NHL Opening Weekend Recap

This past weekend marked the return of NHL hockey and NHL opening weekend was absolutely beautiful. There were highlight reel goals, jaw-dropping saves and some good old fashioned fights. Rivalries were renewed not only on the ice but also on twitter after fans had been united in the battle against the lockout. Most importantly NHL opening weekend reminded fans just how great the game of hockey truly is. I must say I have missed the NHL- welcome back, welcome back.

Let's talk about the games from NHL opening weekend- which featured all 30 NHL teams. While it may be too early to start judging teams based off their first showings, it's never too early to start talking hockey!

[caption id="attachment_2111" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Jonathan Toews celebrates a goal much to the dismay of the Kings[/caption]

Chicago Blackhawks (5) vs. Los Angeles Kings (2)

• Each member of the Los Angeles Kings- who won the Stanley Cup before the lockout- were given a chance to take a 2nd lap with the coveted Stanley Cup raised above their heads. Arrogant, cocky, or deserved? you decide, but it really seemed to spark the Blackhawks.


• Patrick Kane scored a goal from such a dirty angle that nothing was clean about it. That goal was also the first tally of the 2013 NHL season.


• Jonathan Quick did not look sharp- his angles were off and he wasn't the Quick we saw throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs. But it is only the first game of the season and he is coming off back surgery- give him a week he'll be fine.


• Marian Hossa made quite the return scoring 2 goals and adding an assists after being knocked out of playoffs, literally, on a hit from Raffi Torres which left Hossa concussed.

 

[caption id="attachment_2115" align="aligncenter" width="600"] A little scrum from the game[/caption]

Pittsburgh Penguins (3) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (1)

• This was supposed to be the big ticket game on Saturday afternoon, after their intense battle in the first round of the last years playoffs but it simply didn't live up to expectations. There were a few penalties but no big fights, Claude Giroux didn't smoke Sidney Crosby, and neither Crosby nor Evgeni Malkin found the back of the net.


• Good news, both goaltenders seemed to have bounce back from their rocky playoff showings. Marc- Andre Fleury had a .963 Save Percentage and Ilya Bryzgalov had a respectable .923 and really couldn't be blamed for the Flyers loss.


• Luke Schenn made his Flyers debut but was less then stellar tipping a shot into his own goal.

Ottawa Senators (4) vs. Winnipeg Jets (1)

•  I know that the Senators put up 4 goals but this game really showcased the fact that the majority of players hadn't played since last may, this was a very sloppy game early on.


• Erik Karlsson started the year where he left off last- on fire- putting up a 3 points.

 

[caption id="attachment_2117" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Kadri opens the scoring[/caption]

Toronto Maple Leafs (2) vs. Montreal Canadiens (1)

• This was a game between two teams who will likely finish pretty low in the Eastern Conference and it showed- by most accounts a pretty boring game.


• I'm not to sure whether the Leafs actually played well or whether the Canadiens were just flat out horrible. I know it's just 1 game but it may be a long year in Montreal for Habs fans.


• Nazem Kadri had a big night scoring the first goal for the Leafs in 2013 and being arguably the best player on the ice for either team. Kadri was scoring goals and laying hits, he looked very good.


• Mike Kostka made his NHL debut and had a very successful night playing in the top defence pairing despite the majority of fans not knowing who Kostka was. But if he keeps up his strong play fans will quickly learn his name.

New Jersey Devils (2) vs. New York Islanders (1)

• Despite being 40 and having to deal with a tough shortened season, Martin Brodeur was able to pick up the win in his first game of 2013.


• New Jersey gets off on the right foot after losing Zack Parise in the offseason

 

[caption id="attachment_2120" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Lucic celebrates his goal[/caption]

Boston Bruins (3) vs. New York Rangers (1)

• Talk about lockout rust from Vezina winning goalie Henrik Lundqvist! Lundqvist did not look like the king last night, but did manage to make a huge goal-line save on a arguable call- possible save of the year candidate?


• Milan Lucic stayed true to himself scoring the Bruins first goal, taking a boarding penalty and then being kicked out of the game after chirping the Rangers bench. Good to see Lucic's new daughter hasn't affected his play on the ice.


• If there were any doubt that Tukka Rask was ready to step out of the shadows and into the limelight, those doubts were put away after he stopped 20 of 21 shots, to solidify the win for his team.

Tampa Bay Lightning (6) vs. Washington Capitals (3)

• After reaching the 60 goal plateau last season, Steven Stamkos kicked off 2013 with 2 assists.


• Rookie Cory Conacher made his NHL debut and scored a goal- not a bad debut for the kid. Look for Conacher to have a big year in Tampa being the AHL's best rookie last season.


• Alexander Ovechkin made his debut at left wing and managed to do absolutely nothing, heck he couldn't even draw a penalty properly as he was called for a dive.


• It may only be 1 game but it looks like the Lightning have the potential to challenge for a playoff spot this season.

Florida Panthers (5) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (1)

• First off, did anyone at all see this coming after the Hurricanes offseason moves?


• Another surprise the Panthers actually sold out for their home opener!


• Jordan and Eric Staal combined for 0 goals while Alex Kovalev notched a goal and added 2 assists coming up big for the Panthers, despite nobody knowing he was playing for them.


• Jose Theodore made 41 saves in the win, who said the Panthers needed Roberto Luongo?

St. Louis Blues (6) vs. Detroit Red Wings (0)

• After losing Niklas Lidstrom to retirement there were questions about the Wings defence- but I don't think anyone expected them to be that bad!


• Vladamir Tarasenko made his NHL debut and scored 2 goals, throwing his name into the mix for potential rookie of the year debate.

Columbus Blue Jackets (3) vs. Nashville Predators (2)

• The Columbus Blue Jackets won after trading franchise player Rick Nash to the New York Rangers...


• This was a surprising win for the Blue Jackets who were left with virtually a AHL team after the Nash deal- but then again it's only the first game.

[caption id="attachment_2121" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Jaromir Jagr[/caption]

Dallas Stars (4) vs. Phoenix Coyotes (3)

• What a game for one of the ageless wonders Jaromir Jagr who recorded his 666th career NHL goal. He finished off with 2 goals and 2 assists giving him the league lead in points.


• After a fantastic year leading the Coyotes to the Western Conference Finals, Mike Smith had a rough start between the pipes finishing the night with a .846 Save Percentage. Luckily there's still plenty of time for him to turn it around.


• After being traded to the Stars from the Sabres, Derek Roy won 70% of his faceoffs.

Minnesota Wild (4) vs.  Colorado Avalanche (2)

• Danny Heatley scored 2 goals and both were assisted by offseason acquisition Zach Parise.


• The Avalanche's young stars weren't able to hold off the relentless attack of the Wild veterans.

Anaheim Ducks (7) vs. Vancouver Canucks (3)

• Everyone knew the Canucks were a little banged up both on offence and defence- but no one knew they would be this badly off.


• Remember how Cory Schneider was going to replace Luongo- yeah that didn't last too long as Schneider was pulled in favour for Bobby Luo after 5 goals.


• Much like Jagr- Temmu Selanne never seems to age. He's back for another NHL season with the Ducks at age 42 and is off to a fast start with 2 goals and 2 assists on opening night.

[caption id="attachment_2123" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Thomas Vanek scores 1 of 2 goals[/caption]

 

Buffalo Sabres (5) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (2)

• How about Thomas Vanek? Despite a somewhat sluggish start from the winger- he picked his game up scoring 2 goals and assisting on the other 3. A 5 point night for Vanek giving him the NHL scoring lead.


• Sabres goalie Ryan Miller looked in mid-season form, looking sharp and keeping the Sabres afloat until they found their scoring touch. Looks like it may be a bounce back year for Miller.


• The Flyers have started their season 0-2, it's still early on but not a good start for Bryzgalov and the Flyers.


• Hartnell took 1 boarding penalty and hit Tyler Ennis from behind which went uncalled, unlike last years Sabres, this years decided they would do something and stand up to Hartnell. Drew Stafford, yes Stafford- challenged Flyers tough guy to a fight to stand up for his linemate Ennis. There's a new breed of physical Sabres in town and I like them.


• Sabres' youngsters- Cody Hodgson, Marcus Foligno and Mikhail Grigorenko looked good and sparked some youth into the rest of the team.

San Jose Sharks (4) vs. Calgary Flames (1)

• Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Dan Boyle all hade multipoint games.


• The Flames drew first blood and dominated the first period but their flame was put out in the second period.


• Flames rookie Sven Baertschi looked impressive in his debut.

Pittsburgh Penguins (6) vs. New York Rangers (3)

• The king Lundqvist seems to have fallen off his throne early on, losing his second straight game and being pulled against the Penguins.


• The Penguins are proving they are for real defeating their 2nd divisional foe in as many nights. As a result the Penguins are now 4 points ahead of both the Rangers and Flyers.


• Evgeni Malkin lead the way with 3 assists and Crosby managed his first point of 2013.

Minnesota Wild (1) vs. Dallas Stars (0)

• The first shutout of the 2013 season goes to Wild goalie Josh Harding.


• Zach Parise scored the games lone goal, earning his big contract signed this offseason.

