Pittsburgh Penguins Lack Leadership

The Pittsburgh Penguins are a team filled with veteran leadership. From Sidney Crosby to Jarome Iginla, the Penguins are filled with players who have been to the dance and learned all the moves. Yet somehow in that room full of leaders there is a lack of leadership and it's costing the Penguins in the playoffs.

For a team that technically has three captains on the roster; Crosby, Iginla and Brandon Morrow, the Penguins aren't playing with veteran experience and need someone to step up and calm the team down.

It was a lack of leadership combined with mental mistakes that saw a completely different Pittsburgh Penguins team take to the ice in games one and two of the Eastern Conference Finals. They got away from their game plan and led by their captain, started playing Boston Bruin hockey.

There's a reason it's called Boston Bruin hockey, because the Bruins are the best at it. They know how to play physical between the whistles, how to get under opponents skin and most importantly what they can get away with. The Bruins like to get involved physically to draw their opponents off of their game plan and strike while their opponents are trying to play "Bruins" hockey. If you're trying to beat the Bruins at their own game you're not going to win period.

In the first two games the Penguins were annoyed. You saw Evgeni Malkin wrestle Patrice Bergeron to the ice and Crosby take a shot at Tuukka Rask. Crosby wears the "C" and is the leader of the Penguins, he also happens to be the best hockey player in the league. But Crosby isn't playing like the best hockey player, we should be talking about his sick goals and great passes to Chris Kunitz.

Instead we've seen Crosby whine and complain to the refs, commit an awful turnover in game 2 and attempt to take on Zdeno Chara in game 1. This is not the Crosby or the captain the Penguins need to lead them to a Stanley Cup, this is the Crosby who is being completely shutdown and frustrated by the Bruins.

What makes matters worse is the fact Crosby doesn't even have a point in this series and has been virtually invisible. In the regular season Crosby is virtually the best player on the ice every game, he has no problem scoring goals and elevating his game to the next level when he wants to. But the playoffs are a different story. In the playoffs, especially in the later rounds everything gets's tighter. There's less space and time and Crosby is forced to make decisions much quicker than in the regular season. Throw the Bruins into the mix and not only do you not have any space or time, but you're also getting hit every time you touch the puck.

The Physicality in this series has thrown Crosby off his game and hasn't given him a chance to be Sidney Crosby. Since the Penguins aren't winning and Crosby is frustrated the frustration goes throughout the entire line-up. What the Penguins have right now is a team that has too many superstars. It's great to have the likes of Sidney Crosby, James Neal, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Jarome Iginla in the line-up, but what happens in a situation like this is players take it upon themselves to save the team. The Pittsburgh Penguins aren't playing like a team while the Boston Bruins are.

Crosby needs help. He may be the best player and have a solid character but that's not helping the Penguins win right now. What everyone forgets is Crosby is still a rather young player. Iginla or one of the other veterans needs to take Crosby under their wing and teach him how to get through a rough series because he doesn't know how. Crosby knows how to score goals but does he know how to play when the goals aren't coming? The rest of the team is following the example Crosby is leading and right now it's not a great example.

Now as much as people want to flog Crosby to death it's not all his fault. He needs to step it up, but so do other players. Jarome Iginla and Brenden Morrow have turned out to be major disappointments and Kris Letang has looked lost on the backend. Crosby, Neal, Malkin, Iginla and Kunitz all have a combined 0 points in this series and the lethal Penguins powerplay is a dismal 0-12.

The Penguins offence has been shutdown on every level, even when they're up a man they have failed to capitalize. Someone in the dressing room needs to step up. Tomas Vokoun has fixed their goaltending issues; now it's time for someone to step up score goals, show the team discipline and how to win.

The Pittsburgh Penguins backs' are up against the wall, it's now or never. We're about to see the character and leadership of Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.

Pittsburgh Penguins Preparing for Stanley Cup Run

The Pittsburgh Penguins are amongst the elite in the NHL, with some of the best talent in the NHL they are often the standard by which opposing teams measure themselves. They took home the Stanley Cup in 2009 but have since failed to advance past the Conference Semi-finals. A large part of their lack of playoff success lately has been due to injuries to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. But with a healthy Sidney Crosby playing arguably the best hockey of his young career - the Pittsburgh Penguins are serious about winning the Stanley Cup this season.

The last two seasons saw Crosby battle through his concussions and as a result he wasn't able to play at the level many had come accustomed to seeing him play. He put up 103 points between the two seasons (66 and 37) but wasn't the same leader, he couldn't carry the Penguins on his own. So the Penguins went and acquired James Neal to help add depth and aid Evgeni Malkin in leading the Penguins while Crosby wasn't playing like Crosby.

Sidney Crosby is now back playing at the pace- if not slightly better than before his concussions, averaging 1.6 points per game through the first 33. With Sidney Crosby back as the best player in the world and a 12 game win streak the Penguins are in a "go for it" mode, and who can blame them?

Penguins GM Ray Shero has decided to get his playoff shopping list done a little early by acquiring Brenden Morrow from the Dallas Stars and Douglas Murray from the San Jose Sharks. While both Morrow and Murray have seen better days, they will add tremendous depth to the star-studded Penguins.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Shero's wheeling and dealing is the fact he didn't give up a single roster player in either trade. The losses to the Penguins were prospects and draft picks- and when you have Crosby, Neal, Malkin, Brandon Sutter and Beau Bennett all locked up- the Penguins don't need to worry much about the future for now.

Back to the present, by going out and acquiring solid depth players who will make an impact in a playoff run the Penguins have solidified that they are serious contenders for the Stanley Cup. 

"With the makeup of a young team, having a healthy Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby -- which we haven't had in a couple years, we feel we have a nice good team and we're trying to do what we can to strengthen it. ~ Ray Shero

Morrow leaves his captaincy with the Stars to join his former Olympic teammate Sidney Crosby and Stars teammate James Neal. With Chris Kunitz and Neal playing bigger roles this season for the Penguins, Morrow will also become a lethal weapon and provide more secondary scoring. With Morrow being paired with Malkin and Neal look for him to up his scoring production and help the Penguins become the most well-rounded offensive team in the NHL.

In addition to secondary scoring Morrow will also add veteran leadership which will be vital for a deep playoff run. Brenden Morrow is the perfect player for the Penguins to acquire for them to make a valid run at the Cup and frankly they couldn't afford not to.

The Penguins have only won one playoff round since their Cup win in 2009, Crosby is finally healthy again and once again the best player in the world and the Penguins are atop the Eastern Conference. Everything is going right and this is their best chance at winning another Stanley Cup.

We want to win, It's up to us as players to do our part, but the organization and management is giving us every opportunity to do that. As a player, that's all you can ask for -- and we'll definitely try to do our best." ~ Sidney Crosby

Knowing how competitive Crosby is and his will to win, one Stanley Cup isn't enough- he wants several and now is the perfect time to add his second. 

In addition to the great leadership and secondary scoring from Morrow the Penguins are also adding a solid defenceman in Douglas Murray. While the 6 foot 3, 240 pound defenceman wont be a star on the blue line like Kris Letang, he will add size, toughness and grit to the Penguins blue line. Murray is a solid shut-down defenceman who is used to going up against the oppositions best players.

But the most important attribute for the Penguins is the fact that Murray is a stay-at home defencenman. They don't need anymore high scoring defenceman, who like to jump up in the rush. They need someone who is strong in front of the net and clear the opposition out of the crease.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are making it clear they are in it to win it right now and with the season they're having there's no better time to make a run. If you thought the Pittsburgh Penguins were good now, just wait till they hit the playoffs with a healthy Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Brenden Morrow, James Neal, Douglas Murray and Kris Letang.

The Penguins now have four forward lines full of depth, veteran leadership and all the right pieces to make a run. I don't see too many teams able to de-rail the red-hot Penguins.

Chris Kunitz is the Perfect Winger for Sidney Crosby

Let's forget all the debate for a moment- Sidney Crosby is the best player in the world, period. As Crosby is the best player in the world many believe he should be playing with better wingers than Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis. The Pittsburgh Penguins have taken a lot of flack for not having an all-star winger like James Neal playing on a line with Crosby, but Kunitz is doing just fine on the first line.

A lot of people are crediting Chris Kunitz's success this season- 18 goals and 40 points- to playing on a line with Sidney Crosby. But Crosby see's it differently;

"Anyone who has played with him will tell you that he does so many little things. He makes us all look good by putting the puck in the back of the net." ~ Sidney Crosby

Chris Kunitz currently sits 2nd in NHL scoring with 18 goals and 40 points, behind his linemate Crosby. He's on pace to set a career high with 66 points and 30 goals despite this only being a shortened season. Heck there's even talks the un-drafted winger has a shot of winning the Art Ross trophy. It would be hard to look at the success Kunitz is enjoying this season and not relate it to Crosby, who has assisted on 14 of his 18 goals and has the ability to make all his linemates better.

