#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.
Showing posts with label New York Rangers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York Rangers. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
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.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Conn-spiracy Theory
The NHL, like most professional sports leagues, is driven by it's major markets and there are few if any larger than Toronto. The self proclaimed center of the universe is a hockey mad mecca that bleeds blue and white. In fact Maple Leafs fans border on the insane (the definition of insanity being to do the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result. In this case expecting their team to win the Stanley Cup.) Gotta admire their dedication. With their cup drought approaching 50 years and little to no sign of that finishing anytime soon could the NHL's new Draft Lottery rules actually help to end this torment? And could the league itself be complicit?
With the trade of Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli to Nashville it's safe to say the Leafs have bid sionora to the season. Though I give them a full credit this time around as for once they're actually positioning themselves for a top pick and acquiring assets for potential unrestricted free agents after years of foolishly clinging to the belief that they could make the playoffs and holding on to such players only to see their hopes dashed along with any shot at a top prospect. GM Dave Nonis and his group have, I guess you can say earned a shot at getting a top pick and as a result of the new format of the NHL Draft Lottery, could even get the first overall pick.
This is where the fun begins. The NHL's new Draft Lottery format allows any team that doesn't qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs to have a chance at winning the lottery and picking first overall. Now, the percentages are drastically lower the further back you are but to quote Lloyd Christmas: "You're saying there's a chance?!" The Buffalo Sabres currently sit in the NHL's basement and are set to have the best odds, (20%) at picking concensus number one overall pick Connor McDavid. McDavid is touted as a generational talent, a player who could single-handedly transform a franchise's fortunes. The long suffering fans of Buffalo could use such a saviour. GM Tim Murray has stockpiled a number of talented young players and draft picks to rebuild, but this would be the ultimate payoff for several lackluster seasons on the ice. It's a city with a loyal, knowledgeable, fan base, long hockey tradition and Hall of Fame players like Gilbert Perreault and Domink Hasek but would the league be best served by having McDavid there or say, in a much larger hockey market not that far north?
This is a league who has few universally recognizable faces or names to market across the US. While Buffalo is a certainly hockey town it's a small market so the question is would McDavid and the league be well served by having an up and coming young superstar playing here, or in some hockey backwater like Carolina or Arizona? Well, sure....maybe. The argument for how this benefits everyone is simple: if he goes to a floundering team like Arizona or Carolina he'll instantly drum up interest and put fannies in the seats, both at home and when those teams are on the road. There are no more tickets to sell in Toronto and Leafs fans will cheer for them regardless so how is this more beneficial to the league?
A. Jersey sales. While Connor McDavid is exceptionally talented he alone is unlikely to turn North Carolina or Arizona into hockey mad states where there is a jersey on the back of every fan and they dominate any and all sports conversation. The NHL is always front page stuff in the great white north and the sheer amount of product he would move in TO would be staggering and most importantly from a league standpoint extremely profitable.
B. Actual Ticket Sales: Are these arenas, which have thousands of empty seats on any given night suddenly going to be the hottest ticket in town selling out every game? No. The reality is while it would in all likely-hood increase ticket revenue and attendance in these markets, it's not going to suddenly drag non hockey fans out to the rink. Carolina is a Stanley Cup champion not that long ago. If that didn't create a true hockey market, neither will this.
C. Playoff Revenue/Ratings: If McDavid can get the Leafs back to the playoffs, even if this only resulted in the minimum two home games, it could generate more interest and revenue than a long run in other markets. When the Leafs were in the playoffs a few years back the average ticket price was $218. 20. This is almost as much if not more than the most expensive seats in other markets. Say what you like, money talks. Also, hockey fans south of the border recognize the blue and white and are much more likely to watch a hockey game involving a traditional six team than other markets. This has been illustrated by the significantly higher TV ratings when a market like, Boston, Chicago or the Rangers were in the Stanley cup finals over the past few years vs. when teams like the Devils and Kings faced off several years ago.
D. Bandage Solution: McDavid would undoubtedly help the league in a small market while he played, and that team could even attract better free agents to help him purse a championship, but the question is will the effect last? During his tenure, sure, but afterwards? And could these teams generate the revenue necessary to fill a roster will top end talent needed for such an endeavour even with him?
Yes it's a reach to suggest that the league would do whatever they could to put McDavid in blue and white come October. This is a billion dollar franchise who doesn't even need to win, but if they ever did...
With the trade of Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli to Nashville it's safe to say the Leafs have bid sionora to the season. Though I give them a full credit this time around as for once they're actually positioning themselves for a top pick and acquiring assets for potential unrestricted free agents after years of foolishly clinging to the belief that they could make the playoffs and holding on to such players only to see their hopes dashed along with any shot at a top prospect. GM Dave Nonis and his group have, I guess you can say earned a shot at getting a top pick and as a result of the new format of the NHL Draft Lottery, could even get the first overall pick.
This is where the fun begins. The NHL's new Draft Lottery format allows any team that doesn't qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs to have a chance at winning the lottery and picking first overall. Now, the percentages are drastically lower the further back you are but to quote Lloyd Christmas: "You're saying there's a chance?!" The Buffalo Sabres currently sit in the NHL's basement and are set to have the best odds, (20%) at picking concensus number one overall pick Connor McDavid. McDavid is touted as a generational talent, a player who could single-handedly transform a franchise's fortunes. The long suffering fans of Buffalo could use such a saviour. GM Tim Murray has stockpiled a number of talented young players and draft picks to rebuild, but this would be the ultimate payoff for several lackluster seasons on the ice. It's a city with a loyal, knowledgeable, fan base, long hockey tradition and Hall of Fame players like Gilbert Perreault and Domink Hasek but would the league be best served by having McDavid there or say, in a much larger hockey market not that far north?
This is a league who has few universally recognizable faces or names to market across the US. While Buffalo is a certainly hockey town it's a small market so the question is would McDavid and the league be well served by having an up and coming young superstar playing here, or in some hockey backwater like Carolina or Arizona? Well, sure....maybe. The argument for how this benefits everyone is simple: if he goes to a floundering team like Arizona or Carolina he'll instantly drum up interest and put fannies in the seats, both at home and when those teams are on the road. There are no more tickets to sell in Toronto and Leafs fans will cheer for them regardless so how is this more beneficial to the league?