Edmonton Oilers (3) vs. Vancouver Canucks (2) S/O

• Sunday evening saw the first shutout and the first shootout of the 2013 season. The young Oilers had a comeback win against the banged up Canucks in the shootout.


• Luongo started the game- all be it as he was scheduled to anyways but was able to drag out a point for his Canucks. Does it make a whole lot of difference in the long run? Probably not, the Canucks have made it clear they're going through with Cory Schneider but it does give folks something to talk about.


• Jordan Eberle scored a beautiful goal to put the Oilers on the board beating Luongo from a sharp angle. I stick by my claim that Eberle will challenge for the MVP award.

Chicago Blackhawks (6) vs. Phoenix Coyotes (4)

• Coyotes goalie Mike Smith continues his rough start with another poor performance allowing the 6 goals against, for a total of 10 goals against in 2 games- the good news for him is his counterpart didn't fare that much better as Ray Emery let in 4.


• The Blackhawks seem to for real, still early on but with 2 back- to -back wins on the road to kick off the season, there isn't much to complain about.


• Marian Hossa continued his hot start by potting another 2 goals in the win.

 

How many people were happy to see the NHL return over the weekend? It was a fantastic weekend of hockey- Some teams got out to hot-starts (Blackhawks, Penguins) while others dropped their first 2 games (Flyers, Rangers). What did you think of this weekends games? Which one's did you watch? What was your favourite highlight- goal or save? I hope you enjoyed the 2013 NHL Opening Weekend!

2013 Eastern Conference Preview

Well hockey fans the time has finally come- NHL hockey has returned to us and tonight marks "NHL hockey eve", a night more exciting than Christmas itself for some. Since the 2013 NHL season is set to get underway on Saturday and a 48 game season is set to bring many surprises, it's time to break down how I see the Eastern Conference shaping up.

1. New York Rangers

What's not to like about the Rangers- They have solid goaltending, top notch forwards, shutdown defenceman, a coach who speaks his mind and they went out and acquired a piece to help them become even better. The "Blue Shirts" finished first in the East last season and with the addition of Rick Nash and not losing any key players they are easily the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. With Richards, Gaborik, Staal and Girardi- the Rangers arguably have the most talented roster.

Key Players to watch- Rick Nash was acquired to help get the Rangers into the Stanley Cup Finals, a goal which they fell just short of last season. Will the acquisition of Nash pay off? Or will Nash crack under the pressure in the big city. Will Henrik Lundqvist be able to match his Vezina winning season and retain his throne as the King? Also keep an eye on how many games the Rangers play Lundqvist in this 48 game sprint, they have a solid back up in Martin Biron who is capable of carrying some of the load and still putting up "W's".

2. Pittsburgh Penguins

Similar to the Rangers, the Penguins have a star studded lineup that is used to winning. With a healthy Sidney Crosby and the emergence of Evgeni Malkin and James Neal look for the Penguins to start off the season hot. They signed Thomas Vokoun which will allow them to rest Marc- Andre Fluery before the playoffs where they will need him to step up after his pitiful performance last year against the Flyers. Just for a minute take in the fact that Crosby may be their 2nd line centre- yeah the Penguins are that good!

Key Players to Watch- This will be Crosby's first full season in 2 years, and because of the lockout will be a shortened season anyways. There are reports that Crosby is in the best shape he's ever been- Crosby is ready to the hit ice to prove he's fine and still a top notch players.

3. Boston Bruins

Depending on how well Tukka Rask adjusts to being the number one goalie without Tim Thomas around- the Bruins could easily win their division which would see them in 3rd in the conference. While the Bruins don't exactly have all the skilled finesse players the Rangers and Penguins have, they have the type of players who are willing to do the dirty work to help the team win. Everyone on the Bruins has a role, from Milan Lucic to Tyler Seguin each player has a role they must fill. Every member of the Bruins have bought into their system and they're as deep a team as you'll see in the Eastern Conference- look for them to come out early and play physical hockey while other teams are still trying adapt.

Key Players to Watch- Rookie defenceman Dougie Hamilton will likely be on the roster opening night and should have an immediate impact on the blue-line. How will Tukka Rask adapt to being the number one goaltender- this team will only be as good as Rask plays, remember they're used to having Thomas  bail them out.

4. Carolina Hurricanes

[caption id="attachment_2062" align="alignright" width="300"] Jordan Staal[/caption]

The Hurricanes made it clear this offseason that they're ready to make another Stanley Cup run. The additions of Jordan Staal and Alex Semin will help add more offencive depth taking the pressure of Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner. The Staal brothers should have instant chemistry and push each other to be better- combine that with the steady play of Cam Ward between the pipes and the Hurricanes have a recipe for success.

Key Players to Watch- Jordan Staal will finally get the opportunity to play top 6 minutes and will be counted on to deliver and help lead the team, how will he adapt to the bigger role?

5. Washington Capitals

I have the Capitals a little lower than most, but I think this is a good spot for them. After losing Alex Semin and head coach Adam Oates moving Alex Ovechkin to wing there's lots of questions that need to be answered. Which Ovechkin is going to show up? Who is this team- is it the high scoring team that would light up opponents but choke in the playoffs or a defence first team that wants to win 2-1 games? With the addition of Mike Ribeiro and Braden Holtby emerging from the shadows the Capitals are set for another solid season that will see them make the playoffs.

Key Players to Watch- After a sub-par season from the Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin will need to find his game again if the Capitals are to have long-term success. After a injury plagued campaign for Mike Green, he is now healthy and will need a big year on the blue-line to prove he's worth the money and hype.

6. Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers shouldn't have any trouble putting up points with newly named captain Claude Giroux, Danny Briere, Brayden Schenn and Scott Hartnell but will be weak on the blue-line without Chris Pronger and Matt Carle and no one know's what's up with Ilya Bryzgalov. The Flyers will make the playoffs but will have a rocky season.

Key Players to Watch- After being named captain and putting up 93 points last season it will be interesting to see how Claude Giroux adapts to his new role and if he can keep up his production from last season. After being traded from the Leafs, Luke Schenn will have an opportunity to be a key defenceman yet fly under the radar unlike in Toronto- that should help him find his confidence again.

7. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning went out and acquired a new young goaltender in Anders Lindback to become the new starter. With the red hot Steven Stamkos, playmaker Martin St. Louis and captain Vincent Lecavalier leading the way offencively for the Bolts they should be able to break into the playoffs.

Key Players to Watch- After reaching the 60 goal plateau last season it will interesting to see what Steven Stamkos has planned for an encore this year.

8. Buffalo Sabres

It was a disappointing year for the Sabres last season, falling just short of the 8th and final playoff spot- but this year I see them snatching the last playoff spot and returning to the post-season. If the Bruins get off to a rocky start and don't win the division, the Sabres are the next viable option to win the division which would bump them up to the 3rd. Ryan Miller is bound to have a bounce back year, Marcus Foligno is poised for a full season in the NHL and rising star Mikhail Grigorenko will put up his fair share of points- the Sabre should have no problem scoring goals.

Key Players to Watch- Will Ryan Miller be able to bounce back from a slow start and continue the hot streak he was on at the end of last season? Just how good will Marcus Foligno be- good enough to win the Calder?

9. Ottawa Senators

The Senators are an interesting team. They had a surprising year last season when they made the playoffs and excelled, but for them to do that again is highly unlikely. This season everyone know's not to underestimate the Senators and they'll have a tough time with the constant divisional play. Erik Karlsson had a Norris winning season but will be hard-pressed to do the task again, could be a roller coaster year for the Sens.

Key Player to Watch- Can Erik Karlsson prove he's an elite defenceman and last year wasn't a fluke? Daniel Alfredsson is getting older, how will he hold up in the 48 game sprint?

10. Florida Panthers

The Panthers made the playoffs by the skin of their panther teeth- more specifically points earned for lost shootouts. While the shootouts will play a major part in this years shortened season, the chances of the Panthers getting lucky again are slim. They have young stars in Jonathan Huberdeau and Kris Versteeg but their luck will run out.

Key Players to Watch- Will goaltender Scott Clemmensen be able to get the job done?

11. New Jersey Devils

Yes the New Jersey Devils made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals and gave the Los Angeles Kings a legitimate run for their money and may deserve to be a bit higher but losing Zach Parise this summer really puts the Devils behind the eight-ball. Adam Henrique will be called upon to help fill the void left by Parise.

Key Players to Watch- Martin Brodeur is another year older and who know's if he'll be able to keep up his all-star type numbers in the extra tough shortened season

12. Winnipeg Jets

There's not a lot to say about the Jets- they were the feel good story of the NHL last season after being moved from Atlanta, but they are still very much the Atlanta Thrashers team that couldn't win. Look for Evander Kane and Andrew Ladd to lead the team but it could be another long hockey season in Winnipeg- good thing fans are just happy to have their team back.

13. Toronto Maple Leafs

Will the Toronto Maple Leafs finally end their playoff drought? Unfortunately for Leaf fans that doesn't seem to be in the cards this season. The Leafs

[caption id="attachment_2065" align="alignright" width="150"] Zazem Kadri will get his chance to prove he can play in the NHL[/caption]

desperately need to add a proven veteran goaltender but are choosing to give James Reimer and Ben Scrivens a chance- there's nothing wrong with that in the long run but it will likely result in the Leafs failing to reach the post-season again.

