and being hard to play against. But more recently, with the speed of the game picking up, teams like Pittsburgh and Chicago with a sets of D men possessing similar skills to Nashville's group, have found their way to hockey glory. Guys like Kris Letang and Duncan Keith spearheaded the attack and got the puck out of danger quickly. Many are worried about the Penguins this post season because of Letang's absence, some see the Rangers slower, older D men as a liability, and many see Chichago's lack of depth on D as the reason the Preds swept them aside in round 1 this year. Where would Ottawa be without Erik Karlsson? The Preds have balance in not a true Superstar a collection of really, really solid, all star calibre guys.
Hockey has long had guys that could rush the puck from the back end, from Bobby Orr, to Paul Coffey to Nick Lidstrom and Scott Niedermayer, these guys were key offensive catalysts for their team while keeping opponents from generating much in the offensive zone. That said they were often surrounded by larger, more bruising guys who job was to physically punish opponents for crossing the blue line or standing anywhere near the net, a la Scott Stevens. Now, if you've watched the Preds games this post season you know it sure as hell isn't a pillow fight in front of the net, (Their nickname is Smashville after all) but they're not that kind of group. They fight as hard as any group for position and space but perhaps with the way the NHL is going, this is the type of group you need to have success. The less time the puck is in your zone, the better your odds of winning, (to the best of my limited knowledge), and when you've got guys who can effectively transition the puck and provide offence you're dictating the game, Speed and skill at every position is at a premium and with this group the Preds may have a perfect balance of what they need to go all the way.
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Catch 14: What to do with Jordan Eberle
Ah, how one yearns for the good old days. Hero of the World Juniors, a western kid picked in the first round by a Canadian franchise. A highly touted prospect with tons of potential...Such was the life of Jordan Eberle.
He burst onto the national scene with a bang. A clutch perform for his country. Scoring a big goal against the Russian is essentially the Canadian version of being knighted. His much anticipated arrival in Oil country started off with a highlight reel goal against the arch rival Calgary Flames. Life was good. He was going to be part of the rebuild. A cornerstone of an impressive young core that would bring respectability and success back to the 'City of Champions'. I mean technically that's still true but...
As the years have gone by that potential hasn't manifested itself. That success? Only now coming about because of a generational talent and roster overhaul. The glimpses, the flashes in the pan only made the inconsistency that much more frustrating. Kept die hard fans mutter 'if he could just...'
And lets face it. It can't be easy. His name's been floated in trade rumours for years, every deadline day, every off season. The Oilers needed blueline help and he was the one that was thought to be shipped off to get it. He seems to be the poster boy for all their failures, the reason why the team hadn't taken that net step, and now that they have the reason they may not go further. This is reminiscent of Jason Spezza being run out of town in Ottawa. Though to be fair Spezza put up much better numbers. The Oilers were deemed all season to be a one man team, the Connor McDavid show. Given the special talent he is, it's not exactly unfair to hype him up, but other guy needed to step up if this team was going to have success and be taken seriously. Their depth was questioned by many and a lot of that had to do with the lack of production from Eberle.
Eberle has found himself demoted of late, many suggesting he be scratched outright, publicly called out by his coach, demanded more of by fans and the organisation. Part of playing the NHL? Definitely. Does knowing that make it any easier? If I knew I'd actually have to be in the league, so, I can only guess no and we'll go from there.
This is where the Catch 22 comes in. It's not as if he forgot how to play hockey overnight, or stopped caring. The skills that got him to this level didn't suddenly abandon him. He showed flashes of them here and there but consistency eluded him. The age old dilemma to wondering, to quote Blue Rodeo, I want to know where my confidence went. This is the issue. He needs playing time to get going, and get his confidence back but his play hasn't exactly warranted that trust. The fact that he has several years left on this contract and a cap of 6 million per don't exactly make his deal all that palatable if he can't start producing. IN the end the fact is it's got to be up to him to snap out of this, as teams aren't exactly going to be throwing prospects of value at them. They may be stuck and so all you can do is let him play his way out of it. Or wait out the next two years and remember those fleeting glimpses of magic fondly...
He burst onto the national scene with a bang. A clutch perform for his country. Scoring a big goal against the Russian is essentially the Canadian version of being knighted. His much anticipated arrival in Oil country started off with a highlight reel goal against the arch rival Calgary Flames. Life was good. He was going to be part of the rebuild. A cornerstone of an impressive young core that would bring respectability and success back to the 'City of Champions'. I mean technically that's still true but...
