"If it becomes a disaster here, yeah!".... Happy Holidays Sens fans!
I'm not gonna fault Eugene Melnyk for thinking in line with any other owner in professional sport. If the situation becomes untenable you'd be foolish not to look elsewhere. Thing is, it hasn't, and by answering the question about moving the team (which to be fair he was asked) in this manner he ignited what he had to know would be a firestorm that would keep the eternal flame on Parliament Hill burning for a millennium.
I'm no PR expert but I'm pretty sure this wasn't going to go on 'how to' reels. Instead of spouting off incendiary remarks he easily could have steered the questions in another direction or made it all about what it should've been in the first place. The NHL 100 classic. The focus of the leagues' attention was on Ottawa. Thousands of fans were gathered to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the NHL and enjoy the spectacular, all be it chilly, setting at Parliament Hill for the alumni game Friday night followed by the match up with the rival Montreal Canadiens at TD Place Stadium on Saturday. He may have perhaps mentioned that it was about two huge points for his franchise which he assured people "are a playoff team", or that many Sens legends had returned to celebrate with the fan-base. Instead it was about him.
His comments in and of them self certainly weren't the most egregious thing one could have said. As point out by Sportsnet's Tim and Sid (Shout out for airing my tweet!) had they been said at another time, it likely doesn't cause anywhere near the commotion, especially as it was hypothetical and he stated he has no intentions of moving the team anywhere. However, as Chris Johnston point out on the show, timing is everything and this was the straw that broke the camel's back.
To start there's the team's record. They've been struggling, the fan base was already edgy, so you'd think coming off a big win against the Rangers and into a fun filled weekend you'd want to build on that....or so common sense would suggest.
Then there were Erik Karlsson's comments on his upcoming contract and Melnyk's subsequent reaction. Karlsson said when asked that he wants to get paid what he's worth. He reiterated he hopes its in Ottawa but it is a business. Not exactly reassuring for those in Sens Army, but no reason to blow a gasket either. Apparently that wasn't the case for Eugene. He wasn't happy his star player spoke so honestly and there was apparently a heated discussion amongst the sides. So you can forgive Sens fans for noting the hypocrisy here. Melnyk is moaning and groaning about not selling out every game, putting money in his pocket (after all its a business) but heaven forbid your BEST player, one of the top players in the entire league suggest he get a fair shake!! For shame!! If you're having trouble selling tickets with him...
Then came the Kyle Turris bombshell. He revealed he was disappointed he couldn't remain in Ottawa and that the GM wanted to sign him to an extension but the owner didn't. GM Pierre Dorian promptly played the role of good soldier and refuted this claim saying all hockey decisions go through him, prompting Turris's wife to LOL at these remarks on Twitter. To be fair a significant contract like that would be discussed with any owner, but its the constant whispers of meddling, and many still blaming Melnyk for favourite son Daniel Alfredsson's departure from the team, twice, along with the unceremonious departure of Cyril Leeder earlier this year, a man who played a significant role in hockey returning to the capital, and the evidence is starting to pile up.
Then, for good measure, there was the New York comparison. He noted that playoff tickets in New York were going for a $1000 dollars, making it sound as if Sens fans should be grateful they only have to pay a few hundred! The man's a saint! This merely reinforced to many how out of touch he is with the average fan in his market. I'm not suggesting they give them away (though I'd take them), but lets be realistic. Ottawa is a predominantly government town. Many haven't been paid in ages because of the debacle that is the Phoenix pay system, nor are they allowed to take tickets as gifts from corporations. There aren't a huge amount of corporate sponsors here so its on regular working class people to shell out their hard earned money. They're around the top third in ticket prices per game despite being a smaller market. Unlike Manhattan it's not a place where you can throw a rock down the street and hit three millionaires. If the prices were lower you'd likely see an increase in attendance and all that comes along with it revenue wise: parking, concessions etc...
To be fair Sens fans can be fickle. This isn't Montreal or Toronto where you sell out simply by virtue of existing, and this can be a sore spot for some. You can't sugarcoat those financial realities and he's certainly not to blame for them. However, if the situation were truly that dire, they wouldn't have survived here this long. Oh, and about those playoff seats many, including himself, are quick to point out weren't sold, they were in later rounds when prices were once again jacked through the roof.
Lets play devil's advocate for a moment, Melnyk didn't build the rink out in Kanata. The prospect of a new downtown arena at Lebreton Flats would certainly help in the attendance regard. Lets face it, atmosphere counts and a parking lot is, well lets just say maybe Bills Mafia could help but aside from that...They need look no further than down the street at TD Place where the CFL's RedBlacks have revitalised Lansdowne and doing very well. Having a winner helps too mind you, but its hard to deny the fun around the game has been a major factor in their success. People are sick of driving out to the middle of nowhere and shelling out $20-30 bucks for parking before even getting in the door. A development similar to what other cities like Edmonton have seen would be a boon to the city and the team.
That said lets not pretend the Sens attendance has plummeted off the map. They've been among the top half of the league for years. I'm not going to argue that Melnyk doesn't want the team to be successful, if only to fill his own pocket book, and the franchise certainly hasn't been run into the ground on his watch, but the way he's gone about it has become tiresome.
Owners are always going to view it as a business and fans should't expect them to bleed for the franchise the same way they do, but many here are sick and tired of the seeming disregard ownership has for them. Ironic given that he reached out to this same community when he needed a liver transplant and they came through for him. He often comes off as self serving, noting he's finally spending money on the team, but lets not pretend that's always been the case (see: internal salary cap). There are reports of scouts worrying they'll not get reimbursed for expenses and discontent within the organisation. At the end of the day its his team and he's free to do what he wants but how exactly is picking fights with star players and fans going to win you any favour? What's irked so many is the appearance that Melnyk simply views them as nothing more than an ATM. The outpouring of anger wasn't just about his comments, but they certainly were the match. Fans are speaking up, question is will the NHL take notice?
Showing posts with label Montreal Canadiens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Montreal Canadiens. Show all posts
Monday, December 18, 2017
Monday, November 27, 2017
Stop the Presses...?
An interesting argument's brewing on social media right now thanks to a comment by Mark Spector of Sportsnet who derided guys who admit to feeling media pressure, suggesting they should be traded because you can't win with them. Mentally weak was him assessment...as some would suggest his take was. But nonetheless, I get that the press needs to be honest (insert fake news joke here) and I'm certainly not advocating that every article has to be glowing (unlike some leaders...) by any means. However, it does beg the question where's the line between honest criticism and negativity for the sake of it?
We need only take a look at the fans and media's reaction in this country when things aren't going well to see how ugly it can get. If you listened to Sens Twitter right now you'd think they were 0-22. Edmonton's down one day, up the next and Montreal is well, Montreal. Vincent Lecavalier won a cup in Tampa Bay and was one of the best players of his generation. He also made it known he had no desire to leave for Montreal because of the pressure that comes with playing in that market. He was called out by some because of this but I'd never characterise him as mentally weak. Joe Thornton has spoken on many occasions about his love for playing in California. How you can go to practise in shorts and walk around town without being recognised...presumably in his pre-Grizzly Adams days. Hockey players generally aren't much for the spotlight and when all that light is negative it makes it even harder to deal with.
We're all accountable in our line of work and holding these players to such a level isn't the issue as I see it. It's how easy it is to belittle them for faltering under this intense pressure while not having to deal with it yourself. Unlike a writer if they get negative feedback players can't just hit the block button and hide behind their laptop thinking themselves beyond reproach. It's easy to criticise (fun too!) especially when you're as established as many of the prominent hockey pundits here in Canada are. Lets face it, short of a Hollywood-esque scandal these guys aren't going anywhere. That type of security leads to comfort which can lead to arrogance when it comes to your approach in covering the team. You see fault and you start to feel that you know more than the guys on the ice or upstairs, that your insight is flawless. If you write a lousy article or a take someone disagrees with you may get hammered on social media but it doesn't impact your life in anywhere near as serious a manner. You are so unwavering in your belief, right or wrong, that you don't care. You're up their on your pedestal scoffing at anyone who dares to disagree. That's not the case in the NHL.
One of my favourite lines the last few years was from the Blue Jays John Donaldson when discussing the team's slump. He said "this isn't the try league, it's the get it done league". One could hardly sum up professional sports any better. Now, I'm not gonna feel too terrible for a bunch of multi-millionaires who play a game they love for a living, but I can see where they're coming from given this expectation. When you get paid what they do you're expected to perform. Period. That's definitely not unreasonable, few things are in fact more reasonable, so being criticised for not carrying your weight is, as Taylor Hall pointed out, not unfair. Its all part of the business. But if all people write about is the negativity and feed into that downward spiral, how is one not affected? It becomes a slippery slope that snowballs rapidly. Hall, refreshingly, pointed out the human side of the game and speaking, far as I know, as a human being, it'd definitely be something that's hard to drown out. Hall had personal success in spite of it, but to write guys off because their confidence is shaken when all they see is trade rumours in the paper everyday or constant articles detailing how it's their fault the team is failing, it's not easy at all. That's not say these things shouldn't be written about, facts are facts, but its how they're presented that matters. Thees are grown men and we need not treat them with kid gloves, but what would you do when people see you and start giving you a hard time at the mall or grocery store? When you're being made to feel that you're letting an entire community down? Easy to say "they know what they signed up for!" not so easy to brush aside.
That's not to say it's easy to write, believe me, particularity with the ever evolving media market. However, these columnists don't have to live with the same type of burden those they cover do, so they can fire shot after shot with little recourse. If a player doesn't succeed it can mean a demotion, a trade, a family being up rooted. It's not writers kids at school hearing about it. It's rarely their job on the line. All a difficult part of the industry, and one that players and coaches inevitably have to deal with. It's a part of why they get paid so well. But to say that it doesn't affect you is asinine. Look at the results when guys have moved on. Taylor Hall, who to be fair always put up solid numbers, continues to in New Jersey and Jordan Eberle has been revitalised on Long Island. A fresh start can make a world of difference because mentally they're in a better place. Why have people avoided coming to the Maple Leafs over the years? Because they don't want to shoulder that burden. It's why guys who have won there are so revered and why those like Jonathan Drouin who speak about embracing the challenge in Montreal are praised by the media.
I see why hockey writers are so quick to defend their craft, and why both sides of this argument elicit valid points. No GM, owner, coach or player should be able to avoid answering the tough questions when they aren't meeting expectations, like anyone else. Without honest writing to look at what the team is doing, and holding them to a certain level of accountability, it does a disservice to fans and its why great writers are so respected. That said, there's an art to tactfully and honestly assessing people. Often the truth hurts and we should never be afraid to speak it. I'm not all about participation ribbons and avoiding pointing out the facts because someones feeling may be hurt. Such is life. However, there's a line there somewhere where it can become personal. Just ask Jason Spezza who got tired of being the whipping boy here in Ottawa and asked to be traded because of it.The fans turned on him, much of it fuelled by the press, and he had enough. A genuine critique is a necessary part of the business but when you see things like this start to happen, is it time to take a harder look at how they're covered? Some may laugh this off, suggesting players are soft, overly sensitive and indulged. Some well may be, after all these are elite athletes one generally assumes aren't lacking for confidence. That said even the greats face self doubt at times and if you're constantly living in a negative head space, escape is a welcomed relief. Why do you think so many have turned to sports psychologists? It's simple to fire off an angry column or tweet, but do we really understand the ramifications of what they're going through? We all face pressure at our jobs and worry about providing for loved ones, (like I said I don't feel too bad for a bunch of rich guys) but imagine if on top of that you had your name scrawled across the paper everyday demanding you be fired. If every decision you made was analysed to death. Not something most of us are equipped to deal with. In this click bait, 24/7 press world, columns and headlines everywhere often focus on the negative because we as a society seem to feed into it. Lets face it, its often more fun to read and write when you can take a funny shot at someone rather than deliver a puff piece lauding their success like some sycophantic fan. And to be fair to those of us who do endeavour to write, if all we ever did was gush about how great things were we'd be equally (and rightfully) lambasted.
What can we gleam from all this? Well, like most things in life there's a happy medium somewhere. Like any good night out, you gotta know when to say enough. Writers, be critical, be honest, be fair but most importantly be respectful. Players, remember what got you here in the first place and accept honest criticism like we all have to face in the workplace. Be a lot easier for us all.
We need only take a look at the fans and media's reaction in this country when things aren't going well to see how ugly it can get. If you listened to Sens Twitter right now you'd think they were 0-22. Edmonton's down one day, up the next and Montreal is well, Montreal. Vincent Lecavalier won a cup in Tampa Bay and was one of the best players of his generation. He also made it known he had no desire to leave for Montreal because of the pressure that comes with playing in that market. He was called out by some because of this but I'd never characterise him as mentally weak. Joe Thornton has spoken on many occasions about his love for playing in California. How you can go to practise in shorts and walk around town without being recognised...presumably in his pre-Grizzly Adams days. Hockey players generally aren't much for the spotlight and when all that light is negative it makes it even harder to deal with.
We're all accountable in our line of work and holding these players to such a level isn't the issue as I see it. It's how easy it is to belittle them for faltering under this intense pressure while not having to deal with it yourself. Unlike a writer if they get negative feedback players can't just hit the block button and hide behind their laptop thinking themselves beyond reproach. It's easy to criticise (fun too!) especially when you're as established as many of the prominent hockey pundits here in Canada are. Lets face it, short of a Hollywood-esque scandal these guys aren't going anywhere. That type of security leads to comfort which can lead to arrogance when it comes to your approach in covering the team. You see fault and you start to feel that you know more than the guys on the ice or upstairs, that your insight is flawless. If you write a lousy article or a take someone disagrees with you may get hammered on social media but it doesn't impact your life in anywhere near as serious a manner. You are so unwavering in your belief, right or wrong, that you don't care. You're up their on your pedestal scoffing at anyone who dares to disagree. That's not the case in the NHL.
