Chicago Blackhawks: 2013 Stanley Cup Champions

17 seconds. Take a moment and think of everything you can accomplish in a mere 17 seconds; now imagine scoring two goals within in 17 seconds to lay claim to the Stanley Cup. That probably sounds like a dream that every young hockey player dreams at night, but for the Chicago Blackhawks that dream became a reality on Monday night. The Blackhawks beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 in game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals as they wrapped up their historic season with a Stanley Cup.

In an ending that couldn't have been written any better, the Blackhawks managed the unthinkable. Trailing 2-1 with just over a minute left in the third period it seemed that the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks were destined to square off in a game 7 for the ages. Cue Bryan Bickell; Bickell quickly buried the puck to notch the tying goal after a pass from the corner by Jonathan Toews left Tuukka Rask tangled with his defenceman. Then just 17 seconds later Dave Bolland gained inside position in front of Rask and tipped home a Johnny Oduya point shot which won the Chicago Blackhawks the Stanley Cup.

For Toronto Maple Leaf Fans there was a sense of vengeance seeing the Boston Bruins, who tore out their hearts with a last minute third period comeback fall to the same fate. Of course the two losses' were completely different; For the Leafs it was a complete collapse, for the Bruins it was a hard fought battle right to the end and just so happened the Stanley Cup was at stake. Either way you look at it, both the Leafs and Bruins fell short of claiming the greatest trophy in all of sports and the Blackhawks proved that sometimes a hot start isn't a bad thing.

An 82 game season is so long, that that the first 10 games really aren't a huge deal; throughout the season you see multiple versions of the same team, some good and some not so good. But when you chop that 82 game season in half, the start becomes that much more important. When the puck dropped on the 2013 NHL season the Blackhawks didn't waste anytime, going 23-0-3 in their first 24 games, breaking the record for the longest NHL point streak to start a season. That start helped the Blackhawks dominate the West and win the Presidents trophy.

Heading into the playoffs, the Blackhawks were one of the favorites to end the season by hoisting the Stanley Cup. They survived a scare in round 2 and knocked off the defending champs to earn a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. Once in the Finals, the Blackhawks were set to square off against every teams nightmare; the Boston Bruins. If you're looking to see just how good the Bruins can be in the postseason just ask the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple, all of whom are still trying to pick up the pieces from their crushing defeats at the hands of the Bruins. Needless to say, beating the Bruins- and Tuukka Rask was not going to be an easy task.

In an attempt to generate more offence Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane were separated for the first three games in the Finals, but in game four the Blackhawks put the two back together and never looked back. In the next three games Toews and Kane along with Bryan Bickell combined for 6 goals and 7 assists to help the Bruins win the Cup.

Despite not having a goal in game 6, Patrick Kane won the Conn Smythe for his efforts in the playoffs. Kane entered the playoffs with a slump scoring just 2 goals in the Blackhawks first 15 games, but as the Blackhawks went further Kane lit up. He scored 4 goals in the final two games of the Western Finals, including a hat-trick that helped eliminate the Kings. Kane finished the Stanley Cup run with nine goals and 19 assists and joins his partner in crime Toews having both won Conn Smyth's.

For the Blackhawks this season was one to remember. From a record breaking start, to a comeback series victory against the rival Red Wings, to their 2nd Stanley Cup in four years. Ironically the Blackhawks closed out both their Stanley Cup victories in game 6. The Blackhawks appear to have built themselves a modern day NHL dynasty, which could reign throughout the NHL for years to come.

The final buzzer has sounded and the 2013 NHL season has come to an end. Up next is a long and painful offseason for hockey fans, but at least next season will start on time. Hats off to the Chicago Blackhawks, the 2013 Stanley Cup Champions.

Top 10 NHL Stories of 2012

For the majority of 2012 there hasn't been any actual NHL hockey and as the final seconds ticked off the clock into 2013 there was still no sign of hockey. With the deadline for the season just 2 weeks away no one knows whether we will actually see NHL hockey or not. Hockey fans and frankly the hockey world in general is in a fragile place as fans are slowly losing hope for hockey. But since there's no present NHL stories, beside the lockout, to talk about let's take a look back at the most memorable moments from 2012. While the lockout has certainly been dominating the news as of late, there is more to remember from 2012, so here are the top 10 NHL stories of 2012.

Top 10 NHL Stories of 2012

10. Shane Doan's Future

There has been a lot of drama surrounding the Phoenix Coyotes over the last couple of seasons. But this off season the pot thickened when long time Coyotes captain and franchise player Shane Doan announced he would test the free agency markets once July 1st hit. Immediately this news sent the hockey world into a buzz and sent Coyotes fans into a tail spin. If it wasn't bad enough that their star player was considering leaving the desert, he held the league and the organization hostage by not making up his decision until he knew the certainty of where the Coyotes would be next season. He forced the NHL to make up their mind about the Coyotes being in Arizona, he made it clear he wanted to stay but only if he knew what was happening.

It appears Doan found the answer he was looking for and signed a 4 year $21.2 million deal to stay with the Coyotes, wherever that may be, on September 14th 2012. Both the Coyotes organization and their fans were able to breath a sigh of relief as their captain decided to stay with the team. Did he ever really plan on leaving the dessert, we'll likely never know but he did turn down a 4 year $30 million offer from another team earlier in the summer.

9. Tim Thomas Says No to Obama

When news of this story hit the media it got completely blown up and there was so much drama surrounding the Boston Bruins they got lost in the middle of it all and ended up going 5-7-1 afterward the incident and it ultimately drove a riff between Tim Thomas and his teammates. As is tradition the championship team gets an invite to the White House to visit with the President of the United States, it's a great day for the team, the players and the president get's some more air time, everyone wins. Only problem was one key member of the Bruins was not in attendance during the visit to the White House.

Thomas, who won the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP, Vezina Trophy and was the biggest key in the Bruins winning their first Stanley Cup in 39 years decided he would not accompany his teammates to the White House to celebrate their victory. The goaltender stated political beliefs as the reason for him not

[caption id="attachment_1774" align="alignright" width="300"] Tim Thomas taunted by Obama Signs[/caption]

attending the event as he wasn't in favour of the presidents policies. The event shamed both the Bruins and the NHL but also opened up the media and the fans to the political side of the goaltender.

Thomas skipping the event had major consequences and virtually put an end to his career in Boston as he declared he would be taking the 2012-2013 season off from hockey to "re-evaluate" and "find himself". But it appears Thomas can see into the future as all NHL players are taking a break from playing.