As the years have gone by that potential hasn't manifested itself. That success? Only now coming about because of a generational talent and roster overhaul. The glimpses, the flashes in the pan only made the inconsistency that much more frustrating. Kept die hard fans mutter 'if he could just...'
And lets face it. It can't be easy. His name's been floated in trade rumours for years, every deadline day, every off season. The Oilers needed blueline help and he was the one that was thought to be shipped off to get it. He seems to be the poster boy for all their failures, the reason why the team hadn't taken that net step, and now that they have the reason they may not go further. This is reminiscent of Jason Spezza being run out of town in Ottawa. Though to be fair Spezza put up much better numbers. The Oilers were deemed all season to be a one man team, the Connor McDavid show. Given the special talent he is, it's not exactly unfair to hype him up, but other guy needed to step up if this team was going to have success and be taken seriously. Their depth was questioned by many and a lot of that had to do with the lack of production from Eberle.
Eberle has found himself demoted of late, many suggesting he be scratched outright, publicly called out by his coach, demanded more of by fans and the organisation. Part of playing the NHL? Definitely. Does knowing that make it any easier? If I knew I'd actually have to be in the league, so, I can only guess no and we'll go from there.
This is where the Catch 22 comes in. It's not as if he forgot how to play hockey overnight, or stopped caring. The skills that got him to this level didn't suddenly abandon him. He showed flashes of them here and there but consistency eluded him. The age old dilemma to wondering, to quote Blue Rodeo, I want to know where my confidence went. This is the issue. He needs playing time to get going, and get his confidence back but his play hasn't exactly warranted that trust. The fact that he has several years left on this contract and a cap of 6 million per don't exactly make his deal all that palatable if he can't start producing. IN the end the fact is it's got to be up to him to snap out of this, as teams aren't exactly going to be throwing prospects of value at them. They may be stuck and so all you can do is let him play his way out of it. Or wait out the next two years and remember those fleeting glimpses of magic fondly...
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Star Struck - Why the NHL Needs to Protect its Superstars
I love a good conspiracy theory. They're full of intrigue, paranoia, nonsense and while perhaps this says more about me than I care to admit, I certainly don't think Matt Niskanen stepped onto the ice in Pittsburgh last night with the intention of concussing Sidney Crosby. That said, he sure as hell didn't shy away given the opportunity.
Lets go back to April 12th. The NHL's been on a pretty good run since the Stanley Cup playoffs started this year. A record 18 games wen to overtime in the first round. You had stunning upsets: The Nashville Predators sweeping the three time champion Chicago Blackhawks. Young guys stepping up in Toronto to put a scare into a number one overall seed. A gritty team in Ottawa refusing to listen to the odds. An emerging Superstar in Edmonton leading his team back to the postseason for the first time in over a decade. There were incredible comebacks, great skilled plays, the games were close and entertaining. You had heat warming stories and great battles. All good. Then to top it off they got a great second round match up between the Caps and Penguins. Crosby and Ovechkin. Bitter rivals who happen to be two of the top teams in the league. This should've been another epic chapter in a solid playoff campaign. Then, Matt Niskanen stepped in,
A little over five minutes into game three, with Pittsburgh up 2-0 in the series, at home with a chance to (yet again) all but put Washington away, Matt Niskanen slammed his stick into Sidney Crosby's head and took him out of the game. We learned today Crosby has a concussion and will be out at for least tomorrow nights game, and one could probably assume with some certainty, given his history of concussions, the foreseeable future. Great. The best player in the game gone. But hey, at least the culprit was swiftly and severely disciplined for his reckless action...oh right. It's the NHL. Apparently five and a game is enough for removing the best player in the game from said sport. That's not to say Niskanen shouldn't have been punished for a hit like this on another player. It doesn't matter who it was, he should've been suspended in my opinion. But the fact that it's a superstar should mean it's taken more seriously. Like it or not.