One of my favourite lines the last few years was from the Blue Jays John Donaldson when discussing the team's slump. He said "this isn't the try league, it's the get it done league". One could hardly sum up professional sports any better. Now, I'm not gonna feel too terrible for a bunch of multi-millionaires who play a game they love for a living, but I can see where they're coming from given this expectation. When you get paid what they do you're expected to perform. Period. That's definitely not unreasonable, few things are in fact more reasonable, so being criticised for not carrying your weight is, as Taylor Hall pointed out, not unfair. Its all part of the business. But if all people write about is the negativity and feed into that downward spiral, how is one not affected? It becomes a slippery slope that snowballs rapidly. Hall, refreshingly, pointed out the human side of the game and speaking, far as I know, as a human being, it'd definitely be something that's hard to drown out. Hall had personal success in spite of it, but to write guys off because their confidence is shaken when all they see is trade rumours in the paper everyday or constant articles detailing how it's their fault the team is failing, it's not easy at all. That's not say these things shouldn't be written about, facts are facts, but its how they're presented that matters. Thees are grown men and we need not treat them with kid gloves, but what would you do when people see you and start giving you a hard time at the mall or grocery store? When you're being made to feel that you're letting an entire community down? Easy to say "they know what they signed up for!" not so easy to brush aside.
That's not to say it's easy to write, believe me, particularity with the ever evolving media market. However, these columnists don't have to live with the same type of burden those they cover do, so they can fire shot after shot with little recourse. If a player doesn't succeed it can mean a demotion, a trade, a family being up rooted. It's not writers kids at school hearing about it. It's rarely their job on the line. All a difficult part of the industry, and one that players and coaches inevitably have to deal with. It's a part of why they get paid so well. But to say that it doesn't affect you is asinine. Look at the results when guys have moved on. Taylor Hall, who to be fair always put up solid numbers, continues to in New Jersey and Jordan Eberle has been revitalised on Long Island. A fresh start can make a world of difference because mentally they're in a better place. Why have people avoided coming to the Maple Leafs over the years? Because they don't want to shoulder that burden. It's why guys who have won there are so revered and why those like Jonathan Drouin who speak about embracing the challenge in Montreal are praised by the media.
I see why hockey writers are so quick to defend their craft, and why both sides of this argument elicit valid points. No GM, owner, coach or player should be able to avoid answering the tough questions when they aren't meeting expectations, like anyone else. Without honest writing to look at what the team is doing, and holding them to a certain level of accountability, it does a disservice to fans and its why great writers are so respected. That said, there's an art to tactfully and honestly assessing people. Often the truth hurts and we should never be afraid to speak it. I'm not all about participation ribbons and avoiding pointing out the facts because someones feeling may be hurt. Such is life. However, there's a line there somewhere where it can become personal. Just ask Jason Spezza who got tired of being the whipping boy here in Ottawa and asked to be traded because of it.The fans turned on him, much of it fuelled by the press, and he had enough. A genuine critique is a necessary part of the business but when you see things like this start to happen, is it time to take a harder look at how they're covered? Some may laugh this off, suggesting players are soft, overly sensitive and indulged. Some well may be, after all these are elite athletes one generally assumes aren't lacking for confidence. That said even the greats face self doubt at times and if you're constantly living in a negative head space, escape is a welcomed relief. Why do you think so many have turned to sports psychologists? It's simple to fire off an angry column or tweet, but do we really understand the ramifications of what they're going through? We all face pressure at our jobs and worry about providing for loved ones, (like I said I don't feel too bad for a bunch of rich guys) but imagine if on top of that you had your name scrawled across the paper everyday demanding you be fired. If every decision you made was analysed to death. Not something most of us are equipped to deal with. In this click bait, 24/7 press world, columns and headlines everywhere often focus on the negative because we as a society seem to feed into it. Lets face it, its often more fun to read and write when you can take a funny shot at someone rather than deliver a puff piece lauding their success like some sycophantic fan. And to be fair to those of us who do endeavour to write, if all we ever did was gush about how great things were we'd be equally (and rightfully) lambasted.
What can we gleam from all this? Well, like most things in life there's a happy medium somewhere. Like any good night out, you gotta know when to say enough. Writers, be critical, be honest, be fair but most importantly be respectful. Players, remember what got you here in the first place and accept honest criticism like we all have to face in the workplace. Be a lot easier for us all.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Puck Drop: 2017
#HockeyIsBack
It's that time of year again so we'll drop the puck an take a quick shift to look at a few story lines for each of the 31 teams.
Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks are coming off a conference final appearance and boast a line up full of veteran talent, who are generally as popular as a socks for Christmas. They added veteran goaltender Ryan Miller to either back up or challenge John Gibson for the number one spot depending on Randy Carlyle's temperament. They have a talented blueline with a mix of emerging young stars and veterans, and if thees Ducks can fly together there's a chance they can make another Stanley Cup run.
Arizona Coyotes: The Coyotes are a team many thought would take a step forward last season but their bark was worse than their bite and the desert dogs were just that. If this team wants to get out of the dog house their young pups need to step up and live up to their talent. The addition of Antti Raanta ideally helps solidify the net position after Mike Smith left for Calgary, so it's up to the rest of the team to make that push.
Boston Bruins: The Bruins squeaked into the playoffs last season and were bounced by the Sens in the first round. Their biggest move of the off season was resigning David Pastrnak to a contract extension. They have a mix of veterans and young stars coming along so it will likely be an up and down year. Captain Zedno Chara is bound for the hall of fame but how much does he have left after appearing to lose a step last season. There isn't a ton of depth upfront so (filed under painfully obvious) human mosquito Brad Marchand will have to continue to produce at an elite level if the B's have any chance of competing in the Atlantic division.
Buffalo Sabres: The Sabres made some big moves in the off season firing head coach Dan Bylsma and GM Tim Murray and named star centre Jack Eichel the new GM...I mean signed him to an 8 year 80 million dollar extension. New head coach Phil Housley takes over a team that has a lit of young talent but has a lot to prove before that bandwagon starts filling up.
Calgary Flames: Well, all was quiet on the western front....After adding Mike Smith to presumable improve their goaltending (really only had one way to go) and Travis Hamonic to an already strong blueline, arguably one of the best in the league, the Flames look poised to be a contender in the west. If nothing else they'll be driven by their long time Alberta rival. To top it all off, the legend himself Jaromir Jagr and his mullet will don the flaming C this season. He may not set the ice on fire but if he can be effective on the Power Play, the Flames will make a run.
Carolina Hurricanes: The Canes days of getting blown away appear to be coming to an end. They have a young team poised to make a playoff push in the east for the first time in years. They are in tough in the Metropolitan Division and a lot of things will have to go right for them to make it, but it's certainly a possibility. A lot of that rests on new acquisition Scott Darling (goaltending matters folks) but if he can be what they expect GM Ron Francis has them headed in the right direction.
Chicago Blackhawks: The Blackhawks off season was overshadowed by the whole Marion Hossa saga. Cap circumvention seems about as trendy as Yoga these days and so when a team as desperate for cap space can pull this off there will always by cynics but they will miss him. Big time. He's a special talent not easily replaced. Their core remains in tact and Sadd and Sharp are back so they will be competitive in the West but that window may be closing.
Colorado Avalanche: When an Avalanche gets rolling its hard to stop...for better or worse. When GM Joe Sakic was playing for this team, it meant Stanley Cup glory, these days its, what can go wrong next? The franchise is not on good terms with one of its best players Matt Duchene (who looked more like a hostage in his pre season photo op than as all star) and are coming off one of, if not thee, worst seasons in the salary cap era. So yeah, other than that all's great in the mile high city...The Duchene drama will hopefully be dealt with, for all our sake, sooner than later, and they can hopefully get back to rebuilding a one proud organisation.
Columbus Blue Jackets: The Blue Jackets were one of the surprise teams last season vaulting up near the top of the Eastern Conference mainly backed by a stellar Power Play and goalie Sergi Bobrovski. Will this continue? Maybe. They have a solid lineup and look to be a contender in the east but will be hard pressed to repeat that season. The Torts effect tends to wear thin after a while as well, shocking given his puppy dog personality, so we'll see if this go around is any different.
Dallas Stars: Two years removed from finishing the regular season first in the west, the Stars missed the playoffs last year and were arguably the most disappointing team in the league last year. The yoyo looks to continue as many, (with good reason) have picked them to bounce back in the big way. They added Texas sized goalie Ben Bishop and Defenceman Marc Methot to bolster the back end along with Alex Radulov to supplement an already potent offence. Coach Ken Hitchcock returns behind the bench where he won a Stanley Cup in 1999 looking to return them to glory. They do things bigger in Big D and the Stars hope a let down isn't one of them.
Detroit Red Wings: We're going streaking...no more. After an incredible run of 25 straight post season appearances and four Stanley Cup championships the Red Wings missed the playoffs last season, and will likely start a streak of another kind. After years of trading the future for success the time has come to pay the piper and they rebuild has begun. They don't look poised to push for a playoff spot so at least they got a new arena...
Edmonton Oilers: Good things come to those who wait...and wait...After a decade of misery in the Alberta capital the Oliers made the post season and look poised to be a real contender this year. After backing up a Brinks truck to sign Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they have a solid core moving forward. Cam Talbot was great last season and as long as he's consistent the glory days may indeed return to the 'City of Champions'.
Florida Panthers: The enigma in Florida goes way beyond counting all those empty seats. They looked like an up and coming team a few seasons ago, then last year happened. A fired coach, injuries and a disappointing performance later, where are we? They have a lot of young guys and solid goaltending but what will it all amount to? They let two of their top scorers go in the entry draft, because well, why not, so this will be one of the more unpredictable squads to watch moving forward.
Los Angeles Kings: The Kings have fallen off their throne. After winning two Stanley Cups with their core they missed the playoffs and don't appear poised to be crowned anytime soon. They have Kings legends Luc Robitaille and Rob Blake running things now, who, while sharp hockey minds are in their first go around in such a position. Drew Doughty will need a new contract before long and they have young starts to resign as well, so the kingdom has much to do.
Minnesota Wild: The Wild had a great regular season last year, relying on Devan Dubnyk heavily at times. Like really, heavily. They have a lot of talent throughout the roster but getting over that hump remains the challenge. Ultimate they'll compete in the west, probably making the playoffs then inevitable realise Bruce Boudreau is still their coach...
Montreal Canadiens: There's never a dull moment in La Belle Province. They put the fan in fanatic and the Habs off season drama was mostly centred around, centre. Or the lack there of. They signed Alex Galchenyuk presumably to play up the middle, then promptly announced he wouldn't. They acquired Jonathan Drouin for a promosing young prospect and lost ling time Hab Andre Markov as well as Alex Radulov. Despite the fact they won the division and look to be strong again there was constant turmoil and a lot of questions moving forward but hey, at least Carey Price is locked up...
Nashville Predators: The music city was rocking last season. The Preds lost in the Stanley Cup finals to the Penguins but took the hockey world by storm in the process. The city looked great in showcasing one of the non-traditional market and hopefully others take notice. They have a steady D core, solid goaltending (at least when Rinne plays at home...) and finishers up front. They lost captain Mike Fisher to retirement so new captain Roman Josi will have to lead this bunch moving forward. Losing Ryan Ellis to start the year hurts as there's little margin for error in the West.
New Jersey Devils: The Devil went down to...Switzerland? Whatever works. The Devils won the draft lottery, and little else, last season and selected Swiss born forward Nico Hischier with the top pick. They lost veteran Mike Cammalleri so look to the future to return to the glory days. Much again will ride on Cory Schneider in net. Ultimately the Meto division may prove too tough a task but they should be improved if only to give the Devil his due...
New York Islanders: If they started their own soap opera would anyone be surprised? Whether it's arena question, a rink they only moved into a few years back, what to do with Captain John Tavares or who will be their goalie moving forward, there's a lot of questions around this squad. They did finish strong under Doug Weight last season after firing mullet enthusiast Jack Capuano. Weight has the job full time for his first season and looks to get them back into the post season.
New York Rangers: The Rangers bought out long time dman Dan Girardi and sent backup goalie Annti Raanta along with Derek Stepan to Arizona. They lost in the second round of the playoffs to Ottawa and one wonders how many more runs 'King' Henrik Lundqvist has left in him. They lack the flashy names up front they used to have, or those names lack the lash they once had, (*Rick Nash*) so it will have to be done by committee in the Big Apple. They did thrown big money at a free agent (Kevin Shattenkirk) because, New York. There is enough talent there to compete but the depth will be tested against the best of the East.
Ottawa Senators: "What have I done to be treated with such disrespect" might as well be written across the Sens uniform. They were a goal away from making the Stanley Cup final and most are writing this off as luck. You don't win by luck in the NHL. And yes, the Sens could certainly take a step back, largely due to the improved teams in their division, but the reality is as long as they stay healthy their frustrating, if not exactly flashy, defensive style combined with solid goaltending, game breaking talent up front and the best denfenceman in the world Eric Karlsson they have a shot in the East.
Philadelphia Flyers: They Flyers are probably sick of seeing their biggest rival continue to succeed as they sputter along. Well, it's not gonna change anytime soon. They Flyers should push for a playoff spot but goaltending is a question mark...again...and they'll need guys to have much better seasons then last year (understatement noted) captain Claude Giroux chief among them, if they're going to make the post season.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Three-peat? It seems almost improbably with the parody in the cap era has ushered in, yet we've seen the Cup change hands between only several teams the last decade. The Pens won their third cup of the Crosby era and there's little reason to doubt they could do it again. They have plenty of star talent, Kris Letang is back and healthy and they get key contributions from inexpensive young talent, perhaps the biggest factor in today's NHL. Matt Murray has won two Cups (as a rookie...yeah) and until proven otherwise they'll be a favourite to hoist the chalice again.
San Jose Sharks: It seems these Sharks just keep treading water long enough not to drown. With all star defenceman Brent Burns and the return of Joe Thornton this team will again compete for a playoff spot but their window may have closed in. Long time Shark Patrick Marleau was let go and signed in Toronto so Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture and co. will have to be the next generation to try and shake the mantle of great regular season team who can't get to the top.
St. Louis Blues: The loss of Robby Fabri wasn't an ideal start to the year. Throw in Jay Bouwmeester's injury and their already Blue in Missouri. They made the post season last year after employing the ever popular fire your coach and replace him with the guy who was already there to replace him strategy. The Blues look to have a balanced lineup that should compete for a spot in the central again, but it won't be easy particularly if they get off to a sow start. Jake Allen had a meltdown last season but bounced back so if he's got his head on straight things may not end on such a sour note.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Lets be honest, if they were healthy last season things would've been very different in Tampa last year. Fans are hoping lightning doesn't strike twice and that Steven Stamkos can finally enjoy a healthy season after being injury riddle the past several. They handed the goaltending reigns to Andre Vasilevskiy so it's up to him to take them to that next level. They have a deep roster just a few years removed from a Stanley Cup Final and they will be a force to be reckoned with in the East.
