Goaltending for Sochi 2014 Olympics

The 2014 Sochi Olympic games are less than 1 year away which means the NHL must quickly decide on whether they are to send players over to Russia for the games or not. Of course for players like Alex Ovechkin it really doesn't matter as he's stated he will go anyways. There's not really any harm in sending the players to Russia to play in the Olympics, one of the biggest stages for any hockey players and the NHL may even get some good publicity by doing it after the whole lockout fiasco. For the purpose of this article let's just assume NHL players will be allowed to suit up for their respective countries at the 2014 Olympic games.

We're going to take a look at the top goaltending candidates for each of the 3 "power teams" Canada, USA and Russia.

Team Canada

When Canada sends a national team to these types of tournaments it's almost assured they'll come home with a gold medal in order to retain their world hockey supremacy. In 2010 team Canada faced a bit of scare from the Americans and Ryan Miller. For 2014 Canada will be looking for solid goaltending so what happened in 2010 doesn't happen again.

Starter: Carey Price 

[caption id="attachment_2360" align="alignright" width="300"] Carey Price in 2007[/caption]

While the Montreal Canadiens goaltender may be short on experience, he's good. His game has come a long way and he's matured since his 2007 World Junior Championship, his play in the NHL lately proves he's ready for the task of backstopping team Canada at the Olympics. Coming off what looks to be a solid year with the Canadiens, Price will be the frontrunner to carry team Canada in net. Let's not forget he'll be behind 6 world class defenceman, the best of the best in the world- something he doesn't necessarily have in Montreal.

Backup: Cam Ward

With the resume Cam Ward will bring to team Canada it would be hard to overlook him as Price's backup. He's got a Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe and a World Championship gold medal. Ward is turning heads with his play in Carolina and would be a solid choice as Canada's number 2 guy.

3rd String: Roberto Luongo

There's lots of talk about whether Luongo can get the job done when it matters most- the 2011 Playoffs, and even his suspect play at the 2010 Olympics. Team Canada management knows this, which is why they will include Luongo on the roster but will not name him as the starter for the key games. Let's face it Luongo is a solid goaltender and he's proving that right now in Vancouver, any team would be lucky to have him, but is he team Canada starter material- I don't think so.

If you're looking for a full list of all possible Team Canada players check out We Want A Cup

Team USA

Thanks to a brilliant performance by Ryan Miller the Americans came so close to snatching away gold from the Canadians. This year they'll be looking for revenge and will need some solid tenders to slow down both the Russians and Canadians.

Starter: Jonathan Quick

Quick is the only one of the 3 American goalies who has a Stanley Cup to his name. As poor as he's playing right now, there's still time for him to turn it around and that Stanley Cup Championship speaks volumes. He proved he can backstop an under-dog team and turn them into champions and that's exactly the kind of goalie the Americans will need. As long as he regains his game look for Quick to be the go-to man at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Backup: Ryan Miller 

[caption id="attachment_2363" align="alignright" width="300"] Ryan Miller at the 2010 Olympics[/caption]

Sure Miller may have fallen from grace over the last couple of seasons but he's still a top notch goalie in the NHL and one of the best options for the Americans. With Miller it's a case of "What have you done for me lately." Well he did backstop the Americans to a silver medal in 2010 narrowly falling to the Canadians. Despite playing behind a horrible defence system he still manages to steal games for the Sabres- hence the win against the Islanders despite being outshot 43-15. His play in 2010 alone should be enough to at least land Miller the backup job.

3rd String: Jimmy Howard

Howard is a solid netminder that can be called upon in a pinch in team USA needs him. He's still fairly young for a goaltender (28) and is the perfect age to be the 3rd string in 2014 and then move up the rankings in 2018. He's been solid between the pipes for the Red Wings the last 2 seasons and his stock will keep rising.

Honourable mentions- Craig Anderson and Cory Schneider

Anderson will be 32 at the time of the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Team USA like they showed in 2010 with Miller, will want to go with younger goalies if they can get the job done. This may sound a little strange but Schneider was hand given the starting job in Vancouver and failed to take advantage of the opportunity, that may hurt his stock.