There's no doubt he's benefited from playing on a line with the best player in the world but in all fairness to Chris Kunitz you have to look at what he brings to the table and his track record. While Kunitz was playing with the Anaheim Ducks he played on lines with Teemu Selanne, Ryan Getzlaf and Andy McDonald and put up at least 50 points in all 4 seasons with the Ducks. He also won a Stanley Cup while in Anaheim and was given the role of alternate captain in his final year before being traded to Pittsburgh.

Last year while Crosby was out with a concussion Kunitz played on a line with Evgeni Malkin, ironically Malkin won the Hart trophy. This season Kunitz has been reunited with Crosby and guess who's one of the leading candidates to win the Hart- Sidney Crosby. Perhaps Chris Kunitz is a little more valuable than people think.

When watching Chris Kunitz play this season there's two things that stand out. His confidence and his willingness to go to the tough areas. The most important thing for Kunitz is that he understands his game. He knows he doesn't have a menacing shot like James Neal or the play making ability of Crosby but he does have speed, grit and an ability to make life miserable for opposing goaltenders as he camps out in front looking for the tip. He plays a north-south game, keeping things simple and hunting for loose pucks always waiting to pounce.

When the Penguins faced off against the Toronto Maple Leafs last week there was a play by Kunitz that really stuck out to me and showed how much confidence he has in his game. He carried the puck into the Leafs zone put the breaks on and skated back towards the blue line where he was greeted by two Leafs and there was a third not far behind. Kunitz didn't panic and passed the puck to Dupuis alone in the slot.

He has so much composure when carrying the puck into the oppositions end, he doesn't automatically look for Crosby he waits and tries to make a play. His play this season has turned himself into a solid first line winger who the team can count on and most importantly he has earned the trust of Crosby. 

"He's just so dependable and that's contagious. When a guy is that responsible, you want to make sure you're following that up. You build that trust" ~ Sidney Crosby.

Chris Kunitz has certainly won over both his teammates and coaches for his skill and versatility;

"Chris does a lot of little things well to be a good complementary guy to play with."He goes hard to the net, forces turnovers, is a physical guy, but maybe more so this year than other he has moved into that slot area and been a weapon with his shot." ~ Dan Bylsma

The thing that makes Chris Kunitz the perfect winger for Crosby is the fact he doesn't like the spot light, he's perfectly fine being over looked. As Penguins GM Ray Shero said "he flies under the radar." When the opposition thinks about defending the Penguins they think of Crosby, Malkin, Neal and even Kris Letang but Chris Kunitz is an after-thought.

Perhaps his humbleness and willingness to do the dirty work is what helps his chemistry with Crosby, whatever it is the two just seem to connect becoming one of the best duo's in the league. Being an un-drafted, underrated player is likely one of the key reasons to his success. The opposition doesn't play him as hard as Crosby and he's usually left un-guarded when Crosby is working his magic with the puck.

Once thought to be an NHL journeyman traveling from team to team finding a brief stay on third lines Chris Kunitz has found a home in Pittsburgh playing on the top line along with Sidney Crosby. Not bad for a kid who played tier 2 college hockey and was un-drafted. Kunitz has turned himself into a consistent scorer netting 20 goals in 6 of 7 NHL seasons and now at the age of 33 it appears Chris Kunitz is making a name for himself and emerging from the shadows.

Can The Pittsburgh Penguins Survive Without Evgeni Malkin?

The last 2 seasons the Pittsburgh Penguins learned how to live without their captain Sidney Crosby as he battled through multiple concussions, now they have to adapt to playing without Evgeni Malkin who played a major role in Crosby's absence. By many accounts Evgeni Malkin has been the Penguins best player over the last 2 seasons, single handedly carrying the team and putting up enough offence for 2 superstars. He also won the NHL MVP award for for his leadership role during Crosby's absence. At the start of 2013 the Penguins were poised for a big year as both Crosby and Malkin were ready to start off the year healthy, but after a collision in a game Friday against the Florida Panthers Evgeni Malkin has been diagnosed with a concussion.

Anytime the word "concussion" is thrown around with the Penguins, fans and coaches hold their breath and hope for the best. They dealt with Crosby's concussion and "concussion like symptoms" which forced him to miss over 100 games in 2 seasons. Right now the Penguins are hoping that Malkin's concussion won't have the same effect. Concussions are nasty injuries and completely un-predictable, there's no time-table for a return and a player could be better within a few days Brendan Gallagher or their career could be over like Chris Pronger. Good news for Penguins fans is the team knows how to handle concussions thanks to their experiences with Crosby and Kris Letang, so they will be sure that Malkin is 100% before sending him back into game action.

Now that the Penguins are without Evgeni Malkin for the foreseeable future, will they be able to keep up their strong play or will their game taper off with the loss of their MVP?

No matter what way you look at it losing a player such as Malkin is huge for any team. He's currently 18th in points with 21 (4 goals + 17 assists) and is the type of player who makes everyone on the ice better. But if any team is able to handle the loss of a superstar it's the Pittsburgh Penguins who will still have Sidney Crosby and James Neal to turn to.

Here's why the Penguins will survive the regular season without Evgeni Malkin;

1. Sidney Crosby

The Penguins are lucky in the fact that they have arguably 2 of the best players in the NHL, because of that their 2 superstars are able to cover for each other if one is out with an injury. While Crosby was out Malkin was called upon to lead and carry the team, the Russian superstar responded by putting up 109 points and winning the Hart Trophy. Now it's Crosby's turn to answer the bell and prove to everyone who believes that Malkin became the better player during Crosby's absence that Crosby can also elevate his game and lead the Penguins by himself.

Right now Crosby sits 2nd in the league in points with 28 (9 goals, 19 assists) and has points in 13 of 15 Penguins games making him one of the most consistent players this season. Stepping up in Malkin's absence should be no problem for Sid the kid who is used to being the star and carrying his team to victory. It's time for Crosby to step up, lead his team and show the league he is still the most dominat all-around player.

2. James Neal

Aside from Crosby, James Neal will be affected the most while Evgeni Malkin is not playing. Malkin and Neal are arguably the best center/winger duo in the NHL right now and help provide the Penguins with a solid 1- 2 punch as both the first and second lines can score. But with Malkin out look for Neal to jump to the first line with Crosby. Now there is nothing wrong playing on a line with Crosby, but there's no guarantee Neal will have the same chemistry that he had with Malkin- he has 12 goals and 9 of them were assisted by Malkin. Neal's job will be to go to the net and try to get open so he can continue adding to his goal total, and Crosby has to be just as good at setting up goals as Malkin right?

With Neal jumping up on the first line he too will be called upon to play a bigger offencive role alongside Crosby. After putting up 81 points last season he is a dangerous guy in the offencive end and can score big goals when needed. He'll want to prove he can play with Crosby and add his name in the mix for the Penguins MVP race.

3. Power Play

Anytime you have the ability to have Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, Chris Kunitz and Brandon Sutter on the ice for one of your two power play units you're going to be able to capitalize more times than not. With Malkin out Kunitz will sub into his spot on the power play and his job will be to set up Crosby and Neal. The Penguins have the 3rd best power play in the league (28%) but it will be dealt a serious blow without the playmaking of Malkin, the way he sees the ice is just incredible and unfortunately for the Penguins near irreplaceable. But Neal and Crosby are also gifted on the power play and have combined for 23 power play points, so there is still some serious skill left on the Penguins power play that can easily burn the opposition.

The Penguins are crossing their fingers hoping that Evgeni Malkin's concussion isn't too severe and will be back by the end of the regular season, but no matter how severe it is they will make sure to take their time with Malkin to make sure he's fully healed up. Brandon Sutter will likely center the 2nd line and will need to step his game up along with goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury who hasn't been all that spectacular to start off the year. The Penguins have built a team that can compete and beat any team in the East regardless of whether they have both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin or just one. They will be fine in the Eastern Conference, but when playoffs roll around they may be in some trouble without Evgeni Malkin. Right now it's all about Sidney Crosby stepping his game up and carrying the Penguins like Malkin did when he was injured.