Toronto Maple Leafs: The Leafs slow and steady rebuild took a giant leap forward last year and they added veterans like Ron Hainsey and Patrick Marleau to supplement their vast crop of young talent. They pushed the Capitals in the playoffs and look to take that next step. Barring any unforseen setbacks they'll be competitive and at the very least push for a playoff spot. Let's not plan the parade route just yet though...
Vancouver Canucks: Coming off a rough season the Canucks have seem to embrace the fact they need to rebuild. They are hamstrung by a few contract, looking at you Loui Ericsson, and the Sedin's have made it clear they aren't going anywhere anytime soon, so new coach Travis Green will have to blend the youth with his veterans as they push forward with this plan. They're not expected to challenge for the playoffs, with good reason, but will let Bo Horvat and co. continue to develop as they build for the future.
Vegas Golden Knights: It's not saying a lot when the most entertaining thing about a team is their twitter account, but that may be the case in Sin City's inaugural season. To be fair, it's pretty funny. They Knights, aided by new expansion draft rules, (mercifully) shouldn't be as awful as most of the expansion teams of years past, but don't expect them to push for the Cup anytime soon. At least game experience will be a blast, if you can remember it...
Washington Capitals: At this point they are the Charlie Brown of the NHL. They keep going for that football only to fall flat on their face again and again. What's going to be different this season? They lost several pieces on the blueline (Alzner, Schmidt, Shattenkirk) and up front (Johansson) so their depth will be tested more than in years past. Their core is still strong but if they haven't gotten them to the promised land this far what makes this go around any different?
Winnipeg Jets: The Jets have rarely soared since moving to Winnipeg but seem to have all the parts to take off this season. They addressed their goaltending by bringing in Steve Mason, and still have a deep roster of young players poised to push they best of the West. They will need all of them on the same page and signed both Brian Little and Nicolaj Ehlers to new contracts so they've committed themselves to this group as well as their coach and GM so its up to them now.
It's that time of year again so we'll drop the puck an take a quick shift to look at a few story lines for each of the 31 teams.
Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks are coming off a conference final appearance and boast a line up full of veteran talent, who are generally as popular as a socks for Christmas. They added veteran goaltender Ryan Miller to either back up or challenge John Gibson for the number one spot depending on Randy Carlyle's temperament. They have a talented blueline with a mix of emerging young stars and veterans, and if thees Ducks can fly together there's a chance they can make another Stanley Cup run.
Arizona Coyotes: The Coyotes are a team many thought would take a step forward last season but their bark was worse than their bite and the desert dogs were just that. If this team wants to get out of the dog house their young pups need to step up and live up to their talent. The addition of Antti Raanta ideally helps solidify the net position after Mike Smith left for Calgary, so it's up to the rest of the team to make that push.
Boston Bruins: The Bruins squeaked into the playoffs last season and were bounced by the Sens in the first round. Their biggest move of the off season was resigning David Pastrnak to a contract extension. They have a mix of veterans and young stars coming along so it will likely be an up and down year. Captain Zedno Chara is bound for the hall of fame but how much does he have left after appearing to lose a step last season. There isn't a ton of depth upfront so (filed under painfully obvious) human mosquito Brad Marchand will have to continue to produce at an elite level if the B's have any chance of competing in the Atlantic division.
Buffalo Sabres: The Sabres made some big moves in the off season firing head coach Dan Bylsma and GM Tim Murray and named star centre Jack Eichel the new GM...I mean signed him to an 8 year 80 million dollar extension. New head coach Phil Housley takes over a team that has a lit of young talent but has a lot to prove before that bandwagon starts filling up.
Calgary Flames: Well, all was quiet on the western front....After adding Mike Smith to presumable improve their goaltending (really only had one way to go) and Travis Hamonic to an already strong blueline, arguably one of the best in the league, the Flames look poised to be a contender in the west. If nothing else they'll be driven by their long time Alberta rival. To top it all off, the legend himself Jaromir Jagr and his mullet will don the flaming C this season. He may not set the ice on fire but if he can be effective on the Power Play, the Flames will make a run.
Carolina Hurricanes: The Canes days of getting blown away appear to be coming to an end. They have a young team poised to make a playoff push in the east for the first time in years. They are in tough in the Metropolitan Division and a lot of things will have to go right for them to make it, but it's certainly a possibility. A lot of that rests on new acquisition Scott Darling (goaltending matters folks) but if he can be what they expect GM Ron Francis has them headed in the right direction.
Chicago Blackhawks: The Blackhawks off season was overshadowed by the whole Marion Hossa saga. Cap circumvention seems about as trendy as Yoga these days and so when a team as desperate for cap space can pull this off there will always by cynics but they will miss him. Big time. He's a special talent not easily replaced. Their core remains in tact and Sadd and Sharp are back so they will be competitive in the West but that window may be closing.
Colorado Avalanche: When an Avalanche gets rolling its hard to stop...for better or worse. When GM Joe Sakic was playing for this team, it meant Stanley Cup glory, these days its, what can go wrong next? The franchise is not on good terms with one of its best players Matt Duchene (who looked more like a hostage in his pre season photo op than as all star) and are coming off one of, if not thee, worst seasons in the salary cap era. So yeah, other than that all's great in the mile high city...The Duchene drama will hopefully be dealt with, for all our sake, sooner than later, and they can hopefully get back to rebuilding a one proud organisation.
Columbus Blue Jackets: The Blue Jackets were one of the surprise teams last season vaulting up near the top of the Eastern Conference mainly backed by a stellar Power Play and goalie Sergi Bobrovski. Will this continue? Maybe. They have a solid lineup and look to be a contender in the east but will be hard pressed to repeat that season. The Torts effect tends to wear thin after a while as well, shocking given his puppy dog personality, so we'll see if this go around is any different.
Dallas Stars: Two years removed from finishing the regular season first in the west, the Stars missed the playoffs last year and were arguably the most disappointing team in the league last year. The yoyo looks to continue as many, (with good reason) have picked them to bounce back in the big way. They added Texas sized goalie Ben Bishop and Defenceman Marc Methot to bolster the back end along with Alex Radulov to supplement an already potent offence. Coach Ken Hitchcock returns behind the bench where he won a Stanley Cup in 1999 looking to return them to glory. They do things bigger in Big D and the Stars hope a let down isn't one of them.
Detroit Red Wings: We're going streaking...no more. After an incredible run of 25 straight post season appearances and four Stanley Cup championships the Red Wings missed the playoffs last season, and will likely start a streak of another kind. After years of trading the future for success the time has come to pay the piper and they rebuild has begun. They don't look poised to push for a playoff spot so at least they got a new arena...
Edmonton Oilers: Good things come to those who wait...and wait...After a decade of misery in the Alberta capital the Oliers made the post season and look poised to be a real contender this year. After backing up a Brinks truck to sign Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they have a solid core moving forward. Cam Talbot was great last season and as long as he's consistent the glory days may indeed return to the 'City of Champions'.
Florida Panthers: The enigma in Florida goes way beyond counting all those empty seats. They looked like an up and coming team a few seasons ago, then last year happened. A fired coach, injuries and a disappointing performance later, where are we? They have a lot of young guys and solid goaltending but what will it all amount to? They let two of their top scorers go in the entry draft, because well, why not, so this will be one of the more unpredictable squads to watch moving forward.
Los Angeles Kings: The Kings have fallen off their throne. After winning two Stanley Cups with their core they missed the playoffs and don't appear poised to be crowned anytime soon. They have Kings legends Luc Robitaille and Rob Blake running things now, who, while sharp hockey minds are in their first go around in such a position. Drew Doughty will need a new contract before long and they have young starts to resign as well, so the kingdom has much to do.
Minnesota Wild: The Wild had a great regular season last year, relying on Devan Dubnyk heavily at times. Like really, heavily. They have a lot of talent throughout the roster but getting over that hump remains the challenge. Ultimate they'll compete in the west, probably making the playoffs then inevitable realise Bruce Boudreau is still their coach...
Montreal Canadiens: There's never a dull moment in La Belle Province. They put the fan in fanatic and the Habs off season drama was mostly centred around, centre. Or the lack there of. They signed Alex Galchenyuk presumably to play up the middle, then promptly announced he wouldn't. They acquired Jonathan Drouin for a promosing young prospect and lost ling time Hab Andre Markov as well as Alex Radulov. Despite the fact they won the division and look to be strong again there was constant turmoil and a lot of questions moving forward but hey, at least Carey Price is locked up...
Nashville Predators: The music city was rocking last season. The Preds lost in the Stanley Cup finals to the Penguins but took the hockey world by storm in the process. The city looked great in showcasing one of the non-traditional market and hopefully others take notice. They have a steady D core, solid goaltending (at least when Rinne plays at home...) and finishers up front. They lost captain Mike Fisher to retirement so new captain Roman Josi will have to lead this bunch moving forward. Losing Ryan Ellis to start the year hurts as there's little margin for error in the West.
New Jersey Devils: The Devil went down to...Switzerland? Whatever works. The Devils won the draft lottery, and little else, last season and selected Swiss born forward Nico Hischier with the top pick. They lost veteran Mike Cammalleri so look to the future to return to the glory days. Much again will ride on Cory Schneider in net. Ultimately the Meto division may prove too tough a task but they should be improved if only to give the Devil his due...
New York Islanders: If they started their own soap opera would anyone be surprised? Whether it's arena question, a rink they only moved into a few years back, what to do with Captain John Tavares or who will be their goalie moving forward, there's a lot of questions around this squad. They did finish strong under Doug Weight last season after firing mullet enthusiast Jack Capuano. Weight has the job full time for his first season and looks to get them back into the post season.
New York Rangers: The Rangers bought out long time dman Dan Girardi and sent backup goalie Annti Raanta along with Derek Stepan to Arizona. They lost in the second round of the playoffs to Ottawa and one wonders how many more runs 'King' Henrik Lundqvist has left in him. They lack the flashy names up front they used to have, or those names lack the lash they once had, (*Rick Nash*) so it will have to be done by committee in the Big Apple. They did thrown big money at a free agent (Kevin Shattenkirk) because, New York. There is enough talent there to compete but the depth will be tested against the best of the East.
Ottawa Senators: "What have I done to be treated with such disrespect" might as well be written across the Sens uniform. They were a goal away from making the Stanley Cup final and most are writing this off as luck. You don't win by luck in the NHL. And yes, the Sens could certainly take a step back, largely due to the improved teams in their division, but the reality is as long as they stay healthy their frustrating, if not exactly flashy, defensive style combined with solid goaltending, game breaking talent up front and the best denfenceman in the world Eric Karlsson they have a shot in the East.
Philadelphia Flyers: They Flyers are probably sick of seeing their biggest rival continue to succeed as they sputter along. Well, it's not gonna change anytime soon. They Flyers should push for a playoff spot but goaltending is a question mark...again...and they'll need guys to have much better seasons then last year (understatement noted) captain Claude Giroux chief among them, if they're going to make the post season.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Three-peat? It seems almost improbably with the parody in the cap era has ushered in, yet we've seen the Cup change hands between only several teams the last decade. The Pens won their third cup of the Crosby era and there's little reason to doubt they could do it again. They have plenty of star talent, Kris Letang is back and healthy and they get key contributions from inexpensive young talent, perhaps the biggest factor in today's NHL. Matt Murray has won two Cups (as a rookie...yeah) and until proven otherwise they'll be a favourite to hoist the chalice again.
San Jose Sharks: It seems these Sharks just keep treading water long enough not to drown. With all star defenceman Brent Burns and the return of Joe Thornton this team will again compete for a playoff spot but their window may have closed in. Long time Shark Patrick Marleau was let go and signed in Toronto so Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture and co. will have to be the next generation to try and shake the mantle of great regular season team who can't get to the top.
St. Louis Blues: The loss of Robby Fabri wasn't an ideal start to the year. Throw in Jay Bouwmeester's injury and their already Blue in Missouri. They made the post season last year after employing the ever popular fire your coach and replace him with the guy who was already there to replace him strategy. The Blues look to have a balanced lineup that should compete for a spot in the central again, but it won't be easy particularly if they get off to a sow start. Jake Allen had a meltdown last season but bounced back so if he's got his head on straight things may not end on such a sour note.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Lets be honest, if they were healthy last season things would've been very different in Tampa last year. Fans are hoping lightning doesn't strike twice and that Steven Stamkos can finally enjoy a healthy season after being injury riddle the past several. They handed the goaltending reigns to Andre Vasilevskiy so it's up to him to take them to that next level. They have a deep roster just a few years removed from a Stanley Cup Final and they will be a force to be reckoned with in the East.
Toronto Maple Leafs: The Leafs slow and steady rebuild took a giant leap forward last year and they added veterans like Ron Hainsey and Patrick Marleau to supplement their vast crop of young talent. They pushed the Capitals in the playoffs and look to take that next step. Barring any unforseen setbacks they'll be competitive and at the very least push for a playoff spot. Let's not plan the parade route just yet though...
Vancouver Canucks: Coming off a rough season the Canucks have seem to embrace the fact they need to rebuild. They are hamstrung by a few contract, looking at you Loui Ericsson, and the Sedin's have made it clear they aren't going anywhere anytime soon, so new coach Travis Green will have to blend the youth with his veterans as they push forward with this plan. They're not expected to challenge for the playoffs, with good reason, but will let Bo Horvat and co. continue to develop as they build for the future.
Vegas Golden Knights: It's not saying a lot when the most entertaining thing about a team is their twitter account, but that may be the case in Sin City's inaugural season. To be fair, it's pretty funny. They Knights, aided by new expansion draft rules, (mercifully) shouldn't be as awful as most of the expansion teams of years past, but don't expect them to push for the Cup anytime soon. At least game experience will be a blast, if you can remember it...