Key Players to Watch- goaltenders Ben Scrivens and James Reimer as they battle for the starting job. Will be interesting to see how Nazem Kadri will adapt to centering the 3rd line and finally being given a chance to prove himself.

14. Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens had a rough season last year and it doesn't look like it will be much better this season. As of right now they have failed to reach an agreement with defenceman P.K Subban and have bought out Scott Gomez. Carey Price will have to come up big night in and night out for them to have much of a chance most nights. Look to see if they keep rookie Alex Galchenyuk all season and how his offence will help the team.

15. New York Islanders

After deciding to cut Ryan Strome and Griffin Reinhart after training camp, it looks like the Islanders may be going into a re-build in an attempt to get a top pick in the 2013 draft and allow their prospects more time to develop. It will be a long season on the Island, that will likely see them finish last again.

Key Players to Watch- John Tavares should still put up solid numbers despite being on a last place team.

What do you think of my Eastern Conference predictions? What teams would you change and who are you looking to come up big this season?

5 Fan Bases Hurt by the Lockout

 

Other than players signing in Europe or with the KHL there is not much new in terms of hockey, so I've decided to replace the weekly " What You Need to Know" with an idea that was once again  suggested by Jordan. Today we'll be looking at some of the teams whose fans may dump their teams all together after this lockout.

Hockey is Canada's game and for many Canadians hockey is the only professional sport they watch. But in America the NHL isn't nearly as popular. The average American sports fan would rather watch a Monday night football game than a Saturday night hockey game, heck most would rather watch the NCAA than the NHL. Sad but true. This lockout or work stoppage couldn't be happening at a worse time for the league. The NHL was just starting to gain popularity in the US, the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup and Americans actually tuned in to watch games. Now the NHL is about jeopardize their new found popularity.

If the lockout is going to last look for many fans to turn away from the game and their teams. Some will turn to football or basketball and others will just stop wasting money on their teams. I heard something crazy on the radio last night: The price of a hockey ticket is now more expensive than a NFL ticket! That in itself is not right.

Here's 5 teams whose fan bases will take a major hit because of the lockout.

5. New York Rangers

Right after the Rangers go out and acquire Rick Nash and finally appear to have a team that can challenge for a Stanley Cup the NHL decides it is a good idea to delay the season. Not only is the actually team going to be effected by the lockout but the New York fans may be fast to move on. New York City is a fast paced city the people move around from place to place quickly. Rangers fans that live or are from New York will naturally move on to the next thing if there is no hockey. Plus in New York City there are no shortage of professional sports teams: Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Giants, Jets and the Nets are teams who play or represent New York. The Yankees are the most storied franchise in all of baseball, the Giants just won the SuperBowl and the Jets have added Tim Tebow. With all the excitement following other New York sports franchises the Rangers fan base will take a major hit. Even if Tebow is the backup quarterback he still draws more attention to the Jets than Rick Nash does to the Rangers.

4. Los Angeles Kings



Considering the weather in California, hockey probably isn't on the minds of most Californians. I know it's hard to think that the team that just won theStanley Cup could be in danger of losing fans. Sports fans have very short memories a whole season without hockey and the average American will probably forget who won the last Stanley Cup. Things for people in California to do are endless: They can hit up the beach, tour Hollywood, play golf etc. They can also cheer for one of the 13 other professional sports franchises that call L.A/California home, including the Lakers. For now the Kings have their crown but they may not have the fans. *This also goes for other California hockey teams like the Ducks and Sharks as well.*

3. New York Islanders

Has there been a professional sports team who has done less over the last seven years? The Islanders always seem to find themselves near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Even with John Tavares the Islanders can't seem to get a decent season going. The fans have to be getting fed up of being the laughingstock of the NHL. To boot the team will be up for relocation at the end of the year, thankfully they have an owners who is willing to back the team. But how much more disappointment can the fans take?

2. Columbus Blue Jackets

My heart breaks for the Blue Jackets and the lockout. They lost their franchise player in Rick Nash and got pretty much nothing in return. They were also scheduled to host the All-Star game. It seems nothing can go right for this desperate franchise right now who haven't made the playoffs since 2008. Like the Islanders the Blue Jackets are another team up for possible relocation. With the loss of Nash and the all-star game, what excitement or hope do the fans have left for their team?

1. Phoenix CoyotesPhoenix

While it appear Gary Bettman will fight to the death to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix a lockout wont help. The team filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and is currently owned by the NHL as they can't find anyone to bfan baseuy it and keep it in the desert. The team has been put through so much and already have a limited fan base. If the lockout lasts a full season expect that limited fan base to move on to other things. The Coyotes are also the favourite team for a relocation and whether Bettman likes it or not it will happen. Hockey in the desert is dead and the lockout will only help prove that point. Playing in an empty arena is no fun.

There you have it, 5 teams whose fan bases will take a major hit if the lockout does indeed last a full season. Hopefully Bettman and Fehr can wake up and realize how bad this lockout is for the teams, the fans and the game itself. If there is a full season lockout the NHL will be forever changed.

More Effective Defence: Offensive or Defensive

 

As you all know by now the NHL is officially in lockout mode. As many anticipated the deadline passed by without a new CBA. Since there is not any NHL hockey going on and there will not be much news to report on, I will be making the transition to cover some of the AHL and junior teams. I may even follow some NHL players in Europe. So bare with me over the next few month/however long the players are willing to hold out.

Todays article will be focusing on NHL defenceman and whether it is more beneficial to have a defensive minded defenceman or a offensive minded defenceman. Huge thanks to Jordan who suggested the idea via twitter make sure to follow him!
To make the comparison we'll looking at various aspects to a defencemans game; Goals, points, ice-time and plus/minus. In addition to those aspects we'll take a look at the effect they had on their teams.

Offensive Minded Defenceman

Erik Karlsson: 19 Goals and 59 Assists for 78 points. +/- 16, Averaged 25 minutes a game (27 shifts).
Karlsson was second in points for the Ottawa Senators who made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.



Karlsson had a fantastic breakout season that earned him the Norris Trophy. In addition to winning the Norris, he also set a new Senators record for points by a defenceman in a single season. His play this season was vital to the success of the Senators who came out and surprised everyone with their deep playoff run. Despite only being 22 and having only spent one year in the NHL Karlsson was a leader on the blue line. Every time he got the puck and broke out of his end goalies started cringe as he led all defenceman in goals and points.

Shea Weber: 19 Goals and 30 Assists for 49 points, +/- 21, Averaged 26 minutes a game (29 shifts.)
Weber was fourth in points for the Nashville Predators who made it to the Western Conference Semi Finals.

Weber is the captain of the Nashville Predators and has always been a steady reliable defenceman. He was a finalist for the Norris Trophy  and will likely have his name on that and a Stanley Cup one day. In addition to his ability to put the puck in the net, Weber likes to play a very physical game and has a large physical presence.

Kris Letang: 10 Goals and 32 Assists for 42 points, +/- 21, Averaged 25 minutes a game (25 Shifts).
Kris Letang led all Penguins defenceman in points last and helped his team make the Eastern Conference Quarter Finals.

While Letang's point totals are lower than the other two defenceman listed here, a large part of that is due to injury. He played in just 51 games (not including playoffs) and was still able to be the top scoring defenceman on the Penguins and finish the year with 42 points. There were defenceman who played all 82 games and didn't come close to 40 points. While Crosby, Malkin and Staal get the majority of attention from fans and media, Letang has quietly solidified himself as the top defenceman for the Penguins. During the stretch leading into the playoffs analysts were saying the Penguins would be in tough with Letang on the back end. Saying a team that has the star power of Crosby and Malkin may lose despite both of them playing is remarkable.

The "Stay at Home defenceman"

Hal Gill: 1 Goal and 12 Assists for 13 points, +/ -3, Averaged 17 minutes a game, 161 Blocked Shots.
Gill played on the Predators blue line along with Shea Weber.

Just by looking at the stats you can see the drastic difference between two teammates. Gill has always been a solid reliable defenceman, teams like that as they know what they're going to get. He's not a type of player who will be a top scoring defenceman but he's the type of player who will sacrifice his body to help the team. The biggest thing that stood out for me was his blocked shots. 161 shots is a lot of rubber to face for a defenceman but it just goes to show his dedication to his teammates he's willing to battle hard.

Zdeno Chara: 12 Goals and 40 Assists for 52 points, +/- 33, Averaged 25 minutes a game, 87 Blocked Shots.
Chara is the captain and leader of the Boston Bruins who made it to the Eastern Conference Quarter Finals.

Chara is a unique players, not just because of his height, but his style of play. He plays a mixture of a offensive/defensive game. But unlike some of the offensive d-man he plays a more "complete" game. Chara makes sure everything is okay in his own end before heading to the offensive zone and likes to use his lethal shot from the point. Due to his long reach he is able to break up 2 on 1's and take the puck off opponents with little difficulty.



Dan Girardi: 5 goals and 24 Assists for 29 points, +/- 13, Averaged 26 minutes a game, 185 Blocked Shots.Girardi is a key leader on the New York Rangers blue line. The Rangers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals.