Looking for a full list of possible team USA players click here.

Russia

The Russians have always been a team primarily concerned with scoring goals, they believe that as long as they're scoring they can outscore their opponent and it doesn't matter whose in net. But that didn't work out too well for them in 2010, unfortunately Russia has always had a history of weak goaltenders and it isn't looking much better for 2014.

Starter: Ilya Bryzgalov 

[caption id="attachment_2365" align="alignright" width="300"] Bryzgalov at the Winter Classic[/caption]

Yes that's right Mr. Universe will likely win the starting job for Russia by default in the 2014 Olympics. He's the most experienced netminder they have and has looked solid for the Flyers early on.  As long as Russia's big guns are firing on all cylinders Bryzgalov should be able to shut the door for the Russians.

Backup: Semyon Varlamov

If Bryzgalov is too unstable to gamble on than look for Semyon Varlamov to get the starters job for Russia at the 2014 Olympics. Now with the Avalanche he's having a little trouble with goal support but is still averaging a 2.00 Goals Against Average. Behind a high scoring Russian team Varlamov would be a solid a goaltender.

3rd String: Andrei Makarov

Going a little off the board with this pick, but the Russians are so thin between the pipes they could give some serious consideration to Andrei Makarov a Buffalo Sabres prospect playing in the WHL. Makarov looked very good for Russia at the World Junior this year helping him snipe away bronze from Canada and is playing extremely well in the WHL. They're touting him to be the goaltender of the future in Buffalo and could surprise a lot of people at the 2014 Olympics.

Those are my choices between the pipes for Canada, USA and Russia ahead of the 2014 Sochi Olympic games. Each player on this list knows the spotlight is on them as they try to make final impressions ahead of the games. With the way these international tournaments have played out lately, it's usually the team with the best goaltender(s) that come out on top.

Which country has the best goalies? Any key goalies I left off the list, make your case by tweeting me @HockeyLife30!

 

Top 10 NHL Saves of 2012

The only thing better than highlight reel goals, is highlight real saves. A NHL goalie has litterly just seconds to react to a shot from elite players and when they
do manage to get a piece of leather on the puck it makes for some draw dropping highlights. So here are the top 10 NHL saves of 2012:

10. Jimmy Howard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JPF_8fEUgk

One of the worst things to happen to a goaltender is when they misplay a easy dump-in resulting in a easy and often embarrassing goal. Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard gets introduced to just how lively the end boards can be when a routine dump-in takes a lively bounce and lands right in front of the net. Howard relies on his insticts and reflexes to somehow recover and keep the puck out.

9. Marty Turco

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMx9SHvk4ck

Talk about a fantastic highlight reel save in your first game back in the NHL! After being recently signed by the Boston Bruins the veteran Turco proves his worth to his new team. But chances are this move isn't in any goaltenders playbook.

8. Ondrej Pavelec

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

Unless you're a goaltender or have played goal it's really hard to truly appreciate the difficulty of this save by Ondrej Pavelec. Not only is he out of position he also has to pick his entire body weight up in order to dive over to the other side of the net. On top of all that he gets up on the wrong leg making the sliding save even more difficult. After watching Pavelec play last season it's not unreasonable to say he's one of the most under-rated goalies in the league.

7. Devan Dubnyk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpCEJP6SNNk

This is the perfect example on why a goalie should never give up. Here Chris Higgins has a wide open net but Dubnyk dives across to rob him with the paddle and on top of that he's able to cover up the puck.

6. Ryan Miller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTt-Cex63go

Miller and the Buffalo Sabres had a rough season but it's saves like this that solidify Miller's place in the elite goaltenders of the league. This save shows how much hockey sense Miller possess and how quick his reflexas are as he is able to stop the puck right on the goal-line. After the puck hits a skate and heads directly for the back of the net, Miller not only needs to find the puck but he also has to react in time to keep it out. This is they type of save that just leaves you scratching your head.