 

10 Players To Watch In Shortened NHL Season

With the 2013 NHL season just 2 days away it's time to take a look at 10 players who are set to have a big year in the shortened NHL season. The players who will benefit most from the 48 game campaign are the youngsters- many of whom have been playing in the AHL during the 113 days NHL lockout. This list will carry a mixture of stars to underdogs who are going to turn some heads and help lead their teams to victory.

10 Players to Watch in Shortened NHL Season-

10- Brendan Smith- Detroit Red Wings

This is a young defenceman that was brought to my attention by one of my twitter followers- and it turns out he's going to have a key role on the Red Wings blueline. Smith is coming off 32 games with Grand Rapids where he's racked up 5 goals and 15 assists and will have a head start on many of his Red Wings teammates- who haven't had a chance to play. Smith saw 14 games with the Wings last season and will need to step up to the plate after the Wings lost defencemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Brad Stuart in the offseason. After taking the time to hone his skills in the AHL, Smith knows he's ready to make the jump and help fill the holes on the Wings blueline. If your fantasy hockey league counts +/- then consider picking up Smith- who prides himself on his +/-.

9. Gabriel Landeskog- Colorado Avalanche

Landeskog was so impressive in his rookie year that he won rookie of the year honours and earned the trust of Avalanche brass to be named the youngest captain in team history. In 82 games last season the young Swede was able to put up 52 points and with a shortened season could surprise many and be amongst the top goal scorers in the league- it also doesn't hurt he played in Sweden during the lockout racking up 14 points in 17 games. Look for Landeskog to jump out to a quick start to prove he was the right choice for captain and his rookie year wasn't a fluke.

8. Jordan and Eric Staal- Carolina Hurricanes

I'm putting the Staal brothers together on this list because if either of them is to have a big year it will because of the addition of their brother. The Hurricanes were on a mission to add young talent to help prove they are serious Cup contenders- one of their big additions was Jordan Staal from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jordan will be re-united with his older brother Eric and the siblings will be looking to help each other improve with a little old sibling rivalry. Jordan is finally getting the top 6 minutes he deserves and will be looking to prove he is a top 6 forward- Eric had a slow start last year and will be looking to rebound this season. Look for the Staal brothers to have career years and get the Hurricanes back into the playoffs.

7. Ryan Miller- Buffalo Sabres

After having the best year of his career in 2010 in which he captured the Vezina trophy and back-stopped the Sabres into the playoffs, Miller had a dissapointing season last year. An early concussion threw him off his game early on and put the Sabres in a rough spot. After a strong finish at the end of last season which brought the Sabres back from 14th to 9th look for Miller to carry that momentum over into the shortened season. Miller will be looking to re-solidify his spot amongst the elite goalies in the NHL and a 48 game season (30 games) will be just the thing to get Miller back on track. With the additions of Hodgson, Foligno and possibly Grigorenko the Sabres should be able to put up more goals to help their tender out. Look for Miller to return to his Vezina form and be amongst the top goalies propeling the Sabres back into the postseason.

6. Matt Duchene- Colorado Avalanche

Duchene has shown flashes of brilliance since being taken 3rd overall in 2009, but has yet to solidify himself as the elite player he was projected to be. The Avalanche are filled with youth and young stars- having Landeskog being named captain shows they are putting faith in the youth of the team. Duchene is now 22 and healthy after a injury plagued 2011-2012- and after being some-what overshadowed by Landeskog, Duchene will be looking to remind everyone he was the original Avalanche superstar. Coming off strong play overseas during the lockout Duchene has brought that play back home and is looking very strong in training camp- look for him to prove he's ready and capable of playing on the first line.

5. Sidney Crosby- Pittsburgh Penguins

As one of the best, most elite players in the league Crosby is always an exciting player to watch and never disappoints. When his team needs someone to step up he's the first one to score a big goal. After playing just 63 games over the last 2 seasons Crosby is finally healthy and is looking forward to playing a "full-season" with no injury issues. Evgeni Malkin has risen to the top with the absence of Crosby and has won over the fans- many believing Malkin to be the best player on the Penguins- Crosby is in the best shape he's been in years, look for him to hit the ice running and light up the league proving he is still one of the best players in the game and gain back his honour of being the best Penguin. After last seasons disappointing first round exit at the hands of the Flyers, look for Crosby to lead the Pens back to the Stanley Cup Finals!

4. Claude Giroux- Philadelphia Flyers

Coming off a career year with the Flyers that saw Giroux put up 93 points and have his name thrown into the mix as a elite young player- Giroux has been named the 19th captain in Flyers history. At age 25 with 4 NHL seasons under his belt, Giroux is ready to step up and become a leader- he already leads the team without the "C" by inspiring teammates with hard hits and timely goals. He's the perfect player to take over the captaincy role from Chris Pronger and could be poised for a long run as Flyers captain. Look for Giroux to put up terrific numbers and lead the Flyers to a deep playoff run.

3. Cory Schneider- Vancouver Canucks

After stealing the number goaltending job away from Roberto Luongo, there's no questions everyone in the hockey world will be looking at Schneider. Schneider will be called upon to not only keep the Canucks at the top of the Western Conference, but to break the reputation of a team that can't perform in the playoffs. There's going to be a lot of pressure on the young goaltender to deliver- will he rise to the occasion or crack under the pressure?

2. Jordan Eberle- Edmonton Oilers

I absolutely love the way Jordan Eberle plays and it's a shame he gets overshadowed by  Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent- Hopkins and now Nail Yakupov. I truly believe Eberle is the Oilers MVP and the most complete young star- look for him to prove that this year. Last year was a career year for the 22 year-old who racked up 76 points and ranked 16th amongst NHL scoreers. After being given a "A" this season, look for Eberle to become one of the leaders of the young Oilers squad both on the ice and off ice- leading by example. I wouldn't be surprised to see him lead the team in points and be amongst the top scoring leaders in the shortened season.

1. Justin Shultz- Edmonton Oilers

With all the young offencive talent the Oilers have I wouldn't be surprised if they managed to squeak into the playoffs. Shultz absolutely tore up the AHL during the lockout putting up 48 points in just 34 games- and he's a defenceman. The 48 game season will work out perfectly for Shultz in his first year after playing a 43 game season with Wisconsin. Look for Shultz to provide some stability to the Oilers defence and challenge for the Calder trophy.

 

There you have it folks, 10 players who are poised to have a big season once the puck drops on Saturday. One things for sure- a 48 game season will result in some exciting hockey with lots of surprises.

 

 

Sidney Crosby is Tired Of Waiting Time to Head to the KHL

Congratulations Gary Bettman, the face of the NHL and your meal ticket is about to head overseas because of the lockout. Sidney Crosby the player responsible for saving the Pittsburgh Penguins and bringing excitement back to the NHL has decided enough is enough and is seriously thinking about heading overseas to play some actual hockey, instead of just talking about it. Since the beginning of the lockout 73 days ago Crosby has been one of the most dedicated NHLPA players. He's shown up to the majority if not all of the meetings spoken to local media, has kept fairly quit (no name calling) but is quickly becoming anxious. It appears now he's finally decided to join fellow teammate Evgeni Malkin over in the KHL;

"You know what? It's a lot more possible right now" ~ Crosby told reporters when asked if he had considered heading overseas. "A quick end to the lockout is not looking too good"

Perhaps the only thing holding Crosby here in North America, beside his optimism and loyalty is the high insurance costs he'll have to pay to head over to Europe. Crosby would likely have to pay $400,000 per month to be insured for game action with another team besides the Penguins. But Crosby has said it was always his intention to wait till the end of November or early December before heading to Europe in order to give the NHL and his employers every last chance to get the NHL back on the ice.

Although by contract Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin are obligated to come back and play for their respective NHL teams once the lockout ends, Crosby is the last person Bettman wants to make an enemy with. The Penguins captain was the first overall pick after the 2004-2005 lockout and singlehandedly saved the Penguins franchise and turned them into a top notch dynasty who have a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup every season. Not only did he become the face of the Penguins he also became the face of the NHL. Ask any non hockey fan to name a current NHL player, chances are the first person they name is Crosby. Heck there's even people who don't like hockey but are willing to go to a game too see Crosby. When Bettman looks at Crosby he sees dollar signs; His jersey is always in the top 5 and when he's playing the arena is almost always sold out, even when the Penguins are on the road people flock for a chance to see him play. One could argue he is the most influential player currently in the NHLPA union, he could end the lockout with one phone call to Fehr. Problem is he's fully committed to getting the players the best deal possible not just himself and wont quit until the very end and now he too is jumping ship.