At the beginning of the season Girardi was thrust into the role as an alternate captain and leader of the blue line due to an injury to Marc Staal. Girardi excelled with the added responsibility and was selected to play in the all-star game. Like Gill Girardi is not afraid to sacrifice his body night in and night out, during the 2011 season he led the league with 236 blocked shots. He's the type of player who doesn't get mention on the game sheet but is a key part of every victory, not bad for a player who wasn't even drafted!

Trying to decide which defence is more valuable to a team is extremely difficult as it's virtually like comparing pucks and sticks. Each team has 7 defenceman and each one of them is responsible for the success of a team. Most hockey fans don't enjoy watching two defensive minded teams battling it out and a successful team has unlikely hero's step up, so because of that I'd have to give the edge to the offensive minded defenceman. Watching Karlsson skate up the ice is pretty exciting and a lot of times helps benefit his team.

What do you think, which style of defence do you prefer?

 

 

Will Shane Doan Leave the Desert?

The title of this post is a straight forward question. Unfortuntly the answer to this question is not as straight forward. There are many factors which are contributing to Doan's decision. Will the Coyotes stay in Pheonix? Can the Coyotes win a Cup? Does he want to play in a bigger hockey market? Will the team have a legitimate owner? These are all questions he is pondering while trying to make his decision.

Doan is the biggest free agent left on the market. Right from July 1, he made it clear his decision would not come quickly. He originall said he'd wait till the 15th, then he said he'd wait till July 27th for the Coyotes to make up their mind. He's now starting to meet with other teams such as the Rangers, Canucks, Flyers and Predators. In total 16 teams are in on the "Doan sweepstakes".

One of the reasons he is still on the market is his asking price. Doan has said if he were to leave Phoenix he wants a 4 year deal worth $30 million. While he may be a top notch players, he's not likely to get a deal like that from many teams. First of all Doan is 35 and will be 36 by the start of the 2012-2013 season. In another 4 years Doan will be 40. Will he still be playing at age 40? Will he still be a dominate player? Will he be able to help his team? What team would give a 35 year old a 4 year deal worth $30 million? Doan would have a better chance getting a 2 year deal.

The Phoenix Coyotes have roughly $7.5 million in cap space left. Interesting how Doan has asked for 4 years at $30 million which works out to just over $7 million a year. Adding to the question, does Doan really want to leave the desert?

"I've made no bones about the fact that I want to go back to Phoenix if the situation works out" ~ Shane Doan

Doans first objective is to return to the Coyotes, the team he has spent his entire 16 year career with. He's been the captain for the last seven seasons and is the franchise player. If you ask someone to name a player from the Coyotes 9 time out of 10 its Shane Doan. Losing Doan would be a major setback for the Coyotes and would leave many a fan with a broken heart.

Doan averages around 20 goals and 50 points a season. But it's more than his ability to put points up on the board that makes him so valuable. He's a great leader both on and off the ice. Each and every night he comes to play, battle and stick up for his teammates. He has respect from around the league and won the Mark Messier Leadership award in 2012. He's the type of player you want on your team, if you can get him for the right price!

After the Coyotes made it to the Western Conference finals and came just a couple wins shy of a Stanley Cup Finals appearence, why would he want to leave? If winning a Stanley Cup is his main objective for leaving (and many believe it is) then why freely leave a team that got you within two wins of making it to the big show?

Back to the original question: Will Shane Doan leave the desert? I think it's highly unlikely. Despite him starting to meet and take other offers from teams his heart, his home and his family are all in Phoenix. If I was a betting man I'd place my money on him staying in the desert.

So why hasn't he signed on the dotted lines yet? Like every other hockey player Doan is human. Greed and self pride get in the way. He's been a part of the Coyotes franchise for a long time, he's been the captain and has lead the team. He's convinced himself he's worth all the money and attention. He's letting the Coyotes know, if a deal is to get done it will be done by his terms. While Doan wants to stay loyal to his team, he wants to squeze every last penny he can out of them. But I'd be ready to see him back in a Coyotes sweater next season.
Does he deserve it? You be the Judge..

Who Won the Rick Nash Trade?

After spending his entire NHL career (9 seasons) with the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets and only making the playoffs once (2008-2009) captain and former franchise player Rick Nash went to management and told them he would be open to them trading him. Immediately talks started about the Nash sweepstakes and who would be willing to give up what Columbus wanted.

But like most star/franchise players Nash was given a No Trade Clause with his last contract, which prevented the Blue Jackets from trading him without his permission. But after the Blue Jackets started the year off 2-12-1, the worst start of any team in 19 years. Nash decided he would accept a trade out of town. The only catch, it had to be a trade to one of his "approved" teams. There was rumoured to be six teams that Nash would be willing to waive to go to: Boston, Detroit, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh, San Jose and Philadelphia. Can you tell he wants to be in the playoffs?

After many months and being accused of wanting too much in return for Nash, GM Scott Howson finally settled for a trade. It was announced Monday afternoon that the Blue Jackets had traded Rich Nash to the New York Rangers in exchange for Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Tim Erixon and a first round draft pick in the 2013 Draft. The Blue Jackets also included a 2013 3rd round draft pick and a minor league defenceman.

Who won the trade? The New York Rangers.


After the fantastic Playoff run the Rangers went on last season, many said they were just one "piece" away from being a true Stanley Cup contender. Technically they were just one win away from the Stanley Cup Finals, but acquiring Nash could only help right?
Imagine this:

With Gaborik, Richards, Nash, Stepan, Kreider, Hagelin, Callahan at FW, Rangers can avoid oppositions best D assignments. Maybe Doan too?
— Alex (@aj_ranger) July 23, 2012

The Rangers are stacked on offence right now, not including Henrik Lundqvist. With the acquisition of Nash, the Rangers new top line will likely include Richards at centre with Nash and Gaborik on the wings. The top line will be worth over $21 million. With Nash the Rangers are now considered legitimate cup contenders. (Like they weren't before).

Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets and Howson they got the short end of this deal. Howson said many times he was looking for quite a hefty return in exchange for Nash as a player with Nash's talent does come up often. But apparently other teams didn't have the same feelings, and there wasn't exactly a real bidding war over him. There is talk that Howson could have gotten more in exchange for Nash at the trade-deadline in February. But realistically his hands were tied. Nash controlled his fate with his NTC, other teams knew he wanted out, and Howson could only bargain with half a dozen teams.

By looking at this deal, it doesn't appear that Howson was able to get all he wanted. Although he'd never admit it, he got ripped off in the deal and many people are now saying the Blue Jackets are virtually an AHL team with the loss of Nash.

You know a trade is sad when people are debating who the best player headed to the Blue Jackets even is. Dubinsky has all the skill to be a top line players but tends to disappear during the playoffs and key moments. When Erixon was with the Flames he was considered a top prospect, but now being traded to his third team his value seems to have dropped off. While only time will tell who truly wins the deal as players can over perform and under perform but right now the Rangers got the better part of this deal.

Howson asked for the moon and because of that, anything that wasn't the moon only meant disappointment. It's never easy to replace a five time all star like Nash, but the Blue Jackets will miss his  scoring and leadership. In 9 seasons he scored at least 30 goals 7 times. Due to his lack of success with the Blue Jackets Nash is most remembered for his international play. He won the gold with Team Canada in the 2010 Olympics and was named best forward of the tournament. He has donned the Red and White maple leaf 7 times and has racked up 2 gold medals and 3 silvers. Most recently he captained team Canada at the 2012 IIHF Championship.

It was a trade that left many people speechless and wondering why Howson expected a great return when he got a rather week return. But who do you think won the trade? Also bonus question, who do you think will be the next Blue Jackets captain?

Eastern Conference Draft Preview

The NHL Entry Draft is just days away and as a follow up to my post from Monday: North East Division Draft Preview, it's time to preview the Eastern Conference for the upcoming draft. Some of the players from teams I wrote about on Monday will change teams, while others will stay the same.

So without further a due my Eastern Conference Draft Preview:

*Please note, I am not mixing trades into this preview. Several teams are considering trading up or down in the draft. So each pick is based on the team drafting a player their team needs at their current draft spot*

Montreal Canadiens- 3rd overall pick will select Alex Galchenyuk

If not for a season plagued by injuries Galchenyuk could have seriously challenged Sarnia Sting teammate Nail Yakupov for the first overall pick. Despite his injuries many are pegging Galchenyuk to be the best long term solution for a team in the draft. He possess all the skill to be a first overall draft choice and could turn out big for the Canadiens who need a much more positive season to save their franchises' image.

New York Islanders- 4th overall pick will select Ryan Murray
Ryan Murray is the best defenseman available in this years draft, yet he may fall out of the top 3 and if that happens the Islanders will be more than happy to give him a jersey and cap on stage in Pittsburgh. Murray has the potential to be a franchise player much like John Tavares and could be ready to step into the NHL as early as next season. He possess leadership and has experience playing against NHLers and which will help his transition to the NHL be as simple as possible. The Islanders need help on the back end which is why, if Murray is available they will draft him.

Toronto Maple Leafs- 5th overall pick will select Filip Forsberg
Brian Burke wants to get his hands on the first overall pick and has been in talks with Edmonton to acquire the pick. Edmonton wants a top notch defenseman, is Burke willing to give up what Edmonton is asking? The answer, probably not. So the Leafs will end up keeping and drafting with the 5th pick. The Leafs biggest need (outside of goaltending) is a number one centre (what team doesn't need one of those?) Forsberg is ranked as arguably the 2nd best forward in the draft behind Yakupov, so he may not be available at 5 but if he is the Leafs should snag him up.  He's a big tall forward who has the ability to play centre and could set up the Leafs for the long term.