5. Martin Brodeur

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxPT4oSwjYU

Brodeur may just be one of the greatest goalies to ever play in the NHL and perhaps the most remarkable thing about him is his unique style of play, it's completely out of the box and almost un-adaptable for goaltenders today. After just turning 40 during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Brodeur shows that he is still just as good as when he was young. After missing on the poke-check Brodeur sticks with the play, showing he's still flexable by getting a toe on the puck.

4. Carey Price

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTh9l6wOIl0

Now when a goaltender makes 1 great save it's one thing, but when a goalie is called upon to make several in a row one has to question where the defence is. Here Carey Price is forced to make 2 great saves and then cover up the rebound. The unique thing about this save is the evolution of Price's maturity and career, earlier on he would have panicked and sulked about the lack of help. But here he stays with the play and battles hard to make not one but two huge saves.

3. Keri Lehtonen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9LJAgQTL2c

Making a big time game saving stop is nothing easy for a goaltender and when that save comes in over time it's even more drastic. Here Keri Lehtonen is able to get across the cress and kick out his leg and deflect the puck into the air and out of harms way. This is the type of save that makes you wonder if goaltenders train by breakdancing in the off-season.

2. Henrik Lundqvist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jw2ryqsQ30

How in the world did King Henrik manage to keep this one out of his net? Whether it was pure luck or more brialliance from the elite goaltender but somehow he managed to stone Drew Stafford on a 2 on 1. Make sure you watch this save 2 or 3 times to fully appreciate the value of this save.

1. Mike Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPMT7sx1cq4

You can't not include a penalty shot/ breakaway save in a list of top 10 NHL saves. The hardest thing for a goaltender to do is make a save 1 on 1, player vs. goaltender. When it's a penalty shot during overtime against New York Rangers sniper Marian Gaborik the odds are even tougher. Smith is able to read Gaborik and sprawl out to make the save.

There you have it, my top 10 NHL saves of 2012 and there were some fantastic ones eh? Did I miss any phenominal game saving saves from the men between the pipes? If so let me know!

 

 

Why Jordan Binnington Should Start Over Malcolm Subban

After finishing the selection camp and heading over to Finland, almost all the positions for team Canada were spoken for. For the most part we knew who the top defence pairing would be and who the top forward line would be. But the one position still with question marks is the most important one, the goalie. Heading into the pre-competition games it was rumoured Malcolm Subban had been pencilled in as the starter and Jordan Binnington would be the back-up, but coming out of those games I hope head coach Steve Spott has an eraser handy.

While Subban may be the higher touted goaltender of the two, being drafted in the first round by the Boston Bruins and playing in the summer series against Russia, he has looked shaky at best during his time battling during selection camp and in his first pre-competition game. Coming out of the selection camp Subban was arguably the worst goaltender but because of his strong play this summer and phenomenal stats with the Belleville Bulls he was given the benefit of the doubt. Binnington on the other hand was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2011 draft by the St. Louis Blues and wasn't even invited this summer to compete against Russia. He used his snub this summer as added motivation and earned an invite to selection camp based on his exceptional start of the season with the Owen Sound Attack.

Both netminders have similar records this season in the OHL; Subban going 15-7-3 with a save percentage of .932 while Binnington has gone 17-6-3 with a .930 Save percentage. After not having a clear cut number 1 goalie since 2005 (Carey Price) team Canada needs to pick the goalie who will give them the best shot at winning the gold medal not the "politically correct" goalie and based on pre-competition play that is Jordan Binnington.

Now I know there is still lots of time for Subban to find his game during the round robin games and will likely be given every opportunity to win back his starters job, but in a tournament this short you have to play the hot goalie. Subban has looked shaky and nervous during his turns between the pipes, something is just off he isn't the same goaltender who suits up for the Bulls and is lacking confidence. Giving the starting job to Subban while he's not playing well will prove both detrimental for Subban and team Canada. If Canada comes home with anything less than gold they will likely be met with criticism, something Subban may not react well to considering he's never played in a tournament of this magnitude before. Binnington has proven he's confident and ready to suit up for team Canada and his 30 save shootout win in which he looked composed and confident only further proved the point he is the real deal.