8. Sam Gagner goes Gretzky-esque

Imagine a feat so rare that only 11 players have managed to accomplish it, a feat that neither Sidney Crosby nor Alexander Ovechkin have been able to claim and a milestone that hadn't been reached since Mario Lemieux in 1989. On February 2nd 2012, Edmonton Oilers forward Sam Gagner recorded 8 points (4 goals and 4 assists) to add himself to an exclusive list of players. Gagner became just the 12th player to record 8 points in a single game, a feat Wayne Gretzky himself accomplished twice.

Gagner was 22 at the time and tied the Oilers franchise record shared by Gretzky and Paul Coffey, not bad for a guy whose name was being tossed around in rumour after rumour leading up to the trade deadline!

7. Detroit Red Wings Defend Home Turf

Home ice advantage has become a thing of the past, in today's game great teams can go into any arena and grind out the win. But the Detroit Red Wings made a case that the Joe was a scary place for the opposition to play. The Red Wings put together a streak that lasted 4 months and saw them win 23 consecutive home games at Joe Louis. It was an awesome story for the Wings, who have been one of the NHL's elite for the last decade but still play the game "the right way" so it was awesome that they were able to break the record for consecutive wins at home.

Just how dominate were the Wings during their win streak? During those 23 games, they won 19 of them in regulation, outscored their opponents 89-34 and the last 6 games of the win streak came with the help of their back-up goaltender! Sure anyone can get lucky while playing at home but away from the Joe the Wings were a loess than stellar 13-11-1 during that same time.

6. Penguins/ Flyers rivalry

For any hockey fan who likes old time hockey the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers rivalry is for you. If you remember the days of the Broad Street Bullies you know the Flyers have always played a style of hockey where they like to intimidate or beat up opponents. The 2011-2012 Flyers went back to their roots and once again became the Broad Street Bullies during their playoff series against the Penguins. The Penguins are a team of

[caption id="attachment_1775" align="alignright" width="300"] Crosby and Giroux go toe-to-toe in the 2012 Playoffs[/caption]

finesse, they don't get involved in the rough stuff as they focus on pretty scoring plays and beating opponents on the scoreboard. During their first round playoff match, the Flyers drew the Penguins into playing the Flyers rough style of hockey, a style completely out of the Penguins element.

The most memorable game in the series was game 3 in which tempers finally boiled over and the Penguins fully lost it. The Flyers won the game 8-4 and both goalies have had better games but that wasn't the main storyline. The two teams racked up 158 penalty minutes including 4 10 minute misconducts! Even Sidney Crosby and Claude Giroux mixed things up during the game which proved the Flyers had officially got under the Penguins skin. To follow up the 158 PIM game, the Penguins returned the favour and won game 4 by a score of 10-3, that game featured 100 PIM. The Flyers would take the series 4-2 but would fall in the 2nd round as all their emotion was thrust into the Penguins series.

It was some great old time hockey, that featured fights and players who really didn't like each other. One of the most memorable moments, Giroux hit Crosby into the boards and while Crosby was still getting up, Giroux had scored a goal for the Flyers. When the NHL eventually gets back it will be interesting to see these two teams square off again!

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

5. Phoenix Coyotes Best Season

The Coyotes are kind of like the orphans of the NHL, they don't really have an owner and there's always talk about moving them from their current home to a new home with a new owner. With so much un-certainty following the team it can be hard to focus on the hockey, but the Coyotes players put aside all the distractions and made the 2011-2012 season their best!

Throughout the regular season the Coyotes earned 97 points which ranked them 3rd in the Western Conference poised for a playoff birth. Going into the playoffs the Coyotes franchise had never won a playoff series, but the Coyotes managed to win not just 1 but 2 against the Chicago Blackhawks and the Nashville Predators. From phenomenal goaltending by Mike Smith to the veteran leadership of Shane Doan something clicked and the Coyotes worked their way to the Western Conference Finals where they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions the Los Angeles Kings. With their best season ever the Coyotes managed to win over the support of the fans and played in front of sold out crowds in the dessert during the playoffs.

4. Steven Stamkos Scoring Sensation

Other than maybe Evgeni Malkin there is not a more natural, consistent goal scorer in the NHL than Steven Stamkos. He is already on his way to have a career for the record books and he's only 22, but seems to improve every season. In his 4 years in the NHL he has scored 179 goals including the 60 he scored in 2011-2012. Yes Stamkos reached the mark of 60 goals in a single season becoming just the second player to reach the feat since 1996. With the average first liner

[caption id="attachment_1780" align="alignright" width="300"] Stamkos Celebrates His 60th Goal[/caption]

scoring between 25-35 goals, Stamkos being able to reach the coveted 60 is a tremendous achievement and with his team being out of the playoff race he managed to keep things interesting. Of his 60 goals, 48 of them came while playing at even strength, showing he can still dominate at 5 on 5.

Stamkos became just the 19th player in history to score 60 goals in a single season and he accomplished it in game 82 on the road in Winnipeg. His 60 goals were enough to earn him his 2nd Rocket Richard Trophy. If Stamkos can stay healthy over the next 10 years he may become one of the most prolific goal scorers in NHL history. With his surging popularity and improvement each season, the NHL will look to him to help dig themselves out of the lockout hole with the fans.

When talking about Stamkos you also have to give a little stick tap to his new off-season trainer Gary Roberts, who Stamkos credits for taking his game to the next level. With Roberts help who knows where his development would be.

3. Nicklas Lidstrom Calls it Quits

May 31st, 2012 one of the saddest days for Red Wings fans and hockey fans, the day legendary Nicklas Lidstrom announced his retirement from the NHL. It came as a surprise to many as he was still one of the best defenceman in the league and had talked about retiring for a few years but always came back. But after 20 seasons Lidstrom decided enough was enough and he had accomplished enough in his career to call it quits. 

Just like that one of the games all-time great deafenceman and all-around class acts was gone from the game, but he remained in the hearts of Red Wings fans after playing his entire career with the wings. When the dust cleared on Lidstrom's career he had racked up 1,142 points, 4 Stanley Cups, 1 Conn Smythe and 7 Norris Trophies. He will no doubt one day be a first-ballet Hall of Fame Inductee and is arguably one of the best defenceman to ever play the game. He will be missed by everyone but will never be forgotten.

2. Wild Offseason

The two biggest names during free agency were Zach Parise and Ryan Suter who had both made it clear they would be leaving their teams and testing the free agency market. At first teams were sending offers to each player depending on which they could afford and what they needed. But the longer free agency lasted some teams started to offer a deal to both players, which started the rumour that Parise and Suter would like to play on the same team if at all possible.