Crosby heading to Europe is bad news for the NHL. Finally he's "concussion" free, his symptoms are gone and he is 100% healthy. Who knows what kind of career numbers he could have put up this season in the NHL? Instead he's been kept of the score sheet by the NHL and this lockout;

"At the end of the day, I'm a hockey player and I love to play. I've been practicing a lot the last few years, I just want to play." ~Sidney Crosby

As of right now the only option for Crosby to play is over in Europe and perhaps his competitive side is finally coming out. Crosby is just that, a hockey player. He's no business man, what he needs to live and function an ordinary life is hockey, he's missed more games than he's played in the last 2 years, he's itching to play and right now he can't get that in North America which is why he needs to head overseas. Could you imagine the KHL with Malkin, Ovechkin, Giroux and Crosby?

To be honest it's remarkable Crosby has stayed and kept quite so long, he's a class act, he wanted to stay loyal to the league which has brought him success. Being the face of the NHL if he does head over to the KHL it's a global story and a flat out embarrassment to the NHL. The fact the league forces their poster boy to head overseas to play hockey is just sad. But as much of a "class act" Crosby is he does have a little resentment towards the NHL; He was injured by 2 hits that he himself thought should have been met with supplemental discipline and now they've locked him out. The best and only way for him to "stick" it to the NHL is to head to the KHL, the league that was created to one day compete with the NHL. Having Crosby play on one of their teams, even for half a season is just the break they've been looking for.

For Crosby to play in Europe it would be a major statement to the NHL and Bettman and hopefully a wake up call. As much as it may pain him to head to Russia he has to do it. He hasn't had the opportunity to play because of injuries during the last 2 seasons, he's healthy now and wants to play. But the NHL should be embarrassed if he heads to Europe.

Was 2005 the Best NHL Draft Class?

For players it's their first step to having a career in the NHL. For teams it's an opportunity to "re-tool" and stack their system with prospects. The annual NHL Entry Draft is one of the biggest and most important events that take place for the NHL. It's all about the future. If your team had a rough season it's their chance to get a high draft choice to make tomorrow better, what happened in the past is gone. But of course some draft classes are better than others. There's hidden gems that get taken in the later rounds and duds that get taken in the first round. But looking back at recent drafts my attention immediately goes to the 2005 draft in which the Pittsburgh Penguins drafted Sidney Crosby and ultimately saved their franchise. But when you look deeper into the 2005 draft class, you discover that Crosby was not the only gem found in the draft. Other star players such as Jonathan Quick, Carey Price and Bobby Ryan were all taken after Crosby and have had a tremendous effect on their respective teams.

Today I'm going to dive deeper into the 2005 Draft to discover some of the top players that got their careers kicked off and further prove that the 2005 NHL Entry Draft was the best draft class of recent history.

Notable players:

Sidney Crosby: 1st Overall to the Pittsburgh Penguins

If you're reading this post chances are you've heard of Sidney Crosby before. The golden kid, Sid the kid whatever you call him, the point is you know who he is.
Crosby was the first overall pick in the 2005 Draft and became the immediate future of the Penguins. 7 years later he's the Penguins captain and became the youngest captain to lead his team to a Stanley Cup in 2009. In his 7 seasons he's racked up over 220 goals and 609 points, what do those stats say? he's not a selfish player more than half of his points are from assist. He's the face of the NHL and one of the most marketable players. His addition to both the NHL and the Penguins has been fantastic, a true gem discovered from the draft.

Nathan Gerbe: 4th round 142nd Overall to the Buffalo Sabres

One of the little guys on the Buffalo Sabres, Gerbe gives it his all night in and night out, he plays with heart and plays the game the right way. Most importantly he doesn't let his size intimidate him or stop him from fighting through. Last season Gerbe at 5 foot 5 was seen taking on the Boston Bruins giant Zdeno Chara. Gerbe has been with the Sabres full time for the last 2 seasons, but has missed time due to injuries during both campaigns. Gerbe is proving that no matter how small, or how late you were drafted, you can make a difference and be an important player.

Jonathan Quick 3rd round 72nd Overall to the Los Angeles Kings

The 2012 Stanley Cup and Vezina winning goaltender, not a bad résumé! Quick was another gem that was drafted in the 2005 draft, but unlike fellow goaltender Carey Price, Quick had to wait until the third round to hear his name. But with his Stanley Cup ring I don't think that's bothering him anymore. 2011-2012 was a big season for the young goaltender, he established himself as a starting goaltender, put up fantastic numbers and was able to knock off the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams in the Western conference while playing for a 8th place team, quite a feat! He also surprised a lot of people with his play but has solidified his spot amongst the elite goaltenders in the league.
The Los Angeles Kings have a dangerous team and with Quick as their goalie there's no telling how good this team can further become, they have all the tools to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.

Carey Price: 1st round 5th Overall to the Montreal Canadiens

Price was taken 5th overall in the "Crosby draft" and was the highest goaltender selected, turning a lot of heads by his selection. It's odd or rare to see a goalie go inside the top 10 let alone the top 5, but obviously the Montreal Canadiens saw something special in him and were willing to take him. He had a rocky time getting adjusted to the NHL and quickly earned himself a reputation as a winer, as he was often seen pouting and arguing with the refs. He found himself riding the pine during the 2009 season and during the Canadiens Playoff run, but was given a vote of confidence when the guy who stole his job away was traded. Over the last 2 seasons Price has greatly matured and his play reflects his new found maturity. The Canadiens had a very rough year finishing 15th in the Eastern Conference, but Price still played well losing many 2-1 or 4-2 hockey games. But even during his teams struggles you did not find the goaltender pouting or blaming his teammates, a drastic change from his earlier career. Price is the franchise goalie and one of the building blocks for the Habs, they will only be as good as Price can play.

Jack Johnson: 1st round 3rd Overall to the Carolina Hurricanes

Whether it was bad luck, bad timing or he just ticked off the wrong people you have to feel bad for Johnson. He was dealt from the eventual Stanley Cup Champions to the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets at the NHL trade deadline in exchange for Jeff Carter a year after signing a 7 year contract extension. He was the captain of the 2010 US Olympic mens hockey team that won Silver. Johnson has great leadership skills and will be a huge part of the Blue Jackets rebuild.

Tukka Rask: 1st round 21st Overall to the Toronto Maple Leafs

Here's a player the Leafs organization is kicking themselves for letting get away. In Toronto he just wasn't getting it done, so they shipped him to Boston to be Tim Thomas' back-up. But with solid play and some mind games from Thomas, Rask has earned himself the job of starting for the Boston Bruins. He signed a 1 year deal worth $3.5 million which guarantees him the starting job for the Bruins for next season (whenever the lockout ends), a smart move by Rask only signing a 1 year deal: If things go well he can just ask for more money and a longterm deal but if things go south he can head out of town and not be a scape-goat for tying up major money. Rask's best season came in 2009-2010 where he started 45 games for the Bruins and won the starting job and the right to start during the playoffs, he was the only goalie in the league to have a Goals Against Average under 2.00 and a Save Percentage over .930 but was surprisingly not named to the Rookie of the Year ballot. He won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2010-2011 and will now have his chance to lead the Bruins back to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Bobby Ryan: 1st round 2nd Overall to the Anaheim Ducks

Being the guy that was drafted behind Sidney Crosby is not easy, many people don't even know your name. Often times there's trivia questions asking who was drafted 2nd overall in 2005, and to be honest I didn't have any idea. But despite having the distinction of "the guy drafted after Crosby" Ryan has made himself a solid career with the Ducks. He's played 4 full seasons with the Ducks and was playing on the top line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. Before the beginning of the 2010 season he signed a 5 year $25 million extension with the Ducks, and except for some trade deadline rumours that were used to motivate him, the Ducks haven't had any complains. In all 4 seasons with the Ducks Ryan has scored at least 30 goals, proving that he is a reliable and steady forward. He was named to the United States Mens Ice Hockey team for the 2010 Olympics and helped them capture a silver medal in a heart breaking loss against Canada and the guy he was drafted behind. The 25 year-old has a bright future ahead of him and will no doubt turn out to be a key player for the Ducks on their next playoff run.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnLwgsIlwnM

James Neal: 2nd round 33rd Overall to the Dallas Stars

Neal is the ultimate feel good story. After not playing exceptionally well in Dallas he was traded to the Penguins in 2011 right at before the Trade Deadline. He got off to a slow start with his new team and many were worried he wouldn't be able to stick around on the star-studded Penguins. But he came out and proved doubters wrong with his strong play last season in the absence of Crosby. Neal played in 80 games and racked up 81 points and earned himself a 6 year contract extension worth $5 million. He along with Evgeni Malkin helped to support and carry the team in their captains absence.