This is your meal ticket. The face of the league. The sort of guy people pay top dollar to see and why TV networks pay those big dollars. Matt Niskanen isn't a bad player, overpaid as he is, but 'Average NHL defenceman' is about as eye catching a headline as 'Used Prius for sale'. I can't name a single person who goes to the rink to see the likes of him, maybe not even his family. They're a dime a dozen these depth guys and punishing him should be a no brainer. However, the league seems to have about as much common sense a tourist at an all inclusive Mexican bar. Pierre LeBrun noted on Twitter than he'd polled NHL GM's and only a handful felt he should be suspended. Granted, this may be more pot not wanting to call the kettle black lest they find their own player in a similar situation, However I'd be willing to bet their opinion would be drastically different if it was their star struggling to skate off the ice. Crosby is the best player in the world and the likes of him are protected in other leagues, why isn't the NHL doing more to see to that? That's not to say Sid gives the most dynamic interviews. They tend to run the gamut from generic to mundane, but he carries himself well, represents his league, country and organisation with class and oh yeah, people know who the hell he is!! At a time when the league is struggling in many American markets, you need stars to carry the load, attract eyeballs to the screen, and if they're victim to cheap shots and this old school 'hockey play' mentality, it's no wonder the game won't grow. People need to see thees guys out there. They need to watch them perform something other than a baseline concussion test.
If someone in the NBA had smacked King James on the crown like this, there would've been outrage, a demand for justice by all! The networks would've no doubt called up commissioner Adam Silver looking for some kind of recompense for investing in a league who would allow such a star to be injured. I'm still amazed Lance Stevenson wasn't suspended for blowing in his ear. I mean, what if, God forbid, he'd caught a cold? All star San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey had his leg broken a few years back and the MLB almost immediately changed the rules around blacking the plate to protect catchers. The NFL is inching closer and closer to basically banning contact on the quarterback. I mean if Vaughn Miller had crushed Tom Brady like that, he'd still be suspended. But the NHL and Gary Bettman?
There's a recent history of guys like Crosby taking this kind of abuse. Look at Johnny Gaudreau, Kyle Turris and others who had their fingers broken from slashes. Crosby himself basically lopped off Mark Methot's finger and wasn't punished. So if he received 'special' treatment on that one, why wouldn't he when he was the victim? And it's not the first time. Several of the hits that have left him missing significant time over his career have gone unpunished, from David Steckel to Victor Hedman, Sid has taken more than his share of abuse. Other stars are not immune from such treatment, with guys admittedly going the extra mile to take a shot at them ie: Connor McDavid's injury last season. You never saw the likes of Gretzky or Lemieux take these kinds of hits, or this kind of punishment. Why? Well, the guys policed themselves. Enforcers acted as a barrier against guys taking things too far. There seemed to be a sort of code that you didn't run at another teams meal ticket or your guy was gonna get run. I'm not advocating they turn the league into Slap Shot, entertaining as the movie is, but the onus is on the NHL itself to protect its athletes, especially those who the fans come to see because right now, it seems like a free for all at times. Guys like Brad Marchand and even Alex Ovechkin seem to get away with slew foots and charging, launching at guys around because they're stars. So if you're not going to punish them for that because you don't want to see them out of the lineup, why the hell are you allowing other guys to take liberties that put them out with serious injuries? Crosby was in a vulnerable position (due to an uncalled slash from Ovechkin no less) and Niskanen who was lining him up for a hit slammed his stick into his head like he was trying to crack a melon. Period. He wasn't out there looking to do it but the end result was he did. Simple as that. The fact that many dismiss it as a hockey play saying Crosby was driving the net and the speed of the game blah blah blah is a ton of BS and just justifying a cheap shot. He didn't have to do it and he chose to. He alone was responsible for and in control of those actions. He should be punished for it.
Now no doubt there are people who feel a double standard isn't fair, and that it sends the wrong message. That everyone should be treat the same. We're all in this together etc. etc. We can't have people believe life isn't fair after all. I mean. that just not, true, right...
Lets go back to April 12th. The NHL's been on a pretty good run since the Stanley Cup playoffs started this year. A record 18 games wen to overtime in the first round. You had stunning upsets: The Nashville Predators sweeping the three time champion Chicago Blackhawks. Young guys stepping up in Toronto to put a scare into a number one overall seed. A gritty team in Ottawa refusing to listen to the odds. An emerging Superstar in Edmonton leading his team back to the postseason for the first time in over a decade. There were incredible comebacks, great skilled plays, the games were close and entertaining. You had heat warming stories and great battles. All good. Then to top it off they got a great second round match up between the Caps and Penguins. Crosby and Ovechkin. Bitter rivals who happen to be two of the top teams in the league. This should've been another epic chapter in a solid playoff campaign. Then, Matt Niskanen stepped in,
A little over five minutes into game three, with Pittsburgh up 2-0 in the series, at home with a chance to (yet again) all but put Washington away, Matt Niskanen slammed his stick into Sidney Crosby's head and took him out of the game. We learned today Crosby has a concussion and will be out at for least tomorrow nights game, and one could probably assume with some certainty, given his history of concussions, the foreseeable future. Great. The best player in the game gone. But hey, at least the culprit was swiftly and severely disciplined for his reckless action...oh right. It's the NHL. Apparently five and a game is enough for removing the best player in the game from said sport. That's not to say Niskanen shouldn't have been punished for a hit like this on another player. It doesn't matter who it was, he should've been suspended in my opinion. But the fact that it's a superstar should mean it's taken more seriously. Like it or not.