Carolina Hurricans- 8th overall pick will select Teuvo Teravainen
Teravainen is a hit or miss player but right now the chance of him teaming up with Eric Staal and or Jeff Skinner is making the risk seem worthwhile to the Hurricanes. He's ranked 2nd out of all European players in the draft and excels on the bigger ice playing surfaces, so it will be interesting to see him adapt to the smaller ice.

Winnipeg Jets- 9th overall pick will select Jacob Trouba
The return of the Jets was a highlight for many hockey fans this season, and right now it doesn't matter what the Jets do they will still have the support of their fans. But if they want to have a better chance of making the playoffs they should select shutdown defenseman Jacob Trouba. But the Jets will have to wait at least 2 years before seeing Trouba in the NHL as he has committed to the University of Michigan. But if Trouba is given time to properly develop he could turn into a very solid player for the Jets.

Tampa Bay Lightning- 10th overall pick will select Griffen Reinhart
Reinhart was a part of the Edmonton Oil Kings who won the WHL Championship and next season he will be an even bigger part of the Oil Kings. He's a big (6'3" 207)tough defenseman who has hockey in his blood. Following in the footsteps of his older brother and father, many are saying Griffen could be the best Reinhart yet and he will likely be drafted highest.

Washington Capitals- 11th overall pick will select Radek Faksa
The Capitals don't need a defenseman, they need a big tall forward and Faksa fits the build. At 6'3" he fits the build of Jaromir Jagr, while he doesn't possess the same skill assets of Jagr, Faksa is still a solid pick. Faksa would fit in perfectly to fill the void as a 2nd line centre for the Caps.

Buffalo Sabres- 12th overall pick will select Cody Ceci

The Sabres are in a tricky place in the draft. On one hand they have 2 picks in the first round and 4 in the first 44, but on the other they sit just outside the top 10 and players they're looking at (Faksa, Reinhart) may be gone by the time Buffalo gets to the mic. Although the Sabres don't necessarily need a defenseman, if Ceci is available at 12 overall he should not be passed up.
Ceci of all players has flown up the draft charts, at the beginning of the season he wasn't even pegged to go in the first round, now he's pegged to go somewhere just outside of the top 10. Ceci would be a perfect fit on the back end matched with Tyler Myers and quarter backing the power play. Best part about Ceci is he could step into the NHL at the start of next season, which is what the Sabres are looking for.

Ottawa Senators- 15th overall pick will select Sebastian Collberg
The Senators have had great success drafting Swedish players, and will likely take another swedish player in Collberg. Many are expecting Collberg to turn into a solid 2nd line scoring threat in the NHL.

Washington Capitals- 16th overall pick will select Derrick Pouliot
Pouliot is one of the most uncertain picks in the draft, some reports have him going inside the top 10 while others have him dropping to 20th-25th. So what better place to pick Pouliot then in the middle. The Capitals don't need a defenseman right now, but they will certainly need one in the future which is why they should select Pouliot who is likely 3 years away from a full time stint in the NHL. With the benefit of 2 picks in the first round the Capitals can use one of the picks to draft for the future or take a risk.

Tampa Bay Lightning- 19th overall pick will select Tom Wilson
Once teams start getting near the top 20 in drafting there is less planing behind the picks and more of a mindset of taking "the best player available". At the 19th pick (the Lightning's 2nd) the best player available may just be the beast Tom Wilson. Wilson comes in at 6'4" 200 pounds and has the size and skill to step right into the NHL, he's not afraid to steamroll over players and drop the mitts when he has too. He excels when he plays alongside top players (like Stamkos). He is being compared to Boston Bruins power forward and heavy hitter Milan Lucic. With his skill, size and grit it wouldn't be a shock to see him go just before the top 20.

Philadelphia Flyers- 20th overall pick will select Hampus Lindholm
Much like Cody Ceci, Lindholm has improved his draft ranking over the past season, he's made quite the push and is now expected to go in the top 20. He's a solid defenseman who has an offensive instinct but will need to "bulk up" before stepping in the NHL. He's a solid pick who should be ready to go in a couple of years.

Buffalo Sabres- 21st overall pick will select Zemgus Girgensons
With their first pick in round 1 the Sabres selected a defenseman so look for them to select a forward with their second pick. Girgensons is the type of player you want on your team, he's got a rock solid work ethic and is a two-way forward with a shot that leaves goalies guessing. Only draw back is his prior commitment to the University of Vermont which will keep him out of the Sabres line up for at least 2 years.

Pittsburgh Penguins- 22nd overall pick will select Colton Sissons

When looking at a first glance picking 22nd out of 30 teams kind of seems like getting the short straw, but when looking back in draft history several solid players (that have turned into household names) were taken with the 22nd pick. Edmonton Oilers Jordan Eberle and Flyers Claude Giroux are two of the more noteworthy 22nd picks. While the Penguins don't need anymore star players (Crosby, Malkin, Neal) and they don't need any defenseman (drafted 2 last year) they are in need of a solid role player. One of the players who is a boarder line superstar but falls back to a role player on the Penguins is Jordan Staal. But the Penguins are trying to trade Staal, so Sissons could come in and fill his spot.

Florida Panthers- 23rd overall pick will select Brady Skjei
One of the best parts about the draft is the opportunity to stifle an opposing teams draft pick. Teams that are drafting after the Panther really want to get their hands on Skjei, so it would be perfect for the Panther to pick him up and find out why other organisations want him. Skjei is ranked as the best skater in this years draft, put him with another smooth skating player and watch the two of them make some magic.

Boston Bruins- 24th overall pick will select Nicholas Kerdiles
Kerdiles is the wild card pick in the draft, some rankings have him in the top 20 while others don't even have him in the first round. But Kerdiles is a solid face-off man and has the potential to turn into a solid 2nd line player.

New York Rangers- 28th overall pick will select Dalton Thrower
Chances are we're not going to see Thrower in the NHL as a high scoring defenseman, thats just not the way he plays. He's more of a rugged tough player who plays bigger than his size indicates, at only 6 feet tall Thrower is small for a tough defenseman by NHL's standards today so he'll have to rely on his smooth skating and heavy hitting to land him a spot in the NHL.

New Jersey Devils- 29th overall pick will select Malcolm Subban 
Contrary to popular belief the Devils are deciding to keep their 29th pick in this years draft instead of forfeiting it. Subban is the younger brother of Canadiens P.K Subban.
While it is rare for a goalie to be taken in the first round Subban may be worth the pick as he is the best goalie in this years draft. The Devils may be in need of a goaltender in a couple years when the legendary Martin Brodeur retires. Subban will have some big shoes to fill but if he's anything like his brother he'll be up for the challenge.

So there you have it folks my Easter Conference Draft Preview. I don't have any magic potion nor do I profess to know exactly who will be drafted by each team, this is just a guess based on each teams needs and the players that are available. Don't agree with my picks leave a comment below.

40 going on 30

It's hard enough for any team to find a top notch goaltender who can help win them games, most teams are looking for young, tall goalies who drop to their knees every shot as apart of the "butterfly" technique. But the New Jersey Devils are relying on a old goalie who has his own unique way of stopping the puck, in fact they're doing a lot better than just getting by as they currently sit just 2 wins away from a trip to the Stanley Cup. In fact a Stanley Cup win would give their legendary goaltender his 4th ring!

Martin Brodeur is proving once again that age does not matter in sport, he can still make draw dropping  saves and win his team hockey games proving he is still a valuable commodity between the pipes. The legendary Brodeur turned 40 earlier this month and since turning 40 has held his opponents to less than 3 goals in 6 consecutive games. Upon turning 40 and still playing, Brodeur has become the first goalie to play a playoff game in his "teens" and to play a playoff game in his 40's. His first playoff appearance was in 1991-1992 where he played in 1 game and allowed 3 goals in 33 minutes and finished with a 5.62 GAA, clearly he's come a long way!

When the Devils made the playoffs not many including myself gave them the slightest chance to go far. But it's been a crazy unpredictable playoffs and Devils have made it all the way to the Eastern Conference championship and are actually outplaying the top seeded New York Rangers. A large part of their success is due to the unbelievable play of Brodeur, who is playing more like he's 30 rather than 40!

It has been a fantastic career for Brodeur who is finishing up his 19th full season in the NHL, he has made the playoff 16 times and has broken almost all the records for goalies both in the regular season and in the playoffs. In the first round match up against the Florida Panthers after a 3-0, he passed Patrick Roy's record for most career playoff shutouts with 24. On Monday night against the Rangers, Brodeur set a new record for the most points by a goalie in the playoffs with 4 assists. Despite all the records and trophies Brodeur has to his name, he has never won the Conn Smythe trophy for most valuable playoff player, could this be his year?

When the Rangers and Devils kicked off their series the story lines were all about the two masked men, the keepers of the crease Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Brodeur and whether the King could out duel the Legend. Both exceptional goaltenders and extremely valuable to their teams, both having exceptional playoffs, trading shutouts and proving just how valuable they are to their teams. Everyone expected Lundqvist to be on top of his game, but no one expected the guy at the other end to play nearly aswell as he has.