Kris Letang: 3rd round 62nd Overall to the Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins had an absolutely fantastic draft in 2005. Not only did they get Crosby they managed to get their hands on young defenceman Kris Letang. In 5 seasons with the Pens, Letang has turned into one of the elite defenceman in the NHL and a leader on the Penguins. When Crosby was injured last season with his concussion, many noticed how well Letang flourished by taking more of a leadership role and helping out both on offence and defence. He was voted Penguins rookie of the year in 2008 and was apart of the Cup winning Penguins team in 2009. Letang is a key member of the Penguins and some have even gone as far as to say he is one of their most valuable players and has the biggest impact on the team. Think about it, who else do they have on the back end?

Adam McQuaid: 2nd round 55th Overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets

Another Stanley Cup winner from that phenomenal draft. McQuaid joined the Bruins in 2009 after a trade from the Blue Jackets. At 6 foot 5 he plays more of the "tough guy" role and fits in with the Bruins style of play perfectly, racking up more penalty minutes (216) than goals (6).

There you have it folks, some of the big names that came out of the 2005 draft. 5 of the players listed above have since won a Stanley Cup, all of which have experience success with their teams and the majority have become household names. Let me know, did I miss any big names? What is your favourite or most memorable draft?

 

Agenda During Latest CBA Talks

The good news right now for fans is the fact both the NHL and NHLPA are at least meeting and talking to each other. In 2004-2005 the two sides went for 3 months without speaking, the longest this time around has been roughly 2 weeks. The unfortunate news is the talks as of late have been focused on the "secondary issues" as neither side is willing to back down from their current proposal.

So what exactly is going on behind closed doors during these meetings? Thankfully my sources were able to pass on some important information from the last few meetings. Here's the just of how things went Monday when Bettman and Fehr got together with their posies.

9:00 a.m.- Let's be real they're not meeting as early as 9.

9:30 a.m.- Donald Fehr and 7 NHL players who have yet to leave for Europe arrive to the meeting a little early to discuss their strategy for today's meeting. Fehr opens with "Let me get this straight, if he's not willing to end the lockout and give the players more money by the end of today you'll be in Europe by tonight?" The Players respond will a resounding "Yes!" "Good what's Bettman going to do with no players?"

10:00 a.m.- Bill Daly shows up alone with a smug look on his face and a cup of coffee.


DF- "Where's Gary?!"
BD- "He's coming, had a rough sleep last night"
TP- "Is he finally feeling guilty about this whole lockout situation?"
BD- "No he couldn't figure out if he wants to cancel another 2 weeks or up it to 3 weeks." Followed by evil laughter.

10:30 a.m.- Gary Bettman finally arrives followed by 3 NHL owners with black eyes.


DF- "You're late Gary!"
GB- " Oh am I? I must have lost track of time. I was just discussing how the owners and I are unanimous about this lockout, isn't that right gentlemen?"
O- "Yes, we all agree."
DF- "Have you brought the files regarding how much revenue the league earned last season?"
GB- "You were serious about wanting to see that?"
DF- "GARY!"
GB- "I kid, I kid. I know I keep telling the public and the TV stations we made tons of money, but we actually lost money. Unless the players are willing to take a significant cut we refuse to continue CBA talks."
Sidney Crosby- "That's it Gary I've had enough of your crap, I'm heading to Europe. I hear the KHL is looking for superstars"
GB- "But Sid you can't go, you're my main money maker! Alright Fehr, have your side prepare a new proposal and submit it to the owners"
DF- "Sure thing, we'll have it to you in 2 weeks"
SC- "Make sure you include the clause that no one is aloud to hit me!"

11:30 a.m. After Bettman reiterates the fact the owners refuse to backdown from their current proposal and the NHLPA may submit another proposal as long as it is reasonable to what the NHL has submitted.

GB- "Well that's enough talking for the morning, why don't we break for an early lunch?"
DF- "But we haven't negotiated anything. We have a season to salvage Gary!"
GB- "Oh there's lots of time for negotiating. Besides no one really tunes into the NHL till late December anyways."
DF- "But Gary what about Canadian hockey...
GB- "Canadian hockey fans?"
BD- "Time to break for lunch"

Bettman jumps up from his seat and heads towards the door followed by the 3 owners and Daly, the quickly vanish out of the building. The players and Fehr remain in the boardroom as the players begin to call their agents to look for teams overseas.

DF- "So are you guys finally ready to accept a smaller piece of the pie?" "Or how about accepting the leagues last offer, it seemed pretty fair"
Dustin Byfuglien- "Did someone say pie?!"
TP- "Go away Byf. Remember Don, you work for us. Whatever we want you said you would be committed to getting. We want a bigger share of the pie and longer contracts.
DF- "Fine, fine I'll make up a new proposal. But this isn't going to get us back playing anytime soon."
TP- "There's the KHL and other markets in Europe, we're not worried."

1:00 p.m. Gary and Bill both return from lunch without the any owners.

DF- " Where's the owners Gary?"
GB- "The owners only need to be present if we're "negotiating" a new CBA. Since the players refuse to accept our offer we're not negotiating today. Now on to the topic for today: Player safety, NHL rules and players commitment to pre-season.
TP- "Wait what do you mean we're not negotiating today? We could sign deals in Europe tonight, how are you going to play without us?"
GB- "Oh I'm glad you brought that up. If the players refuse to come to terms with the fact we the owners will win these negotiations and are still holding out by the end of November, the NHL is fully committed to moving forward with replacement players."
TP- " You're going to attempt to replace us? With who?"
GB- "I don't have to attempt to replace you, I will. There are several AHL players who would love their shot to play in the NHL, and how about all the European players jobs you guys are taking? I'm sure they need a place to play.
TP- "Good luck getting the fans out!"
GB- "The fans are dumb enough to come out and support the AHL players as long as they're wearing NHL jersey's"

2:00 p.m. Gary swiftly changes the talks play safety

GB- "With the rise of concussions, we need to address player safety. Let's bring in Brendan Shanahan"
BS- "The game is so fast it's getting harder and harder to tell if a hit was clean or not"
GB- " If it's a big time player or a rich team's player, it's a clean hit. If it's someone no one has heard of before it's dirty"
SC- " Anyone who hit's me should get an automatic 20 games!"
GB- "Calm down Sid, just send Matt Cooke after them."
GB- "Any thoughts Don?"
DF- "Make the equipment smaller?"
GB- "Naw that won't fix anything, guess there really isn't an answer to this problem"

3:00 p.m. The two sides talk about more secondary issues like medical care, drug testing and player grievances.

GB- "Well that should do it for today's meeting, any last thoughts Don?"

The players quickly surround Fehr and discuss things in a little huddle. After 10 minutes they break the huddle.

TP- "Tell him Don!"
DF- "I suggest we get rid of the Salary cap..."
GB- " Hahahahahahahahahaha. Wait you were serious? You do realize we sacrificed the whole 2004-2005 season in order to get a salary cap right?"

4:30- Bettman decides the meetings for the day are complete and leaves the room with Bill.

There you have it folks, an inside look at the NHL CBA talks. Will we see an end to this madness soon?

 

Hockey's Future Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon

It may be a little early but since there is no NHL hockey (yes I'm looking at you Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr) it's time to start looking at up coming prospects. More specifically players who have yet to be drafted (age) but are expected to be in the top 5 in their respective drafts. Both Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon are touted young hockey players who are well on their way to great careers. Might as well learn their names now, you'll be hearing a lot about both in the future.

What makes both these young players so unique, is the similarities between their junior careers and two former first overall draft picks; John Tavares and Sidney Crosby.

Connor McDavid- Erie Otters (OHL)

What's so special about McDavid? The fact that he is only the third player to be granted "exceptional status" by hockey Canada allowing him to play in the OHL at the age of 15. The Otters took him first overall in the OHL draft in April and are excited to see how his rookie season will unfold. It will be a bit of an adjustment for the 15 year-old who will now face opponents as much as 5 years older than him. It was a "no brainer" for hockey Canada to allow McDavid an early pass into the OHL after he racked up 72 points in just 33 games playing for the Toronto Marlboros in the GTHL and being named the GTHL player of the year, all while being a year younger than his teammates.

McDavid is a speedy 5 foot 11 centre who has amazing creativity with the puck and is fully committed to playing in both ends. 9 games into his rookie season he's racked up 9 points in just 7 games (4 goals and 5 assists) and is leading his team in points. Not bad for the 15 year-old phenom. The most remarkable thing is McDavid won't be draft eligible until 2015 a full 3 seasons away, which will give him enough time to make a name for himself with team Canada playing in the world juniors.