Right now Binnington is the hot goaltender, he has the confidence, the swagger and has flat out out-played Subban. He deserves, based on play, to be the starting netminder for team Canada. Heck he's even won over the support of the players;

"There was one flurry in the 2nd where he was unbelievable. He lost his stick and we were on the bench saying wow!" ~Team Canada forward Ryan Strome

Having the confidence from the team goes a long way, especially in a short tournament like this. Last year the players lost trust in Mark Visentin and became more focused on the back check then scoring goals. They quickly found themselves trailing Russia and ended up losing 6-5 forcing them out of the gold medal game, mainly because of weak goaltending. When a team is able to score 5 goals they should be winning the hockey game, but to see your netminder let in 6 is a real tough pill to swallow. It is crucial this year that the Canadian players have faith in their goaltender, based on pre-competition games they don't seem to be a high scoring team so they will rely even more on the goalie to keep the games close until they can capitalize.

With teenage athletes, especially goalies, poor play is often magnified with pressure. Both goalies are still young and have some maturing to do but the pressure of being the number one goaltender for team Canada is no easy burden. Right now all the pressure is on Subban, he was expected to be the starter, played against Russia in the summer and was a first round pick. Where as Binnington came out of no where, out-played Subban and has been flying under the radar this season. There's less pressure on Binnington, he wasn't the rumoured starter and had to work hard just to make the team after the snub in the summer. If he's named the starter people will be impressed by his performance no matter how things turn out as they weren't expecting him to lead the team.

While fans may get to see a little bit of both goaltenders throughout the round robin games, the brunt of the load should be given to Binnington. He's proven he's ready with his strong play and right now is more stable than Subban. Right now the best bet for Canada to win gold is if Binnington is the starter, but I've seen Spott make worse decisions. Whoever he decides to name starter, he should announce it soon. Subban is already doubting his play and if given the starting job will have a hard time getting the naysayers out of his head. We saw last year how well not declaring a starter went for team Canada, they don't want to head down that path again.

Movember and the NHL: 5 Best Beards From Last Season

November is often a slow and boring month. It's the month before December and Christmas, it's right after Halloween and there isn't really anything exciting going on. But the thing that makes the slow and cold month exciting is the furry brows that appear on the upper lips of men in support of Prostate Cancer. Hence why it's called Movember, because of the moustaches that are grown during the month. Now facial hair and hockey go hand and hand, there's the traditional "playoff beard" and 3rd/4th line grinders who are more known for their facial hair then their play. But for hockey players, being able to grow a half decent beard/moustache is a badge of honour, so let's take a look back at the 5 best "mo's" from last years Movember.

5. Carey Price




There is never a dull moment with the Canadiens goaltender, and one thing he's not shy about is his confidence. He showed his

confidence with his "pedophile" looking moustache last season. Although he seems to grow the same style of "mo" every Movember, he still gets points for giving it his best shot. Who knows maybe if the Habs ever make a deep playoff run with him between the pipes, we'll get to see a real beard from the young goaltender.

4. Claude Giroux

Giroux gets bonus points for his "mo" despite using Just For Men to enhance his facial hair. When you're a ginger you're unlikely to grow a deep dark moustache, so to help make his hair's more noticeable he touched it up. Is it cheating or points for creativity, I vote creativity. What he lacks in facial hair he makes up for in skill.

 

3. Paul Bissonnette

Remember the grinders I mention above? Bissonnette fits perfectly into this category, people know more about his twitter feed than his actual hockey stats. So when Movember rolls around no doubt the attention seeking 4th liner makes the most of it. With his support for Movember it's hard not to cheer for his stache, but with last years effort he could fit the part of a creepy pizza delivery man.