A. Jersey sales. While Connor McDavid is exceptionally talented he alone is unlikely to turn North Carolina or Arizona into hockey mad states where there is a jersey on the back of every fan and they dominate any and all sports conversation. The NHL is always front page stuff in the great white north and the sheer amount of product he would move in TO would be staggering and most importantly from a league standpoint extremely profitable.
B. Actual Ticket Sales: Are these arenas, which have thousands of empty seats on any given night suddenly going to be the hottest ticket in town selling out every game? No. The reality is while it would in all likely-hood increase ticket revenue and attendance in these markets, it's not going to suddenly drag non hockey fans out to the rink. Carolina is a Stanley Cup champion not that long ago. If that didn't create a true hockey market, neither will this.
C. Playoff Revenue/Ratings: If McDavid can get the Leafs back to the playoffs, even if this only resulted in the minimum two home games, it could generate more interest and revenue than a long run in other markets. When the Leafs were in the playoffs a few years back the average ticket price was $218. 20. This is almost as much if not more than the most expensive seats in other markets. Say what you like, money talks. Also, hockey fans south of the border recognize the blue and white and are much more likely to watch a hockey game involving a traditional six team than other markets. This has been illustrated by the significantly higher TV ratings when a market like, Boston, Chicago or the Rangers were in the Stanley cup finals over the past few years vs. when teams like the Devils and Kings faced off several years ago.
D. Bandage Solution: McDavid would undoubtedly help the league in a small market while he played, and that team could even attract better free agents to help him purse a championship, but the question is will the effect last? During his tenure, sure, but afterwards? And could these teams generate the revenue necessary to fill a roster will top end talent needed for such an endeavour even with him?
Yes it's a reach to suggest that the league would do whatever they could to put McDavid in blue and white come October. This is a billion dollar franchise who doesn't even need to win, but if they ever did...
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Steel City Meltdown
Another season, another bitter failure for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sidney Crosby and company laid the proverbial egg blowing a 3-1 series lead against the rival New York Rangers and now have another long off season of questions ahead.
Unlike other recent playoff debacles where much of the blame was (rightly) dumped squarely on the shoulders of goalie Marc Andre Fleury it was the Penguins high priced forwards who failed to get the job done, all be it against a very solid defensive Rangers team and one of the best goalies in the world in 'King' Henrik Lundqvist.
Sidney Crosby had only one goal in the post season and Evgeni Malkin, aside from his hat-trick early on did very little. Their leading goal scorer was Jussi Jokinen, who, with all due respect, shouldn't be their top forward regardless of how well he played (and was full value for his effort) as last I checked this wasn't a shoot out. Pascal Dupuis's season ending injury months ago through the lines into chaos and forced coach Dan Bylsma to mix and match but with the talent of Pittsburgh's top six and their skilled puck moving D their failure to capitalize on their opportunities was ultimately their undoing.
Comparisons will ultimately be made between dynamic groups of forwards and if you look around the league the like of Chicago's Toews and Kane are proving to be the ultimate clutch tandem. Crosby and Malkin? Say what you want about their effort and how much they controlled the play at times, all of which is true, they never seemed not to care or be giving less than their all, but in the end results are what matter and they couldn't get the job done when it counted most. When called upon to step up, they couldn't find an answer. Now they certainly weren't alone in that category, Chris Kunitz,, Kris Letang and James Neil did little the last few games in terms of production and now this whole group has to be held accountable.
Many will blame the coach but that lets the players off the hook far to easily. Ray Shiero the GM has come under fire as well and rightfully so. The Penguins lack the depth they had when they won it all in 2009 and have failed to make the Finals since. When Crosby is playing with Lee Stempniak, or Brian Gibbons you appreciate that he has a roster in need of a top six forward. Now injuries play a part but again that's an excuse. Your talent either rises to the challenge and repeatedly of late in the Steel City it hasn't. You can bet changes will follow.
Unlike other recent playoff debacles where much of the blame was (rightly) dumped squarely on the shoulders of goalie Marc Andre Fleury it was the Penguins high priced forwards who failed to get the job done, all be it against a very solid defensive Rangers team and one of the best goalies in the world in 'King' Henrik Lundqvist.
Sidney Crosby had only one goal in the post season and Evgeni Malkin, aside from his hat-trick early on did very little. Their leading goal scorer was Jussi Jokinen, who, with all due respect, shouldn't be their top forward regardless of how well he played (and was full value for his effort) as last I checked this wasn't a shoot out. Pascal Dupuis's season ending injury months ago through the lines into chaos and forced coach Dan Bylsma to mix and match but with the talent of Pittsburgh's top six and their skilled puck moving D their failure to capitalize on their opportunities was ultimately their undoing.
Comparisons will ultimately be made between dynamic groups of forwards and if you look around the league the like of Chicago's Toews and Kane are proving to be the ultimate clutch tandem. Crosby and Malkin? Say what you want about their effort and how much they controlled the play at times, all of which is true, they never seemed not to care or be giving less than their all, but in the end results are what matter and they couldn't get the job done when it counted most. When called upon to step up, they couldn't find an answer. Now they certainly weren't alone in that category, Chris Kunitz,, Kris Letang and James Neil did little the last few games in terms of production and now this whole group has to be held accountable.
Many will blame the coach but that lets the players off the hook far to easily. Ray Shiero the GM has come under fire as well and rightfully so. The Penguins lack the depth they had when they won it all in 2009 and have failed to make the Finals since. When Crosby is playing with Lee Stempniak, or Brian Gibbons you appreciate that he has a roster in need of a top six forward. Now injuries play a part but again that's an excuse. Your talent either rises to the challenge and repeatedly of late in the Steel City it hasn't. You can bet changes will follow.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Captain Conundrum
With the Ottawa Senators season long since over, they've had ample time to reflect and the trade rumors have begun to gain momentum like Ray Emery cruising down the 417. The most speculated of these is of course their captain Jason Spezza and what the future holds for number 19. The fact that he is captain may be contentious in itself but the fact is when he's healthy he's a point a game player, one of the best face off men and play makers in the league and an elite forwards aren't exactly in the bargain bin. Suitors have emerged such as the San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks and the New York Rangers (because that's just what they do) but is there anyone who can give Ottawa a solid return?