It will be interesting to watch McDavid grow and develop in the OHL the next 4 years. There's a lot of pressure riding on the 15 year-old it will interesting to see how he handles it all, especially being in Pennsylvania away from his family and friends in Toronto.

Nathan MacKinnon- Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

From a prospect who won't be draft eligible until 2015 to a player who has a strong possibility of going first overall in 2013, Nathan MacKinnon. By now most hockey fans have heard of MacKinnon, or at least his eerily similar path as Sidney Crosby. Both hail from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, both are elite centremen, both attended Shattuck-Saint Mary's hockey prep school, both were drafted 1st overall in the QMJHL and perhaps the strangest similarity of them all; The season before Crosby was drafted was lost because of an NHL lockout.

Much like Crosby if the NHL does indeed suffer a full season lockout, every NHL team will have shot at drafting MacKinnon. In his first season with the MooseHeads he racked up an outstanding 78 points in just 58 games and is off to a solid start again this season with 13 points in 7 games. Mackinnon's goal for this season is simple, win the Memorial Cup;

"We want to win the Memorial Cup next year, that's our goal!" ~ Nathan MacKinnon

MacKinnon has the ability to put an entire team on his back and skate them to victory. Even after getting cut from the U-18 junior team last season, he answered back on the ice with a 5 goal performance against the QMJHL's top team. MacKinnon will be on top of every teams wish list and is one of the tops prospects for next years draft. Even if there is no hockey this season, next years draft will be something to look forward too. Will the kid from Cole Harbour get drafted first overall like another Cole Harbour native?

Although the present seems bleak the future looks bright for the NHL and their prospects. The next wave of superstars is almost ready to make it's mark and it will likely be lead by the next, next one Nathan MacKinnon. Make sure you check out these two while they are still with their junior teams and watch them shine.

What You Need to Know September 14

Welcome back to another edition of " What You Need to Know". Let's dive right in.

• Justin Bieber, pop sensation and hockey star?

Your eyes are not deceiving you, like every good Canadian boy the singing sensation grew up playing hockey. Bieber had to put his hockey career on hold to follow his dream of singing. Earlier this week the Bakersfield Condors who play in the ECHL offered the singing sensation a contract to join their hockey team. The head coach of the Condors saw the footage of Beiber skating with the Toronto Maple Leafs and decided he would be a good fit for his team.

“Very rarely do you see this combination of skill and toughness, I think he could provide some elusive speed up front for us. Plus, he’s a right-handed shot, which we’ve been looking to add.” ~ Matt O'Dett head coach of the Bakersfield Condors.

Wow talk about a marketing plan, if Bieber does agree to go and practice with the team they might start selling out games.

• September 15th is right around the conner

In Fact the deadline in which league commissioner Gary Bettman set is tomorrow night at midnight. Sadly I will be away in the woods with little internet coverage, but I'm not foreseeing a deal being signed in the next 24 hours. The two sides met again on Wednesday, during the meeting the NHLPA led by Donald Fehr submitted another proposal to the league and the league than countered that proposal with one of their own. The two sides are still extremely far apart despite the league submitting what will likely be the best deal the NHLPA will see during this process. Fehr described the leagues proposal as a ploy for them "Trying to see what else they can get". Any hope of an outside source coming to rescue the CBA talks was put to rest when the Board of Governors unanimously voted to have a lockout if there is not a deal by Saturday. I hate to say it but start preparing for a lockout.

• Signings, Signings and more signings

With the lockout right around the corner teams are taking one last shot to lock up players before they are no longer allowed too. Signings over the last week include:

• John Carlson signs for another 6 years with the Washington Capitals


• Kari Lehtonen signs for another 5 years with the Dallas Stars


• Justin Abdelkader signs for another 4 years with the Detroit Red Wings


• Carlo Colaiacovo signs for another 2 years with the Detroit Red Wings


• Jonathan Blum resigns a one-year deal with the Nashville Predators


• Ben Scrivens signs a two year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs


• Tyler Seguin signs a 6 year deal with the Boston Bruins

 

• New Name but same home

The Florida Panthers have changed the name of their home arena in Sunrise Florida from BankAtlanticCentre to BB&T.

• Sid the Kid is 100% healthy

One of the sad things about the impending lockout is that fact the world's number one player is finally healthy after 2+ years of battling with a concussion. Problem is there's nowhere for him to play. But the good news for the Pittsburgh Penguins and their fans is that Crosby has not had any setbacks to his health while training this summer. 

"Nothing. I've been feeling 100 percent. It feels good to not have to think about that, and to work as hard as you want. It's been really good."~ Sidney Crosby

• Gaborik making progress

Marian Gaborik is back on the ice skating with his teammates after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery. Gaborik says he is happy with the progress but will take his tame rehabbing and will likely be out until late November.

"I can play with the puck and shoot some muffins, everything has gone as planned, so I am very happy with the progress. I can feel the difference now and I can feel that it's getting better, so that's the most important thing." ~ Marian Gaborik

 That will do it for the news this week in the NHL.

 

Where You Can Find Players During a Lockout

 

The mood around the NHL right now is sombre and tense. Will there be a lockout or will we get to see hockey?
The best way to lighten a mood and break the tension is to laugh. That's why today's piece is guaranteed to make you chuckle and forget about your lockout blues.

We'll be taking a look at where you can find some NHL stars and what they'll be doing while hockey is on hold.

Raffi Torres- Anger Management Classes

Torres is the type of player who skates the thin line between tough guy and all around idiot. He received a 25 game suspension for a hitting Blackhawks Marian Hossa in the head. Prior to the Hossa hit Torres had been suspended twice for hitting opponents in the head. During the lockout you can find Torres taking some anger management classes to help him channel another outlet for his anger so he no longer feels the need to take out star players because they get more ice time or score more goals than himself.  You can tell if the classes have taken worked when he goes to hit another opponent; Does he leave his feet and leap at the players head or simply drive his elbow into their head?

http://youtu.be/W2mX7LqBGo4

Ilya Bryzgalov- Teaching a class about the Universe

Did you know that the universe is "humongus big"? True story, I learned it from Bryzgalov. During to the the 24/7 series that followed the Flyers up to the Winter Classic, fans were treated to a little peak inside the Russian goaltenders mind. As it turns out Bryzgalov is obsessed with the universe, unfortunately for Flyers fans he wanted to see if he could get his Goals Against Average to be as "humongus big" as the universe which he studies. Good news for students you can expect the goalie to be at a school near year teaching about the universe and the solar system. In edition to teaching about the universe he will also be teaching courses on personality and how to handle the media.

http://youtu.be/OtaWkLFfevc

Alexander Ovechkin- Starring in Music Videos

On top of being one of the best hockey players in Bryzgalov's "humongus big" universe, Ovechkin also likes to spit out the rhymes. A video came out in January that featured the Capitals captain rapping in a Russian Music Video. No need to cry for Ovechkin during the lockout, he has a pretty solid backup plan that pays just as well as a hockey career. Look for Ovechkin to realize his own music videos and maybe even sign a record deal this offseason, after all he's pretty "ill".

http://youtu.be/qhhzC7rzre0

Henrik Lundqvist- Touring with his band

On top of being one of the best goalies in the NHL, the most stylist athlete and an al around classy guy, Lundqvist can "shred" pretty hard on the guitar. During the offseason the Rangers goalie spends time with his band and playing gigs, looks like he has his backup plan all worked out. Rockstars also make some pretty decent money.

http://youtu.be/vDXnlB9obDU

Sidney Crosby- Reliving his glory days with the TimBits

Over the last two seasons Crosby has had nothing but trouble with concussions and "concussion like symptoms". Right now he claims to be fully healthy and ready to go, too bad there's going to be a lockout. Why would Crosby risk getting hurt playing in the KHL or in Europe when he can play with little 6-7 year olds who can't cause any harm to him, heck they can't even reach his head.

http://youtu.be/a7fKuOMo2r4

Tim Thomas- Run for Congress

Thomas has reached a point in his career where he no longer cares what people think of him, he made that very clear this season by expressing his multiple political views. Thomas had a crazy season mixed with poor play and politics. He's already stated he will take the season off to focus on his personal life and to once again become true to himself. Who know's maybe we'll see him run for congress, can you imagine President Thomas? If you get handed a pin with his face on it or see a poster that says "vote for Thomas" do society a favour and tear it down.