Sure Brodeur is going to have his off games, he's going to look old and tired almost every goalie has off games, but he doesn't look like he's 40. The saves he's been able to make are fantastic, highlight reel material and most importantly he's been able to move from side to side very fluidly. He's played 16 games these playoffs and has won 10 of them and is just 2 wins away from another trip to the Stanley Cup finals.

Brodeur is writing another chapter in his historic career, how will it end, only Brodeur himself can decided that!

Capital Elimination

Sabres fans can take a sigh of relief, the team who played a major role in them missing the playoffs have now been eliminated! The Washington Capitals lost game 7 at the hands of the New York Rangers and failed once again to make it to the Conference finals.

This may have been the last time fans will be able to see the Capitals as the Capitals they saw on Saturday night. Alexander Semin is likely on his way out, Alexander Ovechkin may be tired of listening to coaches trying to change his game, do they stick to their new defensive minded style, and does Dale Hunter return to the NHL or go back to the OHL?

Dale Hunter came in and immediately turned the Capitals into a defensive team, showing a ton of backbone by shorting Ovechkin's ice time. But when push came to shove they didn't score enough goals to get the job done, they scored just 29 goals in their 14 playoff games and 13 of 14 games were decided by 1 goal. Brayden Holtby played fantastic for the Capitals throughout the playoffs, he showed composure and skill far above his level and may have played himself into the Capitals starting goaltending at the beginning of next year. But when you have a young, rookie goalie you need scoring support. They're going to mess up at some point, let in some bad goals and when your team is always playing those tight 1 goal games its extremely tough for them!

Ovechkin is also at a crossroads, he has now played 7 NHL seasons and has failed to ever make it past the 2nd round of the playoffs. He's dealt with coaches who have tried to "tame" him, turn him into a team player and make him more defensive minded, he's also tried to do things his own way. He needs to find which game works best for him, not just the Capitals but for him. When you're down by 1 goal in game 7 you need to be able to rely of your star players to get the job done and Ovechkin wasn't able to get it done! He also needs to take the time and find himself, forget what all the coaches have tried to tell him return to what brought you to the NHL. If Ovechkin doesn't figure out what works best for him he may become the greatest player to never win a cup, to be honest that's not something great to be remembered for, great players are supposed to win cups and make their teams better he has failed to do either.

3 reasons the Capitals lost
1. Too many 1 goal games: 
Some coaches really like to play in 1 goal games, Dale Hunter appears to be one of them. But it's a dangerous way to play hockey, it's like flipping a coin you never know which way the game can go. One bad bounce and you lose the game, with players like Ovechkin, Semin and Backstrom the Capitals had more than enough scoring power to get a 2 or 3 goal lead, but Hunter decided to hold his big boys back. The Capitals were able to get a 2 goal lead during a game just 5 times in 14 games, 6 of their games went to overtime. It was clear the Capitals (or at least Dale Hunter) wanted to play those close 1 goal games, it often keeps teams in games when they are clearly out of it. But it's like flipping a coin and game 7 at Madison Square Garden came up tails!

2. King Henrik
It was almost the perfect underdog story, rookie goaltender Brayden Holtby out duels the king Henrik Lundqvist key word almost. Endings like that are mostly written in Hollywood, yeah he came close to upsetting the king but when the series was on the line the king stepped up and the kid was not able too. Game 7 was Lundqvist's best game of the series and the second period was arguably his best 20 minutes in the entire series, the Rangers were able to get an early lead and then rely on their goalie for the majority of the game. When it comes down to it, it's better to have experience on your side!

3. Lack of stars
The Rangers 3 best players all stepped up in game 7 (Brad Richards, Marian Gaborik, Michael Del Zotto. While Semin, Backstrom and Ovechkin were all fairly quite during the series and game 7. When you're in a do or die game 7 you need to be able to rely on your best players to get the job done, it worked for the Rangers while the Capitals came up short.

It's back to the drawing board for the Capitals, a big offseason at hand and perhaps one more season before things really fall apart. How much more heart-break can fans and Ovechkin handle, he has to be tired of losing, he wants to win, he wants to be the best player. But for now all the can do is ask; What If?
Good news for the rest of the league, we get to see more of John Tortorella's press conferences!

Flyers Eliminated

Tuesday night marked the end of the Philadelphia Flyers season, losing 3-1 to the New Jersey Devils who won the best of 7 series 4-1. Not a lot of fans or analysts saw this coming, the Flyers were supposed to clobber the Devils and advance to the next round without any issues. But the Flyers were unable to manipulate the Devils, like they did with the Penguins, the Flyers were the ones taking bad penalties, and losing their cool.


Now Ilya Bryzgalov can't shoulder all the blame for the loss, he didn't play his best but his team wasn't very helpful on most nights. But after watching him this entire series (making routine saves look impossible) it is becoming more clear that the Flyers only survived their series against the Penguins because Marc-Andre Fleury was off his game. Had Fleury been on his game it could have been an entirely different first round match up! Anyways I bring this up to show that the Flyers aren't as dominate as people thought after the first round, those people include the Flyers themselves. The players got a little full of themselves and thought they could beat anyone, they didn't give their opponents the respect they deserved (like what happened out West with Nashville and Phoenix).


So breaking down the series we'll look at 3 reasons the Flyers lost and 3 reasons the Devils won.


Flyers


1. Undisciplined hockey:

This is a big one you're not going to win playoff series' playing undisciplined hockey. Especially when your opponents refuse to stoup to your level, and take bad penalties. The Flyers just took too many bad penalties that put them behind the 8 ball. You have Brayden Schenn, Zach Rinoldo, Scott Harntell and Wayne Simmonds playing with no control and taking very stupid, costly penalties. Then you have the little moment of selfishness from Claude Giroux which earned him as suspension! Not only were these guys all over the place they weren't able to help their team out on the scoresheet; Schenn, Simmonds, Hartnell combined for just 2 goals, a far cry from their production in the first round. A lot of the penalties taken were at horrible times, the Flyers would score a goal and go up 1-0 then moments later they're down a man trying to kill off a 5 on 4 which made it impossible for them to get momentum!


2. Ilya Bryzgalov:
Not all the blame falls squarely on the shoulder of Bryzgalov but he definitely has to should some of the blame. He gave his team a chance to win night in and night out, but what he didn't do was come up with a big save when they needed it! He also let in far too many weak goals that deflated the Flyers team, I'm sure if truth be told the Flyers didn't have a ton of confidence in their 51 million dollar goalie near the end of the playoffs. Bryzgalov didn't play bad but at the same time he didn't play phenomenal and was out duelled by the legend himself Marty Brodeur.
Bryzgalov went 5-6 with a GAA 3.46 and a Save Percentage of .887 not the kind of numbers you need to endure playoff success. To be honest I was very surprised the Flyers left Bryz in a lot of the games as he just wasn't getting the job done, maybe pulling him could have sparked the rest of the team?
Forget Bears in the playoffs he looked like Bryzgalov was afraid of the pucks!
But often times when a teams goalie is struggling the defense isn't too stellar either. The Devils exposed the Flyers poor defencive system and were able to keep them hemmed in their own end with ofter 1 fore checker. The Flyers had a very weak "puck moving defence" the Devils caught onto that and were able to disrupt the breakout and force the forwards to play more in their defensive end!


3. Were too satisfied after the first round:
The way the Flyers and their fans reacted after round one you would have thought they had won the Stanley Cup, instead of just barely squeaking out a first round victory. The Flyers were so amped up and ready to win at all costs against the Penguins, then in round 2 they couldn't get amped up to play the Devils there was no emotion. They only emotion they showed was frustration something you do not want to expose to your opponents, they made it painfully obvious and once that happened the Devils had won the series. It was easy for the Flyers to get amped up against the Pens due to their intense rivalry, but they couldn't get anything out of the Devils. The Devils wouldn't engage in stuff after the whistle, and they played a clean game giving them nothing to get a spark from! 

"They didn't give us anything to be emotional about, they weren't in scrums and it seemed like they really didn't hit us. It wasn't there and that was their mindset and game plan" Scott Hartnell

Devils
1. Martin Brodeur:
If Ilya Bryzgalov is shouldering some of the blame than Brodeur has to be given tons of credit for out battling his opponent. He sure as heck did not look like a 40 year old goaltender contemplating retirement, he looked more like an elite 32 year old with 3 Stanley Cup rings and 16 years of prior playoff success. Brodeur is proving he can still get the job done when it matters most, with his win on Tuesday which eliminated the Flyers he became only the 4th goalie in history to win 8 playoff games at the age of 40! He has shown glimpses of his old self, his Hall of Fame legacy and if the Devils want to win the cup they will need Brodeur to be on the top of his game!
*Random Stat Brodeur becomes the first goalie to play a playoff game in his teens and start a playoff game in his 40's*


2. Everyone chipped in: 
The Flyers relied heavily on Briere and Giroux's production in the playoffs, if those two weren't scoring no-one else would be either. But the Devils were able to rely on multiple goal scorers, in the 5 games in the series they scored 18 goals and had 11 different goal scorers! They were even able to muster up a win without their star Ilya Kovalchuck. Their depth ultimately outplayed Philly's depth, while Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds were busy taking dumb penalties, Adam Henrique and David Clarkson were busy scoring goals! 