Washington Capitals: At this point they are the Charlie Brown of the NHL. They keep going for that football only to fall flat on their face again and again. What's going to be different this season? They lost several pieces on the blueline (Alzner, Schmidt, Shattenkirk) and up front (Johansson) so their depth will be tested more than in years past. Their core is still strong but if they haven't gotten them to the promised land this far what makes this go around any different?
Winnipeg Jets: The Jets have rarely soared since moving to Winnipeg but seem to have all the parts to take off this season. They addressed their goaltending by bringing in Steve Mason, and still have a deep roster of young players poised to push they best of the West. They will need all of them on the same page and signed both Brian Little and Nicolaj Ehlers to new contracts so they've committed themselves to this group as well as their coach and GM so its up to them now.
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Best Stanley Cup Final 2017 Matchups
Cue the cliches and bad versions of 'It's the most wonderful time of the year.' I mean, I don't disagree with the sentiment but, lets just move on shall we?
The Stanley Cup Playoffs (mercifully) start tonight and we'll look ahead into the future to rank what I think the most intriguing Stanley Cup Finals match ups would be. This doesn't necessarily mean the best teams playing one another, just those that would be the most compelling to watch for a variety of reasons.
1. Chicago Blackhawks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Defending champs vs. three time Cup champions. Crosby vs. Toews. Kane vs, Malkin. The last two winners. Goliath vs...Goliath. This series would have it all. Unfortunately Kris Letang's absence puts a damper on the odds, and would on the series should it materialise. However, these in my mind are still the two best teams in the league and the quality of hockey, not to mention the star power, would be incredible, and have those at NHL offices salivating. The Blackhawks would cement their dynasty, if they haven't already, and the Penguins would secure their own with a third cup in the Crosby/Malkin era. It's one of the few that has the ability to draw national TV attention across the US as well, given the markets and names involved.
2. Chicago Blackhawks vs. Washington Capitals
The Capitals just can't finish ahead of the Penguins eh? The Caps were the best regular season team in the league again this year winning their second consecutive President's trophy. The Windy City crew had the best record in the west and while this may skew chalk in terms of rooting interest, it would be a great match up nonetheless. For years the 'choking dog' Caps have been, well dogged with the can the Caps finally get over the hump story line? It would no doubt be front and centre. However if ever three was a Caps team built to win, not to mention if they could pull it off against a team with the pedigree of the Blackhawks? They'd definitely earn the right to shed the choker label.
3. Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Oilers make their return to the post season for the first time since 2006 and their superstar Connor McDavid makes his playoff debut, so the odds of this one happening are definitely way less then our first two. However, Corsby vs. McDavid would have instant star power and intrigue written all over. The best in the game vs. the guy likely to take his place in the not to distant future. McDavid plays out west so this would allow fans in the east to see what they've been missing and lets face it, both of these guys are must see TV. Although they won't contribute much in the way of epic playoff beards. Also, it would be funny to watch them tripping over each other in interviews when the go out of their way to complement the other guy and talk about how great he is, what leadership his shows and...enough already.
4. Chicago Blackhawks vs. Montreal Canadiens/New York Rangers
A good ol' Original Six rivalry if only for, well, old time sake. The Habs and Rangers haven't won since they did so back to back in the early 90's (93/94 respectively) and a return to glory would be huge for either hockey mad city. The Rangers star goalie Henrik Lundqvist won't have too many more opportunities to capture that elusive Stanley Cup Championship and Montreal's Carey Price is the best in the world and this can only add to that label. The intensity of these rivalries likely wouldn't compare to the others (thus the lower ranking) but would make for a great match up either way. All three cities care about their franchise (at least they have the last decade in Chicago) so it's natural that it would make for a great finals. The Habs and Rangers don't play an exciting brand of hockey but lets face it. teams don't win the Stanley Cup scoring five goals a game anyway.
5. San Jose Sharks vs. Washington Capitals
Someone would have to win, right? This would be the ultimate talented teams who have failed to capitalise (no pun intended) battle. At least in recent vintage. The Sharks and Capitals have been really good to great regular season teams for years now and the Sharks made it to the finals last year only adding to their desire to get to the top of the mountain. They have ageing stars in Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau whose days in San Jose and at cup contention may be numbered so it adds that to the mix. The Capitals as mentioned have a (well earned) reputation of choking in the post season (see basically every Caps series ever) but are possibly the deepest they've ever been and have a Vezina winning goalie in Braydon Holtby who's capable of getting the job done. One of them would finally get to shed that underachiever label and take home hockey's Holy Grail.
Best/Worst Story Line: The Maple Leafs make the Cup Final...
Pump the brakes Leafs nation. This isn't going to happen. I'm just saying. The Leafs surprised everyone by making the playoffs this year, (aided by a lackluster Atlantic Division: Thanks Florida teams) and draw the President's Trophy winning Capitals in round one. All this means is they're likely going to play the role of 'carcass on the side of the road' as the Caps cruise into round two. However, should the improbable happen and the young buds somehow blossom before our eyes and reach the finals, the insufferable lot that comprise Leafs Nation would become that much more loathsome. That said the Leafs are a talented young team who play an entertaining brand of hockey, as structure and discipline seem not yet in their vocabulary. They'll undoubtedly be a more legitimate threat before long but it would never have the same magical feeling if they did it when it wasn't expected of them. That said, magic makes as much sense as believing they'll actually win a round, let alone make a run.
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Windy City Winners?
The Stanley Cup Playoffs get under way Wednesday (insert tears of joy) and we in the great white north are happy ecstatic to have five Canadian based teams actually make the playoffs. Especially seeing as a whopping 0 qualified last year. Seriously, it's like you could hear Here Comes the Sun blaring when they started securing spots this season.
That said, it shall be exciting, if short lived for most as the powers that be still reside south of the border, specifically in Chicago. The Habs and Oilers had the best record among Canadian squads but have tough first round matchups and in Edmonton's case may have forgotten what playoffs are. (Tongue in cheek Oil Country, we love you) Connor McDavid should be the league MVP and leads his team against the defending western conference champion San Jose Sharks. The Sharks are banged up but still a veteran squad who will give the young Oilers a quick introduction to what it takes to win this time of year.
In Montreal the Habs face original six rival the New York Rangers and if they can get by the Broadway Blueshirts their path to the East final is much easier than the vaunted Metropolitan Division. The Habs have Caery Price in net and will go as far as he, well, carries them. They don't score a ton of goals but this isn't likely to be that kind of series anyway.
That other Canadian original six city, the Toronto Maple Leafs surprised, well, pretty much anyone who has even seen a hockey game and qualified for the playoffs with an incredibly young and inexperienced roster. In fact nine Leafs will be making their post season debut against the regular seasons best team two years running, the Washington Capitals. The young buds have been impressive (enough for a Sens fan to admit it) but don't seem ready to bloom against a very potent and experienced Caps team. Top to bottom Washington has more depth and talent and should make quick work of a team that ought to be just happy the rest of the Atlantic Division was so terrible (Looking at you Florida/Tampa) so they could get in. However, the Caps don't exactly inspire confidence come the spring (See every Caps post season ever). That said, they look poised to make a run this year, particularly with Pittsburg being so banged up on the back end.
In the other national Capital the Sens take on the Bruins in what seems like an very evenly matched series that ought to go 6 or 7 games. Injuries on the back end for both teams (Methot and Krug) will play a big part in who gets the upper hand. If Ottawa can get off to a good start at home they should win but the Bruins have veteran guys who have won a Cup still playing a key role, and of course Brad Marchand's antics can only add to the intrigue/Sens fans ire.
Back out west, in what may be one of the most contentious, series the Flames look to take out the Anaheim Ducks. This would however require they win at the Honda Center which is like asking Lanny McDonald to throw on the flaming C again. The Flames haven't won there in the regular season in over 20 games and the Ducks will not go quietly with the likes of Kesler and Getzlaf up front. However Cam Fowler being injured hurts the Ducks and since it was on a hit by Calgary captain Mark Giordano, they'll certainly look to settle the score. Star Calgary rookie Matthew Tkachuk will no doubt look to continue mixing it up, employing his own version of Duck Hunt, but with the size of the Ducks, be careful what you wish for. Johnny Hockey Gaudreau
The defending Stanley Cup chaps had a solid campaign, mostly while being decimated by injury on the blueline. All Star Kris Letang is out for the year and this will no doubt hurt the Pens chances of repeating. They match up with the Columbus Blue Jackets who have little to no use for the champs and this is one of the more true rival matchups. Brandon Dubinski will no doubt try to get under Sidney Crosby's skin, as he continues to prove himself the heel, but few seem more willing to ply the role.The Blue Jackets had a great season and their reward: The toughest first round match up ever in terms of combined points. That NHL playoff system eh?
The Blackhawks continue to look like the team to beat and with good reason. The west isn't what it was a few years ago as St Louis has played well but seem in flux with the unproven thought talented Jake Allen in net. After a strong start Minnesota has fallen off the rails for which Bruce Boudreau seems to have escaped the blame he deserves. Seriously, is there a more overrated coach in the league? Not that he'd admit that's his fault either..They Blackhawks still have their core guys together and performing at a high level. The rest of this plug and play lineup seems to always fit in perfectly or contribute just enough to continually keep them at the top. In my eyes they're the best team in the league and have the depth and experience to take home a fourth cup in the last decade, cementing what is possibly already a dynasty. We'll know for sure when the puck drops, and it doesn't get any better than that.
That said, it shall be exciting, if short lived for most as the powers that be still reside south of the border, specifically in Chicago. The Habs and Oilers had the best record among Canadian squads but have tough first round matchups and in Edmonton's case may have forgotten what playoffs are. (Tongue in cheek Oil Country, we love you) Connor McDavid should be the league MVP and leads his team against the defending western conference champion San Jose Sharks. The Sharks are banged up but still a veteran squad who will give the young Oilers a quick introduction to what it takes to win this time of year.
In Montreal the Habs face original six rival the New York Rangers and if they can get by the Broadway Blueshirts their path to the East final is much easier than the vaunted Metropolitan Division. The Habs have Caery Price in net and will go as far as he, well, carries them. They don't score a ton of goals but this isn't likely to be that kind of series anyway.
That other Canadian original six city, the Toronto Maple Leafs surprised, well, pretty much anyone who has even seen a hockey game and qualified for the playoffs with an incredibly young and inexperienced roster. In fact nine Leafs will be making their post season debut against the regular seasons best team two years running, the Washington Capitals. The young buds have been impressive (enough for a Sens fan to admit it) but don't seem ready to bloom against a very potent and experienced Caps team. Top to bottom Washington has more depth and talent and should make quick work of a team that ought to be just happy the rest of the Atlantic Division was so terrible (Looking at you Florida/Tampa) so they could get in. However, the Caps don't exactly inspire confidence come the spring (See every Caps post season ever). That said, they look poised to make a run this year, particularly with Pittsburg being so banged up on the back end.
In the other national Capital the Sens take on the Bruins in what seems like an very evenly matched series that ought to go 6 or 7 games. Injuries on the back end for both teams (Methot and Krug) will play a big part in who gets the upper hand. If Ottawa can get off to a good start at home they should win but the Bruins have veteran guys who have won a Cup still playing a key role, and of course Brad Marchand's antics can only add to the intrigue/Sens fans ire.
Back out west, in what may be one of the most contentious, series the Flames look to take out the Anaheim Ducks. This would however require they win at the Honda Center which is like asking Lanny McDonald to throw on the flaming C again. The Flames haven't won there in the regular season in over 20 games and the Ducks will not go quietly with the likes of Kesler and Getzlaf up front. However Cam Fowler being injured hurts the Ducks and since it was on a hit by Calgary captain Mark Giordano, they'll certainly look to settle the score. Star Calgary rookie Matthew Tkachuk will no doubt look to continue mixing it up, employing his own version of Duck Hunt, but with the size of the Ducks, be careful what you wish for. Johnny Hockey Gaudreau
The defending Stanley Cup chaps had a solid campaign, mostly while being decimated by injury on the blueline. All Star Kris Letang is out for the year and this will no doubt hurt the Pens chances of repeating. They match up with the Columbus Blue Jackets who have little to no use for the champs and this is one of the more true rival matchups. Brandon Dubinski will no doubt try to get under Sidney Crosby's skin, as he continues to prove himself the heel, but few seem more willing to ply the role.The Blue Jackets had a great season and their reward: The toughest first round match up ever in terms of combined points. That NHL playoff system eh?
The Blackhawks continue to look like the team to beat and with good reason. The west isn't what it was a few years ago as St Louis has played well but seem in flux with the unproven thought talented Jake Allen in net. After a strong start Minnesota has fallen off the rails for which Bruce Boudreau seems to have escaped the blame he deserves. Seriously, is there a more overrated coach in the league? Not that he'd admit that's his fault either..They Blackhawks still have their core guys together and performing at a high level. The rest of this plug and play lineup seems to always fit in perfectly or contribute just enough to continually keep them at the top. In my eyes they're the best team in the league and have the depth and experience to take home a fourth cup in the last decade, cementing what is possibly already a dynasty. We'll know for sure when the puck drops, and it doesn't get any better than that.
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Sens of Change?
October 8th 1992. The Ottawa Senators first game in their return to the NHL. It just happened to coincide with my 8th birthday. The Sens, to the surprise of many, went out and beat the Montreal Canadiens (who would go on to win the Stanley Cup) 5-3. It was the highlight of a year without many. In fact there were a lot of year like that to start.
I remember seeing my first Sens game at the Civic Centre later that year. They played the Buffalo Sabres who took this matchup so seriously the rested future hall of famers Pat LaFontaine and Dominik Hasek. It backfired. This was my first taste of live NHL hockey and right away I was on the Sens bandwagon.
Growing up in the Ottawa Valley the majority of hockey fans were split between the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens with a few Bruins, Red Wing or Rangers fans thrown in the mix from the original six days. My family still root for the blue and white and I was branded a traitor by my cousin for jumping ship to the Sens, despite just being a kid. And if people never supported a new franchise how could they ever exist? But I digress...