Ryan Miller- Protesting Hitting

After Milan Lucic ran over Miller in a game last season, Miller stuck around to share some words about his feelings towards Lucic. While I myself do not support the hit, the scenario itself turned out to be pretty funny. Look for Miller to be in the stands at OHL or AHL hockey games offering to do post game press conferences about dirty hits. Who know's maybe he can even get his own segment where he chimes in about how he feels about a player after a hit.

http://youtu.be/FvE82q4yKEM

Patrick Kane- Party Rocking



Whether their is a lockout or not, Kane knows what to do when he's not busy playing hockey. Pictures and articles have leaked about Kane being a partyanimal and getting drunk. Kane will be happy with a lockout as it means he can party non-stop without having to worry about hockey. If you go to a pary during the lockout be on the lookout for Patrick Kane, he'll be the life of the party. Special tip, don't ride in a taxi cab with him!

There you have it folks, a light-hearted article poking a little fun at some of the players. Hopefully there is no NHL lockout and we wont see the players in the scenarios above.

 

<p>This post is an official entry in the <a href="http://www.scottspicks.com">ScottsPicks.com</a> <a href="http://www.scottspicks.com/sports-writing-contest.htm">Writing Contest</a>.</p>

CBA Deadlock

 

By now I'm sure you've heard the NHL (Gary Bettman and the owners) did not accept the NHLPA's second offer on Friday. As a result the talks have been



recessed and the two sides have not met since. Bettman said the league would not accept a deal that didn't include a salary deduction for the players, funny howhockey players are the least payed professional athletes.

When I read the news on twitter that the owners had not accepted the proposal my heart instantly dropped. Time is running out and with both sides seemingly far apart, now more than ever we face the prospect of a third lockout in 18 years. With just 11 days left until the September 15th deadline, it's time we take a look at what the sides are really wanting from each other.

Here's a few valid points each side has in this never ending battle over who will back down first.. the millionaires or the billionaires.

NHL

Let's start with the owners. Right now whether the players like it or not the ball is in the owners court. For the owners it's not about the love of the game, it's about how much money they can make and how little they can pay the players. The league made a record $3.3 billion last season, but the owners are crying poor?

• The owners and the league believe they deserve a bigger cut of the pie known as revenue. Right now the players own 57% percent of the generated revenue, compared to the leagues 43%. That's a pretty significant difference between the two sides. The other reason they want a bigger piece of the pie is to share with some of the smaller market teams who are on the verge of going bankrupt.


• The owners and Gary Bettman believe that they pay the players too much money. In reality yes they do, no professional athlete should be making more than $5 million a year in any sport, period! They are payed to a play a game that millions of little kids play for free. But in terms of professional sports the players are underpaid. Take NFL quarterback Peyton Manning for example. He's arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, his salary is $18 million a year where as Sidney Crosby one of the best players in the NHL makes a mere $9 million a year. No Mr. Bettman you don't pay your athletes too much money.


• The owners are wanting to put a cap on the length of contracts offered to players. Right now we're seeing some very long deals that have players locked up for 12-13 years, the owners are wanting to rope those contracts back down to 5 year deals. Thus brings us to the point of why the owners, who want to shorten the contracts, have been handing out contracts ranging from 6-12 years right before the CBA? They have too. Let's say hypothetically the Pittsburgh Penguins only wanted to give Crosby a 5 year deal but he demanded a deal closer to 10. If the Penguins don't sign him for 10 years another team would gladly sign him. Which is why the owners (despite looking like hypocrites) are handing out long deals, if they don't another team will.

NHLPA

Next we move to the players, who don't really have much to fight over other than the fact the league is trying to take more money.

• The players union feels like they lost in the CBA negotiations back in 2004-2005. They feel like the NHL got a better deal and pushed around the players union. To insure that this would not be the case again this season they hired Donald Fehr. The players refuse to lose this time around. On twitter and in the news you hear the players saying they want a "Fair deal", all they want is whats fair. Problem is there is nothing fair in business and the world of sports.


• The players do not want a deduction in the revenue they earn from the league. Things included in this revenue are; ticket sales, jersey sales and memorabilia etc. Since the last lockout ticket prices have been raised 40%! The players believe they deserve the biggest cut of this pie, after all the fans are paying to see the players play.


• The players are fighting desperately to win these CBA negotiations. They can't afford to lose again to the owners.

The sad thing is both sides are fighting because they don't know what to do with all the money they made last season. It was the NHL's best season and helped them land network deals with NBC and HBO (winter classic) deals with these larger markets would almost guarantee bigger profit next season. But the owners are willing to risk their TV deals just because they don't know how to handle the money now.

Take a minute to watch this fantastic fan made video, it will give you chills. Alone us fans have no voice but together we make a sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQs3O_IDas&feature=player_embedded

Bettman and the owners believe they can do anything they want and the players should just have to accept it. That may have worked in 2004 but it sure wont fly this time around. Hockey isn't about the money, it's about the moments and the memories that last a lifetime. Please give the fans the game they love and forget fighting over the money.

The Crosby and Parise bromance is over

News broke Wednesday afternoon the Zach Parise had agreed to a 13 year deal with the Minnesota Wild. In the process of signing a deal with the Wild Parise broke a verbal agreement he had with the Pittsburgh Penguins and his good friend Sidney Crosby. Turns out Crosby isn't taking the news so well.

Source: "Crosby is RAGING right now. Said he'll never talk to Parise again. Lied to him and to organization and broke promise." #Pens
— Hockeyy Insiderr (@HockeyyInsiderr) July 4, 2012

 Everything that @HockeyyInsider says needs to be taken with a grain of salt, a lot of it is false. While his tweet may have blown things out of proportion, there has to be some truth to this. It was reported that Crosby called Parise 3 times to try and convince him to join the Penguins. Crosby also excepted less money on his contract extension, so they Penguins would have enough money to get him a solid winger like Parise. Unfotunetly for Crosby a "verbal agreement" in this day and age means nothing. Unless there is signed paperwork nothing is written in stone.

Parise chose to return home to finish out his hockey career where it began in Minnesota. His father played for the Minnesota North Stars and Parise lives in Minnesota during the offseason. Parise chose to be close to home instead and instead of playing with long time friend Crosby, he chose to join forces with another friend and fellow free agent Ryan Suter. Suter and Parise signed identical contracts with the Wild worth $98 million over 13 years. Parise said it was important to him that his friend Suter was treated fairly and offered a solid amount of money.

You have to hand it to Parise. It was a risky decision to turn down an opportunity to play with long time friend and arguably one of the best players in the world and join a Stanley Cup contending team to go and play on a team that will have a difficult time just making the playoffs!

But here's what really rubs me the wrong way about the 13 year $98 million deals that Parise and Suter signed:

Let me see if I get this, Crosby is the best player on the planet and is worth $104M, Parise/Suter are top 25-30 and get $98M #MakeSense
— Ryan Moynes (@ryanmoynes) July 4, 2012

While I may be in the majority of people who think this way but Parise and Suter are no where even close to being worth that much money! In my ranking Parise is not inside the top 5 forwards, heck he's not even inside my top 20 and don't even get me started about Suter. Unfortuently for the Wild and Penguins and other teams that were in the running, this is a very weak free agency class there aren't many markee players. Which makes the prices for players go through the roof because they see teams are throwing money at them, they think they deserve it.

If NHL teams keep throwing absolutely ridiculous amounts of money at players who don't deserve that type of money the league is going to be bankrupt. In order to make up for the money the Wild spent they now have to raise ticket prices. Eventually when ticket prices get extremely expensive people stop buying them! Here's a quote from non other than the Minnesota owner Craig Leipold:

“We’re not making money and that’s one reason we need to fix our system. We need to fix how much we are spending.” – Craig Leipold April 11, 2012

Maybe if you didn't spend $196 million on two players, you could make some money! Talk about hypocrisy.

To make matters worse for the Penguins, who lost Crosby's current wing Steve Sullivan to free agency just before news broke they lost Parise as well. The Penguins weren't even one of the final two teams he was looking at. The two teams he was debating between were his current team the New Jersey Devils and Minnesota Wild. I guess the only thing Crosby can sell is tickets.

While Parise may not be getting any more calls from Crosby he will be heading home to play in his hometown, a homecoming of sorts. Guess winning wasn't all that important to him.
The way the media treated Parise and Suter joining forces you would think all the news was about Crosby and Ovechkin joining forces. Maybe one day?

P.S- I don't have anything against Crosby, Suter or Parise. This was more of a humours article poking a little fun at the players. What good is hockey if it's all serious even in the off season?

The Crosby and Parise bromance is over

News broke Wednesday afternoon the Zach Parise had agreed to a 13 year deal with the Minnesota Wild. In the process of signing a deal with the Wild Parise broke a verbal agreement he had with the Pittsburgh Penguins and his good friend Sidney Crosby. Turns out Crosby isn't taking the news so well.