3. The forecheck:
Something all teams use some not as well as others, but the Devils brought their "A game" with their forecheck and gave the Flyers a lot of trouble getting out of their end! Besides game 1 the Devils due to their relentless forecheck outshot the Flyers in every game. They were faster to lose pucks, harder on the puck, got more scoring opportunities and capitalized on them. The Devils may be the dark horse of the Eastern Conference!


Well the Flyers are out and the Devils are on to the Eastern Conference Championships something not a lot of people saw coming. The Flyers will now have to sit at home and watch their former teammates Jeff Carter and Mike Richards in the Western Conference Championships who stand a solid chance of going to the Stanley Cup Finals. Ilya Bryzgalov also must watch his former team battle against the Kings in the Western Conference Finals (Phoenix Coyotes). 


The Devils will await their opponent either the Washington Capitals or the New York Rangers, these playoffs have been so unpredictable there is no use predicting the outcome of any series'. 

Eastern Conference playoff preview

Time for a playoff preview, breaking down the matches and some of the players that will make a difference in the outcome. This is preview will just be for the Eastern Conference match ups:

New York Rangers (1) vs. Ottawa Senators (8)
Really, it hasn't been long since the Rangers hoisted the cup (1994) but when you're in New York everything is bigger and 18 years seems like 2 centuries. Both of these teams surprised this season, no one was expecting the Rangers to dominate the East and finish in first place, and most prognosticators had the Senators finishing dead last in the East. This match up's a little more favorable for the Sens, who have won 3 out of 4 matches against the Rangers this season.

The Rangers have a significant advantage in between the pipes with the king Henrik Lundqvist. When you have a good goaltender and solid defense you're just about set, but if you can't score you can't win!

3 keys to the series
1) Henrik Lundqvist---- Was hands down the MVP for the Rangers and helped carry the team into the playoffs. He's determined to make it big this season, as he doesn't know how many more chances he'll get!
But the king hasn't had a great time facing the Sens this season; in 3 games he's allowed 9 goals against.
2.) Ottawa's young guns--- It will come down to how well the youngsters in Ottawa can handle the pressure of the playoffs; Spezza has really stepped up and shown great leadership, Karlsson has been fantastic, and Turris has found a new home and is producing points. If the Senators kids step up and play the way they have all season, they'll give the Rangers a run for their money.
3) Brad Richards--- If the Rangers big fish can bring it in the playoffs the Rangers will benefit from the key free agent acquisition. He hasn't exactly blown anyone away with his stats this season, so the postseason would be a great time to earn his cash. He is tied for 4th with 9 game winning goals.
Rangers in 6 games!


Boston Bruins (2) vs. Washington Capitals (7)
The Bruins didn't have a fantastic season, as the defending Stanley Cup Champion everyone was gunning for them, but despite an up and down season they finished 2nd in the East. The Capitals had a brutal start near the beginning of the season (They did open 7-0), changed coaches, gone threw goalie after goalie and Alexander Ovechkin took 3/4 of the year off. Ovechkin came around toward the end of the year and pushed his Capitals into the playoffs, time will tell if they're the real deal or not.
The Bruins hold the edge of Defense, offence and goaltending. A Tim Thomas on his game is a dangerous thing for opponents and could likely end any hope for the Capitals, as Ovechkin could become very frustrated extremely quickly.
The Capitals won 3 games against the defending champs this season, and seemed to throw Boston off their game, but the playoffs is an entirely different ball game.

3 Keys to the series
1) Alexander Ovechkin--- It's now or never for Ovechkin. Time to prove if he's a solid captain that can take his team to the next level or just an overrated player who's only focused on himself. Look for him to shoot a lot early on in the series, if Thomas stones him early he'll get frustrated and may change or alter his game giving the Bruins the edge.
2) Tim Thomas--- If Thomas plays up to the level he's capable of it's light out for the Capitals. He showed in last season's playoff run that when he's on his game it is extremely difficult to score on him.
3) Special Teams--- The Capitals do hold the edge on the power play, but I wouldn't count the Bruins out as they have Chara with that monster shot on the blue line and sneaky little players who step up when the most is on the line!
(Not to mention Marchand who is a punk, who is very good at drawing penalties)
Bruins in 5 games!


Florida Panthers (3) vs New Jersey Devils (6)
Not going to lie I think this may be the match of the first round that just goes under the radar, not many people are too excited about this one and most don't think it's possible for either to be compeitive beyond the first round.
Both of these teams were a surprise this season and, not many pegged either team to make the playoffs.

3 Keys to the series 
1) No points for overtime---- In my last post I talked about the fact the Panthers snuck into the playoffs based on half point earned for losing in OT/Shootout. Well guess what, there are no points for losing in overtime in the playoffs! If the Panthers can't find a way to win in regulation theyare in for a short series.
2) Martin Brodeur-- I love Brodeur as much as the next guy but this could be his last chance to make a run deep into the playoffs! The biggest question around the Devils is how their old goaltender is going to hold up under the pressure. He is no longer the scary intimidating goaltender he used to be; he won 31 games this season with a 2.41 GAA and .908 SV% not stunning numbers but horrible for a 39 year old.
3) Zach Parise vs Brian Campbell--- These two are the "X-factors" for their respective teams. Parise is playing for a contract as he takes to free agency this offseason. Campbell has always been a major powerhouse in the playoffs, ask R.J. Umberger, playing 90 playoff games since the lockout including a cup win with Chicago.
Devils in 5

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs Philadelphia Flyers (5)
After what happened a week ago when these two teams met, this series quickly became a favorite for many. It's often said there's no fighting in the playoffs, however, this should be a hard hitting, and fighting affair. If Pittsburgh tries to out fight the Flyers they will be going home after the first round, Pittsburgh needs to stick to the game that got them to the playoffs: Scoring goals! The Flyers need to keep playing physical hockey against the Pens, but need to be careful about taking to many penalties.

3 Keys to the season

1) Sidney Crosby-- Will Crosby dive? Will he try to fight back? Will he get special treatment from the officials? Will his teammates be more concerned about protecting their star than the game? If he gets a hit will he be out? All questions that need to and will be answered in the series. The Flyers hold a very powerful edge with taunting Crosby and Malkin if they can get Pittsburgh's stars off their game then the Flyers should advance.
2) Ilya Brzgalov--- After his meltdown last season in the playoffs with the Coyotes, all eyes shift to the Russian netminder and whether he'll shine or melt during the first round.
3) Physical Play-- The physical play for this matchup will be a huge factor in determining who will be victorious in the end. Can Pittsburgh keep up with the Flyers grueling style of hockey?
The winner of this series may be the team from the East to make it to the Finals!
Flyers in 7

Playoff Chances

There are about 16 games left in the 2011-2012 NHL regular season, and for some teams their season will be finished after those games. But no fanbase likes to admit their teams are out of the postseason, so let's take a look at the teams currently sitting outside the playoffs and their chances of making the playoffs.

Washington Capitals currently have a 42.2% chance of making the playoffs.
The Capitals currently have the best odds of making the postseason, as they sit in 9th just 1 point out. To limp into the playoffs the Capitals only need to win 8 of their next 19 games going; 8-8-3 to have a little over 50% chance. Just for the fun of it let's go deeper; if the Capitals finish 10-5-4 they will have a whopping 99% chance of being in the playoffs. The Capitals are more than likely to make the playoffs, if I was a betting person I'd bet on them making the playoffs.

Toronto Maple Leafs currently have a 19.3% chance of making the playoffs.
The Leafs are just 3 points back in 12th and behind the Sabres. The Leafs still stand a better chance of making the postseason than the Sabres. They need to go 11-4-3 to have a 58% chance of making the playoffs, if the Leafs finish with that record they stand a 49% chance of finishing in 8th.

Tampa Bay Lightning currently have a 20.2% chance of making the playoffs.
Funny how all the teams near the Sabres in the standings have better chances of making the playoffs.
The Lightning are sitting in 10th 2 points back of 8th. They would have to finish 12-5-2 (Just like the Sabres) to have a 65% chance of making the playoffs.

Buffalo Sabres currently have a 14.1% chance of making the playoffs.
The Sabres need to finish the season 12-5-2 to have just over 50% chance of making the playoffs. Where as if they go 12-4-3 their chances go up to 70%.
It's a tall task but based on the way Ryan Miller and the Sabres have been playing it is possible. The Sabres are 5-0-1 in their last 6 games, including back to back shutouts by Miller, if this continues there should be no problems sneaking into the playoffs. Right now the Sabres are just 2 points back and sitting in 10th.

Carolina Hurricanes currently have a 1% chance of making the playoffs.
Now I'm all for optimism and what not but let's be real, the Canes are not going to make the make the playoffs this year. They would have to go 13-3-2 and still have less than 50% chance! The Hurricanes are sitting in 14th 8 points back of 8th.

Montreal Canadians currently have a 0.1% chance of making the playoffs.
There is something seriously wrong with the Canadians this season, they've lost their mojo or whatever they had! They are not the same Canadians they used to be! To have a 60% chance of making it the Canadians have to go 14-1-2 anything less and it drops to a 38%. Montreal Canadians are currently 15th in the East, 10 points out and 28th in the league.

