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?

 

What Does Luongo to the Leafs Mean For Current Leaf Goaltenders?

Usually when a sport is in a lockout state all talks about trades are put on hold until the league breaks the lockout, but apparently the never stopping Toronto sports media missed that memo. A report surfaced on twitter last week, that the next time Roberto Luongo plays in the NHL it will be for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The report is initially from SportsNet and hockey reporter John Shannon. While neither team has confirmed the trade, nor can they because of the lockout, fans got pretty excited over the news.

Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis has denied the rumour, stating that talking about trades without a CBA is not allowed, there are as many as 5 teams that have expressed interest in the goaltender and further talks would not continue until a new CBA is worked out. As I said earlier the Toronto sports media loves to cause drama, their motto seems to be; "If there isn't a story, make one up".

Whether the rumour is true or not, and frankly we may never know as there are several variables in a situation like this, the possibility of Bobby Luo ending up in Toronto is pretty good. The Leafs are in desperate need of a veteran goaltender and depending on the new CBA would be one of the few teams that could afford his contract. But the point of this article is not to debate whether Luongo will be a Toronto Maple Leaf but rather to see how his addition to the Leafs would effect the current goaltending situation in Toronto.

James Reimer

Reimer burst onto the Toronto Maple Leafs radar halfway through the 2010 season when then goaltenders Jonas Gustavsson and Jean-Sebastien Giguere began to play poorly and drove the Leafs out of the playoff race. He was then named the starting goaltender for the remainder of the 2010-2011 season playing in 37 total games and becoming an instant fan favourite, many of whom referred to him as the "Leafs saviour". Reimer had a injury riddled 2011-2012 season that saw him get injured twice and as a result his play suffered. He played in just 34 games and finished with a 3.10 Goals Against Average and a .900 Save Percentage.

Reimer is a solid goaltender and has the capability to be a solid number one goaltender, but not with the Leafs. He's still young and inconsistent a recipe for disaster for a goaltender constantly under the spot light in Toronto. Leafs GM Brian Burke told the media that Reimer and Marlies goaltender Ben Scrivens would battle it out in training camp to decide who will become the starting goalie. Interesting that the Leafs won't name Reimer their clear cut number one and a sign that management is looking elsewhere.

Verdict: Reimer Gets Traded- He's a great guy and a solid goaltender. But questions have arrised about his mental toughness and ability to handle the media pressure. As a result Reimer needs to play for a team that is out of the limelight so he can develop his game without the constant criticism.

Ben Scrivens

While there are questions about the young goaltenders attitude there is no question he is a solid netminder. He lead the Toronto Marlies to the Calder Cup finals  and had a fantastic season racking up 22 wins. His play earned him a call up to the Leafs, where he played in 12 games and won 4. With his play in the AHL last season, there is no question he deserves a chance to crack the NHL roster and challenge for the starting job. But is he ready?

Scrivens was an un-drafted prospect who signed with the Leafs in 2o10 because of goaltending coach Francois Allaire. Although Scrivens is older than Reimer (26) he is still very much a rookie who needs more experience at the NHL level. He is off to a rocky start with the Marlies going 1-2 in his 3 games with a .896 Save Percentage.

Verdict: Scrivens Becomes Luongo's Backup- Last season's run to the Calder Cup finals was fantastic to watch and Scrivens showed he can play. The fact the Leafs are willing to let him battle to become the starter shows they have some faith in him and see a future with him between the pipes. He needs more experience and could benefit from the guidance of a veteran goaltender. If there's another media outlet nearly as bad as Toronto it's Vancouver, Luongo would not only help him on the ice but potentially help him with the media as well. Having the veteran in Luongo and the rookie in Scrivens might be the right formula for success for both goaltenders.

Jussi Rynnas

Rynnas is another un-drafted goalie who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent. Rynnas joins the Marlies after playing for Assat of the SM-liiga the top professional league in Finland (2009). After winning a job with Assat out of training camp he went on to post the top Save Percentage (.927) and a solid Goals Against Average of 2.47. His play earned him attention from several NHL teams and he ultimately chose the Leafs, he was sent to the Marlies where he played 30 games in 2010. Last season saw him split time between the Marlies and their ECHL affiliate, but this year he's back with the Marlies and looks to backup Scrivens until he is recalled to the Leafs at the end of the Lockout.