Now, I've never been Spezza's biggest supporter and am not totally opposed to trading him, IF the price is right. And that's the problem facing GM Bryan Murray. What is fair value for him, and how do you replace his impact on the team? Who takes those key draws late in games or runs the power play down low? That's not to say his game is without flaw. Countless times I've seen his infamous back pass to...nobody in particular, or watched other top centermen beat him to the net in his own end. However his defensive game has improved and often times this season it was his wingers or Ottawa's young defensive core that were to blame in their own end.
It's funny that he once again finds himself the center, (no pun intended) of controversy as when he came into the league Jacques Martin was afraid to play him because of his defensive inexperience. As he grew other faults were found and he was much maligned for the teams struggles for no particular reason.
The post- Alfredsson era was going to be an adjustment regardless and clearly did not start well in the nations capital but the loss of Sergi Gonchar may have hurt them every bit as much as it was the costly turn overs and mistakes in coverage in their own end that more often than not resulted in the puck going in the wrong net. Their goaltending which stole games last year was very average and their young core just seemed directionless at times. One can certainly hold leadership accountable and as captain Spezza must shoulder his share of the blame but he certainly is the only one at fault.
It wasn't all that long ago that Spezza was setting Dany Heatly up for back to back fifty goal season and helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Finals. I don't recall a lot of people calling for his head during those years. What Spezza needs and may have found with late season addition Ales Hemsky is a top six forward to play with. When Milan Michalek was healthy the other year he certainly fit the bill and both had solid seasons but that hasn't been the case of late and with Michalek's contract up perhaps Ottawa would be wisest to sign his fellow countrymen Hemsky and promote a young winger to form a 1A line after the Turris, MacArthur, Ryan unit.
Spezza's cap hit of 7 million isn't a huge sum and this is a franchise who has lost the like of Havlat, Chara, Redden and Alfredsson its most celebrated hero for next to nothing, they can't afford to let it happen again.
Now, I've never been Spezza's biggest supporter and am not totally opposed to trading him, IF the price is right. And that's the problem facing GM Bryan Murray. What is fair value for him, and how do you replace his impact on the team? Who takes those key draws late in games or runs the power play down low? That's not to say his game is without flaw. Countless times I've seen his infamous back pass to...nobody in particular, or watched other top centermen beat him to the net in his own end. However his defensive game has improved and often times this season it was his wingers or Ottawa's young defensive core that were to blame in their own end.
It's funny that he once again finds himself the center, (no pun intended) of controversy as when he came into the league Jacques Martin was afraid to play him because of his defensive inexperience. As he grew other faults were found and he was much maligned for the teams struggles for no particular reason.
The post- Alfredsson era was going to be an adjustment regardless and clearly did not start well in the nations capital but the loss of Sergi Gonchar may have hurt them every bit as much as it was the costly turn overs and mistakes in coverage in their own end that more often than not resulted in the puck going in the wrong net. Their goaltending which stole games last year was very average and their young core just seemed directionless at times. One can certainly hold leadership accountable and as captain Spezza must shoulder his share of the blame but he certainly is the only one at fault.
It wasn't all that long ago that Spezza was setting Dany Heatly up for back to back fifty goal season and helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Finals. I don't recall a lot of people calling for his head during those years. What Spezza needs and may have found with late season addition Ales Hemsky is a top six forward to play with. When Milan Michalek was healthy the other year he certainly fit the bill and both had solid seasons but that hasn't been the case of late and with Michalek's contract up perhaps Ottawa would be wisest to sign his fellow countrymen Hemsky and promote a young winger to form a 1A line after the Turris, MacArthur, Ryan unit.
Spezza's cap hit of 7 million isn't a huge sum and this is a franchise who has lost the like of Havlat, Chara, Redden and Alfredsson its most celebrated hero for next to nothing, they can't afford to let it happen again.
Monday, September 30, 2013
NHL 2013-14 Preview Extravaganza!
The leaves are changing colours, the Maple Leafs will soon be falling, and the days are getting shorter than John Tortorella's patience. Yes folks, hockey is back, and with plenty of off season changes, we'll take a look at the season ahead.
Anaheim - The Ducks resigned Cory Perry and Ryan Getzlaf to lucrative contracts and with both looking to
return to Canada's Olympic roster they should earn that money. They also traded Bobby Ryan to
Ottawa but got a talented young player in Jakob Silfverberg in return to add to a roster of other
young players like Nick Bonnio, Cam Fowler, Matt Beleskey, Kyle Palmieri and the seemingly
ageless Teemu Selanne . Look for the Ducks to make a serious push for the post season.
Boston - The defending Eastern Conference champs will be looking to repeat and acquired, finally, free
agent Jerome Iginla to help them. They lost defenceman Andrew Ference to Edmonton but have
young guns Tory Krug and Dougie Hamilton on the back end along with Captain Zedeno Chara.
Goalie Tuuka Raask was locked up to a new deal so the Bruins will once again be a bear to play
against.
Buffalo - The Sabres biggest question, as it was last year, is which Ryan Miller will they get? The one who
was widely considered one of the best in the game a few seasons ago, or the guy they've had
lately? With a potential Team USA spot on the line look for Miller to come out of the gate strong,
though much of his success may depend Tyler Myers and the rest of Buffalo's blue line to bounce
back from a forgettable season.
Calgary - The Flames admitted they had burnt out and are now in full rebuild mode. Gone are Jerome Iginla,
Jay Bowmeester and Miika Kiprussof. They have a number of young players like Shawn
Monahan looking to make an impact and added Joe Colbourn from Toronto for some size up
front. how Kari Ramo does in goal will have a lot to do with their success but it may be a long
season of growing pains for coach Bob Hartley, necessary for this transition.
Carolina - The Hurricanes, in the estimation of many, underperformed last year and much of that can be
attributed to key injuries, mainly to starting goalie Cam Ward. They have talent, and three Stall
brothers, which should put them in the mix in the east for a playoff spot. The chemistry between
Alexander Semin and Eric Stall likely helped get Semin his shiny new contract so he now has to
live up to it.