Source: "Crosby is RAGING right now. Said he'll never talk to Parise again. Lied to him and to organization and broke promise." #Pens
— Hockeyy Insiderr (@HockeyyInsiderr) July 4, 2012

 Everything that @HockeyyInsider says needs to be taken with a grain of salt, a lot of it is false. While his tweet may have blown things out of proportion, there has to be some truth to this. It was reported that Crosby called Parise 3 times to try and convince him to join the Penguins. Crosby also excepted less money on his contract extension, so they Penguins would have enough money to get him a solid winger like Parise. Unfotunetly for Crosby a "verbal agreement" in this day and age means nothing. Unless there is signed paperwork nothing is written in stone.

Parise chose to return home to finish out his hockey career where it began in Minnesota. His father played for the Minnesota North Stars and Parise lives in Minnesota during the offseason. Parise chose to be close to home instead and instead of playing with long time friend Crosby, he chose to join forces with another friend and fellow free agent Ryan Suter. Suter and Parise signed identical contracts with the Wild worth $98 million over 13 years. Parise said it was important to him that his friend Suter was treated fairly and offered a solid amount of money.

You have to hand it to Parise. It was a risky decision to turn down an opportunity to play with long time friend and arguably one of the best players in the world and join a Stanley Cup contending team to go and play on a team that will have a difficult time just making the playoffs!

But here's what really rubs me the wrong way about the 13 year $98 million deals that Parise and Suter signed:

Let me see if I get this, Crosby is the best player on the planet and is worth $104M, Parise/Suter are top 25-30 and get $98M #MakeSense
— Ryan Moynes (@ryanmoynes) July 4, 2012

While I may be in the majority of people who think this way but Parise and Suter are no where even close to being worth that much money! In my ranking Parise is not inside the top 5 forwards, heck he's not even inside my top 20 and don't even get me started about Suter. Unfortuently for the Wild and Penguins and other teams that were in the running, this is a very weak free agency class there aren't many markee players. Which makes the prices for players go through the roof because they see teams are throwing money at them, they think they deserve it.

If NHL teams keep throwing absolutely ridiculous amounts of money at players who don't deserve that type of money the league is going to be bankrupt. In order to make up for the money the Wild spent they now have to raise ticket prices. Eventually when ticket prices get extremely expensive people stop buying them! Here's a quote from non other than the Minnesota owner Craig Leipold:

“We’re not making money and that’s one reason we need to fix our system. We need to fix how much we are spending.” – Craig Leipold April 11, 2012

Maybe if you didn't spend $196 million on two players, you could make some money! Talk about hypocrisy.

To make matters worse for the Penguins, who lost Crosby's current wing Steve Sullivan to free agency just before news broke they lost Parise as well. The Penguins weren't even one of the final two teams he was looking at. The two teams he was debating between were his current team the New Jersey Devils and Minnesota Wild. I guess the only thing Crosby can sell is tickets.

While Parise may not be getting any more calls from Crosby he will be heading home to play in his hometown, a homecoming of sorts. Guess winning wasn't all that important to him.
The way the media treated Parise and Suter joining forces you would think all the news was about Crosby and Ovechkin joining forces. Maybe one day?

P.S- I don't have anything against Crosby, Suter or Parise. This was more of a humours article poking a little fun at the players. What good is hockey if it's all serious even in the off season?

Malkin Disproving the Russian Stereotype

It's a popular discussion in the hockey world and a dilemma for NHL organizations, the great Russian stereotype. Are Russian players lazy? Do they only care about themselves? Are they as good as Canadians? It's an age old topic that was revamped when Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby were the forerunners in the league and arguably the two best players in the world. But it's the new best player in the world (for now) Evgeni Malkin who is disproving the Russian stereotype.

There have been plenty of instances over the years that prove that the Russian hockey players are a completely different breed than the Canadians, and that they only care about themselves and the money they make. There's also a nasty rumor that they are famous for getting coaches fired.

Alexander Ovechkin
Sure Ovechkin is a phenomenal hockey player, he scores jaw dropping goals and brings fans out to the game. But when the game is on the line would you really want him on the ice? When first asked this question you want to say yes, but to fully answer the question you need to dive in deeper. Take this year's playoffs for example, sure the Capitals made it to the 2nd round but Ovechkin never really stepped up to the plate and is part of the reason they're not playing right now. Anytime you can take the top seeded team to the 7th game and have them on the brink of elimination it's something special, something Ovechkin should have been all over. In 14 playoff games, Ovechkin scored just 5 goals and had his ice time diminished, Kings forward Dwight King (who few have ever heard of, has 5 goals!) Bottom line was when Ovechkin's team needed him the most, he was nowhere to be found, he has now played 7 seasons in the league and has failed to make it past the 2nd round of the playoffs, his stock, like his ice time is slowly going down.

Team Russia
What has really puzzled a lot of people is why Russian teams with all their fire power have never been able to win medals or be dominant on the World Stage. Canada and the United States can't be that much better than Russia can they? Especially when you can combine Ovechkin, Semin, Malkin, Kovalchuk and Datsyuk some of the top players in the NHL. (2010 Olympics).
Many say it's because they're too lazy or too cocky, they care more about partying than playing hockey. Whatever the reason despite all the fire power the Russian's can cook up they're still unable to crack into the upper echelon of the World rankings.

Drafting Russians
Then of course you have to look at the NHL entry draft, a lot of teams are hesitant to pick Russian players as there is no guarantee they will leave Russia to come play in the NHL. Now that the KHL is ramping up in Russia, they're throwing large amounts of money to Russians so they will come back home and play in Russia. The 78th pick in the 2009 NHL entry draft, Sergei Andronov has never left Russian, he currently plays in the KHL despite being drafted by the Blues! The Russian players want all the glory but none of the responsibility that goes a long with playing in the NHL.

Evgeni Malkin

But they say it takes just one to change people's perspective; queue Evgeni Malkin.

In all honesty I have never been a fan of Malkin, I always thought Crosby was better and more valuable to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but this season really changed my mind about Malkin. He had a fantastic season both on the scoreboard and with his character.

As everyone knows the Penguins were without their star Crosby for the majority of the season. They started the year without him and only saw him a couple of times during the year. Yet they still had a fairly successful season and made the playoffs due in large part to the play of Malkin.
Not only did Malkin have to carry the team in the absence of Crosby, he also was without Jordan Staal, the Penguins virtually went from having the best top 3 centers in the league to having just 1.

Most teams that are dealt multiple injuries, especially to their top players fold up (Sabres, Wild) but credit to the Penguins and Malkin for battling through it. To sum up the Penguins regular season, Evgeni Malkin put the Penguins on his back and took them to the promise land. To be frank Malkin did something I'm not sure the great Sidney Crosby could have done, another thing he did that Crosby wouldn't have been able to do; keep quiet. Not once did you ever hear Malkin complain that he had to do it all himself, or that his team's lack of success was because of injuries. Malkin gave no excuses, when the team wasn't playing well he took it upon himself to play better.

Malkin absolutely dominated the league this year, finishing with 50 goals and 59 assists for 109 points not to mention he only played in 75 games. Steven Stamkos who led the league with 60 goals but had just 97 points played in all 82 games!
Not only did Malkin lead the league in points, he's also nominated for the MVP award and he also led Russia to an IIHF World Championship! Becoming only the second player ever to lead the NHL in scoring and lead the World Championships in the same season! He was also named the MVP and best forward of the World Championship tournament.

After Malkin's amazing season in the NHL and jaw dropping performance, there is no doubt he is the best player in the world right now. He showed he was hungry to win, was willing to battle and do whatever he had to, sure he didn't go far in the NHL playoffs but he went a long way in putting Russia back on the map for the IIHF.

Malkin elevated his game and showed just how special a hockey player he really is, there were stretches during the season where he was totally dominant, no one stood between him and scoring a goal. Evgeni Malkin deserves some major props for what he was able to do this season. He showed a lot of character and showed just how valuable a Russian player can be, not just by scoring goals but by playing a complete game. He was able to do what all great hockey players do, make his teammates better!
He was able to help disprove the Russian stereotypes of them being lazy, he wanted the responsibility of leading his team, he even remained humble during his play. He possessed many qualities that other Russians don't usually show. If Crosby has troubles in the future, Malkin would be more than capable of wearing the "C".

The way Malkin was able to transform the success of his team by putting them on his back is remarkable and should make scouts think twice about skipping over a Russian. You never know who will pay off in the long run, Russian or not!