We now had a home team and this was exciting for the whole area. The franchise was young and had a lot of struggles at the outset but this was a bit of a blessing in disguise. It allowed Ottawa to, eventually, compile a roster of young talent from those high draft picks. Guys that would be part of their core more forward and lead they to a Stanley Cup final appearance in 2007. The likes of Jason Spezza, Wade Redden and Chris Phillips were acquired in these lean years and were an integral part of the organisation for years,
The high-water mark for the franchise was that lone Cup appearance and the team has floated around mediocrity ever since. There are a lot of reasons. John Muckler moved a lot of draft picks in order to build up a contending team in the mid oughts, leaving the prospects cupboard bare, and the like of Zedeno Chara and Wade Redden were lost for nothing in order to try and win a Cup. Then the all time Senator of Senators Daniel Alfredsson jumped ship to the Red Wings as a free agent. This should have been a wake up call to the organisation. Alfredsson has been welcomed back into the fold and all fences seems to have been mended, and rightfully so, but he is now tasked with the thankless task of trying to be held in the same regard as part of management.
The Sens are seen at the third Eastern Canadian team, and with good reason. The Maple Leafs and Canadiens are legendary franchises and massive fans bases, and bankroles. This is where the Sens struggles and issues with Wednesday's TradeDealine are more evident.
A quick look around the NHL at any contender will show how significant the NHL draft is. ie. Pittsburgh, Chicago, Los Angeles, Its how you build and sustain a winner in the cap era. The Maple Leafs had struggled for years but with (finally) competent management, they're staying the course, drafting well, retaining picks and playing the long game. Patience is not a luxury most teams in the NHL can afford.
There are very few big market teams with the money or die hard fan base you see in these cities and this is where the Sens are at a marked disadvantage. They are a small market franchise who have neither the history no financial wherewithal to sustain such a prolonged slump or lack of success. I say this as a Sens fan but a lot of them a fickle. It's not like Toronto or Montreal where the building will be full regardless. They struggle at the gate where things aren't going well and as a result owner Eugene Melnyk is always desperate to make the playoffs and the extra revenue this would bring. Obviously this makes sense from a financial point of view. When you're not a big revenue team every little bit helps and the more successful the team the more money you'll make throughout the year as well. However this short sighted approach can damage the organisation in the long run.
The Sens aren't a cap team and so have to rely on a mix of veterans and younger, less expensive or veteran journeymen to fill the roster. The fact that they're this close to the playoffs mean the mandate from the owner is simple. Get in. Whatever the cost. This is why young prospect Jonathan Dahlen was shipped out for help now in veteran Alex Burrows. And why they added Victor Stalberg for depth. Pierre Dorion fulled this demand and made moves to help added depth to his roster, certainly not an egregious sin, but at what cost?
The Sens have a crop of good young prospects, Logan Brown, Tomas Chabot and Colin White among them, and Dorion has made it clear they aren't going anywhere, but the fact that he's chipping away at some of his other pieces for success today show that profit may be driving things more that what's best for the organisation. Now, this would go over well in the locker room where the guys play for today and the Sens have added help in the short term. The owner is happy with the playoff push but the fact is the Sens as a team may not be able to withstand the kind of patience and lean years that may come along with it in order to build a sustainable winner.
I remember seeing my first Sens game at the Civic Centre later that year. They played the Buffalo Sabres who took this matchup so seriously the rested future hall of famers Pat LaFontaine and Dominik Hasek. It backfired. This was my first taste of live NHL hockey and right away I was on the Sens bandwagon.
Growing up in the Ottawa Valley the majority of hockey fans were split between the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens with a few Bruins, Red Wing or Rangers fans thrown in the mix from the original six days. My family still root for the blue and white and I was branded a traitor by my cousin for jumping ship to the Sens, despite just being a kid. And if people never supported a new franchise how could they ever exist? But I digress...
We now had a home team and this was exciting for the whole area. The franchise was young and had a lot of struggles at the outset but this was a bit of a blessing in disguise. It allowed Ottawa to, eventually, compile a roster of young talent from those high draft picks. Guys that would be part of their core more forward and lead they to a Stanley Cup final appearance in 2007. The likes of Jason Spezza, Wade Redden and Chris Phillips were acquired in these lean years and were an integral part of the organisation for years,
The high-water mark for the franchise was that lone Cup appearance and the team has floated around mediocrity ever since. There are a lot of reasons. John Muckler moved a lot of draft picks in order to build up a contending team in the mid oughts, leaving the prospects cupboard bare, and the like of Zedeno Chara and Wade Redden were lost for nothing in order to try and win a Cup. Then the all time Senator of Senators Daniel Alfredsson jumped ship to the Red Wings as a free agent. This should have been a wake up call to the organisation. Alfredsson has been welcomed back into the fold and all fences seems to have been mended, and rightfully so, but he is now tasked with the thankless task of trying to be held in the same regard as part of management.
The Sens are seen at the third Eastern Canadian team, and with good reason. The Maple Leafs and Canadiens are legendary franchises and massive fans bases, and bankroles. This is where the Sens struggles and issues with Wednesday's TradeDealine are more evident.
A quick look around the NHL at any contender will show how significant the NHL draft is. ie. Pittsburgh, Chicago, Los Angeles, Its how you build and sustain a winner in the cap era. The Maple Leafs had struggled for years but with (finally) competent management, they're staying the course, drafting well, retaining picks and playing the long game. Patience is not a luxury most teams in the NHL can afford.
There are very few big market teams with the money or die hard fan base you see in these cities and this is where the Sens are at a marked disadvantage. They are a small market franchise who have neither the history no financial wherewithal to sustain such a prolonged slump or lack of success. I say this as a Sens fan but a lot of them a fickle. It's not like Toronto or Montreal where the building will be full regardless. They struggle at the gate where things aren't going well and as a result owner Eugene Melnyk is always desperate to make the playoffs and the extra revenue this would bring. Obviously this makes sense from a financial point of view. When you're not a big revenue team every little bit helps and the more successful the team the more money you'll make throughout the year as well. However this short sighted approach can damage the organisation in the long run.
The Sens aren't a cap team and so have to rely on a mix of veterans and younger, less expensive or veteran journeymen to fill the roster. The fact that they're this close to the playoffs mean the mandate from the owner is simple. Get in. Whatever the cost. This is why young prospect Jonathan Dahlen was shipped out for help now in veteran Alex Burrows. And why they added Victor Stalberg for depth. Pierre Dorion fulled this demand and made moves to help added depth to his roster, certainly not an egregious sin, but at what cost?
The Sens have a crop of good young prospects, Logan Brown, Tomas Chabot and Colin White among them, and Dorion has made it clear they aren't going anywhere, but the fact that he's chipping away at some of his other pieces for success today show that profit may be driving things more that what's best for the organisation. Now, this would go over well in the locker room where the guys play for today and the Sens have added help in the short term. The owner is happy with the playoff push but the fact is the Sens as a team may not be able to withstand the kind of patience and lean years that may come along with it in order to build a sustainable winner.
Monday, December 5, 2016
Eastern Front: Shifting Balance of Power in NHL
The NHL season's now past the quarter pole, so we can actually put some credibility into all these power rankings as we've, theoretically, seen enough out of teams to at least half a half assed (which describes some of these rankings quite aptly) idea as to who's a contender and who may soon be looking for employment elsewhere.
For the last decade or so the West has been the dominant conference with Chicago and Los Angeles taking home five Stanley Cups between them, along with Anaheim and Detroit (pre-realignment). While Chicago and to a seemingly lesser extend LA remain contenders it's because they've adapted. The more physical brand of hockey played in the conference was said to translate better to the tighter checking, more rugged style of play employed in the post season and well, it did. These teams seemed to over match their Eastern rivals and since this is the NHL and not a MENSA meeting everyone else started to follow suit. However, like all trends this one seems to have run it course.
The Pittsburgh Penguins hoisted Lord Stanley's mug last year and did so employing tremendous speed, skill, solid goaltending and tight checking. This isn't to say they weren't capable of being physical, but they over matched their opponents with quick puck movement and pursuit.
The Power Rankings top 10 this season are predominantly comprised of Eastern teams, Montreal, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh, Washington, Ottawa, Tampa (Pre-Stamkos injury) among them. Theses teams are similar in that they've all gotten solid, or at least above average goaltending and employ a lot of pace in their game. Ironically Washington is the largest team in the league but employ a ton of high end skill in their vaunted attack. Even the teams that find themselves at the top in the West (Edmonton, Chicago, St. Louis) are teams that move the puck well and play with pace. The defending conference champs in San Jose are a great mix of skill and size exemplified by their star defenceman Brent Burns and 'Jumbo' Joe Thornton. The game has gotten younger and faster and if you can't keep up, you'd better invest in a lot of red light bulbs.
Shows like Hockey Central at Noon and others have discussed why this pattern has developed and what lead to it. Is it just a shift in balance of power that occurs every so often? Perhaps, but as mentioned its a copycat league and teams like Anaheim loaded up on big bodies to try and compete with rival LA and win the war of attrition that is the Stanley Cup playoffs. While the West won numerous cups in this fashion, the league was becoming faster and many didn't adjust accordingly. Smaller or more gifted players with finesses and speed are finding their place and those who have tailored their roster to this new breed have found success. That's not to say everyone will be playing like Team North America at the World Cup. They don't possess the overall speed and skill throughout their line ups, and there's a little thing called the salary cap to boot. Physically over matching your opponent is still vital, but its hard to hit what you can't catch. There's more of a premium placed on speed in today's game and the eastern teams seem to have found a better mix of size, speed and skill to this point. Of course, for the time being, this is just a trend...
For the last decade or so the West has been the dominant conference with Chicago and Los Angeles taking home five Stanley Cups between them, along with Anaheim and Detroit (pre-realignment). While Chicago and to a seemingly lesser extend LA remain contenders it's because they've adapted. The more physical brand of hockey played in the conference was said to translate better to the tighter checking, more rugged style of play employed in the post season and well, it did. These teams seemed to over match their Eastern rivals and since this is the NHL and not a MENSA meeting everyone else started to follow suit. However, like all trends this one seems to have run it course.
The Pittsburgh Penguins hoisted Lord Stanley's mug last year and did so employing tremendous speed, skill, solid goaltending and tight checking. This isn't to say they weren't capable of being physical, but they over matched their opponents with quick puck movement and pursuit.
The Power Rankings top 10 this season are predominantly comprised of Eastern teams, Montreal, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh, Washington, Ottawa, Tampa (Pre-Stamkos injury) among them. Theses teams are similar in that they've all gotten solid, or at least above average goaltending and employ a lot of pace in their game. Ironically Washington is the largest team in the league but employ a ton of high end skill in their vaunted attack. Even the teams that find themselves at the top in the West (Edmonton, Chicago, St. Louis) are teams that move the puck well and play with pace. The defending conference champs in San Jose are a great mix of skill and size exemplified by their star defenceman Brent Burns and 'Jumbo' Joe Thornton. The game has gotten younger and faster and if you can't keep up, you'd better invest in a lot of red light bulbs.
Shows like Hockey Central at Noon and others have discussed why this pattern has developed and what lead to it. Is it just a shift in balance of power that occurs every so often? Perhaps, but as mentioned its a copycat league and teams like Anaheim loaded up on big bodies to try and compete with rival LA and win the war of attrition that is the Stanley Cup playoffs. While the West won numerous cups in this fashion, the league was becoming faster and many didn't adjust accordingly. Smaller or more gifted players with finesses and speed are finding their place and those who have tailored their roster to this new breed have found success. That's not to say everyone will be playing like Team North America at the World Cup. They don't possess the overall speed and skill throughout their line ups, and there's a little thing called the salary cap to boot. Physically over matching your opponent is still vital, but its hard to hit what you can't catch. There's more of a premium placed on speed in today's game and the eastern teams seem to have found a better mix of size, speed and skill to this point. Of course, for the time being, this is just a trend...
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Sens of Trouble
The Sens are off to a solid start this NHL campaign, and while they're struggling to score goals they've played much better in their own end of late and have gotten exceptional goaltending, under exceptional circumstances, from Craig Anderson and newly acquired Mike Condon. Their 10-7-3 record has them competing for a playoff spot and it's not unreasonable to think they could make it. So why does no one seem to care?
The Sens are ranked near the bottom of the league in attendance and there was a very interesting article on the Hockey Night in Canada website suggesting why this is the case. They stated several factors: long drive out to Kanata, dip in season ticket holders, ticket costs, problems with the Phoenix government pay system, rumours of a new downtown rink coming, etc. But I think the problem is much deeper rooted in Ottawa itself and its unique circumstances.
See, Ottawa is a fickle sports town to begin with, so lets start there. The city has seen two incarnations of its CFL football team fold, (RoughRiders and Renegades) and granted while those were poorly run from an ownership perspective, they couldn't be salvaged. The RedBlacks with 67's owner Jeff Hunt at the helm see to be faring much better so fingers crossed. There was also the NLL lacrosse team, the Rebel (2001-2003) few even remember the city having it was so short lived. And last but not least the AAA baseball Ottawa Lynx (1993-2007). The Lynx actually set attendance records their first few season and had a great stadium that's still there today. The team was successful and won the International league in 1995. They were affiliated with the Montreal Expos for the majority of their time and later the Baltimore Orioles the Philadelphia Phillies. The team saw its attendance drop year by year and eventually it was over. Many feel if the team were affiliated with the Blue Jays they could make a go of it in the capital but we may never know. People seem to tire of things quickly here and while there may be interest at first it fizzles out faster than a politician's promises.
This lackluster attitude is part of the problem but I think it can also be attributed to the unique circumstance of the city itself. See, Ottawa is a very nomadic city. People come from all over the country to work for the government or perhaps in what's left of the high tech sector. There are also two major universities (Carleton and U of O) as well as Algonquin College. This all adds up to a lot of people living in Ottawa who aren't from the city and who are only here for a short period of time. There isn't necessarily the connection to sports franchises that there is in other major centers. They come from out of town and likely already root for someone else. This is probably no more evident then when you go to a Sens game. It may be the strangest atmosphere in the league because at times you have to check to see which rink you're actually in. When Toronto or Montreal are in town it barely resembles a home game and the fact is many Sens fans shy away because of the problems that have arisen, fights and incidents dramatically increase when the Leafs are in town. When any other Canadian team (Oilers, Flames, Jets, Canucks) or big market US franchise (Detroit, New Your Rangers, Boston, Philly) come to town you see hundreds if not a few thousand supporters wearing other jerseys. That's not the case in other Canadian markets or most in the US. This could be in part because of where Ottawa lies. It's in between Toronto and Montreal and only came back into the league in 1992 so many in the area who grew up watching hockey were cheering for other teams. As a young kid growing up in the Ottawa Valley I chose the Sens because they were a home team. But Ottawa is a hockey town before it is a Sens town at times and this has corresponded with apathy in attendance. That and the path the franchise has taken of late.