Chicago - The Champs from the Windy City blew away the competition, only after nearly blowing it against
the rival Red Wings, but have all the makings of a contender. Ray Emery is gone back to Philly
replaced by veteran Nikolai Khabibulin, Dave Bolland is now with the Leafs and Michale Frolik
with the Jets, but the Blackhawks have a ton of depth and experience. Captain Jonathan Toews
leads this dynamic group who will look to be the first repeat champ since the Red Wings in
1997/98.
Colorado - The addition of first overall pick Nathan Mckinnon was huge for the Avalanche, but was
somewhat over shadowed by the return of one of the biggest names in the game, Patrick Roy
who brings his fiery personality behind the bench after a successful stint with the Quebec
Ramparts in the QMJHL where he won a Memorial Cup. It will be up to Colorado's other
young guns in Paul Stastny, Matt Duschene and captain Gabriel Landeskog to lead this group
who will have help from veteran Alex Tanguay who returns to the club as a free agent.
Columbus - The Buckeye state saw their team make a serious push for the post season and relocation to
Eastern Conference should help the fan base get to see more games. The performance of Sergi
Bobrovski, the Vezina winner, and the addition of Marion Gaborik and Nathan Horton should
make this an interesting young club to watch.
Dallas - The Stars realigned after failing to make the post season again last year. Gone are Loui Ericsson
and Jaromir Jagr. In are Shawn Horcoff and Tyler Seguin who look to help return this team to the
post season. The talented Jamie Benn was named captain and new head coach Lindey Ruff will
have veteran addition Sergi Gonchar on the back end to help the power play and mentor the young
defensive core.
Detroit - The Wings didn't spend any time idling this summer as the men from the motor city revved up their
offense with the addition, somehow, of Daniel Alfredsson and Steven Weiss. The Wings almost
knocked off the rival Blackhawks last season and with their move to the Eastern conference they
will be a very serious contender to make another long playoff run. Jimmy Howard has proven he
can shoulder the load in net so it will be up to his defensive core to perform in front of him.
Edmonton - The Oilers are now at that stage where everyone, especially new GM Craig McTavish and
new head coach Dallas Eakins, will be looking for them to take that next step. They acquired
newly named captain Andrew Ference to shore up the blue line and provide leadership now that
Shawn Horcoff is in Dallas, but it will be up to the like of Sam Gagner and Ryan
Nugent-Hopkins (when they return from injury) as well as Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle to
show they can lead. Devin Dubnyk faced more shots than any goalie last season and performed
well but will need to step up for the Oilers to have any chance at the post season.
Florida - The Panthers added veteran presence in Ryan Whitney, Scott Gomez and the mercurial Tim
Thomas, back from his self imposed leave, to a core of young up and comers like Jonathan
Huberdeau and Jakob Markstrom. The Panthers will have a tough time competing in the east if
they aren't able to get their young players who have some experience like Shawn Mathias and
Chris Versteeg to step up. The addition of Brad Boyes gives them some help scoring goals should
he be able to find some chemistry with his new line mates. They have young talent like Erik
Gudbranson and Dmitry Kulikov on the blue line anchored by veteran captain Ed Jovanovski
who will also have to step up.
Los Angeles - The Kings have much of their roster in tact from their cup with two years ago and are looking
to reclaim their crown. The loss of Jonathan Bernier to Toronto means less depth in goal but
if Jonathan Quick can get off to a solid start, and they can stay healthy, their season may have
another Hollywood ending.
Minnesota - The Wild spent a lot of money last off season and it payed early dividends with both Zack
Parise and Ryan Suter stepping up and helping lead them to a playoff spot. They have a new
division rival in nearby Winnipeg and if Josh Harding can continue to perform under his own
difficult personal circumstances, the Wild could make another playoff push. The loss of Devin
Setoguchi to Winnipeg means more production will be expected out of Dany Heatley and
captain Miko Koivu as well as last years deadline addition Jason Pomminville.
Montreal - The Habs added several parts this off season in the flashy Daniel Briere, the rugged Douglas
Murray and scrapper/mustache enthusiast George Parros in order to return to the post season.
The Habs will need a full season of production from Norris Trophy winner PK Subban as well as
a bounce back year from Carey Price, tagged by many to make Canada's Olympic team, in
order to succeed. Their turn around last season was incredible but they will have to show it
wasn't a fluke.
Nashville - The Predators will be, well, the Predators. They likely won't be flashy or high scoring but with
Barry Trotz calling the shots, and a solid blue line anchored by Shea Weber and one of the best
goalies in the game in Pekka Rinne the Preds should be consistent and not a lot of fun to play
against. The addition of Seth Jones will help ensure the blue line will have more depth and with
Ryan Ellis's continued development it is a strong suit.
New Jersey - GM Lou Lamarillo pulled off a deal the Devil himself would be proud of, basically stealing
Corey Schneider from Vancouver for a first round pick. The old question of what the hell will
they do when Brodeur retires seems to have been answered. The addition of Jaromir Jagr will
not replace the loss of Ilya Kovalchuck by any means, but adds a veteran presence who may
occasionally chip in, or at least offer advice on hair care. Ryan Clowe is another new comer
expected to fill the void left by David Clarkson but the Devils will have a Devil of a time if they
can't get more production from their young players.
New York Islanders - The Islanders finally took that leap forward last year and made the post season, lead
by newly appointed captain, and the guy who SHOULD have been MVP, John
Tavares. They have a lot of young talent like Kyle Okposo and Matt Moulson who
will have to continue to produce to repeat this playoff appearance. The loss of Mark
Streit hurts the blue line so their young D-core, including Hamonic, Hickey and Calvin
De Hann will have to step up.
New York Rangers - The Rangers new coach Alain Vineault will undoubtedly bring a calmer demeanor
behind the bench than John Tortorella, as would most Pit Bulls, but it will be up to the
likes of Rick Nash and company to respond. Brad Richards is coming off an abysmal
year and much, much more is going to be expected of him. Henrik Lundqvist is always
solid and Ryan Callahan provides steady leadership so will the Blushirts finally live up
to lofty expectations?
Ottawa - The Alfie era is over in the nation's capital, and it will be up to new captain Jason Spezza to lead
this young team back to the playoffs. Loaded with young talent like Bobby Ryan, Erik Karlsson
and Milan Michalek the Sens will be a contender in the east if they can stay healthy, get the
continued solid goaltending both Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner provided them and get
production from young guys like Mikka Zabanijad and Corey Conacher. Also they can't dwell
on the acrimonious departure of Alfresdsson but a chip on the shoulder may help motivate.