Verdict Rynnas Becomes Marlies Starting Goaltender- With more experience and playing time Rynnas has the possibility and skill to become a solid starting goaltender, if and when the NHL lockout ends he will get that chance with the Marlies.



There you have it folks, my thoughts on the goaltending situation should Luongo indeed end up in Toronto. Of course if he does land in Toronto he will be the new number one goaltender and be faced with the task of bringing the Leafs back to the playoffs. I would not be surprised in the slightest to see the Leafs having a goaltending tandem of Luongo and Scrivens for the next few seasons. What do you think folks, will Loungo end up with the Leafs? If so how does it effect their goalies?

 

Fans Thoughts About the Lockout

It appears right now with the NHL lockout both the NHL and NHLPA are more interested in trying to convince the fans whose fault this lockout is instead of actually, you know, working on a new CBA. There have been countless interview, tweets, videos and letters sent to fans with either side justifying their point and taking shots at their opponents. But the one thing we haven't seen or heard is the opinions of the fans. For this post I've joined forces with the wonderful people over at SportsRantz Magazine to bring you a fantastic hockey article about the fans.

I've searched high and low, long and hard and scavenged twitter for the best tweets from the fans expressing their feelings about the lockout. As I expected the majority of you are upset.

 A new week starts. If only the NHL would kick their butts into gear & think about fans & not only $$, it would be amazing!

— Dawn Rose(@LadyTennisBall) October 1, 2012

Day 15 of @nhl Lockout and I'm still watching Daly and Bettman talk and act like idiots. #OwnersLockout

— Allan Boynton (@allanboynton) October 1, 2012

It's October and you know what that means ...NHL HOCKEY !!! Oh wait there's a lockout in place ! Thank you #NHLPA #nhlowners. #LockedoutFan

— Paul Calamari (@PCalamari16) October 1, 2012

NHL - no hockey league

— NHLKateNHL (@NHLKateNHL) September 27, 2012

Roger Goodell struck a deal with the refs because of fan outrage. Meanwhile, Gary Bettman laughs maniacally on a big pile of money. #NHL

— Kyle Leathers (@kleathers) September 27, 2012

Can the #NHL get replacement owners?

— Just Plain T (@JustPlainT) September 27, 2012

chuck Norris can't even stop the NHL lockout

— JohnLafata™ (@JohnLafata14) September 27, 2012

#NHLPA, just googled "things that stun growth" Gary Bettman is now third behind smoking and malnutrition #NHL #lockout

— OptimistPrime (@G_5HARP) September 27, 2012

The world is supposed to end this year and there's an NHL lockout. Coincidence? I think not.

— Hockey Problems (@TheHockeyProbs) September 24, 2012

So there's an NHL lockout AND a bacon shortage? Maybe the end of the world is coming...

— andrea (@andreaaaceee) September 26, 2012

Fun Fact. The NHL has lost more games to a LOCKOUT, then baseball, basketball, and football combined.

— Steve Ott (@otterN9NE) September 22, 2012

NFL & the refs are willing to negotiate til 2am while NHL & NHLPA are more interested in trying to convince fans whose fault the lockout is.

— Wheeling Problems (@wheelingprobs) September 26, 2012

If Gary Bettman's head pops off. It may or may not be due to the VooDoo doll that I can't confirm nor deny I have in my possession.

— Leigh(@LuvBuffaloSport) September 16, 2012

Gotta tell ya - I don't buy for a min that ALL owners were unanimous - some voted NO via peer pressure. Can't believe ALL wanted #Lockout

— Mary Ann (@MusingMaryAnn) September 14, 2012

Greedy @nhl owners continue to screw over players, fans and all the people who work in arenas with their stubbornness with this lockout. :(

— Chris Cardwell (@thebl4ckd0g) October 4, 2012

All NHL GMs only get so many kicks at the can before they have to move on. Gary Bettman has been the NHL's GM for 20 years. Time to move on.

— Adam Proteau (@Proteautype) October 1, 2012

Good talk with a co-worker about the #NHL lockout. In conclusion, They don't care about the fans so I'm going to stop caring about them.