New York Islanders currently have a 0.8% chance of making the playoffs.
The Islanders are by far out of the Playoffs and may even be able to lock up a lottery pick. Having to go 14-3-1 to finish with a 62% chance. Sadly for Islanders fans that is not going to happen! Currently 13th in the East 5 points out, and 26th in the league!
All stats from Sports Club Stats....... all numbers from Monday March 5th.


Just for fun, we'll see who has the best chance of winning the Stanley Cup;

Boston Bruins have a 21.1% of winning the Stanley Cup
There is a very Strong chance the Boston Bruins will repeat as Stanley Cup champions. Bruins are currently 2nd in East.

New York Rangers have a 20.1% chance of winning the Stanley Cup
For me personally the Rangers came out of no where and have dominated the East, I don't think there's been a point in the season where the Rangers were slumping! Rangers are currently 1st in the East and 2nd in the entire league!!! Their only weakness is goal scoring and with the players on their roster that could change in a hurry. Besides with King Henrick, who needs more than a couple of goals anyway?

Vancouver Canucks have 16.4% chance of Winning the Cup
Not going to lie here, never been a fan of the Canucks, so I'd prefer them not winning the cup. They are currently in 1st place in the entire league!

These are the Stats folks take them or leave them, but the numbers don't lie! Some of the records teams need to finish with are going to be some daunting tasks, but this might be one of the most exciting playoff races the East has seen in years!

2012 Winter Classic

Yesterday the NHL took the game of hockey back where it all started, outdoors. What began as a dream for young kids skating on backyard rinks and frozen ponds, became their reality when they made it to the NHL. Monday afternoon 40 professional hockey players got to be kids again, enjoying the game in the great outdoors, where it all started. Monday Afternoon marked the 5th time, a NHL hockey game had been played outdoors, this years match up was between the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Rangers ended up winning the game 3-2, and moved 4 points up on the Flyers for 1st in the East.

Ever heard of Michael Rupp? No, well don't worry I hadn't either. Well I've heard of Michael Rupp the fighter, but the goal scorer? Believe it or not it was the goal scoring of Rupp and the goal stopping ability of Lundqvist that stole the show, and helped the Rangers stay in first. The game was actually fairly decent; the weather co-operated, there were tons of goals scored (sort of), and there was drama, lots of drama. The HBO 24/7 crew could not have scripted the game any better, than it ended up; Let's look into some of the drama;

Right away, after the Canadian National Anthem was sung, the whole ball park erupted into what sounded like a chorus of "boo's", which gave everyone who disliked the Flyers and their fans, more reason to not like them. There was also suspicion that a picture of Claude Giroux had been placed on the jumbo screen and the fans were chanting "roooo". But I personally like the first situation better, so that's what I'm going to stick with. Next up on the drama stage was an apparent injury to Jagr. After the first period Jagr never stepped foot on the ice, and had his "butt nailed to the bench" as the commentators stated at least 8 times. Jagr said his leg had swelled up and just couldn't skate properly. "It was getting worse and worse," he said. "I just couldn't skate hard, and I didn't want to be there (just) to be there. I knew at that point I couldn't help my teammates." Despite the Flyers being without Jagr and their captain Pronger, they jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the second period. With Jagr being out, Giroux had all eyes on him, and he didn't let anyone down, he scored the the Flyers 2nd goal and re-took the lead as the NHL's leading scorer. 
Oh and how could I forget, Brayden Schenn scored his first NHL goal! Could a player have a better game to score his first goal in? I couldn't be happier for the junior Schenn, it's been a rough year for him, since being acquired by the Flyers in June. He was unable to crack the roster out of training camp due to a shoulder injury, then when he finally got his chance in the NHL he broke his foot blocking a shot in his 4th game, then 2 games after he returned, he went down with a mild concussion. He finally returned to the line-up December 27th. Through the 37 games so far this season, Schenn has played in 18 of them, but failed to record his first NHL goal. Scoring in the Winter Classic, kind of makes up for the rough start, and hopefully is the start of things to come for Brayden. I've always liked Brayden Schenn since his World Junior day, this kid is going to be a top notch players in years to come. Speaking of players that have been injured this season; the Rangers welcomed back injured defenceman Marc Staal, on Monday afternoon. Staal wanted to play in the Winter Classic, and got his wish. Staal had missed all 37 prior games due to a concussion. He averaged around 12 minutes of ice time, but had a difficult time with the pace of the game, so Rangers head coach, Tortorella limited his play. Flyers fans were quite excited and confident that their team would hold on for a victory. But que the unlikely hero; Mike Rupp, despite playing just 7 mins and 34 seconds of the game, the Winter Classic veteran came up big and ultimately saved the Rangers bacon. Just 30 seconds after Giroux scored giving the Flyers a 2-0 lead, Rupp scored his first goal of the game, and got the crowed stirred up after giving them the Jagr salute. When asked about the goal, Rupp played innocent, claiming he didn't even know that was Jagr's move. The move landed Rupp as a trending topic world wide on Twitter, as his agent Allan Walsh noted. But Rupp wasn't done their, 2:41 into the 3rd period, he scored his second goal of the game, and tied the game up at 2's. Rupp had played in last years instalment of the Winter Classic as a member of the Penguins, a game in which he took a beating. He was one of the few Rangers who had skated outdoors in the Winter Classic before, and gave an inspiring pre game speech. The the big free agent fish Brad Richards potted the 3rd Rangers goal a mere 3 minus after Rupp's goal. Richards goal proved to be the game winner. 
Then with 20 seconds left the referees awarded a penalty shot to Daniel Briere. This was really, the most dramatic scenario in the entire game; a penalty shot, 20 seconds left, and a one goal game, plus their probably shouldn't have been a penalty shot in the first place. Never the less is was Daniel Briere vs. King Lundqvist with 20 seconds left, the game on the line; Lundqvist stood strong and stopped Briere, helping ice the victory for the Rangers. Briere gave credit to the likely Vezina trophy candidate after the game; "This game was going to overtime. That's all I had in my mind as I stood at centre ice and waited to take the penalty shot in the last minute today. Coming in on Lundqvist, I had beaten him once on the blocker side, once on the glove side. He had stopped me a couple times before as well in shootouts, but I was still convinced I was going to score. I tried to surprise him with a quick little shot, unfortunately he was quicker than me. I've got to give him credit for that."  Lundqvist was the story of the game, and arguably stole the game for the Rangers, making 34 saves and a .944 save percentage. But the intense nail biting drama didn't stop after the final buzzer ended the game; Rangers head coach John Tortorella, made his feelings known about the officiating of the winter classic; “It started with the non-call [when] Gabby was pitch-forked in the stomach, and then everything starts going against us. They’re two good referees; I thought the game was refereed horribly. "So I’m not sure what happened there. Maybe they wanted to get it to an overtime. I’m not sure if they have meetings about that or what. But we stood in there. They’re good guys. But in that third period, it was disgusting.” Tortorella didn't stop there; he then raised the notion of the NBC and the refs having a meeting to send the game into OT. A conspiracy if you will. I think there has to be some truth to what Tortorella was talking about, OT equals more excitement, which equals better ratings and more money for both the NHL and NBC.

And who could forget when the news broke that the Flyers would not be starting Ilya Bryzgalov in the Winter Classic. Fans and media heard the news from Bryzgalov, who had not been given permission to tell the media about it. Then he jokes that his team would actually have a chance to win, with him sitting on the bench. Many thought Brzgalov was out of line, some think he's a $51 million train wreck, but few found his little act funny. But as Don Cherry from Hockey Night in Canada pointed out; "he's hurt; it crushed him, knowing he wasn't going to get to play in the Winter Classic."


But apart from all the drama; (which is actually good for the NHL). There was the 37th game of the NHL season to be played, and a big 2 points at stake. The ice held up, which was fantastic, compared to last years game, and no one was severely injured, big improvement from last years Winter Classic. I'd say, this years classic, was a ton better than last years; more exciting, better conditions, goals were actually scored and in dramatic effect. I didn't want the game to end.
I tried to enter the game as an impartial hockey fan, cheering for only a good game, as I am not a fan of the Rangers or Flyers. But I quickly found myself siding with the Rangers, and hoping they would skate away with the 2 points. I don't know why but I just can't warm up to the Flyers. Lastly my favourite part of the whole event; the specially made jerseys just for the game; The Rangers had the better jerseys and were much more creative compared to the Flyers. The Rangers had a nice off white pattern, with an old looking logo, it looked very heritage/ vintage and different. Where as the Flyers kept their usual ugly orange colour jerseys, and kept the same logo they always use. 


All in all, I'd say it was really good game and I thoroughly enjoyed watching, it started off slow as both teams were adjusting to the elements and environment, but after the 1st period everything picked up. I do love watching the Winter Classic, and the attention it brings the game, it gets people who generally wouldn't watch hockey, to give it a little look.
I believe the next 2 Winter Classic venues have already been chosen and are in the works, and sadly non of them are north of the boarder. Now there is no guarantee these are official; Detroit and Washington appear to be hosting the next 2 Winter Classics. (2013-2014)
Anyways I'm looking forward to Next years Winter Classic!