Philadelphia - The Flyers lost one French Canadian star in Daniel Briere and replaced him with another in
Vincent Lecavalier who will look to prove his bests days aren't over just yet. Captain Claude
Giroux will lead a team with a new go to defenseman in Mark Streit and goaltender in Steve
Mason who will be looking to prove he can regain his Calder trophy winning from from a few
seasons ago. The Flyers have some depth and youth but like most teams they need to stay
healthy, especially on defense, to return to the post season.
Phoenix - With the ownership situation settled, somewhat the Coyotes will no longer be dogged by questions
about where they will be playing but rather can they compete in the difficult Western Conference.
Goalie Mike Smith certainly gives them an opportunity every night and coach Dave Tippet has
done a fantastic job with his group and with strong leadership lead by Shane Doan, and up and
coming defenseman Oliver Eckam-Larsson the Coyotes should at least be competitive.
Pittsburgh - The situation in Pittsburgh is simple. They will not be measured on anything before April. This is
an extremely talented team who rightfully have Stanley Cup aspirations and after failing to take
flight the last few post seasons will need to be better this time around. Marc-Andre Fleury is a
big reason why they have struggled and he will need to find his game again if they have any
chance at recapturing Lord Stanley's mug.
San Jose - The Sharks have long been a team on the persipice of making a serious run at the cup but have
come up short time and time again. With a solid mix of veterans and youth the Sharks have the
offensive bite to compete but need solid goaltending from Antti Niemi and improve play from
their defense in order to take that next step. Logan Couture will be the next generation for this
team and will be counted on to show that leadership.
St Louis - EA Sports prediction aside, the Blues will be a threat to whomever stands in their way. They have
a lot of size and skill, epitomized by captain David Backes, a good coach in Ken Hitchcock and
a solid blue line lead by Jackman, Bouwmeester and Pieterangelo. The question is can their
goalteending regain it's form from two seasons ago when both Jaroslav Halak and Brain Elliott
were stellar. If so the Blues may finally take home hockey's ultimate prize.
Tampa Bay - The departure of long time captain Vincent Lecavlaier means a new era for the Lightning and
GM Steve Yzerman. Lead by Steve Stamkos, and Martin St, Louis the Lightning will need a
solid season out of Ben Bishop in his first full year with the team in order to improve. The
health of the fragile Sami Salo and veteran Matias Ohlund on defense will have a big say in
how well this club performs.
Toronto - The Maple Leafs added some grit in David Clarkson who promptly showed them just what they
were getting and will now miss the first ten games of the year for leaving the bench to fight. They
also shrewdly added Jonathan Bernier and Dave Bolland to bolster and resigned Tyler Bozak
Cody Franson and Nazim Kadri to keep most of their core in tact. The Leafs will be in tough in
their newly realigned Atlantic division but should make a push for the playoffs if they can get
solid goaltending and Joffrey Lupul can stay healthy.
Vancouver - The Canucks brought in no nonsense, and all time post game press conference superstar, John
Tortorella to help bring some passion behind the bench. They traded Corey Schneider to New
Jersey and what's old is new again and Roberto Luongo is back starting in net. Many see the
Canucks window as closing and it well may be but if they can stay healthy, they have a lot of
talent and experience, lead by the Sedin brothers, and if the likes of David Booth and Ryan
Kessler stay healthy and perform to their abilities they should make things interesting on the
west coast.
Washington - The Capitals were up and down last seasons under new head coach Adam Oates but finished
strong and almost ousted the Rangers in the playoffs. The Caps will need captain Alex
Ovechkin to start well from the get go as well as Nick Backstrom and Mike Green. Braydon
Holtby has been solid in net and needs to continue improving for them to be a serious threat.
The loss of Mike Roberio and Mathieu Perrault means they have less depth too meaning new
comer Mikhael Grabovski will need to fill in.
Winnipeg - The Jets return to the west and look to improve upon nearly missing the post season last year.
The additions of Michael Frolik from Chicago and Devin Setoguchi from Minnesota will help to
add depth upfront where they often relied on their top guns of Ladd, Kane, Little and Wheeler
far too much last season. They will also be looking for Zack Bogosian to have a bounce back
season after an injury riddle campaign and Ondrej Pavelec to step up in goal if they hope not to
be grounded before the playoffs.
Anaheim - The Ducks resigned Cory Perry and Ryan Getzlaf to lucrative contracts and with both looking to
return to Canada's Olympic roster they should earn that money. They also traded Bobby Ryan to
Ottawa but got a talented young player in Jakob Silfverberg in return to add to a roster of other
young players like Nick Bonnio, Cam Fowler, Matt Beleskey, Kyle Palmieri and the seemingly
ageless Teemu Selanne . Look for the Ducks to make a serious push for the post season.
Boston - The defending Eastern Conference champs will be looking to repeat and acquired, finally, free
agent Jerome Iginla to help them. They lost defenceman Andrew Ference to Edmonton but have
young guns Tory Krug and Dougie Hamilton on the back end along with Captain Zedeno Chara.
Goalie Tuuka Raask was locked up to a new deal so the Bruins will once again be a bear to play
against.
Buffalo - The Sabres biggest question, as it was last year, is which Ryan Miller will they get? The one who
was widely considered one of the best in the game a few seasons ago, or the guy they've had
lately? With a potential Team USA spot on the line look for Miller to come out of the gate strong,
though much of his success may depend Tyler Myers and the rest of Buffalo's blue line to bounce
back from a forgettable season.
Calgary - The Flames admitted they had burnt out and are now in full rebuild mode. Gone are Jerome Iginla,
Jay Bowmeester and Miika Kiprussof. They have a number of young players like Shawn
Monahan looking to make an impact and added Joe Colbourn from Toronto for some size up
front. how Kari Ramo does in goal will have a lot to do with their success but it may be a long
season of growing pains for coach Bob Hartley, necessary for this transition.
Carolina - The Hurricanes, in the estimation of many, underperformed last year and much of that can be
attributed to key injuries, mainly to starting goalie Cam Ward. They have talent, and three Stall
brothers, which should put them in the mix in the east for a playoff spot. The chemistry between
Alexander Semin and Eric Stall likely helped get Semin his shiny new contract so he now has to
live up to it.