— Arnold K (@aroc88) October 4, 2012

that awkward period between baseball and hockey season thats even longer cause gary bettman is an asshole

— Tyler Hagen (@Tyler_Hagen) October 4, 2012

@hockeylife30 the League is being too greedy, the players make the League a success,and the League is unrightly trying to lessen their money

— Jordan T (@44vbtimpson) October 4, 2012

There you have it folks, probably one of the few articles that focuses directly on the fans and their opinions. Heck if the NHL isn't going to listen to us, we have to voice our thoughts some how. Thank you to everyone for your tweets and sharing your thoughts. Make sure you read the rest of the article over on Sports Rantz magazine for thoughts from Facebook hockey fans and the effect the lockout will have on junior hockey. Huge thanks to Kristina Chambers for asking me to be apart of this article and motivating me to do a post about the fans thoughts.

Turning Attention to the KHL

Let's face it folks both the NHL and NHLPA are far apart on working out a new CBA, it's unlikely we'll be seeing NHL hockey any time soon. With players all over the world it would be a whirlwind trying to get all those players back to respective NHL teams by the start of the season. If you're truly a hockey fan and not just an NHL fan, it's time to start diverting your attention the other professional leagues. There's the AHL, OHL, QMJHL and many more all with their own unique brand of high level hockey. But perhaps the next biggest league next to the NHL is the recently formed KHL. Last night I was on Sports Rantz radio (83:44, shameless plug) to talk about the latest CBA talks, during the interview I was asked if I was watching or following the KHL. I answered truthfully and told them I wasn't watching the games but was following some of the action, but not nearly as much as I'd like to be. That got me thinking, why am I not watch the KHL?

The KHL officially deemed itself a professional league in 2008 after they broke away from the Russian SuperLeague. In 2008 they started out with 24 teams and today have 26 teams. The KHL is home to many skilled Russian hockey players who could easily be playing in the NHL if they chose to leave their home. But until the current lockout has been largely in the shadow of the NHL waiting for their "big break". Everyone knew the KHL existed, some knew they had some skilled players but few knew where or how to find games to watch those players. The KHL began to gain popularity and recognition when many skilled Russians showed up in the 2012-2013 draft. I myself wanted to watch and focus on more Russian hockey as there are many talented Russian's emerging from overseas. Something had to break and lucky for the KHL it appears the NHL has figuratively broken, giving the Russian league it's "big break".

Now that the NHL is on a temporary break, many top notch Russian players have returned home to play in the KHL, and these players are finally putting a face to the KHL for many North American hockey fans. Two of the biggest being Alexander Ovechkin playing for Dynamow Moscow his former team and Evgeni Malkin playing for Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Not to mention Canadian born Sidney Crosby debating heading over to Russia if the lockout goes much longer. In addition to those big name players the KHL is currently hosting many other NHL players and top notch Russian players.

From watching the highlights it's easy to see that there is some great hockey being played over in Russia right now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NM0kboSuaU

Lots of goals, an up take of physical play and some big saves, everything a hockey fan wants from the game no? It's actually very exciting hockey to watch, even if it's not commentated in english, it's still hockey. Hockey is a universal language that has the power to connect people on various continents no matter what language or cultural berries are present. If it's hockey, it's hockey, who cares where it's being played!

With big name players like the ones mentioned above and others like Claude Giroux, Danny Briere, Tyler Seguin, Tyler Ennis, Nail Yakupov and Rick Nash bringing interest and attention from North American fans the KHL is finally in the limelight and not just Russia. The whole world is watching or has the capability to watch the KHL and it's players, could the NHL have handed them a better situation?

Although they can't financially challenge the NHL because of salaries and only a handful of their 26 teams breaking even, they are able to challenge the NHL in terms of talent. There are some darn good players in the KHL who aren't from the NHL, not a single player from the NHL is in the top 25 of KHL scoring, That speaks volumes in terms of the talent over seas. Heck it may even be a good idea for Bettman and the NHL to join forces with the KHL, now I'm not talking about combining them into one league, but perhaps the NHL all-stars can play against the Russian all-stars. It would make the snooze fest known as all-star weekend  lot more exciting and globally would be a great thing for the game of hockey.