2. Mike Brown

Brown like Bissonnette is a 4th liner who is known for other things other than scoring goals. But when you're playing in Toronto and not scoring goals the media has a tendency to eat you alive, instead Brown decided he was going to be know for his epic facial hair that screams "Go ahead take a shot at me!"
Brown rocks the handle bar moustache and doesn't cut it off after Movember, instead he lets it grow and in turn it's becomes part of his persona with the Leafs.

1. George Parros

Although Parros is no longer with the Anaheim Ducks, he will forever be known for his famous moustache, heck they even sell his moustaches in the Ducks team store. Parros says his moustache is inspired by his favourite musician  Sean "Greazy" Bryan. His stache is so popular that his former teammates in Denver got mad when he decided to shave it off. Parros has his own apparel line "Stache Gear" in which all proceeds go to charity. Talk about using your moustache to the fullest, not bad for the former Ducks enforcer.



Unfortunately because of the lockout fans aren't likely to see too many of their favourite players rocking a moustache, so if you're missing those hair faces just check back here to see the best ones from last season. Better yet how about growing a moustache yourself for the month of November and helping raise support for mens health, after all you moustache can't be any worse than Sidney Crosby's sad attempt at a stache right?
Happy Movember to all you "mo-bros!"

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?

 

How Important is Good Goaltending?

It is often said "if you show me a great goaltender I'll show you a winning team."  Often times the difference in a hockey game will be decided by how well the masked men play. There is no question that goaltending is important to the success of a team, a series can be won or lost based on the goaltending. But it's time to take a statistical look at how a goalie can truly effect a team.

Today we're going to look at 3 of the top goalies from last season (statistically speaking) and take a look at how it effected their respective teams. Then we'll take a look at a couple teams who didn't do so well and see how their goalies performed.

Top 3 Goalies

Jonathan Quick: 35 wins, 1.95 GAA (2nd), .929 Save Percentage (3rd), 10 shutouts (1st), 133 Goals Against.

Team Result- Won the Stanley Cup

When a goaltender backstops a team to a Stanley Cup Championship and wins the Conn Smythe you know they've had a good season. Jonathan Quick's stats only reiterate what everyone all ready knew, he had a fantastic season. Looking at the stats from last season you find Quick's name in the top 5 of almost every category. Without the solid goaltending the LA Kings had they wouldn't have been able to hoist the Cup. Quick came up big for the Kings who found themselves on the winning side of many one-goal games. Quick out-duelled his counterparts helping the Kings knock off the 1st, 2nd and 3rd seeded teams en route to victory.

Henrik Lundqvist 39 wins, 1.97 GAA (4th), .930 Save Percentage (2nd), 8 shutouts (3rd), 123 Goals Against.

Team Result- Conference Finals



King Henrik had another outstanding season between the pipes leading the New York Rangers to first place in the Eastern Conference. This season Lundqvist became 1 of only two goalies to have 7 straight seasons with 30+ wins, what does that mean? It means he's consistent, when the Rangers need a win they know they can count on him. The Rangers were able to climb on his back and ride a hot goaltender deep into the playoffs. Despite having his best season as a Ranger, he was still unable to catch the elusive Stanley Cup. Hopefully one day the king will get his cup.

Brian Elliott- 23 wins, 1.56 GAA (1st), .940 Save Percentage (1st), 9 shutouts (2nd), 58 goals against. * Elliott only played in 38 games*

Team Results- Conference Semi-Finals

Despite splitting the goaltending duties with Jaroslav Halak for most of the season, Elliott was able to win the starting job at the beginning of the playoffs. Elliott lead the league in Goals Against Average and set the record for the highest single season Save Percentage. As a result of his great year, Elliott earned some hardware at the NHL awards bringing home; the William M Jennings trophy for lowest goals allowed and the Roger Crozier trophy for highest save percentage. If it wasn't for the St. Louis Blues running into a hot goaltender in Quick the Blues likely would have gone deeper into the post-season.

Now it's time too look at two goalies who didn't fare as well and as a result their teams missed the postseason.

Ryan Miller- 31 wins, 2.55 GAA (23rd), .916 Save Percentage (21st), 6 shutouts (8th), 150 goals against.