Chicago - The Champs from the Windy City blew away the competition, only after nearly blowing it against
the rival Red Wings, but have all the makings of a contender. Ray Emery is gone back to Philly
replaced by veteran Nikolai Khabibulin, Dave Bolland is now with the Leafs and Michale Frolik
with the Jets, but the Blackhawks have a ton of depth and experience. Captain Jonathan Toews
leads this dynamic group who will look to be the first repeat champ since the Red Wings in
1997/98.
Colorado - The addition of first overall pick Nathan Mckinnon was huge for the Avalanche, but was
somewhat over shadowed by the return of one of the biggest names in the game, Patrick Roy
who brings his fiery personality behind the bench after a successful stint with the Quebec
Ramparts in the QMJHL where he won a Memorial Cup. It will be up to Colorado's other
young guns in Paul Stastny, Matt Duschene and captain Gabriel Landeskog to lead this group
who will have help from veteran Alex Tanguay who returns to the club as a free agent.
Columbus - The Buckeye state saw their team make a serious push for the post season and relocation to
Eastern Conference should help the fan base get to see more games. The performance of Sergi
Bobrovski, the Vezina winner, and the addition of Marion Gaborik and Nathan Horton should
make this an interesting young club to watch.
Dallas - The Stars realigned after failing to make the post season again last year. Gone are Loui Ericsson
and Jaromir Jagr. In are Shawn Horcoff and Tyler Seguin who look to help return this team to the
post season. The talented Jamie Benn was named captain and new head coach Lindey Ruff will
have veteran addition Sergi Gonchar on the back end to help the power play and mentor the young
defensive core.
Detroit - The Wings didn't spend any time idling this summer as the men from the motor city revved up their
offense with the addition, somehow, of Daniel Alfredsson and Steven Weiss. The Wings almost
knocked off the rival Blackhawks last season and with their move to the Eastern conference they
will be a very serious contender to make another long playoff run. Jimmy Howard has proven he
can shoulder the load in net so it will be up to his defensive core to perform in front of him.
Edmonton - The Oilers are now at that stage where everyone, especially new GM Craig McTavish and
new head coach Dallas Eakins, will be looking for them to take that next step. They acquired
newly named captain Andrew Ference to shore up the blue line and provide leadership now that
Shawn Horcoff is in Dallas, but it will be up to the like of Sam Gagner and Ryan
Nugent-Hopkins (when they return from injury) as well as Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle to
show they can lead. Devin Dubnyk faced more shots than any goalie last season and performed
well but will need to step up for the Oilers to have any chance at the post season.
Florida - The Panthers added veteran presence in Ryan Whitney, Scott Gomez and the mercurial Tim
Thomas, back from his self imposed leave, to a core of young up and comers like Jonathan
Huberdeau and Jakob Markstrom. The Panthers will have a tough time competing in the east if
they aren't able to get their young players who have some experience like Shawn Mathias and
Chris Versteeg to step up. The addition of Brad Boyes gives them some help scoring goals should
he be able to find some chemistry with his new line mates. They have young talent like Erik
Gudbranson and Dmitry Kulikov on the blue line anchored by veteran captain Ed Jovanovski
who will also have to step up.
Los Angeles - The Kings have much of their roster in tact from their cup with two years ago and are looking
to reclaim their crown. The loss of Jonathan Bernier to Toronto means less depth in goal but
if Jonathan Quick can get off to a solid start, and they can stay healthy, their season may have
another Hollywood ending.
Minnesota - The Wild spent a lot of money last off season and it payed early dividends with both Zack
Parise and Ryan Suter stepping up and helping lead them to a playoff spot. They have a new
division rival in nearby Winnipeg and if Josh Harding can continue to perform under his own
difficult personal circumstances, the Wild could make another playoff push. The loss of Devin
Setoguchi to Winnipeg means more production will be expected out of Dany Heatley and
captain Miko Koivu as well as last years deadline addition Jason Pomminville.
Montreal - The Habs added several parts this off season in the flashy Daniel Briere, the rugged Douglas
Murray and scrapper/mustache enthusiast George Parros in order to return to the post season.
The Habs will need a full season of production from Norris Trophy winner PK Subban as well as
a bounce back year from Carey Price, tagged by many to make Canada's Olympic team, in
order to succeed. Their turn around last season was incredible but they will have to show it
wasn't a fluke.
Nashville - The Predators will be, well, the Predators. They likely won't be flashy or high scoring but with
Barry Trotz calling the shots, and a solid blue line anchored by Shea Weber and one of the best
goalies in the game in Pekka Rinne the Preds should be consistent and not a lot of fun to play
against. The addition of Seth Jones will help ensure the blue line will have more depth and with
Ryan Ellis's continued development it is a strong suit.
New Jersey - GM Lou Lamarillo pulled off a deal the Devil himself would be proud of, basically stealing
Corey Schneider from Vancouver for a first round pick. The old question of what the hell will
they do when Brodeur retires seems to have been answered. The addition of Jaromir Jagr will
not replace the loss of Ilya Kovalchuck by any means, but adds a veteran presence who may
occasionally chip in, or at least offer advice on hair care. Ryan Clowe is another new comer
expected to fill the void left by David Clarkson but the Devils will have a Devil of a time if they
can't get more production from their young players.
New York Islanders - The Islanders finally took that leap forward last year and made the post season, lead
by newly appointed captain, and the guy who SHOULD have been MVP, John
Tavares. They have a lot of young talent like Kyle Okposo and Matt Moulson who
will have to continue to produce to repeat this playoff appearance. The loss of Mark
Streit hurts the blue line so their young D-core, including Hamonic, Hickey and Calvin
De Hann will have to step up.
New York Rangers - The Rangers new coach Alain Vineault will undoubtedly bring a calmer demeanor
behind the bench than John Tortorella, as would most Pit Bulls, but it will be up to the
likes of Rick Nash and company to respond. Brad Richards is coming off an abysmal
year and much, much more is going to be expected of him. Henrik Lundqvist is always
solid and Ryan Callahan provides steady leadership so will the Blushirts finally live up
to lofty expectations?