That of course would come with a major price tag which in turn knocked out a lot of the smaller market teams. Near the end of the saga it was rumoured Parise was headed to Pittsburgh to join forces with Crosby and Suter was headed to Detroit, but the two players had other ideas. They signed identical 13 year $98 million contracts with the Minnesota Wild.

Looking at their singings and the immediate turmoil of the NHL CBA, it's wouldn't be a a far stretch to say this deal was what jump-kicked the NHL lockout. As owners felt they were paying too much for their big stars and as a result losing money.

1. Kings Get Their Crowns

I refuse to let the lockout be the biggest hockey story of 2012, for the true fans of the game the biggest story needs to be the Los Angeles Kings Stanley Cup victory, that's hockey not all this silly CBA talk. The Kings were able to make history with their Cup win, entering the playoffs as the 8th seed in the Western Conference they not only knocked off the 1st seed Vancouver Canucks but also the 2nd St. Louis Blues and 3 Phoenix Coyotes, to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. 

The Kings jumped out to a early 3-0 series lead over the New Jersey Devils and once the Devils had brought it back to a 3-2 series the Kings closed the deal with a dominating 6-1 victory in game 6. Throughout the playoffs the Kings went a remarkable 16-4 including a 10-1 record on the road on their way to turning Los Angeles into a hockey city. The victory meant a lot of things for different players: for Jeff Carter and Mike Richards it meant redemption after being traded away from the Flyers after they were deemed as not being the "right guys" to make a cup run, for Trevor Lewis it meant celebrating with family.

There you have it folks my list of the most memorable and best moments from the NHL in 2012. Right now the NHL is in limbo but you can still look back on what was one of the best NHL seasons in the history of the game.

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.

How Important is Good Goaltending?

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

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

Top 3 Goalies

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

Team Result- Won the Stanley Cup

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

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

Team Result- Conference Finals



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

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

Team Results- Conference Semi-Finals

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

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

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

Team Result- 9th place in the Eastern Conference



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

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

Team Result-  15th in the Eastern Conference.

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

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

 

Comparing Goalies Under and Over 30

 

This weekend I asked you to submit ideas via my Facebook fan-page to determine the subject of today's blog. There were some awesome ideas submitted, some of which may even be written about down the road. But the winner of the contest is Margann Laurissa, who suggested that I compare the stats of goalies under the age of 30 to those of goalies over the age of 30. This was an awesome idea that combined two of the things I like most; goalies and a challenge.
Let's begin the comparison:

I have chosen three goalies under 30 and three goalies over 30. For the goalies under 30 I wanted to find goalies that are in their prime or entering their prime where as two of the three goalies I chose over the age of 30 are entering the final stages of their careers. We will be comparing the goalies based on their statistical performances from last season (regular season).

Goalies Under 30:

Jonathan Quick (26)

After Quick's performance last season that ultimately won his team the cup, one would be out of their mind not to include him as one of the best goalies under the age of 30. The scary thing with Quick is the fact he appears to be just entering his prime now. The end of last season marked his 4th season in the league (3rd as a full time starter) and he already has a Stanley Cup to his name, not a bad way to begin your career! After his performance last season there is no question Quick will be the Kings goalie of the future.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 69 games, 35 wins, 10 Shutouts, 1.95 Goals Against Average and a .929 Save Percentage.

Marc-Andre Fleury (27)

While statistically speaking Fleury didn't have a fantastic campaign, he was put in a tough spot. The Penguins went without Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, two vital players for the majority of the season and the Penguins back-up goalies couldn't be trusted in important games which resulted in Fleury starting 23 consecutive games at one point. Fleury was a work horse this season and at the end of the day he was able to backstop his team into the playoffs.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 67 games, 42 wins, 3 shutouts, 2.36 Goals Against Average and a .913 Save Percentage.

Carey Price (25)

Although Price and the Canadiens had a rough season last year, there is no question in my mind that he is still an elite goaltender. With better players in front of him and actually scoring goals (yes we're looking at you Scott Gomez) the Canadiens will have a much better season and Price's stats will reflect that. Price is finally starting to find himself as a goaltender. He admitted last season that in the past he was "young and immature" his play on the ice reflected that. But last season we saw a much more composed goalie, Price has finally come to the point where he is becoming a mature goalie. He knows what it takes to win, and isn't whining nearly as much. This is all positive for Habs fans as I wouldn't be surprised if Price led them back to the playoffs next season.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 65 games, 26 wins, 4 shutouts, 2.43 Goals Against Average and a .916 Save Percentage.

Goalies Over 30:

Martin Brodeur (40)



Brodeur is the ageless wonder in net. One game it looks like his age has finally caught up to him, then the next games he plays like he's 25 again. It's really exciting to watch him play and incorporate the old style

into his game in the new era of the NHL. Last season he led the New Jersey Devils to within two wins of the Stanley Cup, not bad for a guy who just turned 40! There's times when I watch him play and think he could go on and play forever. Despite being 40 and "past his prime" he is still one of the elite goalies in the league.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 59 games, 31 wins, 3 shutouts, 2.41 Goals Against Average and a .908 Save Percentage.

 Tim Thomas (38)

While Thomas has proved himself to be a nut case over the last little while (but hey, what goalie isn't a little crazy?) he is still a very good goaltender. A year removed from the Bruins historic Stanley Cup win, Thomas' stats went down a little this season causing many to question whether he should remain as the starting goalie. Those who questioned that received their wish this off season as Thomas announced he would be taking a year off of hockey to "find himself". While his plan is to come back to play hockey again after his year long sabbatical Thomas' career is winding down.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 59 games, 35 wins, 5 shutouts, 2.36 GAA, and a .920 Save Percentage.

Ryan Miller (32)

While including Miller in this list may be a bit of stretch he's a goalie that fits right in the middle. He's just over the hump of 30 but not approaching his 40's and likely still has 4-5 more seasons left in the tank. Plus did you really think I was going to leave him out of this article? Miller battled injuries and consistency problems last season but was still able to brake the franchise record for most career wins with 235. In addition to setting a new franchise record he became one of only two goalies to have 30+ wins in 7 straight seasons. While his stats don't speak volumes, in my books Miller is still elite.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 61 games, 31 wins, 6 shutouts, 2.54 Goals Against Average and a .916 Save Percentage.

One of the questions Margann wanted answered, was to see if age had any bearing on the stats of goalies. I'm not going to lie the statistics from last season were a lot closer than I expected them to be. The 6 goalies compared above all have relatively close statistics.

3 things to take note of-

• Jonathan Quick and Tim Thomas are the last two Stanley Cup Winning goalies. They had the highest save percentage amongst the 6 goalies. But if you look at Thomas' stats from last season (9 shutouts and 2.00 GAA) they are almost identical to those of Jonathan Quick's from this season!


