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!

Do the Rangers need Sean Avery, does the NHL?

Hey all, I'm back! Sorry for the lack of posts over the last week and a bit, it's been a crazy week, but i'm back to blogging so here we go!

Ever heard of the name Sean Avery? If you have ever watched an NHL game in your entire life it's likely that you have heard the name. But "Who is Sean Avery?" He is a super-pest playing for the New York Rangers who's gotten under everyone's skin including his own team, management and coaches. October 4th was the day the Rangers shocked the NHL by putting Avery on waivers after he failed to make the team out of training camp, Avery cleared waivers and was sent down to the AHL. "I think we have better players than Sean Avery -- plain and simple," Rangers coach John Tortorella told reporters in Stockholm on Tuesday. "I can dodge it 10 different ways without trying to run Sean over. I thought he had a good camp." It seemed like all hope was lost, Avery had lost favour with his head coach and was sent to the minors! But just 3 days ago Avery cleared re-entry waivers and was recalled by the Rangers, Avery was eligible the be in the line-up on Thursday night, but Tortorella chose not to "disrupt" team chemistry, and leave Avery out of the line-up. 


Avery, now 31, signed with the Detroit Red Wing as an un-drafted prospect in 1999. He played his first full season in 2001-2002 a year the Red Wings won a Stanley Cup, BUT Avery did not play in the required amount of regular season games (40) so didn't qualify to have his name engraved on the Cup. From Detroit he went to Los Angeles, where he spent 4 seasons in the spotlight, from there he went to the New York Rangers, spent one uneven season with the Rangers and went to the Dallas Stars. He only spent one season with the Stars and then returned to the Rangers. Since 2009, Avery has been with the New York Rangers. One thing is sure Avery has never been shy of the attention of the media, time after time, Avery is in trouble for something; whether it be his "sloppy seconds" comments, his comments during games to opposing players or being trashed by the media, there is always a story about Avery somewhere. They even made a special rule for Sean Avery after his infamous "screening" tactics against goaltender Martin Brodeur in the playoffs.
In 565 career NHL games Avery has 87 goals, 157 assists for 244 points and a whopping 1,512 penalty minutes. 

Despite Avery's rather small size (5 foot 10, 200 pounds) he is one of the league's best and worst agitators.
Despite the many teams he has played for, he never once helped them win a Stanley Cup and rarely helps turn the game in his teams favour with his antics, which begs the question; Do the New York Rangers really need Sean Avery?
This is a very complicated question, with no real "straight" answer. In a way, they do need Avery not because of his contributions on the ice, but to keep the fans happy. The Rangers haven't been playing well since they sent Avery down, so the fans decided to start chanting "We Want Avery" during the Rangers home opener. Like it or not many fans seem to like Avery. I can't stand him and wish he wasn't playing in the NHL, I'm tired of his antics and his conduct both on and off the ice. Isn't it funny that every time he's been charged with something or needed to be disciplined nothing happened and all charges were dropped? Sorry done my little rant. But some fans seem to like the way Avery plays and what he adds to the game. So to keep the fans happy and buying tickets, the Rangers need Avery, he draws the fans out, and everyone wants to see what Avery will do next. Now there are 2 stats that fans of Avery like to see; with Avery in the line-up the Rangers are 129-89-3, but let's remember that stat is over 5 years of having Avery. Despite the nice numbers all time, if you look at the numbers in the last 2 seasons 68-63-14 barely a 500. team but without Avery in the line-up the stats change drastically to, 14-3-2 winning more than 70% of the games. We have to take into account that Avery is now 31 and has made many enemies in the NHL, and many players  and teams are adapting their styles for when they face Avery, so they don't get sucked into penalties and what not. When Avery was in his prime there was no question he was a major part of the success for the Rangers as they went 61-26-17 before the last couple of seasons. Avery is not the same player he used to be, will it help spark the Rangers having Avery back in the line-up maybe a little maybe not, the end result is he will never be a top 6 forward and will never help his team win a Stanley Cup.