Team Result- 9th place in the Eastern Conference



While I hate blaming goalies for a teams performance, Ryan Miller was a huge reason why the Buffalo Sabres missed the playoffs. The Sabres and Miller were expected to have a fantastic season and challenge for the Stanley Cup, but they stumbled out of the gate and as a result found themselves in 14th in the Eastern Conference. As much as Miller is to blame for the poor start he also deserves credit for the late season turn-around in which the Sabres narrowly missed the playoffs. Bottom line Miller has to be better in order for his team to win, he had a rough season and as a result the Sabres suffered.

Carey Price- 26 wins, 2.43 GAA (18th), .916 Save Percentage (20th), 4 shutouts (18th), 160 goals against.

Team Result-  15th in the Eastern Conference.

To be honest I'm not too sure what happened in Montreal this year. The Canadiens weren't expected to gave a outstanding season, but they also weren't expected  to have the poor season they did. Unfortunately for Price, no one on the Canadiens really stepped up to the plate, so even when he had a solid game they still lost. The good thing for fans is their goaltender did a lot of growing up this season and didn't quit on the team. Price didn't perform nearly as well as he could have and as a result his team tanked.

One difference between teams who made the playoffs and those that didn't was goaltending. Those who got steady consistent play from their goalies advanced farther. A goalie is said to have done his job if he keeps his team in the game and gives them a chance to win. The top 3 goalies all gave their teams a chance to win each night and their statistics reflect that. Want your team to make the playoff? Better hope  they have solid goaltending.

 

Changing the Gaurd

Since the Montreal Canadian let go of their General Manager Pierre Gauthier March 29th, the GM role for the Canadians sat empty waiting for someone to come down and rescue the historic franchise. Who better to retain the role of the Canadians than a former Montreal Native, so after nearly 3 decades of time spent away from home Marc Bergevin is returning home as the new GM of the Montreal Canadians. 

Bergevin who is 46 grew up in Montreal watching the Habs win many a Stanley Cup, now it is his job to get the Habs back to the Stanley Cup. He brings 20 years experience as a former defenceman who played for 8 different teams and 7 years of scouting and management with the Chicago Blackhawkes (including the year they won the cup). But dealing with the Canadians (and the media) will be no easy task for Bergevin.

"I took this job first of all because I know I'm ready. If I wasn't ready for the challenge I wouldn't be here today"- Marc Bergervin

 A challenge it will be, the Canadians had a dismal 2011-2012 season that ended with them in 15th in the Eastern Conference, 3rd last in the league and in a lottery pick situation. But Bergevin is staying true the current roster and refuted any possibly of a complete "rebuild" in Montreal.

"I believe the pieces are really good. Obviously finished 15th in the conference, it's a lot of work that needs to be done but you have a good base."- Marc Bergevin

Bergevin's first order of business was letting interim head coach Randy Cunneyworth know that he is no longer the head coach but instead and interim assistant coach, where the new head coach can decide whether they want to keep Cunneyworth or not. Even if you're not a fan of the Canadians you have to feel somewhat sorry for him, put in an awkward position by former GM after Gauthier came out and said they would look for another head coach who was bilingual. Cunneyworth did the best job he could in his situation and now he may lose his job all together! 


The next order of business for the new GM is negotiating contract extensions with the likes of; Carey Price and P.K Subban. Two cornerstone players for the Habs who need to be locked up long term. He also needs to decide what to do with Scott Gomez, a rumour came out shortly after news broke about the new GM that the Canadians would buy out the remaining 4 years on Gomez's contract. 


After he works out all the contract situations he still has one last daunting task, finding a new head coach. Many have pointed to the possibility of Patrick Roy returning to Montreal, while others speculate they will look for a new coach with no former ties to the Canadians looking for a fresh start. 


Marc Bergevin is a fun loving guy with a great sense of humour which will serve him well in Montreal and in the media. Right now he's taking it all in stride and getting used to his new GM job. But expect lots of movement from the new GM who will be looking to make a splash this offseason and put a winning Canadians team on the ice for the start of next season!