• All three of the goalies under 30 played in 60+ games while only Ryan Miller of the over 30's played in more than 60 games.


• Amongst the three goalies Jonathan Quick had the best stats, ironically he won the Stanley Cup. Sometimes stats do matter.

If one had simply taken the statistics of these six goaltenders without looking at their age, they would have a very difficult time figuring out which goalies were over 30 and which were under. That speaks volumes for the older goalies on the list. With the knowledge about conditioning and nutrition that there is today the goalies are able to keep themselves in top shape and have very solid seasons. Maybe one day the NHL can compile an all star game of players under 30 vs players over 30 and see who would win!

What do you think? Which goalie would you rather have on your team?

2012 HHOF Inductees

Apart from winning the Stanley Cup one of the great honours for a hockey player is to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame after they retire from the great game. Forever having you name etched into the Hall of Fame for generations of people to see, being known as a legend and a hero to young hockey fans. For 4 players their dreams came true on Tuesday: Mats Sundin, Joe Sakic, Adam Oates and Pavel Bure were all elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Mats Sundin
Let's start with a guy I actually got to see play. Growing up in Toronto everything is about the Leafs so when I began watching hockey I fell in love with Sundin. I loved the way he played the game and to me as a little kid he was a fantastic captain, and a true captain. Perhaps an ever rarer feat is getting voted into the Hall as a first timer, Sundin was voted into the Hall in his first eligible year. He retired after the 2008-2009 season and becomes the first player to end his career as a Canuck and be inducted into the Hall. While Sundin failed to raise Lord Stanley he was a legendary Toronto Maple Leafs. He played 13 seasons with the buds and was the captain from 1997-2008. He still holds franchise records in goals (420), assists by a forward (567) and total points (987). Despite failing to win a Stanley Cup, Sundin was the face of the Leafs franchise and a beloved captain.

"I think you have to be part of the Toronto Maple Leafs to understand the importance of the team for the city of Toronto," Sundin said. "It took a little while to learn that and also to understand the pressure to be a Toronto Maple Leafs player and coach and management, to live with that. The whole city lives and breathes the Toronto Maple Leafs. The longer you're there, you appreciate it more and you understand it's bigger than just trying to be a player. It was certainly the best time of my life.

While his NHL career was not overly successful (not Stanley Cup) he made up for it with his International play. He played 14 tournaments for team Sweden and won a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Sundin was also the first European player to be drafted first overall in 1989 by Quebec and was the first Swedish player to record 1000 points.

He played 18 seasons in the NHL and tallied 564 goals, 785 assists and 1,349 points in 1,346 games. Sundin also had the pleasure of seeing his jersey #13 raised to the rafters of the ACC and honoured by the Toronto Maple Leafs. It will be a long while before the Leafs have another captain like Sundin. Sundin may go down as one of the best players to play that never won a Stanley Cup.

Joe Sakic

Perhaps one of the greatest players to ever lace up the skates. Sakic won just about every major awards a hockey player can, including 2 Stanley Cups (1996, 2001), the Hart Trophy, the Conn Smythe trophy, the Lady Byng trophy and an Olympic Gold medal in 2002. He played all 20 NHL seasons with the Quebec Nordics/Colorado Avalanche franchise and still holds the franchise records for: goals (625), Assists (1,016) and points (1,641).

Like Sundin, Sakic was also a first year eligible nominee, but was considered a shoo-in by many. In addition to his two Stanley Cup wins, Sakic won the World Junior Championships, the World Championships, the World Cup and an Olympic Gold Medal.

In his 20 seasons with the Avalanche organization Sakic captained the team for 16 seasons and his the 2nd longest serving captain in NHL history. Sakic had an amazing and historic run in the NHL, and is very worthy of his election into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Adam Oates
Being elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame is a huge honour for any player, so you have to think Oates was having  a pretty good day when he got the call from the Hall. But if you can imagine his day got even better as he was also named the head coach of the Washington Capitals. Not a bad day eh?

"Obviously it's a fantastic day," Oates said. "I don't know if that has ever happened before.  I gotta go out and play lotto."

Oates has never won a Stanley Cup, he came close mere months ago as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils but will now have the opportunity to do so with Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

Oates had a 19 year NHL career which saw him split time between the Red Wings, Bruins, Capitals, Flyers, Ducks and Oilers. He was known for his passing skills and credits his parents for teaching him to be an unselfish athlete so he was able to develop the willingness to pass. Oates finished his career 6th all time in the NHL with 1,079 assists in addition to his assists he added 341 goals for 1,420 points.

One of the things NHL scouts look for in a prospect is size, in Oates draft year he wasn't very big and was passed on in the NHL. Instead he went to the NCAA were he won a NCAA division 1 championship in 1985.

"I was kind of a late-bloomer," Oates said. "When the scouts look at the draft, they look at the big kids. I was a small kid, a late-bloomer that slipped through the cracks. It allowed me to go to college, and then came that second wave of guys that got signed. I got to play 19 years in this League, and I'm very fortunate."

Pavel Bure

After defecting with his family Bure joined the Vancouver Canucks and won the Calder trophy in 1992. He was limited to just 12 NHL seasons due to knee injuries but Bure made the most of his time in the NHL. Scoring 60 goals twice and scoring (59 and 58) in two other seasons in his 702 NHL games. He averaged 36.7 goals per season and was able to record 779 points.

One man who played a part in three of the inductees careers Pat Quinn was quite proud:

"It's just incredible, really," Quinn said. "Having been around Pavel and Mats, and then also Joe on the Canadian teams, it's been such a privilege for me as a coach and hockey person. I watched them perform at such high levels all the time. I watched Pavel grow as a 20-year-old and become one of the brightest starts in the game. Mats was truly one of the great captains. With Joe, he was just spectacular in 2002. He was such a privilege to be around. He was a key leader for us. We wouldn't have a gold medal but for his accomplishments. "I am proud today. It's a good day for me as well."

Congratulations to Mats Sundin, Joe Sakic, Adam Oates and Pavel Bure. These four men now have their names permanently engraved in history at the Hockey Hall of Fame. I look forward to seeing these legendary players in the Hall next time I'm there.

How the Kings got Crowned

This post is a follow up of sorts to my last piece: L.A Kings Stanley Cup Champions and will be breaking down how the Kings won the cup. It will talk about some of the key players, key scenarios and how the Kings were able to defeat the Devils in 6 games.