So while the players take a nice vacation over in Russia, the KHL benefits from their talent. I think it's time to start paying more attention to the KHL and give them more credit, it's not easy to convince NHL players to come and play in your league while the NHL is on strike. Remember if you're a hockey fan and don't think there's any hockey on, you're not a hockey fan, you're an NHL fan. There's lots of hockey out there folks, open your eyes and look. AHL, OHL

NHL Makes Substantial Proposal Ball Now in Players Court

While it may be a little early for full optimism, hockey fans should mark October 16th and November 2nd on their calendars. The Fehr brothers met with Bettman and Daly on Monday and while the media were told a new proposal from either side was not going to be presented, the NHL decided enough was enough and submitted a massive proposal which has the makings to get the ball rolling on the NHL season.

One of the major stumbling blocks in these negotiations has been deciding how to divide Hockey Related Revenue between both the league and the players. As expected both sides wanted a bigger piece of the pie and neither were ready to back down, until today. Gary Bettman submitted a new proposal today that would see both the league and the players splitting HRR 50-50. In addition to the 50-50 split Bettman has given the players the opportunity to play a full 82 game season that would begin on November 2nd. Is it a sure deal, no. But it's a step in the right direction towards getting a deal done.

Up until today Bettman and the owners refused to cave and laid all the pressure on the players to cave and get the game going. Only problem was that all the fans were on the side of the players. With this new offer that appears to be fair everything falls directly on the players; accept the offer and start the season November 2nd or turn down the offer and lose the fan support. Tough choice.

Key points in the NHLs offer include:

• Players share of HRR will be 50% for the 6 years of the new proposed CBA.


• The new CBA would be in effect for 6 years with a option for 7th


• Entry level contracts will only be restricted to 2 years


• The maximum length for player deals will be 5 years


• Players over the age of 28 or who have 8 years of NHL experience will qualify for unrestricted free agency. Earliest a player could reach free agency would be 26.


• All players who signed a contract longer than 5 years will be maintained and will count against a teams cap space.


• A cap maximum of $70.2 million with a floor of $49.7 millions


• A full 82 NHL season plus playoffs that will begin November 2nd and possibly end the last week of June.

Oddly enough Bettman has stated many times that he doesn't negotiate in public but released a
detailed copy of the NHLs proposal to the players online. Could this just be a public relations move to get the fans support?

"We’re focused on getting the puck dropped on Nov. 2 and playing a full 82-game regular season and full playoffs, That’s what this offer is all about.” ~Gary Bettman

Sure sounds like Bettman is trying to tickle our ears! The more one reviews the proposal it appears that this is more of an attempt for the commissioner to show the public he is committed to getting a deal done and starting the season. There are points the players are going to like and points they aren't; the 50-50 split is a major positive where as waiting until age 28 for UFA is likely not going to fly well. It just depends on how much each side is willing to compromise.

But the fact the NHL submitted a new, somewhat "player friendly" proposal is a huge positive. It means they are ready to negotiate and get the deal done to get hockey back. Right now it's all on the players, how badly do they really want to get a deal done? They've been saying they just "want to play" so here's their chance. If the players don't accept the deal and counter something the league will scoff at, they will lose the PR battle with the fans. It's a tough spot for the players but a extremely smart move by Bettman.

Whether you want to believe it or not this latest proposal from the league a great turning point in these negotiations. Now that Bettman has "given in" and made the first significant proposal both sides can now freely make their points without the feeling of sabotaging the negotiations.

The reaction from players and Donald fehr is that this new proposal is a "good starting point" and they are expected to submit a counter proposal in the next 24 hours. Only problem, how much further is Bettman willing to bend?
At the end of the day Fehr's job is not to settle but rather to get the best possible deal for the players and they will not be satisfied with just 50% of the pie.

What do you think about the new proposal from the league; Is it fair? Should the players submit?

AHL Opening Weekend

The AHL didn't let the NHL's lockout rain on their party as they kicked off their regular season with a bang this weekend. The majority of teams played 2 games on the weekend and there was some phenomenal hockey played. For some fans it was a chance to see their first professional hockey of the season and for others it was an opportunity to see some of their favourite young players back in the AHL. Whatever your reason for watching, the young stars did not disappoint. So instead of talking about the depressing lockout, let's look at some of the players who have gotten off to hot starts and some other notable names. I know it's still early but who knows.