Another aspect fans are forgetting is, Tortorella is under no obligation to put Avery in the line-up, he could very well spend most of the season in the press box instead of on the ice. From all accounts Avery and Tororella have a very bad relationship, Tortoella doesn't like Avery and that's not about to change anytime soon, a word to the wise, never get on your coaches bad side, he controls if you get on the ice! The major reason that Avery was recalled is that Mike Rupp is out of the line-up and the Rangers need Avery to fill his spot, which means no guaranteed ice time, or a permanent spot in the line-up for the foreseeable future. Don't expect Avery to be given different treatment this time around compared to the last 5 seasons he played for the Rangers, nothing has changed; he is still the same incomplete player who wasn't good enough to make the team and the same player that Tortorella dislikes with a passion. So no I don't think Avery is the solution to the Rangers slow start, he will likely not be responsible for goal scoring slump ending , at the most he can spark the club and fill in a 10 minutes a night while Mike Rupp recovers. Avery is a small piece to a very large complex puzzle that is the New York Rangers, and to tell the truth the puzzle looks just fine with Avery's piece missing.

The next question... does the NHL need Sean Avery? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say no. He is a troublesome person who doesn't provide much to the NHL. In a time where the NHL is trying to eliminate concussions and dirty/cheap players I don't believe there is much room for Avery. Give Tortorella credit, he has helped Avery tone down his game, but ultimately Avery is not needed in the NHL. He is a cheap little player, that does not really bring anything major to the game. But Avery is a walking talking publicity hoarder, and that could be good for the NHL. The NHL is not the most popular sport in the USA and could use some news from Avery, like during his time in Los Angeles when he was a mini celebrity. But the NHL does not put up with players being in the spot light outside of hockey, which is another reason Avery can't be in the NHL. He's a distraction and goes against what hockey stands for, playing a fair and honest game. Colin Campbell said of him “Mr. Avery has besmirched the reputation of all NHL players, coaches, general managers and owners who, collectively, have been successful in providing a more entertaining game for our fans.” Many a time, have people close to the game (former coaches, GM's, TV people) come out and said Sean Avery has no respect for the game of hockey and the NHL. His lack of respect shows in his character both and off the ice. There are many other agitators in the game that provide more than a 30 second comedy show and actually help their team accomplish things; win in the playoffs, win Stanley cups and turn the momentum in a game. Take Mike Brown for example, he is one of the Toronto Maple Leaf's enforcers but he is still putting up points and scoring goals, it makes teams think twice about covering him. He can fight, hit, and score its a pretty nasty combo. Avery skates around the ice and sees what kind of trouble he can find or start, but in the middle of a scrum Avery normally takes off right as his teammates get there, he starts the fight but doesn't finish it. I'm sorry but this is not the type of player the NHL wants playing in the league, he may help sell a few tickets and bring some fans out but it is a rare occasion that a young child says "I want to be just like Sean Avery when I grow up, I'll play just like him" sorry but I'm not hearing that.

Like it or not Sean Avery's time in the NHL is coming to an end, this could be his last chance to prove himself during this stint with the Rangers. Avery had to clear waivers before returning to the Rangers, which means any 29 of the other teams could have scooped him up, but not one of them did, meaning no other team wants the headache that is Sean Avery. A small factor that the NHL has to take into affect is the referrees, they are likely getting fed up with Sean Avery and all his antics and the trouble he causes. Avery rarely gets any calls in his favour and most are against him, and his team. Refs don't like players like Avery and will do anything they can to put him in the box and shut him up for 2 minutes. Refs get fed up with clowns quickly, maybe refs will start refusing to ref a game that Avery is playing in due to all the trouble he causes, maybe the NHL will have to give those refs danger pay.