So as you should know by the now the Los Angeles Kings are the 2011-2012 Stanley Cup Champions after defeating the Devils 6-1 on Monday night. The Kings went on a Cinderella run after defeating the Vancouver Canucks in the first round, going on to eliminate the first 3 seeds in the West (Canucks, Blues, Coyotes) and became the first ever 8th seed to lift Lord Stanley's Cup.
So how did they do it, it sure as heck didn't come easily. I've done the research and ran the numbers and came up with some key points.

3 Reasons the Kings won:


1. Jonathan Quick

No matter how good a team is if they don't have good goaltending to go along with it the team will not be successful. That's not the case with the Kings (or the Devils) Jonathan Quick was exceptional throughout these playoffs and was a major reason why they were lifting the cup on Monday. Quick went 16-4 with a 1.41 GAA and .946 Save Percentage add 3 shutouts and 10 consecutive road victories and you have your Conn Smythe winner. He was able to keep the Kings in games even when they weren't scoring, letting in 2 or less goals in 18 of 20 games.
In the Stanley Cup finals he let in just 7 goals in 6 games and stopped 125 of 132 shots.
His 1.41 GAA and .946 Save Percentage were enough to earn him the lowest goals against average and highest save percentage honours. (All done in one playoff year).
In 20 games this post season quick faced 538 shots and stopped 509 of them.
Needless to say Quick was very worthy of his Conn Smythe trophy as he was a major key to the Kings Stanley Cup victory playing lights out hockey. He vitually put an end to Roberto Loungo's career in Vancouver and Zach Parise's career in New Jersey.
He out duelled the legendary Martin Brodeur and that's how the Kings won, they got better goaltending when they needed it most.

2. No place like the road
The Kings were able to do something that hockey fans may never see again, throughout the playoffs they went 10-1 on the road. Including 10 consecutive road wins. In all 4 series they played they started on the road and all 4 times they came back with a 2-0 series lead. Which further proves the myth of home ice advantage, it doesn't matter where you play you can still win and be dominate... the Kings did. You want to talk about home ice advantage, ask the Canucks how well that worked out for them!

3. Top players stepped up

All a team can ask from their star players is that the produce in big games. On Monday night the Kings couldn't have asked for much more from Dustin Brown. Brown opened the scoring by tipping in a Drew Doughty point shot and added 2 assists before the night was over. Putting up 3 points in game 6 and leading by example. The line of Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Justin Williams was the best line for any team in playoffs together they combined for 35 points and a plus/minus of 40. Brown and Kopitar both racked up 20 points and took turn leading the team during the playoffs. Although they were relatively quite during the Finals, Brown came up big when his team needed him most!

3 Stars


1. Jonathan Quick
16-4 - 1.41 GAA- .946 S%-- 3 shutouts and 10 consecutive road victories
The stats speak for themselves.


2. Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar
Combining these guys together as their stats are identical and they play on the same line!
8 goals - 12 Assists - 20 points with a +/- 16


3. Drew Doughty
Huge leader on defense for the Kings, also came up big in game 6.
4 goals - 12 assists - 16 points He led all defenseman in points in the playoffs.


Honourable Mention


Willie Mitchell--- was on the for 73:43 of Short handed time throughout the playoffs one of their best and most reliable defenseman. He was able to contribute on the score board by adding a goal and 2 assists for 3 points and remarkably was a +7 despite playing almost 75 minutes short handed.

Dark Horse


Dwight King-- a guy very few had heard of before the playoffs began proved to be an important member of the Kings roster and now very deservedly gets his name on the Stanley Cup. King didn't score his first NHL goal until February of this year and was drafted 109th overall in 2007, not exactly the kind of guy you expect big production from. He racked up 24 points in 27 goals during the regular season and didn't stop there. He racked up 5 goals and added 3 assists for 8 points during these playoffs, although those aren't crazy stats they're pretty solid for a 4th line rookie. In fact he outscored Kings Dustin Penner and Justin Williams. He also led the Kings with a 15.2 shooting percentage.
King was able to put the puck in the net when it mattered most and scored some goals that "broke the back" of opponents. He was also responsible for the 3rd goal in which the Kings scored on the 5 minute major, when he got the puck in the neutral zone, breezed past some defenders and left the puck sitting there for his line mate to tap in.
He's a real Don Cherry type of player and he's Canadian to boot!


2 Key Moments


1. Penalty Trouble
This one is obvious, the hit by Steve Bernier on Rob Scuderi which resulted in Bernier being kicked out of the game and the Kings going on a 5 minute power play in which they capitalized 3 times. This play unfortunately set the tone for the rest of the game and spelled the beginning of the end for the Devils who had all the momentum up until that hit. The Kings rallied around that opportunity and seized it which led to them winning their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

2. The trade Deadline

What the kings were able to do and didn't do paid huge dividends in the end. They were able to acquire former Flyer and Mike Richards party mate Jeff Carter from the Blue Jackets. Carter scored 2 goals in game 6 including the clinching goal that led to the Kings raising the Cup. Carter and Richards Combined for 28 points during the playoffs and needless to say the Kings are great full they were on their roster. Turns out they are capable of winning a Stanley Cup. The Flyers should be getting that thank you card any day now.
Another move or lack there of by the Kings was deciding to keep captain Dustin Brown who was rumoured to be on the trade block. I be they're glad they kept him now! Brown came up big in game 6 recording a goal and 2 assists to lead his team to their first ever championship.
After the King acquired Jeff Carter and Kept Dustin Brown they went on a remarkable 29-9-3 run (much like the Sabres) which ultimately landed them in the 8th and final playoff spot. Brown kicked off the run with a hat trick in a 4-0 win.

Interesting stats
1. The Rangers who only made it to the Conference played the same number of games as the Kings
2. The New Jersey Devils played in 24 games which is 4 games more than the Kings.
3. 29 other goalies in the NHL have a higher cap hit than Jonathan Quick (that will be changing)
4. The Kings went 12-2 during their run through the Western Conference during the playoffs. 
5. The Kings are now the third straight Stanley Cup Champions to have started their season in Europe. (2009 Penguins, 2010 Blackhawks and 2011 Bruins)
6. Dustin Brown is just the 2nd American born captain to raise the Cup.
7. The Kings had 25 Canadian players on their roster, 

2011-2012 Stanley Cup Champions- L.A Kings

The Sun has set on yet another NHL season. It's a bitter sweet moment for hockey fans: on one hand most are happy for the Stanley Cup Champions but on the other hockey is finished until October, and with the impending lockout who knows how long we could have to wait until hockey is back.

On Monday night the Los Angeles Kings defeated the New Jersey Devils 6-1 to become the 2011-2012 Stanley Cup Champions. Winning their first Cup in franchise history (44 years) an exciting moment for the Kings and not even an ending Hollywood could have written as they become the first 8th seed to win a Stanley Cup.