This is your meal ticket. The face of the league. The sort of guy people pay top dollar to see and why TV networks pay those big dollars. Matt Niskanen isn't a bad player, overpaid as he is, but 'Average NHL defenceman' is about as eye catching a headline as 'Used Prius for sale'. I can't name a single person who goes to the rink to see the likes of him, maybe not even his family. They're a dime a dozen these depth guys and punishing him should be a no brainer. However, the league seems to have about as much common sense a tourist at an all inclusive Mexican bar. Pierre LeBrun noted on Twitter than he'd polled NHL GM's and only a handful felt he should be suspended. Granted, this may be more pot not wanting to call the kettle black lest they find their own player in a similar situation, However I'd be willing to bet their opinion would be drastically different if it was their star struggling to skate off the ice. Crosby is the best player in the world and the likes of him are protected in other leagues, why isn't the NHL doing more to see to that? That's not to say Sid gives the most dynamic interviews. They tend to run the gamut from generic to mundane, but he carries himself well, represents his league, country and organisation with class and oh yeah, people know who the hell he is!! At a time when the league is struggling in many American markets, you need stars to carry the load, attract eyeballs to the screen, and if they're victim to cheap shots and this old school 'hockey play' mentality, it's no wonder the game won't grow. People need to see thees guys out there. They need to watch them perform something other than a baseline concussion test.
If someone in the NBA had smacked King James on the crown like this, there would've been outrage, a demand for justice by all! The networks would've no doubt called up commissioner Adam Silver looking for some kind of recompense for investing in a league who would allow such a star to be injured. I'm still amazed Lance Stevenson wasn't suspended for blowing in his ear. I mean, what if, God forbid, he'd caught a cold? All star San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey had his leg broken a few years back and the MLB almost immediately changed the rules around blacking the plate to protect catchers. The NFL is inching closer and closer to basically banning contact on the quarterback. I mean if Vaughn Miller had crushed Tom Brady like that, he'd still be suspended. But the NHL and Gary Bettman?
There's a recent history of guys like Crosby taking this kind of abuse. Look at Johnny Gaudreau, Kyle Turris and others who had their fingers broken from slashes. Crosby himself basically lopped off Mark Methot's finger and wasn't punished. So if he received 'special' treatment on that one, why wouldn't he when he was the victim? And it's not the first time. Several of the hits that have left him missing significant time over his career have gone unpunished, from David Steckel to Victor Hedman, Sid has taken more than his share of abuse. Other stars are not immune from such treatment, with guys admittedly going the extra mile to take a shot at them ie: Connor McDavid's injury last season. You never saw the likes of Gretzky or Lemieux take these kinds of hits, or this kind of punishment. Why? Well, the guys policed themselves. Enforcers acted as a barrier against guys taking things too far. There seemed to be a sort of code that you didn't run at another teams meal ticket or your guy was gonna get run. I'm not advocating they turn the league into Slap Shot, entertaining as the movie is, but the onus is on the NHL itself to protect its athletes, especially those who the fans come to see because right now, it seems like a free for all at times. Guys like Brad Marchand and even Alex Ovechkin seem to get away with slew foots and charging, launching at guys around because they're stars. So if you're not going to punish them for that because you don't want to see them out of the lineup, why the hell are you allowing other guys to take liberties that put them out with serious injuries? Crosby was in a vulnerable position (due to an uncalled slash from Ovechkin no less) and Niskanen who was lining him up for a hit slammed his stick into his head like he was trying to crack a melon. Period. He wasn't out there looking to do it but the end result was he did. Simple as that. The fact that many dismiss it as a hockey play saying Crosby was driving the net and the speed of the game blah blah blah is a ton of BS and just justifying a cheap shot. He didn't have to do it and he chose to. He alone was responsible for and in control of those actions. He should be punished for it.
Now no doubt there are people who feel a double standard isn't fair, and that it sends the wrong message. That everyone should be treat the same. We're all in this together etc. etc. We can't have people believe life isn't fair after all. I mean. that just not, true, right...
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