Ottawa - The Alfie era is over in the nation's capital, and it will be up to new captain Jason Spezza to lead
this young team back to the playoffs. Loaded with young talent like Bobby Ryan, Erik Karlsson
and Milan Michalek the Sens will be a contender in the east if they can stay healthy, get the
continued solid goaltending both Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner provided them and get
production from young guys like Mikka Zabanijad and Corey Conacher. Also they can't dwell
on the acrimonious departure of Alfresdsson but a chip on the shoulder may help motivate.
Philadelphia - The Flyers lost one French Canadian star in Daniel Briere and replaced him with another in
Vincent Lecavalier who will look to prove his bests days aren't over just yet. Captain Claude
Giroux will lead a team with a new go to defenseman in Mark Streit and goaltender in Steve
Mason who will be looking to prove he can regain his Calder trophy winning from from a few
seasons ago. The Flyers have some depth and youth but like most teams they need to stay
healthy, especially on defense, to return to the post season.
Phoenix - With the ownership situation settled, somewhat the Coyotes will no longer be dogged by questions
about where they will be playing but rather can they compete in the difficult Western Conference.
Goalie Mike Smith certainly gives them an opportunity every night and coach Dave Tippet has
done a fantastic job with his group and with strong leadership lead by Shane Doan, and up and
coming defenseman Oliver Eckam-Larsson the Coyotes should at least be competitive.
Pittsburgh - The situation in Pittsburgh is simple. They will not be measured on anything before April. This is
an extremely talented team who rightfully have Stanley Cup aspirations and after failing to take
flight the last few post seasons will need to be better this time around. Marc-Andre Fleury is a
big reason why they have struggled and he will need to find his game again if they have any
chance at recapturing Lord Stanley's mug.
San Jose - The Sharks have long been a team on the persipice of making a serious run at the cup but have
come up short time and time again. With a solid mix of veterans and youth the Sharks have the
offensive bite to compete but need solid goaltending from Antti Niemi and improve play from
their defense in order to take that next step. Logan Couture will be the next generation for this
team and will be counted on to show that leadership.
St Louis - EA Sports prediction aside, the Blues will be a threat to whomever stands in their way. They have
a lot of size and skill, epitomized by captain David Backes, a good coach in Ken Hitchcock and
a solid blue line lead by Jackman, Bouwmeester and Pieterangelo. The question is can their
goalteending regain it's form from two seasons ago when both Jaroslav Halak and Brain Elliott
were stellar. If so the Blues may finally take home hockey's ultimate prize.
Tampa Bay - The departure of long time captain Vincent Lecavlaier means a new era for the Lightning and
GM Steve Yzerman. Lead by Steve Stamkos, and Martin St, Louis the Lightning will need a
solid season out of Ben Bishop in his first full year with the team in order to improve. The
health of the fragile Sami Salo and veteran Matias Ohlund on defense will have a big say in
how well this club performs.
Toronto - The Maple Leafs added some grit in David Clarkson who promptly showed them just what they
were getting and will now miss the first ten games of the year for leaving the bench to fight. They
also shrewdly added Jonathan Bernier and Dave Bolland to bolster and resigned Tyler Bozak
Cody Franson and Nazim Kadri to keep most of their core in tact. The Leafs will be in tough in
their newly realigned Atlantic division but should make a push for the playoffs if they can get
solid goaltending and Joffrey Lupul can stay healthy.
Vancouver - The Canucks brought in no nonsense, and all time post game press conference superstar, John
Tortorella to help bring some passion behind the bench. They traded Corey Schneider to New
Jersey and what's old is new again and Roberto Luongo is back starting in net. Many see the
Canucks window as closing and it well may be but if they can stay healthy, they have a lot of
talent and experience, lead by the Sedin brothers, and if the likes of David Booth and Ryan
Kessler stay healthy and perform to their abilities they should make things interesting on the
west coast.
Washington - The Capitals were up and down last seasons under new head coach Adam Oates but finished
strong and almost ousted the Rangers in the playoffs. The Caps will need captain Alex
Ovechkin to start well from the get go as well as Nick Backstrom and Mike Green. Braydon
Holtby has been solid in net and needs to continue improving for them to be a serious threat.
The loss of Mike Roberio and Mathieu Perrault means they have less depth too meaning new
comer Mikhael Grabovski will need to fill in.
Winnipeg - The Jets return to the west and look to improve upon nearly missing the post season last year.
The additions of Michael Frolik from Chicago and Devin Setoguchi from Minnesota will help to
add depth upfront where they often relied on their top guns of Ladd, Kane, Little and Wheeler
far too much last season. They will also be looking for Zack Bogosian to have a bounce back
season after an injury riddle campaign and Ondrej Pavelec to step up in goal if they hope not to
be grounded before the playoffs.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Do or Do Not, There is no Try...
There is nothing more exciting come playoff time than a game 7 and the first round of the NHL Playoffs will see three with the last two coming tonight in Boston and Washington.
In Anaheim last night the Ducks lost 3-2 at home to the Detroit Red Wings. The Ducks lead 3-2 in the series but failed to close the deal. I can relate...This will undoubtedly continue the talks about coach Bruce Boudreau continuing to come up short in the playoffs after great regular seasons. Now personally speaking I always thought he was over rated as a coach and has always had top end talent that he has failed to get to the next level. He is whinny in interviews and doesn't seem to want to shoulder the responsibility of these defeats. In fairness he's lost to Pittsburgh who won the Cup, Montreal when Halak stole the series and now a team in Detroit with veteran leaders. But His Anaheim team is full of veteran guys, Selanne, Perry, Getzlaf, Beauchemin, Koivu who have lots of experience but failed to produce in the clutch. What happens next is anyone's guess but undoubtedly he will continue to be questioned until he make a serious run in the post season.
In Toronto the Maple Leafs, who looked liked they were going to get rolled in this series after game one, have taken the last two, in large part thanks to James Reimer, and forced a game 7 in Boston this evening. The young Leafs have given the Bruins everything they can handle and played a physical style, not afraid to work for their goals. That said goaltending has been the difference. Not that Tuuka Rask has been bad by any means, but he hasn't stolen games like Reimer. Boston needs its top line of Bergeron, Marchand and Seguin to step up if it wants to avoid the upset at home tonight as they haven't produced much of anything all series. Phil Kessel has finally shaken the monkey off his back against his former team and captain Dion Phaneuf leads his young team into unfamiliar waters tonight after atoning for his game 4 gaff with a big goal last night. Whatever happens tonight this series has gone longer than most, myself included, ever imagined.