The Sens snuck into the playoffs two years ago after Andrew 'Hamburglar' Hammond lead them on a run of historic proportions and into the playoffs. They were promptly beat out by the rival Canadiens and that was the end of that chapter. Last year they missed and this year it'll be a toss up. The glory days of Alfie, Phillips and Redden leading the charge to the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals seem not so long ago. Unfortunately they were beat by Anaheim but had been contenders for years and looked to be for a least a few more seasons. Then, they weren't. They team has struggled to find consistency ever since making the post season then missing it and never really being a threat. If you look at attendance number when they were a top team the seats were filled. Now that they've become a sort of middling team with no real sign of a breakthrough people are losing interest and the organization needs to light a fire under their fan base if they want to see the results change. Perhaps a new downtown area facility will change all that, but if the product it's any better, they won't be lining up to buy it.
The Sens are ranked near the bottom of the league in attendance and there was a very interesting article on the Hockey Night in Canada website suggesting why this is the case. They stated several factors: long drive out to Kanata, dip in season ticket holders, ticket costs, problems with the Phoenix government pay system, rumours of a new downtown rink coming, etc. But I think the problem is much deeper rooted in Ottawa itself and its unique circumstances.
See, Ottawa is a fickle sports town to begin with, so lets start there. The city has seen two incarnations of its CFL football team fold, (RoughRiders and Renegades) and granted while those were poorly run from an ownership perspective, they couldn't be salvaged. The RedBlacks with 67's owner Jeff Hunt at the helm see to be faring much better so fingers crossed. There was also the NLL lacrosse team, the Rebel (2001-2003) few even remember the city having it was so short lived. And last but not least the AAA baseball Ottawa Lynx (1993-2007). The Lynx actually set attendance records their first few season and had a great stadium that's still there today. The team was successful and won the International league in 1995. They were affiliated with the Montreal Expos for the majority of their time and later the Baltimore Orioles the Philadelphia Phillies. The team saw its attendance drop year by year and eventually it was over. Many feel if the team were affiliated with the Blue Jays they could make a go of it in the capital but we may never know. People seem to tire of things quickly here and while there may be interest at first it fizzles out faster than a politician's promises.
This lackluster attitude is part of the problem but I think it can also be attributed to the unique circumstance of the city itself. See, Ottawa is a very nomadic city. People come from all over the country to work for the government or perhaps in what's left of the high tech sector. There are also two major universities (Carleton and U of O) as well as Algonquin College. This all adds up to a lot of people living in Ottawa who aren't from the city and who are only here for a short period of time. There isn't necessarily the connection to sports franchises that there is in other major centers. They come from out of town and likely already root for someone else. This is probably no more evident then when you go to a Sens game. It may be the strangest atmosphere in the league because at times you have to check to see which rink you're actually in. When Toronto or Montreal are in town it barely resembles a home game and the fact is many Sens fans shy away because of the problems that have arisen, fights and incidents dramatically increase when the Leafs are in town. When any other Canadian team (Oilers, Flames, Jets, Canucks) or big market US franchise (Detroit, New Your Rangers, Boston, Philly) come to town you see hundreds if not a few thousand supporters wearing other jerseys. That's not the case in other Canadian markets or most in the US. This could be in part because of where Ottawa lies. It's in between Toronto and Montreal and only came back into the league in 1992 so many in the area who grew up watching hockey were cheering for other teams. As a young kid growing up in the Ottawa Valley I chose the Sens because they were a home team. But Ottawa is a hockey town before it is a Sens town at times and this has corresponded with apathy in attendance. That and the path the franchise has taken of late.
The Sens snuck into the playoffs two years ago after Andrew 'Hamburglar' Hammond lead them on a run of historic proportions and into the playoffs. They were promptly beat out by the rival Canadiens and that was the end of that chapter. Last year they missed and this year it'll be a toss up. The glory days of Alfie, Phillips and Redden leading the charge to the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals seem not so long ago. Unfortunately they were beat by Anaheim but had been contenders for years and looked to be for a least a few more seasons. Then, they weren't. They team has struggled to find consistency ever since making the post season then missing it and never really being a threat. If you look at attendance number when they were a top team the seats were filled. Now that they've become a sort of middling team with no real sign of a breakthrough people are losing interest and the organization needs to light a fire under their fan base if they want to see the results change. Perhaps a new downtown area facility will change all that, but if the product it's any better, they won't be lining up to buy it.
Sens of Trouble
The Sens are off to a solid start this NHL campaign, and while they're struggling to score goals they've played much better in their own end of late and have gotten exceptional goaltending, under exceptional circumstances, from Craig Anderson and newly acquired Mike Condon. Their 10-7-3 record has them competing for a playoff spot and it's not unreasonable to think they could make it. So why does no one seem to care?
The Sens are ranked near the bottom of the league in attendance and there was a very interesting article on the Hockey Night in Canada website suggesting why this is the case. They stated several factors: long drive out to Kanata, dip in season ticket holders, ticket costs, problems with the Phoenix government pay system, rumours of a new downtown rink coming, etc. But I think the problem is much deeper rooted in Ottawa itself and its unique circumstances.
See, Ottawa is a fickle sports town to begin with, so lets start there. The city has seen two incarnations of its CFL football team fold, (RoughRiders and Renegades) and granted while those were poorly run from an ownership perspective, they couldn't be salvaged. The RedBlacks with 67's owner Jeff Hunt at the helm see to be faring much better so fingers crossed. There was also the NLL lacrosse team, the Rebel (2001-2003) few even remember the city having it was so short lived. And last but not least the AAA baseball Ottawa Lynx (1993-2007). The Lynx actually set attendance records their first few season and had a great stadium that's still there today. The team was successful and won the International league in 1995. They were affiliated with the Montreal Expos for the majority of their time and later the Baltimore Orioles the Philadelphia Phillies. The team saw its attendance drop year by year and eventually it was over. Many feel if the team were affiliated with the Blue Jays they could make a go of it in the capital but we may never know. People seem to tire of things quickly here and while there may be interest at first it fizzles out faster than a politician's promises.
This lackluster attitude is part of the problem but I think it can also be attributed to the unique circumstance of the city itself. See, Ottawa is a very nomadic city. People come from all over the country to work for the government or perhaps in what's left of the high tech sector. There are also two major universities (Carleton and U of O) as well as Algonquin College. This all adds up to a lot of people living in Ottawa who aren't from the city and who are only here for a short period of time. There isn't necessarily the connection to sports franchises that there is in other major centers. They come from out of town and likely already root for someone else. This is probably no more evident then when you go to a Sens game. It may be the strangest atmosphere in the league because at times you have to check to see which rink you're actually in. When Toronto or Montreal are in town it barely resembles a home game and the fact is many Sens fans shy away because of the problems that have arisen, fights and incidents dramatically increase when the Leafs are in town. When any other Canadian team (Oilers, Flames, Jets, Canucks) or big market US franchise (Detroit, New Your Rangers, Boston, Philly) come to town you see hundreds if not a few thousand supporters wearing other jerseys. That's not the case in other Canadian markets or most in the US. This could be in part because of where Ottawa lies. It's in between Toronto and Montreal and only came back into the league in 1992 so many in the area who grew up watching hockey were cheering for other teams. As a young kid growing up in the Ottawa Valley I chose the Sens because they were a home team. But Ottawa is a hockey town before it is a Sens town at times and this has corresponded with apathy in attendance. That and the path the franchise has taken of late.
The Sens snuck into the playoffs two years ago after Andrew 'Hamburglar' Hammond lead them on a run of historic proportions and into the playoffs. They were promptly beat out by the rival Canadiens and that was the end of that chapter. Last year they missed and this year it'll be a toss up. The glory days of Alfie, Phillips and Redden leading the charge to the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals seem not so long ago. Unfortunately they were beat by Anaheim but had been contenders for years and looked to be for a least a few more seasons. Then, they weren't. They team has struggled to find consistency ever since making the post season then missing it and never really being a threat. If you look at attendance number when they were a top team the seats were filled. Now that they've become a sort of middling team with no real sign of a breakthrough people are losing interest and the organization needs to light a fire under their fan base if they want to see the results change. Perhaps a new downtown area facility will change all that, but if the product it's any better, they won't be lining up to buy it.
The Sens are ranked near the bottom of the league in attendance and there was a very interesting article on the Hockey Night in Canada website suggesting why this is the case. They stated several factors: long drive out to Kanata, dip in season ticket holders, ticket costs, problems with the Phoenix government pay system, rumours of a new downtown rink coming, etc. But I think the problem is much deeper rooted in Ottawa itself and its unique circumstances.
See, Ottawa is a fickle sports town to begin with, so lets start there. The city has seen two incarnations of its CFL football team fold, (RoughRiders and Renegades) and granted while those were poorly run from an ownership perspective, they couldn't be salvaged. The RedBlacks with 67's owner Jeff Hunt at the helm see to be faring much better so fingers crossed. There was also the NLL lacrosse team, the Rebel (2001-2003) few even remember the city having it was so short lived. And last but not least the AAA baseball Ottawa Lynx (1993-2007). The Lynx actually set attendance records their first few season and had a great stadium that's still there today. The team was successful and won the International league in 1995. They were affiliated with the Montreal Expos for the majority of their time and later the Baltimore Orioles the Philadelphia Phillies. The team saw its attendance drop year by year and eventually it was over. Many feel if the team were affiliated with the Blue Jays they could make a go of it in the capital but we may never know. People seem to tire of things quickly here and while there may be interest at first it fizzles out faster than a politician's promises.
This lackluster attitude is part of the problem but I think it can also be attributed to the unique circumstance of the city itself. See, Ottawa is a very nomadic city. People come from all over the country to work for the government or perhaps in what's left of the high tech sector. There are also two major universities (Carleton and U of O) as well as Algonquin College. This all adds up to a lot of people living in Ottawa who aren't from the city and who are only here for a short period of time. There isn't necessarily the connection to sports franchises that there is in other major centers. They come from out of town and likely already root for someone else. This is probably no more evident then when you go to a Sens game. It may be the strangest atmosphere in the league because at times you have to check to see which rink you're actually in. When Toronto or Montreal are in town it barely resembles a home game and the fact is many Sens fans shy away because of the problems that have arisen, fights and incidents dramatically increase when the Leafs are in town. When any other Canadian team (Oilers, Flames, Jets, Canucks) or big market US franchise (Detroit, New Your Rangers, Boston, Philly) come to town you see hundreds if not a few thousand supporters wearing other jerseys. That's not the case in other Canadian markets or most in the US. This could be in part because of where Ottawa lies. It's in between Toronto and Montreal and only came back into the league in 1992 so many in the area who grew up watching hockey were cheering for other teams. As a young kid growing up in the Ottawa Valley I chose the Sens because they were a home team. But Ottawa is a hockey town before it is a Sens town at times and this has corresponded with apathy in attendance. That and the path the franchise has taken of late.
The Sens snuck into the playoffs two years ago after Andrew 'Hamburglar' Hammond lead them on a run of historic proportions and into the playoffs. They were promptly beat out by the rival Canadiens and that was the end of that chapter. Last year they missed and this year it'll be a toss up. The glory days of Alfie, Phillips and Redden leading the charge to the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals seem not so long ago. Unfortunately they were beat by Anaheim but had been contenders for years and looked to be for a least a few more seasons. Then, they weren't. They team has struggled to find consistency ever since making the post season then missing it and never really being a threat. If you look at attendance number when they were a top team the seats were filled. Now that they've become a sort of middling team with no real sign of a breakthrough people are losing interest and the organization needs to light a fire under their fan base if they want to see the results change. Perhaps a new downtown area facility will change all that, but if the product it's any better, they won't be lining up to buy it.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
That Escalated Quickly...
Catch your breath...In what was one of the craziest days of activity not on trade deadline or free agency in the history of the NHL, All Star caliber players were being shipped around like their trading cards and another cashed in big time.
Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman stuck to his guns and got Steven Stamkos signed for a reasonable cap hit of $8.5 million per year (assuming you think that sort of money is reasonable for playing a game...but we digress). Stamkos was set to be the crown jewel of a deep free agent class with the like of Andrew Ladd, Kyle Okposo and David Backes set to hit the market. By getting him at this reasonable amount Yzerman has allowed himself some flexibility when it comes to signing other restricted free agents in Kilorn and Kucherov, big pieces of their playoff success the last two years.
In Montreal PK Subban was traded for fellow Canadian gold medalist Shea Weber in a move that left many searching their recently blown minds. Subban is younger and has a higher cap hit. There are many suggesting that the savings were a big issue in a cap world and can't be discounted. The issue of race has also been brought up and can't totally be ignored but is likely well down the list of issues. PK is a star in this league and an asset where ever he goes. He's also outspoken and emotional. The NHL is a league that isn't big on flashy personalities that could detract from the team, Just look at guys like Alexander Ovechkin, Brent Burns and Jeremy Roenick in his day. All have at times been question for either show boating, being eccentric or running their mouths more than they should. Rumors persisted of discontent in the locker room of which this may be a telling sign, but whatever issues there may have been there is no doubt PK contributes to an already deep blue line will be embraced in Nashville, provided they win. Shea Weber has been their franchise and I am shocked at the people who think this is a one sided deal. Weber is a Norris Trophy nominee and probably should have beat PK the year he won, an all star many times over, and a gold medal winning defenceman who played huge minutes in that tournament. His complete game is probably more polished and he posses on of the league's hardest shots. Not exactly a bag of pucks.