It was quite a remarkable Stanley Cup Finals, the Kings jumped out to an early 3-0 strangle hold on the series and proved once again the fourth game was the hardest to win. The Kings had a chance to win game 4 at home in front of their family, friends and faithful fans but were unable to close it out. They then travelled back to New Jersey where they once again had a chance to win the Cup but fell short yet again. They headed back to L.A for game 6 almost a must win for the Kings. The Devils had all the momentum and had they tied the series up at 3 games a piece they would have been in control for game 7.

The Kings came out firing early, you could tell they wanted to win. They showed more effort in the first period than in games 4 and 5 combined! But just like in games 4 and 5 they couldn't find a way to put one past Martin Brodeur early. That was until the Devils Steve Bernier did something incredibly stupid. By hitting Kings defenceman Rob Scuderi from behind which landed Bernier back in the Devils dressing room before the end of the first. Bernier was given a game misconduct, ejected from the game and a 5 minute penalty, which ultimately turned the game around and virtually handed the Kings the Cup.

So what did he do? Bernier attempted to make Scuderi apart of the boards at Staples Centre in LA. Scuderi went back for a puck in his own end and stopped near the boards, Bernier skated full speed at him from around the blue line and cross checked Scuderi into the boards. Scuderi went flying head first into the boards and left the game for repairs and check ups, likely not knowing his own name when he skated off. Bernier made no attempt to ease up on or avoid the hit, which deemed it worthy of 5 minutes plus a game.

The Kings would go on to score 3 goals on the 5 minute power play before the end of the 1st which ultimately put the game out of reach. The Kings charge was led by their captain Dustin Brown who scored the opening goal on a tip in off a Drew Doughty shot. Brown then shot the puck which was tipped by Jeff Carter for the second goal. Trevor Lewis was in the right spot at the right time and potted a lose puck after a phenomenal rush by Dwight King. Just like that the Devils were in a hole down 3-0.

The Kings would go on to score 1 in the second period to extend their lead to 4-1 and scored 2 in 15 seconds in the third period (including an open net) to put the game to bed and solidify their Stanley Cup Championship.

It was a remarkable run for the Kings who just snuck into the playoffs after claiming the 8th seed. They were able to knock off the first seeded Vancouver Canucks in 5 games, the second seeded St. Louis Blues in 4 games and the third seeded Phoenix Coyotes in 5 games. They were the underdogs in each of the first 2 series, until they started getting more and more attention and then became the team to beat going into the Conference Finals and then the Stanley Cup Finals.

With a record of 16-4 in the Playoffs the Kings were able to win the Stanley Cup in just 20 games, and they lost just 1 game on the road truly remarkable. Jonathan Quick was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy as the MVP of the playoffs, he too played remarkable and was a major reason the Kings were hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup on Monday night.

It's just an honour to be on this team, I'm glad to be a part of it" Said Quick after the game Monday night.

Quick was more than just "a part" of this team for the first 3 rounds he was virtually the reason they succeeded. Finishing the playoffs with a 16-4 record and a 1.41 Goals Against Average which is the lowest goals against average in a single playoff year. He also set the record for highest Save Percentage with a .946. Adding to that list Quick set the record for most consecutive road victories in a single playoff year (10), and set a Kings record for most shutouts in a playoff year (3). But perhaps most remarkably Quick let in 2 or fewer goals in 18 of 20 games!
Quick has primed himself to win the Team U.S.A starting goaltending job for the 2014 Olympics making it even harder for Tim Thomas to come back and win the job.

Although the actual Philadelphia Flyers were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs (by the New Jersey Devils) the Flyers played a huge role in the Kings winning the Stanley Cup.
Remember Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, the two guys who Paul Holmgem didn't feel were the right type of leaders to lead a team to a Stanley Cup? Now they both have won a Stanley Cup and were instrumental in the playoffs. Richards assisted on both of the first 2 goals and racked up 4 goals and 11 assists for 15 points while Carter finished with 8 goals and 5 assists for 13 points including 2 goals to help solidify the win. It was also very fitting that Richards passed the Cup to CarterWhile they weren't the "leaders" of the Kings their veteran presence and production went a long way in the Kings winning the Cup. But the connections to the Flyers don't just stop at Richards and Carter, fellow Kings teammate Simon Gagne who battled all season with concussion symptoms. Also joining the list of players with ties to the Flyers, Colin Fraser (drafted by Flyers in 2003) this was Fraser's second Stanley Cup. Ron Hextall, John Stevens, Dean Lombardi and Justin Williams all have tied to the Flyers organization.

The Los Angeles Kings have two thank you cards to hand out; One to Steve Bernier for giving them a 5 minute power play in which the Kings capitalized 3 times. And the second card to the Flyers for letting go of Richards, Carter and Gagne who played parts in the the Kings win and for letting go of so many players who have made the Kings (and other teams) very successful.

Hats off to the Los Angeles Kings for becoming the 2011-2012 Stanley Cup Champions.

Mind Games: Tim Thomas

Tim Thomas has gone from one of the best, most respected goaltenders in the NHL to another crazy goaltender. He's gone from winning the Stanley Cup, the Conn Smythe and the Vezina trophies to taking a whole year off. Yes, you read that right Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas is considering taking next season off. If Thomas does indeed go through with taking a break (and it's looking like he will), it will leave the Bruins behind the 8 ball. Has Thomas tarnished his reputation beyond repair?

News broke last week that Thomas had come to the Bruins and told them he was considering taking a year off. Many thought his sudden interest in taking a year off, was to stymie any trades the Bruins were thinking about. Although I still think that has at least a little part to do with his year off, he came out on Sunday and said he wants to refocus his priorities.

"At the age of 38, I believe it is time to put my time and energies into those areas and relationships that I have neglected. That is why at this time I feel the most important thing I can do in my life is to reconnect with the three F's. Friends, Family and Faith." - Tim Thomas via FaceBook. 

When you're a goaltender playing at the level Thomas is (or was) you have to have your whole heart and mind on the game. Clearly something is stealing away his attention from the game he loves, and wants to take a year off to refocus. But it puts the Bruins in between a rock and a hard place: despite Thomas not playing next season his $5 Million contract will still count against the cap hit, while back-up Tukka Rask does not have a contract for next season. If the Bruins don't show Rask the money he wants, he can walk and they will find themselves without a goaltender.