Can you tell I don't like Avery? He has no respect for the game and is just a clown, I don't picture the NHL being any different that it currently is without Sean Avery. It's time for Avery to take his final pay check and ride off into the sunset. The Rangers and the NHL do not need Sean Avery

Stay tune for a bonus blog coming your way on Saturday, thanks for reading!

Hockey after 9/11

 

On the morning of September 11, 2001, the NHL had many concerns of their own. The Montreal Canadian captain Saku Koivu had recently been diagnosed with cancer...... The major trades that brought Jaromir Yagr to the Washington Capitals and Eric Lindros to the New York Rangers, would end up and how they had saved a big issue with the referees with a recently signed deal.
But later that day at 9:03 am- the issues of the NHL seemed unimportant, because this day for once, America had no concern with sport.

Word quickly spread after the World Trade Center and the pentagon were attacked by 3 hijacked planes, There was confusion, pain and disbelief looks on the faces of all. But later news broke of a fourth plane headed for the white house and president at the time George Bush, was brought down into a field near Pennsylvania by the brave souls on flight 93. Which despite the deaths of all on-board, saved thousands of more innocent lives.


We lost member of the hockey community that day; we lost players; of all levels, coaches, parents, fans and family. That day, affected all generations and all races of people all demographics of all people. Now a decade later, people argue and debate how these attacks changed the world... but there is no doubt about the fact, that the world was changed.
In the days after this horrible even everyone had to adjust; government, families, business, and every individual. The National Hockey League was no exception to the shock and devastation!

The Victims

Some may remember Garnet "Ace" Bailey, Bailey played in the NHL from 1968-1980. He won 4 Stanley cups; 2 each with the Boston Bruins and the Edmonton Oilers respectively. Unfortunately on September 11, 2001 Bailey was on flight 175 which hit the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Garnet Bailey was just 53 years young! At the time of his death Bailey was the head scout for the Nashville Predators, he along with assistant scout Mark Bavis both perished in the attacks.

How about St. Lawrence University's rookie of year winners of 1988 Mike Pelletier and Richie Stewart. The two men shared an office at Cantor Fitzgerald headquarters. The headquarters was located just 6 floors away from where the plane crashed into one of the towers. All people in the office died that day including Pelletier and Stewart.

Don't remember Bailey or Pelletier and Stewart? How about current Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau. Now you may be thinking to yourself that Boudreau is still alive and coaching, yes that is true.. but did you know that Bruce Boudreau was supposed to be on flight 175. The flight that hit the South Tower in the attacks. Countless other who had played the game at some point perished that horrible day; including Lenny Taylor and Welles Crowther, both players were exceptional high-school hockey players. Thousands other who were fans of the NHL were lost.

 People who made it alive

Robert Cimetta a first round draft pick of the Boston Bruins (18th overall). Cimetta played 103 NHL career games between the Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Cimetta was on the 61st floor of the South Tower and managed to escape, before the collapse of the Tower. His NHL career was cut short due to injuries. Cimetta released this statement to the Globe and Mail; "As Cimetta raced down the stairs, he wondered whether he was heading into the fire. "It felt like we were animals inside a burning barn," he said. "My heart was racing. My knees were shaking. Women were screaming. I thought I was going to die." In total it took 23 minutes for Cimetta to get from the 61st floor to "ground zero" He emerged through a subway exit, to find a engine of a jet surrounded by police tape.

Stuart Fraser who is a major owner of the CHL Fort Worth Brahmas survived the attacks, by working from home on September 11, 2001. Fraser who was vice chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald.

Bother Fraser and Cimetta have helped raise money for victims and families of 9/11.

NHL's turn.