And as they say, thing happen in threes, so the Oilers made sure. They shipped Taylor Hall to New Jersey for defenceman Adam Larsson. With the drafting of another forward on Friday the writing seemed to be on the wall that one of their star forwards was out and Hall was tapped as the man to go. He likely brought the biggest return and signing free agent Dmen isn't much of an option this summer. Edmonton has had trouble attracting free agents anyway so this ensures they get what they desperately needed. Larsson has a big upside and this is what the Oilers and GM Pete Chiarelli are banking on. Hall is a proven commodity and should fit well with pal Adam Henrique in New Jersey. They needed to pay a price and they have. Time will tell it it pays off.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
'A' for Effort
Marc Bergevin is either Santa Clause, the easiest grader the world has ever seen or doing his best Oprah impression "You get an A, you get an A, everybody gets an A!". The Habs GM has decided to go without a captain instead opting for a leadership committee naming a number of the young teams leaders to wear the A instead. This decision is one that may cause a bit of stir in the media and perhaps in the locker room but ultimately could work out for the best. Some of the biggest names the game has ever seen have won the C for Les Glorieux so needless to say the pressure that comes with being the captain of the Montreal Canadiens is immense.
The Habs are a young team full of talent and up and comers like Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk, newly added PA Parenteau and a proven goaltender in Carey Price, so all signs point to them having another successful season. Are they ready to take that next step? Who knows, but the four men who will shoulder this leadership burden, PK Subban, Max Pacioretty, Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Markov are all key player with different but major roles on the team. You have their leading goal man in Pacioretty, a proven two way defenseman in Markov and a top two way center in Plekanec and an enigmatic often talked about star in Subban who is not one to shy away from the limelight. It will fall to them to lead this group and step up when it matter most.
The theory here perhaps is that the burden may be to much for the younger stars (Subban, Pacioretty) so this will take some of the pressure off, buying them some time to mature into that role. The other issue that cannot be denied in Montreal is the French speaking aspect and their comfort level in dealing with the French media. Former captains have tried their best to learn the language to accommodate this important factor and undoubtedly this new leaders will have to make a similar effort.
Montreal made it to the Eastern Conference finals last year losing to the New York Rangers after knocking off Tampa Bay and their bitter rival Boston Bruins in one of the more entertaining playoff series, and in an Eastern Conference that looks to be there for the taking there's no reason they can't put together another solid post season run.
That said there were a few key departures in the summer that may significantly impact the club. Former captain Brian Gionta and stalward defenceman and fan favorite Josh Gorges are now both with division rival Buffalo who look to improve after several down years. Gionta is a veteran leader who, while not piling up the points like he used to, played a steady two way game and had the experience and respect that you need in a leader especially on a young team. His departure may be missed more in the locker room than on the ice but that's not easily replaced. As for Gorges he was thought perhaps to be the next captain after Gionta and that he was let go puzzled many, myself included. He has had a rash of injuries and knee problems over the past few years so perhaps the Habs know something the rest of us don't but he was a steadying presence on the back end and from all accounts well like by teammates so it will be on the young defence core, the likes of Beaulieu and Tinordi to step up and fill the void. If they can Montreal may find themselves playing late into the spring.
The Habs are a young team full of talent and up and comers like Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk, newly added PA Parenteau and a proven goaltender in Carey Price, so all signs point to them having another successful season. Are they ready to take that next step? Who knows, but the four men who will shoulder this leadership burden, PK Subban, Max Pacioretty, Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Markov are all key player with different but major roles on the team. You have their leading goal man in Pacioretty, a proven two way defenseman in Markov and a top two way center in Plekanec and an enigmatic often talked about star in Subban who is not one to shy away from the limelight. It will fall to them to lead this group and step up when it matter most.
The theory here perhaps is that the burden may be to much for the younger stars (Subban, Pacioretty) so this will take some of the pressure off, buying them some time to mature into that role. The other issue that cannot be denied in Montreal is the French speaking aspect and their comfort level in dealing with the French media. Former captains have tried their best to learn the language to accommodate this important factor and undoubtedly this new leaders will have to make a similar effort.
Montreal made it to the Eastern Conference finals last year losing to the New York Rangers after knocking off Tampa Bay and their bitter rival Boston Bruins in one of the more entertaining playoff series, and in an Eastern Conference that looks to be there for the taking there's no reason they can't put together another solid post season run.
That said there were a few key departures in the summer that may significantly impact the club. Former captain Brian Gionta and stalward defenceman and fan favorite Josh Gorges are now both with division rival Buffalo who look to improve after several down years. Gionta is a veteran leader who, while not piling up the points like he used to, played a steady two way game and had the experience and respect that you need in a leader especially on a young team. His departure may be missed more in the locker room than on the ice but that's not easily replaced. As for Gorges he was thought perhaps to be the next captain after Gionta and that he was let go puzzled many, myself included. He has had a rash of injuries and knee problems over the past few years so perhaps the Habs know something the rest of us don't but he was a steadying presence on the back end and from all accounts well like by teammates so it will be on the young defence core, the likes of Beaulieu and Tinordi to step up and fill the void. If they can Montreal may find themselves playing late into the spring.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Canadian Collapse - NHL Season Wrap
With the playoffs beginning a week from today Canadian rinks will be emptier than a Coyotes game, the lone exception being the Montreal Canadiens who will in all likelihood face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs.
The Habs have a decent opportunity to make a run in the east with new addition Tomas Vanek fitting in rather nicely with Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais on their top line. Carey Price has a lot to prove going into the playoffs, despite his spectacular play in the Olympics as he's yet to have any real success come April.
Elsewhere in Canada there's nothing left to do but ask questions. And they abound...
In Vancouver the ax has already fallen on GM Mike Gillis who made several moves with his goaltending that can only be described as bizarre. At this point last year they Canucks had two prove number 1 NHL caliber goalies, now...? The always entertaining John Tortorella is still in place behind the bench, for now, but it will be up to Canucks legend and new President of Hockey Operations Trevor Linden to decide his fate. One thing is for sure, we'll get Tort's opinion either way.
In Calgary the Flames continue to rebuild and President of Hockey Operations/Psuedo GM Brian Burke has decision to make on several fronts, aside from whatever that is on his head, including what to do with Mike Cammalleri. He's a proven goal scorer and played reasonably well this season but may command a higher price on the market than the Flames are willing to pay. Rookie Sean Monahan was a nice surprise for the franchise and they have young talent and a solid leader in Mark Giordano so they have pieces in place moving ahead.
In Edmonton, it's a case of deja vu all over again. How many years and high draft picks will it take to turn this organization around? Without a playoff birth since their Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2006 the faithful are getting restless. There is a lot of talent there, more than a lot of other teams, but it seems to fit like a square peg in the round hole. New captain Andrew Ference was brought in to help mold this young group but they seem to have taken a step back. Dallas Eakins had a lot of ups and downs as a first year coach and GM Craig MacTavish will once again have a lottery pick and a number of assets to utilize to improve his roster. Ales Hemsky was already dealt to Ottawa so is this the beginning of (another) rebuild in Oil Country?
The Jets joined the western conference and turned things around, briefly, under new coach Paul Maurice after Claude Noel was fired mid-season, but ultimately came up short of a playoff spot. It will be interesting to see what Maurice can do with the group and what comes of his, seemingly, rocky relationship with star forward Evander Kane. The Jets have some young talent in the likes of Bryan Little and Mark Scheifele but may need to bring in some veteran presence to fit with Maurice's structured style.
In the nation's Capital the 'Pesky Sens' were at worst an annoyance, mostly to their fans, as they showed a consistent lack of consistency all year, especially in their own end. They went from being one of the best defensive teams in the league to one of the worst and while they didn't necessarily get the same level of goaltending they had last season, Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner still covered up a lot of mistakes by a very young defensive core. Erik Karlsson is a dynamic player, often for both teams and this superstar needs to correct his often careless play in his own end. On the plus side Sens fans can see they have a lot of young talent and those young players will continue to improve, ideally, but what is sorely missing is leadership. With the departure of Daniel Alfredsson and Sergi Gonchar Ottawa lost two players who held those young guys accountable and set an example on the ice. GM Bryan Murray may need to add some veteran presence to his locker room to help his young team.
In Toronto there was another collapse of Rob Ford proportions as the Leafs completely faltered down the stretch and will, yet again, miss the post season. They have high end talent and can score goals but this team is as bad in their own any as a pewee squad. They have more turnovers most nights than a bakery and Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer should be given a percentage on their defensemen's contracts for having to do their job as well. This lack of attention to detail has to have driven coach Randy Carlyle nuts especially as a former Norris wining defensman. The had part for the Leafs moving forward however, may be cap issues. With the likes of Kessel, Bozak, Phaneuf and Clarksson signed to hefty long term contracts there won't be a lot to go around when free agency hits so Dave Bolland and others may be on their way out. The improvement in play by young Morgan Reily and Jake Gardiner has to be one bright spot but once again there are more questions than answers in Leaf land.
The Habs have a decent opportunity to make a run in the east with new addition Tomas Vanek fitting in rather nicely with Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais on their top line. Carey Price has a lot to prove going into the playoffs, despite his spectacular play in the Olympics as he's yet to have any real success come April.
Elsewhere in Canada there's nothing left to do but ask questions. And they abound...
In Vancouver the ax has already fallen on GM Mike Gillis who made several moves with his goaltending that can only be described as bizarre. At this point last year they Canucks had two prove number 1 NHL caliber goalies, now...? The always entertaining John Tortorella is still in place behind the bench, for now, but it will be up to Canucks legend and new President of Hockey Operations Trevor Linden to decide his fate. One thing is for sure, we'll get Tort's opinion either way.
In Calgary the Flames continue to rebuild and President of Hockey Operations/Psuedo GM Brian Burke has decision to make on several fronts, aside from whatever that is on his head, including what to do with Mike Cammalleri. He's a proven goal scorer and played reasonably well this season but may command a higher price on the market than the Flames are willing to pay. Rookie Sean Monahan was a nice surprise for the franchise and they have young talent and a solid leader in Mark Giordano so they have pieces in place moving ahead.
In Edmonton, it's a case of deja vu all over again. How many years and high draft picks will it take to turn this organization around? Without a playoff birth since their Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2006 the faithful are getting restless. There is a lot of talent there, more than a lot of other teams, but it seems to fit like a square peg in the round hole. New captain Andrew Ference was brought in to help mold this young group but they seem to have taken a step back. Dallas Eakins had a lot of ups and downs as a first year coach and GM Craig MacTavish will once again have a lottery pick and a number of assets to utilize to improve his roster. Ales Hemsky was already dealt to Ottawa so is this the beginning of (another) rebuild in Oil Country?
The Jets joined the western conference and turned things around, briefly, under new coach Paul Maurice after Claude Noel was fired mid-season, but ultimately came up short of a playoff spot. It will be interesting to see what Maurice can do with the group and what comes of his, seemingly, rocky relationship with star forward Evander Kane. The Jets have some young talent in the likes of Bryan Little and Mark Scheifele but may need to bring in some veteran presence to fit with Maurice's structured style.
In the nation's Capital the 'Pesky Sens' were at worst an annoyance, mostly to their fans, as they showed a consistent lack of consistency all year, especially in their own end. They went from being one of the best defensive teams in the league to one of the worst and while they didn't necessarily get the same level of goaltending they had last season, Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner still covered up a lot of mistakes by a very young defensive core. Erik Karlsson is a dynamic player, often for both teams and this superstar needs to correct his often careless play in his own end. On the plus side Sens fans can see they have a lot of young talent and those young players will continue to improve, ideally, but what is sorely missing is leadership. With the departure of Daniel Alfredsson and Sergi Gonchar Ottawa lost two players who held those young guys accountable and set an example on the ice. GM Bryan Murray may need to add some veteran presence to his locker room to help his young team.
In Toronto there was another collapse of Rob Ford proportions as the Leafs completely faltered down the stretch and will, yet again, miss the post season. They have high end talent and can score goals but this team is as bad in their own any as a pewee squad. They have more turnovers most nights than a bakery and Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer should be given a percentage on their defensemen's contracts for having to do their job as well. This lack of attention to detail has to have driven coach Randy Carlyle nuts especially as a former Norris wining defensman. The had part for the Leafs moving forward however, may be cap issues. With the likes of Kessel, Bozak, Phaneuf and Clarksson signed to hefty long term contracts there won't be a lot to go around when free agency hits so Dave Bolland and others may be on their way out. The improvement in play by young Morgan Reily and Jake Gardiner has to be one bright spot but once again there are more questions than answers in Leaf land.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Round 1 Wrap
Round one of the NHL Playoffs is in the books and it was anything but dull. Here's a quick recap:
Pens Taking Flight?
The Penguins hardly looked liked world beaters for most of their series with the Islanders. They were shaky on defense and Marc-Andre Fleury was even worse in net leading to Tomas Vokoun taking the reigns in goal. The young Islanders, many playing in their first post season, seemed to have answer for every challenge they faced with John Tavares leading the way, showing he truly is among the league's elite. The Pens were able to out score their defensive problems with a lethal offense and solid power play but need more consistency if they want to make a serious title run.
Bruins out of Hibernation?
The Boston Bruins looked like they would make quick work of the young Toronto Maple Leafs after a dominant 4-1 game one victory. However, they were as Claude Julien referred to them a Jekyll and Hyde team the remainder of the series. Never more evident then in their crazy game 7 comeback, though the Leafs did their own transforming act in the third. They generally struggled to find offense and James Reimer in the Toronto net was unbeatable at times. Their epic collapse not withstanding the Leafs could easily have won this series and Boston will have to get more production from the like of Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand is they want to beat a veteran Rangers team.
Original Six, Again...
After one original six match up in round one (Toronto-Boston) we will have two in round two as aside from Rangers vs. Bruins the Chicago Blackhawks face bitter rival Detroit. The Red Wings knocked off the Anaheim Ducks in seven and are a dangerous team even if they finished well back of Chicago in the standings. The Blackhawks disposed of a scrappy Minnesota team in five games and look to make a serious cup run. This series shouldn't take long to heat up as neither team wants to lose to such a hated foe.
Canada's Team
After beating the Canadiens in five the Ottawa Senators are now the only Canadian team left in the tournament. They draw the Penguins a team that will give a young Ottawa team all it can handle, especially defensively, but with the way Craig Anderson is playing in the Ottawa goal, the Sens will not go quietly. They have veteran leadership and have gotten timely scoring so far this playoff this series shapes up to be a beauty. Oh, and there was that little incident with Mat Cooke...