This season turned into a debacle for Thomas, his numbers were slightly down from the his cup winning season in 2010. 35-19-1 with a 2.36 GAA and a .920 save percentage. His team was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round by the Washington Capitals falling short of a deep playoff ride. But more so than the numbers on the ice was what happened off the ice. The big story, when Thomas refused to join his Bruins teammates at the White House for the traditional Stanley Cup Champions visit. Putting himself (or his political views) before his teammates. His decision was a major distraction for his teammates who went 2-5 in their next 7 games. Although they got back on track, since the White House visit the Bruins were not the same dominating team. Whether he meant to or not, Thomas' actions off the ice proved a major distraction to his teammates. Perhaps thats why he's taking a year off, so he's not so much of a distraction.

So why not retire?
Normally when players lose their focus/love for the game they decide to hang up the skates. But Tim Thomas is just going to take a season off, nothing major just a whole season of not playing games! Then he expects to just jump back into the league? But the main reason he doesn't want to step away from the game right now is the 2014 Olympics. Thomas believes he can come back and play well enough to earn the starting job for the 2014 US Olympic team, some pretty lofty goals. But considering he was Ryan Miller's backup at the Olympics in 2010 (and Miller played darn well), what makes him think he'll get the job? I'm not saying Miller will be the starter at the 2014 Olympics (because I don't think he will be), but there's also Jonathan Quick who may well be the 2012 Stanley Cup winner and is arguably entering into the prime of his career, not to mention Canucks Cory Schneider who has stolen the number 1 job from Luongo. By the time the 2014 Olympics role around there may be a long line in front of Thomas on the depth charts, and oh by the way those goalies haven't taken a year off and bailed on their teams.


So why is Thomas taking a year off?
Sure he gave the media and fans his "reasons" for taking a year off, but let's open the book and read a little.
1. Maybe he really is tired and worn out. He needs some time to "recharge his batteries", but that's generally what the off season is for, not a whole off-season. If he needs time off now because he's tired, how will he hold up in 2014 when he's 40?

2. His ego has been hurt. This is the real reason I believe he's making up excuses to take a season off. He went from being one of the best goalies in the NHL to being a complete nut job and having people mocking him. He did not have a great season with the Bruins and was not able to carry them deep into the playoffs, the Bruins no longer need him. Rask is ready to be given a shot at the starting job, they no longer need Thomas and all his "mind games".
3. He's just waiting out the end of his contract. At the end of next season his contract with the Bruins will be done, he will no longer be tied to one wagon. He can go to whichever team he fancies (or that wants him). He's had some problems with Bruins management in the past and knows they are ready to run with Rask So he may want to leave Boston on his terms, wait for his contract to expire and then leave town.

But whats really frustrating about Tim Thomas' statement from his facebook page, is the fact he never once mentions the Boston Bruins, the team he is under contract too. He didn't give any concrete answers, he didn't really explain why he was taking time off. This is yet another scenario where Thomas is putting himself before his team. He's hiding behind his social media, he hasn't once spoken to the media about his decision or made a clear statement about whats going on.

He has now forced the Bruins to somehow trade him, but he's tremendously lowered his trade value which will bite the Bruins in the butt. Whether Thomas comes out and says it or not, he's making it painfully obvious he doesn't want to play for the Bruins any more.
So I wonder where he plans on playing next season, because the Bruins sure as heck won't want him back after all the trouble he caused.

Everyone knows that goalies are a special breed, a unique bunch. But Tim Thomas is giving goalies a even worse reputation. Right now it's Thomas before everything including his team. Would any team be willing to take him and his ego on in another year?

Kings vs. Devils Stanley Cup Preview

Show of hands how many of you picked the Stanley Cup final to be between the Los Angeles Kings and the New Jersey Devils? Now put your hands down and stop lying, no one saw these two teams making it to the Stanley Cup Finals. It wasn't until the Kings beat the Canucks that I knew they had a slight chance, and I never believed the Devils would make it all the way until they took the Rangers to game 7. Shoot, I was mildly surprised when they beat the Panthers.

Two teams that finished 8th and 6th are in the finals, just goes to show that once you make the playoffs anything can happen. So let's take a look back at each team's journey and then preview the match-up.

Los Angeles Kings
In their first series the 8th seeded Kings were up against the 1st seeded Canucks, not a place you want to be in to start off the playoffs. Many had the Canucks as the favorites to go all the way this year and prove they could win a cup. But the Kings had other plans and beat the favored Canucks in 5 games and possibly put an end to Roberto Loungo's tenure in Vancouver.

After upsetting the first seed team, they went on to face the #2 seeded St. Louis Blues. Once again the Kings were able to manhandle the Blues and knocked them off in 4 straight games. The coveted sweep made people start believing the Kings were the real deal.

Then in round three the Kings were up against Garry Bettman's team the Phoenix Coyotes. Despite some controversial overtime happenings in game 5, the Kings had little difficulty knocking off the desert dogs. They finished off the Coyotes in 5 games and won the series 4-1, and at this point you can't call it an upset anymore. The Kings have solidified themselves as the real deal.

Through the first 3 rounds of the playoffs the Kings have played in just 14 games, playing nearly flawless hockey.

New Jersey Devils
The Devils started their Stanley Cup run against the Florida Panthers, in a series that was mostly an afterthought Both teams play a rather boring style of game, making it painful to watch. None the less the Devils prevailed in 7 games, narrowly edging out the Panthers to win the series 4-3.

Next up for the Devils was the enormous task of the Philadalphia Flyers, who had come off a major win over the Penguins. Luckily for the Devils the Flyers left too much emotion in Pittsburgh and got overly happy with their first round win against their cross-state rivals, there wasn't much left for the Devils. To many people's surprise the Devils tore apart the Flyers fairly easily as they won the series in 5 games.

Next up was the first seeded team from the East, the New York Rangers. It was the battle of the goalies, Brodeur vs. Lundqvist, the old gaurd vs the new.Tthe 40 year old Brodeur surprised many a expert and played fantastic showing no signs of aging. In large part due to their goaltending the Devils were able to upset the Rangers in 6 games, winning the series 4-2.

Teeing up the series
These two teams met twice during the regular season with the Devils winning both games, so there is some familiarity between the two teams. But the Kings have changed a lot since last playing the Devils, a coaching change, acquiring Jeff Carter and having Jonathan Quick catch fire. It's likely to be a very close hard fought series that may very well go to 7 games (for the second final in a row).