September11, 2001 the NHL headquarters in New York City was evacuated at 2 pm. With training camp and pre-season right around the corners, the majority of players/teams were together on September 11. The next step was how to move on in a respectable and safe manor. Following suit of the professional leagues... NFL and NBA; the NHL cancelled 11 pre-seasn games of September 15.
 "Of course, that raised the question of when the appropriate time was for hockey, pro football or any sport to resume. "I don't think there is ever a right time," Recchi said. "But you can't put everything on hold [permanently]. The President said it best. The country has got to show up. But there has to be a period of grieving. I don't think there is any question about that."

The National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) was first to the party in sense of charitable interactions to the victims of 9/11. NHLPA donated $500,000 (USD) to aid the families that lost firefighter and policemen.
The New York Rangers were visiting local fire houses in the area The Detroit Red Wings donated blood during their training camp. The Los Angeles Kings donated all proceeds form their September 18th exhibition game against the ducks. to aid relief named honor of Bailey and Bavis.
With the games returning a week after 9/11, many hoped things would go back to normal. But the atmosphere at the games was completely different. The security was taken up several notches, searches of bags, banning some types of them from the buildings. Metal detectors were put in use for certain games, and pat-downs of fans were more frequent. The fact that a hockey arena could be an easy target for a terrorist attack went from a distant nightmare to a very real possibility.

Many different team gave tribute to the fallen from September 11, 2001.
The first major sporting event held in the city after the attacks was September 20, a New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils hockey game, 5000 fans were in attendance. they painted "United We Stand" on the ice near the blue lines and removed the advertisement around the boards to read ""Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all injured and lost, New York's Finest and Bravest, all volunteers and rescue workers."

Even the Toronto Maple Leafs paid tribute to the fallen at their first game back at the ACC on September 22th there was a bagpipes rendition of "Amazing Grace" and then a surprising first; a standing ovation for the American National Anthem.

But the biggest most impressive ovation, came from the fans at a hockey game, who choose a speech from then president George Bush over the 3rd period of the New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers. it was Sept. 21 at the First Union Center in Philidalphia when Bush made a speech addressing the nation. Bush's speech started at the end of the second, players, fans and coaches all wanted the speech and audio played in the building.
From the Daily News

The men who run the Flyers obliged, continuing to show President Bush address Congress on the center video board rather than play the third period, which was canceled.
Equally stunning was Flyers fans raucously cheering not only the sight of the Mayor of New York and the words "We will rebuild New York City," but then again when the third period of a rollicking game with the hated Rangers was called off and replaced by a handshake line at center ice.

After briefly loosening up to begin the third period, players from both teams headed to the bench when the sizable crowd booed when President Bush's speech was cut off, forcing the return of the address. They then sat, either on their benches or propped on the dasher boards, in rapt attention, for 35 minutes, moving only to tap sticks on the boards in applause.

This moment showed how during the weeks after 9/11 sport never mattered less to the Americans.

Shortly after the regular season had started p for the 2001/2002 NHL season, but that didn't mean the tributes had to stop. Every NHL made a tribute of some sort to the events that happened weeks before 9/11. Some wore commemorative patches. October 4, the Kings gave Ace Bailey's son Todd Bailey a team jersey. On October 7, the Rangers opened their season against the Buffalo Sabres. This resulted in a 30 minute ceremony to honor they NYPD and FDNY members who lost their lives. with members of those teams skating out to form a human tunnel through which the Rangers appeared in the ice. Mark Messier was asked to don the helmet of Ray Downey, the FDNY's Chief of Special Operations who perished at Ground Zero. It was a special moment for Messier who was truly touched.

America always can come together to honor one another. Sport is a great way to numb the pain of the real world. It allows us to just take a step back and be distracted for even a moment. There is no doubt 9/11 changed the way Americans think and act, it has led to great prejudice, and many fears. Now many people are including myself are afraid to fly. They think twice about who their neigh boughs are or co- workers. But through sport American can come together. We remember the great tragedy of 9/11 with the death of the Lokomotive KHL hockey team. The teams plane crashed shortly after take off and all players died. The lone survivor of the team passed away this morning after having 90% of his body severally burned.