The Washington Capitals and New York Rangers must be getting sick of seeing each other in the playoffs by now have seen each other five times in less than a decade. They play a decisive game 7 tonight in the US capital in a series where the home team has won every game. Goaltending again, will be a factor as this has been a very tight checking low scoring series for the most part. 'King' Henrik Lundqvist certainly has the experience but Braydon Holtby has looked solid in the Washington thus far. The stars in this series have yet to make a huge impact so whoever steps up tonight will be a difference maker.
In Anaheim last night the Ducks lost 3-2 at home to the Detroit Red Wings. The Ducks lead 3-2 in the series but failed to close the deal. I can relate...This will undoubtedly continue the talks about coach Bruce Boudreau continuing to come up short in the playoffs after great regular seasons. Now personally speaking I always thought he was over rated as a coach and has always had top end talent that he has failed to get to the next level. He is whinny in interviews and doesn't seem to want to shoulder the responsibility of these defeats. In fairness he's lost to Pittsburgh who won the Cup, Montreal when Halak stole the series and now a team in Detroit with veteran leaders. But His Anaheim team is full of veteran guys, Selanne, Perry, Getzlaf, Beauchemin, Koivu who have lots of experience but failed to produce in the clutch. What happens next is anyone's guess but undoubtedly he will continue to be questioned until he make a serious run in the post season.
In Toronto the Maple Leafs, who looked liked they were going to get rolled in this series after game one, have taken the last two, in large part thanks to James Reimer, and forced a game 7 in Boston this evening. The young Leafs have given the Bruins everything they can handle and played a physical style, not afraid to work for their goals. That said goaltending has been the difference. Not that Tuuka Rask has been bad by any means, but he hasn't stolen games like Reimer. Boston needs its top line of Bergeron, Marchand and Seguin to step up if it wants to avoid the upset at home tonight as they haven't produced much of anything all series. Phil Kessel has finally shaken the monkey off his back against his former team and captain Dion Phaneuf leads his young team into unfamiliar waters tonight after atoning for his game 4 gaff with a big goal last night. Whatever happens tonight this series has gone longer than most, myself included, ever imagined.
The Washington Capitals and New York Rangers must be getting sick of seeing each other in the playoffs by now have seen each other five times in less than a decade. They play a decisive game 7 tonight in the US capital in a series where the home team has won every game. Goaltending again, will be a factor as this has been a very tight checking low scoring series for the most part. 'King' Henrik Lundqvist certainly has the experience but Braydon Holtby has looked solid in the Washington thus far. The stars in this series have yet to make a huge impact so whoever steps up tonight will be a difference maker.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Playoff Push
With most teams having about nine or ten games left the sprint that was the NHL regular season is down to its last few yards. While top contenders like Chicago and Pittsburgh (with Anaheim and Montreal not far behind) have already wrapped up playoff spots, others are still up for grabs. Even the Maple Leafs look poised to return to the post season. There is now a bit more separation from teams in tenth place and down but the bottom seeds in both conferences are still looking over their shoulders.
St. Louis Blues - The Blues have been getting better goaltending from Brian Elliott of late and with a at least one game at hand on the teams below them need to stay the course to make the playoffs.
Detroit Red Wings - The Wings grip on a spot is a little more tenuous. They currently sit in eighth spot in the west, three points up on Phoenix and four ahead of the Stars, Oilers and Blue Jackets. They can't afford a skid at this point.
Ottawa Senators - What a difference a week makes. Four straight losses have the Sens once comfy cushion fade away. They are four points up on the ninth place Devils with a game at hand but can ill afford to have this streak go any longer.
New York Rangers - The Rangers have underperformed this season but are in seventh in the East tied in points with the Islanders. They have been playing better hockey of late, despite last nights loss to the Leafs, and if Henrik Lundqvist can hold the for they may get it.
New York Islanders - One of the seasons biggest surprises finds the other New York team on the verge of a playoff spot. John Tavares and company have the slimmest of margins, just a two point gap on the Devils and Jets so it will come down to the wire here.
New Jersey Devils - Last years eastern conference champs have fallen off as predicted well, here, but are still a threat to go on a run and make the playoffs. Martin Brodeur is back and the Devils are never an easy out so look for them to push hard to the end.
Winnipeg Jets/Washington Capitals - The Jets and Capitals are in the odd position of possibly being the thrid seed or right out of the playoffs. The Capitals recent streak has them two points ahead of Winnipeg for the South East Division lead but should they falter they may find themselves out of the playoffs all together.
Who gets in? Who's ticket is left unpunched?
St. Louis Blues - The Blues have been getting better goaltending from Brian Elliott of late and with a at least one game at hand on the teams below them need to stay the course to make the playoffs.
Detroit Red Wings - The Wings grip on a spot is a little more tenuous. They currently sit in eighth spot in the west, three points up on Phoenix and four ahead of the Stars, Oilers and Blue Jackets. They can't afford a skid at this point.
Ottawa Senators - What a difference a week makes. Four straight losses have the Sens once comfy cushion fade away. They are four points up on the ninth place Devils with a game at hand but can ill afford to have this streak go any longer.
New York Rangers - The Rangers have underperformed this season but are in seventh in the East tied in points with the Islanders. They have been playing better hockey of late, despite last nights loss to the Leafs, and if Henrik Lundqvist can hold the for they may get it.
New York Islanders - One of the seasons biggest surprises finds the other New York team on the verge of a playoff spot. John Tavares and company have the slimmest of margins, just a two point gap on the Devils and Jets so it will come down to the wire here.
New Jersey Devils - Last years eastern conference champs have fallen off as predicted well, here, but are still a threat to go on a run and make the playoffs. Martin Brodeur is back and the Devils are never an easy out so look for them to push hard to the end.
Winnipeg Jets/Washington Capitals - The Jets and Capitals are in the odd position of possibly being the thrid seed or right out of the playoffs. The Capitals recent streak has them two points ahead of Winnipeg for the South East Division lead but should they falter they may find themselves out of the playoffs all together.
Who gets in? Who's ticket is left unpunched?
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