California Love
The Ducks faltered but both the Sharks and defending champ Kings moved on and will face each other in round 2. The Sharks are a veteran team who looked good, at times, against Vancouver and if they can get solid goaltending from Anti Niemmi they could knock off the champs but LA is a very physical team, their series with St. Louis likely measured on the Richter scale, and have more depth. Jonathan Quick is playing very well in goal for LA and they have the experience to get the job done. They are the first defending champ to get out of the first round in several years and don't seem interested in relinquishing their reign.
Biggest Disappointment?
We'll start with Ovi. Alexander Ovechkin ended the NHL season on a tear but put up only 2 measly points in seven games as his Capitals fell to the Rangers, again. Ovechkin has put up solid numbers in the playoffs before but this is the latest failure for a team that has the talent to do more. What changes will or should be made are still debatable but they just can't seem to get the job done in Washington...seems fitting, no?
The Canucks and Ducks both went into their series as a higher seed and both failed to get the job done. Though at least Anaheim won a game. Vancouver bowed out in four straight and look to have more problems than answers moving forward. The Canucks have a lot of talent but can't seem to get it to produce in the clutch. The Sedin's were mediocre and there was very little secondary scoring beyond Ryan Kessler. They have to deal with the goaltending situation as well. In Anaheim Bruce Boudreau continues to lack playoff success. Not sure why but again his big guns, much like in Washington, didn't step up when it mattered most. What move GM Bob Murray makes we can only speculate but perhaps helping an aging D core by moving a forward may be in order, Bobby Ryan perhaps?
The Canadiens went down to the Sens in 5 in a series that was a bit off a toss up going in so the fact that either team won in 5 was a surprise but it was how they lost. Several blow out games and a lack of composure on several occasions but Brando Prust, Josh Gorges, PK Subban and Branden Gallagher showed how frustrated they were. The Habs have a lot of young talent and will be in better position than most moving forward but need to mature.
Round 2 awaits...
Pens Taking Flight?
The Penguins hardly looked liked world beaters for most of their series with the Islanders. They were shaky on defense and Marc-Andre Fleury was even worse in net leading to Tomas Vokoun taking the reigns in goal. The young Islanders, many playing in their first post season, seemed to have answer for every challenge they faced with John Tavares leading the way, showing he truly is among the league's elite. The Pens were able to out score their defensive problems with a lethal offense and solid power play but need more consistency if they want to make a serious title run.
Bruins out of Hibernation?
The Boston Bruins looked like they would make quick work of the young Toronto Maple Leafs after a dominant 4-1 game one victory. However, they were as Claude Julien referred to them a Jekyll and Hyde team the remainder of the series. Never more evident then in their crazy game 7 comeback, though the Leafs did their own transforming act in the third. They generally struggled to find offense and James Reimer in the Toronto net was unbeatable at times. Their epic collapse not withstanding the Leafs could easily have won this series and Boston will have to get more production from the like of Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand is they want to beat a veteran Rangers team.
Original Six, Again...
After one original six match up in round one (Toronto-Boston) we will have two in round two as aside from Rangers vs. Bruins the Chicago Blackhawks face bitter rival Detroit. The Red Wings knocked off the Anaheim Ducks in seven and are a dangerous team even if they finished well back of Chicago in the standings. The Blackhawks disposed of a scrappy Minnesota team in five games and look to make a serious cup run. This series shouldn't take long to heat up as neither team wants to lose to such a hated foe.
Canada's Team
After beating the Canadiens in five the Ottawa Senators are now the only Canadian team left in the tournament. They draw the Penguins a team that will give a young Ottawa team all it can handle, especially defensively, but with the way Craig Anderson is playing in the Ottawa goal, the Sens will not go quietly. They have veteran leadership and have gotten timely scoring so far this playoff this series shapes up to be a beauty. Oh, and there was that little incident with Mat Cooke...
California Love
The Ducks faltered but both the Sharks and defending champ Kings moved on and will face each other in round 2. The Sharks are a veteran team who looked good, at times, against Vancouver and if they can get solid goaltending from Anti Niemmi they could knock off the champs but LA is a very physical team, their series with St. Louis likely measured on the Richter scale, and have more depth. Jonathan Quick is playing very well in goal for LA and they have the experience to get the job done. They are the first defending champ to get out of the first round in several years and don't seem interested in relinquishing their reign.
Biggest Disappointment?
We'll start with Ovi. Alexander Ovechkin ended the NHL season on a tear but put up only 2 measly points in seven games as his Capitals fell to the Rangers, again. Ovechkin has put up solid numbers in the playoffs before but this is the latest failure for a team that has the talent to do more. What changes will or should be made are still debatable but they just can't seem to get the job done in Washington...seems fitting, no?
The Canucks and Ducks both went into their series as a higher seed and both failed to get the job done. Though at least Anaheim won a game. Vancouver bowed out in four straight and look to have more problems than answers moving forward. The Canucks have a lot of talent but can't seem to get it to produce in the clutch. The Sedin's were mediocre and there was very little secondary scoring beyond Ryan Kessler. They have to deal with the goaltending situation as well. In Anaheim Bruce Boudreau continues to lack playoff success. Not sure why but again his big guns, much like in Washington, didn't step up when it mattered most. What move GM Bob Murray makes we can only speculate but perhaps helping an aging D core by moving a forward may be in order, Bobby Ryan perhaps?
The Canadiens went down to the Sens in 5 in a series that was a bit off a toss up going in so the fact that either team won in 5 was a surprise but it was how they lost. Several blow out games and a lack of composure on several occasions but Brando Prust, Josh Gorges, PK Subban and Branden Gallagher showed how frustrated they were. The Habs have a lot of young talent and will be in better position than most moving forward but need to mature.
Round 2 awaits...
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Let's Get Ready to Rumble!!
There had been little in the way of animosity between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens coming into this playoff series, especially when you consider they have been divisional rivals for years. They have the common enemy of the Toronto Maple Leafs and have never met in the post season, in the modern era. However all it took was one huge hit by Eric Gryba on Lars Eller in game one to ignite what is becoming a can't miss series, like watching a train wreck meeting an avalanche.
This pent up anger resulted in an all out brawl in game three's 6-1 Sens blowout and their captain Daniel Alfredsson having to play defense as there were no other bodies left. Both benches were emptier than even the rockiest marriage as there were 9 game misconducts in all. PK Subban who ran around like a punk all night, went after Kyle Turris who put up all the resistance of a rag doll and was quoted as saying 'it didn't matter if he wanted to go or not'. And Michelle Therrien called Paul MacLean classless...
Granted taking a time out with 17 seconds left wasn't exactly taking the high road, personally I didn't get it, and I understand why Therrien was upset but MacLean claims he was doing so to protect his players and would do so every time. Whether or not you you by that is up to you, but one thing is for sure, Montreal didn't conduct themselves any better. Josh Georges fired the puck at Turris as time expired and both Rene Bourque and Brendan Gallagher took cheap shots at Cory Conacher before he eventually had to fight back. Therrien's team showed little fight except for these dirty plays.
Craig Anderson let a weak one in but otherwise was stellar. Carey Price was hardly the reason his team lost but wasn't elite. He has played well and the team in front of him has let him down but they need him to make some big saves it they are going to bounce back tonight.
And just for good measure Eric Gryba checks back in after serving his two game suspension, a bogus call by the way, for decking Lars Eller in game one. Paul MacLean was asked it there would be any revenge from the Canadiens. He said he'd be interested to see. I think we all will...
This pent up anger resulted in an all out brawl in game three's 6-1 Sens blowout and their captain Daniel Alfredsson having to play defense as there were no other bodies left. Both benches were emptier than even the rockiest marriage as there were 9 game misconducts in all. PK Subban who ran around like a punk all night, went after Kyle Turris who put up all the resistance of a rag doll and was quoted as saying 'it didn't matter if he wanted to go or not'. And Michelle Therrien called Paul MacLean classless...
Granted taking a time out with 17 seconds left wasn't exactly taking the high road, personally I didn't get it, and I understand why Therrien was upset but MacLean claims he was doing so to protect his players and would do so every time. Whether or not you you by that is up to you, but one thing is for sure, Montreal didn't conduct themselves any better. Josh Georges fired the puck at Turris as time expired and both Rene Bourque and Brendan Gallagher took cheap shots at Cory Conacher before he eventually had to fight back. Therrien's team showed little fight except for these dirty plays.
Craig Anderson let a weak one in but otherwise was stellar. Carey Price was hardly the reason his team lost but wasn't elite. He has played well and the team in front of him has let him down but they need him to make some big saves it they are going to bounce back tonight.
And just for good measure Eric Gryba checks back in after serving his two game suspension, a bogus call by the way, for decking Lars Eller in game one. Paul MacLean was asked it there would be any revenge from the Canadiens. He said he'd be interested to see. I think we all will...
Monday, March 11, 2013
Coaches Corner
The NHL season is now just past the half way point and with several teams exceeding expectations we'll take a look at some of the men behind the bench who are responsible.
Paul MacLean. Ottawa Senators: The Sens surprised many last year by making the playoffs and then nearly knocking off the top seeded New York Rangers in the first round. The Sens have a young, hard working team and have responded well to their coach. they started the year off well and things looked great moving forward until the injuries began to pile up. all Stars Jason Spezza, and Erik Karlsson both out for most of the year with injuries, Milan Michalek continues to miss time with a bad knee, Jard Cowan has been out all year and Craig Anderson who still leads the league in save percentage and goals against average have all missed significant time. No one would be surprised if the team dropped off severely and they may yet stumble, but to this point they are sitting in a playoff spot because of the hard work and structured nature of their game. they are not flashy or offensively gifted but they play hard and play together and this has put MacLean on the list of candidates for the Jack Adams award.
Michel Therrien, Montreal Canadiens: Therrien returned to Montreal at a time where they was much change in the organization. New GM Marc Bergevian had to try to improve their fortunes quickly and so far the results have been great. The Habs were coming off a disappointing season finishing dead last in the east a year ago. They had injury problems and didn't seem to be playing up to their potential. A healthy Brian Gionta and Andre Markov combined with impressive rookies Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher have helped them improve greatly. Therrien has them playing hard and with Carey Price in goal they have a lot of people in Montreal talking about a playoff run.
Bruce Boudreau, Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks had won a cup in 2007 under Randy Carlyle but whether his message wore thin or the players just lost focus, the Ducks underperformed in a big way last year. Boudreau was brought in and since that time they have been one of the best teams in the league. He has a lot of high end talent to work with, as he did in Washington, and has they Ducks looking like a contender in the west. Ryan Getzlaf, armed with a hefty new contract, and Corey Perry are having bounce back years and they continue to get production from veterans Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne.
Randy Carlyle, Toronto Maple Leafs: Many, myself included, thought the Leafs would once again hover around a playoff spot but ultimately fall short. While that still may happen don't tell Randy Carlyle. The Leafs are becoming a much harder team to play against and have exceeded the expectations most had for them heading into this season. They have had injuries to players like Matt Fratin, Joffrey Lupul and James Reimer but other like Nazim Kadri and James Van Riemsdyk have stepped up and Phil Kessel is finally starting to get a few goals. The Leafs may not be cup contenders but they have improved their style and structure of play greatly under Carlyle.
Joel Quenville, Chicago Blackhawks: Chicago is a talented team who play hard, play well together and they are a reflection of their coaches work ethic. Quneville has guided this team to a record point streak to start the year and while he has a lot of high end talent they are also some of the hardest working two way players in the game. Hossa, Sharp and Toews all play a 200 foot game and Patrick Kane has been lighting it up offensively. The Hawks will be a contender and if Cory Crawford and Ray Emery can shoulder the load Quneville may hoist his second cup with this group.
Paul MacLean. Ottawa Senators: The Sens surprised many last year by making the playoffs and then nearly knocking off the top seeded New York Rangers in the first round. The Sens have a young, hard working team and have responded well to their coach. they started the year off well and things looked great moving forward until the injuries began to pile up. all Stars Jason Spezza, and Erik Karlsson both out for most of the year with injuries, Milan Michalek continues to miss time with a bad knee, Jard Cowan has been out all year and Craig Anderson who still leads the league in save percentage and goals against average have all missed significant time. No one would be surprised if the team dropped off severely and they may yet stumble, but to this point they are sitting in a playoff spot because of the hard work and structured nature of their game. they are not flashy or offensively gifted but they play hard and play together and this has put MacLean on the list of candidates for the Jack Adams award.
Michel Therrien, Montreal Canadiens: Therrien returned to Montreal at a time where they was much change in the organization. New GM Marc Bergevian had to try to improve their fortunes quickly and so far the results have been great. The Habs were coming off a disappointing season finishing dead last in the east a year ago. They had injury problems and didn't seem to be playing up to their potential. A healthy Brian Gionta and Andre Markov combined with impressive rookies Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher have helped them improve greatly. Therrien has them playing hard and with Carey Price in goal they have a lot of people in Montreal talking about a playoff run.
Bruce Boudreau, Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks had won a cup in 2007 under Randy Carlyle but whether his message wore thin or the players just lost focus, the Ducks underperformed in a big way last year. Boudreau was brought in and since that time they have been one of the best teams in the league. He has a lot of high end talent to work with, as he did in Washington, and has they Ducks looking like a contender in the west. Ryan Getzlaf, armed with a hefty new contract, and Corey Perry are having bounce back years and they continue to get production from veterans Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne.
Randy Carlyle, Toronto Maple Leafs: Many, myself included, thought the Leafs would once again hover around a playoff spot but ultimately fall short. While that still may happen don't tell Randy Carlyle. The Leafs are becoming a much harder team to play against and have exceeded the expectations most had for them heading into this season. They have had injuries to players like Matt Fratin, Joffrey Lupul and James Reimer but other like Nazim Kadri and James Van Riemsdyk have stepped up and Phil Kessel is finally starting to get a few goals. The Leafs may not be cup contenders but they have improved their style and structure of play greatly under Carlyle.
Joel Quenville, Chicago Blackhawks: Chicago is a talented team who play hard, play well together and they are a reflection of their coaches work ethic. Quneville has guided this team to a record point streak to start the year and while he has a lot of high end talent they are also some of the hardest working two way players in the game. Hossa, Sharp and Toews all play a 200 foot game and Patrick Kane has been lighting it up offensively. The Hawks will be a contender and if Cory Crawford and Ray Emery can shoulder the load Quneville may hoist his second cup with this group.
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