Key factors


Goaltending:
This series, like many a finals before it, is likely to come down to goaltending. Arguably one of the best goalies in the league right now Jonathan Quick against a former best goaltender, an all-time great, the legend himself Martin Brodeur. This will likely be Brodeur's last playoff run/season in the league, while Quick is just beginning his career. Whichever goaltender performs better will end up winning the series for their team and perhaps skating away with the Conn Smythe trophy and well you know, the Stanley Cup. With the way these goalies play most games will likely be low scoring affairs, so expect some 2-1 games.
Edge Brodeur

A second chance:
Some players play hockey all their life, get drafted and play in the NHL but fail to reach the Stanley Cup finals, and even fewer make it back there for a second time. But for some former Flyers now on the Kings roster it's a second chance at glory. Mike Richards and Jeff Carter were part of the Flyers run to the Cup Finals in 2010. They lost. But now they're back for another crack at winning proffesional sports most prized possession, and they aren't the only former Flyers looking to win big. Kings assistant coach John Stevens is a former Flyers head coach, Kings forward Justin Williams is a former Flyer, Simon Gagne is also a former Flyer, King GM Dean Lombardi is a former scout for the Flyers and assistant GM Ron Hextall is one of the Flyers greatest goaltenders.
But the biggest ex-Flyers Richards and Carter have all eyes on them, how will they perform, will the trade end up biting Philly in the butt?

Role Players:
Both teams have superstar players they are counting on to produce and help them win the Cup. Ilya Kovalchuck and Zach Parise must be huge for the Devils and Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar must come up huge for the Kings. But the Cup will be decided by secondary scoring from guys you don't expect a great deal of. For the Devils rookie Adam Henrique and veteran David Clarkson both have 3 goals in these playoffs, and are the type of players you win with. They play a hard 2 way game and aren't afraid to get physical.
For the Kings Dustin Penner is a guy who could really step his game up. He had a rough season, but it's time to put that behind him and help his team win the cup!
Edge Devils

Americans
For the first time since 1999 the Stanley Cup will be lifted by an American born captain, both Zach Parise and Dustin Brown are American.
Edge Kings

Parise's possible last games as a Devil
Devils Captain Zach Parise will become an un-restricted free agent at the end of the year (July 1) and he hasn't signed a new contract with the Devils. He is 6th in playoff scoring with 14 points in 18 games, and will be one of the, if not the, most sought after free agents. It's not every day a top-line talent like Parise becomes available. But if the Devils are able to win the Cup it may convince him to stick around.

The European streak
The past two Stanley Cup champions started their season in Europe. The 09-10 Blackhawks played their first games in Finland, while last season's Bruins started in the Czech Republic. The Kings started this season in Europe as well, and are prepared to see the streak continue.

While this series doesn't hold the glamour a New York Ranger vs. Los Angeles Kings would hold, it still looks to be a pretty solid series. The series may get a little boring at times, but we should be in for an exciting finals.
My prediction Kings in 6

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'. 

End of the Regular Season

It's official the 2011-2012 NHL regular season has come to an end, and for teams like the Leafs, Sabres, Oilers, and Flames it's going to be a long offseason. But for 16 teams it's a chance to compete for hockey's holy grail the Stanley Cup!

Saturday marked game 82 for many teams, despite being the last day of the regular season some records were made, playoff battles were confirmed and fans had a chance to see some of their teams for the last time till October. Time to wrap the events from this weekend, and preview the playoff match ups.

Steven Stamkos reaches 60

For the Lightning's Steven Stamkos, it's a bitter-sweet ending to the season. He reached the 60 goal plateau for the first time in his career, becoming the first player to reach 60 since Alexander Ovechkin back in 2007-2008 and just the 20th player in NHL history to accomplish the feat. Stamkos will also be bringing home his second Maurice Richard trophy, awarded to the player who scored the most goals. He also set a career high with 60 goals and 97 points. But his Tampa Bay Lightning will not be making the journey back to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Stamkos said in his interview "He'd trade all those goals for an opportunity at the postseason" as the postseason is still what makes the players work as hard as they do.
But to reach 60 goals in the NHL is a special milestone, especially doing it in the new "era" where fewer goals are being scored; it takes a special hockey player to crack 60! Stamkos is a phenomenal, classy hockey player who plays the game the right way and is a great ambassador for the sport.

Evgeni Malkin reaches 50
Malkin made his dream a reality on Saturday night notching his 50th goal of the season. He also became the only player to score 50 goals while adding 50 assists and reaching over 100 points in a single season. For Malkin it's a triple victory; reaching 50, Art Ross trophy, and a trip to the postseason with one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league. He will likely also bring home the MVP trophy for everything he did for the Penguins without their star Crosby.

Canucks win 2nd straight President's Trophy
The league's most despised team has captured their 2nd straight President's Trophy capturing the honor by beating out the Rangers and Blues for most points on the year! The Vancouver Canucks went 51-22-9 to finish on top of the league with 111 points. As a result the Canucks finish 1st in the West and will play the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs!

Why I hate the 3 point system in the NHL

The Buffalo Sabres finished the regular season in 9th place in the East, with 39 wins and 89 points. The Florida Panthers finished 3rd in the east with 38 wins and 94 points. Yes you read that correctly the Sabres won more games than the Panther yet missed the playoffs all because of the points earned for losing in overtime games. In any other sport, the losing team gets 0 points, doesn't matter how many innings or quarters the game goes the losing team doesn't get a point. But in the NHL the losing team gets 1 point, those extra points for (losing games) end up putting you in the playoffs instead of a team that actually won more games. Only in the NHL can a team play to a tie.

Phoenix Coyotes clinch the Pacific division
The division title is the Coyotes first ever division title dating back to when they were the Winnipeg Jets way back in 1979.

Playoff matches:

East
New York Rangers (1) vs. Ottawa Senators (8) Rangers in 5
Boston Bruins (2) vs. Washington Capitals (7) Bruins in 6
Florida Panthers (3) vs. New Jersey Devils (6) Devils in 6
Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs Philadelphia Flyers (5) Flyers in 7
My pic is for Boston to come out of the East again!

Round 2:
Rangers vs Penguins Rangers in 6
Bruins vs Devils Bruins in 5

Conference finals
Rangers vs Bruins Bruins in 7


West
Vancouver Canucks (1) vs. Las Angeles Kings (8) Canucks (barely, 4-3)
St. Louis Blues (2) vs. San Jose Sharks (7) St Louis Blues
Phoenix Coyotes (3) vs. Chicago Blackhawkes (6) Blackhawkes
Nashville Predators (4) vs Detroit Red Wings (5) Red Wings

Round 2:
Vancouver vs Detroit Detroit in 7
St. Louis vs Chicago St. Louis in 5

Conference finals:
St. Louis vs Detroit St. Louis in 6

Stanley Cup Final:

Boston Bruins vs. St. Louis Blues --- Well now, that's a blog by itself.. stay tuned and enjoy the playoffs!

Leave your picks below!