Top Scorer: Cory Conacher 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points in 2 games.

Conacher was a member of the 2011-2012 champion Norfolk Admirals who defeated the Toronto Marlies to win their first ever Calder Cup. The 5 foot 8 native from Burlington Ontario was un-drafted in the NHL



but managed to catch the attention of the Tampa Bay Lightning and signed a 2 year 2 way deal with the club. Conacher had an impressive run with the Admirals last season racking up 80 points in 75 games and was named the MVP becoming only the 4th rookie to win the award. He wasted no time getting off to a quick start with the Syracuse Crunch recording 3 points in the season opener against the Rochester Americans and adding 2 more against the Hershey Bears. An interesting side note: Conacher also had 6 penalty minutes against the Bears. While it's still early look for Conacher to have another big season production wise and perhaps earn himself a

call up to the Lightning once the NHL season begins.

Sven Baertschi: 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points in 2 games.

The rookie made a solid first impression with his new team, helping the Abbotsford Heat go 2-0 on opening weekend. The 20 year-old from Sweeden was taken 13th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2011 draft and has spent the last 2 seasons playing in the WHL. Even though the Heat were able to score 6 goals it's still Baertschi's goal that stands out.

"Those types of goals, you kind of just go, 'wow'. It's a real pleasure to have that talent here in the American League" ~ Heat coach Troy Ward

The Flames rookie has started his AHL career on the right foot, scoring goals and impressing management. Baertschi will be an interesting player to keep an eye on to see his adjustment from the WHL to the AHL

Marcus Foligno: 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points in 2 games.

While he may not be off to as explosive a start as some of his competition, Foligno put up a solid 3 points on the weekend. Foligno is a Buffalo Sabres prospect who would almost certainly be suiting up for the Sabres if they were playing. Instead he's suiting up for the Rochester Americans and gets a further chance to hone his game. Foligno had a goal in each of the Amerks two games and the only goal in their loss to the Marlies. Despite not having the "C" on his chest, Foligno will be one of the veteran players called upon to lead the Amerks while he is a member of their team. So far he's gotten off on the right foot by leading the team in scoring after the first 2 games.

Highlight Reel Goal by Brayden Schenn

Like Foligno, Schenn racked up 3 points in his 2 games this season and both are amongst the top NHL players playing in the AHL during the lockout. In the Adirondack Phantoms 6-3 route over the Portland Pirates, Schenn netted 2 goals including this highlight reel goal, in which he danced around the defender and slipped a nice backhand behind the keeper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIUc-EBreA8

Expect big things from the Phillidaphia Flyers young forward, during his time in the AHL.

Goaltenders

Calvin Pickard: 2 games played, 1 win and a shootout loss.

Despite being 1 and 1 on the season Pickard turned some heads with his play on the weekend. The Lake Erie Monsters rookie goaltender stopped 69 out 72 shots on the weekend to lead the AHL in saves. He also posted a .958 save percentage, not bad for the rookie.

Eddie Lack: 2 games played, 2 wins.

If and when Roberto Luongo leaves the Canucks, Lack will become the new Cory Scnieder. Well maybe not to the same extent of having the fans chanting for him to go in instead of their starter, but my point is he'll



become the Canucks new backup goalie. Lack went 2-0 this weekend put up a shutout win against the Rockford IceHogs.

Benefit of the lockout

Not only does the AHL get to lay claim to some young NHL superstars while the big league continues their bickering, they also have a wonderful opportunity to reach more fans. During the first 27 games of the AHL season the average attendance was around 6,200 roughly 600 more people showing up to games than last season.

Stanley Cup rematch in the AHL

Both the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils farm teams squared off for a Stanley Cup rematch of sorts. Manchester Monarchs did not disappoint their parent club picking up a 2-1 victory over the Albany Devils, on way to their 2-0 season start.

There you have it folks the AHL opening weekend in a nutshell. There was some exciting hockey being played and many jaw dropping plays. Who are your early favourites?
Make sure you get out and check out at least 1 of your local AHL teams games this season, it's great hockey and these kids are leaving everything on the line night in and night out to earn that call to the NHL. Come be apart of a prospects journey.